Morning Briefing Wednesday 23rd July

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 Morning Briefing for Wednesday 23rd July with me, James Kitchen. Sir Keir Starmer is demanding urgent action from ministers to avoid a repeat of last summer's riots.

0:44It comes after warnings from Downing Street that Britain is fraying at the edges. The Prime Minister told the Cabinet it was vital to repair Britain's social fabric and improve integration in regions experiencing high levels of migration. Meanwhile, his deputy, Angela Rayner, said the government needs to acknowledge real concerns about rapid change coupled with stagnant living standards. The Times' policy editor is Oliver Wright. This is partly driven by a worry that what happened in Starmer's first summer in charge could potentially happen again and also trying to sort of highlight the things that Labour is going to do to address that.

1:22But I think that as you go into the summer period, this is something that is preying on the mind of ministers. Metallica, Sir Elton John and Ronnie Wood have paid tribute to the Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who's died at the age of 76. His family released a statement confirming his death early yesterday morning, saying he passed away surrounded by love. He'd been battling Parkinson's disease in recent years and performed his last show just weeks ago in Birmingham. Tim Palmer is the platinum record producer who worked with Ozzy for his 2001 solo album Down to Earth. The thing about being an iconic rock vocalist is it's not necessarily simply about being able to sing.

2:03It's about having a voice. And Ozzy Osbourne had an iconic rock voice. He had a sonic quality to his voice that was able to cut through all those big guitars in Sabbath and in his solo work. Fresh peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are to take place later in Istanbul. It comes after Donald Trump threatened Vladimir Putin with severe sanctions if there was no ceasefire reached in 50 days, a deadline that falls at the beginning of September. The Kremlin says it does not expect a miraculous breakthrough from the discussions. Vadim Prosteiko is a former Ukrainian ambassador to NATO and the UK.

2:40If anybody in the Ukrainian system, any political leader will allow to think of formally, officially, seize any lands to Ukraine, he will face a revolt. We will not allow leaders to become dictators. That was obvious. And again, we cherish our history and our territory and our own lands. It will be a very difficult challenge how to get Ukrainians and Russians to agree on some lands' territories. I don't believe that Ukrainians are ready for that. A government review has found cuts to Britain's aid budget will increase the number of children dying unnecessarily. The Foreign Office warns plans to reduce spending on health projects in Africa would increase disease and ultimately deaths.

3:22Meanwhile, scaling back support for education in the world's poorest countries would have a negative impact on children in former conflict zones. And the Lionesses have produced another stunning comeback to beat Italy 2-1 in extra time in the semifinals of the Women's Euros. England will now play either Spain or Germany as they seek to lift the trophy for the second time in a row on Sunday night. The sports broadcaster Charlotte Richardson says the team's grit has paid off. A real marker of the resilience and the character that they've shown in this tournament. They haven't played their best football by any stretch of the imagination, but if you can't be good, be lucky.

4:01and I think their hard work, their determination and their togetherness has granted them opportunities to get this far in the competition. King Charles and Queen Camilla have sent the team their warmest congratulations. And remember, you can follow The Times News Briefing on Spotify and you can listen live to Times Radio Online. 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.

4:41That'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

5:04Back to school is busy enough. The last thing you need is shopping that makes it harder. Whether you're moving into a dorm, your first apartment or just getting organized for the semester, Wayfair makes it easy to get everything you need in one place. furniture, bedding, storage, decor, study essentials, all at prices you'll love with fast shipping before move-in day. Get everything you need for back-to-school season. Shop Wayfair.com today. Wayfair, every style, every home.