Today in Focus
1,722 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 649 ratingsHosted by Michael Safi and Helen Pidd, Today in Focus brings you closer to Guardian journalism. Combining personal storytelling with insightful analysis, this podcast takes you behind the headlines for a deeper understanding of the news, every weekday. Today in Focus features journalists such as: Aditya Chakrabortty, Alex Hern, Alexis Petridis, Andrew Roth, Emma Graham-Harrison, George Monbiot, Jim Waterson, John Crace, John Harris, Jonathan Freedland, Kiran Stacey, Larry Elliott, Luke Harding, Marina Hyde, Nesrine Malik, Owen Jones, Peter Walker, Pippa Crerar, Polly Toynbee, Shaun Walker, Simon Hattenstone and Zoe Williams. The podcast is a topical, deep dive, explainer on a topic or story in the news, covering: current affairs, politics, investigations, leaks, scandals and interviews. It might cover topics such as: GB, Scotland, England and Ireland news, the environment, green issues, climate change, the climate emergency and global warming; American politics including: US presidential election 2024, Biden, Trump, the White House, the GOP, the Republicans and the Republican Party, the Democrats and the Democratic Party; UK politics including: UK election 24, Parliament, Labour, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer; culture; the royals and the royal family, including King Charles III and Prince Harry; HS2; the police and current affairs including: Ukraine, Russia, Bangladesh, Israel, Palestine, Gaza and AI.
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Episodes
Cotton Capital: the Guardian and reparations
May 08, 2023 02:00 - 50 minutes - 73.7 MBCotton Capital editor and Guardian journalist Maya Wolfe-Robinson looks at the subject of reparations. What do reparations mean for the communities and descendants of transatlantic enslavement – and what is the Guardian planning to do in its own programme of measures?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Cost of the crown part 5: the coronation of Charles III
May 05, 2023 02:00 - 35 minutes - 53.4 MBCharles III will be crowned in Westminster Abbey on Saturday in a ceremony steeped in centuries of history. Jonathan Freedland examines what the event means to the modern-day UK. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Cost of the crown part 4: calculating the king’s wealth
May 04, 2023 02:00 - 37 minutes - 55.8 MBMaeve McClenaghan and the reporting team reach the end of their investigation and make the calculations that reveal the vast personal fortune of King Charles III. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Cost of the crown part 3: the hidden history of the monarchy and slavery
May 03, 2023 02:00 - 27 minutes - 43.1 MBDocuments recently unearthed by historians have shown how the British royal family had ties to transatlantic slavery. Maeve McClenaghan reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Cost of the crown part 2: Duchies, diamonds and Dalis
May 02, 2023 02:00 - 37 minutes - 56.2 MBAny attempt to understand the extent of royal wealth will need to account for the value of their land and their most valuable treasures. Maeve McClenaghan sets off to uncover what is held by the crown and what belongs to the family privately. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Cost of the crown part 1: valuing the royal family
May 01, 2023 02:00 - 32 minutes - 49.6 MBIn the first part of an investigative miniseries into royal wealth, Maeve McClenaghan sets off on the trail to uncover how much public money is spent on the Windsors – and what they do in return. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Prince Harry and the return of the phone hacking scandal
April 28, 2023 02:00 - 30 minutes - 47.2 MBThis week, Prince Harry’s case over alleged phone hacking by the publisher of the Sun and News of the World reached the high court. Jim Waterson reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Funding, forensics – and a fridge freezer? The investigation into the SNP
April 27, 2023 02:00 - 31 minutes - 48.3 MBJust a few months ago the SNP, with Nicola Sturgeon at the helm, looked almost untouchable. Now a fraud investigation into the party has caused that image to dramatically unravel. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Why are London’s schools disappearing?
April 26, 2023 02:00 - 29 minutes - 45.7 MBLondon schools in areas such as Lambeth and Camden are having to close their doors as pupils leave. Why are numbers dropping so fast – and why does it matter so much?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
A bullying politician or snowflake civil servants? The downfall of Dominic Raab
April 25, 2023 02:00 - 27 minutes - 43 MBThe former deputy prime minister may have resigned but he remains defiant after an inquiry into bullying allegations. What does the scandal tell us about the relationship between ministers and Whitehall?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Embracing a childfree life
April 24, 2023 02:00 - 34 minutes - 52.8 MBHelen Pidd always thought she would have children, but after three unsuccessful rounds of IVF, she reimagines her life with the help of people who are childfree by choice. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Are we facing a summer of sporting protests?
April 21, 2023 02:00 - 29 minutes - 45.8 MBHigh-profile protests at the Grand National and the World Snooker Championships made headlines around the country; the London Marathon could be next. Sean Ingle and Damien Gayle report on what sporting stunts can achieve – and whether the authorities can stop them. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Sudan’s warring generals
April 20, 2023 02:00 - 28 minutes - 43.4 MBFighting in Sudan is continuing despite an internationally brokered truce. At the heart of the conflict is a power struggle between two powerful generals in a country permanently in the grip of its military. Nesrine Malik reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The court case pushing Indian democracy to the brink – podcast
April 19, 2023 02:00 - 32 minutes - 49 MBCritics have long accused Narendra Modi of eroding the world’s biggest democracy. Now, ahead of next year’s general election, his main political rival could be jailed – for defaming the name Modi. What’s going on?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The Pentagon leaks: how did US security files end up on Discord? – podcast
April 18, 2023 02:00 - 28 minutes - 44 MBEarlier this year, hundreds of top secret Pentagon documents were posted on the social media platform Discord. Manisha Ganguly and Julian Borger report. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Why are British audiences suddenly so out of control?
April 17, 2023 02:00 - 25 minutes - 40.5 MBFrom fights at the Bodyguard musical to wild drunken antics at comedy clubs and even heckling at the opera, performers and theatre staff say crowds are getting out of hand. What’s going on?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Investigating alleged sexual misconduct at the CBI
April 14, 2023 02:00 - 30 minutes - 46.3 MBPolice have launched an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct at the Confederation of British Industry in the wake of a recent Guardian investigation. Anna Isaac reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Why has the Labour party turned nasty?
April 13, 2023 02:00 - 26 minutes - 41.4 MBThe party’s latest ad campaign launches personal attacks on Rishi Sunak. What’s behind its new ruthless approach?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Is artificial intelligence getting out of control?
April 12, 2023 02:00 - 28 minutes - 44.3 MBHundreds of tech industry leaders have signed a letter proposing a six-month pause on the development of systems more powerful than OpenAI’s GPT-4. Alex Hern reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The ‘nice, ordinary’ family suspected of being Russian spies
April 11, 2023 02:00 - 33 minutes - 50.6 MBWhen a couple and their children moved into a sleepy suburb of Slovenia’s capital, their neighbours thought they seemed very normal. But were they really who they seemed?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The ‘nice, ordinary’ family suspected of being deep-state Russian spies
April 11, 2023 02:00 - 33 minutes - 50.6 MBWhen a couple and their children moved into a sleepy suburb of Slovenia’s capital, their neighbours thought they seemed very normal. But were they really who they seemed?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Xi Jinping and the battle over China’s memory of the Cultural Revolution
April 10, 2023 02:00 - 31 minutes - 47.6 MBMao’s Cultural Revolution pitted children against their parents and tore at the fabric of China’s society. It’s vital to the understanding of China today, says Red Memory author Tania Branigan. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
‘Peace babies’ and the birth of the Good Friday agreement
April 07, 2023 02:00 - 41 minutes - 61.2 MBThe generation born after the Good Friday agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland, are continuing to reckon with their inheritance. Mother and daughter Anne and Kerrie Patterson explain what it means to them. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Inside Tennessee, America’s most stringent anti-abortion state
April 06, 2023 02:00 - 31 minutes - 48.2 MBTennessee has an abortion ban so strict that even its Republican sponsors are having doubts about it. Stephanie Kirchgaessner reports on the reality of women’s rights in the state nine months after the supreme court struck down Roe v Wade. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Why headteachers are fighting back against Ofsted inspections
April 05, 2023 02:00 - 27 minutes - 43.1 MBThe death of headteacher Ruth Perry after a devastating report from schools watchdog Ofsted has prompted a growing backlash. Michelle Sheehy, headteacher of Millfield primary school in the West Midlands, explains why. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The indictment of Donald Trump
April 04, 2023 02:00 - 27 minutes - 42.3 MBThe former US president will appear in a criminal court in New York City today to answer charges relating to campaign finance offences. Hugo Lowell reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Cotton Capital: the bee and the ship – examining the Guardian’s links to slavery
April 03, 2023 02:00 - 46 minutes - 68.7 MBEpisode one of the new Guardian podcast series Cotton Capital explores the revelations that the Guardian’s founding editor, John Edward Taylor, and at least nine of his 11 backers had links to slavery, principally through the textile industry. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
How raising the retirement age set France on fire
March 31, 2023 02:00 - 26 minutes - 40.9 MBAn attempt to force through an increase in the state pension age brought thousands of protesters out on to the streets and has left Emmanuel Macron facing his biggest crisis yet. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Why are British teenagers being locked up in ‘re-education camps’?
March 30, 2023 02:00 - 32 minutes - 48.8 MBSecretive centres that promise to change the behaviour of wayward western teenagers and young people have been springing up in Somalia. But what really goes on inside?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Who is Humza Yousaf and how will he change Scotland?
March 29, 2023 02:00 - 29 minutes - 45.3 MBFor eight years Nicola Sturgeon towered over Scottish politics. Now there is a new first minister in charge, how will he make his mark?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
‘It’s way beyond just science’: untangling the hunt for Covid’s origins
March 28, 2023 02:00 - 27 minutes - 43.1 MBThree years after much of the world was forced into Covid lockdowns, the precise origins of the virus are still hazy, and the hunt is bringing scientists into confrontation with political forces that many are not prepared for Read more: ‘Being truthful is essential’: scientist who stumbled upon Wuhan Covid data speaks out. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Exposing the myth of Britain’s ‘perfect’ war against Islamic State
March 27, 2023 02:00 - 40 minutes - 59.8 MBThe UK government continues to claim that there were no civilian casualties as a result of its bombing campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq. Emma Graham-Harrison reports from Mosul on the evidence that cannot any longer be ignored. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Trafficked: Marta - part four
March 26, 2023 02:00 - 33 minutes - 50.9 MBThe story of a Ukrainian woman who escaped modern slavery in the UK. Annie Kelly reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Trafficked: the operation – part three
March 25, 2023 03:00 - 42 minutes - 62.9 MBThe story of a Ukrainian woman who escaped modern slavery in the UK. Annie Kelly reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Trafficked: the closed door – part 2
March 24, 2023 03:00 - 34 minutes - 52.1 MBJulia, a Ukrainian woman who escaped modern slavery in the UK, tells the journalist Annie Kelly about the years she was shipped between brothels. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Trafficked: the trap – part one
March 23, 2023 03:00 - 30 minutes - 46.1 MBThe story of a Ukrainian woman who escaped modern slavery in the UK. Annie Kelly reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Britain’s biggest police force is racist, sexist, and homophobic - can it change? – podcast
March 22, 2023 03:00 - 31 minutes - 48.4 MBA landmark report into the Metropolitan police says discrimination is ‘baked in’ and trust in the force has plummeted. Is it worth trying to fix?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Is it time to delete TikTok?
March 21, 2023 03:00 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBWestern governments are telling their staff to remove the popular social media app from their work phones amid security fears. Alex Hern reports on why time could be running out for TikTok’s current ownership model. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The accidental journalist who covered the war in Iraq
March 20, 2023 03:00 - 41 minutes - 61.9 MBTwenty years on from the invasion of Iraq, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad and James Meek describe their chance first meeting and their time reporting on the war together. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
How Eleanor Williams’ lies tore a town apart and finally unravelled
March 17, 2023 03:00 - 40 minutes - 59.8 MBWhy did Eleanor Williams, a young woman from a remote coastal town in England, pretend she was a victim of a grooming gang?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Jeremy Hunt’s ‘back to work’ budget
March 16, 2023 03:00 - 34 minutes - 51.6 MBThe chancellor has put getting Britons back into work at the heart of his plan to grow the UK economy. But the danger signs are still flashing, reports Heather Stewart. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Who will replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scotland’s next first minister?
March 15, 2023 03:00 - 31 minutes - 47.5 MBThe battle to replace Nicola Sturgeon is dividing the SNP and growing increasingly bitter, reports Libby Brooks. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The BBC’s spectacular own goal
March 14, 2023 03:00 - 26 minutes - 41.4 MBA tweet by Gary Lineker led to his suspension by the BBC and set off a weekend of chaos in its schedules. Now with a truce agreed, Archie Bland reports on whether it can hold. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Who blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines?
March 13, 2023 03:00 - 25 minutes - 40.5 MBMonths after the covert sabotage mission that has been likened to a spy thriller, the net could be closing in on the perpetrators at the centre of the mystery. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Is ‘Stop the boats’ a slogan without a solution?
March 10, 2023 03:00 - 29 minutes - 45.2 MBRishi Sunak has promised to stop people crossing the Channel in small boats but his planned law has been called inhumane and unworkable. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Avian flu is decimating wild birds, but could it become a global pandemic?
March 09, 2023 03:00 - 23 minutes - 37.2 MBIt is threatening rare species, and causing havoc for chicken farmers. Now a strain of bird flu has spread to mammals. Could it be a danger to humans?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Rupert Murdoch and the lawsuit blowing open Fox News
March 08, 2023 03:00 - 32 minutes - 50.1 MBRupert Murdoch has been drawn into a defamation lawsuit brought against Fox News for spreading the conspiracy theory that the 2020 US election was rigged. Ed Pilkington reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
What have we learned from Matt Hancock’s WhatsApp messages?
March 07, 2023 03:00 - 28 minutes - 43.6 MBMore than 100,000 of the former health secretary’s phone messages have been leaked. What do they tell us about the way the government handled the pandemic?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The dawn of the four-day week
March 06, 2023 03:00 - 29 minutes - 45.5 MBA growing movement to shorten the working week is gaining supporters, including bosses as well as employees. Heather Stewart reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Israel and the West Bank: a week of rage and rampage
March 03, 2023 03:00 - 27 minutes - 42 MBEscalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories is happening amid unprecedented anti-government protests. It’s no coincidence, reports Bethan McKernan. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus