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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.
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2Madrid-based journalist Guy Hedgecoe explains why Pedro Sánchez has been one of the few European leaders to challenge the US president on Iran. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 be a fight between Ryan Coogler’s thriller Sinners and Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation One Battle After Another for most of the big prizes, with Jessie Buckley’s performance in Hamnet the clear favourite for best actress. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s film editor, Catherine Shoard – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Keir Starmer was warned of ‘reputational risk’ in making Peter Mandelson ambassador to the US due to his links with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to newly released files. The first batch of files raises new questions about the prime minister’s judgment, as well as the vetting process at the highest level of government. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s head of national news, Archie Bland – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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. Energy bills, mortgage rates and petrol prices could all surge in the fallout from the conflict. So how much could the war tighten the screws on our personal finances? Lucy Hough speaks to the deputy editor of the Guardian’s money section, Rupert Jones – watch on YouTube How will war in the Middle East affect your finances?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Rutger Bregman on why he thinks consumers should cancel their ChatGPT accounts. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 claimed that the US had not ‘won enough’. The US president is under growing pressure over the economic toll from the conflict, but his words were met with defiance from Tehran. So is the war any closer to ending and has Trump underestimated the resilience of the Iranian regime? Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Annie Kelly speaks to ordinary Iranians about the attacks on their country, and peace strategist Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini explains her fears for the future. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Mojtaba Khamenei has been chosen to replace his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader, while the country continues to be heavily bombarded by US and Israeli forces. There are concerns the move could lead to a further escalation of war in the Middle East, after Donald Trump warned that Khamenei was an ‘unacceptable’ choice. But as oil prices soar, could the US president be looking for a way out of this war? Lucy Hough speaks to diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour– watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 photographers Gary Knight and David Burnett, and film-maker Bao Nguyen. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Donald Trump has fired his controversial US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, after weeks of bipartisan complaints about her leadership. As the public face of an aggressive immigration crackdown that prompted lawsuits and nationwide anti-ICE protests, Noem’s year-long tenure was plagued by multiple controversies, including accusing two US citizens killed by immigration agents of ‘domestic terrorism’. What exactly led to Noem’s firing and what do we know about her replacement? Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Guardian US live news editor Chris Michael – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
As Chicago prepares to bid farewell to Jackson, Today in Focus hears about the groundbreaking civil rights activist from those who knew him. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Intense waves of airstrikes have hit dozens of military positions, frontier posts and police stations along northern parts of Iran’s border with Iraq in what appears to be preparation by the US and Israel for a new front in their war. Iran has warned ‘separatist groups’ in this region against joining the widening conflict and launched strikes against Iraq-based Kurdish groups it described as ‘opposed to the revolution’. Could the involvement of these militant groups increase the risk of a civil war in Iran if the regime collapses? Nosheen Iqbal speaks to deputy head of international news Devika Bhat – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Rafael Behr on why Donald Trump’s war on Iran presents a strategic dilemma for Keir Starmer. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 facilitates the shipping of about a fifth of the world’s oil, has been in effect closed since the regional war began, prompting fears of a global economic crisis. According to reports, traffic has dropped by about 80%, but how long until we feel the effects? Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Guardian’s head of business, John Collingridge – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Who’s calling the shots in the US-Israeli war on Iran? Chief Middle East correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison and international security correspondent Jason Burke report. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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 continues to spread. It comes after the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched missiles and drones toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Beirut-based journalist Will Christou – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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? Julian Borger reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The war in the Middle East continues to escalate, with casualties and destruction reported across at least nine countries in under 10 hours. Israeli and US warplanes launched a fresh wave of strikes across Iran, while US allies in the Gulf states are under attack from Iranian missiles and drones. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to the Guardian’s head of international news, Jamie Wilson – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
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What is insulting is hearing these broadcasters acting like the Trump regime cares about civilians, the Kurds, or the various groups that make up Iran. Both Israel and the USA could care less about the number of people they kill.
We can hope.
Once again I have had to stop listening to a podcast because Archie Bland insists on speaking with that annoying inflection in his speech! The Mandelson case is very important to the country and requires serious journalism which engages the public - not put us off. Can somebody PLEASE tell him that serious journalists don't have to embellish their delivery & he just sounds foolish!
Yikes
Archie Bland PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP this preposterous INFLECTION when you speak. You don't need to sound like a teenage girl with a bad attitude - especially if you are presenting or discussing politics. Your audience are grown-ups and really should be treated as such - Please! I haven't been able to listen to any of the podcasts that you are on. It sounds ridiculous and is making you seem silly. Statesmanship and professionalism PLEASE.
I think we should still be shocked at the horrific displays of racism against Muslims in the UK, we shouldn't accept it as normal, it isn't. It's the result of populist right-wing propaganda by people who care only about their own political careers & manipulate the public by lying to them, focusing their attention on a small minority of 'others', blaming them for all the country's problems rather than addressing the real, often complex, causes, including government failure to tax the super rich.
Usual Guardian propaganda
I wonder what the average citizen understands about current pathways to legal citizenship? I venture to guess: not much, and if they did, it might encourage a totally different conversation.
seemed like she had to do that intro a number of times, just to get it right 🤣
There is an error in the audio.
Justin Webb? I found it hard to listen to him - using that exceedingly annoying inflection in his delivery of nearly every truncated sentence was infuriating. To make it doubly annoying - I know what this man's normal voice sounds like; he's been a respected journalist for years! I had to stop the podcast after about 8 minutes and really couldn't stand any more. Please ask your Presenters to respect their audience enough to speak to us as grown ups - we don't need that inflection. PLEASE.
Iranian's women are the bravest in the world.
A politician being "motivated by money, not ideology" is the worst type of person. At least a true believer has a foundation for what they're doing, while someone being paid off is willing to sell out their country for personal enrichment.
lovely episode- and I am in love with the piano music played in the background!!! Can somebody PLEASE tell me what is the song name and artist?
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Great story. It's inspiring to hear about this important conversation success.
useful information 👍
leftoids crying
Did you say at the end that "journalism doesn't come cheap". I reckon that English journalists who don't have a basic knowledge of English grammar should be pretty cheap. Journalism isn't cheap, or journalism doesn't come cheaply (adding ly to the adverb describing the verb to come), is correct. I wish that Australians like me didn't have to correct the grammar of English people. Good episode though, and no surprise regarding the behavior of your nefarious former prime minister.
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