This Is Why

Albania's prime minister recently accused the UK's home secretary of fuelling xenophobic attacks against his people, after Suella Braverman described people crossing the English Channel in small boats as an "invasion". What do we know about those leaving Albania? What impact is it having on the country's economy? And how should the UK respond? On the Sky News Daily podcast, Niall Paterson speaks to Sky's Siobhan Robbins, who's travelled to Albania to speak to people there, and Shqiponja Telhaj, an Albanian-born UK academic specialising in the economics of labour and migration. Annie Joyce – senior podcast producer Alys Bowen – interviews producer Simon Windsor – archive researcher Sahira Raja – archive researcher Philly Beamont – editor

Hundreds of thousands of nurses across the UK are going on strike. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the strike will affect the majority of NHS employers as nurses take action against pay levels and patient safety concerns. Patients who are already facing record waiting lists are now likely to see operations and appointments delayed or cancelled, though emergency care will continue. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson hears from two nurses about day-to-day life in the NHS and Billy Palmer, from health think tank The Nuffield Trust, on why NHS frontline staff are quitting in record numbers. Plus, Sky News’ Health correspondent Ashish Joshi on the government's response to the pay disputes.Editor - Philly Beaumont Podcast producer - Rosie Gillott Interviews producer – Alys Bowen Digital producer - David Chipakupaku

The predicted Republican red wave in the US midterm elections hasn't materialised. Elections for the Senate and House of Representatives presented an opportunity to install supporters of Donald Trump, and make politics difficult for President Joe Biden. On the Sky News Daily, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Niall Patterson is joined by our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and political correspondent Joe Pike to debrief on what the results mean for the Democrats, the country, and looking ahead to the presidential election in 2024. Also, Brittany Gibson, political reporter for Politico, tells us about how close the race was in Georgia, and what it says about divisions in America. Producers: Soila Apparicio and Emily Hulme Interviews Producer: Alys Bowen Promotions Producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Philly Beaumont

Rishi Sunak promised to lead the Conservatives with “integrity, professionalism and accountability”. Two weeks on, however, the prime minister and his judgement are under fierce scrutiny after rows involving Suella Braverman’s reappointment as home secretary and bullying claims surrounding Sir Gavin Williamson, the new Cabinet Office minister. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson looks at what’s happened over the past fortnight with Jon Craig, our chief political correspondent, and examines the potential damage it is causing within the Tory party with Paul Goodman, the editor of website Conservative Home. Annie Joyce - senior podcast producer Alys Bowen - interviews producer Rob Fellowes - archive researcherPhilly Beaumont - editor

China is one of the few remaining countries still enforcing a Zero-Covid policy. People face strict lockdowns, regular mass testing, constant scanning of health ‘green’ codes when travelling to most places, and restrictions.Although the policy has largely prevented mass hospitalisations, the strict pandemic restrictions face increasing economic and societal pressure, with falling productivity, growing unemployment, and what some observers liken to mass surveillance of its population. On the Sky News Daily with Sally Lockwood, our Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith details the strict zero-covid policy in China, and Cindy Yu, host of the Chinese Whispers podcast explains the reasoning behind the country’s rules.Producers: Emma Rae Woodhouse, Soila Apparicio, Rosie Gillott Interviews Producer: Alys Bowen Editor: Philly Beaumont

From his apartment in Kyiv, Ilyas watches and listens as Ukrainian air defence armoury targets yet another onslaught of Russian missiles.Meanwhile, military volunteer, Seva, sets off on a lone assignment to the frontlines in Donetsk where his thinking is challenged by an embattled tank battalion.OUR DIARISTSIlyas is an IT specialist and married father who fled from Kyiv to Lviv shortly after the war started. His wife Natalia, and two young sons are taking refuge in Poland.As of November 2022, Ilyas is back living in the family apartment in Kyiv and working, in part, for the Ukrainian government on various IT projects.Seva, 40, is a company CEO and husband to Oksana. Before the war, he travelled across Europe for business. Now, he makes regular supply drops of medical aid and rations to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. He’s originally from a small village near Dnipro.Oksana, 35, works in overseas education. She lives with her husband, Seva, in an apartment complex in central Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital since the war started. Many of Oksana’s closest friends have left the country to begin new lives in Europe. Some may never return. She’s determined to stay.Ukraine War Diaries uses first-person audio, recorded on the ground in Ukraine, to give an intimate day-to-day perspective of life in a war zone. EP31 diary entries were recorded using WhatsApp voice note. From the producers of Sky News’ multi-award winning series – StoryCast. Producer: Rob MulhernEditor: Paul StanworthDigital Promotion: David Chipakupaku

A victim of the Manchester Arena bombing would likely have survived had the emergency response been better, an inquiry has found. Its new report found "significant aspects... went wrong" and "the performance of the emergency services was far below the standard" it should have been. On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood gets a breakdown of the report from Sky’s Katerina Vittozzi, who has been speaking to victims' families. The presenter also talks to security journalist Duncan Gardham about the lessons the emergency services will take from Sir John Saunders' report. Warning: This episode of the Daily contains audio of 999 calls, and descriptions of the aftermath of the May 2017 attack. Editor - Philly Beaumont Podcast producers - Rosie Gillott Digital producer – Emma-Rae Woodhouse.

Around 100 million birds have been culled across Europe and the US in the past year following the 'worst-ever' outbreak of avian influenza.On the Sky News Daily podcast, Sally Lockwood speaks to poultry farmer Mark Gorton, director of science at the British Trust for Ornithology, James Pearce-Higgins, and Sky's science and technology editor Tom Clarke about how serious the threat is to business, consumers and wildlife.Senior podcast producer: Annie Joyce Podcast producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Interviews producer: Alys Bowen Editor: Philly Beaumont

Former health secretary Matt Hancock is going on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! He was suspended from the Conservative Party after news broke he was heading to the Australian jungle - but he's not the first politician, or probably the last, to risk political ruin for the bright lights of show business. On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood gets the temperature in Westminster with Sky News' chief political correspondent Jon Craig and speaks to former MP and I'm A Celebrity contestant, Lembit Opik, about the pros and cons of doing reality TV as a politician. Podcast producer - Rosie Gillott Interviews producer – Alys Bowen Digital producer - Emma-Rae Woodhouse Editors - Philly Beaumont & Paul Stanworth

Following scrutiny from Conservative MPs and charities over conditions at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has denied reports she blocked people from being moved into hotels or ignored legal advice, instead saying she had "worked hard to find alternative accommodation". There are currently around 4,000 people at Manston - the centre is designed to hold 1,600. Hundreds more were moved following a petrol bomb attack at a Border Force migrant centre in Dover on Sunday. On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood is joined by Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale who explains his view of current Home Office migration policy. Also, John Vine, the UK's first independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, on what is causing the backlog, and Sky News' chief political correspondent Jon Craig on Ms Braverman's statement. Producer: Soila Apparicio Interviews Producer: Alys Bowen Podcast Promotions Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Editor: Philly Beaumont