The Story

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] 

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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] 

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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]

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

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]

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

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.

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

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]

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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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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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The investigation takes us to a $10 million home in a leafy city suburb.

Back home in Melbourne, Stephen Drill picks up a money trail leading right past his front door.

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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]

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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].

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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]

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

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.

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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

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

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.

This month, Parliament will look at proposals to give terminally ill people in England and Wales the right to choose to end their lives. To better understand this controversial topic, we’re revisiting our episode from March, where we explored what we can learn from Canada, often referred to as the world’s assisted dying capital since it legalised the practice in 2016.

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: Sarah Baxter, former deputy editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC, ITV, Global News, Reuters. 

Email us: [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.

On April 30, 1980, six gunmen stormed the Iranian embassy in London, taking everyone inside hostage. The ensuing siege would change the course of history. But what really happened behind barricaded doors? In a new book, Ben Macintyre tells the real story of those six days for the first time.

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: Ben Macintyre, author of The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC, ITV.

Photo: Times Media Ltd.

Further reading: How the SAS were ordered to end Iranian siege

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

Israel has vowed that Tehran will ‘pay’ after Iran launched over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, following an Israeli ground invasion in southern Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In a week of escalating violence in the Middle East, how might Israel retaliate - and what lies ahead for the region at this dangerous moment?

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 Correspondent, The Times.  

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: CBS, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC. 

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

Today, the competition between the leadership candidates - Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat - heats up as the four make their key speeches on the main stage at Conservative Party conference. Manveen Rana is in Birmingham to join the media scrum - and to witness the battle for the soul of the party. 

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:

• Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times.
• Daniel Finkelstein, columnist, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, GB News, Sky News. 

Episode artwork: Times Photographer Richard Pohle. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

For 40 years, Professor Allan Lichtman has honed a near-perfect system for picking the next American president. It was inspired by a Soviet seismologist - but how does he do it? And who is he putting his money on this time?

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: Professor Allan Lichtman, author of Predicting the Next President: The Keys to the White House.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: France 24, Fox News, CNN, ABC News.

Episode artwork: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

She's a fashion icon - known for her sharp bob and dark glasses. As Paris Fashion Week wraps up, we consider the enduring influence of the Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. How does the woman who has edited the fashion magazine for nearly 40 years stay relevant in a world of TikTok trends and social media influencers? 

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: Harriet Walker, Fashion Editor, The Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: CBS Late Show with David Letterman, Disney+ In Vogue: The 1990s, YouTube/OxfordUnion. 

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Yuval Noah Harari’s books Sapiens and Homo Deus sold millions around the world. His latest - Nexus - examines information and how we share it, from campfire stories in the Stone Age to the AI networks of today. But as the way we share information gets evermore complicated, could this be the end of a history controlled by humans?

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: William Hague.

Guest: Yuval Noah Harari, author and historian.

Photo: Penguin Random House / Yuval Noah Harari

Get in touch: [email protected]

Read the Times' review of Nexus: here.

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As fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah, who is the Iranian-backed group and could this new conflict break out into a wider, regional 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

Guests: 

Oliver Marsden, journalist, The Times.

Rami Khouri, journalist.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ITN, CBS, 13News Now, TMJ4 News, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, PBS, AP.

Photo: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

Further listening: Exploding pagers and Israel’s new phase of war.

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When Sydney and her 23-month-old son turned to the council for temporary accommodation, they were housed in an old office converted into a studio flat. A Sunday Times investigation into her block found residents complaining of sweltering heat and mould. This type of housing has been labelled Britain’s ‘slums of the future’ - so why are families still ending up there? 

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: Hugo Daniel, News Reporter, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: BBC Breakfast. 

Episode artwork: Matthew Chattle for The Sunday Times. 

Read Hugo’s full report: The forgotten families who have to live in old office blocks

Further listening: 

• Undercover: The Times investigation into Turkish plastic surgery clinics 
• Undercover at one of the UK's most dangerous prisons

Get in touch: [email protected]

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The prime minister has told his party’s conference that there is ‘light at the end of this tunnel’. But after weeks of bad press about his top adviser’s pay and freebies - are Labour in danger of becoming a one-term government? And what’s going on in Downing Street - has dysfunction led to this series of own-goals?

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: Times Radio, BBC News, Sky News, ITV News.

Episode artwork: Times Photographer Jack Hill. 

Read more:

• Labour aides unionise over pay cuts and conditions
• Sleaze, quarrels and austerity: Labour is looking a lot like the Tories

Further Listening: Politics Unpacked 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Normal People and Conversations with Friends author Sally Rooney is a publishing sensation and became a huge star whilst still in her twenties. Her new book Intermezzo, published today, follows two grieving brothers in complicated relationships. Will it cement Rooney’s reputation as the voice of millennials - or is she overhyped?

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: Laura Hackett, Deputy Literary Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Normal People/BBC Three/Hulu, Manchester EUDC 2013, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Denmark, Fox News.

Episode artwork: Getty Images.

Further listening: What 50 years of best-selling books says about us

Get in touch: [email protected]

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As Labour’s party conference gets into full swing in Liverpool this week, we look in detail at a key part of the government’s employment rights package: working from home. Keir Starmer says flexible and hybrid working is better for productivity while large companies like Amazon have ordered their staff to return to the workplace five days a week. Who's right? And what does it mean for where you will work in 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

Guests: 

• Harriet Minter, author of WFH (Working From Home): How to build a career you love when you're not in the office.
• Chris Smyth, Whitehall Editor, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: LBC, Times Radio. 

Episode artwork: Getty Images 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

Exploding pagers and walkie-talkies targeting Hezbollah members have killed dozens of people and injured thousands in Lebanon and Syria. Israel hasn’t commented on the blasts, but the country’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called it "a new phase in the war". What’s next for the region? 

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: Samer Alatrush, Middle East Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: NBC News, The Sun, Sky News, Al Jazeera. 

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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At the UN General Assembly next week, Ukraine's President Zelensky will present his 'plan for victory' to world leaders. Key to that victory, he thinks, is being allowed to shoot British-made 'Storm Shadow' missiles into Russian territory. Keir Starmer agrees, Joe Biden does not. Is Biden right to be worried - or is this all part of a wider plan by the president to bring us closer to some kind of peace?

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: BFBS Forces News, CBC, FT.

Episode artwork: Getty Images 

Further reading: Are Russia and Ukraine edging towards an endgame?

Get in touch: [email protected]

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As a new TV drama re-examines Prince Andrew’s controversial 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, it's understood King Charles is losing patience with his brother over his financial support of him.

What is the Duke of York’s future within the Royal family?

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: Kate Mansey, Assistant Editor and Royal Editor, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: BBC Newsnight, Scoop/Netflix, A Very Royal Scandal/Amazon, CBS News. 

Photo: Getty Images - Prince Andrew and King Charles in 2012. 

Get in touch: [email protected] 

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How do you live in a society where you can’t speak in public? Where you can’t travel to work without a chaperone? Where you can’t leave the city with your family? We speak to a young woman in Afghanistan who tries to explain. And as Afghanistan’s national cricket team faces off against South Africa this week – how is the nation enforcing a gender apartheid not facing boycott?

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:

• Christina Lamb, Chief Foreign Correspondent, The Sunday Times.
• A female doctor in Afghanistan.

Clips: Afghanistan Cricket Board, Sky Sports.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Episode artwork: Getty Images.

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The shiny, indestructible metal saw its fortunes wane in the postwar years, but investors and central banks are again flocking to it, with its value hitting new records. What’s fuelling this demand? 

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: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones 

Clips: The Italian Job (1969) Paramount Pictures, ITV News, YouTube/@MengerCenter

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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In the week that thousands of inmates were freed early from prison, we revisit our recent undercover investigation which prompted an urgent investigation by the Ministry of Justice. Our reporter revealed a worrying lack of security at HMP Bedford which houses dangerous criminals. He witnessed fights and drugs - and heard of a prison escape that happened because doors were left unlocked.

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: Paul Morgan-Bentley, Head of Investigations, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ITV News, Times Radio, BBC.

Get in touch: [email protected] 

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Medical tourism to Turkey for ‘Brazilian butt lifts’ and liposuction is surging despite the risks. 

The UK government says at least 28 people have died since 2019 as a result of medical tourism to the country. 

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.

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Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris came straight after a strong performance against the former President, Donald Trump. Our correspondent was in the spin room watching on as the two candidates clashed over foreign policy, immigration and the economy in their televised debate. But will last night shift the dial of the presidential 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, broadcaster and journalist.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Get in touch: [email protected]

Further listening: Trump vs. Harris: The battle of the sexes & Why tech billionaires are backing Trump

Clips: ABC, NBC News. 

Photo: Getty images. 

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The hard-right Alternative for Germany party won its first state election earlier this month in Thuringia. Anti-immigrant, anti-woke and anti-green, its popularity has brought back uncomfortable comparisons with the rise of the National Socialists in the 1930s.

On Monday, Berlin announced that controls at all German land borders will be introduced for six months to stop illegal migrants entering 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 

Guest: Oliver Moody, Berlin Correspondent, The Times and Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Photo: Getty images.

Clips: BBC, DW News, AFP.

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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.

Photo: Getty.

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This week the Duke of Sussex turns forty. A milestone for anyone - but for Harry, could this moment of natural reflection be a turning point? There are reports the King’s second son wants to come back to the UK with his wife Meghan Markle. So, as he begins to assess his legacy, what next for him?

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

Article: Prince Harry stayed at Diana’s family home in latest UK visit

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

Host: Luke Jones. 

Photo: Jack Hill, Times photographer.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: ITV News, ITV X, BBC News, ITN Archive, 5News, Sky News, 7 News Australia, TODAY Australia. 

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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?

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

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: Peanut and Motherkind, Motherkind podcast.

Episode artwork: Getty Images 

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

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? How should we interact with China, Russia and Europe? And how does the man who took the UK into the Iraq war look back on his legacy? William Hague talks to his former adversary from across the dispatch box, Tony Blair.

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: Tony Blair, former prime minister.

Host: William Hague.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

Photo credit: Times photographer Richard Pohle.

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Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has condemned the British government’s decision to suspend some arms sales as ‘shameful’. But what was the UK sending, and can its policies really impact the war 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

Guests: 

• Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times. 
• George Grylls, Defence and Politics Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Clips: Parliament Live, Sky News, LBC, BBC Radio 4 Today, BBC News.

Episode artwork: Getty Images 

Further listening: Why there’s talk of civil war in Israel

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

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Elon Musk and other tech billionaires in Democrat-leaning Silicon Valley are backing Donald Trump in 2024. What’s driving this shift, and what could it mean for the presidential race?

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: Danny Fortson, West Coast correspondent, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.  

Further listen: The political transformation of Elon Musk

Clips: ABC News, X.com/Elon Musk, Bitcoin Magazine, The Ben & Marc Show.  

Photo credit: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected] 

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Conspiracy theories have swirled around the former nurse found guilty of murdering seven babies. But now some experts have also raised concerns about the safety of her conviction. We talk to one of 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

Guests:

• Ali Mitib, News Reporter, The Times.
• William Thompson, Professor Emeritus of Criminology, Law and Society, UC Irvine.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Sky News, ITV, The Telegraph, Parliament TV.

Episode artwork: Getty Images.

Get in touch: [email protected]

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

The Public Inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower will publish its final report on Wednesday. Ahead of its findings, we're re-visiting a two-part series that looked into the failings that lead to the tragedy - and the stories of the families who lived in the tower.

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: Martina Lees, Senior Property Writer, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ITV News, Grenfell Inquiry, BBC News, ABC News Australia, OnDemand News, AP.

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The Public Inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower will publish its final report on Wednesday. Ahead of its findings, we revisit a two-part podcast from June 2022. In part one, we remember the night of the fire on June 14, 2017, through the stories of three families who called the tower home.

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: Martina Lees, Senior Property Writer, the Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Channel 4 News, ITV News, BBC News, Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

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

Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide.

A year on from the original series, James sits down with his producer, Will, to go over all the latest developments on the case, as Kenneth Law is expected to go on trial in 2025 accused of 14 counts of murder.

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

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

[email protected]

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

This episode was first published in 2023.

Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide.

On Tuesday night, police in Canada announced the arrest and charge of a 57-year-old man on two counts of aiding or counselling suicide.

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

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

[email protected]

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

This episode was first published in 2023.

Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide.

James goes to Canada to track down Kenneth Law and confront him over his operation.

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

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

[email protected]

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

This episode was first published in 2023.

Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide.

In this episode we learn of a man called Kenneth Law who’s based in Canada.

Law appears to be selling a substance to young, vulnerable, adults in the UK, some of whom are using it to take their own lives.

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

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

[email protected]

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

This episode was first published in 2023.

Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide.

In October, 2021 David Parfett’s 22-year-old son, Tom, took his own life. We hear from David about the events that led up to the university student’s death.

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

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

[email protected]

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Two doctors and a dealer known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’ have been charged in connection with the Friends actor's drug overdose in October. What does his death reveal about substance abuse in Hollywood and those who allegedly exploit 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: Keiran Southern, West Coast Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: Reuters, Warner Bros., BBC, Sky News, Fox News, 9News, Fox 11 Los Angeles. 

Further listening: Inside the fentanyl trade

Get in touch: [email protected] 

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