Today in Focus
The Guardian
Today in Focus brings you closer to the Guardian's journalism. Our award-winning morning edition hosted by Helen Pidd, Nosheen Iqbal and Annie Kelly combines on-the-ground reporting, insightful analysis and personal testimony from the people at the heart of the stories that matter, to give you a deeper understanding of the world we live in. And to make sense of a rapidly-changing news cycle, our new evening edition 'The Latest' hosted by Lucy Hough, brings you up to speed on the big news story of the day in just 10 minutes. Available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 9, 2026 • 11min
Will deadly Israeli attacks in Lebanon shatter US-Iran ceasefire? – The Latest
William Christou, Beirut-based Guardian reporter covering strike sites and hospitals. He describes the scale and aftermath of intensive strikes across Beirut. He recounts overwhelmed hospitals and civilian suffering. He unpacks conflicting claims over whether Lebanon was included in the ceasefire and what Iran’s warnings mean for its survival.
13 snips
Apr 9, 2026 • 29min
Is this the end of Viktor Orbán’s regime?
Flora Garamvolgyi, a journalist reporting from Hungary, gives on-the-ground analysis of Viktor Orbán’s government and campaign. She discusses why U.S. conservatives view Hungary as a model. Short segments cover media control, electoral tactics, corruption symbols, Hungary’s Russia ties, refugee policy and what a win or loss could mean for democratic institutions.
28 snips
Apr 8, 2026 • 12min
US-Iran ceasefire: has Tehran played Trump? – The Latest
Peter Beaumont, senior international reporter at The Guardian with on‑the‑ground Middle East experience. He unpacks the last‑minute two‑week ceasefire, the diplomatic backchannels that made it possible, contrasts between loud rhetoric and quiet negotiation, Iran's ten‑point proposals, control of the Strait of Hormuz and the fragility of the truce amid continued regional airstrikes.
17 snips
Apr 8, 2026 • 31min
North Korea’s ‘most beloved daughter’
Jean H Lee, former AP Pyongyang bureau chief and North Korea expert, unpacks the mystery of Kim Jong-un’s daughter. Short segments cover what is known about her identity and appearances. Listeners hear about staged symbolism, succession grooming, secrecy around the Kim family, gender and leadership questions, and the strategic messaging behind her public role.
14 snips
Apr 7, 2026 • 12min
Trump latest Iran deadline looms – The Latest
Julian Borger, senior international correspondent at The Guardian specialising in geopolitics and Middle East conflict, breaks down Trump's threats to strike Iran. He discusses the legal and moral implications of targeting civilian infrastructure. He outlines how Iran might retaliate, the regional energy and economic fallout, and the diplomatic efforts trying to defuse the crisis.
9 snips
Apr 7, 2026 • 29min
George Monbiot on our fragile food system
George Monbiot, Guardian columnist and environmental campaigner focused on ecology and food security. He explains why global food supplies are fragile, how fertilizer shocks and geopolitical risks ripple to vulnerable countries, and why alternative proteins, strategic reserves and policy reforms matter. Short, urgent takes on trade, resilience and practical steps for governments and communities.
Apr 6, 2026 • 33min
Move over Murdochs, here come the Ellisons
Margaret Sullivan, media columnist and former Washington Post media critic, unpacks the Ellison family's surge into US news ownership. She maps Larry and David Ellison's backgrounds and rise. Conversations cover CBS News changes, high-profile legal battles, potential CNN takeover and wider implications for editorial independence and political influence.
Apr 3, 2026 • 31min
The families torn apart by the Minab school bombing
Tess McClure, Guardian reporter who did on-the-ground investigations into the Minab school bombing. She recounts ordinary mornings before the strike. She reconstructs timelines and rescue chaos. She describes morgue identifications, satellite and munitions evidence, claims about military targets, misinformation online, and the political and legal fallout.
39 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 13min
War without a plan?: What Trump’s latest speech revealed – The Latest
Andrew Roth, Guardian global affairs correspondent in Washington DC, offers sharp analysis of US strategy toward Iran. He dissects the speech’s bellicose tone and confusing core message. He reviews questions about nuclear justifications, military limits, economic fallout and political risks in Washington. He outlines the few possible off-ramps and why ending the crisis looks difficult.
24 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 31min
‘Tinder for Nazis’ and the woman who hacked it
Eva Hoffmann, German investigative journalist who researches right‑wing extremism, and Martha Root, an anonymous hacker-activist who infiltrates far-right networks. They recount finding and verifying a neo‑Nazi dating site, the leaked user database and demographics, creating AI personas to engage members, tracing the site's operator and related white‑only projects, and a dramatic public takedown.
