Move over Murdochs, here come the Ellisons
Margaret Sullivan on the the billionaire father and son buying up the US media. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Apr 06, 2026•33 min
Today in Focus
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.
Last refreshed:
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
The families torn apart by the Minab school bombing
Tess McClure reports on the US bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Iran, and the families who lost loved ones in the attack. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Apr 03, 2026•31 min
War without a plan?: What Trump’s latest speech revealed – The Latest
Donald Trump’s primetime address on Wednesday evening provided little clarity on the US’s strategy in its war against Iran. Trump said that, while military action has made Iran ‘no longer a threat’, the US will continue to hit the country ‘extremely hard’ for several weeks and ‘bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong.’ Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s global affairs correspondent, Andrew Roth – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus...
Apr 02, 2026•13 min
‘Tinder for Nazis’ and the woman who hacked it
Anonymous activist Martha Root on how she hacked into, and took down, a dating site for white supremacists. With reporting from investigative journalist Eva Hoffman. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Apr 02, 2026•31 min
Trump lashes out at Nato: will Europe stand up to him? – The Latest
Donald Trump has said he is considering pulling the US out of Nato, likening the alliance to a ‘paper tiger’. It comes after weeks of denouncements from the US president against allies for not helping to reopen the strait of Hormuz. When asked about Trump’s comments, Keir Starmer said: ‘Nato is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen’ and ‘whatever the noise, I’m going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make’. Lucy Hough speaks to the ...
Apr 01, 2026•13 min
The brilliant students the UK doesn’t want
Why has the UK introduced a ban on student visas for four countries? Today in Focus talks to affected students in Sudan and Afghanistan, as well as our home affairs editor, Rajeev Syal. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Apr 01, 2026•26 min
Israel passes law to give death penalty to Palestinians – The Latest
Israel’s parliament has passed a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks - a measure sharply criticised as discriminatory by European countries and human rights groups. After the law passed, the Knesset erupted into cheers and the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, brandished a bottle of champagne in celebration. The law has been decried as ‘an act of institutionalised discrimination and racist violence against Palestinians’ by Israel’s leading rights ...
Mar 31, 2026•12 min
Blast off! Nasa goes back to the moon
Astronaut Tim Peake and Guardian journalist Richard Luscombe talk through Artemis II, the first manned mission to the moon for 50 years. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 31, 2026•30 min
Will Trump put boots on the ground in Iran? – The Latest
As thousands of US soldiers and marines arrive in the Middle East, Iran is accusing Washington of privately plotting a ground assault while publicly touting ceasefire talks. Donald Trump threatened to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s energy infrastructure, said his ‘preference would be to take the oil’ in Iran and that US forces could seize the regime’s export hub on Kharg Island, while also claiming he was in talks with a new ‘reasonable regime’. Yemen’s Houthi forces have also entered the conflict, bringin...
Mar 30, 2026•12 min
UK’s big, risky AI bet
Reporter Aisha Down explores the UK’s ‘phantom investments’ in AI, and the risk the government has taken in betting so heavily on the technology if it all goes bust. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 30, 2026•24 min
What is Netanyahu’s endgame in Iran war? – The Latest
Could Israeli public support for the war in Iran give Benjamin Netanyahu a boost before this year’s elections? The vote will be the first chance for Israelis to have a say on their government since the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s chief Middle East correspondent, Emma Graham-Harrison – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus...
Mar 27, 2026•14 min
Spring break: Culture worth catching this season
Critics Catherine Shoard, Alexis Petridis and Hannah J Davies on what to watch and listen to this season. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 27, 2026•33 min
Iran says Trump ‘negotiating with himself’ - The Latest
Donald Trump insists Iran is still interested in cutting a peace deal despite Tehran rejecting the US plan. Iran has now put forward a five-point counterproposal and says the war will end on its own terms. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s senior international correspondent, Julian Borger – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 26, 2026•13 min
Is Cuba Trump’s next target?
The journalists Ruaridh Nicoll and Daniel Montero report from Havana as Cuba suffers from a devastating oil blockade imposed by the US. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 26, 2026•23 min
Big tech reckoning: Meta ordered to pay $375m in landmark case - The Latest
A court in the US has ordered Meta to pay $375m after a jury found that the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, enabled harm including child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The landmark victory marks the first time the social media corporation has been successfully sued by a US state over child safety issues. Could it set a new precedent for holding big tech to account? Lucy Hough speaks to the investigative reporter Katie McQue – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent jou...
Mar 25, 2026•12 min
The Maga divide over Iran
Andrew Roth on why the war on Iran is unpopular with the US public and what it means for Maga insiders. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 25, 2026•24 min
Ambulance arson attack: what we know so far – The Latest
An investigation is under way into an arson attack on four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in north London. Efforts are being made to verify a claim of responsibility by a group known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI). Security sources have cautioned against a rush to tie Iran to arson and it has not so far been designated as a terrorist incident. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to chief reporter Daniel Boffey – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.co...
Mar 24, 2026•10 min
Israel’s second front: on the ground in Lebanon
The conflict in the Middle East is being fought from the air – except in southern Lebanon where Israel and Hezbollah are fighting a bitter ground war. Will Christou reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 24, 2026•25 min
Trump chickens out on Iran deadline – The Latest
Donald Trump has delayed his deadline for Iran to open the strait of Hormuz, saying he is postponing strikes on Iranian power plants for a five-day period. The US president had threatened to ‘obliterate’ the regime’s power plants, while Tehran said in return it would ‘irreversibly destroy’ essential infrastructure across the Middle East, including vital water systems, in the conflict’s latest escalation. The war is now in its fourth week, as Trump declares the US and Iran had ‘good and productiv...
Mar 23, 2026•12 min
What the Epstein case teaches us about grooming
Lucia Osborne-Crowley on what we should learn from Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 23, 2026•34 min
Off Duty: The Crime
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. They shot Lewis several times, then took off with his gun and police star. A week later, officers had their suspects: four men affiliated with a gang called the Spanish Cobras. For hours, under intense police questioning, they all said they didn’t do it. That didn’t seem to matter. This is episode one of Off Duty, an investigation by the Guardian...
Mar 21, 2026•27 min
Cash handouts and no AC: Iran war energy shock hits Asia – The Latest
Governments are scrambling to find ways to conserve energy and shield the public from soaring costs across south-east Asia, as war in the Middle East causes huge disruption in the global oil market. In Thailand, news anchors have been ditching their jackets after orders to reduce air conditioning use, while government workers in the Philippines are operating on a four-day week. Asia relies heavily on imported energy, much of which passes through the strait of Hormuz, and officials have warned fu...
Mar 20, 2026•12 min
Why Ireland is giving a basic income to artists
Rory Carroll reports on the Irish government’s initiative, as a musician and a writer relay their experiences on the scheme. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 20, 2026•28 min
Why gasfield attacks are major escalation in Iran war – The Latest
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 skyrocketing again. The threat comes after Israeli strikes on the South Pars gasfield prompted Iran to retaliate with attacks on energy facilities across the region, including in Qatar. It marks a serious escalation in the war, which could cause long-term disruption to global energy supplies. Lucy Hough speaks to senior international reporter Peter Beau...
Mar 19, 2026•11 min
Charlotte Nichols MP on her rape trial ordeal
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 journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 19, 2026•44 min
Can the special relationship survive Trump’s attacks on Starmer? – The Latest
The episode delves into Donald Trump's repeated criticisms of Keir Starmer, including Kemi Badenoch's 'childish' retort, and the implications for the US-UK 'special relationship.' It discusses how Starmer navigates these attacks, his careful diplomacy, and the upcoming King Charles visit amid these tensions. Crucially, the podcast highlights the UK's urgent need to maintain strong US backing for Ukraine, making diplomatic management with a potentially unpredictable Trump paramount.
Mar 18, 2026•11 min
What Nigel Farage will say for money
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-Nazi group and a rioter. Henry Dyer reports – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 18, 2026•32 min
Key Iran leader killed: what does it mean for the war? - The Latest
Israel claims it has killed the influential Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani in overnight strikes. If confirmed, Larijani’s death would represent a devastating blow to the regime, and the most senior official to die since Ali Khamenei’s death. Lucy Hough speaks to deputy head of international news, Devika Bhat – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus...
Mar 17, 2026•10 min
Will the strait of Hormuz torpedo Trump’s war?
Events in the narrow waterway are causing chaos around the globe. Jillian Ambrose explains why. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mar 17, 2026•26 min
Could Trump blow up Nato over Iran war? – The Latest
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 assistance. The strait of Hormuz is one of the most important shipping routes in the world. A fifth of international oil supplies pass through the waterway, which has been disrupted since the start of the war. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s south Asia correspondent, Hannah Ellis-Petersen – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism ...
Mar 16, 2026•10 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android