This Is Why

Donald Trump has kept the world guessing over whether he will launch a ground invasion in Iran.

However, the arrival of thousands of US paratroopers in the region might be the clearest indication yet of the disrupter-in-chief’s thinking.

A month of airstrikes is one thing but the deployment of troops is quite another - so how would it work? Has Trump learned nothing from Iraq and Afghanistan?

Niall is joined by the former head of the UK armed forces General Sir Nick Carter.

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

"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