The Story

The final season of the hit Netflix series The Crown comes out today. The show has reanimated events lost to history, and put our fascination with the royals into overdrive, but it has also made liberal use of its creative licence. So what has it taught us? And does it matter if drama plays with the truth of real lives?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: Andrew Billen, Feature Writer, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Get in touch: [email protected]: NBC Today show, The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix/The CrownThis 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 Israel focuses on fighting Hamas in Gaza, tensions are rising in the other Palestinian territory, the occupied West Bank. Since October 7, violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers has led to the death of over 180 people, mostly Palestinians. With Israel now fighting on two fronts - Gaza and Lebanon - could it cope with a third? 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: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: Reuters, Al jazeera, CBS News, France 24, DW News.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.

Former prime minister David Cameron is back in the government after Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle. Pressure had been mounting on Sunak to sack Suella Braverman after a controversial opinion piece in The Times last week. So why is Cameron back? And what do the appointments mean for the Conservatives and their election strategy? 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: Steven Swinford, Political Editor, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Get in touch: [email protected] Music: 'Fantasy on David Cameron (Cameron's lament in C minor)' courtesy of Thomas Hewitt Jones. Follow Thomas at @thewittjones on Twitter and @thomashewittjonesmusic on Facebook. And you can hear the full track here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhyORjJ00Rk Clips: Sky News, Times Radio, BBC News, BBC Radio 4, TalkTV.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 head of Ukraine’s military says the war is at a stalemate. Meanwhile, Western attention is shifting to the Israel-Gaza conflict. So is a military victory off the table and should President Zelensky start negotiating with President Putin?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: Mark Galeotti, historian, Sunday Times contributor and author of Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Get in touch: [email protected]: NBC, MSNBC, BBC, Forbes, WION, CBS, Times Radio, The Sun.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 really is the single weirdest book I have ever read, and anyone who does not reach the same conclusion after reading it should be sectioned.”That was our colleague Patrick Maguire’s verdict on ‘The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson’ by former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, which was published on Thursday.So this weekend we’re bringing you an episode of another Times podcast, Red Box, in which Patrick journeys into Nadine Dorries's world with Times Radio presenter Matt Chorley.Plus: Matt speaks to Times columnist Danny Finkelstein (who Dorries accuses of being part of a cabal controlling the Tory party), and one of Boris Johnson’s political allies.Read more:Patrick Maguire’s review: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nadine-dorries-book-review-the-plot-ln7gfbvgz9 explosive claims from Nadine Dorries’s book: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nadine-dorries-book-the-plot-claims-summary-key-points-mpbzh9v68This 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.

Tomorrow is the Annual General Meeting of the National Trust - and battle lines are being drawn. Over the past two years, a protest faction called 'Restore Trust' has emerged to challenge the UK's biggest charity. They accuse the organisation of playing politics by highlighting links to colonialism and slavery. But The National Trust says that the history of Empire needs to be part of what we preserve and document. So, can the most quintessentially British institution weather the storm of the culture wars?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: Ben Ellery, News Reporter, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected]: Channel 4 News, The Spectator, National Trust, BBC News, CBS News, Sky News, Parliament TV.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.

Suella Braverman has accused the Metropolitan Police of “playing favourites” with protesters as she clashed with Britain’s most senior officer over his decision to give the go-ahead to Saturday’s pro-Palestinian march. Her comments come after the government spent much of the past week on a collision course with protesters and the police over the protests planned for Saturday – Armistice Day – which Rishi Sunak confirmed last night would go ahead. Meanwhile, a Labour frontbencher has resigned over his party’s position on a ceasefire. So, a month into the Israel-Gaza war, we explore how the conflict in the Middle East is exposing divisions 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.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Trevor Phillips, columnist, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected]: Times Radio, Sky News, Chatham House, GB News, BBC Newsnight, Global, LBC, AFP. 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.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a whistle stop tour of the Middle East earlier this week, as part of a frantic diplomatic effort to de-escalate the Israel-Gaza crisis. His visit comes as China calls for a ceasefire in a bid to position itself as the neutral arbiter in the region. US politicians have labelled Russia, China and Iran as the ‘axis of evil’ - so should the West be worried? And how have the wars in Ukraine and Gaza deepened those relationships? 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: Ahmed Aboudouh, Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CGTN, PBS Newshour, The Times, France 24, United Nations, C-SPAN, Sky News, BBC News, NBC News, The Telegraph, Fox News. 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.

Scion of the Kennedy dynasty, Robert Kennedy Jr has ditched the Democrats and declared his candidacy in the 2024 US Presidential race, running as an Independent. But in a Biden-Trump run-off, who does Kennedy hurt most? 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: David Charter, US Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: PBS, CNN, Reuters, ABC News, Fox News, News Nation, AP, Yahoo! Finance.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.

Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has come under scrutiny after the Charity Commission opened an investigation into links between her family and the charity set up in his name, the Captain Tom Foundation. They are also facing questions over Captain Tom’s book deal, and over an unauthorised spa. 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. 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 parties prepare to do battle at the polls, The Times launches a new podcast, 'How to Win an Election', in which we bring together three of the most experienced political strategists of the past four decades: legendary architect of New Labour, Peter Mandelson; Daniel Finkelstein, who has worked alongside Tory leaders and prime ministers from John Major onwards as they fought to modernise the party; and Polly Mackenzie, a policy expert who helped negotiate the Liberal Democrat-Conservative coalition and spent five years working alongside deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in Downing Street. Today, we're sharing the first episode with listeners of Stories of our times: How to decide when to call an election.With Rishi Sunak still behind in the polls, will he wait a full year before calling a general election? And at a time when many voters feel pessimistic about the future, can either Sunak or Keir Starmer generate a sense of hope and change? Our three electoral masterminds join Matt Chorley for your insider's guide to the twists and turns of the next year in politics.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 night Israel's military said its forces had "advanced another significant stage in the war" and encircled Gaza City, the most built-up area of the Gaza Strip and the heart of the Hamas tunnel network.Israel's government says the purpose of the war is to eliminate Hamas, but is that an objective that can be achieved? We speak to a former major-general who was once the UK's most senior commander in Iraq, tasked with eliminating Isis.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: Major-General Rupert Jones (ret’d).Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: Global News, Channel 4 News, BBC News, CNN, PBS NewsHour, Sky News Australia.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.

German shoemakers Birkenstock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange at a valuation of more than $8 billion last month, and the sandals are top of John Lewis’ must-have Christmas list this year. So how did this nearly 250-year-old company go from orthopaedic footwear to a cameo in the Barbie film? And how did the shoe woo the fashion industry?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: Anna Murphy, Fashion Director, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected] Read more: Why fashion editors love Birkenstocks: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-fashion-editors-love-birkenstocks-times-luxury-n9tlpg9q7How ‘ugly’ Birkenstocks became an $8 billion brand: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-ugly-birkenstocks-became-an-8billion-brand-czr6050j8Clips: Birkenstock, DW News, Barbie/Warner Bros., MTV’s House of Style, New York Stock Exchange, CNBC, These Boots Are Made For Walkin’/Nancy Sinatra/Light in the Attic. 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.

During a 34-hour communications blackout that began on Friday evening, Israel launched its ground invasion into Gaza. With thousands of Palestinians killed and conditions in the territory deteriorating, the UN secretary general has repeated his call for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian access. Israel has rejected this saying “calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas” and that it is committed to getting all its hostages back home. So, now that the IDF's troops have entered the densely populated strip -- what is the plan?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: Richard Spencer, foreign correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected] Clips: Sky News, Channel 4 News, Associated Press, Times Radio.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.

Dominic Cummings gives evidence to the UK’s Covid inquiry today – the latest in a string of senior advisors to Boris Johnson to do so. The published evidence, including private WhatsApp conversations, is bringing to light internecine grudges between those in charge. We catch up on what’s been revealed so far.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: Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Get in touch: [email protected] Clips: UK Covid Inquiry.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 world leaders and AI companies will gather for a summit at Bletchley Park, the Second World War code-breaking centre. It’s the most important attempt yet to formulate a shared view on what artificial intelligence might be capable of and how it should be regulated.But with elections taking place in both the US and the UK in the next year or so, could the threat posed by AI deepfakes to democracy be much more immediate, as the head of MI5 has warned?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: Henry Ajder, Visiting Senior Research Associate, Jesus College, Cambridge.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected] Clips: Zach Silberberg on Twitter, Telegram, CNN, ABC News, MSNBC, WUSA9, BBC Radio 4.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.

Friday was a big day for Taylor Swift. She released the reimagined version of her 2014 album 1989, and was declared a billionaire by business news outlet Bloomberg. So this weekend we're listening back to our conversation with The Sunday Times' resident Swiftie, Charlotte Ivers. What is it about the pop princess that has the power to influence an entire generation and their politics?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: Charlotte Ivers, Sunday Times columnist and Times Radio political correspondent.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: NBC, PBS, BBC, ABC, Billboard, Fox, ET, SVT, CNBC, TikTok.Music excerpts: Love Story/Better Than Revenge - Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records, LLC. Blank Space/New Romantics - Max Martin, Taylor Swift, Shellback, Big Machine Records, LLC. Outta the Woods - Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records, LLC. Betty/Delicate/Man/You Need to Calm Down/Only the Young - Taylor Swift, Universal Music Group. 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 Britney Spears released her new memoir, and is the latest celebrity to open up about the trauma of being a young famous woman in the 2000s. Post-MeToo and the Russell Brand allegations, there has been a collective re-evaluation of how stars like Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan were treated. So why did we want to see them humiliated? And why did so many of us think it was normal? 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. Toxic: Women, Fame and the Noughties by Sarah Ditum (Fleet £22). Buy at timesbookshop.co.uk. Discount for Times+ membersGuest: Sarah Ditum, writer for The Sunday Times, and author of Toxic: Women, Fame and the Noughties. Host: Manveen Rana.Book extract: Being Britney Spears: inside the teen dream that turned toxic: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/britney-spears-book-the-woman-in-me-justin-timberlake-jhnhgcxd6Stories of our times episodes:Russell Brand accused of rape: https://pod.fo/e/1eeeb0 Russell Brand investigation: What happened next:https://pod.fo/e/1f03f7 Clips: BBC Woman’s Hour, CBS, MTV VMAs, 60 Minutes/9Now, Channel 4 News, I am Paris, CBS News, …Baby One More Time/Britney Spears/SME, Blurred Lines/Robin Thicke, T.I., Pharrell/UMG, CNN, KRON4, BBC News, Pop Idol/ITV, The Simple Life/Fox, Saturday Night Live/NBC, This is Paris/YouTube. 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 Israel conducts 'wide-scale' retaliatory strikes against Gaza, the humanitarian crisis in the area has reached devastating proportions. Thousands are dead and food, fuel and water have almost run out. If this was part of the plan, what is the strategy and is there an end game?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:- Louise Callaghan, Middle East Correspondent, The Sunday Times.- Dr. Tobias Borck, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security Studies, Royal United Services Institute.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: PBS Newshour, Al Jazeera English, CBS News.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.

Prisons in England and Wales are at full capacity. Exclusive reporting for the Times revealed judges were being advised to suspend sentences, rather than put prisoners away. After HS2, concrete in schools, and NHS waiting lists, where will this latest scandal leave the Tories’ reputation for competence?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:- Catherine Baksi, former barrister and Times contributor.- Matt Dathan, Home Affairs Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Get in touch: [email protected]: Sky News, Parliament, BBC, Centre for Social Justice, Institute for Government.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 cost began to spiral, HS2 bosses allegedly shredded documents, sacked whistleblowers and used misleading projections to keep the scheme alive and the cash coming. We speak to the team behind a new investigation into the beleaguered rail project, and hear one whistleblower’s secret recordings. HS2 Ltd denies any wrongdoing.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:- Jonathan Calvert, Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.- George Arbuthnott, Deputy Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Read more: HS2: The secret files that expose a multibillion-pound cover-up https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hs2-billion-pound-coverup-cost-files-investigation-skzv2nxwj Get in touch: [email protected]: Parliament, ITV News, BBC Panorama, Times Radio.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.

Shoplifting offences have risen by 25 per cent in the past year alone, according to the Office for National Statistics. With some incidents turning increasingly violent, and many perpetrators going unpunished, business owners are calling for action. So what’s behind the rise? And what might be the solution?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:Louise Eccles, Consumer Affairs Editor, The Sunday Times.Mo Razzaq, Vice President, The Federation of Independent Retailers.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: GMB, Sky News, PolicyExchangeUK.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.

Two weeks into the current Israel-Gaza conflict, we take a moment to reflect on the events of October 7th and their aftermath. In this personal conversation, our colleagues Josh Glancy and Gabriel Pogrund discuss the impact on British Jews. Stories of Our Times will continue to cover this story from many different angles, including further conversations with members of the communities affected by the conflict. 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: - Josh Glancy, News Review Editor, The Sunday Times. - Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times.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 attack on a hospital in Gaza, leaving at least 500 dead, has led to fears that the situation is spiralling out of control. With each side blaming the other for the bombing, how can a regional conflict be contained, and war on a global scale be averted?  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: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: WSJ, BBC, Sky News, Reuters, CBS News, NBC, Channel 4 News, State Department. 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.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says that bedbugs on the Underground are a ‘real cause for concern’, after fears that an infestation in Paris could spread to the UK capital and beyond. But how bad is the problem in France really? And what should you do if you spot one of the little creatures?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:Natalie Steed, producer, Folk on Foot podcast. Charles Bremner, Paris Correspondent, The Times.Professor James Logan, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and CEO of Arctech Innovation. Host: Luke Jones.Clips: @americanfille/TikTok, Talk TV, ITV News, ITV’s Good Morning Britain, @iamholst/TikTok, @jawsolyn/TikTok, PoliticsJOE, Sky News, DW, France 24, @jimmysongcreative/TikTok, RMC, LCP-Assemblée nationale, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.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 past century has seen the borders of Palestine and then Israel shift. From the Balfour Declaration in 1917 – when Britain first promised a Jewish homeland – a fierce struggle over land and nationhood has taken place. Whether you need a beginner’s guide to the history or just a reminder, we'll take you from that date through to the conflict today. 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: Kevin Connolly, former BBC Middle East correspondent. Host: Luke Jones. Links:- Six books to help you understand the Israel-Gaza conflict https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/6eadf81c-691b-11ee-a4e7-0fb10af55688?shareToken=601ea5a0228cb764228ddd2e97c53a63- Why are Israel and Gaza at war? The history of the conflict explained https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-israel-gaza-palestine-war-conflict-history-explained-xz0jv3phq Get in touch: [email protected] Clips: Sky News Australia, BBC News, Associated Press, Al Jazeera English, The Atlantic, Thames TV, Clinton Presidential Library.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 story is a disturbing illustration of how one man can seemingly go through life lying to women, abandoning them with children while paying no child support.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. Article: Unmasked: the ‘infertile’ father of multiple children with different women https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/unmasked-the-infertile-father-of-multiple-children-with-different-women-mg2x5lstfGuest: Ben Ellery, General News Reporter, The Times.Host: Will Roe.Clips: Mr Vegan YouTube channel.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 murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer shocked the nation and eroded public trust in the police. Now The Times has exposed the scale of serious crimes committed by 145 by serving policemen and women - from rape and violence to corruption and fraud.Times subscribers can read more about the 145 police officers convicted of serious offences.This episode contains material that some listeners may find upsetting.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: Fiona Hamilton, Chief Reporter, The Times.David Woode, Crime Correspondent, The Times.Host: Jane Mulkerrins.Clips: ITV News, BBC, Sky News, 5News.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.

Modelling agencies are recruiting young people who have fled war-torn African countries and are living in extreme poverty. They are flown to Europe to take part in fashion castings, but some return within days or weeks, often laden with debt. We speak to the journalists behind the Sunday Times investigation. With thanks to Edwin Okoth who provided additional reporting on this investigation, and Mari Malek from Runways to Freedom. This episode contains material that some listeners may find upsetting. 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:Lisa Brinkworth, freelance journalist.Hugo Daniel, Reporter, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: 9 News Australia, The Times. 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 2023 conference season is winding down. But did the parties achieve what they wanted - and needed - to? And did they shift the dial when it comes to the result of the next general election?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: Lara Spirit, Red Box Editor, The Times.Kate McCann, Political Editor and Presenter, Times Radio.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.Get in touch: [email protected]: The Labour Party, The Conservative Party, The Liberal Democrats.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 Saturday the militant Palestinian group Hamas launched an unprecedented terrorist attack on Israel, killing more than 900 people in Israel and taking up to 130 hostages.In response, Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, declared war and launched airstrikes killing almost 690 people in Gaza. His defence minister ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, which aid organisations have warned could end up amounting to “war crimes”. Meanwhile, Hamas has threatened to execute a hostage for every Israeli attack on Palestinian homes without “prior warning”.Our correspondent in Israel explains why all this has happened now – and what the consequences could be.Mentioned in this episode: You can find a map of the region here.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: Anshel Pfeffer, Times correspondent in Israel.Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected]: BBC, Sky News, Al Jazeera English, NewsNation.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 Disney celebrates its 100th birthday this month, a series of recent flops and gargantuan acquisitions has left people asking whether the shine is beginning to wear off. Plus, we look back at the studio’s past - including the time when Donald Duck dressed up as a Nazi.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: Ed Potton, Arts Commissioning Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected]: Walt Disney Studios, Bloomberg, Rotten Tomatoes, Piers Morgan Uncensored, Talk TV, Walt Disney Productions, NBC, CBS.Music: Be Our Guest/Disney/Walt Disney Records, You’ve Got a Friend in Me/Randy Newman/ Walt Disney Records, Let It Go from “Frozen”/Multi Language Medley/Walt Disney Records, When You Wish Upon a Star/Cliff Edwards/Pinocchio (original motion picture soundtrack), Arabian Nights from “Aladdin”/Alan Menken/Walt Disney Records, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-From “Song of the South”/James Baskett/Walt Disney Records.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.

If the polls are to be believed, Sir Keir Starmer is on track for a comfortable victory at the next general election – and just this morning, he has hailed a by-election win in the Glasgow seat of Rutherglen & Hamilton West as a "seismic result". But voters are less clear on what he and his party would do with power.This weekend the Labour Party's annual conference – perhaps the last before the next election – kicks off in Liverpool. Amid accusations of flip-flopping and u-turns galore, our resident Labour watcher explains the key tensions in Starmer's thinking as he prepares for the most important speech of his leadership so far.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: Patrick Maguire, Times columnist and Times Radio senior political correspondent.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: BBC, Sky News, LBC, GB News, SPD, Sky News Australia, Channel 4 News.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 night, for the first time in American history, the House of Representatives voted to remove its speaker from office. It was a victory for a group of Republicans who oppose giving Ukraine further American aid – which, for now, is on pause. Meanwhile in Europe, Slovakia's recent elections saw a new, pro-Russia, leader pledging to end support for Ukraine. What does all this mean for Kyiv's war effort?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: Roger Boyes, Diplomatic Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected]: NBC News, C-SPAN, CBS, BBC News, DW News, Sky News, CNN, Channel 4 News.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.

Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short, met Sam Bankman-Fried when his crypto exchange was rewriting the rules of global finance and was by his side when the empire imploded. Ahead of his fraud trial which starts today, this is the inside story of the crypto whizz kid at the heart of one of the 21st century's most spectacular financial collapses.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: Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short, Moneyball, The Blind Side and Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon. Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: CNET, CBS, CNBC, Fox, BBC, Yahoo Finance.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.

Scotland has the highest drug-related death rate in Europe – and last week approved plans for its first drug consumption room to try and reduce deaths. It’s a step closer to the SNP’s goal of decriminalisation – so what can they learn from Portugal, which decriminalised drugs over twenty years ago?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:- John Boothman, Political Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.- Dr João Goulão, Portugal's National Coordinator for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the Harmful Use of Alcohol.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: Trainspotting/Miramax, Channel 4 News, STV News, 5 News, Sky News, UK Parliament. 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.

From A-levels to net zero, the prime minister has new plans to bite into Labour’s poll lead. No 10 wants voters to meet the ‘real Rish’ – a decisive PM who focuses on our long-term problems. But, as Conservatives gather for their annual conference this weekend, is that enough to revive the party’s faltering popularity? 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: Tim Shipman, Chief Political Commentator, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Channel 4 News, Sky News, The Guardian, BBC News. 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.

In the summer of 1979, Ruth Shaw was a student in Bradford, walking alone one night when she encountered Peter Sutcliffe – the serial killer the papers had nicknamed the Yorkshire Ripper. But her encounter wasn’t recorded by police. 44 years later, this is her untold story.This podcast contains scenes of a graphic nature. Ruth’s story was first told to Michael Bilton in his book ‘Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper’ which is now being serialised on ITV on Mondays at 9pm. 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:- Michael Bilton, author and former Sunday Times Northern Correspondent.- Ruth Shaw.Host: Josh Glancy.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Andy’s Archive, ITN, BBC, Granada Television / ITV.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.

We bring you the story of one Ukrainian command post as a patrol runs into chaos on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river, with Anthony Loyd who returned from reporting there last week. Plus, what should we make of the state of the war?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: Anthony Loyd, Senior Foreign Correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Articles: A firefight erupts and soldiers watch on a drone feed as their comrades fall - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-firefight-erupts-and-soldiers-watch-on-a-drone-feed-as-their-comrades-fall-mv9tbnw0cUkraine draft dodgers dream up extreme ways to avoid the front - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ukraine-draft-dodgers-dream-up-extreme-ways-to-avoid-the-front-p87kdjxgjThis 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.

For the past four years, the former Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands has been entrenched in a battle with the estate of the financier, paedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, Denise George reveals how she tracked down the moneymen who she says protected Epstein, and explains why she’s taking on one of America’s biggest banks.Article: Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘hell' island — and the woman who exposed its secrets: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jeffrey-epstein-island-little-st-james-us-virgin-islands-7775nq58jThis 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: Rosie Kinchen, Deputy News Review Editor and Senior Writer, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CNBC. 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 a diabetic drug that recently became a weight loss diet fad for the rich because of its ability to suppress hunger. Now, Wegovy, a drug similar to Ozempic, has been approved specifically for weight loss for the clinically obese in the UK. But is an injection our best bet at tackling obesity?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: 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: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-weight-loss-drug-ozempic-made-denmark-enormously-rich-bbv80sz06Clips: Global News Canada, CBS, E News.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 editors of The Times and The Sunday Times wrote to the justice secretary, calling for a crackdown on the misuse of libel laws by the super-rich. Together with more than 60 editors, reporters and lawyers, they called for a specific law to address Slapps – strategic lawsuits against public participation.In this bonus Saturday episode, we’re listening back to a conversation with Times Media’s editorial legal director Pia Sarma, first broadcast in January, in which she argues it's time to restore the balance between rich claimants and journalists pursuing the truth.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: Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director, Times Media.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected] Read more: 'Editors call for anti-Slapp law to protect investigative journalism' https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/editors-call-for-anti-slapp-law-to-protect-investigative-journalism-wxhjt0kfcClips: Times Radio, France 24, Parliament TV.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 high speed railway HS2 has been quietly graded ‘red’ by the government’s infrastructure watchdog, meaning successful delivery appears unachievable. The cost of the line - planned to run between London, and central and northern England - is at £71 billion so far; nearly £2,500 for every UK household. So what went wrong? Who’s got rich off this? And will it ever be finished?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: Oliver Wright, Policy Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Channel 4, HS2 Ltd, GB News, BBC, Parliament Live, The Guardian, Sky.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 weekend The Times and The Sunday Times – together with Channel 4's Dispatches – broke the news of allegations against Russell Brand including rape and sexual assault. Russell Brand strongly denies all the allegations.So what happened next? Today we catch up with The Times’ head of investigations to answer listener questions and examine the fallout from the investigation.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: Paul Morgan-Bentley, Head of Investigations, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Links: Decca Aitkenhead’s interview with Russell Brand, published in 2019:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-interview-russell-brand-on-his-hedonistic-past-marriages-and-becoming-a-father-wn6gjkwzd Get in touch: If you have any information you want to share with the team behind this investigation, email [email protected] can contact the Stories of Our Times team on [email protected]. Clips: Sky News, ABC News, ABC News Australia, Russell Brand on YouTube, GB News, Times Radio, BBC Radio 2, Radio X, Mindhouse Productions/BBC Two, Love Productions/Channel 4.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.

From the 1970s onwards, an estimated 5,000 NHS patients were given contaminated blood products, which contained deadly diseases like hepatitis and HIV. Today, half of those infected have died. How did this happen? As her new book is published, we hear from the Sunday Times journalist who unearthed the story, and followed it for 20 years to get answers.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: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Infected Blood Inquiry, World in Action, Lord Mayor of Treloar.Caroline's book, Death in the Blood, is available from the Times Bookshop now: https://timesbookshop.co.uk/death-in-the-blood-the-most-shocking-scandal-in-nhs-history-from-the-journalist-who-has-followed-the-story-for-over-two-decades-9781035405244Have thoughts about this podcast? 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.

Welcome to Temu, the world’s biggest bargain bin. Since launching just five months ago, the app has been downloaded more than nine million times in the UK alone. Our correspondent has spent a day shopping on Temu, and delves into the tricks the Chinese retailer uses to ruthlessly undercut its rivals.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: Sam Chambers, Chief Business Correspondent, The Sunday Times.  Host: Luke Jones.Clips: CNN, BBC News, Sky News, BBC Radio 4, GB News, ITV News, YouTube.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.

Ukrainian women are making fake profiles on dating apps, matching with Putin’s lonely troops and tricking them into revealing information that could help Ukraine win the war. In a rare interview, we speak to one of the women who is dating for victory.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:Maxim Tucker, Assistant Foreign Editor, The Times.‘Angelica’, Ukrainian honeytrapper.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.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 contains detailed allegations of rape and sexual assault. Following an exclusive investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches we hear how the comedian and actor Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse. Journalists Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace reveal the harrowing stories of two of Brand’s alleged victims. Russell Brand strongly denies all the allegations. 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.If you have any information you want to share, you can get in touch with the team behind this investigation by emailing [email protected]: Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor, The Sunday Times.Charlotte Wace, News Reporter, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Articles: Russell Brand accused of rape, sexual assaults and abuse - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-rape-sexual-assault-abuse-allegations-investigation-v5hxdlmb6 Comic, film star, YouTube guru: Russell Brand’s many lives - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-youtube-guru-wife-girlfriends-wealth-lrv8r36pnHow The Times and The Sunday Times investigated Russell Brand - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-investigation-sunday-times-video-watch-latest-news-x33ss0kmkVideo: You can watch our investigation on The Times and The Sunday Times YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqfCzB1BOlMClips: BBC, Channel 4, Universal Pictures UK, ITV News, ITV, Endemol, Russell Brand YouTube Channel, CBS.  Helplines: 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. Phone: 0808 802 9999 https://rapecrisis.org.uk/Rape Crisis Scotland provides confidential support for anyone affected by sexual violence, no matter when or how it happened. They can also put you in touch with local rape crisis centres.Phone: 0808 801 03 02 http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/Rape Crisis Network Ireland supports anyone in Northern Ireland affected by rape and sexual violencehttp://www.rcni.ieSamaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provides a safe place to talk 24 hours a day: https://www.samaritans.orgPhone: 116 123Email: [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 a list of young British novelists to watch was released in 1983, many of them went on to become household names, thanks to both their talent and their sex appeal. A new list comes out every ten years, but has never recreated the same success as the original – so has it become harder for novelists to break through? And has the literary world lost some of its glamour? 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: Robbie Millen, Literary Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC Wales, ITV News, BBC News, Blue Monday/New Order/Factory Records, Granta Magazine, Booker Prize, CBS/Late Night with David Letterman.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.

In an exclusive investigation, The Times and The Sunday Times have revealed that a Tory parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of spying for China was the director of an influential policy group on Beijing. Chris Cash says he is “completely innocent”, and that claims that he spied for China are “extravagant” and “against everything I stand for”. Now, for the first time, the Sunday Times journalist who broke the story of Cash's arrest gives her behind-the-scenes account of how the investigation unfolded – and why we're choosing to name the suspected spy. 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: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: PoliticsHome, China Research Group.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.