Morning briefing Tuesday 24th March

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0:35This is Times Radio's morning briefing on Tuesday the 24th of March. Donald Trump says the US and Iran have held talks on what he calls the complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East. He's postponed threatened strikes on Iranian power plants for five days, with oil and gas prices falling in response. But Iran's parliament speaker denies any negotiations, calling it fake news aimed at manipulating markets. The US president was asked in the event of a deal who would control the Strait of Hormuz. Be jointly controlled. Like whom? Maybe me. Maybe me. Me and the Ayatollah, whoever the Ayatollah is, whoever the next Ayatollah.

1:16And it'll also be a very serious form of a regime change. Now, in all fairness, everybody's been killed from the regime. Rachel Reeves will unveil plans to tackle unfair fuel price rises later, including new powers to crack down on companies profiteering from the Iran crisis. The Chancellor will outline an anti-profiteering framework to MPs as the government looks to strengthen the competition watchdog. It comes as ministers warn the conflict could continue for some time and stress the need to protect the UK from volatile energy markets. Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin told Times Radio there's also an urgent need to boost investment in Britain's defence.

1:56We are now at war. We know Lavrov has declared war. and as the sovereign territory has been attacked by Iran in Cyprus, they will attack any British asset they can. And for us to pretend we can still conduct a defence review and a defence investment plan on the basis that we're not at war is ludicrous. A British couple detained in Iran on espionage charges say they feel abandoned by the UK government and are urging the Prime Minister to step up and help them. Lindsay and Craig Foreman from East Sussex say they feel let down, alone and completely frustrated. It's their first public statement since the conflict began at the end of February.

2:34Police and security services are investigating whether Iran could be linked to an arson attack on ambulances serving a Jewish community in North London. Four vehicles were set on fire in Golders Green, with witnesses describing explosions from oxygen tanks sounding like bombs. A group linked to Tehran has claimed responsibility, though detectives say they're keeping an open mind. Zakhir Starmer has condemned the attack, calling it deeply shocking. This is not just an attack on the Jewish community, but it's an attack on all of us, on everyone who holds the fundamental British values of tolerance and respect.

3:09A deal with France to fund migrant patrols along its coastline has been delayed after the Home Secretary, Shibana Mahmood, pushed for stricter payment-by-results terms. The Home Office says it wants more flexibility in the agreement, with funding linked to the number of crossings stopped before migrants reach the Channel. Officials are heading to Paris this week for further talks on a new three-year deal. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

3:49This 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 Here's a tip for you. There's a podcast out there with fans waiting to be your next customer.

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