This Is Why

"Go get your own oil!" Donald Trump has served notice on his allies, telling them the US won't necessarily help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

And oil is important... for everything. The global economy needs 100 million barrels a day to function. The war in Iran means we're only producing 80 million.

Those missing barrels are having a huge impact on diesel and petrol prices – but that's just the start. Inflation, interest rates, food and utility bills are all set to rise.

What, if anything, can the UK government do to avoid the inevitable economic earthquake?

Niall asks Sky's economics and data editor Ed Conway why he's so worried about the financial effects of the crisis in the Middle East.

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us: why@sky.uk

The cost of your weekly shop is about to go up – as the war in Iran squeezes the supply of synthetic fertiliser.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz had already caused a spike in energy prices - and is now expected to hit kitchen cupboards in time for summer.

It also presents a fresh challenge for a farming industry growing used to having to dig deep for profits. So, what foods will be impacted and what can be done to bring prices back down?

Niall is joined by Sky’s business correspondent Paul Kelso.

Artemis II is NASA's next big mission to the moon – the first in over 50 years. It's part of the space agency's long-term plans to build a space station called Lunar Gateway, where astronauts will be able to live and work.

It is also America's best effort to beat the likes of China in the space race to return to the moon.

Niall speaks to Tom Clarke, our science and technology editor, and Thomas Moore, our science and medical correspondent about what NASA hopes to achieve with the lunar flyby.

Have you got a question for the podcast? Email us: why@sky.uk

The market in counterfeit goods – fake handbags, knock-off trainers or not-quite-designer clothes – is now worth more than double the illegal drug trade in the UK.

So, it’s easy to see why organised criminal gangs are concentrating on selling fake fashion, both on the high street and online.

And they’re being helped by an army of influencers – who, knowingly or otherwise, are encouraging their followers to buy illicit goods.

Niall speaks to Katerina Vittozzi – Sky’s North of England Correspondent who led an investigation into fake fashion – and Sarah Woodcock, Chief Executive Officer of The Anti-Slavery Collective.

Have you got a question for the podcast? Email us: why@sky.uk

Lots of people enjoy a flutter – but have you ever considered betting on a US strike on Iran? Or when Russia will take control of a village in the Donbass? Or what day a head of state might be killed?

It’s a macabre thought for even the most compulsive gambler – but punters are betting millions of dollars on prediction sites like Polymarket and Kalshi, which both have links to Donald Trump Jr.

High stakes bets on specific acts of war have led to allegations of insider trading and potential market manipulation.

Niall discusses Polymarket and the ethics of wartime betting with Sam Doak of Sky News’ Data and Forensics unit.

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us: why@sky.uk