Morning briefing on Wednesday 28th January

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 your Times Radio News Briefing on Wednesday 28th January. The Prime Minister has said China is too powerful to ignore as he pledges to thaw Britain's ice age relationship with the country.

0:46Embarking on the first visit by a Prime Minister in eight years, Sikir Starmer said, like it or not, China matters to the UK as one of the world's biggest economic players. Dr Lynette Nussbacher is a former British Army intelligence officer and explains some of the precautions taken for the trip, including the use of burner phones. There's a lot of concern that the Chinese mobile networks, for instance, might inject malware into people's telephones. And it will be important to ensure not only that nobody's listening to the delegation while they're in China, but also that when they come back, that nobody's infecting systems here in the UK.

1:28As Sakhir travels to China back home, the speculation over his leadership continues. As the Times reveals, his former deputy, Angela Rayner, has hinted at a return to the front line, with 80 MPs reportedly ready to back her. Alongside that, dozens of Labour MPs are furious at his decision to block Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing in the by-election in a month's time. Patrick Maguire, the Times' chief political commentator, says there's no good time for him to go abroad. The frequency with which he goes abroad is the subject of some disquiet from Labour MPs. I think from Downing Street's perspective, they'll say this is the best possible moment for Keir Starmer to be heading abroad and proving he is Britain's leader on the international stage, has these relationships with foreign leaders, is getting on with the job, is delivering on the cost of living in particular, which is the big message Downing Street wants to land.

2:23An investigation from the Times has found fake jobs being sold to migrants for up to£20 ,000 as part of illegal schemes to deceive the Home Office into granting work visas. Branded no-job visas, the arrangements allow migrants facing deportation to fraudulently obtain work permits lasting up to five years. Dr Dora Olivia Vickle is the chief executive of the Work Rights Centre. The design of the system so far really encourages this market of middlemen to mushroom because it makes it very hard for an individual worker to find a bona fide employer independently. So in that space, middlemen can just say, I'll help you find someone in exchange for a hefty fee, if only you just pay me.

3:05Yellow ice warnings are covering large parts of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Storm tranches sweeping through the UK with severe rain, snow and winds disrupting trains, ferries, flights and roads. Its claim to decline in the mental health of children is one of the biggest challenges of our time. A report from leading charities identifies a sharp rise in rates of emotional distress among young people in recent years. It's found the UK lags behind other countries on life satisfaction. And Dame Sarah Mullally will become the first woman ever to become the Archbishop of Canterbury when she's formally elected later.

3:39The ceremony will take place at St Paul's Cathedral, where her appointment will formally be recognised. You can follow The Times Radio News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online. That's your Times Radio News Briefing on Wednesday the 28th of January. This 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.

4:21strengthening 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