Gautam Malkani

The Guardian’s year-long Against the tide project followed young people aged 16 to 25 in 17 coastal towns across England and Wales, focusing on mental health, deprivation, education, employment and the gap between negative media stereotypes and residents’ lived experiences. Journalist Lisa Bachelor and photographer Polly Braden built long-term relationships with participants and worked with local organizations to support them. The project led to young people giving evidence to MPs, engagement from councils, opportunities with broadcasters and filmmakers, a touring photography exhibition, and plans to display material at railway stations. It also fostered connections among coastal communities and changed how the reporting team approaches collaborative journalism.

Tech journalists are increasingly reporting on the physical impacts of the AI industry as massive datacentres expand worldwide. Reporters describe investigating energy use, infrastructure feasibility, environmental effects and community tensions, often requiring on‑site visits and local interviews. The shift reflects growing public concern about the real‑world consequences of AI, including resource consumption, heat and noise pollution, and social harms linked to technology. Rising protests, regulatory debates and high‑profile cases have further pushed tech reporting into examining physical infrastructure and its effects on people and communities.

Guardian journalists and data specialists collaborated on an extensive investigation into private equity’s growing influence in the UK economy and public services. The team built a bespoke database of private equity‑controlled companies, traced ownership structures and validated information across multiple datasets. Reporters combined data analysis with whistleblower accounts and official inspections to highlight risks associated with opaque financing models and leveraged buyouts. Visual explainers helped clarify complex financial mechanisms for readers. The project underscored both the scale of private equity’s role in essential services and the importance of rigorous methodology, verification and public‑service journalism in examining its impact.

The resignation of Keir Starmer on the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote echoes the political turmoil that began with David Cameron’s departure in 2016. Former Guardian news editor Dan Sabbagh reflects on the shock and uncertainty that followed the referendum, noting how Brexit exposed deep national divisions, created unprepared political leadership, and marked a turning point in British political stability. He recalls the rapid pace of events, concerns over constitutional issues for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the emotional impact of Jo Cox’s murder. The interview highlights how disinformation, political polarisation, and unmet Brexit promises contributed to long-term dysfunction, turning Brexit into a defining faultline shaping a decade of resignations and instability.

An investigation by Guardian journalists reveals the deaths of at least 12 civilians, including eight children, in a US drone strike in Jamaame, Somalia, highlighting the challenges of reporting on covert military operations. Reporters Mark Townsend and Mohamed Gabobe reconstructed the event using survivor testimony, local contacts, imagery and expert analysis amid severe access restrictions and a lack of US government transparency. Their findings raise unresolved questions about targeting decisions and accountability, underscoring the broader issue of underreported civilian harm in US air campaigns and the difficulties journalists face when authorities refuse to disclose information.

The Guardian’s expanded sports team and product developers prepared extensive coverage for the largest-ever men’s World Cup, highlighted by the launch of the Bracketology game designed to explain the tournament’s complex structure to both newcomers and experts. Building the interactive tool required collaboration across more than 25 staff and included a circular design to represent the knockout rounds. The World Cup coverage also features a comprehensive interactive guide profiling all 1,248 players, produced through an international information-sharing model led by global contributors. Additional coverage includes new hires in the US, live Football Weekly shows, and the launch of an international version of the On the Ball puzzle game, all aimed at engaging a global audience through multiple entry points into the tournament.

Andrew Sparrow reflects on more than 15 years of political liveblogging for the Guardian, describing the balance between professional engagement with fast‑moving political crises and personal concern over the state of UK governance. He discusses the challenges of handling large document releases, the evolution of online political journalism, increasing polarisation driven by social media, and the constant scrutiny that comes with live reporting. Sparrow contrasts liveblogging with 24‑hour broadcast news, highlighting its value as a searchable record and its reliance on diverse commentary, which has become harder to source following changes to online platforms.

Collaboration across editorial, design, engineering and data teams produced a global poll of 100 greatest English-language novels, drawing votes from 172 authors, critics and academics. Interactive features such as vote breakdowns, personalised scoring tools and animated visual design helped drive millions of readers to engage with the list. Panel discussions and reader events further highlighted debates over rankings, omissions and accessibility, underscoring the Guardian’s role as a meeting place for passionate readers and writers.

Guardian staff outline actions taken over the past year to defend press freedom, from investigations into abuses in Russia and Gaza to coverage of the Ukraine war, US government crackdowns, and environmental lobbying by tech firms. Contributors describe efforts ranging from strengthening secure communication channels for whistleblowers to resisting legal intimidation and exposing political corruption. The piece underscores ongoing global threats to journalism and urges public support to sustain independent reporting.

The Guardian’s Abandoned Britain series explores deteriorating buildings across the UK through detailed reporting and evocative visuals, highlighting how neglected structures reveal broader social and cultural shifts. Writer Sam Wollaston focuses on individual sites such as a derelict Welsh church, a former Newport department store, and the decaying Hulme Hippodrome, using their histories and present conditions to illuminate themes of changing communities, loss of cultural spaces and the impact of economic decline. Designers and photographers employ layered imagery to blend past and present, enhancing the series’ emotional and atmospheric effect. Upcoming instalments will examine additional abandoned sites to further reflect contemporary Britain.