Today, we take a closer look at how the conflict in the Middle East is creating challenges for the UK Government. Laura, Paddy and Nick Watt discuss how much of a diplomatic role the UK can play in the conflict, as well as how escalating tensions abroad can shape domestic politics presenting challenges for the government. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast...
Oct 06, 2024•29 min
Today, we discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East after an eventful week. Paddy and Laura are joined by Baran Abbasi, reporter and presenter for BBC Persian, to discuss Iran’s role in the conflict in the Middle East. They also discuss how Iranians feel about Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning that "Iran will pay a heavy price" after launching almost 200 missiles at Israel. And, Laura has interviewed Idit Ohel, who’s son Alon was taken hostage from the Supernova music festival in Isra...
Oct 05, 2024•25 min
Adam, Alex, and Chris discuss how the UK has reacted to crisis in the Middle East as Israel launches a ground invasion in Lebanon targeting Iranian backed military group Hezbollah, how a new vote on assisted dying has come about in parliament, and the Tory leadership candidates’ pitches to conference. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community her...
Oct 04, 2024•33 min
Today the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen has published an interview with a senior member of Hamas. The interview was recorded on Tuesday - hours before Iran attacked Israel with ballistic missiles. Adam is joined by Jeremy for an update on the conflict in the Middle East, and a chat about his interview with Khalil Al-Hayya, the most senior member of Hamas outside Gaza. They speak about how the interview was arranged, why Jeremy pursued it and how he challenged Al-Hayya’s claims about what happened on Octobe...
Oct 03, 2024•35 min
Today, the four MPs who hope to become the next Conservative leader had 20 minutes each to deliver a speech to conference about why they should choose them. Adam catches up with Chris Mason about the atmosphere at Tory conference, what each leadership hopeful had to say in their speeches, and why the Prime Minister has chosen to pay back £6,000 worth of gifts he has received. And Paul Adams, BBC diplomatic correspondent, discusses what we’ve learned since Iran’s missile strikes on Israel last ni...
Oct 02, 2024•37 min
Today, we look at Iran launching a missile attack at Israel. The Israeli military says around 180 missiles were fired, most of which were intercepted. No injuries have been reported so far. The strike follows Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, with what it calls a "limited, localised and targeted" ground operation against Hezbollah. Adam and the BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner discuss what we know about this latest escalation. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want ...
Oct 01, 2024•13 min
Today, we look at Israel’s invasion of Lebanon which the Israeli military are calling a "limited, localised and targeted" ground operation against Hezbollah. An Israeli source has told the BBC that their ground forces have gone only "very close walking distance" into Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claims that Israel’s forces have not crossed the border. Both sides have continued to exchange fire with rockets. Adam is joined by BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet and security corresp...
Oct 01, 2024•26 min
Today, Israel tells the US it plans to launch a limited ground incursion into Lebanon. Adam is joined with Jeremy Bowen, International Editor, and Anna Foster, BBC News correspondent in Beirut, to discuss the developments in the region, the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people displaced following strikes around the country, and what further escalation could look like. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It work...
Sep 30, 2024•29 min
Today, the Conservative Party conference kicks off - but have the Tories got their timings all wrong over the leadership contest? Why is Rosie Duffield MP saying that Keir Starmer ‘has a problem with women’ after quitting Labour? And can the world handle another global conflict? You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/...
Sep 29, 2024•27 min
Today, Hezbollah confirmed the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah after Israeli strikes on Beirut. So could this act result in wider war across the Middle East? Paddy and Laura are joined by the BBC’s security correspondent, Frank Gardner, to make sense of today’s developments. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com...
Sep 28, 2024•29 min
Today, we look at what we’ve learned about how Labour will govern, after its conference in Liverpool this week. Adam, Alex, Nick and Vicki are in the studio to go through it, and look ahead to the challenges facing the PM internationally. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Newscast brings you...
Sep 27, 2024•35 min
Today, Adam and Marianna are joined by Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes, the head of UK Counter Terror Policing. They discuss what his role entails and the content his team had to assess in the wake of riots in the UK this summer. Matt Jukes describes how his team deal with online threats, the job of governments and regulators to balance freedom with security, and his team’s interactions with social media companies - as well as what he would say to Elon Musk. You can now listen to Newscast on a...
Sep 26, 2024•58 min
Today we look at Israeli warnings that it’s preparing for the possible entry of troops into Lebanon, after extensive air strikes. International editor Jeremy Bowen speaks to Adam from Jerusalem. And Chris has been speaking to Keir Starmer at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Prime Minister warned British citizens in Lebanon to “leave now”. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smar...
Sep 25, 2024•34 min
Today, we look at Keir Starmer’s speech at the Labour Party conference. The prime minister promised light at the end of a tunnel, but of hard choices on the way. He also defended the cut to winter fuel payments for pensioners, and called for 'restraint and de-escalation' on the border between Lebanon and Israel. Adam, Chris, Henry and Alex chat it through. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest p...
Sep 24, 2024•36 min
Today, we look at Rachel Reeves’s first conference speech as chancellor, in which she stood by her winter fuel allowance cut, was heckled by a protestor, and said “Britain’s best days lie ahead”. Adam, Chris and Alex are there in Liverpool to go through what she said. Plus we hear from the woman herself. She spoke to Adam after addressing the audience. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest polit...
Sep 23, 2024•40 min
Today, we once again turn to the row over gifts given to Labour politicians. The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, tells Laura she doesn’t believe she broke any rules after accepting free outfits, and a stay in a New York apartment owned by a Labour donor. Meanwhile, the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defends the use of her £14,000 donation from Labour donor Lord Alli. Will this story continue to dominate the narrative as the Labour party kicks off its party conference in Liverpool? ...
Sep 22, 2024•29 min
In this bonus episode we bring you Laura’s full interview with Vladimir Kara-Murza and his wife Evgenia. The Russian-British citizen was jailed in Russia after criticising President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. Evgenia has been fighting for his release ever since, and last month he was freed as part of the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. Another Newscast with Henry and Paddy, as usual, follows this one.
Sep 21, 2024•32 min
Today, the focus is once again on the Labour party which is having to deal with some difficult stories as it prepares to kick off its annual party conference in Liverpool. Laura is in Liverpool waiting for Labour conference to begin; she and Paddy discuss the news that the PM, Chancellor and Deputy PM will no longer accept donations for clothing. Will it be enough to draw a line under the row about donations that threatens to loom over Labour’s first party conference as the governing party in 15...
Sep 21, 2024•29 min
Today, we look at a tricky week for the Prime Minister where he has faced difficult questions over his judgement. Adam, Chris, Paddy and Alex are re-united in the studio for the return of the Newscast BBC 1 show. What have they all made of the row over the pay of Sue Gray? Is it a problem for Starmer that he's top of the freebie league table? What did Alex learn travelling with the PM to Italy? You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to ...
Sep 20, 2024•31 min
Today, on Newscast’s 1500th episode, Chris and Alex join to mark the occasion, and talk about the politics of the day after the PM insisted he is “completely in control”. He made the comment after the BBC revealed a row within government over staff pay. Plus, the BBC has heard testimony from more than 20 female ex-employees who say former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed sexually assaulted or raped them as part of a new podcast series and Panorama film called Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods. Its mak...
Sep 19, 2024•33 min
Today, we discuss what’s going on with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon. James Cook is joined by International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, and Security Correspondent, Frank Gardner, to discuss how the devices exploded, why Israel seems to have infiltrated Hezbollah’s communications network, and what this could mean for escalating tensions in the region. Plus, Chris joins James to discuss how a row has broken out in government over Keir Starmer’s top aide, Sue Gray, being paid more than t...
Sep 18, 2024•33 min
Today, we look at new measures that aim to protect teens on Instagram. Social media company, Meta, have announced "built-in protections" to teen accounts as well as greater controls for parents. But will it work? James is joined by the BBC’s technology editor Zoe Kleinman plus disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring. And Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, joins James from the final day of the Liberal Democrats party conference, where Election Success, the NH...
Sep 17, 2024•34 min
Today, we look at the sentencing of former BBC News presenter Huw Edwards. He’s avoided prison, but has been given a suspended six-month prison sentence for child abuse image offences at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Adam is joined by the BBC’s legal correspondent Dominic Casciani, and media editor Katie Razzall. Support services can be found here https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/ Plus, there are questions about security around former President Donald Trump, after an apparent second attempt in...
Sep 16, 2024•37 min
Today, at least eight people have died whilst trying to cross the Channel from France to England. Foreign secretary David Lammy spoke to Laura, with Keir Starmer’s upcoming trip to Italy where immigration has also been a key issue for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Laura and Paddy, joined by Newsnight’s Nick Watt, also react to Lammy speaking about the Western allies stance on allowing Ukraine to fire long-range missiles into Russia and his views on former US President Donald Trump and the misin...
Sep 15, 2024•28 min
Today, we look at what happens now with Ukraine’s use of long-rage missiles after Sir Keir Starmer failed to signal any decision over allowing Kyiv to fire the UK-provided weapons into the Russian territory. Plus, the prime minister says he will do the difficult things, but what are some of the issues that need fixing and are still ‘unsayable’ for the new government? You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on ...
Sep 14, 2024•30 min
Today, we discuss the Prime Minister’s visit to the White House to discuss the US and UK’s support for Ukraine. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Russia had started the war in Ukraine and could end it "straight away”. Adam is joined by Chris Mason, who is in Washington with the Prime Minister ahead of his meeting with President Joe Biden. We also speak to Emily Thornberry, the new Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. In her first interview since becoming Chair, she speaks about how ...
Sep 13, 2024•42 min
Today, we look at a damning report into the state of the NHS. The Lord Darzi review finds the NHS “is in critical condition”, with “ballooning” waiting times and delays in A&E and cancer care. Speaking after the report, the Prime Minister told reporters the NHS must “reform or die” and there will be no more money without reform. Adam is joined by health correspondent Cath Burns, chief executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust Matthew Trainer, and chair of the RC...
Sep 12, 2024•37 min
Today, we round up all the latest stories about the UK economy. Adam is joined by BBC Economics Editor Faisal Islam and Chief Economics Correspondent Dharshini David to dig into what the latest GDP figures tell us about the economy, as well as what Chancellor Rachel Reeves told Faisal about the decisions she has taken on Winter Fuel Payments and those still to come in the budget. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”....
Sep 11, 2024•27 min
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump meet for the first time on a debate stage in Philadelphia, sparring over key issues and exchanging deep personal attacks. The momentous meeting was marked by question dodging, finger pointing… and pet-eating! The Americast Team analyses the night from the heart of the action. Who will go viral after tonight? Did Trump stick to his messaging? And will there be a second debate?! HOSTS: * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Sarah Smith, North America editor * Marianna Sp...
Sep 11, 2024•34 min
Today, we look at what was billed as one of the first big tests for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons, the vote over winter fuel. Adam is joined by Chris and Alex to look at the result of the vote in Parliament, and they discuss the next round of voting in the Conservative leadership contest. Plus, around 1700 offenders have been released from prison early to help ease overcrowding. Adam speaks to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor about the situation i...
Sep 10, 2024•43 min
