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
Feb 19, 2026 • 25min
The ‘guinea pigs’ who had face transplant surgery
Faye Bound Alberti, historian of medicine who studies the ethics and history of face transplants. Robert Chelsea, a pioneering face transplant recipient who survived catastrophic burns. They discuss the surgery itself, daily life with a transplanted face, medical and financial burdens, consent and ethical concerns, and questions about long-term support and the future of the field.
14 snips
Feb 18, 2026 • 11min
Zelenskyy accuses Trump of ‘unfair’ approach in Ukraine-Russia talks – The Latest
Luke Harding, Guardian foreign correspondent reporting from Kyiv, gives on-the-ground updates. He describes brutal winter energy attacks and how civilians cope. He explains why the Geneva talks feel like theatre and how US policy and Trump’s influence shape negotiations. He outlines Russia’s maximal demands and why the war may continue while highlighting Ukrainian resilience.
15 snips
Feb 18, 2026 • 28min
Why did Labour Together orchestrate a smear campaign against journalists?
Henry Dyer, investigations correspondent at The Guardian known for long-form reporting and open-source records analysis. He recounts uncovering a thinktank's secret probes into reporters, traces undeclared donations and who funded the group, and explains how the group influenced political leadership and risked press freedom.
Feb 17, 2026 • 11min
Jesse Jackson: titan of US civil rights movement leaves legacy of hope – The Latest
Carys Afoko, communication strategist and podcaster, reflects on Jesse Jackson as a segregation-era leader mentored by Martin Luther King Jr. She discusses risks of depoliticizing his legacy. Short takes cover his early activism, Operation Breadbasket, focus on economic and racial justice, presidential runs and his pan-African, international outlook.
Feb 17, 2026 • 20min
The rise of the cocaine submarine
Tom Phillips, Latin America correspondent with frontline experience of narco‑sub seizures; Sam Jones, Madrid correspondent tracking trafficking routes. They map how semi‑submersibles are built and crewed. They trace sightings and seizures in Europe, describe cramped conditions aboard, and explain why these vessels evade detection and what that reveals about global drug networks.
46 snips
Feb 16, 2026 • 11min
Why did Obama say aliens are real? – The Latest
Madeleine Finlay, host and producer of the Guardian’s Science Weekly and science journalist, guides a lively chat about Obama’s offhand “aliens are real” moment. She unpacks Area 51’s secretive history and why conspiracy theories persist. She also introduces the Fermi paradox and the Drake equation and discusses whether presidents would be told about extraterrestrial evidence.
Feb 16, 2026 • 32min
How an undercover cop foiled an IS plot to massacre Britain’s Jews
Chris Osu, The Guardian’s community affairs correspondent in Manchester, outlines how two Tunisia-born men living in the UK plotted an assault on Jewish sites. He traces their hidden radicalisation, online recruitment, an undercover operative’s infiltration, reconnaissance and weapons plans, and the dramatic sting and arrests that stopped a planned massacre.
31 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 12min
Palestine Action wins court challenge over ban – The Latest
Owen Jones, Guardian columnist and campaigner known for sharp political commentary, discusses the High Court ruling that overturned the proscription of Palestine Action. He covers the legal reasoning, mass arrests and hunger strikes, threats to free expression, risks for writers and creatives, and wider political and humanitarian implications. The conversation probes government motives and media narratives.
21 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 32min
Wes Streeting: the UK’s next prime minister?
Kieran Stacey, Policy editor at The Guardian who knows UK politics inside out, digs into Wes Streeting’s rise from East London roots to a high-profile Labour figure. He covers the Mandelson messages, media-savvy moves and policy swings. He discusses electoral risks, public appeal versus party backing, and what Streeting’s leadership style and priorities might look like.
25 snips
Feb 12, 2026 • 11min
‘Colonised by immigrants’: outrage over Ratcliffe claim – The Latest
Jonathan Liew, Guardian sports writer known for sharp football commentary, breaks down the uproar over Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘colonised by immigrants’ remark. He outlines the wording, why the apology feels hollow, reactions from clubs and fans, and how such language shifts public debate. Short, critical, and focused on football’s cultural fallout.
