Evening briefing Tuesday 5th May

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters. PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. This is Times Radio's evening briefing on Tuesday 5th May. Donald Trump says Iran should wave the white flag of surrender and that the US blockade of the Stratopoul moves is working well.

0:46We have total control. As you know, the blockade's been amazing. It's like a piece of steel. Nobody's going to challenge the blockade. And I think it's working out very well. We're going to see. I can say this. Iran wants to make a deal. And who wouldn't when your military is totally gone? We could do anything we want to them. It comes after his defence secretary, Pete Hegsitt, claimed a ceasefire is holding, despite recent clashes in the strait. The United Arab Emirates also says it's defending itself against more Iranian strikes. Hate crimes against the Jewish community will be fast-tracked through the courts.

1:24The chief prosecutor for England and Wales says it's in response to a rise in anti-Semitic attacks. Sakir Starmer hosted an emergency meeting in Downing Street this morning and warned Iran that it will face consequences if it's proven to be behind the recent spate. It's not enough to simply say we stand with Jewish communities. Of course we do, but we must show it and act it. And the responsibility lies with each and every one of us. It is about the kind of country that we all want to live in. Universities have been told to report how they address anti-Semitic incidents. Some campaign groups say measures like that aren't enough.

2:03Medics have boarded a cruise ship in the Atlantic to extract two people requiring urgent treatment for Hantavirus, including one passenger from Britain. Seven people have been confirmed to have had the infection, including the three who've died. Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at Aberdeen University, Hugh Pennington, told Times Radio one strain of the virus is easily treatable, but the other is worse. The other one, and the most serious syndrome, which is I think the one we're talking about today, is the Hantavirus pneumonia syndrome, where the patient suddenly develops, well, they get a lot of water on their lungs, and the lungs sort of fill up, and they sort, in a sense, they drown.

2:45Zakir Starmer says plans are being put in place to help affected British nationals. A Times investigation has found Green Party leader Zach Polanski falsely claimed to be a spokesperson for the British Red Cross during his 2022 deputy leadership campaign. The charity says he never held that role, with the party suggesting the claim related to hosting fundraisers. The report also raises questions over aspects of his past, including his hypnotherapy credentials. It comes amid a recent drop in his approval ratings. UK long-term borrowing costs have hit a 28-year high as markets react to political uncertainty.

3:24Investors fear a poor local election result could weaken Sikir Starmer and trigger a Labour leadership challenge. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

3:39This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwC. AI is everywhere. In the news, in our hands, but return on investment, not so much. So how do you get beyond the hype and deliver AI that powers reinvention and growth across your business? Strong foundations unlock AI's potential. That's why PwC takes you further with tech, strengthening the data quality, processes, and workflows that shape how well AI performs. PwC turns innovation into implementation, so you can accelerate from experiment to scale. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. Hi, this is Brooke DeVard from Naked Beauty. I am always looking for ways to elevate our daily rituals.

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