Newscast

Adam is joined by Professor Jim Al-Khalili from BBC Radio 4's The Life Scientific to talk about his recent interviews with Neil Ferguson and Sarah Gilbert. And BBC Scotland Editor Sarah Smith explains the importance of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer refusing to rule out the possibility of supporting a second referendum on Scottish independence.

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

Pubs, restaurants and bars are to close at 10pm, and people are told to work from home if they can again in new measures announced today by the prime minister. And, as Sir Keir Starmer gives his first Labour conference speech as leader virtually from Doncaster, Chris Mason tells us why it wasn't just the livestream that made a change from previous years.

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

The UK's coronavirus alert level is being upgraded from 3 to 4. Adam, Laura, Chris and Fergus talk through what it means for the country. And Teesside University student radio station, TUXtra, stages a Newscast takeover. What will Freshers' Week be like for students?

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

On the day that Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the UK is now seeing a second wave, we try to figure out what the government means when they say they are considering a "circuit-break" approach for suppressing the spread of coronavirus. Also, we discuss the model Emily Ratajkowski’s viral blog about who owns the rights to her image.

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

Many thanks to New York Magazine’s The Cut podcast for the audio of Emily Ratajkowski used in this episode.

As large parts of the north-east of England are put under further restrictions, and figures today reveal only a third of people are receiving their covid test results within 24 hours, what’s going wrong? Adam, Laura and James ask the former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt about what the backlog could mean for the Winter. And, Samantha Bond reads us extracts of the new book by Lady Sasha Squire that’s got everyone in Westminster talking.

Producers: Frankie Tobi, Ben Weisz, Nat Ktena, Alix Pickles

Who's who in the shadow cabinet? Newsnight’s Nick Watt has the beginner's guide to the Labour frontbench. And, after yesterday's Newscast raised the possibility of loopholes in the testing system, the BBC’s Rachel Schraer explains what's going on.

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

Why is there a shortage of covid tests? Adam speaks to epidemiologist Alan McNally who was one of the people involved in setting up the Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab. And as the unemployment rate continues to increase and finding a job is becoming harder, former winner of The Apprentice, Lee McQueen, offers some handy CV tips.

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

The Internal Market Bill, giving government the power to override parts of the Brexit agreement with the EU, passed its first hurdle in a late night Commons vote. Adam and Laura digest the details of the dramatic day at Westminster.

And is there life on Venus?

Studio Director: Michael Regaard

Adam is joined by the BBC's Fergus Walsh and Vicki Young to discuss the government's response to the growing infection rate. And the BBC's Mark Lowen tells us what life is like for migrants and refugees after the fire at the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.

Studio Director: Emma Crowe

In a Brexitcast reunion, Adam, Laura and Katya ask what can be salvaged from negotiations with the EU that appear to have hit the buffers.

And while wildfires turn the sky orange in California, we ask Justin Rowlatt what he makes of a citizens' assembly plan to tackle climate change - and where snotcicles come from.

Studio Director: William Allott