The Fourcast
Channel 4 News
A podcast from Channel 4 News taking an in-depth look at the biggest stories from Westminster, Washington and around the world. From global conflicts to the corridors of power, we expose, examine and interrogate what's really going on with the people who really know.
Watch the episodes here:
https://www.channel4.com/news/the-fourcast
Ukraine peace talks: what do Russia and US really want?
America’s Marco Rubio and Russia’s Sergey Lavrov have met in Saudi Arabia for Ukraine war peace talks. The US says a peace deal must be "fair, enduring and acceptable to all the parties involved" - not that all the parties - like Ukraine or the Europeans - were invited by Donald Trump to the first round of the talks. So what do Russia and the US really want to get out from it? And will Russia be brought in from the cold internationally? To discuss this on this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei
Ukraine war: how Trump and Putin want to change the world
As Trump is invited to Moscow and praises Putin after a call with the Russian leader about peace negotiations, his defence secretary Pete Hegseth says American troops will not go to Ukraine as peacekeepers as part of any future deal with Russia. He also announced Ukraine will never be part of NATO and needs to say goodbye to territory seized by Russia. In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei discusses all of this and more with Channel 4 News’ international editor Lindsey Hilsum. Produced by C
Keir Starmer’s biggest headache: Donald Trump or Brexit?
Donald Trump has spent the week turning the world upside down again - launching a trade war with China and claiming America will take over the Gaza Strip - and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is scrambling to work out how best to respond to the American president. Sir Keir met with EU leaders earlier in the week for post-Brexit reset, but the prospect of closer ties comes just as Donald Trump has the EU in his crosshairs - saying he’ll slap tariffs on the bloc, while suggesting he might spare th
What's Donald Trump really up to with Gaza takeover plan?
Donald Trump, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, has said the US should take over Gaza, own it, and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East", but within hours of these comments Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Palestinians have rejected the suggestion outright. So what is Donald Trump really up to? Is this a serious proposal, a negotiating position or the dreams of a reality show star on the world stage? On this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by our
Is Donald Trump’s tariff war about to totally backfire?
Donald Trump’s long promised trade war has begun, sort of - the US president threatened to slap tariffs on America’s biggest trading partners, before backtracking and striking a deal with Mexico and Canada. But a 10% tariff on Chinese goods has come into force and Beijing has retaliated by imposing hefty levies on a range of American imports and vowing to investigate Google over antitrust allegations. So will Trump’s tariff wars totally backfire? And how should other world leaders, including Ke
Has Trump inspired Reeves and Starmer’s growth zeal?
In a major speech on growing the UK economy, Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she will make Cambridge and Oxford the “Silicon Valley of Europe” and build a third runway at Heathrow Airport - which is now backed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer even though he opposed it in the past. So will Labour deliver? Can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves really get the economy firing again? And will it be enough to turn around their recent political woes? Discussing this and more in this episode of the Fourcast
Ukraine war: will Donald Trump make a deal with Vladimir Putin?
In Donald Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos he said, again, that he wants a peace deal with Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, again suggested Canada could become part of America and again raised the spectre of tariffs that economists say could devastate the global economy, so what is the new American president’s vision of the world order and how will he deal with China and Xi Jinping’s claims over Taiwan? In his inaugural address President Trump said America would expand
Could Trump’s executive orders totally change America?
Hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States of America, he signed executive orders to take the US out of the World Health Organisation and the Paris Climate Accords; around 1,500 January 6 rioters were freed; a national emergency at the US-Mexico border was declared, he made the designation of two genders an official government policy and the TikTok ban was paused - and that’s before he made off-hand comments on whether the fragile ceasefire in Gaza will last
Trump inauguration: is this the end for progressives in America?
Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as President of the United States of America for the second time - but, from TikTok and the southern border, to Ukraine and the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza - he faces even bigger challenges than he did eight years ago. Will he really end the Ukraine war on day one, pardon the January 6 rioters in the “first hour” and potentially bring back TikTok? And while his personal brand of right-wing populism is totally dominant now, will there be
Israel Hamas war: will Trump’s Gaza ceasefire deal last?
Israel and Hamas have finally reached a ceasefire deal over the war in Gaza days before Donald Trump takes over from Joe Biden as the next US president - but Benjamin Netanyahu’s government hasn't signed it yet - and while Palestinians in Gaza are celebrating, there’s still a chance it could be derailed. Yet, if the deal holds, it will be a historic moment, but why has it taken so long and what’s next for the people of Gaza and Israel? In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Chan
Do Starmer and Reeves have a ‘big idea’ to save the economy?
Amid turmoil in the bond market and a plummeting pound, Sir Keir Starmer has had to defend his chancellor Rachel Reeves while dealing with the resignation of the former anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq. So, can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves turn it around? The Prime Minister says it will take 10 years to solve some of the chronic issues facing the UK, but will he even get a second term with Labour's support sliding in the polls and Nigel Farage's Reform UK breathing down his neck? In this
Elon Musk v Donald Trump - who has the real power? | The American Fourcast
Silicon Valley’s billionaires are making headlines again as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg says he’s going to get rid of factcheckers on his social media platforms, while X’s Elon Musk continues to attack UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz - so have we entered a new age of political discourse? In this episode of the America Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Albert Eisenberg, a political strategist who runs the messaging firm BlueStateRed, and Joan Donovan, assistant prof
Israel, Syria, Iran: how the Middle East is about to change
With the Israel Gaza war reportedly on the brink of a ceasefire and Iran reeling after the devastation of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the Middle East is on the cusp of a complete realignment in 2025. Will Syria buck the trend of so many nations after the Arab Spring that have descended into chaos after the fall of a tyrant? The country’s new de facto leader Mohammed al-Jolani, who is now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, says he will be moderate and will sta
Syria: how to rebuild a 'corrupted narco-state'
It’s a matter of days since Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria was toppled by a lightning-quick offensive led by the rebel group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - and Syrians are still in a state of euphoria at their newfound freedoms, but also horror as evidence of Assad’s torture chambres are revealed. Channel 4 News’ Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lindsey Hilsum have been on the ground in Damascus and in this week’s episode of The Political Fourcast they discuss what is really happening there and wheth
Assad falls: should it be a moment of joy or fear for Syria?
Bashar al-Assad has fled Damascus to Russia where Vladimir Putin is reportedly sheltering the former Syrian dictator - for those Syrians who have defied Assad’s brutal regime for years this is a moment of celebration and hope, but also fear. Will Syria manage to move on from more than a decade of war to become a democratic state, or will it descend into further chaos and violence like Libya and Iraq did after liberation from their dictators? On this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Kris
The real reason Syrian rebels attacked Assad now
Syrian rebels launched the biggest attack in years against President Bashar al-Assad’s government forces, reigniting a bloody civil war - but with Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the Israel Gaza conflict just next door, the world appears to be on the brink. So, what’s going to happen next, why did the rebels launch their attack now and how will the rest of the world react? On this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Dr Lina Khatib, Associate Fello
How is the Ukraine-Russia war escalating?
President Putin fired an experimental hypersonic missile at Dnipro - one of Ukraine’s biggest cities - and has talked about the nuclear option again. On the frontline, Ukraine appears to be losing ground by the day - in this episode of The Political Fourcast, we talk about how the Ukraine-Russia war is escalating. Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Dr Hanna Shelest, Director of Security Programmes at the Ukrainian think tank Ukrainian Prism, and Channel 4 News international editor, Lindsey Hilsum
Nadine Dorries on Tory sleaze and scandal and her church abuse
A close ally of Boris Johnson and open critic of Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch, Nadine Dorries examines the current state of the Conservative Party in this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast - and she also criticises the Church of England in the wake of the John Smyth scandal. Warning: This episode contains content that some viewers might find upsetting. Mrs Dorries says she was abused as a child by a vicar. A Church of England spokesperson said: “We are truly sorry for the childhood abu
Musk, Gaetz, Gabbard: who could Donald Trump fire first? | The American Fourcast
From Matt Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the shape of Donald Trump’s administration is becoming clearer - and it’s like nothing America has ever seen before. Firebrands, mavericks and disruptors make up the bulk of the government. The unifying factor? Their unwavering loyalty to the President-elect. So can they shake up the establishment to the benefit of ordinary Americans? Or will we just see over-reach, outrage and implosion? In this episode of the American Fourca
Will Trump and his new team make the world safer or more dangerous? | The American Fourcast
It’s been a week since America voted to return Donald Trump to the White House, and there are already reports of new appointments - including Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz and Elise Stefanik. How will these people shape the way Trump deals with the world - what’s going to happen in Ukraine and the Middle East? And what will China do? To talk about this in this episode of The American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Michael Martins, who worked in Trump’s first administration as a foreign policy adviso
Will Donald Trump be an ‘authoritarian’ in power? | The American Fourcast
Donald Trump has won the election, beating Kamala Harris and the Democrats, and will be the next president of the United States - but what kind of leader will he be? During the campaign we heard from generals that worked with him that he has fascist tendencies - was this all over the top, or are we actually about to see the American republic on the brink? And what next for the Democrat Party? What went wrong, again? Will there be a reckoning? On this episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei i
Trump v Harris: we predict who will win US election | The American Fourcast
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are making their final pitch to voters, as an American election race that has seen assassination attempts and President Joe Biden stepping aside as a candidate enters its final day. This is the tightest race in modern American history - so what comes next? Four years ago the world witnessed the horrors of rioters attacking Capitol Hill on January 6th - could it be worse this time? What will Donald Trump or Kamala Harris actually do if they win? On this episode of T
Kemi Badenoch wins Conservative race but can she really beat Labour?
Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the Conservative Party after beating Robert Jenrick in what is an historic moment - the first black female leader of one of the UK’s main political parties. But does she have any chance of winning the next election? Will she even hang on that long with the Tories’ history of ditching leaders who don't deliver? Are the Labour Party the real winners here? On this episode of the Political Fourcast, Cathy Newman is joined by former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, former
US election: how Kamala Harris can still beat Donald Trump | The American Fourcast
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are out trying to salvage their US election campaigns after a series of gaffes started by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico an ‘island of garbage’, followed by President Joe Biden appearing to say Trump’s supporters are garbage. Will any of these missteps change the course of the race? In this episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Democrat state representative Dr Jasmine Clark and Republican strategist Eric Tanenblatt. Produced by Sil
Budget 2024: will Labour’s £40bn tax hike backfire?
After months of speculation, leaks, and endless criticism, Rachel Reeves has finally delivered Labour’s first budget in 14 years and it had £70 billion more in spending, £40 billion more in tax along with a lot more borrowing and a lot more debt. So, will it define this government? Will it deliver growth and fix public services? Is it what people voted for? In this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by KPMG's chief economist Yael Selfin, Jonathan Ashworth,
Harris v Trump latest: should the Democrats be panicking? | The American Fourcast
As the US election heats up Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remain neck and neck in the polls, but even as the Democrats have the likes of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift backing them, the mood music is not sounding so good in this crucial presidential election. So how did we get here, what are the key issues motivating voters and can Kamala Harris or Donald Trump finally pull ahead in the final week? In this week’s episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Democrat state representative
MPs go head-to-head in assisted dying debate
Assisted dying could very soon be legalised in the UK, with MPs being given a free vote by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on a bill that’s just been introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. It’s a controversial issue with passionate feelings on both sides that has been debated - and rejected -by parliament before, but campaigners think this time they could get it over the line. So, is this bill a humane and logical step to relieve those in unbearable agony, or is it a slippery slope that distorts th
How Keir Starmer's next 100 days could be worse than his first
The Morgan McSweeney-Sue Gray saga, endless stories about freebies and gloomy economic forecasts ahead of Rachel Reeve’s first budget - so, how badly have Keir Starmer’s first 100 days gone and could the next 100 actually be worse? On this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Cathy Newman is joined by Thangam Debbonaire, who was set to be a leading cabinet minister in Starmer’s government before she lost her seat in a shock result at the election, Faiza Shaheen, who was a rising star in the
Sayeeda Warsi on Gaza, Islamophobia and ‘disturbing’ Conservative Party
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain's first Muslim cabinet minister, has long been an outspoken critic of her own party over its attitudes towards Islam. Last week, after an investigation was launched against her over a post on social media, she resigned the whip saying it is a reflection of ‘how far right’ the Conservative Party has moved since her time in office. Warsi has just released a book, “Muslims Don’t Matter”, which is an impassioned polemic setting out her views on the hypocrisy and doub
Can anyone save the Conservative Party from oblivion?
Conservative Party leadership favourites Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick have found themselves embroiled in controversy over comments they’ve made during the Tory Party conference, while rivals Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly haven’t missed a beat to capitalise. Meanwhile, the latest polling show’s Badenoch’s lead over Jenrick amongst party members has narrowed. And so the future of the UK’s most successful political party remains up in the air. In this special episode of the Political Fourc
Tory conference: could Boris Johnson really make a comeback?
Despite warnings to keep it clean, Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly have been quietly tearing chunks out of each other as they vie to be the next Tory leader at this year’s Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. But, what is the future of the Conservative Party? Pivot harder to the right to win back Reform voters or tact to the centre? Can any of the leadership candidates haul the party back from the brink? Or is the past the future? Boris Johnson’s autobiogr
What Starmer’s speech reveals about how Labour will change UK
Sir Keir Starmer has made his speech on the penultimate day of the Labour Party Conference, and his first as prime minister. He’s pledged “national renewal”, homes for all veterans who need them, and defended the unpopular cut to winter fuel payments. At the centre of his speech was “change” that Labour will bring, but are we any clearer on what that vision is? What was the speech really about? Will it change the course of the government and how people think about the Labour Party? And did it t
Can Labour save the economy? Rachel Reeves speech analysed
Rachel Reeves has just delivered her Labour conference speech as the UK’s first female chancellor, defending the “hard but fair” choices that Labour will have to make. She called Labour the party of “economic responsibility”, but there remains much discontent over winter fuel allowance cuts to pensioners, and then there’s a donation scandal that’s dressed much of the conversation at this year’s conference. With a speech focused on business, there was one line that came up again and again: “that
Has Keir Starmer’s Labour conference been ruined by freebie fiasco?
Sir Keir Starmer was surely hoping Labour’s conference would be a celebration of his landslide election victory - but with bitter briefings against his chief of staff Sue Gray coming from within No 10, more stories of ministers taking freebie gifts and a potential union rebellion over the winter fuel allowance - the new prime minister could face a very different reception in Liverpool. And on top of all these domestic issues, the war in the Middle East is on the brink of spilling over into a wid
What Donald Trump and Elon Musk's alliance is really about | The American Fourcast
Elon Musk has been criticised over comments he made on Twitter/X in the wake of the apparent attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, saying "no one is even trying to assassinate" Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. The White House has condemned Musk’s comments and he has since deleted them, saying they were a joke, but this is far from the first time Musk’s posts on X have caused outrage. Since his takeover of the social media platform in 2022, he has become a bigger, louder and more c
Starmer says 'NHS must reform or die', here’s how to save it
A damning new report, commissioned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his health secretary Wes Streeting, has laid bare the shocking state of the NHS - crumbling buildings, outdated machines and thousands of patients unnecessarily dying because of long waits in A&E. In response to Lord Darzi’s report, the PM says the NHS “must reform or die” - but what will that reform actually look like? This is not the first critical report into the NHS - and Starmer’s is far from the first government to prom
Donald Trump Kamala Harris debate: everything you need to know | The American Fourcast
The long anticipated presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris has happened - Trump says he won and afterwards Harris got a Taylor Swift endorsement - but how has it gone down with voters? Joining Matt Frei on this episode of The American Fourcast to discuss all this and more are Christine Emba, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Republican strategist Kristin Davison. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Helene Cacace.
How to stop scandals like Grenfell from happening again
The Grenfell Inquiry into the tower block fire that killed 72 people in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea has delivered a devastating final report that names and shames many - but inquiries into infected blood, Covid and the Post Office have also revealed rot at the core of Britain’s institutions - so can and, more importantly, will anything be done? To discuss the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry report and what it reveals about the state of modern Britain on this episode of the Poli
Is Kamala Harris the next Barack Obama - or Hillary Clinton? | The American Fourcast
Tim Walz, Barack and Michelle Obama, and even Oprah Winfrey have taken to the DNC stage to lay the ground for Kamala Harris’ run for the White House. But have the upbeat and optimistic speeches actually galvanised any support from the rest of America? Harris fundraised four times as much as Trump in July, a whopping $500 million, as supporters were inspired after Biden’s resignation, but can she survive on vibes until election day? Is she the continuity candidate or can she bring anything new to
Nancy Pelosi on Elon Musk, Donald Trump and hammer attack horror | The American Fourcast
Nancy Pelosi has been at the top of US politics for nearly 40 years - as the first, and only, woman in US history to serve as speaker of the House, she has played a central role in some of the most consequential American events of the last two decades, from the Iraq war to the US Capitol attack and Donald Trump’s impeachment. In her latest book, “The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House” Pelosi gives a behind-the-scenes look at her formidable political career. In
Could Walz and Harris force 'weird' Trump out of the race? | The American Fourcast
Kamala Harris has chosen Governor Tim Walz as her Vice President for the 2024 Democrat ticket. After considering nearly a dozen candidates, Harris landed on Walz who has been described as having the most "progressive record" of any of the other contenders. Walz was an early supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, championed abortion rights into state law, and expanded free school meals & paid worker leave - so it’s not wonder the Trump-Vance team have branded him a “dangerously liberal extremist”. Re
Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? | The American Fourcast
Vice President Kamala Harris is the favourite to be the Democratic nominee for president after Joe Biden’s shock decision to drop out of the race - but can she really beat Donald Trump? Some polls suggest Kamala Harris is even less popular than Joe Biden, especially in the crucial swing states and like president Biden - she’s stumbled a few times in public - leading some to write her off - but has she been totally underestimated? To discuss all this and more, Matt Frei was joined by Christina
RNC speech: has Donald Trump really changed after shooting? | The American Fourcast
An assassination attempt, J.D. Vance - a relatively unknown Ohio Senator - picked as Donald Trump’s Vice President, and current President Joe Biden desperately clinging on to his own nomination - it’s been another huge week in American politics and there's still one day left at the Republican National Convention where Donald Trump is due to speak - so what will happen next? We’re in Milwaukee where amongst the sea of red MAGA 2024 hats, some delegates are sporting fake white bandages on their ea
Biden v Trump: is the West on the brink of collapse?
After a week-long victory lap in the UK, Sir Keir Starmer flew to America for the Nato summit where he met US President Biden and Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy - but his Western allies have been in a less celebratory mood than Britain’s new prime minister. The far left and right are resurgent across Europe with France politically paralysed after Emmanuel Macron’s snap election gamble, while Joe Biden’s presidency is in near meltdown as Democrats turn on him after his disastrous debate with Donal
Election results: what will Starmer really do with landslide win?
The Conservative party have suffered their worst ever defeat and Keir Starmer has been swept to power in a landslide victory - but huge challenges are waiting in the new prime minister’s intray and while he has a massive majority now in Westminster, his support across the country is on shakier grounds. Some of Labour’s big names, who thought they’d be helping to form a new government, are out - beaten by pro-Gazan independents and Greens. And now Nigel Farage says that, after decimating the C
Will the UK face a right-wing rebellion in future if Labour win?
If the polls are to be believed, Sir Keir Starmer could be set to beat Rishi Sunak’s Conservative’s and gain a record majority in Parliament, but perhaps with one of Labour’s lowest shares of the vote. Despite promises on tax, voters believe they will pay more, and are sceptical about things getting better. Turnout is expected to be historically low. The Lib Dems are heading for a lower share of the vote than Reform but could get twenty times as many seats or more. Are these just the realities
Can Sunak save Tories in dying days of election?
It’s less than one week until election day, and so far the headlines have been dominated by betting scandals, the rise of Reform, and Rishi Sunak’s D-Day blunder. So can the prime minister do anything now to avoid what many polls suggest could be the worst ever result for the Conservative Party? He desperately wants attention to turn to Keir Starmer and what Labour would actually do if they win the election - and here could be an answer to that question in Wales where the Labour Party have been
Betting scandal: can Rishi Sunak’s campaign get any worse?
Ed Davey has now joined Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak scrambling to check who in their party could get caught up in the betting saga - but is this story on the scale of the expenses scandal or Partygate or is it all just a bit of juvenile stupidity? If it is, why are people at the heart of the UK’s biggest political parties making these kinds of decisions? And what does all this say about the election campaign? Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss all this and more on The Political Fourcast i
Would Labour election win kill or save Scottish independence?
The SNP have released their manifesto and, on the first page, they’ve promised again to make Scotland independent - but with polling suggesting that Labour are heading for a landslide victory, including a majority of the seats in Scotland, could this be the end of the independence cause? Or, paradoxically, might it end up being the best thing for the independence campaign? Support for Scottish independence has been decoupled from support for the SNP in the polls. So might a Labour government t
Labour manifesto: has Sunak left UK too broke for Starmer to fix?
Labour have launched their manifesto with just two things on the cover - a picture of Keir Starmer and the word “change” - but how much change are they actually offering when it comes to the big issues of the day such as Brexit, Ukraine, the housing crisis, climate change and the economy? Labour appears to be on course to win power with a safety first strategy that promises relatively little, leaving us relatively little to hold them to account for. And now the Conservatives are warning of the
Can Sunak's manifesto stop Farage taking over Tory Party?
Rishi Sunak has unveiled his manifesto, promising billions in tax cuts and lower immigration - but after his D-Day disaster and Nigel Farage back in the game, is it enough to shift the dial in the election or even enough to stop the right-wing of his own party turning on him before polling day? And with Reform creeping up in the polls, can Farage’s party really overtake the Tories to become the opposition? And what would happen then? Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss this on this episode o
Could Sunak D-Day disaster cause Tory election wipeout?
Rishi Sunak has apologised and admitted it was a “mistake” to leave D-Day commemorations early, but many in the Conservative Party are already furious with the prime minister and Labour’s Keir Starmer has said he “has to explain” the decision. So why did he do it? Having spent the campaign so far reaching out to the very voters who hold respect for history and veterans so dear. Is this the moment the game is up and closing the gap on Labour becomes unrecoverable? Nigel Farage is already out t
Sunak v Starmer debate: are Conservatives telling lies?
Devastating polling, the return of Nigel Farage and more talk of defections - it was almost looking like a truly nightmarish week for Rishi Sunak, but then came the TV leaders debate with Keir Starmer and the Conservative’s claim that a Labour government will raise taxes by £2,000 per household. Keir Starmer failed to effectively deny the Conservative attack line until the second half of the debate and called it a lie. Today, Labour are again saying it is a lie and the Treasury have distanced t
Is ‘left wing purge’ key to a Starmer election victory?
Reports that Labour are set to bar Diane Abbott from standing in the general election have sparked outrage, with the veteran MP accusing Keir Starmer of purging the party’s left wing and alienating voters. But is the Labour leader and his inner circle willing to lose left-wing voters, if it means they can concentrate on winning over disaffected Conservatives and bringing back Labour supporters who were put off by Jeremy Corbyn? This week, Rishi Sunak has made a slew of policy announcements - na
Why Rishi Sunak really went for snap general election
Campaigning is underway after Rishi Sunak’s shock decision to call a snap general election - and the decision by Nigel Farage not to stand as a candidate for his Reform UK party might play to his favour - yet many are still puzzled by his decision. The Conservatives are twenty points behind in the polls and even the prime minister recently admitted he’s unlikely to win. So why go now? And why in the rain? Does he have something up his sleeve? He says Labour don't have a plan. Do they? What are
Will Tory culture wars actually help Labour?
Are Labour and the Conservatives already prepping for the election? Both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are certainly behaving like they are. The Labour leader launched his first steps to change Britain, but will that help the party on the doorstep? And this week saw more culture war issues being flagged by Conservatives. Rishi Sunak wrote about his horror at disturbing gender ideology being taught in schools as the government brought in new guidance and rules banning classroom teaching about con
Has Natalie Elphicke defection actually harmed Labour?
For the second time in a fortnight, the Conservatives have been dealt a jaw-dropping blow - another MP has defected. This time, it is Dover MP and rightwinger, Natalie Elphicke, who crossed the floor moments before Prime Minister's Questions, to join forces with the opposition. The move has certainly sparked anger and confusion for both Labour and the Tories, and Keir Starrmer is being grilled by members of his own shadow cabinet over why he accepted Elphicke into the party. Defections ar
Are election results worst of all worlds for Tories?
The Conservatives are facing their worst local election results in 40 years - and yet it looks like Rishi Sunak may cling on after Ben Houchen secured a victory in the Tees Valley mayoral vote. But what next for the Conservative Party? Are they now in the worst of all worlds with a wounded leader facing defeat at the general election or can Rishi Sunak turn it around? To discuss all this and more we are joined by Spectator editor Fraser Nelson, former Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and
Ukraine Russia war: has the West got it all wrong?
Rishi Sunak has pledged he'll ramp up Britain's defence budget and announced a £500 million military aid package to Ukraine, in the same week a long-awaited $61billion aid package from the US passed through Congress and the Senate. But what is the West’s end game for Ukraine? Is there enough in these aid packages to turn the tide of the war as Russia appears to have gained the upper hand? What more can the West do? Here to discuss this on The Political Fourcast is former Armed Forces Minister Ja
Mark Menzies: is UK politics full of scandal?
This week on The Political Fourcast, another scandal hits the Tories - Mark Menzies MP loses the whip as the Conservative Party investigates claims that he misused campaign funds. He allegedly made a late night call to ask for money to pay off "bad people". He disputes the allegations and senior Tory MPs are telling voters not to rush to judgement. With upcoming local elections and a looming general election, the allegations risk damaging the party in government. But is today’s story just anot
What impact will war in Gaza have on UK political parties?
This week on The Political Fourcast - as war rumbles on in Gaza, we discuss how foreign policy affects domestic politics, and how the government’s decisions during the Israel/Gaza conflict could influence the outcome of an upcoming general election. Should Lord Cameron divulge the legal advice he has received over supplying arms to Israel? Why is the Labour party ignoring pleas to call for a ceasefire? And why did the Foreign Secretary make a house call to Donald Trump on his recent trip to the
Will immigration determine the election and Sunak’s future?
With Rwanda flights unlikely to take off before the summer, if ever, could Rishi Sunak find himself in the departure lounge before any asylum seeker? Discussing planes and plots on this week's episode of The Political Fourcast, we hear from former Universities Minister and now Conservative peer Jo Johnson, and Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP for Barking, who’s standing down at the next election. They join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Political Editor Gary Gibbon to talk about the Rwanda ‘gimmick’, whe
Did Tory budget steal Labour policies - and May election rumblings
Will we have a May General election? Will there be massive Conservative defeat in any Election that we do have this year? And what’s the economy got to do with it? Here to answer those questions are the Former Chancellor who gave us the infamous mini-budget of 2022, Kwasi Kwarteng, and the former Labour Party leader and Mother of the House, Harriet Harman. They join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Channel 4 News’ Political Editor, Gary Gibbon to discuss Jeremy Hunt’s Budget announcement yesterday, inc
Israel-Hamas at war: Israel 'has lost the moral high ground', says NRC Secretary General, Jan Egeland
In the 110 days since the war started, over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive on Gaza, prompting the charity Oxfam to describe it as the ‘deadliest conflict of the 21st century’. It follows the October 7 attacks by Hamas that saw 1,200 people killed and around 240 taken hostage in Israel. There is huge pressure internationally for a new ceasefire and hostage release deal to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the remaining Israeli hostages held b
Israel-Hamas at war: Palestine’s Ambassador to the UK
A four day temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been extended by two days, and brings a glimmer of relief and hope to Palestinians in Gaza. Momentum from this brings the possibility of even more Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees being released. Over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed, one-third of them children, since the onset of Israel’s siege in Gaza on October 9th, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. It followed the October 7 attacks by Hamas
Israel-Hamas at war: Israel's Ambassador to the UK
Pressure on Israel to pause fighting and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza is growing, with leaders around the world including President Biden calling for a multiple day long ceasefire. Meanwhile, negotiations are continuing in Qatar for the release of hostages - Netanyahu says he won't allow a ceasefire unless hostages are released. The Israel-Hamas war has already killed more than 10,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas appointed Gaza Health Ministry, and Israel has come under fire for what
Israel / Gaza conflict: Day 4
In this episode of The Fourcast, our correspondents are on the ground with the very latest on the war between Israel and Hamas, as Israelis shelter from Hamas rocket fire and Gaza is pounded by the heaviest bombardment in its history. Secunder Kermani has been to the Kfar Aza kibbutz, which was targeted by the militants on Saturday, we hear an eyewitness report from filmmaker Yousef Hammash in Gaza, Matt Frei interviews Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan as he tries to justify the recent killings,
Israel / Gaza news special
As Israel declares a ‘complete siege’ of Gaza, and the death toll in Israel continues to rise, we bring you the latest from the region, with Matt Frei reporting from Jerusalem and Krishnan Guru-Murthy live in London. In this special episode of The Fourcast, we hear from civilians trapped in besieged Gaza, speak to a man living in a “bad dream” as six members of his family are missing following Hamas's surprise attack, hear expert analysis from our Foreign Correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, and Kri
Why Ukraine isn't joining Nato
At the Nato summit this week, the star attraction was President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. But while he knew he was among friends - and allies were keen to emphasise their continuing support - he came with a clear demand: let Ukraine join the Nato alliance. But even before his arrival, the mood music suggested that Ukraine was not going to be offered membership to Nato, nor was it going to be given a clear timetable on how and when it could join. With President Erodgan of Turkey also holding up Swed
The Mediterranean migrant crisis: the people drowning as Europe pushes them away
The story of the sinking of the Titan submersible dominated news headlines. Five people killed underwater. That same week, our international correspondent Paraic O’Brian was also reporting on people drowning at sea. In a small port in Tunisia, 11 people died after their boat, full of asylum seekers and refugees, capsized on its way to Europe. One story, but it happens all the time. It is an ongoing crisis in the Mediterranean, claiming lives every day, as the EU and other nations try to deter
Mutiny in Moscow: why it’s not all over for Vladimir Putin
This hasn’t been the greatest week for Russia President, Vladimir Putin in two decades of power in the Kremlin. A mutinous band of mercenaries, that he himself created, charged up towards Moscow, denouncing his war in Ukraine and seemingly meeting little resistance on the way. While he faced down Evgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner group, appearing to banish them to Belarus, it’s not all over for Putin. In this episode, Hubertus Jahn, professor of the history of Russia and the Caucasus at Cambridge
A journey through hell: walking the migrant route through the Darién gap
The Darién gap is a stretch of land between Colombia and Panama, an unavoidable section of the route from South America to Central America that thousands of migrants a week take, as they travel up to the Mexico / United States border. It’s been called ‘hell on Earth’ because of its dense and dangerous jungle. There are no roads, just treacherous paths, rivers that can wash you away, vast swamps, steep mountains and deadly animals. And it’s lawless, with cartels and kidnappers taking advantage o
Inside the village divided over asylum seekers
In March this year, the owner of a hotel in the Leicestershire village of Kegworth signed an exclusive contract with the Home Office to use his hotel to house asylum seekers. But the local community has been starkly divided over the arrival of dozens of their new neighbours. While some are welcoming, the arrival has also drawn angry protests. In today's episode of The Fourcast, we speak to our Communities Editor, Darshna Soni, about how this town has become divided over immigration and whether t
Thucydides Trap: are America and China destined for war?
This past week, the G7 - the group of the world’s richest democracies - gathered in Japan to discuss Ukraine, Russia, global affairs, and their increasing concerns about a rising power looking out at them from over the water: China. This was some of the sternest wording from the G7, and China dismissed it as a smear. But the West also doesn’t want to completely antagonise and cut off China, with the Australian Prime Minister saying lessons had to be learnt from history. So, are we entering a new
When will Ukraine strike-back at Russia?
For weeks now, the world has been waiting for Ukraine to launch their spring counter offensive against Russia. But how much longer will we wait? Or has it already begun? As the battle for Bakhmut rages on, Ukraine has made steady gains around that region - whilst Russian troops have retreated but stepped up strikes on the capital city, Kyiv, this month. President Zelenskyy has toured European capitals asking for more weapons, securing from Britain long-range attack drones and missiles. In today’
How fentanyl is becoming the deadliest drug ever
Fentanyl is killing at least seventy thousand Americans a year. It’s a synthetic drug, it’s up to 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It’s also the biggest cause of death for Americans aged between 18 and 45: more than gun crime, more than road accidents. But where is that supply of Fentanyl to America coming from? And why are people taking it, when it’s so dangerous? And are there any solutions to this deadliest of epidemics? In today’s episode we speak to o
King Charles III Coronation: made-up rituals and fake history
70 years on from the last Coronation, when Britain was still an empire and hardly anyone had a TV - what does Charles the Third’s crowning say about us today and the Britain of the future? We know that the British do this type of pomp and ceremony better than anyone else, it defines who we are. But is that true? You may be told this is all ancient, but many of the royal ceremonies we witness are actually made-up rituals from the Victorian era used to legitimise the monarchy in modern British li
Is Africa at the centre of a new cold war?
The US Vice President Kamala Harris recently went on tour to Tanzania, Ghana and Zambia. But she was not the only US official to visit the African continent recently: First Lady Jill Biden, the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen have all been in recent months. And they’re not alone either; Turkey and China’s Foreign Ministers made five-nation tours of Africa earlier this year. Russia’s Sergei Lavrov has also made several trips to the continent over the
Is this the end of Trump's presidential run?
Donald Trump has arguably done it all in his 76 years, and as president he’s secured a lot of firsts. But never has he been under arrest. The 45th president of the United States stands accused of falsifying business records in order to cover up payments he made to suppress news stories he believed would hinder his bid to become president in 2016. Trump pleaded not guilty and later left New York to fly back home to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, to deliver a defiant rally to his supporters. He was told b
Could Israel’s crisis lead to civil war?
In Israel, a constitutional crisis has seen thousands take to the streets, fearing that their rights could be eroded, as the government plans to weaken the powers of the highest court in the land. Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu’s far-right coalition argues the Supreme Court is too powerful and they’re simply righting the wrongs of the system. Protesters say the overhaul would erode Israel’s proud democracy and lead them towards a dictatorship. After weeks of protests and pressure from all sid
Can Rishi Sunak win the next election?
Rishi Sunak came into Downing Street back in October with a huge mess to clear up after the disaster of Liz Truss and her mini budget. After a week that has seen him secure his own Brexit Deal as, Boris Johnson struggled in front of a privileges committee over partygate, has he started to turn it around - can Rishi Sunak have what it takes to win the next election? In today's episode, Kiran Moodley speaks to our policy correspondent, Paul McNamara, about what Mr Sunak needs to do to win over the
Covid three years on: Partygate, WhatsApp, and a Lab Leak?
Three years ago this week, Boris Johnson announced a national lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus. But three years on, Covid and the impact of lockdowns continue to dominate our headlines. This week, Boris Johnson faced a Commons inquiry on whether he misled parliament over the notorious lockdown parties, and just a few weeks ago, WhatsApp messages sent by Matt Hancock and others during the pandemic were leaked, with some claiming that they threw into question whether the government took
Gary Lineker row: is the BBC too Left or Right Wing?
Gary Linker and the BBC have been dominating the headlines after the Match of the Day host was asked to step back from presenting after tweeting out criticism of the government’s language around refugees. But what does this whole row mean for the BBC, and what does it say about the state of our media and its relationship to impartiality? In today’s podcast, we speak with Adam Boulton, formerly editor-at-large of Sky News, whether he thinks the BBC has an issue over impartiality.
UK economy: and are we still facing recession?
We were told to prepare for a “Winter of Discontent”, of strikes, rising prices, a coming recession with our economy set this year to shrink unlike all the rest. Even Russia was going to fare better than the UK. But it has not been as bad as once feared - so what is going on? In today’s episode, Business Reporter Neil Macdonald discusses the state of our economy ahead of next week’s budget and whether a slightly improved outlook means energy prices can remain low and strikes could even come to a
Is China on the brink of war with the US?
China wants to be the superpower of the 21st century, but does it want to provoke war or play peacemaker? This week the country announced it was increasing military spending, and its newly installed foreign minister warned that if the US did not change course soon, there would be conflict. But China also recently published a 12-point plan for ending the conflict in Ukraine, despite not condemning Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelenskyy even said he would meet Chinese leader Xi
The Brexit deal explained: the end of years of political mayhem?
This week, Rishi Sunak agreed a new Brexit deal with the European Union: the Windsor framework. Seven years after Britain voted in the referendum, is this the end of protocol conversation, trade deals, backstops, and late night votes? Does this mean we can finally all stop talking about Brexit? What exactly does the Windsor framework do? How is it different from before? And is this really the end of the Conservatives’ decades-long battle over its relationship with Europe? In today's Fourcas
Ukraine war one year on: what's next for Russia
Today marks one year since Russia began its latest invasion of Ukraine: one year since tanks rolled across the border, one year since missiles struck the capital and beyond, one year since the post Cold War world changed forever. Now, the expected defeat of Ukraine is clearly a long way off, but any sense of how this war might end feels equally far from reality - with Joe Biden this week reaffirming the West’s commitment to Ukraine’s fight for as long as it takes - while Vladimir Putin used his
Turkey-Syria quake: fading rescue hopes, shoddy buildings and blocked aid
On Monday last week, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria. The WHO has called this the "worst natural disaster" in 100 years in its European region, and the death toll has now surpassed 35,000. But that first quake was followed by a 6.7 magnitude aftershock 11 minutes later, while a 7.5 magnitude quake hit after 1pm. Three devastating earthquakes in nine hours. There are countless tales of remarkable survival, but many, many more of terrible loss, families torn a
Israeli-Palestinian tensions: a new stage of an old conflict
2022 was the deadliest year for the Israel-Palestine conflict in nearly two decades, and just a month after Israel’s most conservative, right-wing government was formed - fronted by Benjamin Netanyahu - violence between Palestinians and Israel has flared up once again. Prime Minister Netanyahu has set out a raft of measures to crack down on Palestinians who attack Israelis, including making it easier for Israeli citizens to carry guns. In today’s episode we're joined by foreign correspondent, S
Ukraine: how Western tanks will change the war
Nearly a year after Putin invaded Ukraine, how might Western tanks change this war and should Nato countries go a step further and also supply Kyiv with fighter jets? Moscow’s aggression has been roundly condemned by the West, but words have been plenty and military aid less forthcoming. Having successfully fought back since the summer, now Ukraine wants to go on the offensive once more, and they need tanks to do it. In today’s Fourcast, our Europe editor Matt Frei discusses what western tanks
Will the Iran protests lead to regime change?
Last year, Iran was rocked by some of the biggest protests the country has seen since the foundation of the Islamic Republic - as people were calling not just for women’s rights, but ultimately for regime change. Yet how realistic is regime change in a nation where the crackdown against the protests has been brutal and where the leaders are unwilling to alter the theological and ideological basis of their power? In this week’s episode of the Fourcast, we speak to the head of middle eastern stud
NHS crisis: how bad is it?
NHS strikes, hospital waiting times and nurses walking out - it’s a conversation that has stretched back for years: the NHS in crisis. Almost 55,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E last month. And the Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimates up to 500 people are dying a week as a result of these delays. The government says its putting record funding into health and social care, but is this more than a crisis - is it an existential emergency for an NHS that needs major reform? In to
Ukraine war, China and Taiwan and beyond: what might happen in 2023
Last year there was of course one major story that transformed geopolitics - the war in Ukraine. Putin’s war has had knock-on effects across Europe and the world, so how will this year play out? What could happen to that conflict and the rest of the world in 2023. And what other global news stories can we expect to develop in 2023? In today’s episode we speak to Channel 4 News’ our international editor, Lindsey Hilsum, as she previews the year ahead in geopolitics - not offering predict
2022 review: Ukraine war, strikes and three prime ministers
This was the year where we saw Putin start a war in Ukraine, a winter of strikes, three prime ministers and two monarchs. To look back at the past year and look a little bit ahead too, we sat down with our policy correspondent Paul McNamara, to take stock of the year that was 2022 - and the year that will be 2023. Producer: Freya Pickford
Will Harry and Meghan change the monarchy?
Harry and Meghan’s documentary is now out in full and criticises the relationship between the monarchy and the media, and alleges racism in the treatment of Meghan Markle. In today’s episode we speak to Anna Whitelock, professor of the history of the monarchy at City, University of London and Director of the Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy, about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix series. We ask her about what the documentary says, the fall out and what it means for the future of t
Ukraine: how winter could change the war
After 10 months of war, Russian advances and Ukrainian counter-offensives, winter weather has arrived in Ukraine. Russia may have retreated from Kherson in early November but Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure over the last month signal a new phase of the war, as Putin weaponises the cold weather. So as parts of Ukraine plunge into sub-zero temperatures and pressure mounts on Putin to negotiate, how might this war evolve as we enter the winter months? In today’s episode of the F
China: is this the end of zero-Covid?
Three years after coronavirus was first detected in China, it remains the only major nation pursuing Zero Covid. So as maskless fans enjoy the World Cup and countries all over the world move on, China remains stuck and the people are protesting. After the initial outbreak in Wuhan back in 2020, authorities were quick to clamp down on any emergence of the virus - pursuing a zero-Covid policy. That has seen China officially record a low number of both cases and deaths, a message to the world of h
Rishi Sunak: less Trussonomics, same poll numbers
It’s been one month since Rishi Sunak became prime minister of the United Kingdom and so he’s now just three weeks off lasting longer at Number 10 than Liz Truss did. After the disaster of the mini budget, Sunak has been the safe pair of economic hands needed to calm things down, reassure the markets and try to get the Conservatives back on track after disastrous poll numbers. But how long can the new prime minister keep the country and his party calm and quiet? In this episode, our political ed
What do the US midterms tell us about the future of America and Trump?
Donald Trump has announced his Presidential run, undeterred by last week’s US midterm elections, where the red wave of Republican victories never came, and many in his only party blamed him for putting up bad candidates and spouting election lies. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Patrick Murray, the Director of Monmouth Polling, one of America’s leading pollsters, to dig down into last week’s results and understand why the Democrats bucked the historical trends to have a very decent Midterms,
What’s next for Xi’s China?
This week Chinese president Xi Jinping told his military to prepare for war in what he called an increasingly “unstable” security environment. China just had its 20th party congress, with Xi Jinping securing an unprecedented third term in power. And amid rising tensions between China and the US, the first in-person meeting between Xi and Biden has been confirmed next week. But with no immediate loosening of the zero-Covid policy, we ask what’s next for Xi? In this week’s episode of the Fourcas
Greta Thunberg interview: is there hope for the future of our planet?
Has anything really changed since COP26? In the year that Russia invaded Ukraine, triggering a global energy crisis, we’ve also seen the drastic impact climate change is having on our planet: with catastrophic flooding in Pakistan, a megadrought in the US and record-breaking heat waves across Europe. With COP27 fast approaching; diplomats from across the world will gather once again to try and get global warming under control. Including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who after saying he’d be a no-s
The Republicans: from Grand Old Party to Trump fan club
The US midterms are approaching and polls suggest the Republican Party could take control of the House and could even secure the Senate too. But has the party gone from the grand old party of Abraham Lincoln to more like a Donald Trump fan club? What comes next? In today’s episode, we speak to the Republican pollster and strategist Whit Ayres, about the shifting nature of the party, from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump. We ask him whether the Republican Party is now fully beholden to Trump or
Who supports Russia and why?
Last week, the United Nations General Assembly held a vote to condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of four regions in Ukraine. The resolution was supported by 143 countries but four voted against and 35 abstained. As bombs reigned down on Ukrainian cities and killed civilians, why is it that 39 nations either still support Russia, or remain neutral in this war? Today, our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum tells us about the countries that still back Moscow and explains whether any of them are b
Can Liz Truss survive as Prime Minister?
Liz Truss was always inheriting a difficult job, with a war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis and a party in need of a fresh start after 12 years in power and the scandals of Boris Johnson. She’s certainly made a mark. Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini budget has been anything but mini, it’s had a huge impact on the markets, mortgages, gilts, and the pound. It’s also had an impact on how her party and the public view her and that’s what could be really lethal. Today, our political editor, Gary Gibbo
Is Vladimir Putin losing control?
Russia's Vladimir Putin is obsessed with his legacy. He has compared himself to Peter the Great, the tsar who founded St Petersburg and created the modern Russian empire. That was Putin’s plan but with Ukrainian forces now pushing back and Russian men fleeing the country, it’s not going the way he had hoped. So is he losing his hold on power? We speak to Angela Stent, an author, professor and an expert in all things Russia and Putin. She explains that while Putin’s legacy is damaged and his hold
How Ukraine is pushing Russia to the brink
Russian President Vladmir Putin is expected to announce the annexation of four regions of Ukraine - just like he did with Crimea in 2014. But this isn’t total deja vu, because this time, he’s on the backfoot and he's in trouble. Following months of stalemate after his failure to take the capital Kyiv, Putin’s forces were surprised by a Ukrainian counteroffensive that either pushed his forces back, or made them flee. And so now, he’s had to hold sham referendums and initiate a partial mobili
Did Nato get Putin and Ukraine wrong?
Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia’s first military mobilisation since World War Two. He also warned he would use "all means [he has]" to defend Russian territory, raising concerns around the world and saying it wasn’t a bluff. With the United Nations General Assembly taking place this week, Nato leaders attacked Putin’s announcement. But Nato-Russia relations weren’t always quite so frosty. In this episode we speak to Lord Robertson, the tenth Secretary General of that alliance, who met Putin 9
The Elizabeth line: what it’s like to queue for the Queen
For the past few days, young and old, Britons and beyond, David Beckham too, have descended on London to join what must be the world’s longest queue. The line to file past Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second’s body as she lies in state at Westminster Hall. At one point, the queue reached capacity, it was five miles long and the wait was 14 hours and so for several hours no one could join the queue. So they formed a queue for the queue. When queuing resumed, the wait was even longer, 24 hours.
The Queen and the new King
On Wednesday, the body of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will travel in a public procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, carried on a gun carriage, with King Charles leading the procession behind his mother’s coffin, which will be draped in the Royal Standard. Once in Westminster Hall, the coffin, topped with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre, will lie in state for four days, with each corner guarded 24-hours-a-day by soldiers from units that serve the Royal Household. Whe
The Queen has died at 96
This was a day we knew would come, but which somehow remained inconceivable. The Queen, the only monarch most of us have ever known, has died at 96. Today, we will hear from some of the many tributes from around the world, as we enter a period of historic mourning for our monarch. And speak with the Royal Historian Ed Owens about this moment in our history, what we can learn from the past as we enter a completely new present without a Queen whose reign was historic in so many ways. Sources: AP
Could Taiwan be the next Ukraine?
A nation constantly under the threat of a much larger power. A nation with an invasion always at the back of its mind. A nation that does have allies, but is still not sure whether those friends will help if war comes. Taiwan, on the face of it, appears just like Ukraine. But with tensions rising in the region because US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could make a controversial visit there this week, any future conflict would engulf the two great superpowers of this century - the US and China. In to
Airport chaos: could it get worse?
Thousands of people are jetting off on their first holiday abroad in three years, but will you actually make it to your destination? Cancelled flights, hour-long delays, never-ending queues - this was not the postcard ending we were promised. So is our travel industry in chaos? Today, Minnie Stephenson speaks to travel journalist and international global trotter Andy Mossack about why our airports are under the most pressure they’ve ever experienced. Sources: ITV News, France 24, Al Jazeera P
Stories of harassment from inside the Houses of Parliament
Inside the Houses of Parliament, they make the rules for the rest of us but, with claims of harassment and bullying, is it time Westminster got its own house in order? After an exclusive Channel 4 News investigation reveals claims of bullying and sexual harassment in Parliament, right across the political spectrum, we spoke to our presenter and Investigations Editor Cathy Newman about the scale of misconduct in Westminster. (The testimonies you will hear have been voiced by actors) Produc
Sunak v Truss: the future of the Tory Party
We’re down to the final two. We know our next Prime Minister will be either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak. But what will the party and country look like with someone new at Number 10? And is this simply a coronation for a leader who is set to lose the next election whenever that might be? Today, our political editor Gary Gibbon details what to expect from the weeks ahead in the Tory leadership election - and whether the party is ready to properly start a new chapter after Brexit, Covid and Boris - or
State of the nation: the January 6 hearings
The hearings into the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th 2021 are yet to finish and the revelations have been stunning. But the hearings are just one issue among many right now in America: the end of Roe versus Wade, an increasingly conservative Supreme Court, and a Donald Trump who still looms large. On Today’s episode we’re in Washington DC with Christine Emba, a columnist and editor at the Washington Post to talk about what all this could mean for not just November's electio
The legacy of Donald Trump’s foreign policy
Donald Trump’s slogan ‘America First’ wasn’t just about nationalism at home, it also meant isolation abroad. So, Joe Biden was always clear when he came into power that America was back on the world stage, no longer the unpredictable supower that it was under Trump. In this episode we speak to the Atlantic Council’s Christopher Preble, who leads a team that analyses and questions American policies abroad. He tells us about Trump’s ability to rip up the rule book and to go against diplomatic norm
How to search for someone lost in the Amazon rainforest
On the 5th of June this year, a 10-day search for two men began in the deep of the Amazon. British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira had travelled into the rainforest as part of research into Phillips’ new book: “How to Save the Amazon”. Both had championed the cause of Brazil’s indigenous communities against those forces threatening their very existence. In today’s episode, we talk to Latin America Correspondent Guillermo Galdos, who was with the team when they discov
Boris: going, going, not gone
It took seven months of Partygate, a disgraced MP, 50 resignations, one sacking, but it did eventually happen. He never said the word resign, and he’s still sticking around inside Number 10, but the days of Boris Johnson’s premiership are certainly numbered, while his days as Tory leader are done and dusted. Today, our presenter and investigations editor, Cathy Newman, unpacks why Johnson finally decided to step down, what state he leaves the party and country and who might be the person to pic
Inside Al Shabaab: the extremist group trying to seize Somalia
For more than 15 years, the extremist group Al Shabaab has been fighting a bloody insurgency in Somalia. They are one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organisations - responsible for killing hundreds of people including innocent civilians. Our Africa correspondent, Jamal Osman, is the first journalist that has been allowed to film the group in years, speaking to one of the group’s leaders about why they continue to kill and hurt fellow Muslims in Somalia. Today, Kiran talks to Jamal about
Why Germany has a moral dilemma over Ukraine
We all know that the War in Ukraine has up-ended peace in Europe and shaken geopolitics on the continent. Nowhere more so that in Germany - where the Chancellor spoke of a turning point - with the country pledging to ditch its ties to Moscow and arm Ukraine. But months later, that turning point appears to have been more words than action - with European allies frustrated with Germany’s apparent inability to fully commit to the Ukrainian cause. Today, our Europe Editor Matt Frei looks at the reas
America after Roe
It was a decision that America knew was coming. Jubilation from those who want abortion banned across the US but a devastating blow for those who’ve fought for women to retain the right to choose. The Supreme Court has reversed five decades of legal protection for abortion rights created by the 1973 landmark judgement, Roe v Wade that gave women the constitutional right to have an abortion. Now, the Supreme Court with it’s Conservative majority has done what pro-life campaigners have desired
Ukraine war: how long will the conflict go on?
The war in Ukraine continues, with no end in sight. Ukraine says to end this war they need weapons from the west - that’s the only way they can win. But Kyiv says that they’re not getting what they want and when they want it. So, how long will this war drag on and what does victory look like for Ukraine, for Russia and for the West? Today we speak to Lindsey Hilsum, our international editor, who spent weeks in Ukraine since the war began and has covered countless conflicts around the world
Stalked: the story of Gracie Spinks - did police fail to spot a killer?
It’s just over a year since 23-year-old Gracie Spinks was found dead after reporting being stalked by her colleague Michael Sellers. Her family says a new Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation (IOPC) seems to confirm their worst nightmare that police didn’t fulfil their duty to investigate properly and that their daughter’s death might have been preventable. In today’s episode our reporter Anja Popp tells Minnie about what happened to Gracie, the findings of the IOPC report and
Rwanda: what about LGBTQ+ asylum seekers?
Rwanda is of course in the news because back in April, the UK government confirmed a £120m deal to deport adults who arrived illegally into the UK after January 1st this year to this African nation. And last week’s attempt to start this policy failed. The Home secretary has said the Rwanda deal will act as a deterrent for people smugglers, while also allowing those sent there the opportunity to “build their lives”. But can asylum seekers really do that in a nation that has a shocking human righ
Sleaze, sexism & slander: misogyny in Westminster
The age-old issue of misogyny in the world of Westminster has continued to rock British politics this year. From an MP’s resignation after watching porn at work to a sexist article which suggested deputy labour leader Angela Rayner used a “Basic Instinct ploy” to distract the prime minister in the commons, the Houses of Parliament is suffering from its own internal crisis. There have been a myriad of sexual misconduct claims, three MPs have recently lost the whip for sexual harassment, bullyin
America and guns: tyranny of the minority
In 2020, the biggest killer of children in America was not cars, nor cancer, but guns. Yet in the 23 years since Columbine, the 15 years since Virginia Tech, the ten years since Sandy Hook, the four years since Parkland, nothing from Congress. Following the Uvalde shooting, senators on both sides have hinted at some possible legislation. Is change coming? We speak to Matt Frei, who has spent years reporting on the US, covered many presidential elections and unfortunately many mass shootings
Boris Johnson: moving on or moving out?
Before the bunting had been taken down and the Jubilee stage dismantled, at 8am the morning after the Platinum celebrations, a rude awakening for Boris Johnson. A confidence vote that threatened his leadership of the party and with it the country. Johnson survived, but his margin of victory was smaller than that of Theresa May’s before him, and she was forced out just months later. Does the same await Johnson? This week, he’s been defending his record, announcing new policies and aiming to move
India’s ‘Love Jihad’ conspiracy theory
Many Muslims in India say they are experiencing a wave of persecution as Hindu extremists carry out a campaign of intimidation to stop interfaith marriages between Hindus and Muslims. Violence waged by mobs who believe Muslims are tricking Hindu women into marriage as an attempt to turn India into a Muslim republic. India's Hindu nationalist government say they oppose violence and the BJP say that they have introduced laws in response to a particular kind of crime of which a large number of in
How Britain's landscape has changed in 70 years
Over 70 years of the Queen's reign, Britain’s landscape has transformed. All of this has had a huge impact not only on us but wildlife and the place we call home. In today’s episode we talk to our chief correspondent, Alex Thomson, about how and why Britain’s land has evolved during the Queen’s 70 years on the throne and ask what next for the British countryside. Producer: Freya Pickford. Sources: AP.
The Caribbean and the Queen: a new era
As Jubilee celebrations begin, calls for the Queen to be removed as Head of State in at least six countries in the Caribbean are being heard loud and clear. But why is this happening now? And what does it say about the royal family’s and Britain's influence across the world? In today's episode, Ayshah Tull speaks to people from across the globe who can help us understand how strong the level of feeling is towards the royals on the other side of the Atlantic and we will discuss how easy it is to
Revisited: Why does Trump think Putin is smart?
Back in February, in sunny Orlando, Florida, a large group of Republicans got together at the Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC, to discuss what their movement needed to do next to change America. Former President Donald Trump, the keynote speaker at the event, described Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy as brave, but repeated his admiration of Vladimir Putin, describing him as a smart, strong leader. In this revisited episode from March, we look at where American conservative
Revisited: Abortion in the USA: from Roe v. Wade to today
In its long history, there have been landmark, controversial Supreme Court decisions: Plessy v. Ferguson, Bush v. Gore, Shelby v. Holder. Yet arguably none has divided Americans, defined the parties, and affected the lives of millions of women more than one particular ruling on the 22nd of January 1973: Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right for women to have an abortion. Since then, those opposed to abortion have campaigned to chip away at that decision, in the hope that one day, when the con
The Sue Gray report: is it too late now to say sorry?
It was the moment we’ve been waiting for for six months. The report from civil servant Sue Gray into parties at Number 10 during the three lockdowns. 37 pages, 16 events, nine photos. But what did it say and was it worth the wait? Our political editor, Gary Gibbon, explains all. Producer: Freya Pickford
Revisited: Is Bitcoin the future of money or a giant Ponzi scheme?
To its supporters, Bitcoin is the biggest revelation in finance in a thousand years. To its critics, it’s a giant Ponzi scheme. So is Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies, the future of finance? How secure are the blockchains that they’re built on? And will we all be buying art through NFTs, non fungible tokens, in the future, rather than paintings for our walls? In this revisited episode from December 2021, we speak to our Economics Correspondent Helia Ebrahimi about cryptocurrency, the fut
Out and proud - a watershed moment in football?
Last week Blackpool’s Jake Daniels said he was gay. It was the first time a male British footballer - still playing the game - had said that in 32 years. Given the wide acceptance of LGBT people in Britain today, and the fact there are many out and proud athletes in other sports - why is football - male professional football - so far behind? Producer: Freya Pickford Sources: Sky News, Good Morning Britain, GB News, ITN, Norwich City Football Club
Gender violence in Pakistan: women fighting back
Pakistan is in the midst of what some are calling a ‘gender violence epidemic.’ Hundreds if not thousands of women are murdered, kidnapped and assaulted each year. And conviction rates are extremely low. But Pakistani women are demanding action to address the vast scale of violence. Our reporter Fatima Manji went to the country’s capital Islamabad to meet the female police officers on a mission to transform policing for women. And a warning this episode contains descriptions of violence, incl
Nato goes Nordic: why Finland and Sweden want to join
Finland’s Parliament has overwhelmingly endorsed joining Nato, while Sweden’s ruling party has broken with 200 years of neutrality to follow their Nordic neighbours in jumping on the alliance bandwagon. The Ukraine War has forced this profound geopolitical moment - but why are the Finns more keen on the move than the Swedes? In today’s podcast, we travel to Helsinki.
Is CCTV putting innocent people behind bars
In April 2015, a victim was stabbed 13 times in a park in Leicester town centre. The case was solved with the help of CCTV, but that’s not the end of the story. The parents of the man convicted for the crime insist this was a case of mistaken identity. They also believe racial bias caused their son’s misidentification on CCTV. Forensic experts have also raised serious concerns about the quality of CCTV analysis in the criminal justice system as a whole. In today’s episode we speak to Channel 4
Northern Ireland: stalemate, borders and centrist politics
For the first time in 101 years, a nationalist party is in the majority in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin said the country was entering a “new era” as they overtook the DUP. It’s a seismic moment in Northern Irish history. Today, our policy correspondent Paul McNamara looks into how we got here - how Brexit and the Northern Ireland protocol has divided unionists, and how yet further stalemate is perhaps why many people are tired of the old nationalist/unionist labels and just want centrist politics
Does the Ukraine war mean the EU needs an army?
The European Union has had many different names but it’s always had one goal: a united, peaceful Europe. That has usually meant closer political and economic ties. But for some it has also meant getting closer on defence and security and for some that in turn has meant the creation, one day, of a united European army. So has the war in Ukraine shifted the dial towards a European army? In today’s episode with Elisabeth Braw, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute think tan
The dirty truth behind Britain’s air pollution problem
Just how polluted is the air we breathe in the UK? Other than the smog we can see it’s sometimes impossible to visualise what some call the ‘invisible killer’. Channel 4 News was shown new modelling which suggests the majority of UK households are in areas which break the World Health Organization's own guidelines on dangerous air pollution levels. In today’s episode, we speak to reporter Keme Nzerem who originally broke this story, about the politics of air pollution, why it’s damaging to our h
Cocaine, cartels and crime in Ecuador
Ecuador has become the new frontline in an escalating drug war. And ordinary people are the ones paying the price as the country’s murder rate doubledlast year. Rival drug cartels have taken over Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil, in a bid to control lucrative new drug routes to Europe and the United States. Our reporter, Guillermo Galdos, visited the once peaceful city for Unreported World, and spent two weeks with the local police, who are now outgunned and outnumbered. Today, Krishnan talks t
HRT and Me: what medication shortages mean for women
More than 1 million people in the UK are on Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT and the vast majority of them are women who need it to deal with menopause symptoms. But a shortage of specific types of HRT has left women struggling. In this episode of The Fourcast we speak to Kate who had a hysterectomy at 44 which caused her to go into surgical menopause about what life is like with and without HRT. We also speak to our Health and Social Care Editor, Victoria MacDonald about why, as demand f
Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
It’s the news that was everywhere for one day and then sort of faded away. A bit like a viral tweet you might say, it dominated, and then we just scrolled on. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, reached a deal to buy Twitter. The right were happy, the left were mad. And Twitter was the perfect place for everyone to sound off. But the deal isn’t done and there’s still a long way to go. We talk to our Washington Correspondent, Siobhan Kennedy, about who exactly is the man behind this mega
The fast fashion landfill in Ghana
Giving your second-hand clothes to a charity shop or recycling centre is surely a good thing, isn’t it? Well some of those items, which eventually end up abroad, are causing an environmental disaster in West Africa. Slums and beaches are overflowing with clothes from countries such as the UK that can’t be sold. And this is affecting everything from the livelihoods of the traders to the seafood eaten across the entire west coast of Africa. Today, Krishnan speaks to reporter Ashionye Ogene, who
Ukraine: what does Russia want now?
As the war in Ukraine enters its third month and Russia begins the new phase of its invasion, where does this all end? Or moreover, where is it heading? Russia says it's focusing on the east and south, but why the missile strikes in Odessa? And what does Russia want now and what can it even get, given that the Ukrainians feel emboldened as the Western powers increase their support? Today, our international editor Lindsey Hilsum reports from eastern Ukraine as she unpicks the messaging and the mi
How high could inflation go?
Inflation is at a 30-year high right now, and it could go even higher. Prices were going up even before the war in Ukraine and so now the forecasts are even worse, not helped by parts of China shutting down as a new wave of Covid there takes over. It’s all pretty gloomy, and the International Monetary Fund says the world must brace itself for an economic slowdown and a potential wave of social unrest. In today’s episode of The Fourcast, our Business and Global Trade Correspondent Paul McNamara e
Thailand’s cryptocurrency gold rush
Thailand has gone Crypto crazy. Just last year investing in Crypto currencies increased four-fold in the country. Ordinary people are jumping on the Crypto bandwagon to try and make money fast. But the world of traditional finance is wary of this new technology as some really do risk it all and lose it all. Jonathan Miller was in Thailand for Unreported World to meet a new generation of innovators tearing up the rule book. Today, we’ll discuss if this 21st century temple to the future of money
Why 2000 was a pivotal year in American politics
A close, contested election. Weeks of uncertainty. An election that some felt wasn’t legitimate. A Supreme Court divided and politicised. A new president that some felt wasn’t the true winner. Not 2020 and beyond, but 2000 in America. Andrew Rice, the author of “The Year That Broke America”, unpicks 12 months that will live in infamy - and when everything came down to Florida. Produced by: Nina Hodgson Sources: CNN, CBS News, ITN Archive
Macron v Le Pen: a very different rematch
Emmanuel Macron will face Marine Le Pen in the second round run-off of the French Presidential election. It’s all a bit deja-vu, a repeat of last time in 2017, but is a second term on the cards for the incumbent President? In the end, the future of France hinges on one question; what is greater here, fear of Le Pen the right-wing nationalist or hatred of Macron the incumbent. In this episode of The Fourcast Channel 4 News Presenter and Europe Editor Matt Frei talks about what to expect ah
'A catalogue of tragedies': the Shrewsbury maternity scandal
It’s the largest maternity scandal in NHS history, hundreds of babies and some of their mothers could or would have survived had they not been failed. A landmark review into the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust has revealed, “a catalogue of tragedies”, according to the senior midwife, Donna Ockendon, who led the review. The Ockenden review has revealed a toxic culture, a lack of compassion and a failure to listen to mothers and their needs at maternity services at one of England's NHS trusts. To
Why Finland is always ready for war
Finland is a European country that shares an 800-mile border with Russia. It has a standing army of nearly 300,000 and can call on 900,000 reservists, and wartime shelters that can accommodate 80 per cent of its population of only 5.5 million. In today's episode, we Iook at the history of a nation that has long been caught in the middle of the great powers of Europe and yet has managed to secure its independence through realpolitik and a comprehensive all hands on deck approach to defence. And d
War crimes and retreat: the invasion shifts in Ukraine
You might think that Russian troops retreating from parts of Ukraine was good news, but then we saw what they left behind. As the full horror of this war is revealed, Russia has moved to its so-called phase two: a focus on the east and south. Is that a retreat? Or is it a regrouping? And is yet more horror to come? Today, presenter and Europe editor Matt Frei looks at the ongoing war of words on both sides, what the West can do in response to alleged war crimes, and where this conflict goes ne
Trans people excluded from ‘conversion therapy’ ban
The government has committed to banning so-called conversion therapy but announced that the ban would not include trans people. 100 organisations pulled support for the UK’s first international LGBT conference, before the government cancelled the event altogether. The government have said that they ”will carry out separate work to consider the issue of transgender conversion therapy further.” But how does that make the LGBTQ+ community feel? Today, we speak to a survivor of so-called tra
Is there really a ‘woke war’ at the National Trust?
In 2020 the National Trust released a report that found 93 of its properties had links to colonialism and slavery. The report did not tell properties to do anything like change names or tear down statues. But the backlash was still fierce and the head of the Trust recently said she received death threats. We look at what the report actually said, what properties have done in response, and we hear from the group that has led the campaign against the report.
Is Nato needed now more than ever?
President Biden said Nato had never been more united, just what Vladimir Putin didn’t want, but is he right? Today, Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations explains how Nato failed to placate Russia in recent years, what next for the alliance, and will America really put Europe back at the centre of its foreign policy? Sources: ITV News
Is partygate still a threat to Boris Johnson?
Twelve parties. Twenty fines. But no names were revealed. Downing Street won’t say whether Boris Johnson will resign if he’s one of the people issued with a fixed penalty notice over the lockdown breaching parties held at Downing Street and Whitehall, as the Metropolitan police continues its investigation. Our Political Editor Gary Gibbon joins us to discuss the latest developments from the ongoing partygate saga and whether time is now on Boris Johnson’s side as he looks more and more likel
Vlad the invader: how Putin became a pariah
Was the invasion of Ukraine by Russia inevitable? Were the plans of Vladimir Putin always there out in the open? Does this all go back to 1989, when a KGB officer in Dresden saw the Soviet Empire begin to crumble and felt bitter at its inability to fight for itself? Today, we speak to the historian, Professor Mary Elise Sarotte, the author of “Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate,” about the life and mind of the Russian leader who has upended the world order i
The Fourcast Shorts: oligarch power and ‘dirty money’
In Russia money means power. And that’s why in this war, to punish Russia for invading Ukraine, the West’s main weapon isn’t its military but economic sanctions. The war has shone a light on Oligarch wealth used to purchase super yachts, mega mansions and private jets. But will targeting the rich really hurt Putin? Today we speak to Channel 4 News’ Ryan Ramgobin about the origins and influence of these wealthy figures and ask whether these sanctions are really affecting their lavish lifestyles?
The nightmare of Mariupol
Just a few weeks back, Mariupol was a bustling city in south-eastern Ukraine, overlooking the Sea of Azov. Home to just under half a million people. Now, it is basically no more. Most people’s homes have been destroyed. Half the city has fled and even those who have managed to leave have faced a treacherous journey to some form of safety. Our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum has spoken to dozens of survivors from Mariupol, to tell their story and provide evidence of atrocities that ma
Inside Russia: an alternative reality
We've all seen the horror of this Russian invasion of Ukraine. We know the truth of the situation, the lies of the Kremlin. But what about in Russia itself, where Vladimir Putin's version of reality reigns supreme? What is the reality that Russians are being fed and who is still taking the risk to speak out? Today, we speak to the investigative journalist Yevgenia Albats, who's seen many of her outlets shut down or blocked, but continues to report the truth from inside Russia. Sources: France 2
The Fourcast Shorts: Putin’s warped denazification ideology
When Vladimir Putin announced the start of this war, he said that one of his aims was to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine. What is he talking about, given that Ukraine is run by a popularly elected Jewish President whose grandfather’s three brothers and parents were all shot dead by the Nazis. In today’s episode of the Fourcast, we speak to Professor Jason Stanley, the author of How Fascism Works and How Propaganda Works. He explains the offensive, illogical and dangerous thinking of Vladimir
Two years on: learning to live with Covid-19
Two years ago, we were all plunged into the first lockdown of three. Today, daily Covid cases are far higher than back then as we deal with another wave of infections. Yet all restrictions in England have gone, with some remaining in the rest of the UK. Vaccines have made our lives safer and more normal, but what lessons have we really learnt from this pandemic? Our Health and Social Care Editor Victoria Macdonald looks at what living with Covid looks like here in the UK. We also discuss why Hon
Racial bias and reporting war
Modern warfare is defined not just by military advancements, it’s defined by rolling news coverage on TV, on radio, online, on our phones. And in this current 24/7 theatre of war, journalists and reporters have been criticised for the way they are framing this conflict. On this podcast, Marcus Ryder from the Sir Lenny Henry Centre of Media Diversity tells us about what he thinks has been wrong with the media’s coverage of Ukraine and what can be done to change it. Sources: UNTV, NBC News, B
On the frontline of war for three weeks
Since the start of this war in Ukraine, our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum has been across the country. She is now in Kyiv, where residential buildings are being hit and those who remain are making their city a fortress to repel any Russian invasion. In today’s episode, Lindsey calls us from her hotel in Ukraine’s capital to reflect on the past weeks of war, the devastation she has witnessed, the pain she has seen, and the unrelenting determination and patriotism of the Ukrainian people.
The homecoming of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Six years since her arrest in Tehran. Six years away from her husband Richard and young daughter, Gabriella. But now Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is finally home. But how did we get here? How was a charity worker from Hampstead, northwest London, detained for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Iranian government? And why did it take so long to get her out? We speak to Rebecca Ratcliffe, Nazanin’s sister-in-law about what is next for Nazanin and her family as they look ahead to a brighter future.
Who is the real President Zelenskyy?
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the TV comedian turned Ukrainianleader, standing up to Putin. But the man who’s become the face of Ukraine’s resistance against Russian invasion came to power in 2019 with little political experience other than playing a fictional president on Ukrainian TV. Today, we speak to the Economist’s correspondent Oliver Carroll, who has been charting the rise of Zelenskyy, as we delve into the wartime leader’s history, psychology and ask what will he do next? Sources: Kvar
The Fourcast Shorts: four ways the war in Ukraine might end
It’s been three weeks since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. As people in Ukraine call for more help, and the West imposes sanctions on Russia, how might this all play out? On today’s episode of The Fourcast, Georgina Lee from our FactCheck team talks through four possible ways the war in Ukraine might end.
Big Mac attack: sanctions hit Russia
Russia is at war with Ukraine, with cities under siege, civilians being killed, and millions fleeing the country. While western allies have provided some military aid to Ukraine, they have mainly responded with a different type of weapon. An economic war. Sanctions on Russia. Our business and global trade correspondent Paul McNamara explains those sanctions and asks if that will be enough to stop Putin.
Escaping war: reporting from the Ukrainian border
In the space of just two weeks, the lives of Ukrainians have been completely transformed, upended, changed forever. Some remain there to resist the invaders, but more than two million have left in just two weeks. Our correspondent, Paraic O’Brien, has been travelling along the border of Ukraine since the war began, speaking to people as they make a journey they thought they would never have to make.
The Fourcast Shorts: fleeing Kyiv
When the war began in Ukraine, the people in the capital city of Kyiv had to make a decision, to stay or to flee. Thousands of people packed up their lives and left the city. Sasha, a journalist living in Kyiv was one of them. This is his story. Sources: UA:PBC Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, AFP, Oleksandr Ielstov
Is this the end of the post-Cold War era?
In a matter of days, Europe and the world has been transformed. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has upturned the post-Cold War consensus that has dominated our lives for three decades. Is the West itself despite all this a stronger entity? Where does America lie in all of this? And what about Russia, the old enemy turned new menace today? Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the American foreign policy think tank, the Atlantic Council, takes Kiran through the geopolitics of then and now and tries to
The Fourcast Shorts: will there be nuclear war?
Are we heading for nuclear war with Russia? Russia has invaded Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin has told all his generals to put their entire armed forces, including nuclear team, on high alert. But could the UK and its Western allies end up at war with Russia? In this episode Georgina Lee from our FactCheck team explains how close, or not, the world is to a possible nuclear conflict. Sources: BBC NEWS
Why does Trump think Putin is smart?
Last week in sunny Orlando, Florida, a large group of Republicans got together at the Conservative Political Action Conference, also known as CPAC, to discuss what their movement needed to do next to change America. Mr Trump, keynote speaker at the event, has described Ukraine's President Zelenskyy as brave, but repeated his admiration of Vladimir Putin, describing him as a smart, strong leader. In today’s podcast, we look at where American conservatives stand on Russia and Putin, why some s