The Fourcast
by 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
Episodes
-
Will Trump start ANOTHER WAR with Iran after his Midterm humiliation?
Donald Trump promised to bring peace to the Middle East, but after months of war with Iran, American voters have delivered a stinging rebuke to the president in the midterm elections. So what does that mean for America's role in the region? And after decades of wars and interventions, has the US...
-
How Democrats will go after Trump after MAGA coalition ‘SMASHED’ in midterms
The midterms have been a disaster for Donald Trump and the Republican party. The democrats have retaken the house and the senate with shock results across the country. So what does this all mean? Is America’s electorate going through another major realignment? And has this completely shattered...
-
Syria’s missing: my father said they’d torture me if I didn’t leave - and then he disappeared
Wafa Mustafa has spent years searching for her missing father, who was arrested in Syria in 2013. Before his disappearance, he gave her a chilling warning: if he was arrested again, she would have to flee the country or Bashar al-Assad’s forces would torture her. In this episode of The Fourcast,...
-
Israeli election in STALEMATE as Netanyahu and Eisenkot both fall short of majorities
As vote counts trickle in following Israel’s high-stakes national election, results indicate a stalemate. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing nationalist bloc nor the opposition coalition led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party appear to have secured the 61-seat majority...
-
Budget explained: Andy Burnham promised big change - is this it?
Andy Burnham came to power promising radical change, a circuit breaker for Britain’s stagnant economy. This was his first budget, meant to lay out his bold vision for Britain. But are we left thinking, is that it? Chancellor John Healey announced measures meant to ease the pressure of soaring...
-
EVERYTHING you need to know about the Israeli election
Israel is set to vote in its first election since October 7th in what could be one of the country’s most important elections ever. With Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu having been in power on and off, for 19 of the past 30 years, his job looks under serious threat from challenger Gadi Eisenkot....
-
The whole financial system is about to COLLAPSE - Richard Murphy
With the Budget just days away, Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey face some big decisions. How much can the government afford to spend? Who should pay more tax? And how on do they get Britain's economy growing at a faster rate?But what if we're asking the wrong questions...
-
‘Ludicrous’ - Will Trump’s $1.5 TRILLION defence plan help it beat Iran?
In this special audience Q&A episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban answer your questions on the big geopolitical issues shaping our world. They ask why the West ignored Putin's aggression for so long, why Europe can't build its own rival to Starlink and whether Donald…
more -
Will Argentina INVADE the Falklands? And could Britain retake them?
Argentine President Javier Milei, has declared that the Falklands “illegal foreign occupation” and that his country needs to take them back from the UK. But 44 years after Britain defeated Argentina in the Falklands War, could another invasion be on the cards? And with Britain’s military much…
more -
‘AI CRASH is coming in 18 to 30 months’ - former US financial regulator Gary Gensler
Is the AI bubble about to burst? And could the trillion-dollar investment boom trigger the next global financial crisis? Gary Gensler, the former head of America's financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), warns that a major downturn in AI investment could be just 18 to…
more -
‘There’s very few young men left’ - how Putin’s war in Ukraine is ‘DESTROYING RUSSIA’
What is it like for ordinary Russians living in Vladimir Putin’s Russia at war? What do they really think? Award-winning war correspondent Åsne Seierstad has travelled deep inside Russia to find out. Her new book, Never Say War, takes us behind the propaganda to reveal a society shaped by fear,...
-
Zelenskyy feels ‘BETRAYED’ - the real reason Trump has turned on Ukraine
Ukraine relies on the good will of two volatile American billionaires to hit Russian targets and defend their own skies - but this week that relationship with Elon Musk and Donald Trump has reached breaking point as Kyiv's access to Starlink was cut after Trump’s surprise diesel deal with…
more -
‘MAJOR MISCALCULATION’ - Have the Saudis realised they can’t beat the Houthis?
A dramatic escalation in Yemen has plunged the Middle East into a fresh geopolitical crisis, after a series of deadly Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia’s airports and oil and gas infrastructure. The long running civil war is one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. But why are the…
more -
Do we take our freedom for GRANTED?
What influence does the UK still have on the world stage? And can it use it to prevent some of the world’s worst atrocities? On this episode of the Fourcast, we’re joined by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and member of the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes, Oleksandra Matviichuk. From Ukraine to...
-
What next for Zack Polanski as Greens LOSE Holborn & St Pancras by-election?
Zack Polanski and the Green Party are facing pressing questions after Andy Burnham’s Labour held Keir Starmer’s former seat in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. The result is a setback for Polanski’s hopes of challenging Labour on the left of British politics. With calls for his resignation...
-
SPY WARS: can Europe’s spooks handle ‘EXPLOSION’ in Russian spy attacks?
In the last few days a former German spy chief has been accused of selling state secrets, a British navy sailor has been charged with espionage and now two Latvians have been picked up near a British air base in Cambridgeshire - not to mention the mysterious goings on at RAF Fairford. So are...
-
What next for Christa Pike as death row inmate WAKES UP after two lethal injections
The unprecedented survival of Christa Pike following a botched lethal injection in Tennessee has plunged the American capital punishment system into a deep legal and constitutional crisis. Sentenced to death at age 18 for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer, Pike was scheduled to become the first...
-
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP? What the RAF Fairford saga tells us about UK-US relations
The sudden withdrawal of American heavy bombers from RAF Fairford back to the United States follows a major incident near the Gloucestershire airbase. Five men were arrested near the base, with the UK government saying it showed "strong indications" of state-sponsored involvement from Tehran. So...
-
Israel-bound FlyDubai flight CHAOS: what happened? | The Fourcast Indicators
An Israel-bound Flydubai flight plunged more than 14,000 feet in just 30 seconds after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the pilot and tried to take control of the aircraft. The plane eventually landed safely in Saudi Arabia after passengers and off-duty pilots intervened, but the incident has…
more -
Does Man City’s golden era now deserve to be FORGOTTEN?
In a seismic ruling that has sent shockwaves through football, Manchester City have been found guilty of dozens of financial charges spanning a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. The club were found to have systematically misstated financial accounts, arranged disguised funding through "sham"...
-
What would it take to GROW THE ECONOMY? Mariana Mazzucato and Fraser Nelson
Can John Healey deliver the growth Britain desperately needs? At Labour’s conference in Liverpool, the Chancellor promised a new age of industrialisation, more opportunities for young people and an era of political hope. But with the government under pressure to control spending, what does that...
-
Is the horn of AFRICA about to EXPLODE?
Hundreds of thousands of people were killed in a two-year between Tigrayan forces and Ethiopia's government which ended in a peace deal in 2022. Today the trauma and fear of war creeps back in as both sides accuse each other of launching new offensives. Earlier this week the TPLF announced a new...
-
Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping - new balance of POWER?
US presidents typically welcome foreign leaders at the White House, but on Wednesday Donald Trump laid out the red carpet to greet China’s premier Xi Jinping.In today’s episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban discuss the future being shaped by the two superpowers, what that...
-
Could our OBSESSION with free speech threaten DEMOCRACY?
Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned of an "insidious campaign" of hostile foreign interference aimed at stoking domestic division and eroding democratic trust. To combat the threat, Burnham announced the creation of the National Centre for…
more -
Britain is ‘SKATING ON THIN FISCAL ICE’ - former Bank of England economist
Can Andy Burnham turn the UK economy around? With just a few weeks to go until his first Budget, the new prime minister is facing a difficult economic outlook, as he deals with sluggish growth, the rising cost of living and a war in Iran which threatens to send inflation soaring. In this episode…
more -
Can Trump block Canada's Europe alliance?
The EU President Ursula Von der Leyen has offered Canada ‘associate membership of the EU’, a move which Donald Trump called ‘laughable’ - but still threatened ‘serious sanctions’ as punishment. In this episode of the Fourcast, we ask what Canada’s closer ties with the EU could mean - from tighter...
-
Paloma Faith: Ed Sheeran should QUIT TOUR as well over Palestine row
Ed Sheeran has found himself embroiled in a huge row after the rapper Macklemore was dropped as a support act from his tour, after he made comments in support of Palestine. The Suffolk singer has said he is "not complicit" and that the decision to drop Macklemore was not his. Since then, all the...
-
Mehdi Hasan: Criticise Israel - not Judaism
Is British politics becoming more like America, dominated by billionaires, huge donations and increasingly polarised media? Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by journalist and broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, who has returned to the UK to launch Zeteo UK. They discuss Reform UK’s £72 million in donations…
more -
What America got WRONG after 9/11 - former US diplomat
Twenty-five years after 9/11, its consequences are still shaping the world. From Tony Blair and George W Bush to Trump, MAGA and the rise of populism in Europe, how much of today’s politics can be traced back to September 11th? In today’s episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark…
more -
Could Britain’s Israel sanctions actually HELP Netanyahu?
The UK has signalled a major change in its approach to Israel, after its Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced what he called a “reset” of relations, as well banning exports from illegal Israeli settlements. And while the move has been praised by many, it has attracted condemnation from...
-
The far-right WIN BIG in Germany - what comes next?
Germany’s far-right party has won a major victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, although it remains to be seen whether the AfD will be able to form a government there. Nevertheless, the result has sent shockwaves not only through Germany, but across Europe too. For the first time since…
more -
Reform CAUGHT ON CAMERA - The foreign money scandal
Senior Reform officials have been caught on camera discussing ways to get thousands of pounds of foreign money into the party, potentially breaking electoral law.[Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://channel4news.substack.com/subscribe]A Channel 4 News and Verbatim Investigations...
-
A ‘SUPERSIZED’ El Niño is coming. Can we handle the economic shock?
A potentially “supersized” El Niño is forecast for this winter - and scientists warn it could bring more extreme weather, from droughts and heatwaves to devastating floods. But what happens when El Niño collides with a world already being reshaped by climate change? On this episode of The…
more -
‘A BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL’ - Iran plunged back into war
Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough have faded as retaliatory strikes flare up once again across the Middle East. And with Donald Trump warning of further military escalation, is the world at risk of yet another economic shock? So what’s behind the new wave of strikes in the Middle East? And…
more -
‘TRUMP’S A CATASTROPHE FOR THE WORLD’ - Mohammed Marandi on 6 months of war
Pakistan is the latest country to hit back after the White House threatened countries who trade with Iran. China has already said it won’t be taking orders from America. So is this another failed bid by Donald Trump to bend Iran and its backers to his will? Or could this actually work? Several...
-
END OF SOCIAL MEDIA? What Meta’s landmark case means for future of social media
Meta has agreed to a landmark settlement over allegations that its platforms harmed children and teenagers - raising a much bigger question about how social media is designed and regulated. On this episode of The Fourcast, we look at what the settlement actually means for Instagram and Facebook...
-
‘America is now a friend of Russia’ - has Trump HELPED PUTIN?
Britain is doubling down on its support for Ukraine, backing a deal that could see Ukraine produce its own long-range missiles as Russia intensifies its attacks. But as Moscow ramps up its missile production and warns of further mobilisation, Ukraine is facing growing pressure on its air defences...
-
$40 TRILLION 'TIME BOMB': Is Trump about to break the global economy?
Is Donald Trump driving the world economy off a cliff while you’re on your summer holiday? America has just passed $40 trillion of debt. Trump’s tariffs are pushing up prices, his tax cuts are adding to the deficit, and his war with Iran has sent oil prices soaring. Now bond markets are turning…
more -
Is it time for BILLIONAIRES to PAY UP? Wealth tax debate
Should Britain tax wealth more heavily? With the government under pressure to find billions for public services and defence, Andy Burnham has refused to rule out a wealth tax. But would taxing the richest households actually raise significant money, or drive wealth, investment and entrepreneurs…
more -
The HUMILIATION that Farage might NEVER recover from
Nigel Farage has secured re-election in the Clacton by-election, but his political gamble to "stick two fingers up to the establishment" hasn’t gone according to plan. With novelty candidate Count Binface as Farage’s primary challenger, the self-described intergalactic space warrior secured…
more -
‘THIS IS A LAND GRAB’ - Israeli settler West Bank siege explained
In the West Bank village of Qusra, Israeli settlers have spent days besieging Palestinian homes, cutting residents off from food and water - an attack even Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has condemned as a “horrific act of terror”. But this incident appears to be part of an...
-
The Tories gave us NET ZERO - why have they given up on it?
In 2019, Theresa May positioned the UK as a global climate leader by enshrining a legally binding Net Zero target by 2050. Fast forward seven years, and the political landscape on the British Right has transformed dramatically. With Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch proposing to repeal Net Zero...
-
Have AIs GONE ROGUE? These cyber experts told us what's behind the recent hackings
AI is increasingly being used to find vulnerabilities, exploit networks and carry out cyberattacks - but how autonomous are these systems really? On this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei asks whether we are approaching a world where AI agents can conduct cyberattacks with little or no human...
-
‘PUTIN’S NIGHTMARE’: how Ukraine can deliver ‘KILLER BLOW’ in Russia war | The Fourcast: Indicators
The war in Ukraine appears to have entered a new phase, as Kyiv has launched increasingly ambitious long-range strikes deep inside Russia, put mounting pressure on Crimea and sought to bring the war closer to ordinary Russians and Vladimir Putin. But now the Kremlin is hitting back hard. In a...
-
Farage’s ratings PLUMMET: What’s going on with Reform?
Just a few months ago, Nigel Farage and Reform UK looked unstoppable. After sweeping the local elections and topping opinion polls, many believed Reform was on course for government. But has the momentum already begun to fade? A string of controversies - including police investigations, questions...
-
Moroccan Migrant incident: Why the right say UK could be invaded
After around 50,000 migrants crossed into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta, far-right politicians across Europe quickly branded the events an "invasion." But with most migrants already returning to Morocco and UK illegal boat crossings dropping to a five-year low—down 43% compared to...
-
Will Gianni Infantino RESIGN over his botched World Cup deal?
Despite his job seemingly looking assured just a few weeks ago, Gianni Infantino’s position as President of FIFA is now in jeopardy. With the footballing federations of Europe, North America and Asia all rejecting Infantino’s plans to sell off part of the World Cup to private investors, pressure…
more -
The ROAD TO WWIII? The Iran war escalates | The Fourcast Indicators
The war between the United States and Iran has spread across the Middle East. Fresh strikes in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt, alongside escalating Houthi attacks on international shipping, have raised fears that the region is entering a dangerous new phase. With Washington intensifying its…
more -
Why has EVERYONE FAILED to fix social care?
Social care is the thorny issue which politicians have failed to solve for decades. Today though, the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham put it back on the political agenda as he called for a ‘National Care Service’, saying that social care in the UK is “as unfair” as the healthcare system in the…
more -
European wildfires RAGE: Are politicians fanning the flames?
As thousands of people are forced to flee their homes amid devastating wildfires in France, Spain and Scotland, the climate emergency seems closer to people’s lives than ever. Despite this, governments around the world are seemingly rolling back their efforts to end the fossil fuel pollution that...
About this show
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
Hosted by
Channel 4 News