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Dec 9, 2021 • 36min

A smorgasbord of fiascos

It’s been another long day for Boris Johnson. Laura, Adam and Chris chat about all the incoming fire. Just what did he know - and when - about the decorating costs for his Downing Street flat? And what political damage will he suffer over the continuing controversy around alleged Christmas parties last year and the introduction of Plan B. Is this the beginning of the end for the PM? MP and former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland shares his views about all that and talks about his very personal determination to improve the lives of young adults, like his daughter, who have been diagnosed with autism. Newscast was made by Ali Gee, Ros Jones, Danny Wittenberg and Alix Pickles.
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Dec 8, 2021 • 31min

Plan B

What are the new Covid rules in England? What do we know about the Omicron variant? And what's been the fallout since that No 10 Christmas party video was leaked? Adam, Laura and Fergus talk through one of the busiest days in politics for a while...Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Ros Jones. Ash Taylor was the studio director.
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Dec 7, 2021 • 33min

Out of (Foreign) Office

A top UK official says he regrets staying on holiday during Afghan crisis... The BBC's James Landale joins Adam to talk it all through, and we hear from Basira Paigham, who was evacuated from Afghanistan and is on this year’s #BBC100Women 2021 list. Also, Adam digs deep into the pockets of personal finance with Jaidev Janardana, the boss of Zopa, the world's first peer-to-peer lending company (which has just pulled out of peer-to-peer lending). Is it RIP for P2P?Today’s episode of Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Ben Cooper and Alix Pickles. The studio director was Emma Crowe and the assistant editor was Alison Gee.
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Dec 6, 2021 • 34min

Dealers or No Dealers

The government announces its new drugs plan. As the government sets out its 10-year plan to help problem drug users and cut drug-related crime, we hear from the medical expert, Dame Carol Black, whose research informed the policy.And, as Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, prepares to take office on Wednesday, Dr Katya Adler is back to explain what changes are expected in Europe’s richest and most powerful country.Today’s episode of Newscast was made by Emma Close with Ros Jones and Sally Abrahams. The assistant editor is Alison Gee. Jonathan Aspinwall is the editor.
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Dec 3, 2021 • 38min

Foul Play

‘Drunken, drugged-up thugs’ could have caused death at the Euro final, a review finds.Two thousand ticketless fans stormed the stadium for one of English football’s biggest matches, and the official report says a “perfect storm” of problems might have turned it into a tragedy. We speak to the BBC’s Sports Correspondent, Natalie Pirks, at Wembley.It’s also time for a COP catch-up. Chris Stark, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change, rejoins Adam to assess the aftermath of the Glasgow summit.And after footage emerged of an antisemitic attack on a bus in London’s Oxford Street, we hear from British-Jewish BBC journalist Tom Brada, who has just made a documentary investigating a spike in reports of antisemitism in the UK.Today’s Newscast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with producers Alix Pickles, Maia Lowerson and Georgia Coan. The studio director was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.
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Dec 2, 2021 • 33min

Intimate Oral Contact

Find out which cabinet minister won’t be snogging under the mistletoe. Adam, Laura and Chris mull over what really happened at a Downing Street gathering last Christmas. Also, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says he won’t be cancelling festive events and warns Chris to back off over criticism of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. Today’s Newscast was made by Danny Wittenberg, Ros Jones and Vicky Farncombe. The assistant editor was Alison Gee. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.
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Dec 1, 2021 • 29min

Carry on Christmas

Laura chats to Adam about reports that Christmas parties were held in Downing Street at the height of last year’s lockdown. The BBCs Hugh Pym and Branwen Jeffreys join Adam to discuss whether festivities and school nativities will go ahead this year. We hear views from the picket line as university staff go on a three-day strike over pay, working conditions and pensions. Adam brings you Newscast’s very own – and very brief – version of Radio 4’s ‘The Reith Lectures’. It’s all about AI. And as advent calendars are opened, Adam invents his own version, ‘the badvent calendar’, a collection of the most cringeworthy moments of 2021. Please share yours: newscast@bbc.co.uk This episode of Newscast was made by Ros Jones with Georgia Coan, Ben Cooper, Alix Pickles and Sally Abrahams. The editor was Jonathan Aspinwall. The studio manager was Michael Regaard
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Nov 30, 2021 • 31min

"C"

The boss of MI6 speaks! His name is Richard Moore and he's said some really interesting things about China, Afghanistan and green ink! Adam talks it through with the BBC's Gordon Corera. And after another Covid press conference from Boris Johnson, Adam and Fergus chat with a pharmacist in Surrey. How will the roll out of the booster jabs really work?This episode of Newscast was made by Sam Bonham with Sally Abrahams and Rosamund Jones. The studio director was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Alison Gee.
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Nov 29, 2021 • 37min

Omicron I Don’t Believe It

Every adult in the UK will be offered a Covid booster jab... Fergus and Laura talk through all the new changes. And as British socialite, Ghislaine Maxwell, goes on trial accused of grooming underage girls for convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, we hear about his controlling behaviour from a journalist who has interviewed him many times. This episode of Newscast was made by Emma Close with Sally Abrahams, Serena Tarling and Rosamund Jones. Thestudio director was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.
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Nov 26, 2021 • 37min

The 'Nu' Variant

'Nu' variant, new concern. Scientists are closely watching a new variant of coronavirus circulating in southern Africa, nicknamed the 'nu' variant. The BBC’s Health and Science Correspondent, James Gallagher, tells Adam what the experts are telling him. So how worried should we be?France has uninvited the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, from a meeting set up to deal with the recent surge in dangerous crossings of the Channel. The Economist’s Paris Bureau Chief, Sophie Pedder, explains why relations are so tense.And appendicitis can be extremely painful – and a real pain to diagnose. BBC News Presenter Reeta Chakrabarti shares her experience with appendicitis and tells us why it’s so important that it’s spotted early.Today's Newscast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with producers Rosie Blunt, Georgia Coan and Ben Cooper. The studio manager was Frank McWeeny. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

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