Today in Focus

by The Guardian
614
News #225, Daily News #33

Hosted by Michael Safi and Helen Pidd, Today in Focus brings you closer to Guardian journalism. Combining personal storytelling with insightful analysis, this podcast takes you behind the headlines for a deeper understanding of the news, every weekday. Today in Focus features journalists such as: Kiran Stacey, Pippa Crerar, Alex Hern, Peter Walker, Luke Harding, Andrew Roth, Shaun Walker and Jim Waterson. The podcast is a topical, deep dive, explainer on a story in the news, covering: current affairs, politics, investigations, leaks, and scandals. It might cover, for example, topics such as: the environment, green issues, climate change, the climate emergency and global warming; American politics including: Biden, Trump, the White House, the GOP, the Republicans and the Republican Party, the Democrats and the Democratic Party; UK politics including: parliament, Labour, the Conservative party, the Liberal Democrats, Rishi Sunak, and Keir Starmer; culture; the royals and the royal family, including King Charles III; HS2; the police; Ukraine; Russia; and Bangladesh

More
Recent Episodes
  • The chilling policy to cut Greenland’s high birth rate
    Apr 19, 2024 – 00:31:21
  • Can Rishi Sunak create a smoke-free generation?
    Apr 18, 2024 – 00:24:10
  • Liz Truss and her plan to ‘save the west’
    Apr 17, 2024 – 00:27:02
  • Is the Middle East on the brink?
    Apr 16, 2024 – 00:24:48
  • How Swiss women won a landmark climate case for Europe
    Apr 15, 2024 – 00:25:51
  • Carers scandal: why are so many being prosecuted by the UK government?
    Apr 12, 2024 – 00:27:32
  • Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, and the start of the hush money trial
    Apr 11, 2024 – 00:27:00
  • Profits over pipes: who should own our water?
    Apr 10, 2024 – 00:25:32
  • The devil walking on Earth part 2
    Apr 9, 2024 – 00:22:50
  • The devil walking on Earth: part 1
    Apr 8, 2024 – 00:30:17
  • Should the UK stop arming Israel?
    Apr 5, 2024 – 00:28:33
  • Scotland’s new hate crime law
    Apr 4, 2024 – 00:28:14
  • Israel divided: Netanyahu’s coalition crisis
    Apr 3, 2024 – 00:25:29
  • What is Reddit really worth?
    Apr 2, 2024 – 00:28:44
  • The birdwatcher fighting racism in public spaces – podcast
    Apr 1, 2024 – 00:27:50
  • Who screwed millennials: a generation left behind – Full Story podcast
    Mar 31, 2024 – 00:21:34
  • Ten years of equal marriage – what has it changed?
    Mar 29, 2024 – 00:35:09
  • How gangs took control of Haiti
    Mar 28, 2024 – 00:31:06
  • The assisted dying debate: Paola’s story – podcast
    Mar 27, 2024 – 00:30:48
  • Terrorism and the battle for the truth in Moscow
    Mar 26, 2024 – 00:25:05
  • The rise and fall of Vice Media
    Mar 25, 2024 – 00:27:21
  • Shining a light on London’s men-only Garrick Club
    Mar 22, 2024 – 00:24:49
  • The silencing of climate protesters in English and Welsh courts
    Mar 21, 2024 – 00:24:12
  • How serious are the plots against Rishi Sunak?
    Mar 20, 2024 – 00:28:57
  • Why are Indian and Nepali men ending up on the frontline in Ukraine?
    Mar 19, 2024 – 00:24:18
  • What happens when you put a nursery in a care home?
    Mar 18, 2024 – 00:32:56
  • What do the Tories consider extreme?
    Mar 15, 2024 – 00:26:14
  • The princess and the pictures
    Mar 14, 2024 – 00:29:20
  • How an infamous ransomware gang found itself hacked
    Mar 13, 2024 – 00:33:04
  • The Ministry of Defence’s multimillion pound Saudi defence deal
    Mar 12, 2024 – 00:26:11
  • Black Box: the hunt for ClothOff – the deepfake porn app
    Mar 11, 2024 – 00:46:44
  • Black Box: The connectionists
    Mar 8, 2024 – 00:40:03
  • Jeremy Hunt’s election year budget – podcast
    Mar 7, 2024 – 00:20:34
  • Gaza’s hunger crisis
    Mar 6, 2024 – 00:25:42
  • Why IVF is under attack in Alabama
    Mar 5, 2024 – 00:28:32
  • Is ill-health holding back the UK economy?
    Mar 4, 2024 – 00:27:20
  • Black Box: the collision
    Mar 1, 2024 – 00:14:28
  • How the cost of living changed the way we eat out
    Mar 1, 2024 – 00:24:29
  • The Conservative party’s problem with Islamophobia
    Feb 29, 2024 – 00:30:22
  • Saldo: Ukraine’s gangster governor – part 3
    Feb 28, 2024 – 00:31:30
  • Saldo: Ukraine’s gangster governor – part 2
    Feb 27, 2024 – 00:30:33
  • Saldo: Ukraine’s gangster governor – part 1
    Feb 26, 2024 – 00:26:52
  • How a ceasefire vote led to two days of chaos in the Commons – podcast
    Feb 23, 2024 – 00:30:05
  • Is an uprising by Europe’s farmers sowing the seeds for the far right?
    Feb 22, 2024 – 00:20:50
  • Why the NHS needs Martha’s rule
    Feb 21, 2024 – 00:36:59
  • The shocking death and extraordinary life of Alexei Navalny
    Feb 20, 2024 – 00:28:24
  • Deported and disgraced: the students wrongly accused of cheating
    Feb 19, 2024 – 00:40:56
  • Why is it becoming so hard to retire in the UK?
    Feb 16, 2024 – 00:28:30
  • Israel’s threat to Gaza’s last refuge
    Feb 15, 2024 – 00:27:17
  • What on earth is going on in the Rochdale byelection?
    Feb 14, 2024 – 00:24:11
Recent Reviews
  • black6
    Who Screwed Millenials.
    MOMG, this show on Who Screwed millennials is so repetitive in its content. If the rest are like this cut each by 50% please.
  • joel.biz
    Sensationalist, and a little fear mongering!
    Mispronounces the subject of investigation at every mention, even after being corrected (in episode 2). This just really bothered me because the point of "ClothOff", as you yourselves illustrate, is to create images of people with *clothes off*. Nobody is clamoring for whatever "Cloth Off" is; "I would love to see what the dining table looks like with the 'Cloth off'." — said nobody ever, obviously. Enormous journalistic failure that persists even after someone associated with the nefarious application refers to it, correctly, as "ClotheOff" (in pronunciation, not spelling). I would like to see a correction issued for this entire episode, unless, of course, The Guardian and journalists behind Black Box do not care at all about accuracy or integrity in journalism!
  • blablayaddayadda
    Lackluster and biased
    Reporting on Gaza is notably insufficient.
  • EdmondsKat
    Absolutely brilliant
    Calm, methodical, always riveting
  • ShayKay2022
    Consistently excellent journalism
    Excellent series. Episode on Morocco is exceptional. Similar podcasts from other international outlets used similar material but did not come anywhere near the level of reporting, information and analysis. Well done Today in Focus.
  • halligallivalley
    No more Michael, please
    Nosheen and Rachel are wonderful. Michael sounds like a kid imitating a journalist. Please no more.
  • *Mr. Joshua*
    This podcast is terrible - don’t waste your time
    This podcast was a disappointing venture into the world of audio content. Its monotonous hosts, poor production quality, lack of structure, excessive length, and unimpressive guest selection all contributed to an underwhelming and forgettable experience. With so many exceptional podcasts available today, this particular offering failed to meet even the most basic standards of quality and entertainment. I would strongly advise seeking out other podcasts that offer engaging hosts, well-produced episodes, and valuable insights.
  • berni2012
    Correction: Daniel Penny killed Jordan Neely
    The description "died at the hands of a fellow passenger" doesn’t convey that killer Daniel Penny choked Jordan Neely to death on a NYC subway in 2023 after unarmed Jordan Neely wailed that he was hungry, homeless, tired and wanted to die. Using the passive voice and not describing accurately that Daniel Penny choked his victim to death represents a perennial problem in Western media that attempt to humanize White criminals. This media problem is dangerous for everyone because it is part of what leads to leaving dangerous people in the community to continue their crimes and criminalizing the innocent who could have been contributing members of society. This is racism and not having enough people of all races at The Guardian and throughout society to change this represents an existential threat for everyone.
  • Jhub91
    Some good coverage but predictably biased
    I’ve started to notice that on issues I’m very familiar with the Guardian always ends up on the left end of the spectrum. In that sense it’s a bit like the New York Times podcasts. Frankly for me it’s hard to trust a news outlet if it only reports on half the perspective, over and over and over again.
  • Christina Caudill
    Excellent reporting on Cost of the Crown
    The Cost of the Crown miniseries was riveting! Excellent reporting that hopefully will continue to shatter the wall of secrecy surrounding the finances of the royal family.
  • Bettdocs
    American Listener
    I know, I know just hear me out… I listened to today’s show about the U.S. intelligence leak. The piece asked all the salient questions and provided in-depth analysis in a way I have not seen in a variety of U.S. news sources. Well done.
  • NaomieMom
    Great job on March 30 episode
    I am a regular listener of your podcast. Today I listened to your podcast on the French crisis. I am myself French and American, living in the US, and I have been frustrated by the simplistic and cliche way these events have been reported in the US. This podcast constitutes the best account and analysis I’ve heard of the complex situation the French are in. For French people, there has been a denial of democracy, of the legitimacy of “the people” guaranteed by the French constitution - all through the will of one individual with very little legitimacy, as you justly mentioned. I thank you for your analysis. There were some elements missing you might have included, but it’s good to finally hear a journalist who knows what they are talking about!
  • June Jade temple
    Turkey-Syria earthquake relief
    Thank you for the reporting. Where I could find the show notes for the donation links? Thank you.
  • Jeepers67
    This is Journalism?
    After years of horribly racist, vile attacks against Harry, Meghan and their children - are you really going with “there’s two sides?” Why would the Guardian publish salacious leaks without context? This is as trashy as all your tabloids. Is it so hard to say this royal family is trash?
  • AlistairCandlin
    Can I tell you a secret- top journalism.
    Sirin Kale’s long series was ace. Some in-depth reporting, and views on the story from different perspectives. Without meaning to be insensitive - given the suffering of the victims, and the fact that Matthew obviously has problems and has led quite a sad life - it’s a really strong narrative. It would make a good film or tv show - either documentary or documentary drama - if the producers handled it in a nuanced way, without hamming it all up. Hope Sirin is able to interview Matthew himself, in future.
  • moving on-missu
    Today in Focus?
    Sadly just missing the mark. Good exploration but then you release your crazy. Your water story was good, well explored the topic, spoke of alternatives and then your interviewee and interviewer slipped into crazy suggesting adding all new water supplies for gray water could be done at a reasonable price. We know that is laying in an entirely new system would be costly AND then every home would need different plumbing to provide gray water to the home toilets and outside faucets. That isn’t just going to cost some corporation-that would hit millions of homeowners, renters, elderly who would need to retrofit their old homes. Please think before you post.
  • Gustav jones
    Gone so so so downhill
    I used to love this podcast when Rachel and Anushka presented it, it used to have great and insightful content and interesting stories. Unfortunately the content has gone downhill and Michael is sadly not up to scratch as a presenter. Also they have also fallen into lazy left wing tropes instead of justifying their conclusions
  • bobthegodguy2
    Good
    Very good gets news out there
  • philozopher
    My heroes! Brilliant reporting
    Keep up the amazing work Guardian reporters and presenters! You make sense of the world everyday, and I need more of that!
  • CjaneSee
    More than 2 Dimensions
    These journalists really get out and walk around their subjects’ surroundings; they bring us with them into “real” conversations (and like all conversation, there are vivid and blurry narratives). Whether sure footed on familiar turf or clumsy like toddlers in foreign parts, the effect is the same, overall… we follow trains of thought that reveal the hosts’ legitimate humanity.
  • heroic mouse
    What happened?
    This used to be an amazing, never miss podcast and news website…not so much any more :(
  • jlduan
    Too biased
    Too biased.
  • ronn1e1
    Guardian
    The Uber series is awesome, so far. Not surprising though, the Guardian website and podcast are superb. Good not to be owned by a ‘press baron’.
  • marty blatt
    New Orleans series
    That was a terrific series. Quite moving and informative and excellent analysis
  • Jessicahms
    Today in Focus gets better and better.
    I love the way the TiF team gets under the skin of a story and really figures out what it means; the topics they cover are not always the obvious ones, and this makes it even more valuable. I learn from TiF and sometimes come to understand things I hadn’t even realized were happening, which is so much better than version 16 of a well-known story. That said, when TiF covers huge stories, which is often, they bring original angles and fresh critical thinking. Of particular note are the two specials they have done, firstly about the Freshwater Five (UK drug smuggling case), and second, just last week, The Division (civil rights in New Orleans). Both were excellent, thoughtful, and vital pieces of reporting and I am the richer for having listened. Three cheers to the whole TiF team.
  • 😉💙🙃
    5/4/2022
    You’ve speeded up your podcast, to squeeze more news in, I guess. However, the presentation leads a lot to be desired. Please slow it down. Thx, C. Davis
  • 123Massi
    Disappointing and low quality
    The podcast does not add anything or give a different prospective to what you can find on FT or NYT. Why wasting time…?
  • Joris J.P.S.
    This used to be a better product
    I think the Guardian needs to reflect on how it can rearrange the setup of the podcast so its quality is restored.
  • Joe2020.2
    Weird editing - tennis episode
    The episodes are usually very good but the episode of the female tennis star Peng Shuai was just messy. I couldn’t focus because at different points the host/guest was speaking while they had someone in the background talking at the same time. Hot mess.
  • ccr226
    Our favorite news podcast
    I am an avid daily listener to Today in Focus and love the honesty and rigor of the coverage, as well as the relatability of the hosts. I am so so sad that Anoushka Asthana and Rachel Humphreys are both stepping down. They have both been absolutely wonderful. I cannot tell you how much we’ll miss their voices and easy, natural interviewing styles. Michael Safi does amazing reporting on South Asia and beyond - the Pegasus series was astounding- so I’ll look forward to his future stories. But lighting my votive candles in memory of Anoushka and Rachel as such fabulous hosts. Come back!!
  • kayeskayes
    Stop whispering
    Guys, stop with all these posh whispering. Speak loudly so people actually hear and understand you. SMH.
  • Duck2223
    Brilliant podcast
    I absolutely love this podcast. Have returned to it after a months away and am pleased to hear a shift in tone and storytelling. This new Aussie guy Michael Safi is fantastic. More Pegasus-style episodes please!
  • CogetteUS
    Disappointed! Anyone paying attention to the ads?
    Disappointed and confused. I LOVE this podcast! I voted for you and celebrated your well-deserved win. I know that if your journalist team were aware that your misogynistic advertising uses the term “mackrely mother in law” to advertise a mattress, there might be questions. (Yes, that means a woman who smells like oily fish. It’s hilarious.) Is anyone paying attention to what we are hearing in the US Extremely impressed by Belarus Ryanair story. Had been following on many excellent podcasts from several countries which were quicker to the post and gave me updates I wanted. Getting this from you completed the picture.
  • AnniSue
    I’m Furious...
    ...with the court of appeals’ decision on the Freshwater case. I trust the Guardian to present an unbiased story. Which is all the more important if people have been unjustly imprisoned. I wish the families strength in their continued quest for fair review of the facts.
  • Mlles_E
    Freshwater Five
    I’ve been a loyal listener since inception. Always been a huge fan. This five-part series on the Freshwater Five is massively impressive. I’m strongly hoping the remaining men currently serving time get a fair appeal. Would love to see more of these in-depth pieces.
  • kbxbk
    Quickly becoming my favorite podcast!
    The range and reporting is amazing. Anushka Asthana is excellent! I used to listen to The Daily every morning, but prefer Today in Focus’ scope, presentation and diversity of stories. I am glad I was turned on to this podcast!
  • Mrs Big Apple
    Freshwater
    Gripping - excellent reporting
  • Theo31415
    Freshwater Five
    I’m a daily listener of Today in Focus. If you’re just starting, I strongly recommend the ongoing Freswater Five series and the Alastair Campbell episode.
  • LealieJ
    My favorite podcast
    Fantastic reporting on a wide variety of issues.
  • dadibellz
    Well balanced coverage
    Love the range of issues that you cover on the show!
  • pinknoisepod
    Best daily
    A vastly superior podcast to other...ahem....Daily podcasts. The host doesn’t insult your intelligence and drag out a 2 minute story into 15+ minutes. They also don’t “remix” cable news talking heads. Refreshing!
  • Seamus Cannon
    Actually interview people please
    Rather than letting someone one your show who says terror is justified because of a cartoon maybe push back on that ridiculous notion.
  • Mukkuroni
    Polls edition
    Just heard Mona Chalabi. A bit smug, like many Guardian journalists. Patting herself on the back so hard, she might have sprained her hand. “I predicted Trump would win!!!” Conveniently glosses over the Comey announcement 11 days before the election. This is what turns everybody off of the Guardian, the air of superiority combined with dishonesty.
  • h_shujaa
    Amazing podcast
    great show, wonderful presentation for different topics and informative subjects. keep up the good work, I feel like you are saving me a great deal of time not reading about new things.
  • Prodigious Reader
    Royals and 2020
    I heard the podcast on the royals and 2020. To say this podcast was a disappointment would be an understatement. Hadley Freeman completely failed to discuss the racism directed towards Meghan Markle. As a journalist, that was a complete failure on her part and also intimated a pernicious undertone. I expect and usually receive better from the Guardian.
  • 7437-lock
    Would recommend
    Seems consistently high quality, relevant, and interesting Edit: can the editors please not go overboard I was really trying to focus during the July 27 2020 episode on covid vaccines and they kept putting in orchestral flourishes in the background. Yes I get it the reporter you’re interviewing uses an orchestra metaphor! but it’s not actually helping me absorb the info it’s just genuinely frustrating
  • starmill1733
    A loyal listener
    Love the podcast and listen to every episode nearly as soon as it comes out! Keep up the fantastic work!
  • Cheesehead😘
    Amazing Podcast
    I start each day by listening to their amazing reporting from the beautiful voices of the hosts combined with excellent sound production. I’m from Wisconsin, USA and I feel 50% smarter each time I listen. Thank you!!!
  • tc28011974
    A request
    Great podcast - thanks for making it happen everyday under trying circumstances. Any chance you could do an episode on what’s happening with COVID-19 in Africa, perhaps bring Jason Burke on? Cheers
  • Anne Nordmann
    The best
    I listen to dozens of different podcasts and Today in Focus is one of the very best. I learn something new with every episode, and am often moved and/or inspired as well. The reporting is first-rate, the topics are varied and important, and the information is presented in an interesting, intelligent, and compassionate manner. I can't recommend this program highly enough.
Similar Podcasts
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.