Avsnitt
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A ceasefire has been announced between the US and Iran - but is this the end of the conflict, or just a pause before the next confrontation?
After days of missile strikes, threats and escalation, Donald Trump has celebrated the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and declared a diplomatic success. Iran says it has forced the US and Israel to accept defeat. Both sides claim victory - but who really got what they wanted?
On this episode of The Fourcast, we examine what the ceasefire means for Iran’s nuclear programme, Israel’s security calculations, and the wider balance of power in the Middle East.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Ali Ansari, director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews, former Israeli ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff, and Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsey Hilsum.
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The World Cup has kicked off, with three red cards and a win for co-hosts Mexico while the USA face Paraguay later, but President Donald Trump is set not to attend America’s opening game.
Before a ball was even kicked, this tournament wasn’t short of controversies, from strict border controls and eye-watering ticket prices to the prospect of two countries who are at war with each other playing a game of football.
So, has the beautiful game’s biggest tournament become impossible to separate from global politics? Is this simply the reality of staging a World Cup across borders in an increasingly divided world - or are the doubters right that this World Cup could be spoiled by the drama off the pitch?
On this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by our sports reporter Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, superfan Billy The Bee who is in Mexico right now and will head to America to follow England’s games and journalist Marcela Mora y Araujo.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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While Washington insists pressure is working and Tehran claims resilience; attacks have continued, oil markets are moving, and ships are passing through the Strait of Hormuz despite repeated warnings of disruption.
In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban unpack why oil prices haven’t exploded, whether Iran is losing one of its most powerful bargaining chips, and what the movement of ships in the Gulf tells us about what could happen next.
And what does the resignation of UK Defence Secretary John Healey tell us about how the UK is preparing for a more unstable world?
They’re joined by Yael Selfin, Fellow at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and Chief Economist at KPMG, to ask whether markets are underestimating the risks - and what this could mean for fuel prices, inflation and the wider economy.
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The family of Stephen Ogilvie, the victim of the Belfast stabbing, has called for calm and said they don’t want the “terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”, as Sudanese national Hadi Alodid was charged with attempted murder, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.
Last night, violence spread across parts of Belfast, with police attacked, properties damaged and communities left on edge after a video of the attack was shared online. Politicians and police have pointed to the role of social media, misinformation and outside agitators. But what is really driving the disorder?
On this episode of The Fourcast, Jackie Long explores what's happening in Northern Ireland, why immigration has become such a political flashpoint, and whether far-right voices are helping fuel tensions online.
Jackie is joined by Allison Morris, Crime Correspondent at The Irish News, former Metropolitan Police officer Victor Olisa, and Robert Topinka, lecturer and researcher on far-right movements and online radicalisation.
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The Nottingham attacks shocked Britain and raised urgent questions about mental health services, public safety and institutional accountability.
In this special edition of The Fourcast, Jackie Long is joined by the families of those killed in the attacks, alongside mental health experts, campaigners and policymakers, to discuss the findings of the Nottingham Inquiry and what must change to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber; Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace O'Malley-Kumar; and James Coates, son of Ian Coates, reflect on their fight for answers and accountability. They are joined by former Care Minister Norman Lamb, Professor at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London Dinesh Bhugra, and SANE Chief Executive Marjorie Wallace.
Can lessons finally be learned from Nottingham? Has enough changed since the attacks? And how do we balance compassionate mental health care with public safety?
Nottingham Police said they would consider any recommendations made. Nottingham Health Trust did not respond to a request for comment. The CPS said they were ‘fully engaging with the public inquiry’. During the inquiry, a representative from the University of Nottingham said that since Valdo Calocane had left the university, the university had “continued to refine and adapt its policies and processes, but any changes made have not been as a direct result of the attacks themselves.” The spokesperson added that: "The University does not take the view that any of the changes made would have had an impact on the devastating attacks which took place.” The Department of Health said that “whilst there has been significant investment in mental health services over the past ten years, demand has risen and outpaced the services available”, and acknowledged “a significant and ongoing rise in demand means there remains a substantial treatment gap”.
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Donald Trump says he’d be “honoured” to meet the new supreme leader of Iran Mojtaba Khamenei as there’s little sign of progress in peace talks between Tehran and Washington.
So what do the people in Iran really feel about the US president, the war and their Islamic regime that has ruled for almost half a century?
Krishnan Guru-Murthy has travelled to Iran, speaking to supporters of the regime and, in a rare interview, one of its most prominent critics.
Sadegh Zibakalam is an Iranian academic and author who has spent years calling for reform of the Islamic Republic. He has been jailed, removed from university posts and banned from public speaking. In this episode of The Fourcast, he shares his views on Iran's leadership, its future, and its relationship with the West.
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The death of Henry Novak has sparked more than just grief; it has ignited a fierce debate over the state of British policing and the "rage" currently gripping the nation. While the Prime Minister accuses Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of ignoring the Novak family’s pleas for unity, Nigel Farage claims the incident is proof of "two-tier policing" - a justice system he argues treats people differently based on who they are.
But is this a genuine case of systemic bias, or a tragic failure of training and human error in the heat of the moment? And as "identity politics" moves from university lecture halls into police training manuals, are we losing sight of the common ground needed to hold a diverse society together?
On today’s episode of The Fourcast, Ciaran Jenkins is joined by Sundar Katwala, Director of British Future, academic and author Lisa McKenzie, and former Policing Minister John Denham to ask: is Britain’s policing truly broken, or is it simply a mirror reflecting our deepest national divisions?
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Economic growth is at the centre of British politics once again. Tony Blair says Labour needs a new plan. Keir Starmer, Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are all setting out competing visions for the country's future. But after years of promises about prosperity, innovation and renewal, why do so many people feel the economy is no longer working for them?
In this episode of The Fourcast, Jackie Long speaks to economist Professor Mariana Mazzucato, whose ideas helped shape Labour’s original pitch for power and whose new book, The Common Good Economy, argues that governments have lost sight of what the economy is actually for.
They discuss whether markets should serve society rather than the other way around, who gets to define the “common good”, and whether mission-driven government can survive in an era of political instability, nationalism, trade wars and rapid technological change. They also explore Labour’s record in government so far, Tony Blair’s intervention in the party’s future, the debate over net zero and growth, and whether AI could transform the economy as profoundly as the industrial revolution.
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The ceasefire may be holding, but the indicators beneath the surface suggest the Middle East remains dangerously unstable.
As internet access slowly returns in Iran and diplomatic channels reopen, questions are growing about whether the US, Iran and Israel are genuinely moving towards a deal, or simply regrouping before the next escalation. Donald Trump is pushing for a wider regional settlement built around the Abraham Accords, while Iran is demanding access to frozen assets and Israel continues strikes in Lebanon.
In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Mark Urban examine the signals analysts are watching most closely: the nature of recent US and Iranian strikes, the strategic importance of Lebanon’s ceasefire, and the growing pressure for political progress before the conflict spirals again.
They’re joined by Lina Khatib from Chatham House.
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Sir Tony Blair has entered Labour’s civil war - and his message is brutal: changing the leader means nothing if the party still has no real plan for Britain.
In a sweeping essay, the former Prime Minister delivers a scathing critique of Keir Starmer’s government and questions whether Labour has coherent answers on growth, tax, welfare, Brexit, net zero and Britain’s place in the world. Blair argues the solution is a return to the “radical centre” - but what does that actually mean in 2026?
In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy examines whether Labour’s crisis is really about leadership at all. Would replacing Starmer with Wes Streeting or Andy Burnham solve anything? Should Labour move closer to Donald Trump or back towards Europe? And if the party forces a leadership contest now, does it risk opening the door to Nigel Farage and Reform UK?
Joining Krishnan are former Tony Blair speechwriter Phil Collins and Labour MP Zubir Ahmed, a supporter of Wes Streeting who resigned from government earlier this month, and Stewart Wood who was an adviser to Gordon Brown when he was Prime Minister and Ed Miliband when he was Labour leader.
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Donald Trump says Iran must choose between signing a deal or facing fresh US strikes - but despite the threats, no attacks have come. So is this another case of “TACO Trump”, or are we actually watching the outlines of a peace deal emerge behind the scenes?
In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Mark Urban examine rising oil prices, shifting sanctions policy, and growing pressure from Gulf states desperate to avoid another escalation in the Strait of Hormuz.
They discuss whether the US and UK are quietly easing pressure on Russian oil as energy markets tighten, what could happen to Iran’s uranium stockpile under a deal, and whether Trump and Netanyahu are still truly aligned as tensions grow over Israel’s conduct and strategy.
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How bad is the economic hit from the Iran war going to be? If the talk around price caps on essential food items, and lifting sanctions on Russian oil and gas are anything to go by, then it could be very bad indeed.
The government says any price freeze will be voluntary after supermarket bosses called the idea ‘preposterous’ and ‘nonsense.’ But plans to continue to allow diesel and jet fuel to be imported into the UK from Russian oil refined in other countries will go ahead. The Conservatives call this a ‘betrayal of Ukraine.’
On this episode of the Fourcast, Jackie Long is joined by Channel 4 News' Economics Reporter Neil Macdonald, the economist Vicky Pryce and Tom Keatinge, the founding director at the Centre for Finance and Security at the think tank RUSI.
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The World Health Organization has declared the latest Ebola outbreak an international emergency, as cases continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda - including infections reported in the capital, Kampala.
The current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. Fears are growing that this could escalate into a crisis on the scale of the devastating 2014 West Africa outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people.
In this episode of The Fourcast, we ask how serious the threat really is, whether the world is better prepared than it was a decade ago, and what lessons were learned from previous epidemics. Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Channel 4 News health editor Victoria MacDonald and Dr Oliver Johnson, who led an Ebola isolation unit in Sierra Leone during the 2014 outbreak.
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What has Donald Trump got out of his two day trip to Beijing? There are some roses from the Chinese President Xi Jinping for the White House Rose Garden apparently. But a trade deal? An end to the war in Iran? The Strait of Hormuz reopened? That all seemed rather more elusive.
And what about Xi Jinping? Did he get to show that China is now America's equal on the global stage? Access to US tech and AI? Could he even have got the nod from Trump that Taiwan - and its threatened democracy - is now no longer a priority for the US?
On this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Channel 4 News foreign affairs expert Jonathan Rugman, and Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law, now living in exile in the UK and on a Chinese wanted list.
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A leaked Pentagon assessment claims China is using the Iran war to strengthen its position against the United States economically, militarily and diplomatically, US media is reporting.
Donald Trump is in Beijing for a summit with Xi Jinping, where the Chinese ruler has been warned that if the Taiwan issue is not handled carefully it could lead to a conflict between the super powers.
On this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban are joined by China expert and contributing editor at the Times Cindy Yu to dissect it all.
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The battle for Number 10 is on.
After Angela Rayner announced HMRC had cleared her over the tax scandal that led to her resignation, attention quickly shifted to the growing leadership turmoil inside Labour. Following days of speculation, Wes Streeting announced his resignation from government but - so far - hasn’t challenged Keir Starmer for the leadership
In this episode of The Fourcast, we examine the names circling the leadership race - from Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband to junior ministers preparing potential bids - and ask whether Labour is heading for a brutal internal war just as it tries to convince voters it’s ready for power.
Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy are Senior Political Correspondent Paul Macnamara and Think Labour’s Alison Phillips to discuss who’s really plotting, who has momentum, and whether Starmer can survive the biggest challenge of his leadership so far.
Recorded before Andy Burnham announced he would stand in Makerfield.
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It’s another febrile day in Westminster with Prime Minister Keir Starmer - for now - clinging on but he's far from safe as a succession of ministers have stepped down, with more expected to go.
On top of that, the man who has become the PM's nemesis in the north, Andy Burnham, is apparently down in London. Shopping? Plotting?
So it looks like Keir Starmer might just hit the current average tenure of British Prime Ministers - two years, but no more. Is this really the way to run a country in the middle of two wars and a cost-of-living crisis? And could anyone else really do any better?
On this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by the Liverpool Echo's Political Editor Liam Thorp, who has co-authored a book with Andy Burnham on how to transform the country, and the Observer columnist Will Hutton.
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Keir Starmer survives the day - but the pressure on his leadership is growing. Today, he attempted to shore up his position with a speech focused on his vision for Labour, saying his government must go beyond “incremental change” and be the party of a “stronger and fairer” Britain. But despite this, at least 55 Labour MPs have called on Starmer to set out a timetable for a leadership election to take place.
And inside Labour, the conversation has already moved on to who would replace him and two names dominate - Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting. Burnham says he should never have been blocked from returning to Westminster, and Streeting is openly being discussed as a potential frontrunner.
So with the party leadership in flux and the future of the Labour party once again up for debate - what happens now? In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Starmer biographer Tom Baldwin and Guardian columnist Zoe Williams about what today’s turmoil really means. Is Labour heading for a delayed but inevitable leadership contest, a Burnham ‘coronation’, or a messy fight over the party’s future?
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Labour is reeling after bruising local election results - losing ground to the Greens on the left and Reform UK on the right - and questions are now swirling around Keir Starmer’s leadership. Is this just a difficult moment for Labour, or the start of something much bigger?
In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, former Keir Starmer Chief of Staff Sam White, and political strategist Scarlett Maguire to unpack what the results really mean. Is Labour facing a voter backlash, a messaging problem, or a full-blown leadership crisis?
And if pressure on Starmer continues to grow, what happens next? Could Labour really replace its leader - and who would even take over?
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As Gulf leaders look to Beijing for guarantees Washington no longer seems able to give, China is suddenly at the centre of diplomacy around the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed and Iran’s foreign minister both arrived in Beijing within days of each other, seeking a way out of a blockade that has choked shipping routes, pushed tankers around the Cape of Good Hope, and rattled global markets.
So where does this leave Donald Trump’s efforts to revive a deal that could reopen the Strait, and what does the collapse of Project Freedom reveal about America’s standing with its allies in the Gulf and Europe?
In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban are joined by former Senior Director at the US National Security Council during Donald Trump’s first administration Fiona Hill to examine China’s growing leverage over Iran, the Gulf states’ deepening unease with Washington, and the diplomatic pressure building ahead of the delayed Trump-Xi summit.
- Visa fler
