Newscast

Today, we look at the closest General Election of a generation as three party leaders faced their first national test.
There had been building speculation about when Labour Prime Minister Gordon would call the election after taking over from Tony Blair in 2007. When he eventually did, he faced the Conservatives’ David Cameron and Liberal Democrats’ Nick Clegg.
Adam is joined by Nick Robinson, who was the BBC’s political editor at the time, and Jo Coburn, who was presenting the Daily Politics.
In this first of two episodes focussing on the campaign, they look at the fight to win the argument over how to try to help the country recover after the 2008 financial crash, and Nick reveals his scariest moment in the job.
It’s the latest of our special Old Newscast series looking back at the moments that shaped the course of modern political history in the UK.
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://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.
New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd
Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Flynn with Rosie Merotra. The social producer was Jem Westgate. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Today, after a week of deadly strikes targeting factories and infrastructure is the War in Ukraine entering a new phase of aggression?
President Zelensky has appealed for more ballistic missile interceptors after twenty one people were killed in a night in Kyiv. Moscow fired 115 drones and 24 ballistic missiles. Most of the drones were shot down, but Kyiv's depleted air defences did not intercept any of the missiles.
In Moscow oil refineries and factories have been targeted by Ukrainian drones. An estimated £750m worth of goods were destroyed after Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, was hit last month. So has the war entered a new phase?
Adam is joined by Russia editor Steve Rosenberg and Ukraine Correspondent Dan Johnson
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://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.
New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Shiler Mahmoudi and Anna Harris. The social producer was Jem Westgate. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Today, are some of the world’s leading AI companies doing enough to stop their models from going rogue?
Facebook owner Meta has become the latest tech firm to say one of its AI models hacked another company. Similar breaches by OpenAI and Anthropic models have raised cyber-security concerns and prompted calls for tougher safeguards and more rigorous testing. Adam discusses with Professor Gina Neff, Head of the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge and Ciaran Martin - Former CEO of The National Security Centre.
And the majority of England’s rivers and lakes have failed a new environmental review. Data from the Environment Agency shows only around one in seven are classed as being in good ecological condition. Despite a record £22bn earmarked for water company environmental improvements by 2030, the overall picture has changed little since 2019. Adam is joined by Environment Correspondent Matt McGrath.
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://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.
New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Anna Harris and Shiler Mahmoudi. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Today, we discuss the Conservative Party’s decision to select an ex neo-Nazi as a council election candidate in Somerset.
Joshua Bonehill-Paine spent three years in prison for posting antisemitic material ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally in 2015. While in prison, he was also convicted of racially harassing then-Labour MP Luciana Berger, who is Jewish.
Kemi Badenoch has defended the decision, saying he had been rehabilitated and was now "part of the fight against antisemetism". Adam is joined by political correspondent Joe Pike and home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford to discuss.
Adam and Joe also look at the other stories making headlines in UK politics. Andy Burnham‘s appeared on another podcast, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has been speaking about Green issues in a more direct way than we’ve often seen him during his tenure.
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://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.
New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Flynn with Shiler Mahmoudi and Anna Harris. The social producer was Jem Westgate. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Today, there has been more criticism from victims’ families over plans to release some prisoners early.
Under the policy, due to begin in October, thousands of prisoners will be eligible to be released part way through their sentences. Ministers announced last night that prisoners guilty of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming will be excluded. Adam is joined by home and legal affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani and Pia Sinha former prison governor and chief executive of the Prison Reform Trust.
And, after a humbling few days for President Trump is he able to reclaim the initiative before the US midterm elections? Adam is joined by Americast’s Anthony Zurcher.
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://bbc.in/newscastdiscord
Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.
New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Anna Harris. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.