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

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Sky News

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News

Podcast website

www.skynews.com

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

Is the Nova Kakhovka dam breach the most significant moment in the war so far? 08.06.2023

Thousands of people have been evacuated after a dam in the Russian-occupied Kherson region of Ukraine was breached on Tuesday. International intelligence organisations believe it is most likely the dam was deliberately targeted by Russian forces in an attempt to delay Ukraine’s expected counteroffensive. NATO’s secretary general has said the move demonstrates Russia’s brutality. But Moscow denies...

Harry v Daily Mirror publisher: Day three and what happens next 07.06.2023

Prince Harry has finished making his case to a High Court judge after another day of cross-examination by Andrew Green, the KC representing the Daily Mirror’s publishers. On the Sky News Daily, Kimberley Leonard is joined by our royal correspondent Laura Bundock, media lawyer Jonathan Coad and Sky reporter Sarah Hajibagheri, who has spent the day reporting from inside court. The Duke of Sussex bec...

Harry v Daily Mirror publisher: What happened on day two? 06.06.2023

Prince Harry has given evidence for the first time at the High Court in his legal battle against Mirror Group Newspapers. The Duke of Sussex set out his case in a 55-page document, blaming the tabloid press for "inciting hatred and harassment" in his private life, and casting him as a "playboy prince" and a "thicko". He also faced cross-examination from the newspaper's lawyer who questioned the pr...

Harry v Daily Mirror publisher: What happened on day one? 05.06.2023

The Duke of Sussex has been accused of wasting the High Court's time on the opening day of his case against Mirror Group Newspapers. Prince Harry did not appear in court on Monday for the start of the trial in which he is accusing the newspapers' journalists of using unlawful methods to gather information about him, including phone hacking. On the Sky News Daily, Leah Boleto is joined by Sky's roy...

The secret Iranian Russian arms deal 04.06.2023

Sky News has seen a document which – if real - appears to be the first hard evidence that Iran has sold ammunition to Russia for its war in Ukraine. An informed security source has told our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes that they believe the purported arms contract is authentic, although we have not yet been able to verify this. On the Sky News Daily, Kamali Melbourne speaks to Debora...

Greedflation: are businesses profiteering from the cost of living crisis? 01.06.2023

As food inflation rises to 19.2%, its highest rate in 42 years, the European Central Bank has suggested that it could be down to, in part, businesses profiteering from the cost of living crisis by increasing their prices for larger margins, a term known as 'greedflation'. But what is the data behind the suggestion? On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood is joined by our economics and data editor Ed...

'I'm scared': What it's like to be LGBTQ+ in a country where you could be killed 31.05.2023

New anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been passed in Uganda, expanding on rules which already criminalised same-sex acts and carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The new anti-homosexuality law now makes "aggravated homosexuality" - which is defined as sexual relations involving people infected with HIV, as well as with those under 18, and other categories of vulnerable people - punishable with pris...

Migrant crisis: The people found at sea 30.05.2023

Sky News has been on board one of the biggest-ever migrant rescue missions on the Mediterranean Sea. More than 600 people were spotted by rescue forces crammed on to an abandoned and overloaded fishing boat. The passengers left Libya, heading for Italy, but were abandoned by the captain after food and water started running out. The crossing is one of the most dangerous, with at least a thousand de...

Student loans in England: is the degree still value for money? 29.05.2023

Changes to student finance this September will see future graduates paying back their university debts earlier and for longer than any generation before them. Some analysts say the changes which include 10 extra years on the life of the loan and a lower income when repayments start could see some graduates paying almost double over the course of their working lives. So, if you’re paying more for l...

Net migration: What it means for the UK 25.05.2023

Net migration to the UK rose to 606,000 in the 12 months to December 2022, the highest number for a calendar year on record - despite a Tory 2019 manifesto commitment to "bring overall numbers down". The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics, show that most people arriving to the UK last year were non-EU nationals. The body attributed a "unique year" for migration to "world even...

Ron DeSantis: The Republican rival who could trump Trump 24.05.2023

There had been months of speculation, but Ron DeSantis has now officially launched his bid for the White House - filing a declaration of candidacy with the US federal electoral commission. He has been described as Trump 2.0 and has pitched himself as the more "credible" choice for the Republican nomination who could face Democrat incumbent Joe Biden in next year's US presidential election race. Bu...

How 'fake' families are smuggled into the UK on skilled worker visas 23.05.2023

Criminal gangs are exploiting Britain's need to fill jobs by using the skilled worker visa system as a route to traffic people into the country. Under the scheme, someone who has been offered a job in the UK is allowed to bring dependents with them, but Sky News has learned about several cases of abuse of the system. On the Sky News Daily Niall Paterson is joined by our communities correspondent L...

Suella Braverman and the speeding ticket row 22.05.2023

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of breaking the ministerial code of conduct by asking civil servants to arrange a private speed-awareness course after she was caught speeding in 2022. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson asks Tim Durrant from the Institute for Government what breaking the ministerial code actually means and speaks to Sky’s political correspondent Rob Powell about...

Trophy hunting: The row about conservation and colonialism 21.05.2023

Earlier this year, MPs voted to stop trophy hunters bringing back the body parts of endangered animals – such as rhino horns - into Britain. However, not everyone agrees with a blanket ban. Some conservationists and local community leaders in parts of Africa warn it unintentionally risks reversing their efforts to grow populations of animals including elephants, lions and the critically endangered...

Could AI really take your job? 18.05.2023

As BT announce they’re expecting to cut up to 10,000 jobs in the next decade due to advances in Artificial Intelligence, concerns remain over the country's readiness to deal with the new and surprisingly rapid evolution of AI. So how worried should we really be that AI could be coming for all our jobs? And what are our rights when it comes to AI in the office. On the Sky News Daily, Leah Boleto is...

What is happening to the Uyghurs in China? 17.05.2023

Western journalists have been inside Xinjiang, China's largest region in the northwest of the country for the first time since COVID restrictions were lifted. The province is home to the native Uyghurs - a mostly Muslim community of around 12 million people. They've lived in the area for several hundred years. Human rights groups as well as the UK and US governments have accused China of committin...

The desperate parents stealing formula to feed their babies 16.05.2023

The cost of baby formula has soared in price, causing some desperate families to take unsafe measures to feed their children - including buying dangerous unsealed products or even stealing. Data from First Steps Nutrition shows that the cheapest brand of formula has increased in price by 45% in the past two years. On the Sky News Daily, Leah Boleto speaks to Sky’s Tom Parmenter who has uncovered t...

Zelenskyy visit: How long can the West pay for Ukraine's war?  15.05.2023

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy made a surprise visit to the UK on Monday for face-to-face talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wanted to create a "jets coalition" as the UK pledged to send hundreds of new long-range attack drones to Ukraine. On the Sky News Daily, Leah Boleto speaks to former US Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst about the importance of continued milit...

Prisoner to would-be president: The rise of Wagner's Yevgeny Prigozhin 14.05.2023

The Wagner Group of mercenaries has been fighting in Ukraine since Russia's first invasion in 2014, but very little was known about the group, or its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, until the end of 2022 when he began speaking publicly. As the UK and EU prepare to declare the Wagner Group a terror organisation, is the mercenary group, and Prigozhin himself, becoming a liability for the Kremlin? On the S...

Public Order Laws: Are we losing the right to protest? 11.05.2023

The Metropolitan Police has faced criticism following the controversial arrest of six anti-monarchy protesters during King Charles III’s coronation under new public order laws. Recent changes to the law under the new Public Order Act, passed shortly before the coronation, make it illegal for protesters to use equipment to secure themselves to things like railings. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Pate...

Eurovision: The Ukrainians who fled to Liverpool 10.05.2023

This year's Eurovision Song contest will take place in Liverpool after the UK was chosen to host the competition on behalf of war-torn Ukraine, which won the 2022 contest. On the Sky News Daily podcast, Katerina Vittozzi is in Liverpool to speak to Ukrainians who came to the area following the outbreak of war, plus those helping to bring the contest to life, including Eurovision podcast host, Stev...

Putin's "real war" speech - what did he actually mean? 09.05.2023

Russia’s annual Victory Day parade, usually commemorating the surrender of Nazi Germany in the Second World War, is a more muted affair this year. There’s no air display, fewer troops parading through Red Square, and no Immortal Regiment march. The Kremlin says this was a precautionary measure, citing security concerns, and Vladimir Putin told crowds in Red Square that "a real war has again been u...

Vaping: The ‘epidemic’ among teens 08.05.2023

Parents and teachers are facing an "epidemic" as the number of under 18s who are vaping has exploded. According to the NHS, 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds regularly use nicotine based vapes, which are disguised by bright colour packaging and sweet flavours. Australia recently announced it is set to ban recreational vaping, saying the products - that are deliberately targeted at children - are creating a...

Local election results: What do they tell us? 05.05.2023

Sir Keir Starmer has declared that the “road to a better Britain” is being “paved with Labour wins” as the party celebrated a series of local election victories across England. The Liberal Democrats have also been celebrating success, taking Windsor and Maidenhead, which covers Theresa May’s constituency. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak has defended the government’s position. On the Sky News Daily Niall Pa...

The Republican Royalist 04.05.2023

This weekend sees the coronation of King Charles III – but how much do we really know about the man who wears the crown and the woman by his side, Queen Camilla? Ahead of the royal occasion, Niall Paterson has visited parts of the nation to find out what people think about Britain’s monarch - and the monarchy. On this Sky News Daily, Niall talks to Kathy Lette about being both a Republican and fri...

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