The Story

Following the Wagner mutiny, it’s been a difficult few weeks for Vladimir Putin. He has detained, interrogated or fired a number of his top soldiers – including generals – as infighting and discontent weakens Russia’s military. So who’s in, who’s out, and what does it mean for the war in Ukraine?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, journalist and author of Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: India Today, The Buzz, CNN, BBC, 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.

It's not often that a parliamentary vote changes the fate and character of a nation. But this week Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition pushed through a vote which did just that – stripping the country’s supreme court of its powers to block government decisions. Could Israel be heading, as one former prime minister believes, for civil 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: Anshel Pfeffer, Times contributor in Jerusalem and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Reuters, The Guardian, CBN News, Global News, Channel 4 News, NBC 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.

For the past week, islands in Greece have experienced catastrophic wildfires. Over twenty thousand people have been evacuated - the largest rescue operation in the country's history. It comes amid a punishing heat wave, where temperatures are regularly soaring well over 40 degrees. So is this climate change in action? A new report has some clues.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:Daphne Tolis, freelance journalist in Greece.Adam Vaughan, Environment Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Times Radio, The Guardian, Daphne Tolis/UGC, Reuters, 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.

In the last few years, the UK has seen a 44 percent increase in single women seeking fertility treatment on their own. That means they need sperm - and many are looking towards Danish donors for it. So why is single motherhood - by choice - on the rise? And what is Denmark doing differently? 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:Rachel Sylvester, Chair of the Times Health Commission, Columnist and Interviewer, The Times.Liv Thorne, Author, Liv's Alone: Amateur Adventures in Solo Motherhood.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CBS News, 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.

Major-General Kyrylo Budanov is the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence - the 37-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise to become the country's youngest head of the organisation. Russia believes that he is lying in a coma in Germany following a missile strike on his headquarters but he’s actually alive and ready to take ‘direct action’ against his enemies.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, special correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CNN, BBC, ABC, CBC, DW, 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.

With just a few seconds of your voice, a scammer can create a fake AI version of “you”, call your parents and potentially scam them out of thousands of pounds. The ruse is on the rise in the UK and uses cheap and readily available artificial intelligence. So how does it work and how can you protect yourself when just three seconds of audio is enough to create a fake you?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: Katie Tarrant, news reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Sky / Esfand, fakeyou.com, 12News, NBC, ElevenLabs, 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.

Last week, Hollywood’s actors joined its writers in the first industry-wide shutdown in 63 years. The West Wing’s Richard Schiff tells us his fears for new actors and how it feels to know that AI could “clone” him for future projects.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 Schiff, actor and director, andConstance Kampfner, News Reporter, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Universal Studios, Guardian News, Sky News, Associated Press, NBC, Theme Park Times, WGA West.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 giant panda has become one of China’s diplomatic tools, after a pair were gifted to President Nixon as an act of friendship in the 1970s. But with US-China relations deteriorating - what can pandas tell us about the two superpowers’ modern relationship?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: Didi Tang, Beijing Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: The National Archives, CNN, France 24, CCTV, NBC News, Richard Nixon Foundation, Action News 5, TikTok/@care2petitions, pandavoices.org.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 by-election triple whammy tomorrow - and seats up for grabs include Boris Johnson's former constituency of Uxbridge. The votes were triggered after three Conservative MPs resigned - and the Tories are already saying they’re expecting to lose all three. The Times has been finding out how voters feel - and they’re not happy. So what could tomorrow’s results mean for Rishi Sunak’s and Keir Starmer’s chances at 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.Guest: Tim Shipman, Chief Political Commentator, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen RanaClips: The Times, BBC News, Sky News, ITV News, 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.

It’s one of the most anticipated movies of the year. After months of bright pink promo ‘Barbie’ - starring Margot Robbie and directed by Greta Gerwig - finally hits the big screen this week. Little girls have been playing with the doll for 64 years... but she's not without her controversies. So, is life in plastic really still fantastic? 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: Hadley Freeman, columnist, The Times. Host: Jane Mulkerrins, Associate Editor, The Times magazine.  Clips: Warner Bros. Pictures, Aqua, CNN, BBC, News 12, Barbie Collectors, CBC. 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.

Councillors in Orkney have voted to explore ways that the group of Scottish islands could break away from Scotland and the UK. Proposals include becoming a crown dependency or even a self-governing territory of Norway - so how might Orxit work? And how could this debate hurt the SNP at the next 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. Guest: Mike Wade, Senior Reporter Scotland, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: BBC Radio Scotland, Reuters, DW News, WION, Orkney Islands Council, The Orkney News, STV, LBC. 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 Wednesday evening, five days after allegations were first published, Huw Edwards was named by his wife as the BBC presenter accused of paying £35,000 to a young person for sexually explicit photographs. As further allegations emerge, the Metropolitan Police says it has found no evidence of a criminal offence and Edwards is receiving in-patient hospital care for his mental health after a “serious episode.” So how did the week unfold? And where does it leave the debate over public interest, privacy and duty of care?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. Host: Manveen Rana.Guests:Alex Farber, Media Correspondent, The Times.Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director, Times Media.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Sky, Channel 4, Reuters, BBC, Andrew Gold, TalkTV, Channel 5, 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 week, the Israeli army entered the Jenin refugee camp on the West Bank and carried out a two-day raid where the target - according to Israel - was the headquarters of local militants. During the incursion, journalists were not allowed into the camp. Now that the rubble is being cleared - what really happened? And has it fed the flames of the 'Jenin Brigades' - a new generation of resistance that could be the most dangerous iteration yet?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, Diplomatic Editor, The Times.Host. Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, Sky News, Al Jazeera English.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2020, orcas have been carrying out hundreds of attacks on boats near Gibraltar, Spain and Portugal, but last month one of the animals made global headlines when it hit a yacht off the coast of Scotland. Researchers are trying to understand the behaviour - could it be that the killer whales are out for revenge on humanity?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. Manveen Rana.Clips: ABC’s Good Morning America, PBS NewsHour, Matt Johnston via Storyful, April Boyes via Storyful, Daniel Kriz via Storyful, Reuters, BBC News, Blackfish/Magnolia Pictures, CBS News, CNN.  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 Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine, men and women are working secretly, behind enemy lines. They're blowing up bridges, identifying targets for bombing raids and killing anyone caught collaborating with the enemy. So who are they? How are they recruited? And how has one man managed to infiltrate the Russian army itself?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: Maxim Tucker, assistant foreign editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Ukrainian National Resistance, BBC, CNN, PBS, 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.

The biggest and most controversial issue for the 31 member nations at the Nato summit in Lithuania tomorrow will be whether to offer fast-track membership to Ukraine. Would this be a step too far – or has the invasion by Russia made it inevitable? We speak to a former Nato secretary-general. 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: Lord George Robertson, Nato secretary-general, 1999-2004. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: NATO History, Woodrow Wilson Centre, AP Archive, Voice of America, PA Media, BBC News, Sky News, Channel 4 News, Reuters. 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.

Scientists are on a mission to solve the problem of drug-resistant infections. It’s a race against time: millions of lives could be at risk when antibiotics stop working. The answer could be a century-old treatment largely abandoned since the invention of penicillin.Research in this podcast was undertaken with reference to 'The Good Virus' by Tom Ireland. For more information on his book, and on his research into phages see: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-good-viruses-can-save-us-from-our-antibiotics-timebomb-b0gk7crs9This 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 Spencer, Science Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Jenny Kleeman.Clips: ITV News, Sky News, Co-ADD, Euronews.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today the third Ashes Test between England and Australia gets underway in Leeds. But while fans enjoy England’s national summer sport, last week a damning report found that racism, sexism, classism and elitism were "widespread" in the game. So how dire is the situation - and can cricket be saved?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: I’ve lost count of times I’m asked, ‘Which player is your husband? - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-ve-lost-count-of-times-i-m-asked-which-player-is-your-husband-pwp0dkntrGuests: - Elizabeth Ammon, Cricket News Reporter, The Times.- Cindy Butts, Chair of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket.Host: Josh Glancy, News Review Editor at The Sunday Times.Clips: Sky Sport Cricket, Times Radio, ITV News, BBC Sport, BBC Test Match Special, Guardian Sport.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 a 17 year-old was shot dead at a traffic stop in the French town of Nanterre near Paris. In response, the country erupted in rage and riots. Protesters say the killing is evidence of long-standing racism and brutality by the police. So can the relationship between France and some of its most disenfranchised citizens ever be repaired?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: Peter Conradi, Europe Editor, The Sunday Times.  Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Channel 4, DW News, France 24, CBS, BBC, NBC, Reuters, ITV, Al Jazeera, @OHANA-FGN, La Haine / Mathieu Kassovitz / c. 1995 Les Productions Lazennec / Le Studio Canal+ / La Sept Cinéma / Kasso Inc. Productions, Sound of da Police / KRS-One / Jive, Police / NTM / Sony Music, Edith Piaf / Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, DJ Cut Killer.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.

Security measures at Wimbledon have been ramped up to stop the environmental activist group Just Stop Oil from disrupting play. Meanwhile, controversial new police powers came into effect this week in England and Wales, aimed at curbing their protest methods. The group wants the government to halt new fossil fuel licensing and production, but its tactics have faced criticism. Who exactly are they and who funds them? 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. Clips: Sky News, Sky Sports, BBC Radio 5 Live, Daily Mail. The Telegraph, Al Jazeera, Just Stop Oil, TalkTV, 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.

Vladimir Putin may have averted an armed rebellion by Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin – but if the fall of Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991 tells us anything, it's that even a failed coup can still spell ruin for a leader.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: Peter Conradi, Europe Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC News, ABC News, MSNBC, Simon Marks Reporting, Perm Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet.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 second of our two-part special on the origins of Covid, drawing from a new Sunday Times investigation into the Wuhan Institute of Virology.The Insight team has spoken to US investigators who believe the Wuhan Institute ran a covert project of dangerous experiments – and that it was done in collaboration with the Chinese military.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: Manveen Rana.Clips: Channel 4 News, CNA 3, NBC News, EWTN.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 first of our two-part special on the origins of Covid, drawing from a new Sunday Times investigation into the Wuhan Institute of Virology.Newly declassified US intelligence leaves open the question of where the pandemic really started. But fresh evidence drawn from confidential files reveals Chinese scientists spliced together deadly pathogens shortly before the pandemic.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: Manveen Rana.Clips: CNN, ABC News, PBS, CBC, Sky News Australia, NBC News, South China Morning Post, Fox News, US Institute of Medicine, US National Research Council of the National Academies, C-SPAN.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.

Belarus’ dictatorial president Alexander Lukasheko is getting ever closer to the Kremlin - this week he even brokered a truce between the Wagner group and president Putin to prevent a march on Moscow. But most Belarusians don’t want to be an arm of Russia and - outside of this small country’s borders - a group of exiled pro-democracy protesters are taking up arms and training themselves to fight back. So can they overthrow Europe's last dictator? And if they do reclaim their country, could it be pivotal to the war in Ukraine?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: Jack Clover, news reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Channel 4, Vice, HBO, BBC, EuroNews, CNN, Ukraine Today, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Belarusian Security Services, ABC, NBC.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 the Bank of England put up interest rates to 5 per cent - a move that has already meant increased mortgage payments for many. So could this lead to a crash in the housing market? What can the government do to alleviate the pain for homeowners - and is inflation here to stay?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: Juliet Samuel, columnist, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Times Radio, Sky News, BBC News, The Michalaks.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.

Vladimir Putin has survived the most serious threat to his authority in two decades of power, following an attempted armed mutiny led by the leader of the Wagner group – and his former ally – Yevgeny Prigozhin. For the time being, Prigozhin has struck a deal to defuse tensions. But what does this mean for Putin’s grip on power and for the war in Ukraine?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.Host: Manveen Rana.  Host: Manveen RanaGuest: Maxim Tucker, assistant foreign editor, The Times. Clips: BBC News, DW News, MSNBC, Reuters, 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.

Mass migration is transforming our continent just as significantly as wars did in the past. For a book he’s written on this very issue, author and journalist Ben Judah followed the path of Hannibal and Napoleon, crossing the Alps with a group of migrants trying to enter France.This Is Europe: The Way We Live Now by Ben Judah is available now - https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/ben-judah/this-is-europe/9781447276265 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 Judah, writer and journalist.Host: Josh Glancy, Special Correspondent at 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.

It's the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex - the ship that brought some of the first post-war migrants to the UK from the Caribbean to fill labour shortages. But years later, many were deemed illegal immigrants and were detained - or deported. The government launched a process to issue them with official documents alongside a compensation scheme. So why are so many still waiting for money? And will the victims of the Windrush scandal ever get justice?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: Matt Dathan, home affairs editor, The Times. Janet McKay-Williams, Windrush activist.Sairah Javed, solicitor at The Joint Council for The Welfare Of Immigrants.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: London Is The Place For Me, Trinidadian Calypso In London, 1950-1956, Honest Jon's Records, 2003; ITV; Better Health Families; Channel 4; 5 News; The Guardian; BBC; CNN.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 woman has been sentenced to 28 months in prison after using abortion pills to end her pregnancy after the legal time limit, sparking protests and calls for abortion to be decriminalised. But could law reform risk abortion rights becoming more restrictive?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: Hannah Al-Othman, News Reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Parliament Live TV, Talk 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 launch of the LIV golf tour by Saudi divided the world of professional golf between those who joined, enjoying large payouts to promote it, and others who took a principled stand against what they said was naked sportswashing. So, after the surprise announcement of a merger between LIV Golf and the more traditional American and European tours who's in, who's out and what will it ultimately mean for the sport?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 Walsh, chief sports writer, the Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, LIV Golf, CNBC, Sky Sports, Sky Sports News, TNT Sports, NBC, CBS., BBC, MSNBC.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 Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful has announced he's stepping down. But why? In the world of high fashion, was his downfall the result of style over substance, rumours of diva-like behaviour or was he simply ahead of his time? And how did the rumoured power struggle between new-blood Enninful and old-guard Anna Wintour play out?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: John Arlidge, senior business writer, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Vogue, Conde Nast; HBO; BBC; The Devil Wears Prada, David Frankel, © 20th Century Fox 2006; NBC; CBS; Washington Post; CNN; Variety; iHeartMedia, The Breakfast Club; Wall Street Millennial.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, Donald Trump became the first US president to be charged with a federal crime. This came less than three months after he was indicted in New York on separate state charges. Why is this time more serious?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 and The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: Joel Franco, NBC, Telegraph, Fox News, CNBC, WPTV, CNN, MSNBC, Breitbart 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 ‘Ndrangheta mafia got their start kidnapping for money but now import billions of pounds worth of cocaine into Europe every year. A pan-European raid earlier this month led to the arrest of 155 people and the seizure of 23 tons of drugs. So could this finally break a crime organisation whose roots go back hundreds of years? 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 Kington, Italy correspondent, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: ABC News, Al Jazeera, DW News, Reuters, NBC News, Euronews, AP, VIC.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.

Murmurs are emerging from the secretive state that the force behind the dictatorship is female. Could supreme leader Kim Jong-un’s younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, be next in line for the throne?Subscribers can read Richard's article on Kim Yo-jong on the Times website.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 Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: Reuters, Arirang News, CNA, AP, Formosa TV News, USA Today, Al Jazeera, NBC News, DW 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.

The immediate events that led to Boris Johnson’s resignation as an MP last week began with a phone call from The Times. A total of three Tory MPs have now quit parliament. So with three challenging by-elections round the corner, what does it all mean for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives as the next election creeps ever closer?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: Lara Spirit, Red Box reporter, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: TalkTV, ITV News, BBC News, Channel 4 News, GB 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.

33-year-old neonatal nurse Lucy Letby has been on trial since October, 2022 over the alleged murder of seven babies and attempted murder of 10 more at the Countess of Chester Hospital.She denies all the charges.Her trial is now nearing its end with the jury expected to begin their deliberations in the coming weeks.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: 'Lucy Letby denies romance with doctor': https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lucy-letby-denies-romance-with-doctor-after-go-commando-comment-v623lxwxtGuest: Tom Ball, Northern Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, BBC, 5 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 is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by Stories of Our Times as a bonus weekly series each Saturday.In 2022 Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupted on Hawaii's Big Island. Fortunately this event didn't result in any fatalities - but the same can't be said for other recent eruptions in places like Indonesia, Tonga and the Philippines. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by volcanologist and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Andrew McGonigle to learn more about the handheld technology he has developed to predict early warning signs of volcanic eruptions, enabling people living in some of the poorest countries to survive deadly disasters.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 already been the subject of controversy – causing a row over access to Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages – and it hasn’t even begun. On Tuesday the main hearings for one of the biggest public inquiries in British history will finally kick off. We examine the key questions being asked at the Covid inquiry that could keep the government awake at night.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:- James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.- George Arbuthnott, Deputy Insight Editor, The Sunday Times, and co-author of Failures of State: The Inside Story of Britain’s Battle with Coronavirus.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, ITV News, LBC, 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.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to put a stop to small boats carrying migrants across the English Channel and says that his plans to prevent the dangerous journeys are working. But are they? And as his government drums up support for the controversial Illegal Immigration Bill, is the issue a crisis or a political weapon?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: Manveen Rana.Host: Matt Dathan, Home Affairs Correspondent, The Times. Clips: BBC, Sky, Channel 4, ITV, GB News, 10 Downing Street.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 housing crisis is emerging as one of the key battlegrounds ahead of the general election, especially for millennial voters. But as Labour turns up the heat announcing policy, the issue is exposing divides and flaring up accusations of NIMBYism within the Conservative party.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: Geraldine Scott, Political Reporter, The Times.Host: Luke Jones. Clips: BBC Radio 4, Parliament Live TV, Times Radio, Daily Mail, Conservatives, LBC, ITV 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.

A Sunday Times investigation has found that drivers for Deliveroo, UberEats and other takeaway apps, are selling access to their accounts to people who do not have the right to work in the UK. Many of these buyers are undocumented migrants. And since all earnings go to the account holder – not the drivers renting the account – nothing prevents these workers from being exploited. 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: Venetia Menzies, Digital and Data Journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Taryn Siegel.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 war in Ukraine shows no signs of coming to an end, Vladimir Putin is betting on a new generation of Russians to march in step with the regime. Russia's Youth Army now has more than a million members and – through TikTok dances and influencers – is indoctrinating children as young as six years old.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 Ian Garner, author of Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia's Fascist Youth: https://timesbookshop.co.uk/z-generation-9781787389281Host: Luke Jones. Clips: Tiktok, International Film Foundation, SBS, 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.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by Stories of Our Times as a bonus weekly series each Saturday.As the world population continues to surge, conflicts between people and wildlife over food, resources and space for living are heightening.  Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by conservationist and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Krithi Karanth to explore how she is using technology to help local communities in India mitigate animal attacks and lessen animosity between wildlife and humans. 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 story of covert archives and freezing wastelands, of concentration camps and gulags. In a new book, Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein reveals how his family took a journey that ended happily in Hendon – but took a detour through hell.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: Daniel Finkelstein, Times columnist and author of Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad: A Family Memoir of Miraculous Survival: https://timesbookshop.co.uk/hitler-stalin-mum-and-dad-9780008483845 Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: BBC Radio 4, Ronald Reagan 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.

In the Shakahola forest near the Kenyan coast, a taxi driver turned evangelist pastor told his followers that the “rapture” was coming. Four years and more than 200 deaths later, Kenyan police are investigating what they suspect was a death cult. What could possibly have compelled hundreds of people to abandon their homes and families to join it? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.Guest: Matthew Campbell, Foreign Features Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.  Host: Manveen Rana.  Clips: BBC News, WION, DW News, KTN News, Reuters, Global News, NTV Kenya.  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 2023 Isle of Man TT race - often dubbed the ‘most dangerous’ race in the world - begins.Six riders died last year at the motorcycle racing event. So why do the competitors keep coming back for more?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. Articles - Dispatch: Inside the Isle of Man TT, the course that has killed 266 people https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/inside-the-isle-of-man-tt-the-course-that-has-killed-266-people-9nb8hdn5kGuests:- Phoebe Luckhurst, Senior Commissioning Editor at the Sunday Times Magazine.- Richard “Milky” Quayle, ex-motorbike racer and former Isle of Man TT champion. Host: Will Roe. Clips: TT Closer to the edge/Isle of Man Film & CinemaNX, Isleofmanttofficial, Obsession Engineering/Dave Hewson.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.

Russia’s Wagner group – already dominant in the conflict in Ukraine – has become the de facto boss in the diamond-rich Central African Republic, where the mercenary force influences not just politics but the economy and culture. So how did this happen? And which country might be next in Wagner's sights?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.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: France 24, Al Jazerra, CNN, TRT World, BBC, WION, Tourist © 2021 3xMedia and Vesta, Director: Andrey Batov.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’re away for the bank holiday, so in the meantime we're bringing you a highlight from another Times podcast, Red Box, in which Matt Chorley presents the best interviews, analysis and panel discussions from his Times Radio show.For more than a decade Andrew Parsons was the official Downing Street photographer - chronicling life at No 10 with every prime minister from David Cameron to Rishi Sunak. He talks to Matt about capturing everything from David Cameron pre-emptively writing his resignation letter in 2015, to THAT lock down breaking birthday party in the Cabinet room.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 is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by Stories of Our Times as a bonus weekly series each Saturday.The Earth’s climate has been known to change in the past, but it’s only since the industrial revolution that there have been changes to our climate which have been driven by humans. Environmental Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan joins climate scientist and National Geographic Explorer Tom Matthews to investigate how his work, mapping the planet’s most extreme climates, can help us to better understand how our climate is changing and most importantly, evaluate whether we can change the course that we’re on.Through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex supports Tom Matthews as part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Mount Everest Expedition and the Amazon Expedition.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 water companies pledged to spend £10bn over the next five years to drastically reduce the number of sewage spills going into the country’s waterways and seas. Over 30 years on since privatisation have our beaches and rivers got cleaner?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.Clips: BBC News Al Jazeera Times Radio, Sky News, Channel 4 News, 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.