Scotcast

Energy experts Cornwall Insight are predicting a 5% increase to typical household bills when Ofgem announces the latest change to the price cap. We ask David Sheppard from the Financial Times and fuel poverty campaigner Frazer Scott from Energy Action Scotland why prices aren’t coming down. And Laura and Martin have another debate about how to pronounce ‘Scotcast’.

As world powers gather for talks to secure peace in Ukraine (without Ukraine), and Prime Minister Keir Starmer talks of sending British troops there, how do those who have fled the war view their future?Alona and Iryna, who arrived in Scotland after Russia’s invasion, tell us they don't know when (or whether) they can return home. And BBC Ukrainecast presenter Vitaliy Shevchenko reacts to an extraordinary week of news, which included a 90-minute phone call between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.And Martin praises David Tennant’s Sprechgesang effort at the Baftas.Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins.Get in touch with us by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

The big council tax freeze is over. Scotland's local authorities are setting their tax rates, with many considering rises of up to 10 per cent to balance the books. It comes after years of concerns about pressures on local budgets. Roads filled with potholes, cuts to bin collections, schools in disrepair - these are some of the regular complaints. Is it time to rewrite the entire council tax system? We hear from Ross Greer of the Scottish Greens and BBC Political Correspondent Phil Sim. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

Peter Cairns, a passionate rewilding campaigner and wildlife photographer, teams up with Justin Rowlatt, the BBC's insightful climate editor. They dive into the intriguing idea of reintroducing lynx and feral pigs to the Scottish Highlands. The duo discusses the benefits of apex predators for ecosystem health while tackling community concerns from local farmers. With humor and expertise, they explore the complexities of rewilding, shedding light on the balance between conservation and agriculture in the picturesque Scottish landscape.

A BBC investigation into Scotland's biggest children's psychiatric hospital, Skye House, has exposed a ‘culture of cruelty’ at the NHS unit in Glasgow. We hear from BBC Disclosure’s Mark Daly and Shelley Jofre about the art of investigative journalism in an era of fake news. They tell us how they made their documentary, Kids on the Psychiatric Ward, which features the testimony of six young women who were patients at the specialist unit for severe depression, eating disorders and other mental health conditions.Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

An emergency law to free inmates early is coming in to bring down the prison population.We hear from Barlinnie's governor, Michael Stoney, and a former inmate on what it's like inside Scotland’s biggest and busiest jail.And after Super Bowl LIX, Natalie hears about Martin’s former life as an NFL host.Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins.Get in touch with us by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

As homelessness stats reach record highs in Scotland, the team asks what it’s really like not to have a home. We talk to the editor of The Big Issue, Paul McNamee, and Sylvia Douglas, who experienced homelessness as a child and now supports women in poverty, about how to fix this complicated problem. And Martin and Laura discuss whether they’re sick of looking at their own faces. Get in touch with the Scotcast team by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

Donald Trump says America will 'take over' Gaza, resettling most of the native population. His comments have drawn astonishment and anger. Humza Yousaf, former First Minister, has a personal investment. Members of his wife's family are still living in Gaza. In conversation with Martin Geissler, Yousaf reacts to Trump’s overnight press conference, and what it might mean for a two-state solution. Get in touch with the Scotcast team by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

We drink it, wash with it and curse it when it falls from the sky. But how much do we really know about our water supply?The man in charge of it, Scottish Water's Chief Executive Alex Plant, talks to Martin about supply, demand, rising bills and why we need to think seriously about how much water we use.Scotcast is the BBC's Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Natalie Higgins and Laura Miller. Get in touch with us by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

As Keir Starmer becomes the first UK Prime Minister to join a meeting of EU leaders since Brexit, could the decision to leave the union ever be unpicked by our politicians? We ask the BBC’s Glenn Campbell and Angus Robertson, the member of John Swinney’s cabinet responsible for European relations, who tells us why Brexit should be reversed. And Martin Geissler and Laura Miller debate whether it’s ever okay to drop the C-bomb. Get in touch with us by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk