The Fourcast

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 users, whether other social media companies could be forced to follow suit, and whether this could fundamentally change the way we use socia...

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 and ammunition supplies. Meanwhile, questions remain over whether Europe can fill the gap if US support continues to weaken.

On this episod...

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 on him. The US treasury has tried to step in and calm the bond markets, but it doesn’t appear to have worked.&n...

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 out of the country?

On The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Gabriel Zucman, economist and author of 'We Need to Tax Billionaires' and e...

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 nearly 10,000 votes.

With Farage's personal favorability ratings dropping and accusations that he skipped the declaration to avoid b...

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 escalation of settler violence in the West Bank this year. 

So can Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, who ha...

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 targets and Reform UK labeling green policies "net-stupid-zero," the consensus around climate action is fracturing. 

All this comes as ...

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 intervention. Could an AI maintain access to a network, evade attempts to shut it down or even copy itself?

Matt is joined by AI safety expert ...

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 missile attack on Kyiv this week, at least 17 people were killed. Now there’s reports of a Ukrainian plane in Leipzig, Germany, be...

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 over party finances, and a £5 million donation from a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire - has put Reform under growing pressure. W...

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 2025—what is actually driving the debate around European border control?

On this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined...

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 is piling on Infantino. Even the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Infantino is the “wrong man” to lead FIFA.

On ...

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 military campaign and Iran relying on its network of allied militias, is this becoming a wider regional war?

On this episode of The Fourcast:...

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 US.

On this week’s episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by the former Conservative Work and Pensions Sec...

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 is driving the climate emergency.

On this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by environmentalist George Monbiot,  Prof...

Months after many of his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs were declared illegal by the Supreme Court, Donald Trump has announced a fresh wave of tariffs against dozens of countries.

This time, using the allegation of “forced labour” by America’s trading partners, Trump is hoping his new tariffs will be less open to challenge in the courts.

But what will the impact be on American consumers already hit hard by the...

The US and Saudi Arabia have reportedly signed a landmark deal that could pave the way for a Saudi nuclear programme, sparking fears it could eventually allow the Gulf kingdom to develop its own nuclear weapon.

President Donald Trump has denied that the agreement permits Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, and says any deal is dependent on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords and recognising Israel, a move many experts say remains unlikel...

Why has Volodymyr Zelenskyy reshuffled Ukraine's military leadership at a crucial moment in the war against Russia?

As Kyiv ramps up its long-range drone campaign deep inside Russia, Ukraine's president has appointed General Mykhailo Drapatyi to lead the country's armed forces. Supporters say he's the innovative commander Ukraine needs for the next phase of the conflict—but why make such a significant change when the war appea...

Andy Burnham is Britain's new prime minister.

On his first day in Downing Street, he promised the biggest changes to Britain in 40 years, unveiled his vision for government and began assembling his cabinet. But what do those first decisions tell us about the kind of Prime Minister he wants to be?

In this episode of The Fourcast, Anushka Asthana examines Burnham's first speech and the challenges waiting in his in-tray. Can he rebuild ...