Sky News

This Is Why

News EN ↓ 1000 episodes

The world’s a pretty confusing place right now – so how do you make sense of it all? This Is Why  takes one story every day, explains how we got here and why it matters to you. Sky News’ Niall Paterson speaks to experts and correspondents from around the world, getting simple answers to some complex questions. Available every weekday afternoon. This Is Why is a Sky News podcast – if you have a question, contact us: why@sky.uk

Author

Sky News

Category

News

Podcast website

www.skynews.com

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

Hollywood strikes: Are writers right about AI? 09.08.2023

It’s been 100 days since Hollywood writers went on strike over concerns artificial intelligence (AI) will take their jobs - as well as disputes over working conditions and claims of dwindling pay. The looming cloud of AI hangs over all industries, but are writers and actors right to be worried about being stripped of their creativity? On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood is joined by Lisa Holdswo...

The Niger coup and how it will impact global security 08.08.2023

Niger had been a lone bastion of democracy in West Africa while neighbouring countries were taken over by the military - but it is now also in a crisis following July's coup. The man responsible for protecting President Mohamed Bazoum, who was elected in 2021, has overthrown him - and there could be far-reaching security implications. On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood is joined by our Africa c...

'Useless white male pilots': The RAF discrimination claims 07.08.2023

The Royal Air Force has admitted to discriminating against white male candidates in a hiring policy aimed at increasing diversity. In a Sky News exclusive, security and defence editor Deborah Haynes has discovered none of those involved in creating the policy have been held accountable. On the Sky News Daily, Leah Boleto speaks to Deborah about the impact the decisions have had on the men's lives,...

Dirty Work: Episode Three - Life Sentence 05.08.2023

In this episode, Sahar Zand goes back to speak to Brian Glendinning about his experience in Iraqi jail, and the harrowing impact of his unforeseen arrest. But Brian, compared to some people, is still lucky. For dissidents and opposition figures around the world, the Red Notice is the latest tool for transnational repression by autocratic governments. These people often end up in prison indefinitel...

Lockdown children: The long-term damage for a generation 04.08.2023

COVID lockdowns may seem a distant memory with everyday life very much back to the pre-pandemic norms. But for children, it seems we may only just be getting a sense of the emotional and behavioural impacts those couple of years have had. Researchers at University College London and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) this week published a joint study - the first of its kind - looking at the em...

Interest rates up - focus on savers and renters 03.08.2023

The Bank of England has increased its base rate of interest by a quarter of a percentage point to 5.25% - which is lower than some economists had predicted. On the Sky News Daily, Leah Boleto speaks to our business correspondent Gurpreet Narwan about the decision to raise interest rates for the 14th time in a row. Plus, Sky's data and forensics journalist Daniel Dunford explains why renters could...

Campaigns and court appearances: How could Donald Trump's 2024 play out? 02.08.2023

Donald Trump has been criminally charged with trying to ‘defraud the United States’ over the 2021 riots at the US Capitol. It’s the most serious legal threat facing the former president, as he attempts to return to the White House in 2024. But it’s by no means the only one – Trump now faces 78 charges across three criminal cases, but still remains frontrunner to become his party’s nominee for next...

Will Labour allow 'wedge issues' to define the next election? 01.08.2023

A general election is still a long way away, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to already be laying out the Conservative attack lines, focusing on so-called ‘wedge issues’ that could divide the Labour Party. Labour are sitting 17 points ahead in the polls but are facing criticism for seeming to roll back on green policies. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by Andrew Fisher, form...

Zelenskyy warns war is coming to Russia - as Putin teases path to 'peace'. 31.07.2023

President Zelenskyy has said war is coming to Russia after suspected Ukrainian drones hit skyscrapers in a wealthy Moscow neighbourhood. President Putin suggested an African initiative could be a basis for peace talks, but not while Ukrainian forces were on the offensive. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by military analyst Sean Bell and Dr Alex Vines, director of the Africa Program...

Dirty Work: Episode Two - Hijacked 29.07.2023

Sky News has a new podcast series called Dirty Work - investigating Interpol red notices, which allow police forces to flag their most wanted persons at international borders around the world. In episode two, reporter Sahar Zand continues to follow Brian Glendinning's story - whose Interpol Red Notice raises significant questions about how the system works. Sahar also speaks to Interpol Secretary...

'This is how I die': British fighter tortured by pro-Russian forces in Ukraine 28.07.2023

British man Aiden Aslin joined the Ukrainian marines in 2018, but following the Russian invasion in February 2022, he was called up to the frontline in Mariupol. After two months of resistance at the city's steelworks, Aiden and his battalion ran out of supplies. Aiden was part of the mass surrender of over 1,000 Ukrainian troops. Singled out for his British passport, Aiden was brutally interrogat...

Is climate change scepticism hotting up? 27.07.2023

Multiple climate reports have been published this week all saying a similar thing: that the UK and wider world are experiencing record temperatures, that humanity is "inducing" climate change and that, unless we cut emissions, things are just going to get even hotter. There are still some people however who believe it’s all hot air; that media coverage of climate stories is “fear mongering” and “m...

Strip searches in police custody and fallout to Nigel Farage's row with Coutts 26.07.2023

Police at a station in Greater Manchester have been accused of unnecessary and invasive strip searches of women, without explanation, behind cell doors. Sky News has spoken to three women, one of whom was detained for 41 hours and also alleges she was sexually assaulted whilst in custody. A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said "there is currently no evidence to suggest any GMP employees...

Saving cinema: Why chains can't just rely on blockbusters and bad weather 25.07.2023

Barbie and Oppenheimer have put the smiles back on the cinema chains after the difficult years during the pandemic, but could the glow soon wear off? For the first time in 60 years Hollywood actors and writers are on strike at the same time, so what impact will this have on the films we will see and the cinemas that show them? On the Sky News Daily, host Niall Paterson is joined by our entertainme...

Rhodes on fire and is the UK cooling on net zero policies? 24.07.2023

Evacuation orders due to wildfires on the Greek island have seen tens of thousands of residents and tourists fleeing the flames. And while wildfires in the region aren’t uncommon, scientists say climate change is increasing the intensity of heatwaves which can trigger fires. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to our Europe correspondent in Rhodes, Siobhan Robbins and Rhodes resident Mica...

Dirty Work: Episode One - Russian Roulette 22.07.2023

Sky News has a new podcast series called Dirty Work which we wanted to share with Daily listeners in our feed. Reporter Sahar Zand has been investigating Interpol red notices - which allow police forces to flag their most wanted persons at international borders around the world. On this episode, we hear from some of those people caught up in the system - who have faced detention, imprisonment, and...

Getting ready for an election: What three by-elections can tell us 21.07.2023

The Conservatives suffered two heavy defeats in a night of three by-elections, but narrowly held on to former PM Boris Johnson's old Uxbridge seat. Labour made history by overturning a 20,137 majority to take the North Yorkshire seat of Selby and Ainsty. The Lib Dems took Somerton and Frome in a victory Sir Ed Davey said showed his party was "firmly back in the West Country". On the Sky News Daily...

Investigating Interpol 20.07.2023

Niall Paterson welcomes the team behind a new Sky News podcast onto the Daily. Reporter Sahar Zand and producer Heidi Pett have been investigating Interpol red notices for the series “Dirty Work”. They’ve heard from people caught up in a system which allows police forces to flag their most wanted persons at international borders around the world. In some cases, those people are detained, imprisone...

Is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ‘doomed’? 19.07.2023

Senior Ukrainian military officials believe Russia is planning a massive attack in the northeastern Kharkiv region, in a bid to draw Ukraine's efforts away from its counteroffensive. It comes as the boss of MI6, Sir Richard Moore, suggested the invasion was “doomed”. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson sits down with our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and security and defence analy...

Heatwaves happen - but why so many at once? 18.07.2023

Temperatures across Europe soared to over 44C this week, with the heatwave expected to continue and reach record highs. Hot weather has also been recorded in China and the USA, but why are so many places so hot at the same time? On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to Sky's climate and energy correspondent Hannah Thomas-Peter who is in Sardinia, one of the hottest places in Europe, about t...

Stuart Ramsay in Myanmar: What leaders don't want the world to see 17.07.2023

Sky’s chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay and his team have witnessed the deadly realities of a civil war, which Myanmar’s leaders claim isn’t happening. Few Western journalists get into the southeast Asian country, previously known as Burma – but our news crew spent a month undercover deep in the jungle with resistance fighters, medics and volunteers – not far from where the fighting is taking plac...

The knee injury keeping players out of the FIFA Women's World Cup 14.07.2023

As the Women's World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, up to 30 players won't be playing due to the same knee injury. Star players, including England's Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson, are all suffering from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries that threaten their careers in the game. And women are 3.5 times more likely to suffer this type of injury compared to their male coun...

Westminster Accounts: What are MPs doing with your cash? 13.07.2023

A Sky News investigation has found Northern Research Group (NRG) MPs received political donations from a private donor to help them with campaigning - weeks after they authorised thousands of pounds of taxpayer funded expenses to be spent on the NRG. It raises questions about whether MPs authorised public funding to be spent on the NRG because they knew they would be rewarded with a campaign donat...

Huw Edwards named but should the last few days have been different? 12.07.2023

There had been days of widespread speculation and increasing pressure on the suspended BBC presenter to reveal his identity but now, Huw Edwards’ wife has issued a statement on his behalf. Vicky Flind told the PA news agency that her husband is suffering from serious mental health issues and is currently receiving care in hospital. Shortly before the revelation, the Met Police said there was “no i...

The Ukraine foreign fighters come home, and pressure on BBC presenter 12.07.2023

More allegations about the unnamed BBC presenter have been published by The Sun, claiming that the star broke COVID rules to meet a 23-year-old. Now that the Metropolitan Police have asked the BBC to pause internal inquiries into suspended presenter, we ask if there has been a mood shift in the way this story should have been reported. On the Sky News Daily with Kimberley Leonard, from outside the...

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