The Guardian • 21st December 2020

Today In Focus: From Wuhan to an ICU in Wales: the people who helped us report the pandemic

Throughout 2020 we have reported on the shocking developments as Covid-19 swept through Britain, changing our way of life in a flash. In this episode we revisit people who helped us tell the story, from Wuhan, ICU wards, care homes and unemployment claims to a blind date that led to romance

The Guardian • 17th December 2020

Today In Focus: Returning to Tunisia on the tenth anniversary of the Arab Spring

The Guardian’s international correspondent Michael Safi returns to Tunisia where, 10 years ago, fruit seller Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself. It triggered a wave of protests across North Africa and the Middle East which have had profound ramifications.

The Guardian • 7th December 2020

Today In Focus: The rise of the 'chumocracy'

Investigations into how lucrative Covid-related government contracts were awarded have raised serious questions about cronyism. The Guardian’s Felicity Lawrence and David Pegg investigate.

The Guardian • 2nd December 2020

Today In Focus: The Crown – fact or fiction?

Royal correspondent Jennie Bond, who has covered some of the most dramatic years of the monarchy, discusses whether The Crown is an accurate depiction of palace life.

The Guardian • 1st December 2020

Today In Focus: The Nobel peace prize winner fighting a war in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s prime minister was feted by the international community as a reformer and a peacemaker. Now, as the Guardian’s Jason Burke explains, he has launched a major military campaign in the north of his country that threatens the stability of the region.

The Guardian • 20th November 2020

Today In Focus: How Samuel Paty's murder reignited France's free speech debate

The murder of a schoolteacher who had shown his class cartoons of the prophet Muhammad during a lesson on free speech has rekindled a debate in France over secularism and the state’s role in regulating free expression.

The Guardian • 9th November 2020

Today In Focus: US election 2020: can Joe Biden unite America?

After days of tense counting in key states, Joe Biden was confirmed as the winner of the US election, beating the incumbent Donald Trump. But as David Smith explains, his job of uniting the country begins now – and it won’t be easy.

The Guardian • 4th November 2020

Today In Focus: US election 2020: how the night unfolded

It’s been a night of increasingly tense election results. Pollsters had projected a big win for the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, but with the major swing states too close to call at the time of recording, his route to the White House appeared to be narrowing.

The Guardian • 30th October 2020

Today In Focus: US election 2020: Donald Trump and the rise of white supremacist extremism

White supremacist extremism is the most lethal terrorism threat to the United States. It’s a hateful ideology that the Guardian’s Lois Beckett says has infected many parts of American society.

The Guardian • 21st October 2020

Today In Focus: Inside Australia’s asylum system: a possible model for the UK

Guardian Australia reporter Ben Doherty looks at the history behind Australia’s asylum seeker policies, including the controversial practice of offshore processing and resettlement. It’s one of the options the British government is allegedly considering to deter asylum seekers from attempting to cross the Channel to the UK. Journalist Behrouz Boochani, who spent seven years in detention in Papua New Guinea, discusses the impact the policy has had.

The Guardian • 14th October 2020

Today In Focus: US election 2020: what if Trump refuses to concede?

Trump has repeatedly stated that he may refuse to accept defeat in the coming election. As Lawrence Douglas explains, things could get very messy if the result is close.

The Guardian • 30th September 2020

Today In Focus: An inevitable crisis: how Covid-19 hit universities

The academic year has started at universities across the UK but far from the promised freshers’ experience, new students are finding themselves forced to isolate and attend classes online.

The Guardian • 24th September 2020

Today In Focus: Is the UK ready for a Covid second wave?

From hospitals to care homes to community testing, the first wave of Covid-19 infections was met with unprecedented national efforts but also with panic, errors and delays. As infections begin to rise again, is the country better prepared?

The Guardian • 22nd September 2020

Today In Focus: The fight over dyslexia

The question of who gets diagnosed with dyslexia and who then receives support was one of many that Guardian journalist Sirin Kale found herself examining when she began a year-long investigation into the condition. But what surprised her most was how fiery the conversation around this condition had become, with some asking whether the term dyslexia should even exist.

The Guardian • 11th September 2020

Today In Focus: Alastair Campbell and family on living with his depression

Former Labour communications chief Alastair Campbell has always struggled with depression. He, his partner, Fiona Millar, and their daughter, Grace Campbell, discuss the impact it has had on their lives.

The Guardian • 7th September 2020

Today In Focus: The life and death of Belly Mujinga

Guardian writer Sirin Kale spoke to friends and family of Belly Mujinga about her life and death. Belly, a transport worker and mother to an 11-year-old girl, developed Covid-19 after being allegedly spat on during her shift at London’s Victoria station. Her death made headlines and raised pressing questions about racial injustice.

The Guardian • 13th August 2020

Today In Focus: How Britain’s deepest recession is becoming a jobs crisis

Economics writer Aditya Chakrabortty describes how the coronavirus crisis has sent Britain plunging into a record recession and what it means for the millions of people fearing for their jobs.

The Guardian • 3rd August 2020

Today In Focus: Inside Lebanon's economic crisis

Scenes of economic despair are visible across Lebanon – from shops to homes, businesses to hospitals. Guardian journalist Martin Chulov discusses why the country is verging on financial collapse.

The Guardian • 17th July 2020

Today In Focus: Poland divided and right-wing populists win again

A narrow win for the populist incumbent Andrzej Duda in Poland’s presidential election cleared the path for the right-wing Law and Justice party to pursue anti-LGBT policies and further assault the courts and free press. The Guardian’s Christian Davies reports from Warsaw.

The Guardian • 15th July 2020

Today In Focus: In conversation with Benjamin Zephaniah and George the Poet

Benjamin Zephaniah and George the Poet are two of Britain’s most successful contemporary poets. They discuss why, despite being born a generation apart, their work is still exposing racial injustice.