The Story

‘Baby brain’ is real. Increasing evidence suggests having kids causes big changes in our grey matter, and not always for the worse. Sunday Times science editor and frazzled father of two, explains.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Ben Spencer, Science Editor, Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producer: Emily Webb.

Further reading: How being a parent physically alters your brain (dads included)

Further listening: We need to talk about what motherhood does to women

Photo: Alamy/Sunday Times illustration

Get in touch: [email protected]  

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Nigel Farage has been accused of a ‘vindictive witch-hunt’ by a former Reform MP as part of a messy public row at the top of the party. Rupert Lowe was suspended by the party after allegations of workplace bullying and threats of violence, which he denies. What could this spat mean for the political prospects of the party that, just a few months ago, was riding high in the polls?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Geri Scott, Senior Political Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Taryn Siegel.

Clips: Sky News, Talk TV, GB News, Fire at Will podcast. 

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]   

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Is Europe sleepwalking into disaster? Russia watcher Keir Giles on the rising threat from Putin, NATO’s shaky future, and whether Europe is ready—or willing—to fight back.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House and author of Who Will Defend Europe?

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producer: Emily Webb.

Clips: CNN, Channel 4, DW, The Mirror, JD Vance (YouTube), ABC, The Telegraph, NBC, France 24.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]     

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published last November.

No sex, no babies, no marriage, no men. In 2018 a niche feminist movement started in South Korea as a reaction to the country’s entrenched misogyny. It pledged four ‘nos’ when it came to men. Now it's spreading on social media to America as young women rebel against Donald Trump's election. But how impactful will it be?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guests: 

• Chiara Brown, Commissioning Editor, The Times Luxury. 
• Meera Choi, Sociology Academic, Yale University.

Producer: Olivia Case.

Clips: TikTok / trump-supporters01 / Sigma Nu Fraternity, Karim Jovian / Nick Fuentes / YouTube, OFF TOPIC SHOW / Nick Funetes / YouTube, Nick Funetes / brutamerica / Instagram, realityreelclips / TikTok, The Washington Post / Access Hollywood, thetimes / TikTok, CBS, CNN, The News Movement, Inside Edition, Arirang News.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Keir Starmer focused on diplomacy over Ukraine, the political masterminds ask if the domestic agenda always has to suffer during major world events. When does a foreign conflict turn into a 'Falklands moment', and when does a leader get criticised for spending too much time globe-trotting?

Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo also ask how to stop a minister resigning - or how to let them do it at an advantageous moment.

Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has said he will make the US the crypto capital of the world, as investors and CEOs gather at the White House today for his government’s first crypto summit. On the agenda are plans to create a federal crypto reserve - the most important development in the industry since Bitcoin was created. So what actually is it - and what does it mean for the president’s own Trump coin? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times

Host: Luke Jones

Producer: Sam Chantarasak

Further reading: Cryptocurrencies rocket as Trump unveils US strategic reserve

Further listening: Why the price of gold is skyrocketing 

Clips: Bitcoin Magazine

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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So far this year, there have been multiple fatal plane crashes and near-misses in North America, leaving 87 dead. President Trump has blamed diversity initiatives, with no evidence. But experts point to a different problem, and have been ringing the alarm bells for years. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Charles Bremner, Foreign Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Further reading: Toronto plane crash blamed on ‘new’ co-pilot amid recruitment crisis

Further listening:  Elon Musk's 'hostile takeover' of Washington

Clips: KSDK News, USA Today, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Sky, ABC, Fox, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, The Daily / The New York Times, The White House / Sky, NBC, YouTube / blancolirio.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The self-proclaimed misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan arrived in the US last week, after the American government lobbied for the brothers to have a travel ban lifted. They are currently facing charges of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Romania, and are under investigation for rape and human trafficking in the UK. They deny all charges.

So why is the Trump administration helping them? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

If you've been affected by issues in this podcast:

Victim Support provides emotional and practical help to victims or witnesses of any crime, whether or not it has been reported to the police. Phone: 0808 16 89 111 (24/7) Visit the Victim Support website

Rape Crisis England & Wales offers confidential support and information to women in England and Wales who have survived any form of sexual violence, no matter how long ago. Also provides immediate support to friends and family on how to support female survivors of sexual violence. Phone: 0808 802 9999 (12–2:30pm & 7–9:30pm daily) Visit the Rape Crisis website

Guests: 

• Ali Mitib, News Reporter, The Times.
• Hugh Tomlinson, Washington Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times. 

Host: Jane Mulkerrins. 

Further reading: 

• Of course Andrew Tate went to Florida: it’s a Maga magnet
• Why the Trump team lobbied for Tate brothers’ return to the US

Further listening: Andrew Tate's malign online influence

Clips: Reuters, Anything Goes with James English, The White House, CBS News, Andrew and Tristan Tate. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People who once flooded north across the river between Guatemala and Mexico are trickling south again, their dream of reaching the US ended by President Trump's crackdown. What's it like having to turn back when you've given up everything for a new life in America?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Louise Callaghan, US Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Photo: Times Media Ltd.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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As the world comes to terms with the fallout from Friday night’s unprecedented Oval Office clash between President Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, what does it mean for the prospects of peace, and could this be the end of the established global order we've known for so long?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Ben Hoyle, Foreign Editor of The Sunday Times

Host: Manveen Rana

Further listening: The real reason Trump hates Zelensky

Clips: The Telegraph; CNN; MSNBC; NBC News; Forbes; Hindustan Times; WTHR; Al Jazeera

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]     

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in September 2024.

Zoe Blaskey, author of Motherkind, didn’t realise that she was unprepared for the huge psychological and physiological changes that motherhood brought. Now she’s spreading the word to other mothers. But why are we still not talking about this?

For expert advice and hands-on experience visit thetimes.com/parenting

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Zoe Blaskey, author of the book 'Motherkind' and host of the podcast 'Motherkind'

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Further listening: What two gay dads can teach fathers about parenting

Clips: Peanut and Motherkind, Motherkind podcast.

Photo: Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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We're welcoming a new political mastermind to the podcast this week - Sally Morgan has been a Labour insider since the days of Neil Kinnock and went on to be Tony Blair's right-hand woman in Downing Street, at his side for some of the biggest moments in recent political history.

She joins Polly, Danny and Hugo to discuss leaders who can tell jokes and those who can't, Liz Truss calling Britain a failed state, and whether anyone knows how to save the transatlantic relationship.

Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected]

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When James Coney's son Charlie missed milestone after milestone, he knew something wasn't right. It would take 12 years before one phone call would change their lives. They learned that, not only was there finally an answer, but Charlie's DNA had been used in a huge scientific breakthrough.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: James Coney, News Projects Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Photo: Times Media Ltd.

Get in touch: [email protected]   

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When Zelensky was elected president, Trump said he'd do a 'great job' then called him 'brave' for staying after the Russians invaded. But he's now termed his Ukrainian counterpart a 'dictator' and a 'moderately successful comedian.' But the story of their falling out didn't start with the war, so what are its origins and what does it mean for Ukraine's future?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Marc Bennetts, Foreign Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Further reading: ‘No minerals deal without security guarantees’, Kyiv says.

Further listening: ‘A lawlessness that’s deeply alarming’: William Hague on Trump’s new presidency.

Clips: CBS, Forbes, ABC, YouTube / CPAC, CSPAN, o-ye! / YouTube. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent weeks, Kanye West, now known as ‘Ye’, has pulled off a number of bizarre stunts, including antisemitic rants and an inexplicable Super Bowl advert. Just a few years ago, the controversial rapper was a billionaire entrepreneur being invited to the White House, but has he now reached the point of no return?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Blanca Schofield, Assistant Arts Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: CBS News, MTV, The New York Post, Grammys, All Falls Down/Kanye West ft. Syleena Johnson/Roc-A-Fella Records/Universal Music Group, Gold Digger/Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx/Roc-A-Fella Records/Universal Music Group, Love Lockdown/Kanye West/Roc-A-Fella Records, Power/Kanye West/Roc-A-Fella Records, MSNBC, NBC News, ABC News, TODAY, The Download With Justin Laboy, Good Morning America, Fox News and ABC 7 Chicago.

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]   

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since his election, Donald Trump has stunned the world with a series of moves that have upended the well-established post-war international order. He picked up the phone and brought Putin in from the cold, branded Zelensky a 'dictator' and suggested America will no longer continue to finance European defence. At this pivotal moment in history, Manveen Rana speaks to former foreign secretary, historian and Times columnist, Lord William Hague on why this marks the start of a new chapter and a much more dangerous period than we are used to living in.  

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Lord William Hague, former foreign secretary and Times columnist. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: Starmer must evoke Churchill to woo Trump

Further listening:  How the US signaled a new world order in 5 days

Clips: Sky News, The Times, Wall Street Journal.

Photo: Times illustration/Getty images.

Get in touch: [email protected]     

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year, 50 men were convicting of raping or sexually assaulting Gisèle Pelicot, including her husband who’d orchestrated the attacks. There was worldwide uproar and calls for changes to French rape laws. But with no imminent changes in sight, many of the rapists are appealing their sentences and at least six are already out of prison. So what's going on? And could any progress still come from this landmark case?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Katie Tarrant, News Reporter, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: Wives stand by Gisèle Pelicot rapists — and some of them are free already. 

Image: Nina Krause, The Sunday Times.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in April last year.

With young people in Britain and across the world increasingly reliant on smartphones, many teens now openly admitt they’re addicted to social media. Could an entire generation be suffering serious and irreversible damage? And is there anything we can do to reverse it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story 

Guest: Helen Rumbelow, Times Feature Writer and Columnist.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: NBC News, ITV News, Bloomberg Technology.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Holly and Lucy are joined by Kat Denham, champion champion for The Times and The Sunday Times, as they navigate the tricky world of bank accounts mishaps. From Frozen accounts, lost payments & dormant savings, Kat shares the best ways to protect yourself from losing money.

Contact Holly and Lucy: [email protected]

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Lord Maurice Glasman was the only Labour politician to be invited to Trump’s inauguration after striking up a friendship with JD Vance. So who is he and why is his 'Blue Labour' movement seen by Starmer's inner circle as the medicine to tackle the rise of Reform?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Patrick Maguire, Political Columnist, The Times and author of Get In:The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: To take on the right, will Labour go blue?

Clips: GB News, NBC, PBS, UnHerd, Together, ABC Australia, The Guardian.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British-Indian novelist Sir Salman Rushdie has faced his alleged attacker in court, after he was stabbed multiple times in 2022 during a public lecture in New York state. Hadi Matar, accused of assault and attempted murder, denies the charges. The author is no stranger to threats: in 1989, Iran's Supreme Leader called for his death, after deeming his novel The Satanic Verses blasphemous. Will this attack on Rushdie, a symbol of free speech himself, threaten freedom of expression?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Will Pavia, New York Correspondent, The Times.
• Robbie Millen, Literary Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Further reading: Salman Rushdie trial: I was dying, author says as he recounts attack

Clips: BBC News, WION, CNN, The Daily Show, Cream Cakes, American Express, CBC News, University of Vermont.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]     

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the United States and Russia seem to be hurtling towards a bilateral peace negotiation over Ukraine, European leaders gathered in Paris in an attempt to come up with their own response. With both Ukraine and Europe edged out of these discussions, is this the moment that the US rethinks its post-war alliances?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Newsweek, CBS News, The White House, WSJ News, Channel 4 News, Guardian News, The Associated Press.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year ago Times columnist James Marriott ditched his smartphone to escape the endless notifications from his apps. How has he managed without a device many of us feel is indispensable? And could it be a more desirable future?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: James Marriott, Columnist, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Further reading: I’m a digital native — can I survive without my smartphone?

Photo: Jude Edginton for The Times Magazine.

Get in touch: [email protected]   

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When Donald Trump took office, he appointed Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency - or DOGE - a new agency designed to radically slash federal costs. Since inauguration day Musk has done just that, laying off thousands of staff, freezing America's entire international aid programme and gaining access to the $6 trillion Treasury payments system. So what will the fallout be? And with an unelected official wielding such unprecedented power - and the courts fighting back - are we seeing the beginnings of a major constitutional crisis?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Hugh Tomlinson, Washington Reporter, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: Donald Trump lashes out as ‘political’ judges block his orders.

Further listening: Trump’s Gaza bombshell

Clips: Bloomberg, ABC News, Sky, The Guardian, Fox. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Official figures show that for the first time, people are leaving dating apps. So why the exodus? And could future apps - with AI and augmented reality - be any better at matchmaking?

This episode first ran on January 7 2025.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

Hannah Skelley, Fashion Writer and Stylist, The Times. 

Dr Liesel Sharabi, Associate Professor of Human Communication and Director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at Arizona State University.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: TikTok / aidenheaney, TikTok / hopeyoufindyourdad, TikTok / gaelaitor, TikTok / zoecsheehan, TikTok / drcatpsych, TikTok / louisohno.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Ahead of the Paris AI Action Summit, Katie and Danny are together in London for a special interview with the man who is synonymous with Artificial Intelligence - Sam Altman. He is the studio talking all things OpenAI, President Trump, Elon Musk, DeepSeek and the future of life and work.

Listen to Katie and Danny's follow-up to their interview with Sam Altman as they reflect on the conversation and Elon Musk’s bid for OpenAI, which came just hours after Altman left the studio.

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Bridget Jones is back in cinemas with her fourth outing Mad About the Boy, 24 years after her film debut. The messy heroine is the quintessential Gen X icon: too much booze, cigarettes, dodgy office romances and an obsession with the thigh gap. So why is she still winning over new fans decades later?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Ceci Browning, Assistant Literary Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Further reading:

• How Gen Z fell for Bridget Jones (by Ceci Browning, 24) 
• Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy review — our national treasure grows up 

Clips: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy/Universal Pictures, Bridget Jones’s Diary/Universal Pictures, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight/CBC, Barbie/Warner Bros. 

Photo: Universal Pictures. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump stunned the world and horrified his Arab allies when he proposed that the US should take over Gaza and rebuild it as the "riviera of the Middle East." But where did the idea come from and could it actually happen?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Josie Ensor, US correspondent, The Times

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: 

Clips: The Times, MSNBC, CNBC, Global News, The Guardian, Fox News, “America, Baby!” podcast

Photo: Kobby Barda, Israeli historian who shared an image of the plan for the reconstruction of Gaza City on social media.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

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The Times has unveiled a landmark survey of Generation Z. What are their attitudes towards modern Britain, sex, drugs and… mental health? 1 in 3 young people have sought help for their mental health and a growing number are on long-term sickness. So what’s going on?

If you or someone you know has been affected by suicide or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Lara Spirit, Red Box Editor, The Times.
• Tanya Marwaha, mental health campaigner and Beyond Youth board member.

Host: Luke Jones.

Further reading: Gen Zers on why they’ve turned to God: ‘It’s beautiful waiting for sex’

Get in touch: [email protected].

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When the closed steelworks in Corby, Northamptonshire, were being cleaned up ahead of redevelopment, trucks ferrying debris away from the site released poisonous dust into the air. Dozens of children born during this time had malformed limbs and other issues leading to a decades-long fight for justice. Now their story, which came to national attention via the Sunday Times, is finding a new audience - in Toxic Town a Netflix drama - and families hope it will help others to join the dots.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Further reading: Can Netflix bring justice to the town poisoned by dust?

Clips: Sky News, BBC.

Photo: Sunday Times illustration.

Get in touch: [email protected]  

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Have you - or someone you know - had a mobile phone snatched directly from your hand? It's a growing trend in London and other cities across the UK, as last Thursday, Met Police revealed they arrested 230 people and seized 1000 phones in just one week. So just who is behind this crimewave, and where exactly do the phones end up?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Dipesh Gadher, Home Affairs Correspondent, The Sunday Times.
• Louise Eccles, Early Years and Education Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Further reading:

• What really happens to your phone when it’s stolen 
• How your stolen iPhone ends up in one Chinese city market 

Further listening: What’s behind the rise in knife crime on our streets

Clips: LBC, Sun Kissed Bucket List, Nikolay Tanev, Sky News.

Photo: Metropolitan Police

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's Sunday Edition, we're looking back at this episode from March, diving into the fentanyl trade. This week, President Trump cited the fentanyl crisis in the US as his justification for threatening steep tariffs against Canada and Mexico. So how does fentanyl actually get into the US?

Fentanyl kills 200 people a day in America, a deadly epidemic felt throughout the country. We trace the journey of chemicals from China, to the drug labs of Mexico to the streets of the United States. Can the tide be stemmed?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guests:

• Stephen Gibbs, Latin America correspondent, The Times & The Sunday Times, and 
• Keiran Southern, West Coast correspondent, The Times & The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further listening: China’s deadly role in America’s fentanyl epidemic

Clips: CNBC, NBC News, ABC News, C-Span.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

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This week the political masterminds (and Hugo) are joined by Theo Bertram, who worked in Downing Street for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

After a new book by Times journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund sheds light on the inner workings of Keir Starmer's government, is chief of staff Morgan McSweeney actually in charge? And should a new YouGov/Times poll showing Reform UK ahead of Labour for the first time cause everyone to panic?

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On Tuesday, a panel of global medical experts convened a press conference. They said they had found a different cause of death in every baby Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering. So what did they find? And what might it mean for Letby's case?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: My research was misused to convict Lucy Letby — so I did my own inquiry.

Further listening: Why some experts are doubting Lucy Letby’s conviction.

Clips: Sky News, Telegraph.

Photo: Times Media Ltd.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Having implemented - then temporarily rescinded - tariffs on Canada and Mexico after both countries struck last-minute deals, Donald Trump now has his sights firmly focused on China. Following his announcement of a 10% tax on their imports to the US, China retaliated with their own. So what effect will this new trade war between the world’s two biggest economies have on China, the US and rest of the world? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Dr Linda Yueh, Economist, Oxford University and London Business School.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC, NBC, Fox 5 New York, The Independent, Business Today, Fox News.

Photo: CFOTO / Future Publishing via Getty.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having ruled the Chagos Islands since the 1800s, the UK now wants to cede sovereignty of the tiny archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. But one island is home to a secretive US military base and, with the growing threat of Chinese influence in the region, America is worried. Yesterday, the Mauritian PM said Sir Keir Starmer intends to “push ahead” with his deal - Whitehall suggested the same. But if it does happen, might it risk the relationship between Donald Trump and the British Prime Minister?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: George Grylls, Defence Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: Trump’s secretary of state warns UK of China’s ‘malign influence.’

Further listening: Bannon vs Musk: The battle for the soul of Donald Trump.

Clips: The Times and The Sunday Times, Reuters, parliamentlive.tv, The Guardian, Reuters.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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 In 2016, 24-year-old Gypsy-Rose Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in the US State of Missouri, for arranging the murder of her mother. Her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, had Munchausen syndrome by proxy - a rare form of abuse where she would convince doctors that her daughter was ill - leading to unnecessary treatment. The harrowing details of what Blanchard went through have made her a media sensation - but should we feel sympathy for her? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Katie Gatens, Deputy Editor of News Review, The Sunday Times.

Read Katie's full interview with Gypsy-Rose Blanchard 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: KY3 News, The Act/Hulu, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard/Lifetime, The Kardashians/Hulu.

Photo: Getty Images.

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‘ Like an HR manager, not a leader’. This is the description of Sir Keir Starmer from his closest and most influential aide, according to a new book by two Times journalists. It’s just one of the many insights uncovered by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund who lift the lid on the inner workings of the Labour Party and the power struggles behind the scenes.

If that’s what the prime minister’s people think of him, who’s really running the country?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Patrick Maguire, columnist, The Times.
• Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

For further insight - and more stories from behind the scenes, buy Get In The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer Times+ members get a 20% discount.

Clips: BBC, Labour Together, 5News, Channel 4 News.

Illustration: Russel Herneman, The Sunday Times.

Get in touch: [email protected]     

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Tomorrow Thames Water will be going to the High Court in London for the start of hearings to approve a restructuring plan for its debts. So we thought it might be worth a listen back to an episode we made last spring about how the company which leaks raw sewage into our rivers managed to rack up unsustainable levels of debt while also paying out dividends to shareholders. 

Warning: this podcast includes exclusive interviews from those brave enough to take a dip in The Thames.

Episode first broadcast on 28 May 2024.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: Dominic O’Connell, Business Presenter, Times Radio.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: 5 News, Sky News.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Mansey shares her first-hand account of a historic moment - witnessing the King become the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, marking the 80th anniversary of the concentration camp's liberation.

Roya and Kate also talk about the Princess of Wales's visit to Wales and her new role as patron of Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice in Wales, following in Diana's footsteps. And Princess Beatrice gives birth to a second baby. 

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nina Khrushcheva, great grand-daughter of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, and Professor of International Affairs at The New School in New York, says the West's response to Putin has strengthened him at home and abroad and warns against provoking him further.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Nina Khrushcheva, Professor of International Affairs, The New School, New York.

Host: William Hague.

Further listening: The underwater war against Russian sabotage.

Photo: Matthew Sussman / The New School.

Get in touch: [email protected].

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A Chinese rival to ChatGPT wiped $700 billion from the value of the world’s largest tech companies in just one day. DeepSeek claims its free, open-source model is more cost-effective and efficient than its American rivals calling into question the dominance of Silicon Valley. One tech baron has even called it a ''Sputnik moment" in reference to the time when Russia surprised the US by launching the first satellite into orbit - which began the space race.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana

Further listening: The Times Tech Podcast 

Clips: Fox News, NBC News, MSNBC, CNN

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]   

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Robert F Kennedy Jr. - President Trump's pick as health secretary - begins his confirmation hearings today. He's the man who coined the phrase 'Make America Healthy Again', but with a track record of conspiracy-led and anti-vaxx views, Washington has looked at his nomination with alarm. Still, his fight against Big Pharma and Big Food has been welcomed by an interesting cohort: a band of women calling themselves ‘crunchy moms.’

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Josie Ensor

Host: Luke Jones

Further reading: The ‘crunchy mom’ influencers embracing Maha

Further listening: Meet Robert Kennedy Jr: The US election wild card https://pod.fo/e/1ff482

Clips: Shawn Ryan Show podcast, ABC News, Fox News, TikTok/@momsacrossamerica, TikTok/@LivingwithBecca, Lex Fridman podcast, New York Post, CBS News, Club Random with Bill Maher, Joe Rogan Experience.

Photo: Ashley McCubbins/Southern Oaks & Co

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week a Russian spy ship was spotted off the coast of the UK. The Royal Navy was sent to closely monitor the vessel as it passed through British waters. It’s the latest in a series of incidents across Europe, some culminating in catastrophic damage to critical underwater cables. So what is Russia trying to achieve? And what are the UK and NATO doing about it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: George Grylls, Defence Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: Nato’s underwater war against Russian and Chinese cable-cutters

Clips: The Times and The Sunday Times, parliamentlive.tv, Bloomberg. 

Photo: Times Photographer Richard Pohle.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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It's that time of year again. The Sunday Times Tax List. So who made it to the top? And is there a bit of a dark side to the list this year?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Robert Watts, journalist, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Further reading: The Tax List 2025: the UK’s 100 biggest taxpayers revealed

Photo: Getty Images.

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Last weekend, The Sunday Times' Josh Glancy landed in Tel Aviv, after the ceasefire had just been announced. Israelis held their breath to see if it would hold, and if their loved ones would be the hostages released.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Taryn Siegel.

Photo: Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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For many, paying off a mortgage is one of their biggest financial goals. So, this week Holly and Lucy are joined by mortgage expert Sarah Tucker from The Mortgage Mum and Leigh Macfarlane, a content creator documenting her journey to becoming mortgage free. They share practical tips and strategies to make your dream of financial freedom a reality.

Contact: Lucy and Holly at: [email protected]

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When Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon labelled the new kid on the block, Elon Musk, as “racist” and “truly evil”, it hit the headlines. But what’s their feud really about? And what does it tell us about the two sides of President Donald Trump?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Oliver Bateman, journalist and historian.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: NBC, CNBC Television, CNN, CNN News-18, MSNBC, PBS, All-In Podcast, Sirius XM.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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For almost two years, two armies have fought a brutal civil war in Sudan, Africa’s third largest country. Over 150,000 have died, 11 million have been displaced and evidence of genocidal war crimes have emerged. So why has the war in Sudan been forgotten? The Times’ Special Correspondent Anthony Loyd has recently returned from a reporting trip on the frontline and tells The Story about the people he met. 

This episode includes descriptions of war and rape. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: BBC. 

Photo: Anthony Loyd/The Times. 

Watch Anthony’s video from Sudan

Further reading: Inside Sudan’s forgotten war: 150,000 dead, 11 million displaced

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to killing three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last July. But why wasn’t the 18 year old - who was referred to counter terrorism scheme Prevent three times - stopped before he could commit his crimes? And, as the Prime Minister warns of a new kind of terrorism, does Britain need to rethink its whole strategy around terror to prevent an attack like this happening again?

This podcast contains descriptions of violence.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Constance Kampfner, Northern Correspondent, The Times.
• Matt Dathan, Home Affairs Editor, The Times.

Read more:

• Axel Rudakubana: from class clown to killer
• Southport attack timeline: missed opportunities and misinformation

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: GB News, 10 Downing Street, UK Parliament.

Photo: Merseyside Police / PA.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Rachel Reeves travels to the World Economic Forum today to shore up support among CEOs and world leaders in Davos. The chancellor hopes to boost investment amidst volatile bond markets, borrowing costs hitting a 27-year high, and the prospect of Trump tariffs. But is the government heading for a Liz Truss-style crash? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Dominic O’Connell, Columnist, The Times, and Business Presenter, Times Radio. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: GB News, Sky News, NBC News, UK Parliament, BBC News. 

Photo: Times Design/Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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At 12pm ET today, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. To mark this historic occasion, we’ve gathered together two of our US experts from either side of the Atlantic – one who attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, and one who will be attending this one. What’s so different this time around?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times.
• Louise Callaghan, US Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Straight Arrow News, CNN, ABC News, NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, CNN.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Today we look back on one of our favourite episodes from the past few months: a deep dive into the economics of beauty, with Tom Whipple.

Do looks matter? Pulchronomics, the study of economics and beauty, says they do. But just how much impact does being attractive have on your love life, career and happiness? Are our fortunes really determined by our looks? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Times Poll: How attractive are you? Rate yourself out of five

Clips: Britain’s Got Talent ITV/Thames. 

Photo: Times Design, Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from the Tech Podcast from The Times.

The Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, joins the pod to discuss the British Government's 'AI Opportunities Action Plan' (and Elon Musk). Plus, a new guide the UK's fastest growing tech companies is revealed by The Times and Sunday Times, read all about it.

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There was widespread jubilation at the announcement that a deal had been reached between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu's government is still to formally approve the deal that would bring to an end 15 months of conflict. The deal includes the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. But how exactly will it work? And, more importantly, will it last?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Samer Al-Atrush, Middle East Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: The Times and The Sunday Times, Reuters, Times Radio, Al Jazeera, Parliamentlive.tv, Sky, CBS, BBC, @zakisolja / X.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Analysis of a decade’s worth of sentencing data across England and Wales between 2013 and 2023 has revealed a worrying uptick in knife crime nationwide. For the first time, the contents of more than 4.7 million lines of crime and sentencing data have been used by The Times to build profiles of fatal stabbing victims and offenders convicted of knife possession.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: David Woode, Crime Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: BBC 5Live, Sky News, ITV Anglia, X/@crimeLdn

Photo: Times Design.

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Tulip Siddiq, Labour’s anti-corruption minister, has resigned after reporting by the Sunday Times revealed that she resided in a series of properties bought by associates of her aunt, the now deposed leader of Bangladesh, who’s accused of siphoning off billions from the country. The journalist who followed the story all the way to Dhaka speaks to The Story.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, Channel 4 News, BBC News.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Further reading: Tulip Siddiq’s flyers found in palace of deposed Bangladesh leader

Get in touch: [email protected]

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As LA continues to battle its worst fires in history, the political blame game has started, with Donald Trump accusing California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, of caring more about fish than people. We’ll explain.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Megan Agnew, senior features writer (US), The Times.
• Jamie Hartman, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles, CA

Hosts: Luke Jones and Edith Rousselot

Clips: NBC News, NewsNation, CBS News, ABC 10, KTLA 5, The Tonight Show 

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Having made a multi-million dollar film together, Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are now trading muti-million dollar lawsuits over what did (or didn’t) happen on set and during the promotional tour for It Ends With Us. But what do court documents and private texts allege about Hollywood's dark arts? And like MeToo, could this be the start of another watershed moment triggered by Tinseltown?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Keiran Southern, West Coast Correspondent (US), The Times.
• Andrew Billen, Features Writer, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: It Ends With Us / Justin Baldoni / Sony / Columbia Pictures / Wayfarer Studios / Blake Lively, Entertainment Tonight, MsMojo, YouTube / @TheAmalaEkpunobi, YouTube / Megyn Kelly, The Hollywood Reporter, TikTok / @lovingsingle, YouTube / TED / Justin Baldoni, TikTok / justinbaldoni. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sunday Times’ investigative team, Insight, has combed through 6,000 top secret documents to piece together the story of multiple military and government cover ups into the murder of civilians during the Afghan conflict. Today, in part two, we hear about the methods used to stymie, block and obstruct the course of justice. 

This episode was originally published on 10 May 2024.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:

• Jonathan Calvert, Insight investigative team editor, The Sunday Times
• George Arbuthnott, Insight investigative team deputy editor, The Sunday Times. 

Read the full Insight investigation

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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This week the Times revealed that ministers are considering bringing back a retired military chief to lead the armed forces amid concerns the likely frontrunner, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, has been tainted by an independent inquiry into alleged unlawful activity by UK Special Forces in Afghanistan. Government sources stress that Jenkins has supported the inquiry.

Last year, The Sunday Times’ investigative team, Insight, combed through 6,000 top secret documents to piece together the story of multiple military and government cover ups into the murder of civilians during the Afghan conflict. Today, in part one, we hear about the senior special forces commander, codename N1466, who blew the whistle. 

This episode was originally published on 9 May 2024.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:

• Jonathan Calvert, Insight investigative team editor, The Sunday Times, and
• George Arbuthnott, Insight investigative team deputy editor, The Sunday Times. 

Read the full Insight investigation

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Military.com.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US president-elect has sparked a series of diplomatic rows after saying he was willing to use military or economic force to take control of Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada. How seriously should we take Donald Trump’s claims and where did they come from? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: NBC News, Fox News, ABC News, Reuters/TV2, France Inter Radio. 

Photo: Getty Images 

Further listening: Why Donald Trump courted the wrestling world

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Elon Musk has unleashed a huge political row in the UK over whether there should be a national inquiry into the gangs that groomed young girls for rape in a number of Britain's northern towns. But whilst the world's richest man accused the 'legacy media' of a cover-up, the scandal was actually exposed by Times journalist Andrew Norfolk. So how did he uncover the shocking story? And has enough been done to make sure it never happens again?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Andrew Norfolk, former Chief Investigations Reporter, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Image: The Times.

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Scroll through his latest posts on X and Elon Musk has a laser focus on UK politics. His main targets? Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips MP and their response to the country’s grooming scandal. He’s also blowing hot and cold on Reform UK. So what influence is the world’s richest man having on British politics? And why is he doing it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Aubrey Allegretti, Chief Political Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Sky News, Times Radio, Parliament, BBC, France 24.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Further listening: The political transformation of Elon Musk

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Official figures show that for the first time, people are leaving dating apps. So why the exodus? And could future apps - with AI and augmented reality - be any better at matchmaking?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Hannah Skelley, Fashion Writer and Stylist, The Times. 
• Dr Liesel Sharabi, Associate Professor of Human Communication and Director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at Arizona State University.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: TikTok / aidenheaney, TikTok / hopeyoufindyourdad, TikTok / gaelaitor, TikTok / zoecsheehan, TikTok / drcatpsych, TikTok / louisohno.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Linda McMahon, the wife of WWE’s founder Vince McMahon has just been nominated to be Donald Trump’s secretary for education. What’s behind Trump’s love affair with this staged ‘sport’?

The episode contains discussion of rape and sexual assault.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: WWE Youtube channel, PowerfulJRE Youtube channel.

Image credit: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Mee, a former cocaine trafficker who worked with the Cali Cartel, sits down to discuss how he built an illicit empire.

David Collins and executive producer Will Roe meet Stephen in his artist’s studio.

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Undercover in a gleaming world where nobody asks questions. 

David Collins follows the money trail through Dubai’s crowded gold souk to its luxurious office blocks.

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Drug money is carried out of the UK in suitcases carried by passengers travelling in luxury.

A cash mule tells David Collins about the brazen operation used to smuggle millions to Dubai.

This episode contains descriptions of suicidal thoughts. 

If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised, the following organisations can help:

Samaritans in the UK  - 24-hour helpline - 116 123

Lifeline in Australia - 24-hour helpline 13 11 14

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On the streets of northern England where chaos reigns among those doing the selling. 

David Collins spends time in Merseyside, speaking to people working in the retail arm of the cocaine business.

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Europe’s vast ports act as logistic hubs in a worldwide operation that relies on corruption and torture. 

In the Netherlands, Fiona Hamilton reveals the industrial scale of the cocaine business - and how it always leads to violence.

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As cocaine is smuggled out of South America it multiplies in value, driving people to extremes. 

Stephen Drill follows the trail to Mexico and uncovers how the numbers used by law enforcement do not add up.

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Where people fight and die in the coca plantations. 

In Colombia, Stephen Drill discovers how the international cocaine business starts, and the cost paid by everyone it touches.

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Between now and January 6th we will be playing the 2024 award-winning series, Cocaine Inc., from The Times, The Sunday Times and News Corp Australia. 

A brutal attack on an innocent young woman sends the reporters on a global investigation. 

David Collins visits Merseyside in northern England, where 26-year-old Elle Edwards was shot while celebrating Christmas Eve.

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The number of people with food allergies in the UK has more than doubled since 2008, with more than 5,000 people a year hospitalised in England with anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. So what’s behind the increase and are we close to a cure? 

Find out more about The Times and The Sunday Times Christmas Appeal 2024

Donate by calling 0151 286 1594 or by following this link.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times. 
• Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, Professor of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Read more:

• What to do if someone has an anaphylactic reaction
• Natasha died from her allergies — we do not want others to suffer

Photo: Getty images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Christmas Day, The Times' Investigations Editor, Dominic Kennedy, will spend his last working day at the paper having started back in 1993. To mark this, Dominic sits down with Luke to talk about his career in journalism and revisits three very unique and very different stories that he’s investigated over the past 31 years. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

If you've been affected by issues in this podcast:

• Victim Support provides emotional and practical help to victims or witnesses of any crime, whether or not it has been reported to the police. Phone: 0808 16 89 111 (24/7) Visit the Victim Support website
• If you or someone you know has been affected by suicide or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.

Further reading: 

• How the UK became ‘western capital’ for sharia courts
• ‘I feel like I have to pay ransom to get out of my marriage’

Guest: Dominic Kennedy, Investigations Editor, The Times.

Host: Luke Jones

Clips: Parliament TV, Times Radio.

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From Pennsylvania to New Jersey to Tennessee, The Times’ Megan Agnew spent three weeks on the Taylor Swift trail, discovering the origins of the supersonic star. How does someone go from teenage guitarist to pop phenomenon? Was her fame just luck and talent, or was there a master plan behind it all?

This episode was first broadcast on June 10th 2024.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Megan Agnew, Senior Features Writer, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Jane Mulkerrins.

Get in touch: [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story the first episode of our series Last Man Standing - the story of British photojournalist John Cantlie who was kidnapped in Syria by Islamic State in 2012. While his fellow hostages were released or murdered, he remained captive. Then, a series of Isis propaganda videos emerged, fronted by Cantlie. He hasn’t been seen since.

Times War Correspondent Anthony Loyd begins his investigation into John Cantlie's disappearance and explores the events of a prior kidnap asking what compelled John to return to Syria after his first escape.

Want more? Listen to the full series of Last Man Standing here.

This episode was first published on 24 June 2022.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Hosts: Manveen Rana and Anthony Loyd, War Correspondent, The Times.

Clips: BBC, 5Live, CNN, NBC, Broadcasting House (BBC Radio 4).

Listen to the whole series: Last Man Standing 

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Maher al-Assad is the youngest sibling of the deposed Syrian dictator. He’s also known as the ‘enforcer’, renowned for his brutal crackdowns on protesters, and his role in Syria’s murky drugs empire. Reporter Oliver Marsden visits his abandoned house on the outskirts of Damascus and uncovers a strange lair, complete with an underground funicular, an escape tunnel, and a Jennifer Lopez DVD.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Host: Manveen Rana

Guest: Oliver Marsden, foreign correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times

Clips: Sky News, France 24, 72 Films.

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has caused widespread alarm in defence and security circles, not only in the US but amongst America’s allies. But what are her views, and why are they proving so controversial?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Tom Newton Dunn, political journalist and presenter.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ABC News; Forbes; Tulsi Gabbard YouTube; Fox News; CNN; NBC News; The View (ABC); Nikki Haley YouTube.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rap mogul’s, whose real name is Shawn Carter, billion dollar empire is at risk after he was named in a civil lawsuit accusing him of raping a 13-year-old in 2000. Jay-Z was named alongside Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Both men strongly deny the claims. So how did Jay-Z become a giant of American culture?

If you've been affected by issues in this podcast:

Victim Support provides emotional and practical help to victims or witnesses of any crime, whether or not it has been reported to the police. Phone: 0808 16 89 111 (24/7) Visit the Victim Support website

Rape Crisis England & Wales offers confidential support and information to women in England and Wales who have survived any form of sexual violence, no matter how long ago. Also provides immediate support to friends and family on how to support female survivors of sexual violence. Phone: 0808 802 9999 (12–2:30pm & 7–9:30pm daily) Visit the Rape Crisis website

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Craig McLean, freelance arts journalist and contributor to The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Further listening: The P Diddy lawsuits: The downfall of a rap legend 

Read more: Jay-Z, Beyoncé and a billion-dollar hip-hop empire in jeopardy 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: On The Red Carpet, Forbes, CBS, NBC News, CNN, UNICEF, MTV, BBC News, BBC Glastonbury. 

Music clips: 

Brooklyn’s Finest, JAY-Z, ℗ 1996 S. Carter Enterprises, LLC., Distributed by Equity Distribution, Roc-A-Fella.

Izzo (H.O.V.A.), JAY-Z, ℗ 2001 S. Carter Enterprises, LLC., Universal Music Group.

Dead Presidents II, JAY-Z, ℗ 1996 S. Carter Enterprises, LLC., Distributed by Equity Distribution, Roc-A-Fella.

Empire State Of Mind, JAY-Z ft. Alicia Keys, © 2014 S. Carter Enterprises, LLC., Distributed by Roc Nation Records, LLC. 

Sorry, Beyoncé, ℗ 2016 Parkwood Entertainment LLC, under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a Division of Sony Music Entertainment, Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia. 

Photo: Getty Images 

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Prince Andrew has now "ceased all contact" with an alleged spy working on behalf of China's shadowy United Front Work Department. But their relationship has raised questions about how the 'desperate' prince pays for his lifestyle and whether he inadvertently enabled the Chinese state to infiltrate the British royal family.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Kate Mansey, Assistant Editor & Royal Editor, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC; Sky News Australia.

Photo: Pitch@Palace. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Security services have issued an unprecedented warning about a shadowy Russian military unit accused of carrying out assassinations and cyberattacks on the streets of Britain. So as the government ramps up its defence against the threat from the Kremlin, what exactly is Unit 29155? And why is it targeting the West?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Fiona Hamilton, Chief Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Reuters, OnDemand News, Sky News, BBC News, Channel 4 News, RT, CBS News, Independent.

Photo: Getty Images/Times Illustration

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2024.

Millions of social media users are flocking to follow the Trad Wives: stay-at-home mothers who champion a life making meals from scratch and serving their husband’s and children’s every need. Our reporter goes to meet the woman behind the most popular account: Hannah Neeleman of Ballerina Farm. Is she selling a feminist dream or an unattainable lifestyle?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Megan Agnew, Senior Features Writer, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: TikTok/esteecwilliams, TikTok/naraazizasmith, TikTok/ballerinafarm, ABC News. 

Get in touch:  [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nearly a week on the run, Luigi Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania for the murder of health insurance CEO, Brian Thompson. But in a macabre twist, Mangione has found widespread support on social media, which has dubbed him the ‘hot assassin’. Why?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Host: Luke Jones.

Guest: Sam Lovett, US reporter, The Times.

Clips: The Daily Show, ABC7 News, Fox11 News, TikTok/xyathanchekass, TikTok/dpshw, TikTok/imcodyjacob, other TikToks, Edith finding sources

Further reading: ‘The hot assassin’: how the internet became obsessed with Luigi Mangione

Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/AP.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Kim Darroch is the former UK ambassador to the USA and worked with Trump for two years during the President’s first term. So how should the UK deal with Trump 2.0? And as our former National Security Advisor - before his Washington post - how will the UK government be reducing the terrorism threat from Syria, and balancing trade opportunities versus security issues when it comes to China.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Host: William Hague.

Guest: Sir Kim Darroch, former UK Ambassador to the USA and former National Security Advisor.

Image credit: The Times / Tom Jackson.

Further listening: Putin’s ‘nuclear blackmail’

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Healthier, eco-friendly, altogether virtuous. This may be how we think of milk alternatives but new research is calling into question the ‘plant-based milk myth’. So what’s the truth? How good for you - and the environment - is your oat milk flat white?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guest: Libby Galvin, writer, The Times.

Further reading: How good is your milk (for you and for the environment)?

Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a new leadership emerges in Syria, disparate groups remain in control of different parts of the country. In the midst of the fluctuating situation, what dangers might return?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Mark Urban, Writer and Columnist, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: BBC News, AP, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, CNN.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity when her husband - and dozens of other men - were charged with raping and sexually assaulting her. Her decision allowed journalists to cover the trial in full and made her a feminist icon in France. But as we await the final verdicts and sentencing, what does the case tell us about French attitudes to rape? And with the French government promising change, will this be a watershed moment? 

The episode contains discussion of rape and sexual assault. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

If you've been affected by anything you've heard in this episode or need help or support around issues involving sexual assault, you can contact womensaid.org.uk or malesurvivor.co.uk. You can also call Refuge's 24-hour freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guests:

• Constance Kampfner, Northern Correspondent, The Times.
• Katie Tarrant, News Reporter, The Sunday Times.

Clips: Euronews, The Times, France24, Paris Match, Channel 4, BBC, Forbes.

Image credit: Getty Images.

Further reading:

• A disturbing encounter with one of Gisèle Pelicot’s 50 alleged rapists.
• I sat in court at the Gisèle Pelicot rape trial. This is what I saw

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, No 10 confirmed it wouldn’t stand in the way of a deal to return the Elgin Marbles to their original home in Athens. The comments came after a meeting between Keir Starmer and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Our former host David Aaronovitch spoke to classicist and British Museum trustee Dame Mary Beard about how the Parthenon sculptures ended up in the UK 200 years ago.

This episode was first broadcast on 5 December 2022.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guests:

- Dame Mary Beard, classicist.

- David Sanderson, Arts Correspondent, The Times.

With thanks to The British Museum.

Host: David Aaronovitch.

Clips: Channel 4 News, Times Radio, Reuters, CBC News, BBC World Service, Al Jazeera, ITV Good Morning Britain, LBC, UK Parliament, LSE.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode of our fellow Times podcast How To Win An Election.

The prime minister wants to blame the last government for leaving the economy in a mess, just like David Cameron did in 2010 - but is the strategy working, and for how long?

The political masterminds - and Hugo - discuss the whether voters will reward Starmer for being sensible, whether he should be more like Harold Wilson, and whether any Western government can get to grips with migration.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

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Nightclubs are closing their doors at an alarming rate. Research by The Night Time Industries Association shows that as many as three clubs a week have closed since 2020. Our journalist went to Manchester to find out why they’re struggling - but is the underground clubbing scene really as threatened as it might seem? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Katie Gatens, Deputy Editor of News Review, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Saturday Night Live/NBC.

Photo: Joel Goodman for The Sunday Times

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With wars raging in Israel and Lebanon, no one was watching neighbouring Syria. Until an alliance of rebel forces launched an astonishing offensive a week ago, sweeping the north and taking the prized city of Aleppo. But who are they, who backs them, and why now?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guest: Mark Urban, Writer and Columnist, The Sunday Times.

Clips: Channel 4 News, SkyNews, ABC News, The Telegraph.

Image credit: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Australia became the first country to block under 16s from social media. Age verification AI could be a crucial tool in the ban, so we spoke to our journalist who has been to the industry-leader’s HQ to find out if the technology actually works. And we ask, could the UK follow suit? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Mark Sellman, Technology Correspondent, The Times.
• Helen Rumbelow, Feature Writer, The Times. 

Read Helen’s report: Can AI tell if a teen lies about their age?

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ABC News, 10 News First Australia, BBC Radio 4. 

Photo: Getty Images

Further listening: The myth of the X exodus 

The Times and The Sunday Times starter pack on Bluesky

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gregg Wallace, the presenter of one of the BBC's most popular programmes 'MasterChef' has stepped back from the show while allegations of historical misconduct are investigated. Over the weekend, he said complaints came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age” - a comment he has now apologised for. His lawyers say he denies behaviour of a sexually harassing nature but as the BBC faces pressure to pull the programme from the schedules, and even Downing Street has waded in, what now for the presenter - and for the BBC?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC, Gregg Wallace, Times Radio.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It started two years ago, when Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X. People fled the social media platform, citing a change in the algorithm and concerns over the unchecked spread of misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech. Following the US election and Musk's appointment to Donald Trump's team, millions more have departed - including The Guardian newspaper. So, does this signal a sea change in our social media habits? Or is this just a momentary tiff?  

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Danny Fortson, US West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: CNN, MSNBC, NBC News, TalkTV.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ireland went to the polls in a general election where for the first time in the history of the republic, immigration was among the leading issues in voters’ minds as they cast their ballots. In August we looked at the rise of a new political movement in Ireland, inspired by American far-right groups and fuelled by anger over immigration.

This episode was first broadcast on 20 August 2024.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: John Mooney, Investigative Reporter, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana

Further listening: Inside the Kinahan crime cartel and their €1 billion empire

Clips: Gript Media, Irish Mirror, Cllr Gavin Pepper, RTE News, Irish Times, Euronews, The National Party — An Páirtí Náisiúnta, Tucker Carlson, , 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from Off Air with Jane & Fi podcast from The Times.

General David Petraeus, former director of the CIA, discusses global security, amongst many other things...

If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram! @janeandfi

Podcast Producer: Eve Salusbury

Executive Producer: Rosie Cutler

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Observers of Britain today might think of it as a more meritocratic and socially equal society than ever before. But, while the narratives have certainly moved on, the elites who run the political, economic and cultural life of the country remain much the same.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Sam Friedman, sociologist and co-author of “Born To Rule: The Making and Remaking of the British Elite.”

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: BBC.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tomorrow, MPs will vote on a Bill that, if passed, would allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live the right to take their own lives - a radical departure from the status quo. The debate has split parliament and the public. So, is it a kindness or the beginning of a dangerous and slippery slope?

If you or someone you know has been affected by suicide, support and advice can be found with the Samaritans or SANE. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: 

• Mark Mardell, broadcaster and writer, Movers and Shakers podcast and assisted dying correspondent, Prospect.
• Kaya Burgess, science reporter and religious affairs correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, ITV News, Two Women Chatting. 

Photo: Getty Images/Times illustration 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With six backpackers dead from suspected methanol poisoning, how did the remote town of Vang Vieng become the go-to destination for gap year hedonism, and will anything be done to close down the bars selling mushrooms, moonshine and opium?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor, The Times and the Sunday Times
• Alasdair Gill, chef and journalist.

Host: Manveen Rana

Clips: Lucy Davidson/TikTok; 10 News First.

Photo: Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sept 12, 2001, Blerim Skoro was approached by a man and a woman while he was in prison. They turned out to be CIA agents. That one meeting would change the course of his life and lead him on a journey across countries, inside terrorist groups, as he tried to make it home to his family.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Josie Ensor, US Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Video filmed by Blerim Skoro, provided by ‘The Accidental Spy’, directed by Anthony Wonke.

Photo: John Beck for The Times.

Further reading: I gave my life to the CIA. They betrayed me

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past eight years, Sunday Times chief political commentator, Tim Shipman has written the story of British politics. From Brexit to backstops, deals to no deals, political self-harm to prorogation, economic meltdowns to an election. He takes us on a quick tour of the last part of his quartet which has covered our mad political life. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Tim Shipman, Chief Political Commentator, The Sunday Times and author of Out

Host: Luke Jones

Photo: Illustration by Morten Morland. 

Further listening: Tim Shipman on the tears, plots and mating porcupines of Brexit  

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, over four years later, a report from the Charity commission concluded that Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter and her husband had committed “serious” misconduct and had gained “significant” financial benefit from links to that charity. The report said that it had not seen evidence of a crime committed by the couple. The family say "that there has never been any misappropriation of funds or unauthorised payments from the charity’s bank account, by any member of our family.

Last year, Manveen spoke to Times social affairs editor James Beal about the whole affair. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: TalkTV, Times Radio, BBC News, ITV News, 5 News, You’ll Never Walk Alone/Captain Tom Moore, Michael Ball, and The NHS Voices of Care Choir/UMG. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story.

In this special episode of Planet Hope we reflect on the insights shared in the series about the future of our planet from the individuals finding solutions to the challenges we face - the explorers, naturalists and conservationists who are ensuring a brighter future for Planet Earth.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative.

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The decision by the US to allow Ukraine to launch western long-range missiles into Russia has provoked a furious reaction from Moscow, and pushed tensions with Ukraine’s western backers even higher. In response, the Kremlin has updated its military doctrine to lower the threshold for using nuclear weapons, provoking fears of a new Cold War, or even a nuclear confrontation. How worried should we be?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Edward Lucas, Times columnist and Senior Vice-President at the Centre for European Policy Analysis
• Lt Gen Ben Hodges (US Army, Ret’d), Former Commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe

Host: Manveen Rana

Clips: Times Radio; BTTV; US DoD/RAND; PBS

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over ten thousand farmers marched on Westminster this week, protesting changes to inheritance tax. But does the government’s new policy mean the end of family farms or is it a sensible move that only targets the richest landowners? And as nearly 60% of the food we eat in the UK is home grown, if the farmers escalate their protest, and refuse to let food off their farms, what could it mean for your fridge and the nation’s food security? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guests:

• Olly Harrison, Farmer and co-owner of T&O Harrison farm.
• Will Humphries, Southwest and Countryside Correspondent for The Times.

Clips: Parliamentlive.tv, BBC, Olly Harrison / YouTube, Reuters.

Image credit: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As inquiries about relocating to the Emirati city from the UK have risen four-fold in the past five years; what does its allure say about life back home?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Further reading: Dubai’s allure to UK youth should raise alarm

• https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/allure-dubai-uk-youth-raise-alarm-xq7s8d8sg

Get in touch: [email protected]

Guest: Will Lloyd, reporter at The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Photo: Getty images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government should treat ultra-processed foods like cigarettes and alcohol - and bring in higher taxes on the companies that make them, says Professor Tim Spector. Labour has declared war on junk food as part of a drive to save the NHS by shifting from "sickness to prevention" but with our love of unhealthy eating costing us an estimated £286bn a year - will it be bold enough?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Host: Luke Jones.

Guest: Tim Spector, Professor of Epidemiology and co-founder of science and nutrition company ZOE. 

Clips: British Government / OstreFoczki / YouTube / Huntley Archives, BBC, Channel 4.

Image credit: Getty Images.

Further listening: The new science of ageing and the quest to live forever

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No sex, no babies, no marriage, no men. In 2018 a niche feminist movement started in South Korea as a reaction to the country’s entrenched misogyny. It pledged four ‘nos’ when it came to men. Now it's spreading on social media to America as young women rebel against Donald Trump's election. But how impactful will it be?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guests: 

• Chiara Brown, Commissioning Editor, The Times Luxury. 
• Meera Choi, Sociology Academic, Yale University.

Clips: TikTok / trump-supporters01 / Sigma Nu Fraternity, Karim Jovian / Nick Fuentes / YouTube, OFF TOPIC SHOW / Nick Funetes / YouTube, Nick Funetes / brutamerica / Instagram, realityreelclips / TikTok, The Washington Post / Access Hollywood, thetimes / TikTok, CBS, CNN, The News Movement, Inside Edition, Arirang News.

Image credit: Getty Images

Further listening: Are dating apps running out of steam?

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the health secretary has urged people to “think very carefully” before flying overseas for plastic surgery as the NHS is left to “pick up the pieces". Medical tourism to Turkey for ‘Brazilian butt lifts’ and liposuction is surging despite the risks. Our correspondent goes undercover to expose the firms recruiting customers in London.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory 

Guest: Charlotte Wace, Special Projects Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: [email protected] / [email protected]

Photo: Getty images.

Clips: ITV, Talk TV.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The election of Donald Trump has raised serious questions about the flow of American funds and weapons to Ukraine's forces. So what is the mood in Kyiv and on the front line, and might some form of peace be on the horizon?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana

Clips: The Times & Sunday Times; ABC News (US); BBC News; CBS News; Channel 4 News; The Straits Times; Fox News; NBC News.

Photo: Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned after being accused of mishandling abuse allegations against a man described as the “most prolific serial abuser” in church history. So what did the Archbishop know when? What fateful decision led to his downfall? And where does his departure leave the Anglican church - and the victims affected by abuse?

If you or someone you know has been affected by sibling sexual abuse, support and advice can be found with the Samaritans or The National Association for People Abused in Childhood.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Kaya Burgess, Religious Affairs Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Channel 4 News, BBC News.

Photo: Getty Images 

Further reading: Why did Justin Welby resign? The fateful decision that led to downfall 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has started to appoint key figures to his new administration, and one of the early picks is Tom Homan - his new ‘border tsar’. The president-elect says he wants to remove all 20 million people thought to be in America illegally. So how does he plan to do this, and what might the economic impact be?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Louise Callaghan, Senior US Correspondent, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Further reading: Tom Homan, the man who will ‘send in the troops’ to tackle migration

Clips: Bloomberg, Fox News, CBC, Fox Business, Sky News, NBC News.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you get a decent night’s rest regularly, you’re likely to be slimmer, happier and healthier. But with research suggesting that the more we think and worry about our sleep, the worse it gets, is it time to throw away our sleep-trackers and unfollow the TikTok ‘sleepfluencers’?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Further reading: How to get a good night's sleep - and why you're not.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guest: Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times.

Clips: TikTok / milaandmike, TikTok / justin_agustin, TikTok / anastazia, TikTok / thesleepdoctor, TikTok / valerieribon, TikTok / alishaxnourie, TikTok / marjmaroket, TikTok / hanbanan.fit, TikTok / melfyx.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For weeks, we were told the polls were too close to call. But when the votes were counted, the Democrats lost every single swing state - and the popular vote too. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker and Democrat party grandee has blamed President Biden for Donald Trump winning the White House as a Democrat blame game intensifies. So how did it all go so wrong for the Harris campaign? And what does her party need to do to reconnect with middle America?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Christopher Hale, Democratic consultant and strategist.
• Nick Hanauer, tech entrepreneur and political economist.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Megyn Kelly; The View/ABC; NBC News; Instagram/realdonaldtrump; CNN; Votolatino; Newsnation; Hindustan Times; Al Jazeera English.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from our sister podcast, The Royals with Roya and Kate. They have been in South Africa covering Prince William’s Earthshot Prize awards ceremony. Speaking afterwards, the Prince of Wales described the last year as “dreadful”, “brutal”, and “probably the hardest year of my life”.

Host: 

• Roya Nikkhah, Royal Editor, The Sunday Times.
• Kate Mansey, Assistant Editor, The Times.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk has aggressively backed Donald Trump in the US election, raising questions about whether he may be part of Donald Trump's new administration. But what has led the one-time political liberal to come out in support of the president-elect and a raft of conservative causes? This weekend, we revisit an episode from August, looking at how the billionaire Tesla and X owner became politically involved.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory  

This episode was first published on 15th August 2024.

Guest: James Ball, tech journalist and author.  

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: X.com/Kamala Harris AI generated audio.   

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do looks matter? Pulchronomics, the study of economics and beauty, says they do. But just how much impact does being attractive have on your love life, career and happiness? Are our fortunes really determined by our looks? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Times Poll: How attractive are you? Rate yourself out of five

Clips: Britain’s Got Talent ITV/Thames. 

Photo: Times Design, Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Donald Trump has stormed to victory, so what does his vision for the future of the US look like? Who will he take into the White House with him? And will his hard-talking rhetoric meet reality?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: Middle East Eye, CNN, Forbes, ABC News.

Photo: Getty Images.

Further reading:

Who will be in Trump’s cabinet? From ex-rivals to golf partners

What a Trump presidency means for Ukraine, Middle East, Europe and Asia

The Times website will be free to read until midnight on Thursday 7th November.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After two years of campaigning, Americans have cast their votes, with Trump riding a growing wave of momentum. This is how the night unfolded.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Tom Newton-Dunn, covering the US election for The Times.
• Louise Callaghan, US Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.
• Alistair Dawber, Washington Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.
• Tom Calver, Data Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: NBC News, Fox News, PBS News, CNN.

Photo: Getty Images/Times Illustration

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An investigation by the Sunday Times’ Insight team has revealed for the first time the extensive property empires of the King and Prince of Wales. The information includes details of the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall’s business deals with the NHS, schools and military that help fund the royals.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Jonathan Calvert, Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.
• George Arbuthnott, Insight Deputy Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: Channel 4, Parliament.

Photo: Getty Images/Times illustration.

Further listening: The SAS murders and the conspiracy to cover them up and Cash for places: The backdoor for overseas students into Britain's top universities

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch grew up in Nigeria and - as the state failed - was forced to complete her homework by candlelight. So how has that shaped her politically? What are her policies and can she resurrect the Tories and mount a challenge against the twin threats of Labour and Reform?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Host: Luke Jones.

Guests:

• Janice Turner, Columist and Interviewer, The Times.
• Daniel Finkelstein, Contributor, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Clips: The Conservative Party, BBC, Sky, Times Radio.

Image credit: Getty

Further listening: What happens if the American election is a tie?

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As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from the new Money Podcast from The Times. Rachel Reeves’ first budget raised taxes by more than expected, borrowed more than predicted, and brought higher taxes on employers than forecast. But now, Holly is at hand with a podcast pick-me-up! It is time to get down to brass tacks as she is joined by experts whose job is to help you understand money better.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Chris Etherington, tax analyst.
• Tom McPhail, pensions expert.
• Jo Noble, Money Editor, The Times and Sunday Times.

Host: Holly Mead, Deputy Money Editor, The Times and Sunday Times. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off tonight in their first TV debate, it’s more than just a political showdown - it's a battle of the sexes. The polls are too close to call with women heavily favouring Harris, while men lean towards Trump. Could the hot-button topic of abortion prove the issue that shifts the electoral balance?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Sarah Baxter, former Deputy Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Further listening: Why tech billionaires are backing Trump

Further reading: Why Donald Trump is suddenly talking about cocaine

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: NBC, Fox, AP Archive.

This episode was first published in September 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As polling day approaches, fears are growing that the result will not be accepted by the losing side. The potential consequences range from election denialism to violence, and even civil war.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Tom Newton Dunn, covering the US election for The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: MSNBC, CBS, New York Post, NBC News.

Photo: Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has raised taxes by £40 billion in the first Labour budget in fourteen years. Does it ‘fix the foundations’ or does it punish ‘working people’?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: David Smith, Economics Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: Parliament live. 

Photo: Times Photographer Richard Pohle. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The One Direction star is alleged to have died with a substance known as ‘pink cocaine’ in his system. This popular, dangerous high could mark a new phase in the world of drugs. So what is it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Host: Luke Jones.

Guest: Kate Spicer, Writer, The Times. Substack: https://katespicer.substack.com/

Clips: E! News, Virgin Radio, ABC7 News.

Further reading: Liam Payne, drugs and the rise of pink cocaine.

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Kamala Harris’ campaign is pulling out all the stops to woo black and Latino Americans, over concerns that voters from these groups are signalling their support for Donald Trump in record numbers. Polling suggests some of the Democrat’s core base will peel away to vote Republican in this election – so what’s Trump’s appeal? And could their votes decide the election?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Tom Newton Dunn, covering the US election for The Times. 

Read Tom’s reporting:

• Can Kamala Harris win back Arab-American voters lost to Gaza?

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: Kamala Harris, Univision Noticias, Washington Post. 

Photo: Getty Images 

Further listening: 

• Why tech billionaires are backing Trump 
• What happens if the American election is a tie? 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• When Sean O’Neill’s daughter Maeve died aged 27 from malnutrition caused by severe ME - myalgic encephalomyelitis - he faced years of waiting for an inquest to find out why the system failed her. That inquest has just ended, but will its ground-breaking conclusion change things for the hundreds of thousands of ME sufferers in the UK?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Information and helpline services for ME are available at Action for ME and The ME Association.

Further reading:

• My daughter died of ME. I had to fight the NHS for answers
• A scandal waiting for its Post Office moment

Guest: Sean O’Neill, Maeve Boothby O’Neill’s father and Senior Writer, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Image credit: O'Neill family.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from the new Tech Podcast from The Times. Presenters Katie Prescott and Danny Fortson are joined by Microsoft boss Satya Nadella. On a whistle-stop AI tour of the world and in his only UK interview this year - this exclusive conversation with Satya Nadella covers the dangers, pitfalls and growth of AI.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Satya Nadella, Chairman and Chief Executive, Microsoft.

Hosts:

• Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times. 
• Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former first lady’s new ‘tell all’ memoir addresses everything from her nude modelling and her husband’s policies to her surprising stance on abortion. But why is she doing it now — and will it help or hinder Donald Trump’s presidential campaign?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: Josie Ensor, US Correspondent, The Times.  

Host: Luke Jones. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: Fox News, CBS, ABC, CNN, X.com/@melaniatrump. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Rivals' hit our TV screens this month; it’s the first adaptation of a Jilly Cooper ‘bonkbuster,’ the 87 year old Dame who taught a generation about sex and posh people. Her uber-popular romance novels sell in their millions, so what’s behind her popularity (aside from all the bonking) and how is she changing how we see, and show, sex.

This podcast contains lots and lots of talk about sex and other themes of an adult nature.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: Sarah Ditum, writer, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones

Clips: Rivals / Jilly Cooper / Elliot Hegarty / Happy Prince / Disney+; ITV; BBC; Addicted To Love / Robert Palmer / Bernard Edwards / Island. 

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Image credit: Robert Viglasky / Disney / PA

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When news dropped that a member of Ireland’s parliament was a suspected Russian agent, chaos ensued in the Irish parliament as politicians stood up to declare it wasn’t them. Today we hear from John Mooney, The Sunday Times investigative reporter who broke the story, on why Russia sees Ireland as Europe’s ‘Trojan horse’.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: John Mooney, investigative reporter, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: RTÉ News, RTÉ Radio.

Photo: Illustration by James Cowen.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anger is building on both sides after a Met police officer was found not guilty of the murder of an unarmed black man. Chris Kaba was shot dead in 2022, but The Times can now reveal Kaba’s alleged involvement in a gang shooting just days before he was killed. What does the verdict mean for policing?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: David Woode, crime correspondent, The Times.

Read David’s reporting:

• Inside Chris Kaba’s criminal past: from knives at 13 to gangland guns
• What happened to Chris Kaba? The ‘chaotic’ night he was shot

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: The Times, Sky News, The Guardian, Channel 4 News, Bruk It/Itch (67)/Prod. QUIETPVCKxBKayBeats/SBTV: Music, Numerous Times/67 (R6xSTxItch)/Prod. Carbs Hill/Link Up TV.

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Israel released pictures of an underground bunker, furnished with flat screen TV and a hot shower. It was the place where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had lived with his wife and children until he was killed by the IDF. So, how was he tracked down and what does his death mean for the conflict in Gaza?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: George Grylls, Defence and Political Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: CBS, Sky News, ABC, Al Jazeera.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One tiny ‘blue dot’ in Omaha, Nebraska could result in a tie between Trump and Harris. Why? And what happens then to decide who wins?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: Tom Newton Dunn, Broadcaster and Journalist. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Clips: News 5 Cleveland, News4JAX, KGW News, 

Photo: Getty Images

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has announced a five-year trial of the weight-loss drug Mounjaro to consider whether its use could reduce unemployment and relieve pressure on the NHS. So this weekend, we revisit an episode from last year looking at another weight loss drug that’s already been approved for use by clinically obese individuals in the UK. But is an injection our best option for tackling obesity?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guests: 

·        Charlotte Ivers, Staff Writer, The Sunday Times. 

·        Dr Amir Khan, NHS GP and Broadcaster.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Article: How celebrities’ favourite drug Ozempic made Denmark enormously rich.

Clips: Global News Canada, CBS, E News.

Get in touch: [email protected]

This episode was first published in September 2023.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from the new Tech Podcast from The Times. Presenters Katie Prescott and Danny Fortson are joined by Al Gore, former US Vice-President and now an environmental activist, as they discuss Artificial Intelligence and climate change.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Guest: Al Gore, Former US Vice President.

Host:

• Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times. 
• Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday night it was announced that Liam Payne had died in Buenos Aires aged 31, where he was on holiday. 

What does his death say about the music industry? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic, The Times.

Host: Luke Jones. 

Further reading: Liam Payne and the curse of too much fame too young

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: Sky News, Times Radio, X Factor, Columbia / Syco

Photo: Getty Images 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions are escalating between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy militia in Lebanon. Attacks on both sides have led to thousands dead and over a million people internally displaced. The latest confrontations come after decades of conflict, so where did it all begin? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Lina Khatib, associate fellow at Chatham House, director of the SOAS Middle East Institute, and contributor to The Times. 

Read more from Lina: Why killing of Hassan Nasrallah marks ‘beginning of the end’ for Iran 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: Sky News, ITV News, NBC News, Binyamin Netanyahu, AP, CBS News, BBC News.

Photo: Getty Images 

Further listening: Who are Hezbollah and are they heading for all-out war?

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A new era of violence is erupting in the French city of Marseille between rival drug gangs. Deaths are soaring - with 49 murders in the first half of this year already. We go inside the city to find out how social media is helping to recruit children as young as 14 to carry out the killings.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Further listening: Cocaine Inc.

Guest: Peter Conradi, Europe Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Image credit: Getty Images

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In 2020, the US Justice Department sued Google, alleging it illegally monopolised the online search market. The US government won, and is now threatening to break up the tech giant, with wide-reaching implications for us all. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe  

Guest: Dominic O’Connell, Business Presenter, Times Radio.  

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: The Justice Department, AP Archive, CNBC, CBS.  

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kamala Harris may become the first female president of the United States – but who is she? Megan Agnew rode through the hills of San Francisco, talking to everyone who knew her fresh out of law school, to tell the story of how she conquered California.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Megan Agnew, senior features writer, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones. 

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we bring you a conversation from our fellow podcasters and Times Radio broadcasters Jane & Fi.

This week marked a year since the October 7 attacks by Hamas and Israel's military operation in Gaza, beginning of a tragic new chapter in the violent history of the Middle East. Since then, thousands have died and the ongoing war threatens to engulf the wider region. It's left policy makers questioning how, if ever, the conflict can be resolved. Two former leaders with a potential road map for peace joined Jane and Fi to discuss. 

Guests:

- Ehud Olmert, former Israeli prime minister.

- Nassr al-Qudwa, former Palestinian foreign minister.

Producer: Guy Emanuel

Subscribe to Jane and Fi 'Off Air'

This week the Story covered the October 7th anniversary in two podcasts:

How I survived October 7

A diary from Gaza - what happened next

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has been prime minister for 100 days. It's the point in any premiership that's considered a measure of how a new leader is performing, ever since the days of Franklin D Roosevelt. So how is Starmer doing compared to his predecessors? Two authors of multiple biographies of former PMs - William Hague and historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon - discuss.

This episode was recorded live at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Host: William Hague, Times columnist and former leader of the Conservative Party.

Guest: Sir Anthony Seldon.

Image credit: Getty.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year on from the October 7th attacks in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage, Israel's bombardment of Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Our colleague Amal Helles was one of the few Palestinians to escape Gaza earlier this year. So what’s life been like for her since, and for her friends and family who remain in Gaza?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Further listening: How I survived October 7 

Further listening: A diary of war: Three months in Gaza

Guest: Amal Helles, journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Photo: Abdel Hakim Abu Dagen for The Times.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark the publication of his memoir “Unleashed”, Boris Johnson sat down with Times Radio’s Stig Abell to talk about Donald Trump, Brexit, and refusing to rule out a political comeback.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister and author of Unleashed.

Host: Stig Abell. 

Photo: Times photographer Jack Hill. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray resigned amid weeks of bad headlines for the government over freebies. Labour’s troubles arguably began when The Sunday Times revealed a major donor, Lord Alli, had a security pass to Downing Street. Today we speak to Sunday Times Whitehall editor Gabriel Pogrund about how he got the story. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times. 

Gabriel’s reporting:

• No 10 pass for Labour donor who gave £500,000 
• How we revealed the Downing Street donor scandal rocking Labour 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Sky News, ITV News, Talk TV, The Times. 

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As many take a break from booze for Sober October, the writer Hannah Betts marks ten years since she gave up alcohol. It’s given her a moment to reflect on her father’s death from his own alcohol addiction and to consider why Britain apparently has such a destructive love of booze.

If you or someone you know is affected by alcohol addiction support and advice can be found through the NHS and Drinkaware.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Hannah Betts, writer, The Times and https://hannahbetts.substack.com/ 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Photo: Getty Images. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year ago today, 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed in an orchestrated terrorist attack by Hamas. 251 were taken hostage. Today, we hear their stories of survival, and of their loved ones, who were not so lucky. It will not be suitable for all listeners.

This episode is the first part of a series marking the anniversary of October 7. Later this week, we will explore a year of devastation in Gaza, in part two.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guest: Venetia Menzies, Assistant Data Editor, The Sunday Times.

Photo: Venetia Menzies

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.