The Story

With no fewer than five separate Tory factions meeting to discuss whether or not to back the government on its revised Rwanda policy, Rishi Sunak finds himself fighting for his political reputation on two fronts: immigration and his handling of the pandemic.Yesterday, he faced the Covid inquiry. Our parliamentary sketch writer, Tom Peck, tells Manveen that Sunak may have survived the legal cross-examination, but his political fate is sealed.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. Find out how to listen to our bonus episodes - 'Inside the newsroom': https://thetimes.co.uk/bonuspodcastsGuest: Tom Peck, parliamentary sketch writer for The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Email us: [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.

America’s opioid crisis is now in its third decade and has killed more people than the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam combined. Fentanyl, the most commonly used synthetic opioid, is up to 50 times stronger than heroin. Made from chemicals manufactured in China, it’s then put into pill form in Mexico and smuggled across the border. As China and the US agree to crack down on the illegal trade, is China deliberately fuelling its rival’s opioid crisis? 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.Find out more about our Apple bonus series: 'Inside the Newsroom'Guest: Roger Boyes, Diplomatic Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Get in touch: [email protected]: Channel 4 News, PBS, Sky News, NBC News, AP, CBS News, CNBC, Arte, South China Morning Post, 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.

Over the past two days, Boris Johnson faced a grilling at the Covid Inquiry. His appearance came after weeks of testimony from senior officials, politicians and scientific advisers who hadn't held back in their assessment of his handling of the pandemic. So what did we learn about the crucial decisions made by the then Prime Minister?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: George Arbuthnott, Deputy Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: UK Covid-19 Inquiry.Insight's original investigation:Insight investigation: why was the UK so slow to lockdown?Failures of State: How Britain made the same mistake twice (Pt 2)Failures of State: The inside story of Britain’s battle with coronavirus (Pt 1)Read more: Failures of State: The Inside Story of Britain’s Battle with Coronavirus Find out more about our Apple bonus seriesThis 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.

Net migration to the UK hit a record high in 2022 – 745,000 more people arrived in the country than emigrated. After 13 years of promising to cut immigration, the government introduced yet another plan this week to reduce numbers. We look at what it would mean for the economy.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 Smith, Economics Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Email us: [email protected]: Sky 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.

The victory of Geert Wilders in Holland’s recent election has raised the spectre of a European Donald Trump. Now scrabbling to put together a coalition government, what does the return of an anti-Islamist, hard-right politician mean for The Netherlands, and for Europe more widely?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: Bruno Waterfield, Contributor for The Times in Brussels. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Reuters, France 24, AP, Al Jazeera, BBC.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.

Iran has built an intricate network of gangs, private investigators and assassins to target enemies of the regime around the world. An investigation by The Sunday Times has found that Tehran has launched at least 17 plots, including abductions and murders, against UK targets since the start of last year. So, what is it like to be one of these targets?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: Dipesh Gadher, Home Affairs Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones. Get in touch: [email protected]: Forbes, Parliament TV, 60 Minutes, Guardian News, Kayhan Life, Sky News, ABC News, 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.

On Friday, the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza came to an end. But as hostilities resume, are war crimes being committed? We hear from a war lawyer.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: Dr Jennifer Maddocks, Assistant Professor of Law at the United States Military Academy, West Point.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: DW News, the Guardian, MEMRI, BBC, NBC, Bloomberg, CBS, Al Jazeera, MSNBC, Middle East Eye.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.

A diplomatic row has broken out between Rishi Sunak and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the Elgin Marbles. Today, we’re revisiting an episode from last December, when David Aaronovitch spoke to classicist and British Museum trustee Dame Mary Beard about how the Parthenon sculptures ended up in the UK 200 years ago.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Dame Mary Beard, classicist.- David Sanderson, Arts Correspondent, The Times.With thanks to The British Museum.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Channel 4 News, Times Radio, Reuters, CBC News, BBC World Service, Al Jazeera, ITV Good Morning Britain, LBC, UK Parliament, LSE.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 former Ukip and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is being paid £1.5 million to take part in ITV’s I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! and is on the trail of Gen Z fans. Could a reality TV career-boost propel him back into politics? And if it does, how might that change the British political landscape?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: Jenny Kleeman. Clips: ITV, The Guardian, Fox News, GB News, Fortune & Freedom, Nigel Farage on TikTok, Channel 5, Nigel Farage on Cameo, Sky News, 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.

Negotiations to extend the ceasefire continue. But what could happen when the pause in fighting eventually ends? We bring you the view from both sides, with our correspondents in Israel and Gaza.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:Richard Spencer, foreign correspondent, The Times.Amal Helles, The Times’ correspondent in Gaza.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: NBC, Middle East Eye, Times Radio, MEMRI, France 24.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 royals hit the headlines again with the release of another “tell-all” book, what’s it like reporting on ‘The Firm’? Valentine Low, The Times writer on all things royal for the past 15 years has retired, but before he left, he shared some of the highlights of his career as part of the royal press pack. 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: Valentine Low, former writer for The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: [email protected]: BBC News, 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.

This week, COP28 starts in Dubai. The conference will be chaired by Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who happens to be the head of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company. Leaked documents suggest al-Jaber might even be using the climate summit as an opportunity to strike bilateral deals on fossil fuels. So is this year’s COP a farce? Or, beneath the troubling headlines, are there actually signs of progress?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: Adam Vaughan, Environment Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: COP28 UAE, BBC, Associated Press, ABC News, Forbes. 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.

Christy Kinahan is the former Dublin taxi driver who heads the world’s most wanted international gang. John Mooney, who has been pursuing Christy and his gang for a decade, considers if the net is finally closing in.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. Read John’s Sunday Times magazine piece on the Kinahans in full. Guest: John Mooney, Investigative Reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: RTE, Virgin Media 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.

This weekend we're bringing you a documentary special from Times Radio's sister station, talkSPORT. British-Ukrainian journalist and reporter Andrew Todos looks at how football in Ukraine has found its feet again, even as the war continues. Featuring Ukrainian icons Andriy Shevchenko, Sergei Rebrov and Oleksandr Zinchenko.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 week, Sam Altman the CEO of OpenAI - the makers of ChatGPT - was sacked by his board. After a dramatic few days, he is back at the company along with a new board. But is it really business as usual at OpenAI?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: Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.  Host: Manveen Rana.  Clips: BBC, CNBC, PBS Newshour, YouTube - SimplyAI, Invest With Pluto, Daragh Walsh, PlayAlchemist.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 been nearly seven weeks since 240 Israeli hostages were seized in a terrorist attack by Hamas. The attack was followed by intense retaliatory bombings of the Gaza strip by the Israeli army and thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Finally, a deal for the release of some hostages has been brokered between Hamas and Israel, and a four-day ceasefire in Gaza may begin on Friday. So what has been happening behind the scenes to bring the deal about? And what does this pivotal moment mean for the future of 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. Guest: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Email us: [email protected]: Fox News, Sky 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.

British director Sir Ridley Scott's new epic, Napoleon, is released in cinemas today. It comes as Marvel’s latest film suffered its lowest box office opening ever, raising questions about the future of superhero movies. Have audiences grown tired of the genre Scott has called "boring as shit"? Our critic gives his verdict on the new release, and assesses the state of cinema in 2023.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 Shone, Sunday Times film critic and author of The Nolan Variations and Blockbuster: How Hollywood Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Summer.Host: Luke Jones.Two-for-one cinema tickets at Everyman for Times+ members: https://www.mytimesplus.co.uk/offers/two-for-one-cinema-tickets-at-everymanEmail us: [email protected]: 20th Century Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lucasfilm/Disney, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Hovis, MGM, HBO Max.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.

Tomorrow, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will present his Autumn Statement to the Commons. For a government down in the polls, it may offer the opportunity for giveaways - and the Prime Minister says his government “can and will” cut taxes. But, with an economic recovery precarious, and coming before a general election next year, could a future Labour government be left paying the bill?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: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Get in touch: [email protected]: ITV, Sky News, Reuters, BBC News, David Boothroyd.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.

Polling ahead of next year’s election shows a majority of Americans think Biden is too old to be president. Rambling speeches, stumbles, and his advancing years are a cause for alarm in the Democratic Party. As he turns 81 today, is it time for him to step aside for another candidate?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 Hoyle, Foreign Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Get in touch: [email protected]: NBC News, CBS News, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, C-Span, Aspen Ideas Festival. 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 Sunday we're bringing you a bonus episode from a new podcast: Normal Women, from celebrated novelist and historian Philippa Gregory.Normal Women is a radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen – but of social and cultural change, powered by the determination, persistence and effectiveness of women, from 1066 to modern times. This is not a podcast about three or four well-known heroines. It is a story about millions of women: those who left records and those who were ‘hidden from history.’Find the rest of the series here.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.

Seven years ago, Fifa introduced the VAR system: the video assistant referee. It was meant to help make quicker, more accurate decisions about on-field incidents like off-side and handballs. But after a series of recent errors, is it ruining the beautiful 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. Guest: Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Get in touch: [email protected]: BBC, TNT Sport, Premier League, talkSPORT, Sky, ITV, Liverpool FC.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 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.