Today in Focus

By The Guardian

What's Today in Focus about?

Hosted by Anushka Asthana, Today in Focus brings you closer to Guardian journalism. Combining personal storytelling with insightful analysis, Today in Focus is The Guardian's daily podcast that takes you behind the headlines for a deeper understanding of the news, every weekday.

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How to have a Covid-safe Ch...

12.04.2020

Families across the UK are being allowed to gather over Christmas, even as tens of thousands of new coronavirus cases are recorded each day. Is it possible to have a safe holiday? The Guardian’s science correspondent Nicola Davis offers some ...

Today in Focus episodes:

12.04.2020 How to have a Covid-safe Christmas Families across the UK are being allowed to gather over Christmas, even as tens of thousands of new coronavirus cases are recorded each day. Is it possible to have a safe holiday? The Guardian’s science correspondent Nicola Davis offers some ...
12.03.2020 Three women on their fight for abortion rights in Poland Academic Agnieszka Graff, lawyer Karolina Więckiewicz and gynaecologist Anna Parzyńska discuss their fight for abortion rights. An attempt by authorities to impose a near-total ban on terminations has sparked mass demonstrations across the country. Help support our independent journalism at ...
12.02.2020 The Crown – fact or fiction? Royal correspondent Jennie Bond, who has covered some of the most dramatic years of the monarchy, discusses whether The Crown is an accurate depiction of palace life. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
12.01.2020 The Nobel peace prize winner fighting a war in Ethiopia Ethiopia’s prime minister was feted by the international community as a reformer and a peacemaker. Now, as the Guardian’s Jason Burke explains, he has launched a major military campaign in the north of his country that threatens the stability of ...
11.30.2020 He risked his life fighting the Californian wildfires, now he faces deportation For weeks, the Guardian US reporter Sam Levin has been speaking to Bounchan Keola, who is being detained by Ice and facing deportation to Laos, a country he left when he was four, despite having risked his life to fight ...
11.27.2020 Is former Elite boss Gerald Marie the Harvey Weinstein of the fashion industry? Wendy Walsh was 17 when she moved to Paris to be a model. Within weeks of arriving, Walsh alleges, she was raped by Gérald Marie. She is one of 16 women who have spoken to the investigative reporter Lucy Osborne, ...
11.26.2020 How the Covid-19 pandemic has increased Amazon's dominance As high street rivals were forced to close this year, Amazon has gone from strength to strength. But reports of conditions in some of its huge warehouses have brought a new level of scrutiny, as John Harris explains. Help support ...
11.25.2020 A vaccine revolution Results from clinical trials have shown that the world has three apparently highly effective vaccines for Covid-19. With the race now on for regulatory approval, production and distribution, is the end of the pandemic within reach?. Help support our independent ...
11.24.2020 Racism within the Windrush compensation scheme The Guardian’s Amelia Gentleman wrote her first story on the Windrush scandal almost three years ago – yet she is still hearing from people facing injustice. Alexandra Ankrah, the most senior black Home Office employee in the team responsible for ...
11.23.2020 Gary Younge on minority voters and the future of the Republican party A look at the history of US voting rights and what the changing demographics of the country mean for Republicans. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.20.2020 How Samuel Paty's murder reignited France's free speech debate The murder of a schoolteacher who had shown his class cartoons of the prophet Muhammad during a lesson on free speech has rekindled a debate in France over secularism and the state’s role in regulating free expression. Help support our ...
11.19.2020 How will Joe Biden reset US relations with the world? Joe Biden will enter the White House in 2021 facing numerous domestic crises. But as Patrick Wintour explains, he cannot ignore the rest of the world. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.18.2020 What does the turmoil in Downing Street mean for Britain? Boris Johnson has gotten rid of his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, and his director of communications, Lee Cain. Katy Balls explains what it means for Brexit and the government’s handling of the Covid crisis. Help support our independent journalism at ...
11.17.2020 What will it take for Donald Trump to concede defeat? Donald Trump is continuing to dispute the result of the US election and, far from offering his concession, is instead claiming victory. Lawrence Douglas describes what Trump’s behaviour means for the country. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.16.2020 Why a plan to cut pollution is making people across England so angry A slew of initiatives from local councils have meant drivers being moved off residential streets and on to busier main roads. But while many residents support the schemes, the measures have provoked protests. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.13.2020 Adrian Chiles on being diagnosed with ADD as an adult A year ago, the broadcaster Adrian Chiles opened a book on attention deficit disorder (ADD). Suddenly the good, the bad and the mad bits of his life started to make sense. He describes the impact the diagnosis has had on ...
11.12.2020 The Karens: can friendship trump politics? Karen Ward and Karen Cotter live in the town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. There is one thing on which they really don’t agree: politics, and in particular, Donald Trump. Yet despite everything that sets them apart, these two women have become ...
11.11.2020 The life and death of White Helmets' founder James Le Mesurier James Le Mesurier died a year ago today. The Guardian’s Martin Chulov describes the immense pressure the co-founder of the White Helmets was under, as he saw the organisation he built appear to be slipping away from him. Help support ...
11.10.2020 Labour's battle to root out antisemitism Following the publication of the EHRC’s investigation into antisemitism in the Labour party its leader Keir Starmer called it a ‘day of shame’. Jessica Elgot reports on how the party is moving forward. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.09.2020 US election 2020: can Joe Biden unite America? After days of tense counting in key states, Joe Biden was confirmed as the winner of the US election, beating the incumbent Donald Trump. But as David Smith explains, his job of uniting the country begins now – and it ...
11.06.2020 US election 2020: will Donald Trump accept the result? Joe Biden was still leading Donald Trump in the tense race to the critical 270 electoral votes as counting continued in key states. Jonathan Freedland describes an election that has provided one clear message: the US remains divided. Help support ...
11.05.2020 Light at the end of the lockdown tunnel It’s day one of the lockdown in England, and it’s been a turbulent week in US politics. Thankfully Robin McKie, the Observer’s science editor, has some good news on the race to find a vaccine. Help support our independent journalism ...
11.04.2020 US election 2020: how the night unfolded It’s been a night of increasingly tense election results. Pollsters had projected a big win for the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, but with the major swing states too close to call at the time of recording, his route to the ...
11.03.2020 US election 2020: what kind of president would Joe Biden be? If Joe Biden is elected president this week, it will be the culmination of a career in politics that has seen successes as well as controversies. Journalist and biographer Evan Osnos examines what his past can tell us about the ...
11.02.2020 US election 2020: who are the voters sticking with Trump? Donald Trump faces a major challenge to repeat the swing states victory he achieved in 2016. The Guardian’s Chris McGreal takes a US election road trip and meets voters who explain why they are standing by the White House incumbent. ...
10.30.2020 US election 2020: Donald Trump and the rise of white supremacist extremism White supremacist extremism is the most lethal terrorism threat to the United States. It’s a hateful ideology that the Guardian’s Lois Beckett says has infected many parts of American society. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.29.2020 Marcus Rashford, free school meals and Boris Johnson's political own goal Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff looks at why the government has refused to extend the free school meals scheme and how the decision has backfired while Guardian journalist Aamna Mohdin reports from a food bank in Hillingdon. Help support our independent ...
10.28.2020 The fight to 'EndSars' in Nigeria The Guardian’s West Africa correspondent Emmanuel Akinwotu reports from the protests against the special anti-robbery squad (Sars), which have swept Nigeria and gained international support. For years, the police unit has been plagued with allegations of extrajudicial killings and abuse. ...
10.27.2020 US election 2020: are Democrats taking black voters for granted in Wisconsin? The Guardian US reporter Kenya Evelyn grew up in Milwaukee, in the swing state of Wisconsin. She recently returned to see how this year’s pandemic, recession and Black Lives Matter protests are shifting the city’s politics. Help support our independent ...
10.26.2020 10 years of Instagram: how it has transformed our lives This October marks 10 years since the launch of Instagram. Tech journalist Sarah Frier looks at how it went from a tiny startup to a multibillion-dollar business, and the impact the social media company has had on our lives. Help ...
10.23.2020 US election 2020: Can the Democrats win back trust in Ohio? The race in Ohio has long been a reliable guide to the US election: the state’s winner usually goes on to win the presidency. In 2016, it broke decisively for Trump, but this year there are signs that its voters ...
10.22.2020 US election 2020: can we trust the polls? The Guardian US data editor, Mona Chalabi, casts a sceptical eye over the US polling industry that is once again predicting defeat for Donald Trump. Has it learned lessons from 2016?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.21.2020 Inside Australia’s asylum system: a possible model for the UK Guardian Australia reporter Ben Doherty looks at the history behind Australia’s asylum seeker policies, including the controversial practice of offshore processing and resettlement. It’s one of the options the British government is allegedly considering to deter asylum seekers from attempting ...
10.20.2020 US elections 2020: Joe Biden and Donald Trump's possible paths to power Lauren Gambino, political correspondent for Guardian US, discusses which states Biden will need to win to take the White House, and what Trump will need to do to retain the presidency. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.19.2020 Leaded petrol, acid rain, CFCs: why the green movement can overcome the climate crisis Guardian environment correspondent Fiona Harvey discusses why the last 50 years of environmental action have shown how civil society can force governments and business to change and why that should give campaigners optimism for the future. Help support our independent ...
10.16.2020 Covid in the UK: a new north-south divide? Strict new measures have been imposed on cities in the north of England this week in an attempt to control the increasing spread of Covid-19 infections. But the way the new restrictions have been rolled out has angered local leaders ...
10.15.2020 The story of the Mangrove Nine Guardian arts and culture correspondent Lanre Bakare discusses the Mangrove Nine, a group of black activists who found themselves on trial at the Old Bailey in 1971 after protesting against police harassment. Their story became a landmark moment in British ...
10.14.2020 US election 2020: what if Trump refuses to concede? Trump has repeatedly stated that he may refuse to accept defeat in the coming election. As Lawrence Douglas explains, things could get very messy if the result is close. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.13.2020 US election 2020: why are so many Americans being denied a vote? Millions of American voters will be unable to cast their ballot in this year’s presidential election and those affected will be disproportionately first-time voters and from minority groups, reports Sam Levine. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.12.2020 US election 2020: who is supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett? Today is the start of the confirmation process for Amy Coney Barrett, a deeply conservative judge who is Donald Trump’s pick for supreme court judge. Guardian US investigative journalist Stephanie Kirchgaessner has been looking at her career and personal life, ...
10.09.2020 Understanding the fight over trans rights – part 2 Last month the equalities minister, Liz Truss, announced that some reforms to the Gender Recognition Act would go ahead but one key aspect – allowing trans people to self-identify without a medical diagnosis - would not be adopted. The issue ...
10.08.2020 Understanding the fight over trans rights — part 1 Stephen Whittle has been at the heart of trans activism for half a century. He discusses the legal and political progress that has been made over the past few decades while the Guardian’s Scotland correspondent Libby Brooks examines why there ...
10.07.2020 Does Sweden have the answer to living with Covid-19? – podcast The Swedish example is regularly raised by libertarian-minded Conservatives when protesting against government restrictions aimed at quelling the spread of the virus in the UK. But what did the Scandinavian country do differently and could it be applied elsewhere?. Help ...
10.06.2020 US election 2020: how Covid-19 reached the White House Donald Trump spent the weekend in hospital after developing symptoms following a positive test for coronavirus. But with confusing medical briefings and a controversial drive-by stunt, Americans are still trying to get answers as to how Trump became infected as ...
10.05.2020 The ugly side of the modelling industry When the model Emily Ratajkowski recently wrote an essay detailing the ways she has felt exploited by the modelling industry, readers were shocked. But on social media, many models responded with similar allegations. Former model Leanne Maskell and current model ...
10.02.2020 US election 2020: an ugly fight in the critical swing state of Florida Oliver Laughland, the Guardian’s US southern bureau chief, discusses his recent road trip around Florida, a key state that Trump only narrowly won in 2016. He found two sides bitterly opposed. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.01.2020 Has Covid-19 turned the clock back on women's equality? – podcast Women seem to be bearing the brunt of the economic fallout and taking on a greater share of domestic work and childcare. Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff looks at whether the virus has meant a huge step back for women’s rights. ...
09.30.2020 An inevitable crisis: how Covid-19 hit universities The academic year has started at universities across the UK but far from the promised freshers’ experience, new students are finding themselves forced to isolate and attend classes online. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
09.29.2020 Why has activist Nathan Law been forced to flee Hong Kong? Nathan Law is one of Hong Kong’s most prominent democracy activists, but his years of campaigning have made him a target for the Chinese government. He discusses the toll it has taken and why he has now had to flee ...
09.28.2020 Did the NHS 111 Covid helpline fail hundreds of families? Hundreds of people believe the 111 helpline failed their relatives. Now the Guardian’s David Conn reports that they are demanding a full inquiry into the service. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Older episodes

Today in Focus

What's Today in Focus about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Today in Focus episodes:

How to have a Covid-safe Christmas

Three women on their fight for abortion rights in Poland

The Crown – fact or fiction?

The Nobel peace prize winner fighting a war in Ethiopia

He risked his life fighting the Californian wildfires, now he faces deportation

Is former Elite boss Gerald Marie the Harvey Weinstein of the fashion industry?

How the Covid-19 pandemic has increased Amazon's dominance

A vaccine revolution

Racism within the Windrush compensation scheme

Gary Younge on minority voters and the future of the Republican party

How Samuel Paty's murder reignited France's free speech debate

How will Joe Biden reset US relations with the world?

What does the turmoil in Downing Street mean for Britain?

What will it take for Donald Trump to concede defeat?

Why a plan to cut pollution is making people across England so angry

Adrian Chiles on being diagnosed with ADD as an adult

The Karens: can friendship trump politics?

The life and death of White Helmets' founder James Le Mesurier

Labour's battle to root out antisemitism

US election 2020: can Joe Biden unite America?

US election 2020: will Donald Trump accept the result?

Light at the end of the lockdown tunnel

US election 2020: how the night unfolded

US election 2020: what kind of president would Joe Biden be?

US election 2020: who are the voters sticking with Trump?

US election 2020: Donald Trump and the rise of white supremacist extremism

Marcus Rashford, free school meals and Boris Johnson's political own goal

The fight to 'EndSars' in Nigeria

US election 2020: are Democrats taking black voters for granted in Wisconsin?

10 years of Instagram: how it has transformed our lives

US election 2020: Can the Democrats win back trust in Ohio?

US election 2020: can we trust the polls?

Inside Australia’s asylum system: a possible model for the UK

US elections 2020: Joe Biden and Donald Trump's possible paths to power

Leaded petrol, acid rain, CFCs: why the green movement can overcome the climate crisis

Covid in the UK: a new north-south divide?

The story of the Mangrove Nine

US election 2020: what if Trump refuses to concede?

US election 2020: why are so many Americans being denied a vote?

US election 2020: who is supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett?

Understanding the fight over trans rights – part 2

Understanding the fight over trans rights — part 1

Does Sweden have the answer to living with Covid-19? – podcast

US election 2020: how Covid-19 reached the White House

The ugly side of the modelling industry

US election 2020: an ugly fight in the critical swing state of Florida

Has Covid-19 turned the clock back on women's equality? – podcast

An inevitable crisis: how Covid-19 hit universities

Why has activist Nathan Law been forced to flee Hong Kong?

Did the NHS 111 Covid helpline fail hundreds of families?

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