Shows / This Is Why
This Is Why
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
Episodes
This Is WhyWhy Wes Streeting is accused of putting ambition above national interest
On Thursday lunchtime, Wes Streeting resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s government. The now-former health secretary said he had “lost confidence” in the PM’s…
This Is WhyWhy is the Royal Navy sending HMS Dragon to the Strait of Hormuz?
The UK is providing jets, drones and our only operational Type 45 destroyer – HMS Dragon – as part of a multinational mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz…
This Is WhyWhy are we addicted to changing prime ministers?
Keir Starmer is on the brink, as more and more Labour MPs and ministers call for his resignation – less than two years after he walked into Number 10. He…
This Is WhyWhy replacing Keir Starmer isn't straightforward
Despite a disastrous set of local and national election results, the prime minister has vowed to carry on regardless. But dozens of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour…
This Is WhyWhy is Sergei Shoigu being accused of a Putin putsch plot?
The annual Victory Day parade in Moscow will be a much smaller affair this year, without an intercontinental ballistic missile in sight. Why? Well, the threat…
This Is WhyWhy Trump's oil boom is bad news for the UK
The emergence of the United States as an energy superpower has reshaped the global economy. Good news for its allies, right? Well, not necessarily... In Texas…
This Is WhyWhy the May elections matter
Millions of people are preparing to head to the polls across Britain on Thursday. They'll be voting for thousands of local council seats in England - while…
This Is WhyWhy Estonia is on the front line of Russia's rising ambitions
It's the small Baltic state that's no stranger to being invaded - having been occupied by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. But while many hope it will…
This Is WhyWhy the United Nations is no longer fit for purpose
With conflicts continuing in Ukraine, Africa and the Middle East, the global economy being held to ransom and the old world order seemingly up-ended, is there…
This Is WhyWhy is Anna Wintour the most powerful figure in fashion?
As The Devil Wears Prada 2 opens in cinemas, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour is back in the news – but who is she? The sequel to the 2006 film…
This Is WhyWhy airlines have been cancelling flights
The war in Iran has led to fears of food shortages and fuelled forecourt price hikes – but is your summer holiday also in jeopardy? The price of jet fuel has…
This Is WhyWhy soldiers should take MDMA to treat trauma
The party drug ecstasy is usually associated with packed nightclubs and panicked politicians talking about the dangers involved in taking it. However, a former…
This Is WhyWhy Iranian networks could be recruiting Brits for terror
Iranian intelligence services are suspected of actively recruiting in the UK, using AI and social networks to entice potential sign-ups. Sky News has uncovered…
This Is WhyWhy keeping the King safe is Trump's top priority
Why keeping the King safe is Trump's top priority King Charles's trip to the USA is still going ahead, despite a gunman attempting to storm a dinner attended…
This Is WhyWhy King Charles can save the special relationship
Donald Trump is preparing to roll out the red carpet for the King’s all-American state visit next week – despite the fact the US president has been highly…
This Is WhyWhy Harry’s picking a fight with Putin and Trump on Ukraine
Prince Harry has warned the world not to grow “numb” to Russia’s war in Ukraine during a surprise visit to Kyiv. The former British army captain also called on…
This Is WhyWhy the dangers of Mythos AI may be a myth
AI giant Anthropic has chosen not to release its latest model, Mythos Preview, to the public. The product was pulled after testing showed its unprecedented…
This Is WhyWhy the government's civil war with the civil service matters
Sir Keir Starmer's relationship with the civil service has broken down following the sacking of Sir Olly Robbins. The former top civil servant at the Foreign…
This Is WhyWhy Cuba is collapsing under Trump’s blockade
First it was Venezuela, then Iran. Is Cuba next on Donald Trump's hit list? The US navy has been anchored off the Caribbean coast since the start of the year…
This Is WhyWhy Mandelson is causing more problems for Starmer
Top civil servant Olly Robbins has been sacked after his department did not inform the prime minister that Lord Mandelson had failed security vetting for the…
This Is WhyWhy the era of Saudi “sportswashing” could be over
A multi-billion-dollar Saudi-backed golf tour is reportedly close to collapse – so could this spell an end to the Gulf state’s interest in sport? The…
This Is WhyWhy NATO has to prepare for life without Trump
Another night, another post on Truth Social from Donald Trump criticising NATO. As other leaders try to persuade him to stay in the alliance, plans are being…
This Is WhyWhy is there talk of a Brexit U-turn?
A decade on, you might have thought Brexit was done and dusted – but our relationship with the European Union is still in flux. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer…
This Is WhyWhy the Hungarian election matters for Putin, Europe and Ukraine
After 16 years in power, Hungary's Viktor Orban has been defeated by Peter Magyar, whose Tisza party has won a huge parliamentary majority. Magyar campaigned…
This Is WhyWhy Trump might be about to get angry about elections
Donald Trump's war in Iran has been polling badly among many of the groups that voted for him in 2024, and that matters as crucial midterm elections are just…
This Is WhyWhy Kanye West will never really be cancelled
Kanye West is one of the 21st Century’s most talented musicians, but his controversial remarks are just as famous as his music – and his antisemitic comments…
This Is WhyWhy does Iran think it’s won the war?
Donald Trump has claimed a ‘complete victory’ in his war in Iran during a phone call to Sky News just hours after the two sides agreed a temporary ceasefire…
This Is WhyWhy the Artemis II mission is only the start
The Artemis II crew are on their way back to Earth after a record-breaking mission to the far side of the moon. They reached a distance of 252,756 miles from…
This Is WhyWhy Scott Mills puts more pressure on the new BBC boss
Matt Brittin, a former Google boss and ex-Olympic rower, will become the new director-general of the BBC in May. He wouldn't have expected a quiet life in the…
This Is WhyWhy US ‘boots on the ground’ won’t be enough
Donald Trump has kept the world guessing over whether he will launch a ground invasion in Iran. However, the arrival of thousands of US paratroopers in the…
This Is WhyWhy the world’s missing oil leaves Britain on a 'cliff edge'
"Go get your own oil!" Donald Trump has served notice on his allies, telling them the US won't necessarily help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. And oil is…
This Is WhyWhy your food shop is about to cost more
The cost of your weekly shop is about to go up – as the war in Iran squeezes the supply of synthetic fertiliser. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz…
This Is WhyWhy is NASA going back to the moon?
Artemis II is NASA's next big mission to the moon – the first in over 50 years. It's part of the space agency's long-term plans to build a space station called…
This Is WhyWhy your fake fashion is funding organised crime
The market in counterfeit goods – fake handbags, knock-off trainers or not-quite-designer clothes – is now worth more than double the illegal drug trade in the…
This Is WhyWhy are people betting on war?
Lots of people enjoy a flutter – but have you ever considered betting on a US strike on Iran? Or when Russia will take control of a village in the Donbass? Or…
This Is WhyWhy the UK's efforts to tackle antisemitism have fallen short
Four Jewish ambulances were set on fire in North London on Monday morning, in the latest incident to be treated as an antisemitic hate crime by the police…
This Is WhyWhy the UK needs to be wary of Iranian retaliation
Last week, Iran tried to target the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia – more than 2,000 miles away in the Indian Ocean. That attack failed but it led…
This Is WhyWhy comedians want the UK 'Saturday Night Live'
Saturday Night Live has launched the careers of Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell among many others in its 50 year long run on NBC in the US. It’s now…
This Is WhyWhy Gen Z is giving up alcohol
Nearly half of young adults are turning to low or non-alcoholic drinks - with the number nearly doubling since 2018. To understand why Gen Z has been making…
This Is Why'Why wasn’t the UK ready for Iran war?' Michael Clarke answers your questions
Should the US have predicted there would be a siege at the Strait of Hormuz? Why wasn’t the UK better prepared for this conflict? This Is Why has been asking…
This Is WhyWhy help with energy bills could come at a cost
Sir Keir Starmer is promising help for working people whose energy bills are going up because of the Iran war. The last energy bailout after Russia's…
This Is WhyWhy are young people still dying from meningitis?
A school pupil and a university student have died in Kent and 11 other people are seriously ill following a meningitis outbreak. Meningitis can kill a person…
This Is WhyWhy is Hollywood turning on Timothee Chalamet?
Timothee Chalamet – movie star and tabloid regular – had been the firm favourite to take home the Best Actor statue at this weekend’s Academy Awards. So why…
This Is WhyWhy the 'Tech Bros' are turning against Trump
One of the world's most valuable AI companies is suing the US government after it was designated a "supply chain risk" by Pete Hegseth's Department of War…
This Is WhyWhy the Mandelson files mean more trouble for Keir Starmer
The first batch of the Mandelson files have finally been released – but even though there’s still more to come, there are already serious questions for the…
This Is WhyWhy Putin could be the Iran war's big winner
After a phone call with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump announced the US could ease oil sanctions on some countries to combat the rise in prices brought about by…
This Is WhyIs Iran’s new supreme leader Trump's next target?
A "continuity candidate" or the ultimate "nepo baby"? Iran’s new supreme leader is Mojtaba Khamenei, a 56-year-old cleric and son of the previous ayatollah…
This Is WhyWhy is HMS Dragon taking so long to get to Cyprus?
The warship HMS Dragon is now not expected to leave for the Mediterranean until next week to begin its mission to defend a British military base in Cyprus from…
This Is WhyHave Brits in the Middle East been abandoned?
Most people have had a bad experience on holiday – but not many will have seen their destination turn into a war zone. That’s been the case for thousands of…
This Is WhyWhy Europe is finally standing up to Donald Trump
The United States may have launched strikes on Iran this week, but Donald Trump also found time for a war of words. This time, it was with the prime ministers…
This Is WhyWill the Iran war worsen the cost of living crisis?
Rachel Reeves may have delivered her Spring Forecast – but have events in the Middle East made the chancellor’s announcement redundant? With President Trump…
This Is WhyIs the UK being dragged into Trump’s Iran war?
War is raging in the Middle East after the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran. Keir Starmer has risked his special relationship with Donald Trump by…
- This Is Why
One story every day, explained to make sense of the world
Welcome to This Is Why. 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…
- This Is Why
Introducing... This Is Why
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…
- This Is Why
Why isn’t the UK stopping Putin’s shadow fleet?
When is a shadow fleet not a shadow fleet? Perhaps when it’s shipping millions of dollars' worth of crude oil through the English Channel in broad daylight…
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Should the police ban the use of AI?
A Sky News exclusive has found that at least 21 police forces in England are still using Microsoft Copilot, despite it being at the centre of the Maccabi Tel…
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Has drone dominance in Ukraine changed warfare forever?
Could the use of drones break the stalemate in the Ukraine war? Tomorrow marks the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion - and for most of this…
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Why is the world’s gold under the streets of London?
Imagine being in a room surrounded by £64bn worth of gold. It’s a glittering reality Sky’s economics and data editor Ed Conway experienced in one of 12 huge…
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Andrew arrested: Can it get any worse for the Royal Family?
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on his 66th birthday following revelations in the Epstein files. The…
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Is it safe to let out Britain’s most notorious prisoner?
Charles Bronson's ninth appeal to the Parole Board is being considered as the hostage-taking former armed robber continues his fight for freedom. The…