The Fourcast

It’s been 600 days since the war between Israel and Gaza began, triggered by the October the 7th attacks carried out by Hamas; a moment that reshaped the landscape of the Israel-Palestine conflict.Now, we’re at a critical moment. Discontent is growing inside Israel - particularly among the families of hostages - who are calling for an end to the conflict, fearing that it’s harming the chances of their loved ones returning home.Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting. Reports suggest a rift between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, as countries like the UK, France, and Canada have spoken out strongly against Israel’s blockade on aid, calling its actions unacceptable. As public opinion shifts and political tensions rise, we take a closer look at where things stand - and where they might be heading.

The shooting of a couple who worked for the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC has sent shockwaves around the world, while in Gaza the UN says thousands of men, women and children are in danger of severe starvation after an 11-week aid blockade. For this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to The Economist's Israel Correspondent Anshel Pfeffer and Palestinian journalist Nour Odeh. They discuss the shooting of Israeli embassy staff in DC, growing condemnation of Netanyahu by Western leaders and mounting international calls to recognise a Palestinian state. Produced by Freya Pickford, Calum Fraser and Alice Wagstaffe

It was one of the most shocking moments of the 2024 presidential campaign. President Joe Biden, at times appearing incoherent and confused, effectively ended his hopes of reelection as he stumbled through a debate against rival Donald Trump. It marked the beginning of the end of his campaign. He was ultimately replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris - a last-minute switch that failed to deliver the Democratic Party the White House. To many voters, it was a shocking turn of events. But, as a new book argues, for White House and Biden family insiders, it was the public exposure of a secret they had long been trying to keep. Publicly, Biden’s team have refuted claims that he was unfit for reelection, insisting that “he was a very effective president.” But the question remains: did Team Biden cover up his declining health? In an interview that was recorded before the announcement of Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis this weekend, Matt Frei speaks to CNN anchor Jake Tapper about his explosive new book, Original Sin, which examines the former president’s apparent cognitive decline and includes testimony from White House insiders who claim there was a deliberate “cover-up” to keep the truth from the American people.  

Aseem Malhotra is a deeply controversial British doctor who has just been appointed as Chief Medical Adviser of the Make America Healthy Again campaign group co-founded by Donald Trump's health secretary Robert F Kennedy Junior. It makes him one of the US Health Secretary's most influential medical advisers - and that's alarming doctors and academics around the world, because Aseem Malhotra, like RFK JR, goes against mainstream, established opinion on many topics. Most controversially he opposes the MRNA covid vaccines, claiming they cause more harm than good, and wants to end their use in America, even though people are still dying with Covid around the world. In the UK hundreds of people are dying with covid every month yet Dr Malhotra claims the virus is no longer deadly. He also supports RFK Junior's decision to reinvestigate discredited claims of a link between vaccines and autism, amid alarming levels of vaccine scepticism in America, and outbreaks of deadly measles. For the latest episode of The Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks to Dr Malhotra, but we also examine his claims and scrutinise them by hearing from Stephen Griffin, Professor of Virology at Leeds University - who is a leading scientist in Britain and believes claims being made by Dr Malhotra and RFK Junior are not just wrong but dangerous. Produced by Calum Fraser, Alice Wagstaffe, Georgina Lee, Rob Thomson.

Russia is celebrating Victory Day, with 29 foreign leaders including the Chinese President Xi Jinping joining Vladimir Putin in Moscow to commemorate the Soviet Union's part in the defeat of Nazi Germany 80 years ago. But is President Putin about to enjoy his own victory if the US pulls out of peace negotiations over the war in Ukraine?  For the latest episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks to one man who thinks President Trump is doing everything in his power to make that happen. The writer, historian and activist Vladimir Kara Murza has been poisoned and imprisoned for his anti-Kremlin campaigns. He was released from a Siberian jail last year as part of a prisoner exchange. Produced by Calum Fraser, Toby Bakare, Rob Thomson

Pakistan has described India's missile attacks that killed more than 30 people 'an act of war’, but India says it was retaliation for a terrorist assault in Indian-controlled Kashmir. So is an all-out war inevitable between these two nuclear-armed neighbours. In the past the US has acted as a peace broker, but is the Trump administration willing to involve itself in another foreign conflict?   To discuss this, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined from Delhi by the Emmy-nominated journalist Barkha Dutt who has reported from the frontline in previous conflicts between India and Pakistan. And also by Ayesha Siddiqa from the Department of War Studies at King's College, London. She writes extensively on the Pakistan military after serving as the country's director of naval research. Produced by Calum Fraser, Holly Snelling, Rob Thomson  

Ukraine has now signed a mineral and natural resources deal with the US perhaps taking President Donald Trump a step closer to fulfilling his promise to secure peace there. But now his National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz is set to step down. So what do the American public think about the latest twists in the Trump 2.0 drama? And what about the MAGA faithful? One person tapped into the aspirations and some anger, at times, of Trump's most ardent supporters is Natalie Winters. She is a White House correspondent part of the 'new media' in The White House briefing room, though denied a membership to the professional body representing Washington Correspondents. She also Co-hosts The War Room podcast with right-wing provocateur Steve Bannon. She joins Mat Frei in Washington for The Fourcast to discuss how Trump 2.0 is unfolding. Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson and Holly Snelling 

Donald Trump has reached his 100 day milestone but he might not be celebrating quite so loudly after Canadians voted in a new government aggressively opposed to his tariffs and talk of annexation, and new polling showed less-than-glowing approval ratings. The President called it fake news. But if his policies aren't proving altogether popular they have had a major impact on America's system of government and global economics - though he has missed his deadline for stopping the war in Ukraine. By a mere 99 days. To discuss all of this, and what the next hundred days might hold on The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum and our Economics Correspondent Helia Ebrahimi.  Produced by Calum Fraser, Millie Teasdale and Rob Thomson  

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following a deadly attack in a tourist hotspot in Kashmir, with Indian Prime Minister Nerandra Modi saying he will pursue the attackers to the ‘ends of the earth’ after they killed 26 people. With India blaming Pakistan for the attack, retaliatory actions between the two countries have ramped up. India has cancelled visas, excluded diplomats and suspended a landmark water-sharing treaty - while Pakistan has halted all trade. So, what will Prime Minister Modi do next? Could this attack lead to a bigger conflict between these two nuclear armed nations? And how would this affect a world already reeling from wars in the Middle East and Europe. To discuss all this on the latest episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Manoj Joshi, who spent decades as a journalist in India and most recently advised the government on reforming the security forces, and our Foreign Affairs Correspondent Secunder Kermani. Produced by Holly Snelling, Calum Fraser and Rob Thomson

Rutger Bregman, a progressive historian renowned for his critiques of wealth concentration, dives into the complexities of today's political and economic landscape. He discusses the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs on global growth while advocating for a shift towards meaningful societal contributions. Bregman emphasizes the need for ambitious individuals to tackle pressing global issues instead of pursuing corporate interests. He also explores the interplay between nationalism, morality, and the role of universal basic income in addressing societal inequalities in a rapidly changing world.