The Fourcast

The World Cup has kicked off, with three red cards and a win for co-hosts Mexico while the USA face Paraguay later, but President Donald Trump is set not to attend America’s opening game.  Before a ball was even kicked, this tournament wasn’t short of controversies, from strict border controls and eye-watering ticket prices to the prospect of two countries who are at war with each other playing a...

While Washington insists pressure is working and Tehran claims resilience; attacks have continued, oil markets are moving, and ships are passing through the Strait of Hormuz despite repeated warnings of disruption. In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban unpack why oil prices haven’t exploded, whether Iran is losing one of its most powerful bargaining chips, and what t...

The family of Stephen Ogilvie, the victim of the Belfast stabbing, has called for calm and said they don’t want the “terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”, as Sudanese national Hadi Alodid was charged with attempted murder, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.  Last night, violence spread across parts of Belfast, with police attacked, properties...

The Nottingham attacks shocked Britain and raised urgent questions about mental health services, public safety and institutional accountability. In this special edition of The Fourcast, Jackie Long is joined by the families of those killed in the attacks, alongside mental health experts, campaigners and policymakers, to discuss the findings of the Nottingham Inquiry and what must change to prevent...

Donald Trump says he’d be “honoured” to meet the new supreme leader of Iran Mojtaba Khamenei as there’s little sign of progress in peace talks between Tehran and Washington.  So what do the people in Iran really feel about the US president, the war and their Islamic regime that has ruled for almost half a century?  Krishnan Guru-Murthy has travelled to Iran, speaking to supporters of the regime an...

The death of Henry Novak has sparked more than just grief; it has ignited a fierce debate over the state of British policing and the "rage" currently gripping the nation. While the Prime Minister accuses Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of ignoring the Novak family’s pleas for unity, Nigel Farage claims the incident is proof of "two-tier policing" - a justice system he argues trea...

Economic growth is at the centre of British politics once again. Tony Blair says Labour needs a new plan. Keir Starmer, Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are all setting out competing visions for the country's future. But after years of promises about prosperity, innovation and renewal, why do so many people feel the economy is no longer working for them? In this episode of The Fourcast , Jackie...

The ceasefire may be holding, but the indicators beneath the surface suggest the Middle East remains dangerously unstable. As internet access slowly returns in Iran and diplomatic channels reopen, questions are growing about whether the US, Iran and Israel are genuinely moving towards a deal, or simply regrouping before the next escalation. Donald Trump is pushing for a wider regional settlement b...

Sir Tony Blair has entered Labour’s civil war - and his message is brutal: changing the leader means nothing if the party still has no real plan for Britain. In a sweeping essay, the former Prime Minister delivers a scathing critique of Keir Starmer’s government and questions whether Labour has coherent answers on growth, tax, welfare, Brexit, net zero and Britain’s place in the world. Blair argue...

Donald Trump says Iran must choose between signing a deal or facing fresh US strikes - but despite the threats, no attacks have come. So is this another case of “TACO Trump”, or are we actually watching the outlines of a peace deal emerge behind the scenes? In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators , Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Mark Urban examine rising oil prices, shifting sanctions policy, and gro...

How bad is the economic hit from the Iran war going to be? If the talk around price caps on essential food items, and lifting sanctions on Russian oil and gas are anything to go by, then it could be very bad indeed.  The government says any price freeze will be voluntary after supermarket bosses called the idea ‘preposterous’ and ‘nonsense.’ But plans to continue to allow diesel and jet fuel to be...

The World Health Organization has declared the latest Ebola outbreak an international emergency, as cases continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda - including infections reported in the capital, Kampala. The current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. Fears are growing that...

What has Donald Trump got out of his two day trip to Beijing? There are some roses from the Chinese President Xi Jinping for the White House Rose Garden apparently. But a trade deal? An end to the war in Iran? The Strait of Hormuz reopened? That all seemed rather more elusive.  And what about Xi Jinping?  Did he get to show that China is now America's equal on the global stage? Access to US te...

A leaked Pentagon assessment claims China is using the Iran war to strengthen its position against the United States economically, militarily and diplomatically, US media is reporting.  Donald Trump is in Beijing for a summit with Xi Jinping, where the Chinese ruler has been warned that if the Taiwan issue is not handled carefully it could lead to a conflict between the super powers.  On this epis...

The battle for Number 10 is on. After Angela Rayner announced HMRC had cleared her over the tax scandal that led to her resignation, attention quickly shifted to the growing leadership turmoil inside Labour. Following days of speculation, Wes Streeting announced his resignation from government but - so far - hasn’t challenged  Keir Starmer for the leadership In this episode of The Fourcast, we exa...

It’s another febrile day in Westminster with Prime Minister Keir Starmer - for now - clinging on but he's far from safe as a succession of ministers have stepped down, with more expected to go.  On top of that, the man who has become the PM's nemesis in the north, Andy Burnham, is apparently down in London. Shopping? Plotting?  So it looks like Keir Starmer might just hit the current avera...

Keir Starmer survives the day -  but the pressure on his leadership is growing. Today, he attempted to shore up his position with a speech focused on his vision for Labour, saying his government must go beyond “incremental change” and be the party of a “stronger and fairer” Britain. But despite this, at least 55 Labour MPs have called on Starmer to set out a timetable for a leadership election to...

Labour is reeling after bruising local election results - losing ground to the Greens on the left and Reform UK on the right - and questions are now swirling around Keir Starmer’s leadership. Is this just a difficult moment for Labour, or the start of something much bigger? In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, former Keir Starm...

As Gulf leaders look to Beijing for guarantees Washington no longer seems able to give, China is suddenly at the centre of diplomacy around the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed and Iran’s foreign minister both arrived in Beijing within days of each other, seeking a way out of a blockade that has choked shipping routes, pushed tankers around the Cape of Good Hope, and rattled global m...

It’s the dirty secret at the heart of England’s waterways. The water companies publicly insist they are cleaning up their act, but privately they have been allowed to avoid prosecution for years through a little-known mechanism which lets a company admit fault and pay money to a good cause instead of facing criminal charges.  The Environment Agency says the payments are a “brilliant tool”, faster...

After a spate of attacks and foiled plots against British Jews since the the events of October 7th and the Iran war, including the stabbing of two men in Golders Green yesterday, many Jewish people say they do not feel safe in the UK any more.  So, why have we seen this horrifying rise in attacks? And what can be done about it?  On this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy spoke to a rang...

As the UAE decides to leave the powerful OPEC oil cartel, Pakistan has opened itself as a land corridor that could help Iran get around the Strait of Hormuz blockade - so where do these developments leave Donald Trump’s long term plans for the Iran war and the shape of the Middle East?  In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators Matt Frei and Mark Urban delve into the latest developments in Washin...

King Charles heads to Washington at a moment of extraordinary tension. The visit comes just days after an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump - and against the backdrop of a deepening war in Iran, strained UK-US relations, and growing questions about America’s global role. In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy asks whether Britain’s most powerful tool, soft power, can h...

Donald Trump’s ceasefire with Iran appears to be holding - or is it? Iran has reportedly seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz as America attacks tankers and boats linked to Tehran - and then there doesn’t appear to be any hint of any imminent peace talks  In this episode of The Fourcast Indicators, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and defence analyst Mark Urban discuss whether the Iran war has reached a s...

Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador by Sir Keir Starmer to the US was a rush-job, carried out under an 'atmosphere of pressure' from 10 Downing Street and a 'dismissive attitude' to security vetting.  That's the claim of Sir Olly Robbins, the sacked head of the foreign office as he was grilled by parliament's foreign affairs committee.  So, is it now clear what...