Newscast

In this bonus episode of Newscast, Laura speaks to the (relatively) new BBC Director General Matt Brittin as he looks for £500m in savings. He explains where he thinks he might find them, how he thinks the organisation should respond to changes in viewing and listening, and whether AI could or should help. A regular episode of Newscast will follow this one in your feed.

Today, what does Andy Burnham’s meeting with Donald Trump tell us about his premiership? Adam, Alex, Gary and the editor of the New Statesman Tom Mctague round up the political week. They discuss whether the UK government is getting better at dealing with Trump’s White House, the relationship between President Trump and President Xi, and, a big new poll which has big implications for both sides of...

Today, we look at how a rogue OpenAI agent hacked an Australian government website in June and accessed private data in what experts say is the first known case of its kind in the world. Tech and AI editor Zoe Kleinman and cyber correspondent Joe Tidy tell us what it means for trust in online privacy, AI companies, and government regulation. And, Zoe brings her sunglasses for a look at why Meta ar...

Andy Burnham (and Chris!) have returned from a busy 24 hours in New York where the prime minister met US President Donald Trump for the first time, and gave his first major international speech at the United Nations General Assembly. The Prime Minister talked about fighting against Russian disinformation and pushing global AI standards. Chris has come straight from the airport to the Newscast stud...

Today, President Trump has repeated his threats to “annihilate” Iran in a speech at the UN General Assembly. In a very broad speech covered Iran, Cuba, AI and the midterm US elections. And, he again clashed with reporters following a major dispute with US TV networks. Adam unpacks it all with the BBC’s chief Washington presenter, Caitríona Perry. And, Ed Davey has told the Lib Dem conference they...

Today, we take a look at what’s happening in Europe as Germany’s Friedrich Merz faces pressure after a local election defeat. Also in the region, there has been a wave of warnings about the new threats posed by Russia. France’s Emmanuel Macron, Poland’s Donald Tusk and senior intelligence staff from across Europe have both spoken out about the hybrid Russian warfare facing the west, including sabo...

Royal correspondent Daniela Relph joins Laura and Paddy in to chat through the interview with Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer. They discuss his comparisons between the press’s treatment of Harry and Meghan with Diana, the lasting impact of her death, and what he thinks of the Royal Family. And Laura takes us behind the scenes of the interview. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speake...

The parts of this interview so far released have generated lots of interest, but here we are bringing you Laura's interview with Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer in full. He talks about finding out about her death, what he remembers of the now King Charles’ reaction to it, and the press treatment of Harry and Meghan compared to that time. Buckingham Palace this week responded to Earl Spencer’...

Laura has interviewed Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, who has defended his claims about a phone call with King Charles. He says the then-Prince of Wales said "we'll forget her soon enough" during an argument over whether Princes William and Harry should walk in Diana's funeral procession. The Palace released a statement questioning his version of events, saying “grief can cloud reason, aff...

Today, are we in for a winter of financial hope or pain? The Bank of England has held interest rates at 3.75% in a move which might come as some relief for mortgage holders. However the Bank’s governor has warned about high energy costs coming down the line. The move comes in contrast to the US Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time in more than three years. So what does this...

Today, Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, has claimed in a new memoir that King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” in the wake of her death nearly 30 years ago. The Palace has pushed back unusually strongly, saying “ grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory”. The book ‘Swan Song: Diana, My Sister’ is due to be published next week and is expected to be highly critical...

An oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia has been temporarily shut down after it was badly damaged in a strike last week. The pipeline is key to minimising the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on the world’s global oil supply. Combined with Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, experts are concerned the closure could force oil prices even higher. Adam breaks down what happened with diplomatic corresp...

Today, new figures suggest the state pension will rise by 3.9% to up to £13,000 a year. The increase is based on earning figures as dictated by the triple lock, the policy the government uses to guarantee pension growth. The rise has reignited debates about the long-term affordability and generational fairness of state pensions which have seen costs balloon in recent years. Alex and James are join...

Today, can governments work together to regulate AI, after growing safety fears in the industry? Donald Trump, has seemingly dismissed calls for government intervention made over the weekend. The President cited the AI race with China, saying “whoever wins AI, wins.” So is there anything the UK government can do? Meanwhile the calls for a slow down in AI development has led to tech stocks falling...

After Reform’s £72 million record donations, we’re looking at whether they’ll be allowed to keep the money. Legislation is going through Parliament that could limit the amount of money foreign donors can give, and be applied restrospectively, but Robert Jenrick has said the recent donations were "entirely in line with the law". And there’s been a shift in tone from tech bosses since the concerns a...

Today, we look at two record breaking donations to Reform UK of £72 million. The money has been given to the party by two crypto billionaires, Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne. Laura and Paddy discuss who they are, and why they’ve decided to hand over such a massive amount of cash. Delo said he wants a "fair fight and a level playing field", before Harborne said his "competitive spirit" inspired...

Today, MPs have voted against a fresh move to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. The bill would have allowed adults with fewer than six months to live to apply to be given help to end their life. It followed hours of debate and the result was close with 286 against and 270 in favour. Adam is joined by Ailbhe Rea, Political Editor of the New Statesman and Lara Spirit, Deputy Political ed...

Today, US President, Donald Trump, has said he will offer every adult American $5,000 (£3,700) if the Republican party wins the midterms. President Trump gave no detail on how it would work or how he would fund it. Speaking at the party's first-ever convention in the middle of a US presidential term. He also said that the country’s war with Iran would not end until after the midterms. James is joi...

Today, we look at Israel’s reaction to UK sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The foreign minister Gideon Saar announced retaliatory counter-measures, including the closure of the British Consulate in Jerusalem. Meanwhile in the UK, Ed Miliband has disagreed with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis who described the move as a "truly dark day" that put British Jews in greater danger....

Today, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has told Parliament the UK would ban the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the illegally occupied West Bank. In the speech, he said the UK government "agrees" there is ethnic cleansing in areas of the West Bank, and that the Israeli government is turning a “blind eye”. Israel has responded by closing the British consulate in Jerusalem and banning 11 l...

Today, John Healey delivered his first major speech as chancellor, aiming to boost confidence in the economy with a positive message. The chancellor set out his intentions for growth, investment and more jobs. But midway through, Jaguar Land Rover announced they would be making thousands of job cuts after struggling with competition from China and falling behind in the electric vehicle race. Econo...

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has consistently talked about what he sees as the wrong direction the country has been taken over the last 40 years. So as the new Chancellor John Healey prepares a speech for tomorrow setting out his plans for growth, we look at whether this government will be as different as it is being presented as. The new Conservative shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith is also tryin...

Today, we look at how much damage the Reform donations report will do to the party. Nigel Farage has said he "frankly wasn't listening" during the conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel foreign money to Reform UK. The row has overshadowed the party’s conference in Birmingham, where Laura, Chris, and Joe got tog...

Today, two senior officials have stood down from Reform UK after a Channel 4 News report prompts the party to investigate claims about funding. Nigel Farage's senior aide Dan Jukes and Reform's head of policy James Orr have both stood down pending the outcome of the internal probe. The undercover filming was done by Verbatim Investigations and broadcast by Channel 4 News. Reform UK has denied wron...

Today, we discuss the economic challenges Andy Burnham is facing ahead of his first budget. The economic backdrop has left the prime minister and his Chancellor John Healey with big decisions to make about defence spending, as pressure increases on the government to raise it. Adam Fleming is joined by economics editor Faisal Islam and Helen Miller, director at the IFS to discuss the options for th...