Morning briefing Thursday 26th February

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 26th of February. Records suggest Jeffrey Epstein continued arranging flights for young women through the UK until just weeks before his arrest in 2019.

0:49Flight logs show the late paedophile financier travelled in and out of Britain dozens of times. Multiple police forces are now examining whether victims were trafficked by UK airports and RAF bases. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey challenged the Prime Minister on the issue in the Commons. Will he, at the very least, commit to releasing the flight logs and related documents? Will he wait for the House to force the government to do that? Prime Minister. Well, I think it's important to appreciate there's obviously a police investigation going on, and I think it's right, and I'm sure he agrees with this, that that has to go wherever the evidence takes it, and we have to let that investigation run its course before deciding what next action needs to be taken.

1:34Meanwhile, Scotland Yard has apologised to the Commons Speaker. After revealing he was the source of claims, Lord Maddelson planned to leave the UK. The disclosure, described as a breach of protocol, came during an investigation that led to Maddelson's arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He's accused of passing sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein, which he denies. Police say the information was shared inadvertently. Labour MP Carl Turner told Times Radio Sir Lindsay acted appropriately in the circumstances. The Speaker had to do what he had to do if he's been given information.

2:09It sounded a bit bizarre though, I have to say. The idea that Mandelson was planning to escape to the British Virgin Islands, where we have an extradition agreement, seemed a bit strange, to put it mildly. But of course, the Speaker of the House had to do what he had to do. Four people have been killed after a US-registered speedboat entered Cuban waters, with Havana saying those on board opened fire when approached by a patrol vessel. Cuba's Interior Ministry says border guards moved to identify the boat before coming under fire, leaving a commander wounded. Journalist John Bonfiglio, who's based in Latin America, says the confrontation escalated rapidly.

2:50It was met by the Cuban Coast Guard, who demanded that the vessel stop, and then individuals on the vessel opened fire on the Cuban Coast Guard vessel that returned fire, killing four of the ten individuals. Six of the others were injured and I understand are currently receiving medical attention on the island. Polls will open this morning in the by-election for Gorton and Denton. The seat has been vacant since former MP Andrew Gwynn stood down for health reasons. Artist Dame Tracey Emin says wealthy people should routinely support museums through memberships and voluntary donations. The British Museum Trustee says those who can afford it should tap and give to help keep cultural institutions free for everyone.

3:33There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

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