Today in Focus
Episodes
Off Duty: The Crime
21 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On the evening of 29 December 2011, the police officer Clifton Lewis was moonlighting as a security guard at a Chicago minimart when two men walked in...
Fuel rations and cash handouts: Iran war energy shock hits Asia – The Latest
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Across south-east Asia, governments are scrambling to find ways to conserve energy and shield the public from soaring costs, as war in the Middle East...
Why Ireland is giving a basic income to artists
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rory Carroll reports on the Irish government’s initiative, as a musician and a writer relay their experiences on the scheme. Help support our indepe...
Why gasfield attacks are major escalation in Iran war – The Latest
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump is threatening to ‘blow up’ a major Iranian energy facility, as attacks on gasfields across the Middle East send gas and oil prices s...
Charlotte Nichols MP on her rape trial ordeal
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
MP for Warrington North shares her experience as a complainant in a rape trial where the man she accused was acquitted. Help support our independent j...
Trump attacks Starmer: end of the special relationship? – The Latest
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Kemi Badenoch has described Donald Trump’s criticism of Keir Starmer as ‘childish’ and said it ‘sends the wrong signal to our opponents in Ira...
What Nigel Farage will say for money
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Reform UK leader has a lucrative extra gig sending paid-for Cameo messages. But an analysis of more than 4,000 show they include videos for a neo-...
Key Iran leader ‘killed’: what does it mean for war? - The Latest
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Israel claims it has killed the influential Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani in overnight strikes. If confirmed, Larijani’s death would ...
Will the strait of Hormuz torpedo Trump’s war?
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Events in the narrow waterway are causing chaos around the globe. Jillian Ambrose explains why. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian...
Could Trump blow up Nato over Iran war? – The Latest
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump is pressuring European allies to protect the strait of Hormuz, warning that Nato faces a ‘very bad’ future if members fail to offer a...
‘El Guapo’: The Spanish PM standing up to Trump
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Madrid-based journalist Guy Hedgecoe explains why Pedro Sánchez has been one of the few European leaders to challenge the US president on Iran. Help ...
Oscars 2026: who should win… and who actually will? – The Latest
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After months of red carpets and awards season campaigns, it’s all eyes on Hollywood’s night of nights - the Academy Awards. It looks like it will ...
‘Let’s-a go!’ The story of Nintendo
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Video games editor Keza MacDonald traces the rise of Nintendo, and explains why its sense of fun matters in a world of big tech. Help support our inde...
Mandelson files: Starmer admits ‘I made a mistake’ – The Latest
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer was warned of ‘reputational risk’ in making Peter Mandelson ambassador to the US due to his links with the sex offender Jeffrey Epste...
What teenagers really see on their phones
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Helen Pidd talks to Abbey, 15, and Josh, 16, about their experiences of social media, and a growing divide between boys and girls. Help support our in...
Will Iran war make the UK cost of living crisis worse? – The Latest
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rising oil prices and market turmoil as a result of the war in the Middle East are fuelling fears the cost of living crisis could get even tougher. En...
Should we be boycotting ChatGPT?
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rutger Bregman on why he thinks consumers should cancel their ChatGPT accounts. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Could Trump really end the war in Iran ‘very soon’? – The Latest
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump has held an astonishing press conference in which he said the war in Iran was ‘very complete’ and could end ‘very soon’, but also...
Inside Iran as the bombs fall
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Annie Kelly speaks to ordinary Iranians about the attacks on their country, and peace strategist Sanam Naghari-Anderlini explains her fears for the fu...
Will Trump make a deal with Iran’s new supreme leader? - The Latest
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Mojtaba Khamenei has been chosen to replace his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader, while the country continues to be heavily bo...
Who really took one of history’s most famous pictures?
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The photo of a Vietnamese girl running away from a napalm strike is one of the most famous in history. But who actually took it? With conflict photogr...
Trump sacks Kristi Noem: what does it mean for ICE? – The Latest
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump has fired his controversial US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, after weeks of bipartisan complaints about her leadership. As th...
The Jesse Jackson I knew
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As Chicago prepares to bid farewell to Jackson, Today in Focus hears about the groundbreaking civil rights activist from those who knew him. Help supp...
Why does Trump want Kurdish fighters to join the war in Iran? – The Latest
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Intense waves of airstrikes have hit dozens of military positions, frontier posts and police stations along northern parts of Iran’s border with Ira...
Starmer, Trump and the shaky ‘special relationship’
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rafael Behr on why Donald Trump’s war on Iran presents a strategic dilemma for Keir Starmer. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian....
Could the Iran war spark a global economic crisis? – The Latest
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Global oil and gas prices have skyrocketed as war halts energy exports from the Middle East. The strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage of water that faci...
What do Netanyahu and Trump really want in Iran?
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Who’s calling the shots in the US-Israeli war on Iran? Chief Middle East correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison and international security correspondent...
Why is Israel attacking Lebanon? – The Latest
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has deployed soldiers on the ground in southern Lebanon and is carrying out heavy airstrikes in the country as conflict in the Middle East cont...
Chaos in the Gulf
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After the US and Israel assassinated Iran’s Supreme leader, Tehran has hit back. Missiles have rained down on the Gulf. Will the region retaliate? J...
Iran war escalates: what’s Trump’s endgame? - The Latest
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The war in the Middle East continues to escalate, with casualties and destruction reported across at least nine countries in under 10 hours. Israeli a...
The assassination of Iran’s ayatollah – and fears for a wider conflict
01 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Iran’s supreme leader was killed in a military strike on his compound as Israel and the US launched attacks on the country. Patrick Wintour reports....
Greens win Gorton and Denton: is this a turning point for UK politics? – The Latest
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Green Party has pulled off a landmark victory in the Gordon and Denton byelection in a major blow to Keir Starmer. Hannah Spencer, a local plumber...
The men trying to do friendship, better – podcast
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can talking about their problems help men forge closer relationships – or is there another way? Josh Halliday reports. Help support our independent ...
Has Corbyn won the Your Party power battle? - The Latest
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Corbyn’s allies declared victory after he was voted to be Your Party’s parliamentary leader in an election in which his rival Zarah Sultana...
Will Andrew bring down the monarchy?
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As MPs vote to release the documents relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as trade envoy, Helen Pidd speaks to Andrew Lownie, author...
BBC faces backlash after Bafta racial slur – The Latest
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The BBC is under fire over its failure to remove a racial slur shouted by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, from its broadcast of the Bafta aw...
On the ground in the byelection that could end Starmer
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Reform and the Greens both insist they can win the Greater Manchester seat of Gorton and Denton from Labour – and if they do, it could be another na...
Mandelson arrested: Epstein files fallout intensifies – The Latest
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Former US ambassador Peter Mandelson has been released on bail after his arrest over claims he committed misconduct in public office during his friend...
Ukrainian men on how four years of war has changed them
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A DJ turned soldier explains how life has changed for Ukraine’s men while Tracey McVeigh and Shaun Walker report on the impact of the conflict and w...
Could Farage bring ICE-style deportations to the UK? – The Latest
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Reform UK has promised to create an ICE-style agency dedicated to mass deportations if the party came to power. Nigel Farage and his party’s home af...
Will we ever read books again?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Author and academic Katherine Rundell explores the precipitous decline in reading books for pleasure, and what can be done to reverse it. Help support...
Andrew under investigation: what’s next for the former prince? – The Latest
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released under investigation after police questioned the former prince in relation to allegations he shared confid...
‘They’re not listening!’: the government’s gamble on special education reform
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Political correspondent Alexandra Topping and special educational needs student Jake with his mum, Laura, explore the government’s controversial pla...
Andrew arrested: is this the end for the royal family? – The Latest
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office by police investigating his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Si...
The ‘guinea pigs’ who had face transplant surgery
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Face transplant patient Robert Chelsea and writer Fay Bound Alberti talk through the promise – and darker side – of this pioneering surgery. Help ...
Does the US really care about peace in Ukraine? – The Latest
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says ‘no agreement’ has been made between Ukraine and Russia during US-mediated peace talks in Geneva. Expectations remain low...
Why did Labour Together orchestrate a smear campaign against journalists?
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A thinktank called Labour Together, linked to Keir Starmer and Morgan McSweeney, has been exposed for investigating journalists who were looking into ...
Jesse Jackson: titan of US civil rights movement leaves legacy of hope – The Latest
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson has died aged 84. Jackson was a protege of Martin Luther King Jr and ran twice for the Democratic presidenti...
The rise of the cocaine submarine
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Guardian journalists Sam Jones and Tom Phillips chart the rise of the narco-sub after a record seizure in the Atlantic. Help support our independe...
Why did Obama say aliens are real? – The Latest
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Barack Obama has caused a frenzy after saying he thinks aliens are real during a podcast interview. The former US president was forced to release a st...
How an undercover cop foiled an IS plot to massacre Britain’s Jews
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Guardian’s community affairs correspondent, Chris Osuh, reports on the plot by two IS terrorists to massacre Jews in Manchester, and how it was ...
Owen Jones on Palestine Action high court win – The Latest
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The co-founder of Palestine Action has won a legal challenge to the home secretary’s decision to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws. Palestine ...
Wes Streeting: the UK’s next prime minister?
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer was on the brink of a leadership contest this week, but he pulled it back. That does not mean his rivals have gone away. Nosheen Iqbal sp...
Ratcliffe backlash: outrage over immigration claim – The Latest
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Monaco-based billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has said he is sorry that his ‘choice of language has offended some people’, after growing outrage over...
The untold story of Brazil’s deadliest police raid
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Guardian journalists Tom Phillips and Tiago Rogero investigate the bloodiest day in Rio de Janeiro’s modern history, when police last October attemp...
Canada school shooting: what we know so far - The Latest
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nine people have been killed and dozens injured after a mass shooting at a school in Canada. The suspect was also found dead from what appeared to be ...
Why Jeff Bezos gutted the Washington Post
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Hundreds of jobs have gone at the newspaper that broke the Watergate scandal. Was profit or politics behind the decision? Jeremy Barr reports. Help su...
Is Starmer out of the woods? – The Latest
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After a day of turmoil where the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, called for Keir Starmer to resign, Labour MPs and cabinet members seem to be ral...
Starmer survives – but for how long?
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Helen Pidd follows the twists and turns on Monday as the prime minister fought to keep his job. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian...
Jimmy Lai: will Hong Kong media tycoon die in jail? – The Latest
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The media mogul and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong for national security offences. H...
A broken high street and its billionaire owners
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The whole town centre of Newton Aycliffe in County Durham is owned by billionaire brothers – so why is it so run down? Josh Halliday reports. Help s...
Will Epstein’s enablers get away with it? – The Latest
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The latest tranche of Epstein files has sent shock waves around the world, but many of the powerful men who minimised and dismissed his crimes are sti...
Bad Bunny goes to the Super Bowl
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The journalist Jen Ortiz charts the rise of Bad Bunny – the Puerto Rican superstar musician and ICE critic – before his performance at the Super B...
Is this the end for Starmer? – The Latest
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer’s days as prime minister are numbered, Labour MPs have warned, after a week of fury over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambas...
A survivor on the Epstein Files
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The latest release of the Epstein files has dominated the news this week, with documents related to Bill Gates, Peter Mandelson, Elon Musk and Woody A...
Could Mandelson face jail time over Epstein ties? – The Latest
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Mandelson faces a criminal investigation over allegations he leaked Downing Street emails and market-sensitive information to the child sex offe...
The people betting on catastrophic world events
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Prediction markets allow you to put money on everything from the US attacking Iran to Jesus returning. Saahil Desai explains their dizzying rise. Help...
Gaza: Rafah crossing reopens under Israeli restrictions - The Latest
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A small number of Palestinians from Gaza have started crossing into Egypt for medical treatment after Israel allowed a limited reopening of the Rafah ...
Will China replace the US on the world stage?
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A succession of political leaders have been trooping to Beijing in recent months. Is it an indication of a new world order? Tania Branigan explains. H...
Epstein files: has Trump really been ‘absolved’? – The Latest
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump claims that the release of millions more files related to Jeffrey Epstein ‘absolve’ him of wrongdoing, even though his name appears h...
Fatima Bhutto on secrets, lies and surviving coercive control
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Pakistani writer on enduring an abusive relationship in the public eye, and how she broke free. Help support our independent journalism at theguar...
Is it time to break up with US tech? – The Latest
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With Donald Trump tearing up the world order, governments across Europe are having to confront the fact that most of the technology they rely on comes...
Minneapolis citizens on protecting their neighbours from ICE
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How does it feel when ICE agents swarm your city? Minneapolis residents on why they are rising up. Help support our independent journalism at theguard...
Is Trump about to attack Iran? – The Latest
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump says ‘time is running out’ for Iran as the threat of war appears to loom closer. A huge US armada is being moved towards Iran and is ...
How did British Muslims become ‘the problem’?
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Miqdaad Versi, Shaista Aziz, Aamna Mohdin and Nosheen Iqbal on the rise of the far right and growing Islamophobia in the UK. Help support our independ...
Starmer thaws China relations: what’s at stake? – The Latest
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer has landed in China to meet Xi Jinping, in the first trip to the country by a British prime minister in eight years. But Starmer is facin...
Can Syria keep the world safe from IS fighters?
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Syrian government forces have seized swathes of territory from Kurdish groups – including camps holding IS prisoners. Will Christou reports on why t...
Melania: will documentary bankrolled by Bezos flop? – The Latest
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Bezos’s Amazon MGM Studios is due to release its feature-length documentary about Melania Trump, directed by Brett Ratner, a formerly exiled fi...
Starmer v Burnham: will it split Labour?
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The prime minister may have seen off the challenge for the moment – but what will be the cost to his leadership? Peter Walker reports. Help support ...
Protests erupt in the US over Alex Pretti shooting in Minnesota – The Latest
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
US federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, the second such killing in the city in less than three weeks. Pr...
Why Germany is racing to rebuild its army
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are the German people on board with the government’s massive militarisation programme? Kate Connolly reports. Help support our independent journalis...
Is this the week Trump went too far? – The Latest
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump’s maximalist approach to foreign policy reached a crescendo this week, with the US president dominating proceedings at the World Econom...
Why are so many Tories joining Reform?
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There have been a slew of defections as Reform rides high in the polls. But is it changing the party? Peter Walker reports. Help support our independe...
Why did Trump chicken out on Greenland? | The Latest – The Latest
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The US president has backed down from weeks of threats to seize Greenland after threatening Europe with tariffs and the potential of military force. A...
Will Trump’s board of peace replace the UN?
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Trump’s board of peace includes Putin, Netanyahu and Tony Blair. What on earth will it do? Julian Borger reports. Help support our independent journ...
Prince Harry v Daily Mail: Duke of Sussex gives evidence - The Latest
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Duke of Sussex has been giving evidence in the high court, accusing the publisher of the Daily Mail of ‘grave breaches of privacy’ and unlawfu...
How we got hooked on The Traitors
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Elle Hunt on the success of the BBC’s hit show The Traitors. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Beckham feud: Marina Hyde on why Brooklyn has gone nuclear – The Latest
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, has appeared to permanently cut ties with his family. In an explosive statement ...
Why Donald Trump really wants Greenland
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Burgis on Donald Trump’s friend Ronald Lauder, a billionaire with business interests in Greenland. Help support our independent journalism at th...
Why the UK won’t retaliate to Trump tariffs over Greenland – The Latest
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer has played down the possibility of retaliatory tariffs on the US, after Donald Trump threatened them against Nato allies unless they supp...
The transgender refugees fleeing the US
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Helen Pidd meets the US citizens attempting to claim asylum in the Netherlands. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Trump gets his hands on Nobel peace prize – The Latest
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has presented her Nobel peace prize medal to Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House...
Is ICE out of control?
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Its agents outnumber police on the streets of Minneapolis, are detaining US citizens and clashing violently with protesters. Caitlin Dickerson and Maa...
Jenrick sacked: will he join Reform UK? – The Latest
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Jenrick has been sensationally sacked from the shadow cabinet and suspended from the Conservative party after Kemi Badenoch said she was presen...
What the Assads did next
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of life is the deposed former president of Syria and his family living in Russia? With Pjotr Sauer and Will Christou. Help support our indep...
Horror and death: what are we hearing from inside Iran? – The Latest
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Protesters face execution as the Iranian regime continues its violent crackdown, defying the US president, Donald Trump, who has threatened ‘very st...
Is Marco Rubio playing Trump?
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How far will Rubio go to achieve his own objectives? With Lauren Gambino. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Musk v Starmer: will UK ban X over Grok nudification? – The Latest
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The UK government is threatening Elon Musk’s X with the nuclear option: a ban. The social media platform is under pressure from ministers over the u...
Is this the end of the Iranian regime?
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Protests have rocked Iran, a brutal crackdown is under way and Trump has threatened to intervene. Ellie Geranmayeh on a dangerous moment for the count...
Will Trump go to war with Iran? - The Latest
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump has promised he will ‘shoot at Iran’ if Iranian security services attack anti-government protesters, but analysts suggest the US is n...