Today in Focus The moment this year I’ll never forget
11 snips
Dec 22, 2025 
Guest
Angélique Chrysafis
Guest
Hannah Ellis-Peterson
Guest
John Reid
Guest
Oliver Lachland
Guest
Michael Safi
Michael Safi, a former presenter and current host of Guardian Investigates, shares touching stories from post-Assad Syria, highlighting moments of fleeting freedom in Damascus. Oliver Lachland, the Southern bureau chief, gives a stark account of the Alligator Alcatraz detention center and the protests against it. John Reid describes the vast, isolated Jabari Valley and its indigenous communities. Hannah Ellis-Peterson reports on the Kumbh Mela's immense scale and a tragic stampede, while Angélique Chrysafis recounts the emotional public response during a court appeal for justice.
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A Night Of Sudden Freedom In Damascus
- Michael Safi describes sitting in Cafe Al-Rawda in Damascus as people openly debated politics for the first time in decades.
- He remembers that month after Bashar al-Assad fell as a fleeting peak of freedom he will never forget.
Overflying The Javari And Missionary Tactics
- John Reid recalls flying over the Javari Valley and being stunned by the scale of rainforest and isolated peoples below.
- He highlights audio devices missionaries use to convert uncontacted groups and the long history of outside intrusion.
Mass Pilgrimage, Joy And Tragedy At Kumbh
- Hannah Ellis-Peterson describes the Kumbh Mela as perhaps one of the largest gatherings in human history with millions bathing in the sacred rivers.
- She recounts a crushing stampede on a holy day that killed dozens and raised questions about crowd safety and government promotion.