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Today in Focus

Today in Focus

The Guardian 298 Episodes Jul 24, 2026

Today in Focus is a daily news podcast from The Guardian that brings listeners closer to the newspaper's journalism. The morning edition, hosted by Helen Pidd, Nosheen Iqbal, and Annie Kelly, combines on-the-ground reporting, insightful analysis, and personal testimony to provide a deeper understanding of current events. An evening edition, 'The Latest' hosted by Lucy Hough, summarizes the day's top news story in just 10 minutes. The podcast is available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.

Episodes

Charli xcx: does new album hit as hard as Brat? – The Latest
Charli xcx: does new album hit as hard as Brat? – The Latest Jul 24, 2026 00:10:46 After a decade in the pop fringes, Charli xcx was propelled to global stardom by her 2024 album Brat. Then came an acid-green ‘brat summer’, a Glastonbury headline slot and ‘brat’ as Collins’s word of the year. But how do you follow up the album that made you a star? Charli’s latest album – Music, Fashion, Film – has now been released. And, as Guardian deputy music editor Laura Snapes tells Lucy H
The ‘cockroaches’ marching on India’s government
The ‘cockroaches’ marching on India’s government Jul 24, 2026 00:25:44 South Asia correspondent Hannah Ellis-Petersen on the Cockroach movement – and the students driving India’s biggest protests in years. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Gary Lineker joins calls for wealth tax - The Latest
Gary Lineker joins calls for wealth tax - The Latest Jul 23, 2026 00:11:41 Millionaires including former footballer Gary Lineker are asking Andy Burnham to tax their wealth more. More than 100 wealthy Brits have signed an open letter to the prime minister, saying: ‘We want you to tax us. We can afford it.’ So should the government introduce a wealth tax? And why is the idea getting more popular? Nosheen Iqbal speaks to columnist and senior economics commentator Aditya Ch
What does the BBC do for you?
What does the BBC do for you? Jul 23, 2026 00:26:11 Media critic Mark Lawson discusses with Nosheen Iqbal why even the BBC director general has lost faith in the current licence fee model, and explore what options the national broadcaster has to secure funding. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Zelenskyy ousts Ukraine army chief after protests - The Latest
Zelenskyy ousts Ukraine army chief after protests - The Latest Jul 22, 2026 00:10:24 Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired his commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in Ukraine’s biggest military shake-up in two years. Nationwide protests broke out after Zelenskyy sacked Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister, who the Ukraine president says will now be brought back into government in a ‘prominent position’. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s senior international correspondent Luke Harding
The man building swimming pools in Gaza
The man building swimming pools in Gaza Jul 22, 2026 00:33:41 Journalist Amjed Tantesh talks about his project to teach Gaza’s children how to swim. With reporting from our chief Middle East correspondent, Emma Graham-Harrison. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
US troops killed: has Trump lost control of Iran war? – The Latest
US troops killed: has Trump lost control of Iran war? – The Latest Jul 21, 2026 00:10:54 The US has carried out fresh strikes on Iran after three American soldiers were killed in action. The Pentagon has admitted that nearly 100 US service members have also been wounded as Tehran responded to 10 consecutive nights of attacks. As peace talks mediated by Pakistan continue, Lucy Hough speaks to our senior international correspondent, Julian Borger – watch on YouTube. Help support our ind
Burnham begins: what awaits the new PM?
Burnham begins: what awaits the new PM? Jul 21, 2026 00:29:32 Senior political correspondent Peter Walker and former No 10 press secretary Paul Harrison analyse Andy Burnham’s first day as PM. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Andy Burnham becomes Britain’s new prime minister – The Latest
Andy Burnham becomes Britain’s new prime minister – The Latest Jul 20, 2026 00:09:26 Andy Burnham has become the sixth UK prime minister in a decade after a transfer of power from his predecessor Keir Starmer. In his first address outside Downing Street, he said his arrival in power would be a ‘circuit breaker’ moment for Britain and that his government would bring the ‘biggest changes in 40 years’. Lucy Hough speaks to political correspondent Alexandra Topping – watch on YouTube.
The battle to reclaim Epping
The battle to reclaim Epping Jul 20, 2026 00:28:03 Tim Burrows goes back to Epping in Essex one year after protesters from across the country descended on the small town to demonstrate against asylum seekers being housed at the Bell hotel. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The Odyssey: is Nolan adaptation worth the hype? - The Latest
The Odyssey: is Nolan adaptation worth the hype? - The Latest Jul 17, 2026 00:14:25 Christopher Nolan’s star-studded take on Homer’s Odyssey has received rave reviews from critics and is one of the most hotly anticipated films of the year. The three-hour Imax blockbuster has an estimated budget of $250m and a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Zendaya and Tom Holland. But will it live up to expectations? Annie Kelly speaks to film editor Catherine Shoard. Help support our in
How to keep cool
How to keep cool Jul 17, 2026 00:25:13 Tom Greenhill, the chartered engineer behind the Heatwave Toolkit, provides tips on keeping your home cool in the heat; the Guardian’s Europe environment correspondent, Ajit Niranjan, reports on what governments across the continent are doing in response to this record-breaking summer. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

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