The Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced today that the government’s furlough support scheme that pays the wages of workers on leave due to coronavirus would be extended across all sectors until October. But, with employers being asked to contribute to the scheme from August onwards, questions remain. We hear Laura’s interview with the Chancellor, and ask how businesses that have no current date in sight of reopening will be able to pay. 
Also on the programme, Emma Vardy talks us through Northern Ireland’s five-step plan to ease the lockdown. And, the Game of Thrones actor Michael Condron tells us about his new role as a supermarket delivery driver. Producers: Frankie Tobi, Harriet Noble, Natalie Ktena
Assistant Editor: Emma Close
Editor: Dino Sofos 
Studio Manager: Tom Burchell

Furlough For How Long?

The UK’s flagship daily news podcast from the BBC, Newscast dives into the day’s big stories so you’re never out of your depth.
 
Newscast picks the brains of BBC News experts so you’re ready if someone picks yours, covering the latest developments in politics in Westminster and beyond, what the cost of living means for the money in your pocket and the impact of climate change.
 
Can Rishi Sunak turn the Conservatives fortunes around? Will Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party win the next general election? Newscast will give you all the best insights from BBC News so you’re across all the day’s top stories. 
 
Newscast is hosted by trusted journalists including Adam Fleming, BBC Political Editor Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell. Joined by special guests, including Lyse Doucet, Katya Adler, Marianna Spring, John Simpson and Victoria Derbyshire among others. In this election year, Newscast will track all the developments from Westminster - as well as following all the big developments around the world, from the race to the White House, to the war in Ukraine. Catch Newscast seven-days a week and watch on BBC One at 23:40 on Thursday night or later on BBC iPlayer
 
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Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480
Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk
Or us #Newscast Newscast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Newscast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Americast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Newscast (and if you’re reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below. The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd
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Americast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz
Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm

News

Today we look at a bill which would force TikTok’s owner to sell its US arm, or face being banned in the country. It’s driven by fears that user data is shared with the Chinese government. TikTok has called the law "unconstitutional" and says it will "challenge it in court”.  Adam speaks to BBC technology editor Zoe Kleinman, and head of social media for German broadcaster DW, Johanna Rudiger. Plus we hear from Chris, who has been with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. 
 
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere
 
Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. Today's Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Flynn with Sam McLaren and Gemma Roper and Natasha Mayo. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Is the clock ticking for TikTok in the US?

Today, we look at Rishi Sunak’s promise to spend billions more on defence. Sunak said UK military spending would rise to 2.5% of national income by 2030. The prime minister was in Poland to pledge £500 million in extra support for Ukraine, but claimed the extra money for defence would put the UK’s defence industry "on a war footing". Adam is joined by former armed forces minister, James Heappey MP. And, the day after the government’s Rwanda policy passed through Parliament, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Tom Symonds has been speaking to migrants in northern France who are preparing to cross the Channel to get to the UK.  And, the BBC’s Africa correspondent Barbara Plett Usher has been to see where the migrants will stay when they arrive in Rwanda. 
 
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere
 
Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Gemma Roper and Sam McLaren. The technical producers were Gareth Jones and Matt Hewitt. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Sunak Goes on the Defensive

Today we look at the Safety of Rwanda bill, which passed through parliament tonight after a back and forth with the Lords.
 
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says it will allow his government to put asylum seekers on flights in “10-12 weeks”.
 
Chris joins Adam to discuss how we got here, and what happens next.
 
And presenter Huw Edwards has resigned from the BBC on “medical advice from his doctors”. He has been off air since last July, after reports were published which claimed he paid a young person for explicit images. Adam speaks to culture & media editor, Katie Razzall.
 
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Flynn with Joe Wilkinson and Sam McLaren. The technical producer was Matt Hewitt. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

The government’s Rwanda policy takes off

Today, we look at the US Congress approving $61 billion of funding for Ukraine.  
 
Laura and Paddy are joined by the political editor of BBC Newsnight Nick Watt to help unpick the day’s top stories.
 
Paddy’s been speaking to the former Director-General of the Defence think tank, the Royal United Services Institute, Michael Clarke, about the significance of the US military aid package for Ukraine.
 
And the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho was on Laura’s show defending the government’s approach to climate change.
 
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere
 
Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. Today's Newscast was presented by Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Gemma Roper. The technical producer was Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham

The Art of the US/Ukraine Aid Deal

Today we look at the apologies made by the Met Police after threatening to arrest an anti-Semitism charity leader for being near a pro-Palestine march. Gideon Falter, the Campaign Against Antisemitism chief executive was told by police his presence was causing a "breach of peace", in a video posted online. Laura and Paddy speak to former Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Zoe Billingham about policing protests and the pressures on the police. And Laura’s spoken to the outgoing Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee, Chris Stark  who says Rishi Sunak has “set us back” on climate change.  Today's Newscast was presented by Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Gemma Roper. The technical producer was Frank McWeeny. The editor is Sam Bonham.

Furlough For How Long?

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