The Story

Japanese ‘kidults’ revolutionised pop culture in the 90s and 00s, turning to their inner children to cope with economic crisis and post-industrial societal ills, despite being ridiculed. As the milestones of adulthood - property, marriage and careers - become increasingly difficult for millennials and Gen Z to achieve - are westerners now turning to ‘kidulting’ to find answers? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Matt Alt, author of Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Sam Chantarasak.Further listening: Studio Ghibli: Is this the end for the Japanese studio that inspired Pixar?The South Korean culture machine that conquered the worldClips: SEGA, Pokémon Theme/POKEMON, MSNBC, CNN, AJ+, Sony, PlayStation, CBS, SXSW, TikTok/@otakuintokyo, TikTok/@kaitlyneats, Your Name/dir. Makoto Shinkai/CoMix Wave Films/Toho.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been called "a big mistake", "reckless" and "the highest level of f**kup imaginable" - but just how did a senior journalist come to be added to a chat group between some of the US government’s most senior members who were discussing military action? As the Trump government looks to downplay the incident, what does it tell us about how they view their allies and conduct their business? And what could the fallout 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/thestoryGuest: David Charter, assistant editor (US), The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Edward Drummond and Olivia Case.Clips: Fox News, CBS News, ABC News, Forbes.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected]  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The arrest and jailing of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkey’s main political challenger to President Erdogan, has sent shockwaves across the country. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest his detention and express growing concerns over Turkey's shift toward autocracy. Does this mark a turning point in Turkey’s democracy? And will Imamoglu still be able to stand in the 2028 presidential elections? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Andrew Finkel, journalist and author of Turkey: What Everyone Needs to KnowHost: Manveen Rana.Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Edith Rousselot.Further reading: The Erdogan I knew is a mirror image of the man he’s just locked upClips: BBC News, Euronews, Reuters, Sky News. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Netflix smash-hit drama is getting everyone talking – including the prime minister. Adolescence centres on the murder of a 13-year-old girl by a boy in her class, and tries to tackle the question: why did he do it? Is this ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ television? Or a timely spotlight on a dark online ecosystem drawing in young men?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Jonathan Dean, Executive Editor of Interviews, The Sunday Times Culture.Nathaniel Cole, workshop facilitator for young people.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Further reading: What teens really think about Adolescence — in their own wordsClips: Netflix, ITV, TikTok/shabazsays, TikTok/dr.amanisamahPhoto: Netflix.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet JD Vance, man of Munich and the Oval Office onslaught. He thinks Europe is in a death spiral and the future is Catholic-infused post-liberalism. But what are his roots, what does he read, and - most importantly - what does he want? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Edward Drummond.Further reading: Pugnacious bully or deep thinker — who is the real JD Vance?Further listening: Bannon vs Musk: The battle for the soul of Donald TrumpClips: Fox News, CNN, ABC News, NBC News, Forbes.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected]  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today marks five years since the first Covid lockdown. We were told that we would never be able to go back to pre-pandemic times: we could only enter a ‘new normal’. Is that what happened? How much did the pandemic change us?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: Luke Jones.Guests:Dan Atherton, Deputy Data Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The TimesProducer: Taryn Siegel.Further reading: UK’s worst night out? Costly, crime-ridden LondonFurther listening: The death of clubbingClips: The Telegraph.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With news this week on the ongoing attempts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, we thought we'd bring you two interviews Manveen did on Times Radio to help make sense of it all. The first is with Anthony Loyd, who's been covering the war since it began and the second is with General Sir Richard Barron who has been working on the Defence Review and knows better than most whether the country is ready to defence itself. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent, The Times, andGeneral Sir Richard Barron's, former Commander Joint Forces Command. Host: Manveen Rana.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected]  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Estonia, one of the Baltic states, sits on Europe's front line with Russia. The country that was, like Ukraine, once part of the Soviet Union is increasingly worried about the threat Putin poses, and has plans in place if there is an invasion. But, if western Europe can no longer rely on the transatlantic alliance, will it work? And what could Britain learn from 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/thestoryGuest: Oliver Moody, Berlin Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Further reading: Could Poland and Germany acquire nuclear bombs?Further listening: ‘A lawlessness that’s deeply alarming’: William Hague on Trump’s new presidency.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's predicted that, by the end of this Parliament, four million people in Britain will receive long-term sickness benefits–that’s the equivalent of losing the working-age population of Birmingham from the workforce. Columnist Fraser Nelson thinks it’s the biggest scandal in Britain today. So how did we get here? And can Labour fix it or will they leave already-vulnerable people worse off?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: The Times & The Sunday Times columnist Fraser NelsonHost: Luke JonesProducer: Emily WebbFurther reading: From welfare to warfare can define Keir StarmerFurther listening: Why are so many Gen Zers not working?Clips: BBC, Channel 4, Roman Styran / YouTube, jascow0 / YouTubePhoto: GettyGet in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is coming for Canada. He first raised the prospect of making America's nearest neighbour its 51st state when campaigning for the presidency in 2016. No one was listening. But Canada's new Liberal Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has heard, and he's assembling a coalition of allies to counter the threat. Could this be the beginning of a wider effort to build a Western, anti-Trump, alliance?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Josie Ensor US Correspondent, The Times. Host: Luke Jones.Producers: Edith Rousselot and Olivia Case.Further reading: Mark Carney’s in-tray as PM: from tariffs to Canadian sovereigntyClips: CTV News, C-Span, CNN, BBC, ABC News, Guardian News, AP News, CPAC, Global News.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the frontline of Mexico’s drug wars, rival cartels are exploiting a decades-old dispute about indigenous land rights and turning local people against each other - with fatal consequences. To appease Trump, the government has downplayed the violence in the south to focus on the US border, but if the cartels continue undeterred, could the US launch a military operation? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Louise Callaghan, US Correspondent, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen RanaProducer: Sam ChantarasakFurther reading: Watch: inside the town torn apart by Mexico’s cartel violenceFurther listening: At the border crossing where Trump’s migrant ban is working  Clips: Al Jazeera, Firstpost, Imagen Noticias. Photo: Natalia Meneses Alís for The Sunday TimesGet in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The word "unprecedented" is often used to describe Donald Trump's presidency. He's broken with convention repeatedly: from announcing tariffs on allies, to the suggestion that he wants to buy Greenland. But are these moves really without precedent? Or do Trump's politics echo that of 19th century US presidents, but with a more alarming twist?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Nick BryantHost: Manveen Rana.Producer: Emily Webb.Clips: ABC News, CNBC, Niki Ashton Youtube, CBS News, New York Times, FOX, MSNBC, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, NBC, Washington Post, BBC.Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published last August.The government says it wants to make the UK a global hub for crypto firms. But with the NHS warning it’s being left to ‘pick up the pieces’ as people get addicted to crypto gambling, are Labour’s plans wise? Our reporter visits one of the first clinics in the world, near Edinburgh, that is treating people who have cryptocurrency problems.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryIf you’ve got any concerns about gambling, you can contact the national problem gambling charity GamCare's helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit www.gamcare.org.uk for confidential support, advice and free counselling.Guest: Lily Russell-Jones, Senior Money Reporter, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hinge CEO, Justin McLeod, joins the podcast to discuss how online dating Apps have changed dating (for good or bad) and how AI may change it even more. While Danny argues that being direct might just be better than tech!This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Baby brain’ is real. Increasing evidence suggests having kids causes big changes in our grey matter, and not always for the worse. Sunday Times science editor and frazzled father of two, explains.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Ben Spencer, Science Editor, Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Emily Webb.Further reading: How being a parent physically alters your brain (dads included)Further listening: We need to talk about what motherhood does to womenPhoto: Alamy/Sunday Times illustrationGet in touch: [email protected]  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigel Farage has been accused of a ‘vindictive witch-hunt’ by a former Reform MP as part of a messy public row at the top of the party. Rupert Lowe was suspended by the party after allegations of workplace bullying and threats of violence, which he denies. What could this spat mean for the political prospects of the party that, just a few months ago, was riding high in the polls?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Geri Scott, Senior Political Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Taryn Siegel.Clips: Sky News, Talk TV, GB News, Fire at Will podcast. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected]   This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Europe sleepwalking into disaster? Russia watcher Keir Giles on the rising threat from Putin, NATO’s shaky future, and whether Europe is ready—or willing—to fight back.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House and author of Who Will Defend Europe? Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Emily Webb. Clips: CNN, Channel 4, DW, The Mirror, JD Vance (YouTube), ABC, The Telegraph, NBC, France 24. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected]     This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published last November.No sex, no babies, no marriage, no men. In 2018 a niche feminist movement started in South Korea as a reaction to the country’s entrenched misogyny. It pledged four ‘nos’ when it came to men. Now it's spreading on social media to America as young women rebel against Donald Trump's election. But how impactful will it be?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: Manveen Rana.Guests: Chiara Brown, Commissioning Editor, The Times Luxury. Meera Choi, Sociology Academic, Yale University.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: TikTok / trump-supporters01 / Sigma Nu Fraternity, Karim Jovian / Nick Fuentes / YouTube, OFF TOPIC SHOW / Nick Funetes / YouTube, Nick Funetes / brutamerica / Instagram, realityreelclips / TikTok, The Washington Post / Access Hollywood, thetimes / TikTok, CBS, CNN, The News Movement, Inside Edition, Arirang News.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Keir Starmer focused on diplomacy over Ukraine, the political masterminds ask if the domestic agenda always has to suffer during major world events. When does a foreign conflict turn into a 'Falklands moment', and when does a leader get criticised for spending too much time globe-trotting?Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo also ask how to stop a minister resigning - or how to let them do it at an advantageous moment.Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has said he will make the US the crypto capital of the world, as investors and CEOs gather at the White House today for his government’s first crypto summit. On the agenda are plans to create a federal crypto reserve - the most important development in the industry since Bitcoin was created. So what actually is it - and what does it mean for the president’s own Trump coin? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The TimesHost: Luke JonesProducer: Sam ChantarasakFurther reading: Cryptocurrencies rocket as Trump unveils US strategic reserveFurther listening: Why the price of gold is skyrocketing Clips: Bitcoin MagazinePhoto: Getty ImagesGet in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So far this year, there have been multiple fatal plane crashes and near-misses in North America, leaving 87 dead. President Trump has blamed diversity initiatives, with no evidence. But experts point to a different problem, and have been ringing the alarm bells for years. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Charles Bremner, Foreign Correspondent, The Times. Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Further reading: Toronto plane crash blamed on ‘new’ co-pilot amid recruitment crisisFurther listening: Elon Musk's 'hostile takeover' of WashingtonClips: KSDK News, USA Today, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Sky, ABC, Fox, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, The Daily / The New York Times, The White House / Sky, NBC, YouTube / blancolirio.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The self-proclaimed misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan arrived in the US last week, after the American government lobbied for the brothers to have a travel ban lifted. They are currently facing charges of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Romania, and are under investigation for rape and human trafficking in the UK. They deny all charges.So why is the Trump administration helping them? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryIf 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 websiteRape 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 websiteGuests: Ali Mitib, News Reporter, The Times.Hugh Tomlinson, Washington Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Jane Mulkerrins. Producer: Samantha Chantarasak.Further reading: Of course Andrew Tate went to Florida: it’s a Maga magnetWhy the Trump team lobbied for Tate brothers’ return to the USFurther listening: Andrew Tate's malign online influenceClips: Reuters, Anything Goes with James English, The White House, CBS News, Andrew and Tristan Tate. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People who once flooded north across the river between Guatemala and Mexico are trickling south again, their dream of reaching the US ended by President Trump's crackdown. What's it like having to turn back when you've given up everything for a new life in America?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Louise Callaghan, US Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Photo: Times Media Ltd.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the world comes to terms with the fallout from Friday night’s unprecedented Oval Office clash between President Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, what does it mean for the prospects of peace, and could this be the end of the established global order we've known for so long?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Ben Hoyle, Foreign Editor of The Sunday Times.Producer: Chris Wade.Host: Manveen Rana.Further listening: The real reason Trump hates ZelenskyClips: The Telegraph; CNN; MSNBC; NBC News; Forbes; Hindustan Times; WTHR; Al Jazeera.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected]     This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in September 2024.Zoe Blaskey, author of Motherkind, didn’t realise that she was unprepared for the huge psychological and physiological changes that motherhood brought. Now she’s spreading the word to other mothers. But why are we still not talking about this?For expert advice and hands-on experience visit thetimes.com/parentingThis podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Zoe Blaskey, author of the book 'Motherkind' and host of the podcast 'Motherkind'Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Olivia Case and Taryn Siegel. Further listening: What two gay dads can teach fathers about parentingClips: Peanut and Motherkind, Motherkind podcast.Photo: Getty Images Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're welcoming a new political mastermind to the podcast this week - Sally Morgan has been a Labour insider since the days of Neil Kinnock and went on to be Tony Blair's right-hand woman in Downing Street, at his side for some of the biggest moments in recent political history.She joins Polly, Danny and Hugo to discuss leaders who can tell jokes and those who can't, Liz Truss calling Britain a failed state, and whether anyone knows how to save the transatlantic relationship.Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When James Coney's son Charlie missed milestone after milestone, he knew something wasn't right. It would take 12 years before one phone call would change their lives. They learned that, not only was there finally an answer, but Charlie's DNA had been used in a huge scientific breakthrough.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: James Coney, News Projects Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Taryn Siegel. Photo: Times Media Ltd.Get in touch: [email protected]   This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Zelensky was elected president, Trump said he'd do a 'great job' then called him 'brave' for staying after the Russians invaded. But he's now termed his Ukrainian counterpart a 'dictator' and a 'moderately successful comedian.' But the story of their falling out didn't start with the war, so what are its origins and what does it mean for Ukraine's future?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Marc Bennetts, Foreign Correspondent, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producers: Olivia Case and Edith Rousselot.Further reading: ‘No minerals deal without security guarantees’, Kyiv says.Further listening: ‘A lawlessness that’s deeply alarming’: William Hague on Trump’s new presidency.Clips: CBS, Forbes, ABC, YouTube / CPAC, CSPAN, o-ye! / YouTube. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent weeks, Kanye West, now known as ‘Ye’, has pulled off a number of bizarre stunts, including antisemitic rants and an inexplicable Super Bowl advert. Just a few years ago, the controversial rapper was a billionaire entrepreneur being invited to the White House, but has he now reached the point of no return?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Blanca Schofield, Assistant Arts Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Samantha Chantarasak and Hannah Gravett.Clips: CBS News, MTV, The New York Post, Grammys, All Falls Down/Kanye West ft. Syleena Johnson/Roc-A-Fella Records/Universal Music Group, Gold Digger/Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx/Roc-A-Fella Records/Universal Music Group, Love Lockdown/Kanye West/Roc-A-Fella Records, Power/Kanye West/Roc-A-Fella Records, MSNBC, NBC News, ABC News, TODAY, The Download With Justin Laboy, Good Morning America, Fox News and ABC 7 Chicago.Photo: Getty ImagesGet in touch: [email protected]   This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since his election, Donald Trump has stunned the world with a series of moves that have upended the well-established post-war international order. He picked up the phone and brought Putin in from the cold, branded Zelensky a 'dictator' and suggested America will no longer continue to finance European defence. At this pivotal moment in history, Manveen Rana speaks to former foreign secretary, historian and Times columnist, Lord William Hague on why this marks the start of a new chapter and a much more dangerous period than we are used to living in.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Lord William Hague, former foreign secretary and Times columnist. Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case, Edward Drummond, Edith Rousselot.Further reading: Starmer must evoke Churchill to woo TrumpFurther listening: How the US signaled a new world order in 5 daysClips: Sky News, The Times, Wall Street Journal.Photo: Times illustration/Getty images.Get in touch: [email protected]     This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year, 50 men were convicting of raping or sexually assaulting Gisèle Pelicot, including her husband who’d orchestrated the attacks. There was worldwide uproar and calls for changes to French rape laws. But with no imminent changes in sight, many of the rapists are appealing their sentences and at least six are already out of prison. So what's going on? And could any progress still come from this landmark case?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Katie Tarrant, News Reporter, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Further reading: Wives stand by Gisèle Pelicot rapists — and some of them are free already. Image: Nina Krause, The Sunday Times.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in April last year.With young people in Britain and across the world increasingly reliant on smartphones, many teens now openly admitt they’re addicted to social media. Could an entire generation be suffering serious and irreversible damage? And is there anything we can do to reverse it?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story Guest: Helen Rumbelow, Times Feature Writer and Columnist.Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Chris Wade, Priyanka Deladia, Ed Halford. Clips: NBC News, ITV News, Bloomberg Technology.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holly and Lucy are joined by Kat Denham, champion champion for The Times and The Sunday Times, as they navigate the tricky world of bank accounts mishaps. From Frozen accounts, lost payments & dormant savings, Kat shares the best ways to protect yourself from losing money.Contact Holly and Lucy: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lord Maurice Glasman was the only Labour politician to be invited to Trump’s inauguration after striking up a friendship with JD Vance. So who is he and why is his 'Blue Labour' movement seen by Starmer's inner circle as the medicine to tackle the rise of Reform?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Patrick Maguire, Political Columnist, The Times and author of Get In:The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Emily Webb.Further reading: To take on the right, will Labour go blue?Clips: GB News, NBC, PBS, UnHerd, Together, ABC Australia, The Guardian.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British-Indian novelist Sir Salman Rushdie has faced his alleged attacker in court, after he was stabbed multiple times in 2022 during a public lecture in New York state. Hadi Matar, accused of assault and attempted murder, denies the charges. The author is no stranger to threats: in 1989, Iran's Supreme Leader called for his death, after deeming his novel The Satanic Verses blasphemous. Will this attack on Rushdie, a symbol of free speech himself, threaten freedom of expression?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Will Pavia, New York Correspondent, The Times.Robbie Millen, Literary Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Samantha Chantarasak.Further reading: Salman Rushdie trial: I was dying, author says as he recounts attackClips: BBC News, WION, CNN, The Daily Show, Cream Cakes, American Express, CBC News, University of Vermont.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected]     This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the United States and Russia seem to be hurtling towards a bilateral peace negotiation over Ukraine, European leaders gathered in Paris in an attempt to come up with their own response. With both Ukraine and Europe edged out of these discussions, is this the moment that the US rethinks its post-war alliances?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Edith Rousselot.Clips: Newsweek, CBS News, The White House, WSJ News, Channel 4 News, Guardian News, The Associated Press.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year ago Times columnist James Marriott ditched his smartphone to escape the endless notifications from his apps. How has he managed without a device many of us feel is indispensable? And could it be a more desirable future?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: James Marriott, Columnist, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Edward Drummond. Further reading: I’m a digital native — can I survive without my smartphone?Photo: Jude Edginton for The Times Magazine.Get in touch: [email protected]  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Donald Trump took office, he appointed Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency - or DOGE - a new agency designed to radically slash federal costs. Since inauguration day Musk has done just that, laying off thousands of staff, freezing America's entire international aid programme and gaining access to the $6 trillion Treasury payments system. So what will the fallout be? And with an unelected official wielding such unprecedented power - and the courts fighting back - are we seeing the beginnings of a major constitutional crisis?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Hugh Tomlinson, Washington Reporter, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case and Edith Rousselot.Further reading: Donald Trump lashes out as ‘political’ judges block his orders.Further listening: Trump’s Gaza bombshellClips: Bloomberg, ABC News, Sky, The Guardian, Fox. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Official figures show that for the first time, people are leaving dating apps. So why the exodus? And could future apps - with AI and augmented reality - be any better at matchmaking?This episode first ran on January 7 2025. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/thestoryGuests: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.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: TikTok / aidenheaney, TikTok / hopeyoufindyourdad, TikTok / gaelaitor, TikTok / zoecsheehan, TikTok / drcatpsych, TikTok / louisohno.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the Paris AI Action Summit, Katie and Danny are together in London for a special interview with the man who is synonymous with Artificial Intelligence - Sam Altman. He is the studio talking all things OpenAI, President Trump, Elon Musk, DeepSeek and the future of life and work.Listen to Katie and Danny's follow-up to their interview with Sam Altman as they reflect on the conversation and Elon Musk’s bid for OpenAI, which came just hours after Altman left the studio.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bridget Jones is back in cinemas with her fourth outing Mad About the Boy, 24 years after her film debut. The messy heroine is the quintessential Gen X icon: too much booze, cigarettes, dodgy office romances and an obsession with the thigh gap. So why is she still winning over new fans decades later?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Ceci Browning, Assistant Literary Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Samantha Chantarasak, Emily Webb. Further reading:How Gen Z fell for Bridget Jones (by Ceci Browning, 24) Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy review — our national treasure grows up Clips: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy/Universal Pictures, Bridget Jones’s Diary/Universal Pictures, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight/CBC, Barbie/Warner Bros. Photo: Universal Pictures. Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump stunned the world and horrified his Arab allies when he proposed that the US should take over Gaza and rebuild it as the "riviera of the Middle East." But where did the idea come from and could it actually happen?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Josie Ensor, US correspondent, The TimesHost: Manveen Rana.Producer: Edith Rousselot.Clips: The Times, MSNBC, CNBC, Global News, The Guardian, Fox News, “America, Baby!” podcastPhoto: Kobby Barda, Israeli historian who shared an image of the plan for the reconstruction of Gaza City on social media.Get in touch: [email protected] This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Times has unveiled a landmark survey of Generation Z. What are their attitudes towards modern Britain, sex, drugs and… mental health? 1 in 3 young people have sought help for their mental health and a growing number are on long-term sickness. So what’s going on?If you or someone you know has been affected by suicide or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Lara Spirit, Red Box Editor, The Times.Tanya Marwaha, mental health campaigner and Beyond Youth board member.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Emily Webb.Further reading: Gen Zers on why they’ve turned to God: ‘It’s beautiful waiting for sex’Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the closed steelworks in Corby, Northamptonshire, were being cleaned up ahead of redevelopment, trucks ferrying debris away from the site released poisonous dust into the air. Dozens of children born during this time had malformed limbs and other issues leading to a decades-long fight for justice. Now their story, which came to national attention via the Sunday Times, is finding a new audience - in Toxic Town a Netflix drama - and families hope it will help others to join the dots.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Edward Drummond. Further reading: Can Netflix bring justice to the town poisoned by dust?Clips: Sky News, BBC.Photo: Sunday Times illustration.Get in touch: [email protected]  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you - or someone you know - had a mobile phone snatched directly from your hand? It's a growing trend in London and other cities across the UK, as last Thursday, Met Police revealed they arrested 230 people and seized 1000 phones in just one week. So just who is behind this crimewave, and where exactly do the phones end up?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Dipesh Gadher, Home Affairs Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Louise Eccles, Early Years and Education Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Samantha Chantarasak.Further reading:What really happens to your phone when it’s stolen How your stolen iPhone ends up in one Chinese city market Further listening: What’s behind the rise in knife crime on our streetsClips: LBC, Sun Kissed Bucket List, Nikolay Tanev, Sky News.Photo: Metropolitan PoliceGet in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's Sunday Edition, we're looking back at this episode from March, diving into the fentanyl trade. This week, President Trump cited the fentanyl crisis in the US as his justification for threatening steep tariffs against Canada and Mexico. So how does fentanyl actually get into the US?Fentanyl kills 200 people a day in America, a deadly epidemic felt throughout the country. We trace the journey of chemicals from China, to the drug labs of Mexico to the streets of the United States. Can the tide be stemmed?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.Guests: Stephen Gibbs, Latin America correspondent, The Times & The Sunday Times, and Keiran Southern, West Coast correspondent, The Times & The Sunday Times. Producer: Edward Drummond. Host: Manveen Rana.Further listening: China’s deadly role in America’s fentanyl epidemicClips: CNBC, NBC News, ABC News, C-Span.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the political masterminds (and Hugo) are joined by Theo Bertram, who worked in Downing Street for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.After a new book by Times journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund sheds light on the inner workings of Keir Starmer's government, is chief of staff Morgan McSweeney actually in charge? And should a new YouGov/Times poll showing Reform UK ahead of Labour for the first time cause everyone to panic?This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, a panel of global medical experts convened a press conference. They said they had found a different cause of death in every baby Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering. So what did they find? And what might it mean for Letby's case?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Further reading: My research was misused to convict Lucy Letby — so I did my own inquiry.Further listening: Why some experts are doubting Lucy Letby’s conviction.Clips: Sky News, Telegraph.Photo: Times Media Ltd.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having implemented - then temporarily rescinded - tariffs on Canada and Mexico after both countries struck last-minute deals, Donald Trump now has his sights firmly focused on China. Following his announcement of a 10% tax on their imports to the US, China retaliated with their own. So what effect will this new trade war between the world’s two biggest economies have on China, the US and rest of the world? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Dr Linda Yueh, Economist, Oxford University and London Business School.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case, Samantha Chantarasak.Clips: BBC, NBC, Fox 5 New York, The Independent, Business Today, Fox News.Photo: CFOTO / Future Publishing via Getty.Get in touch: [email protected] This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having ruled the Chagos Islands since the 1800s, the UK now wants to cede sovereignty of the tiny archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. But one island is home to a secretive US military base and, with the growing threat of Chinese influence in the region, America is worried. Yesterday, the Mauritian PM said Sir Keir Starmer intends to “push ahead” with his deal - Whitehall suggested the same. But if it does happen, might it risk the relationship between Donald Trump and the British Prime Minister?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: George Grylls, Defence Correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Further reading: Trump’s secretary of state warns UK of China’s ‘malign influence.’Further listening: Bannon vs Musk: The battle for the soul of Donald Trump.Clips: The Times and The Sunday Times, Reuters, parliamentlive.tv, The Guardian, Reuters.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.