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 WhyIs the NHS ready for an AI revolution?
Scientists say they have created an AI tool that could predict a patient's risk of hundreds of diseases years before they develop symptoms.The technology, if…
This Is WhyThe migrant return scheme: One-in, none-out?
A government deportation deal with France – designed to deter small boat crossings – has been beset by delays and legal challenges. The first few migrants…
This Is WhyAndy Burnham: Is “King in the North” trying to take Starmer’s throne?
Sir Keir Starmer has only been prime minister for 16 months but already there are reports some Labour MPs want him out. The details that have emerged about…
This Is WhyThe fall and rise (and fall again) of Peter Mandelson
He may have described himself as a ‘fighter not a quitter’, but even Peter Mandelson couldn’t survive new and lurid revelations about his relationship with…
This Is WhyThe Immigration Debate: A nation divided?
More small boats, more asylum claims, more flags flying in town centres – the debate over immigration has never felt more polarised. Sky News invited a live…
This Is WhyThe end of Rupert Murdoch’s ‘Succession’ saga?
Lachlan Murdoch has finally secured his place as his father Rupert’s successor, following a long sibling battle for control over one of the highest-profile…
This Is WhyMad science: Can we really repair the climate?
A group of scientists think they can geoengineer the Arctic’s melting ice, thickening it by pumping freezing seawater onto the surface during the winter…
This Is WhyMadeleine McCann: The hit-and-run theory explained
Her disappearance remains unsolved, but several theories about what happened to Madeleine McCann still need to be explained. Now, Sky News has tracked down the…
This Is WhyWhat’s Zack Polanski’s story?
Zack Polanski is the fresh face of the Green Party. He already sits on the London Assembly – the capital's elected body that scrutinises the activities of the…
This Is WhyThe family who immigrated to the UK with fake papers
We give an insight into the UK's immigration system, following an Indian family who dreamed of a better life. They came to the UK on student and dependent…
This Is WhyIs a ban on phones in schools enough to protect our kids?
The chances are your child has a smartphone. But whether they're allowed to use them in school or not could have a huge impact on not only their academic…
This Is WhyDrill, Kemi, drill! Are Tory oil and gas plans a load of hot air?
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wants to end Labour's ban on new oil and gas licences and make North Sea oil and gas a "cornerstone" of the economy. But what…
This Is WhySmall town tensions: The asylum crisis in Middle England
A few years ago, the number of asylum seekers in the Warwickshire market town of Nuneaton was in single digits. But it has become another community facing…
This Is WhyWill this be Starmer’s toughest term yet?
With Parliament back in action in a few days, Sam and Anne look ahead to the packed autumn schedule in Westminster. In the last episode of the Summer Box Set…
This Is WhyIs Trump now “dictator”-in-chief?
Is Donald Trump increasingly acting like a dictator as he power grabs and overreaches on independent institutions? Plus - he’s firing people again. Why? Mark…
This Is WhyThe cost of living crisis: When will it end?
It feels like we're having to pay more and more for the basics every month. New figures released this week showed food inflation has reached an 18-month high…
This Is WhyWhy aren’t we having more babies?
The total fertility rate for England and Wales - defined as the number of children a woman can expect to have over her lifetime - has fallen to another record…
This Is WhyHow realistic are Reform’s deportation plans?
Reform UK has outlined its plan to tackle the small boats crisis, which would include detaining and deporting all illegal migrants arriving in the UK. Leader…
This Is WhyThe triathlete president who's now Trump's favourite: Alexander Stubb
This week, Finnish President Alexander Stubb found himself at the seat of world leaders at the White House, discussing the best route to peace in Ukraine. How?…
This Is WhyPunish India to stop Putin? Trump’s tariff conundrum
Russian oil used to flow into Europe. Now, it's going to India and China instead. So, could Donald Trump's latest tariff threat against those countries put a…
This Is WhyCaves and crypto: The secrets behind the return of ISIS
Islamic State is on the rise, once more a threat to the international community. Driven from its strongholds in Syria and Iraq, the terror group has been…
This Is WhyAre there flaws in the new law meant to be keeping kids safe online?
Children’s exposure to online porn is higher than ever before. Will new laws designed to keep them safe finally make a difference or end up making matters…
This Is WhyWhy does Putin want Ukraine’s Donbas region?
Russia and Ukraine have been fighting for control of the Donbas for years, and it has seen some of the most intensive fighting during the conflict. But why is…
This Is WhyIs Brand Beckham damaged by the Brooklyn ‘rift’?
Brooklyn Beckham renewed his vows earlier this month to his American heiress wife Nicola Peltz - her family was there but not his. It added to speculation that…
This Is WhyHow are Ukrainians feeling about the Trump-Putin summit?
Ukrainians are into their fourth year of fighting to defend their country from Russia, they have suffered huge casualties and are exhausted from the war…
This Is WhyIs a degree worth it?
It’s results time for 700,000 A-level and T-level students. It’ll mean final decisions about their future – and whether university is the best option for their…
This Is WhyInside settler violence in the West Bank
Who are the Israeli settlers forcing Palestinians from their homes? Chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay has been in the West Bank, witnessing the Israeli…
This Is WhyWhat’s the evidence which Israel says links Anas al-Sharif to Hamas?
Anas Al-Sharif was one of five journalists among seven people killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City. The five worked for the broadcaster Al Jazeera…
This Is WhyNicholas Rossi: False names, a fake death and the flight from justice
Arthur Knight was an Irishman, wrongly arrested – he claimed – whilst recovering from a coma in a Glasgow hospital. Except “Arthur Knight” didn’t exist. His…
This Is WhyDoes Netanyahu want a 'forever war' in Gaza?
He’s been warned against a full military occupation by 600 former Israeli military officials. But after 22 months of war, that’s exactly what Benjamin…
This Is WhyWhere does ‘he said, she said’ charity row leave Prince Harry?
No evidence of bullying, misogyny or racism. On the face of it, good news for the Duke of Sussex. But there's still plenty of fallout from a very public row…
This Is WhyWhy the wait for weight loss jabs on the NHS?
The "King Kong" of weight loss drugs, Mounjaro, should finally be available on the NHS. So, why are thousands of patients still waiting for a treatment that…
This Is WhyMis-sold car loans - did it happen to me?
If you bought a car as far back as 2007 with a loan organised through your car dealership, you could be eligible for a payout. The regulator, the Financial…
This Is WhyPeter Kyle: The making of a maverick minister
After doubling down in a very public row with Nigel Farage, Peter Kyle is the minister of the moment. In an interview with Sky News, the Secretary of State for…
This Is WhyWhy aren’t parents getting their kids vaccinated?
Measles vaccination rates are at their lowest level in sixteen years in England and there’s fears that it’s led to a rise in the number of cases. According to…
This Is WhyAre Trump’s tariffs destroying lives and livelihoods in Lesotho?
"Nobody's heard of it." That's Donald Trump's dismissive claim about Lesotho – a small country in southern Africa where lives are being devastated by the US…
This Is WhyCan anything stop the ketamine crisis?
Incontinence and chronic pain are just some of the life-altering effects caused by heavy ketamine use – which is at record levels. The drug, used in clinical…
This Is WhyHistory Girls: How football came home... again
After claiming back-to-back European titles, the Lionesses are now the first senior England football side to win a major tournament away from home. The team…
This Is WhyWhy is Lucy Bronze the Lionesses' golden girl?
33-year-old defender Lucy Bronze has been at the heart of the England team for over a decade, with 140 caps so far. She played a crucial role in helping the…
This Is WhyDoctors strike – what's different this time?
The doctors' union, the British Medical Association, is calling for a pay rise of 29.2% to reverse "pay erosion" since 2008/09. The government has offered…
This Is WhyHow Ozzy Osbourne made Birmingham the birthplace of metal
Ozzy Osbourne made a musical genre. For millions of metal fans, Ozzy and Black Sabbath came up with the sound which influenced countless others. Heavy metal…
This Is WhyWhy are far-right white nationalists on the rise in the US?
Warning: This episode contains themes of racism and homophobia which listeners may find upsetting. No gays, no Jews, and definitely no non-whites. It’s…
This Is WhyDoes water's 'Great Stink' moment pass the sniff test?
A critical review into England and Wales's broken water system has been released - and it says we are in the midst of the "Great Stink" of the 21st century…
This Is WhyCan Lamine Yamal handle the heat of stardom?
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has been flagged as football's next superstar. At just 18-years-old, he has already helped Barcelona FC to success in the…
This Is WhyCan Tesla survive without Trump?
Elon Musk's Tesla faces the loss of billions of dollars in government subsidies, following his fallout with Donald Trump. This is after the president cut state…
This Is WhyShould the children of online sex offenders receive more support?
"John" is a convicted sex offender. "Ava" is his daughter. She was only told about her father's crimes weeks after his arrest. But the impact of those crimes…
This Is WhyWhy was the MoD data leak kept secret for 600 days?
It was a mistake that endangered thousands of people who had supported British forces in Afghanistan - and the Afghans' families. For the first time, the…
This Is WhyCan the BBC move on from its mess on Gaza?
The BBC breached its own editorial rules when it did not explain that a 13-year-old used to narrate a documentary about Gaza was, in fact, the son of a Hamas…
This Is WhyWhat’s the truth of The Salt Path?
It's the bestselling book that's in the middle of its own seismic plot twist. Raynor Winn's The Salt Path spent 85 weeks in The Sunday Times Bestsellers List…
This Is WhyDestroyed, dismantled or dangerous: Is Iran still a global threat?
A government report has warned that the threat of physical attacks by Iran on people living in the UK has increased "significantly" since 2022. Iran rejects…
This Is WhyThe fly-tippers turning trash into cash
If you've paid to have rubbish taken away from your home - where do you expect it to end up? A Sky News investigation has tracked down some of those behind the…
This Is WhyAnorexia, bankruptcy, suicide – how the Horizon IT system ruined lives
The public inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal has published its first report into what went wrong and how the victims should be properly compensated…
This Is WhyHow I reported the 7/7 bombings
On the morning of 7 July 2005, four suicide bombers targeted London's transport network. We now know that three bombs were detonated on the underground and an…
This Is WhyWhy does China care who the next Dalai Lama is?
The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is turning 90 and has confirmed - after years of uncertainty - that he will have a successor after his death and will not chose…
This Is WhyKush – the deadly drug wreaking havoc in West Africa
The synthetic drug kush, first seen in Sierra Leone in 2022, has now spread into much of West Africa while also evolving into an even more dangerous drug…
This Is WhyAll eyes on Gaza but what about Ukraine?
While the world’s gaze turned to the Middle East, Russia has pushed on with its summer offensive against Ukraine, ramping up attacks. Meanwhile, the US has…
This Is WhyHave the royal finances hit the buffers?
The King is bidding the "fondest of farewells" to the nine-carriage royal train said to be Queen Elizabeth II's favourite form of transport. The announcement…
This Is WhyWas there a hate crime at Glastonbury?
At their Glastonbury set on Saturday, punk-rap duo Bob Vylan's singer led chants of "death, death to the IDF". The chants have been labelled antisemitic by the…
This Is WhyGlastonbury: The Michael and Emily Eavis story
Around 200,000 music fans have descended on Worthy Farm in Somerset for this year's Glastonbury Festival. Days before this year's event began, its owner…
This Is WhyWhy weight loss jabs might not be a wonder drug
Recent years have seen the advent of weight loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy. They work by suppressing users' appetites, leading to weight loss…