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 designer Virgil Abloh t...

12.03.2021

The visionary black designer revolutionised the way we dress. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Today in Focus episodes:

12.03.2021 How designer Virgil Abloh transformed fashion The visionary black designer revolutionised the way we dress. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
12.02.2021 Will the Omicron Covid variant cancel Christmas? A new Covid variant first identified in South Africa is spreading around the world, with leaders rushing to respond. Our science correspondent Nicola Davis outlines what we know so far about the Omicron variant. Help support our independent journalism at ...
12.01.2021 The Mississippi and Texas laws threatening US abortion rights As the supreme court hears new challenges to Roe v Wade, American abortion rights hang in the balance. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.30.2021 Barbados becomes a republic – and Britain faces a reckoning On Tuesday, Barbados replaces Queen Elizabeth II with president Sandra Mason – and while some are celebrating the change, others ask if a symbolic shift is really enough to reckon with the legacy of colonialism. Michael Safi visits Bridgetown to ...
11.29.2021 Inflation’s back – but is it here to stay? The inflation rate keeps going up – and some economists are warning that it’s time to take urgent action. So what is causing the change, what does it mean for ordinary people, and what’s the best way to deal with ...
11.26.2021 A tragedy in the Channel At least 27 people died when their boat sank in the Channel attempting to reach the UK. Diane Taylor reports on a tragedy that was long in the making – and avoidable. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.25.2021 The disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai The Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai vanished after making an allegation of sexual assault against a senior political figure. Her subsequent reappearance has raised more questions than answers. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.24.2021 The autistic women denied a diagnosis for decades When the television presenter Melanie Sykes and the model Christine McGuinness revealed they had been diagnosed with autism as adults, it brought new attention to the challenges for others like them whose symptoms have been missed. This is the story ...
11.23.2021 The human cost of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup dream Qatar says it has reformed conditions for workers building its World Cup facilities, but change is hard to see on the ground, reports Pete Pattisson. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.22.2021 After a lifetime in the background, Huma Abedin steps forward \| Podcast As Hillary Clinton’s most trusted aide, it was her job to stay out of view. Even when her husband Anthony Weiner’s scandalous behaviour dragged her into the spotlight, she mostly stayed silent. In this interview, Huma Abedin explains why she ...
11.19.2021 Covid is surging in Europe. What does it mean for the UK? As the days get shorter and we huddle indoors, memories of 2020’s catastrophic winter are close at hand. Now a new surge of coronavirus cases is spreading across Europe. But as well as notes of caution, there are good reasons ...
11.18.2021 The EU border where refugees are treated as human weapons How the humanitarian crisis playing out on the border of Poland and Belarus became the latest front in the battle between President Lukashenko and the European Union. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.17.2021 Is Donald Trump plotting to steal the 2024 election? Trump’s attempt to overturn the result of the 2020 US election was ultimately thwarted, but through efforts at state level to elect loyalists to key positions, the stage is set for a repeat showing in 2024. Help support our independent ...
11.16.2021 Azeem Rafiq’s long battle to expose racism at Yorkshire cricket club When Azeem Rafiq went public with the claim that he had faced a series of racist incidents throughout his time at Yorkshire cricket club, the incidents he described were written off as ‘banter’. But that defence has crumbled – and ...
11.15.2021 Cop26: where does the world go from here? Environment correspondent Fiona Harvey describes a global climate deal that makes some progress but goes nowhere near far enough to avert devastating global heating. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.12.2021 A day with the paramedics on the frontline of the UK’s ambulance crisis If you dial 999, you might expect an ambulance to come in minutes – but in reality, the pandemic has pushed an already creaking service to its limits. This is the story of one shift, and how the people charged ...
11.11.2021 A British betrayal: the secret deportations of Chinese merchant sailors During the second world war, Chinese sailors served alongside their British allies in the merchant navy, heroically keeping supply lines open to the UK. But after the war hundreds of them who had settled in Liverpool suddenly disappeared. Now their ...
11.10.2021 Emily Ratajkowski’s body – and what she wants to make of it The model views her body as a ‘tool’ to make a living – but ever since 2013’s Blurred Lines video, it has also been treated as public property. In this interview, she explains why she has written a book about ...
11.09.2021 ‘Politically corrupt’: the sleaze allegations engulfing the Tories Following the resignation of the former Conservative minister Owen Paterson, MPs have been debating changes to their disciplinary procedures and the government has been forced to defend itself against a number of allegations of ‘sleaze’. Help support our independent journalism ...
11.08.2021 Josh Cavallo: the world’s only openly gay top-tier men’s footballer Adelaide United’s Josh Cavallo says the response to his recent coming out as gay has been overwhelming. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.05.2021 Cop26: what are the chances of keeping the 1.5C target alive? At the UN climate summit in Glasgow, global environment editor Jonathan Watts examines the emissions-cutting pledges from world leaders as time runs out to prevent catastrophic global heating. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.04.2021 Enter the metaverse! Mark Zuckerberg changed Facebook’s name to Meta last week – and launched a vision for his company that he claims will transform the way we interact with the internet and each other. So what exactly is the metaverse? And will ...
11.03.2021 Could China ever invade Taiwan – and what would happen next? With a record number of Chinese fighters flying sorties in Taiwan’s air defence zone in October, and rhetoric on all sides becoming more heated, many observers say the past few weeks have been the most tense in the region for ...
11.02.2021 Cop26: how three young activists are trying to change the world Ridhima Pandey in India, Iris Duquesne in Canada and Raina Ivanova in Germany tell Michael Safi about their attempts to force their political leaders to change course on tackling the climate crisis. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
11.01.2021 The regrets of the unvaccinated: why Covid-bereaved families are speaking out As unvaccinated people in the UK and US continue to die from Covid-19, bereaved relatives are telling their stories to try to convince others to get their jabs. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.29.2021 Cop26: what would success look like for a country vanishing under water? On the eve of Cop26, Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives, argues that if countries do not get serious about reducing emissions, it will not be just the Maldives that faces a perilous future. Help support our independent ...
10.28.2021 The scourge of spiking: the students fighting for a safe night out A flurry of reports of students who fear they have been targeted in nightclubs has prompted social media outrage. Now the young women behind the Girls Night In campaign want to turn that anger into lasting change. Help support our ...
10.27.2021 The day that could define Rishi Sunak He has risen smoothly from private schooling to Oxford, the City, and then parliament – and now he is a youthful and popular chancellor who many believe will be the next prime minister. How has Rishi Sunak managed it – ...
10.26.2021 How British police tried to recruit an informant in Black Lives Matter When anti-racism activist Lowri Davies got a call from a covert officer in Swansea, she played along. But she was recording the conversation – and what she learned sheds new light on how progressive movements are monitored by the state. ...
10.25.2021 What a net zero world will look like – and how to get there It’s the phrase that will be on every world leader’s lips at the Cop26 summit – and it summarises the ambitious plan that will be central to efforts to limit the ravages of the climate crisis. So what is net ...
10.22.2021 The Korean debt crisis that inspired Squid Game’s dark dystopia The Netflix hit is as fantastical as it is violent – but underpinning its macabre story of impoverished contestants risking their lives for money is a real crisis of personal debt in Korea. Why has it resonated all over the ...
10.21.2021 Face off: the government versus GPs The government is demanding that GPs see more patients face-to-face in return for an injection of extra funding, but many in the profession say the pandemic has left them close to breaking point. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.20.2021 Cop 26: a question of degrees – what a hotter planet means for all of us The world is heating up at an alarming rate and world leaders are running out of chances to keep temperature rises below 1.5C, says Jonathan Watts. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.19.2021 The killing of MP David Amess The shocking killing of the Conservative MP David Amess has been described as an attack on British democracy. Gaby Hinsliff looks at how politicians are responding. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.18.2021 Britain’s rich history of black literature For Black History Month we’ve brought together star authors Ben Okri, Candice Carty-Williams and Caleb Azumah Nelson to discuss the past, present and future of black writing. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.15.2021 Newcastle fans think they’ve got their club back. But at what cost? After Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund bought Newcastle United, there was jubilation on Tyneside but revulsion among critics who view the deal as an egregious example of sportswashing. What does the deal tell us about the soul of the beautiful ...
10.14.2021 Has England gone back to the office? Ever since the order to work from home was lifted, workers in England have been heading back to the office – but mostly only a few days a week. Joanna Partridge looks at whether work will ever be the same ...
10.13.2021 What went wrong with the UK’s handling of the Covid pandemic? A parliamentary report says the initial handling of the coronavirus outbreak was one of the worst public health failures in UK history. Could tens of thousands of deaths have been avoided – and what are the lessons for the future?. ...
10.12.2021 Dubai’s ruler and the Pegasus phone hacking exposed in a UK court A high court judge has ruled that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum hacked the phone of his ex-wife Princess Haya using Pegasus spyware. In this episode we look at the implications of the affair. Help support our independent journalism at ...
10.11.2021 The countdown to Cop26: can world leaders save the planet? Three weeks from today leaders will gather in Glasgow for the Cop26 climate summit. But will their individual pledges to reduce emissions carry enough weight to avert the growing threat of catastrophic global heating?. Help support our independent journalism at ...
10.08.2021 The whistleblower who plunged Facebook into crisis After a set of leaks last month that represented the most damaging insight into Facebook’s inner workings in the company’s history, the former employee behind them has come forward. Now Frances Haugen has given evidence to the US Congress – ...
10.07.2021 Can women trust the police? In the aftermath of the sentencing of Sarah Everard’s killer, women’s trust in the police has collapsed. Can anything be done to restore it? Is misogyny endemic in British policing? And is there a risk that such an appalling crime ...
10.06.2021 Why everything you’ve heard about panic buying might be wrong With queues outside petrol stations and claims that selfish punters are using jerry cans to stockpile fuel, one word has become synonymous with the supply chain crisis that has hit the UK in recent weeks: panic. But the social psychologist ...
10.05.2021 The Pandora papers: who’s giving money to the Conservatives? Fresh questions for the Conservative party today after it emerged one of its major donors was involved in structuring of a telecoms deal later alleged to be corrupt Pandora papers news and reaction – live updates See all of our ...
10.04.2021 Inside the Pandora papers – financial secrets of the rich and powerful A massive trove of leaked offshore data reveals the financial dealings of current and former world leaders. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
10.01.2021 Boris Johnson wants a conference reset. Will reality ruin it? The prime minister was hoping to use his party’s major gathering to seize the agenda and set out his plans for the rest of the parliamentary term. Instead, he may be forced to deal with evolving supply chain and fuel ...
09.30.2021 The conviction of R Kelly More than 20 years after the first allegations of sexual violence and abuse against R Kelly, he has been convicted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. But as the women of colour who gave evidence celebrate the verdicts, there are ...
09.29.2021 Can China help end the world’s addiction to coal? Beijing has won international praise for announcing that it will stop funding coal projects in the developing world – but it is still heavily reliant on the fossil fuel for rapid economic growth at home. The Guardian’s global environment editor, ...
09.28.2021 Bond is back. Where’s he going next? He’s a lucrative cultural export – and as unreconstructed as secret agents come. Now, as Daniel Craig’s final instalment finally hits the cinemas, many are calling for a new kind of 007 – but is the franchise too conservative to ...
09.27.2021 The Pegasus project: hacked in London The tragic story of Alaa Al-Siddiq has further exposed the extent of how powerful Pegasus spyware has been used against human rights activists even once they have fled their home country. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Older episodes

Today in Focus

What's Today in Focus about?

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Today in Focus episodes:

How designer Virgil Abloh transformed fashion

Will the Omicron Covid variant cancel Christmas?

The Mississippi and Texas laws threatening US abortion rights

Barbados becomes a republic – and Britain faces a reckoning

Inflation’s back – but is it here to stay?

A tragedy in the Channel

The disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai

The autistic women denied a diagnosis for decades

The human cost of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup dream

After a lifetime in the background, Huma Abedin steps forward | Podcast

Covid is surging in Europe. What does it mean for the UK?

The EU border where refugees are treated as human weapons

Is Donald Trump plotting to steal the 2024 election?

Azeem Rafiq’s long battle to expose racism at Yorkshire cricket club

Cop26: where does the world go from here?

A day with the paramedics on the frontline of the UK’s ambulance crisis

A British betrayal: the secret deportations of Chinese merchant sailors

Emily Ratajkowski’s body – and what she wants to make of it

‘Politically corrupt’: the sleaze allegations engulfing the Tories

Josh Cavallo: the world’s only openly gay top-tier men’s footballer

Cop26: what are the chances of keeping the 1.5C target alive?

Enter the metaverse!

Could China ever invade Taiwan – and what would happen next?

Cop26: how three young activists are trying to change the world

The regrets of the unvaccinated: why Covid-bereaved families are speaking out

Cop26: what would success look like for a country vanishing under water?

The scourge of spiking: the students fighting for a safe night out

The day that could define Rishi Sunak

How British police tried to recruit an informant in Black Lives Matter

What a net zero world will look like – and how to get there

The Korean debt crisis that inspired Squid Game’s dark dystopia

Face off: the government versus GPs

Cop 26: a question of degrees – what a hotter planet means for all of us

The killing of MP David Amess

Britain’s rich history of black literature

Newcastle fans think they’ve got their club back. But at what cost?

Has England gone back to the office?

What went wrong with the UK’s handling of the Covid pandemic?

Dubai’s ruler and the Pegasus phone hacking exposed in a UK court

The countdown to Cop26: can world leaders save the planet?

The whistleblower who plunged Facebook into crisis

Can women trust the police?

Why everything you’ve heard about panic buying might be wrong

The Pandora papers: who’s giving money to the Conservatives?

Inside the Pandora papers – financial secrets of the rich and powerful

Boris Johnson wants a conference reset. Will reality ruin it?

The conviction of R Kelly

Can China help end the world’s addiction to coal?

Bond is back. Where’s he going next?

The Pegasus project: hacked in London

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