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
29 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 12min
Trump chickens out on Iran deadline – The Latest
Patrick Wintour, diplomatic editor at The Guardian, offers concise analysis of US–Iran tensions and diplomatic backchannels. He explains likely intermediated talks, confusing White House messaging, Iran’s escalation choices and control of the Strait of Hormuz. He also outlines humanitarian risks if infrastructure is targeted and the short-term military options on the table.
4 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 34min
What the Epstein case teaches us about grooming
Lucia Osborne-Crowley, legal journalist and author who has reported on Epstein and Maxwell and speaks from personal experience of grooming. She explores how predators identify and isolate vulnerable young people. She describes staged trust-building, normalising sexual contact, coerced recruiting and the network of adult complicity. She also discusses missing documents, courtroom trauma and survivors driving change.
13 snips
Mar 21, 2026 • 27min
Off Duty: The Crime
Melissa Segura, an investigative reporter and narrator, digs into the murder of Officer Clifton Lewis and the long legal saga that followed. She recounts the intense police manhunt, courtroom evidence, interrogation tapes, and neighborhood dynamics. The story follows how family efforts, defense strategies, and institutional questions shaped the search for justice.
24 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 12min
Cash handouts and no AC: Iran war energy shock hits Asia – The Latest
Rebecca Ratcliffe, the Guardian’s Southeast Asia correspondent based in Bangkok, gives on-the-ground reporting. She describes visible fuel shortages and local impacts. She outlines workplace energy-saving measures and why the region is highly exposed. She examines China’s relative resilience and shifting geopolitical ties. She highlights the human cost and the strain on subsidies and cash aid.
27 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 28min
Why Ireland is giving a basic income to artists
Kaylin Hogan, a Dublin-based freelance writer who received the pilot basic income for artists, and Rory Carroll, The Guardian’s Ireland correspondent, discuss Ireland’s €325 weekly artist payment. They talk about how the pilot changed creative work, its social and political context, debates over fairness and scale, and calls to expand support for artists.
23 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 11min
Why gasfield attacks are major escalation in Iran war – The Latest
Peter Beaumont, senior international reporter at The Guardian, brings on-the-ground analysis of recent strikes on upstream gas infrastructure. He discusses why attacks on gasfields represent a major escalation. He explains the difficulty of repairing LNG facilities and the risk of long-term supply disruption. He also covers how the strikes ripple through markets, policy responses and the potential for wider conflict.
5 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 44min
Charlotte Nichols MP on her rape trial ordeal
Charlotte Nichols, Warrington North MP and survivor who spoke in Parliament about her own rape trial. She describes why she waived anonymity and the personal cost of speaking publicly. She recounts the incident, non-consensual photos, medical evidence, a long wait for trial, courtroom trauma and acquittal. She argues for specialist courts and trauma-informed criminal justice reform.
Mar 18, 2026 • 11min
Can the special relationship survive Trump’s attacks on Starmer? – The Latest
Peter Walker, Senior political correspondent at The Guardian, offers sharp analysis on UK–US ties and party manoeuvring. He talks about Kemi Badenoch’s rare public defence of Keir Starmer and why politicians are navigating delicate polling and Iran war concerns. He explores whether Trump’s jibes risk straining long-standing diplomatic relations and how keeping US backing for Ukraine shapes British strategy.
18 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 32min
What Nigel Farage will say for money
Henry Dyer, Investigations correspondent at The Guardian who specialises in data-led reporting, reveals findings from a probe into Nigel Farage's paid Cameo videos. He outlines the scale and timing of the recordings, breakdowns of pricing and earnings, troubling requests that reference extremism, and outtakes that shed light on Farage's off-mic behaviour.
24 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 10min
Key Iran leader killed: what does it mean for the war? - The Latest
Devika Bhatt, Deputy Head of International News at The Guardian, offers expert analysis on Iran’s reported national security chief killing. She walks through the evidence and Tehran’s response. She examines implications for power succession and Iran’s security apparatus. She assesses Israeli intelligence reach and possible strategic aims, and how US and Israeli interests might diverge.
