Morning briefing Thursday 25th June

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 morning briefing on Thursday the 25th of June. The UK is braced for another day of extreme heat after recording its hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching 36.1 degrees Celsius at Gosport in Hampshire.

0:49A red heat warning remains in place, with hundreds of schools expected to close early or move to remote learning, transport disrupted, and health officials warning the conditions could pose a risk to even healthy people. Experts say heat waves like this can lead to a significant rise in excess deaths, particularly among older people. Speaking to Times Radio, Polly Turton from Shade the UK says previous heatwaves have demonstrated the devastating human cost. Well, if you recall the 2022 heatwave, there were approximately 3 ,000 excess heat-related deaths in the UK. Approximately 400 of those were in London.

1:26Most of those people were 65 years old and older. But yeah, there's estimated that the Maybank holiday weekend, these aren't official figures yet but it's estimated that about 250 people would have died over that bank holiday weekend alone back in May. Two powerful earthquakes have struck Venezuela within seconds of each other, causing widespread damage in the capital, Caracas. The first quake measured 7.2 in magnitude, followed less than a minute later by a stronger 7.5 tremor. Buildings have collapsed and there's a high likelihood of heavy casualties. Andy Burnham is drawing up plans to create a number 10 in the north with part of his prime ministerial operation expected to be based in Manchester if he becomes prime minister.

2:10Times newsroom reporter Olly Cole says the move is designed to shift power away from Westminster. This is the start of Andy Burnham preparing for government and I suppose it comes as no surprise that the man who has essentially made all of his political capital in the last few years out of being the mayor of Greater Manchester has decided that northwards is the way government should face if he takes charge of number 10. The plans have sparked concern among some Labour MPs who fear an emphasis on the north could alienate voters in southern, rural and coastal seas. Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is playing a key role in shaping the economic agenda of a potential government led by Mr Burnham, with the pair said to have been working closely for weeks.

2:57Miliband is among the leading contenders to be Chancellor, alongside Shabana Mahmood and Wes Streeting. Scotland face a nervous wait to see if they'll progress into the World Cup knockout stages. They were beaten 3-0 by Brazil in Miami, meaning they finished third in their group, and now rely on goal difference compared to other third-place teams to go through. Midfielder Kenny McLean was downhearted when he spoke to us. Yeah, it just wasn't our night tonight, we didn't do enough. unfortunately we couldn't get a goal later on but it was a tough ask tonight and we came up short 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 the 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.

4:22Hey, Pablo Torre here. As a sports journalist, I've covered global sports for many years now. And there is one thing that I can promise you. Nothing compares to the World Cup. And this time, it is even better thanks to McDonald's. You have the chance to take home one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal. The cups feature some of the biggest legends in football, like David Beckham, Terry Henry, and Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamin Amal, and Alphonso Davies. Right now, get one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal only at McDonald's. At participating McDonald's, only for a limited time, while supplies last.

4:58All rights reserved. Copyright 2026. McDonald's at the FIFA World Cup 2026.