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 state of the nation speech to double down on his worldview.

In today's Fourcast, our Europe editor Matt Frei speaks to us from Kyiv, the capital where he was last year when the first bombs fell, and where he was again this week to take in the latest, historic events in this 21st century conflict.

Sources: AP 

Producer: Freya Pickford and Alice Wagstaffe

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 apart or gone entirely.

In today’s Fourcast, we speak to our two reporters on the scene, Emily Wither, and chief correspondent Alex Thomson, as they detail what they have seen, the stories they have told, and how on earth Turkey and war-torn Syria recover.

Sources: AP

Producer: Freya Pickford

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, Secunder Kermani, who very recently returned from a trip to Israel and Palestine, where he spoke to people from both sides of this age-old conflict. 

Secunder talks about what makes this new Israeli government ultra-conservative, how the conflict might develop and whether this might be the start of a third intifada. 

Sources: AP

Producer: Alice Wagstaffe and Freya Pickford

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 mean for Ukraine, why countries like Germany have been so reluctant to send them and whether this is all too little too late ahead of a possible Russian offensive this spring.

Producer: Alice Wagstaffe and Freya Pickford

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 studies at the Royal United Services Institute, Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi. She discusses whether the regime is weak right now and how worrying it is that as Iran becomes more ostracised from the west, it draws closer to Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Sources: AP, Al Jazeera

Producer: Freya Pickford

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 today’s episode of the Fourcast we speak to our health and social care editor, Victoria Macdonald, about her experience on the frontline of the NHS, how we got here and what steps the government could take to improve the state of our NHS.

Producer: Freya Pickford

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 predictions but focusing on what we should look out for this year, a year that could be pivotal especially to the future of the war in Ukraine.

Producer: Freya Pickford

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

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 the monarchy.

Sources: Netflix, AP

Produced by: Freya Pickford and Nina Hodgson

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 Fourcast, we speak to our international editor Lindsey Hilsum - who is currently on her fifth trip to Ukraine since the war began - about what it’s like to be in the muddy trenches with Ukrainian soldiers, Russia’s culture war against Ukraine and if we can expect the war to slow down in the coming months.

Sources: AP

Producer: Freya Pickford