The Story

As the Labour Party meets in Liverpool for its annual conference, the dividing lines between the two biggest parties have rarely been more stark. Ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s speech tomorrow, what might we learn about his plans for the party and the country?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, Parliament, The Labour Party, BBC News, Channel 4 News, 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.

The hard right is on the rise in Italy. Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party is tipped to win Sunday’s general election. If it does, she’ll become Italy’s first female prime minister - and the first hard right leader since the Second World War. So who is she? And what does her popularity tell us about the legacy of Italy’s fascist past?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Tom Kington, Italy Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia CaseClips: Al Jazeera, CNBC, France 24, Fox news, Pepper Pig, PBS Newshour, Channel 4, CNN, Goffredo Mameli and Michele Novaro, Euronews, CriticalPast, AP.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.

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss has inherited an economy in turmoil. With the nation on the verge of recession and significant challenges ahead, what might we expect to hear from tomorrow's “Fiscal Event”?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Channel 4, ITV, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Sky News, BBC News, The Independent, Thames TV, GB News, 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.

The Women’s Super League kicked off this weekend, following the euphoria of the Lionesses' win at Euro 2022 this summer. How was that success won? We trace the little-known history of women’s football from struggle to the success - including a time when the Football Association banned the women's game completely. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Professor Jean Williams, author and sport historian.Molly Hudson, The Times Sport Reporter. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: talkSPORT, BBC Sport, ITV News, Sky News, Sky Sport News, Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC Archive.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.

Liz Truss will make her first foreign trip as prime minister this week to the UN general assembly in New York. She already has plenty of experience in global diplomacy, but has sometimes ruffled feathers with her approach. How is she viewed by the world’s media and governments and will she be able to win over her critics abroad?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:Sarah Baxter, director of the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting, Stony Brook University, New YorkMarc Bennetts, foreign correspondent, The Times and The Sunday TimesDidi Tang, Beijing correspondent, The TimesPeter Conradi, Europe editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: 10 News First, 7News, The Mirror, Newshub, The Hill, Centre for Policy Studies, The Guardian, Russia-1, CCTV, Times Radio, Talk TV, Bloomberg, 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.

After a lifetime of preparation the former Prince of Wales became King Charles III. What kind of monarch will he be? What challenges will he face? And should the new King apologise for Britain's role in slavery and colonialism?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:Roya Nikkhah, Royal Editor, The Sunday Times.Lester Holloway, Editor, The Voice.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, Novara Media, KernowDamo; CNN, Newsnation, The Telegraph, MyWorldNewsNetwork, COP 26, ITV, The Guardian, ET Canada.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukrainian forces have retaken over 3000 sq miles of Russian-occupied territories in the northeast of the country. Could these developments signal a change in fortunes for Ukraine? And how might Russia respond?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Richard Spencer, The Times' correspondent in Ukraine. General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of Joint Forces Command in the UK. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CNBC, DW 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.

Over her reign, Queen Elizabeth II saw more prime ministers than any previous monarch. What relationship did she have with them and what happens behind closed doors at the private weekly audience?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Sir Anthony Seldon, contemporary historian and author 'The Impossible Office?: The History of the British Prime Minister.'Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, AP Archive, Netflix, ITV, National Theatre, Times Radio, UK Parliament, United Nations, 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.

Over the course of her life the Queen visited every inhabited continent and met hundreds of world leaders, helping the UK forge relations across the globe. We hear from former Foreign Secretary Lord William Hague who joined her on a number of state visits and saw first hand the effect she had as a royal diplomat, on everyone from Prime Ministers and Presidents to the bowing goats of Oman.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Lord William Hague, former Foreign Secretary.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case and Edward Drummond. Clips: CTV, BBC, DW News, ABC Australia, Sky News, Sultanate of Oman TV, On Demand News, RTE, CBS, Euronews, Wild Film India, NBC, ABC News, AP, 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.

Over the course of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II sustained Britain's monarchy for seven decades, between the eras of steam and Zoom. She departed possessing the gratitude and respect of the overwhelming majority of her subjects who today find it hard to come to terms with a world from which she is absent. So what characterised the second Elizabethan Age?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Sir Max Hastings, historian, journalist and columnist for The Times.Alwyn Turner, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Chichester.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC Archive, NBC News, CBS News, AP Archive, Iconic, Times Radio, Parliament TV.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country now enters a time of national mourning for a nation to pay its respects to Her Majesty the Queen. Years of planning and centuries of tradition will be drawn upon as Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest. So what do the next 10 days hold?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Valentine Low, Royal Correspondent, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Producers: Olivia Case and Edward Drummond. Clips: BBC, ITN.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 a Monday evening last month, 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot dead in Liverpool by a stranger. It’s the latest in a spate of deadly gun and knife attacks in the city. So what’s going on in Liverpool’s underworld? Why is it seemingly so easy to get guns in the city? And why are so many dying at the hands of those they’ve never met? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Fiona Hamilton, Crime and Security Editor, The Times.Dr Robert Hesketh, Chartered Psychologist and Lecturer in Criminal Justice at Liverpool John Moores University.Host: David Aaronovitch.Producer: Olivia CaseClips: Merseyside Police, Sky, Liverpool Echo, ITV, 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.

Six months ago, The Times’ Africa correspondent Jane Flanagan spoke to us about her search for the cause of her long Covid symptoms. We catch up with her to find out how her treatment is going, and we look at the state of long Covid treatment.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Jane Flanagan, Africa correspondent, The Times.- Dr Melissa Heightman, National Specialty Advisor for Long Covid, NHS England.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: UK Parliament, 5 News, BBC News, 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.

Today, Liz Truss takes over as the new Conservative Prime Minister. So what do we know about her and how she will address the urgent challenges we face?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Charlotte Ivers, Political Correspondent, Times Radio.Tim Shipman, Chief Political Commentator, Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, BBC News, Times Radio, LBC, The Guardian.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 new prime minister will be announced today, and Boris Johnson will exit Downing Street tomorrow after just over three years in the job. What legacy will he leave behind? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Patrick Maguire, Red Box Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC, UK Parliament, The Conservative Party, PA, STV News, Times Radio, 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.

They’re sitting in your hands, in your house and maybe even in your heart. But a global shortage of semiconductors means this tiny object has become a big problem – just as a British chipmaker has been sold to a Chinese-owned company. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CBS News, CNBC, Sky News, BBC News, European Commission.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 traditional summer blockbuster season is drawing to a close but in a world of prequels, sequels and remakes, independent films are finding it increasingly hard to break through. So why are we deluged by all these spin-offs?Guest: Kevin Maher, chief film critic, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia CaseClips:Thor: Love and Thunder. © 2022 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Director: Taika Waititi.Suicide Squad. © 2016 Warner Brothers Pictures. Director: David Ayer.Minions: The Rise of Gru. © 2022 Universal Pictures. Director: Kyle BaldaNope. © 2022 Universal Pictures. Director: Jordan PeeleSpider-Man: Far From Home. © 2019 Sony Pictures. Director: Jon Watts.Nomadland. © 2021 Searchlight Pictures, Walt Disney Company Nordic. © Director: Chloe Zhao.Kramer vs. Kramer. © 1979 Columbia Pictures. Director: Robert Benton.Hit the Road. © 2021 Director: Panah Panahi.The Matrix. © 1999 Warner Bros. Pictures, Roadshow Entertainment Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski.Thirteen Lives. © 2022 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Bron Creative; Imagine Entertainment; Magnolia Mae; Storyteller Productions. Director: Ron Howard.The Matrix Resurrections. © 2021 Warner Bros. pictures. Director: Lana Wachowski.Black Widow. © 2021 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Director: Cate Shortland.Elvis. © 2022 Warner Bros. Pictures; Bazmark Films; The Jackal Group. Director: Baz Lurhman.The Godfather. © 1972 Paramount Pictures, Alfran Productions. Director: Francis Ford Coppola.Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. © 1980 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment Director: Irvin Kershner.Ghostbusters: Afterlife. © 2021 Columbia Pictures; Bron Creative; Ghost Corps; The Montecito Picture Company; Right of Way Films. Director: Jason Reitman.Iron Man. © 2008 Paramount Pictures, MORE. Director: Jon Favreau.Everything Everywhere All At Once. © 2022 Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel ScheinertBullet train. © 2022 Sony Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing. Director: David LeitchBande à part. © 1964 Columbia Pictures. Director: Jean Luc-Godard.Captain Marvel. © 2009 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan FleckDoctor Strange main theme. © 2019 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Composer: Michael GiacchinoTop Gun theme - Danger Zone. 1986 ©Paramount Pictures. Composer: Giorgio Moroder. Lyricist Tom Whitlock.The Matrix Awakens - Main Theme. © 2021 Warner Bros Pictures. Composer: Don DavisJaws theme tune. © 1975 Universal Pictures. Composer: John Williams.Ghostbusters theme tune. © 1984 Columbia Pictures, Fórum Home Entertainment Hungary. Composer: Ray Parker Jr.Jurassic Park theme tune. © 1993 Universal Pictures, FilmFlex. Composer: John WilliamsLeague of DC Super Pets theme tune (Superman theme tune). © 2022 Warner Bros. Pictures © Composer: John WilliamsStar Wars: The Phantom Menace theme tune. © 1999 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment. Composer: John WilliamsIron Man theme tune. © 2008 Paramount Pictures, MORE. Composer: Ramin DjawadiSweet Child of Mine, Thor: Love and Thunder film trailer version. © 2022 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Composers: Steven Adler Saul Hudson, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Axl Rose.Marvel opening theme. © 2016 Marvel Entertainment. Composer: Michael Giacchino.Godfather theme tune. © 1972 Paramount Pictures, Alfran Productions. Composer: Nino Rota.Reviews: Mojo.com; Clipped Coin; Looper; Karsten Runquist.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 August, we're revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past year.Dolly Alderton - award-winning author, podcaster, screenwriter and Sunday Times Style's resident agony aunt - on love, friendship, sex, and being comfortable with yourself ahead of the release of the BBC adaptation of her memoir. Everything I Know About Love is available on BBC iPlayer.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Dolly Alderton, author, podcaster, screenwriter, and columnist for Sunday Times Style.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: 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.

This week criminal barristers in England and Wales voted to go on an ongoing, uninterrupted strike arguing they’re not paid enough for legal aid cases. The strike will delay thousands of trials including rapes, murders and serious assaults. So how did we get here? And what happens when justice is put on hold?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Jonathan Ames, legal editor, The Times and Emma Fielding, barrister at Foundry Chambers. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia CaseClips: Sky; ITV; GB News; Rumpole of the Bailey: BBC / Thames Television / Sir John Mortimer. 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 promised a financial revolution - a liberation from money middlemen. But then the $3 trillion industry of cryptocurrency lost two thirds of its value in six months. So was it all a cult of personality? Or is the revolution still to come?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CNN, BBC News, CNBC, Danny in the Valley, CoinDesk, CBS, Crypto Mason, CryptoJack, Blake O'Neal.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 early hours of the 24th February, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As the country marks its Independence Day - and with little end to the conflict in sight - our correspondent takes stock and shares his thoughts about the people he’s met and the stories he’s heard.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Maxim Tucker, Assistant Foreign Editor, The Times.  Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Olivia Case, Edward Drummond, Priyanka Deladia, James Shield. Clips: Sky News, ITV News, NBC, TODAY, BBC, Times Radio, CBS, Reuters, 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.

In two weeks, Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will become prime minister - a decision that will be made by members of the Conservative Party. So how does the rest of the country feel about the new PM? The Times spoke to focus groups of swing voters to find out - but just who is the roadrunner and who the wily coyote?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Charlotte Ivers, political correspondent, Times Radio and columnist, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: 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.

This August, we're revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past year.In the summer of 1944, some of Adolf Hitler's most trusted senior officers narrowly failed in their attempt to assassinate him. But was that the whole story? A recently unearthed file reveals Britain had a man at the heart of Operation Valkyrie.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Josh Glancy, special correspondent, The Sunday Times, andPrince Frederick Solms-Baruth V.Host: Manveen Rana.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 August, we're revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past year. What happens when one half of a couple becomes a parent against their will?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.  Guests: Jenny Kleeman, Times Radio presenter and investigative journalist.Host: David Aaronovitch.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.

Failed by everyone supposed to protect them, steelworkers were misled into moving £2.8bn out of their final salary pensions. Five years on they are still fighting for compensation.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Imogen Tew, senior money reporter for The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch. Clips: Channel 4 News, GMB.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.

Energy prices have become a national crisis. But for the energy companies, things have never been better. Surely something has to give?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Jamie Nimmo, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Times Radio, Sky News, BBC News, Channel 4 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.

It’s been a year since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, during the chaotic withdrawal of western allied forces. Images of thousands of people desperate to leave the country were broadcast across the world. What happened to the Afghan people who were left behind? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Charlie Faulkner, correspondent for The Times in Afghanistan.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Times Radio, BBC News, NBC Today, Sky News, Deutsche Welle, CBS News, CNN, Wall Street Journal, TRT World, Al Jazeera.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 August, we're revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past year.Xi Jinping is consolidating his position as the all-powerful president of China. But who is the man at the top of the sharpest pyramid in the world of politics?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.Host: David Aaronovitch.Guest: Michael Sheridan, former foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times and author of The Gate to China: A New History of the People's Republic & Hong Kong.Clips: ABC, South China Morning Post, No Comment TV, BBC, CCTV Video News Agency, Periscope Film, Al Jazeera, CBS, VICE 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 episode contains discussions of violence and suicide. It's 20 years since the murder of 10-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman horrified the nation. Times crime writer Sean O'Neill, who as a young reporter covered the story, talks to the detective who brought the killer to justice and reflects on the profound impact the case had on all those involved in it – including himself.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Sean O’Neill, Senior Writer, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC 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.

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have got just five weeks left in the Conservative leadership contest. But with ballot papers already going out to party members, how much do we really know about the UK’s next prime minister? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Charlotte Ivers, Times Radio political correspondent and Sunday Times columnist. Host: Jenny Kleeman.Clips: Sky News, Guardian, AP, BBC News, The Mirror, GB News, UK Parliament, BBC Political Thinking with Nick Robinson. This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is levelling up over? Boris Johnson's big promise – to fix the country's regional inequalities – might have ended with his government. We visit Wolverhampton, aka levelling up HQ, to see what the programme has done so far – and what is at risk of being lost.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: - Steve Chatha, Wolverhampton resident.- Jane Stevenson, Conservative MP for Wolverhampton North East.- Mark Andrews, Senior Feature Writer for the Express & Star.Host: Sathnam Sanghera, columnist and feature writer, The Times.Clips: Euro News, BBC 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.

In January, Sunday Times correspondent Louise Callaghan met 26-year-old dolphin trainer Vladyslav Litnievskyi while reporting in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. She wondered what would happen to him and his animals if Russia invaded. Last month, Callaghan returned to the dolphinarium not sure what to expect.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Louise Callaghan, Foreign Correspondent for The Sunday Times. Host: Jenny Kleeman. Clips: BBC, 7News 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.

Last weekend, Stories of our times won the award for interview of the year at the British Podcast Awards. The judges said: "This standout interview was a well-executed and compelling listen, which didn't shy away from challenging its subject."So today we're listening back to that interview with the then Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, about the changing face of war and Britain's place in the world.This episode was first published on 23 March 2021.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff, 2018-2021. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: British Podcast Awards, BBC, AP, ITV, 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.

In eight slick, highly produced sessions that played out like a Netflix series, the House Select Committee for investigating the Capitol riots of January 6th, 2021, made a compelling case against former president Donald Trump. But beyond good ratings, what impact did they actually have, particularly on their main target?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Hugh Tomlinson, Washington Reporter, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Denver 7, PBS NewsHour, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBC News, ABC News, WDIV Local 4, Yahoo! Finance, Democracy Now!, The Hill, CNN, The Lincoln ProjectThis 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.

Ten years ago today, 900 million people watched London’s Olympic opening ceremony, marking the start of a games which, it was hoped, would help regenerate a corner of East London. Looking at the site now, how have those hopes held up? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: - Jonathan Morrison, architecture correspondent, The Times. - Mike Brooke, senior reporter, Archant press. Host: Edward Drummond. Clips: 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.

As the Ukraine war progressed, journalists, activists and critics were forced to flee the country. But as Putin’s grip on the media tightened, what was it like for the people who were left? And when does it become too dangerous to stay? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Marc Bennetts, foreign correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: The Guardian, Deutsche Welle, BBC Newsnight, France 24, CBS News, Sky News, The Telegraph, BBC News, NBC News, Times Radio, PBS Newshour, NEXTA.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.

Tonight, the two contenders for prime minister take part in their first head-to-head TV debate. Meanwhile, unnoticed by the general public, one former diplomat has played a key role in the contest, as part of his mission to create a new ideological faction. The Frost story – and various sliding doors moments along the way – could explain how the Conservative Party got to this point, and where it’s heading…This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Oliver Wright, Policy Editor, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC News, Sky News, TalkTV, Times Radio, GB News, Policy Exchange, Food and Drink Federation, Centre for Policy Studies, BBC Radio 4, Unherd.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 heads of MI5 and the FBI recently warned about the growing threat from China’s efforts to spy on the world as it attempts to stay ahead of rivals in technology, industry, politics and power. But has Britain been slow to grasp the scale of the issue?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Ian Williams, author, 'The Fire of the Dragon: China’s New Cold War' and contributor to The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, Sky News, France24, IB Times, Sky News Australia, VOA.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.

Inflation has hit a new 40-year high – just living life is expensive at the moment, and it’s getting worse. But to fight rising prices, politicians will first have to understand what’s causing them. The war in Ukraine and the pandemic are two factors, but is that the full picture?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: BBC, LBC, PBS Newshour, ITV, Channel 4 News, C-SPAN, Reuters, Sky News, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Bank of England, GB News, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, CNBC.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for the first time ever, as temperatures could hit a record-breaking 43C today. With train delays, school disruption, and the NHS declaring critical incidents already, is our infrastructure ready for a life at 35C… and hotter?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Ben Spencer, Science Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, Sky News, 5 News, Global News, Times Radio, ITV News, Evening Standard, BBC Radio 4 The World at One, WION, CNN, RTVE, TF1 Info, Channel 4, National Parks Singapore.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 east coast of Australia has been pummelled with disastrous flooding for the fourth time in less than 18 months. It's the first test for prime minister Anthony Albanese, who swept to power on a climate change platform. But can the tide turn with better climate policy, or is coastal Australia becoming uninhabitable? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Bernard Lagan, Australia Correspondent, The Times. Host: Jenny Kleeman. Clips: ABC, ABC Australia, AP, A Current Affair, The Guardian, 7News Australia, Storyful, SBS, 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.

Just six candidates are left in the race to be the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister. They're now battling to make it to the final two. But the eventual winner will be chosen not by MPs or by the public, but by the party’s members. So what are the dividing lines? And just who are the people with the future of the country in their hands?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London.- Daniel Finkelstein, Times columnist and Conservative member of the House of Lords.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Sky News, BBC News, Channel 4 News, 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.

In a country where violent crime is almost non-existent, it came as an unspeakable shock when Japan's longest-serving former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was gunned down last Friday at a small political rally. How did this happen? And who was Shinzo Abe? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CNBC, BBC, Sky News, CBS, Channel 4, Wall Street Journal, backin2020 (YouTube channel), Valecious, Financial 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.

For a small number of families, the difficulties caused to children by early trauma can lead to extreme challenges and the adoption breaks down. So what happens next? And how can new parents get the help they need?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:Megan Agnew, news features writer, The Sunday TimesHannah and Chris, adoptive parentsHost: Manveen Rana.Clips: UK Parliament, Channel 4 News, BBC Woman’s HourThis 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 Marcos name became infamous around the world when the Filipino dictator and his flamboyant family were forced out of office in the 1980s. So when the Philippines inaugurated Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr as its new president last month, it raised more than a few eyebrows… This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor, The Times.- Richard Heydarian, Polytechnic University of the Philippines.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CSPAN, AP, UNTV, Hawaii News Now, ABC News Nightline, Manilla Bulletin Online.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.

After a bruising day in parliament for the prime minister – which saw more resignations than ever before in British political history, including the chancellor and health secretary – Boris Johnson insists to cabinet rebels he won’t quit. So, what happened behind the scenes during a tumultuous 24 hours in Westminster?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: - Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times. - Tim Shipman, Chief Political Commentator, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Times Radio, BBC Radio 4, Channel 4 News, Sky 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.

In recent weeks the governing bodies for a number of sports have have published new rules for transgender athletes participating at elite level. So what are the new rules? What prompted them? And how do they affect athletes?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter for The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips from ABC News, BBC News, NCAA, Sky News, ITV News, CBS NewsThis 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 more than decade, justice secretary and deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has wanted to ditch the Human Rights Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights. Now he’s finally got his chance. We examine what’s in the proposed Bill, and The Times’ legal editor dishes out the controversy ratings.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Jonathan Ames, Legal Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: Times Radio, BBC, ITV, Convention on Modern Liberty.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 just over a week since the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v Wade, overturning Americans' constitutional right to an abortion. And America has already begun to change. What sort of future is the country heading into?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Sarah Baxter, former deputy editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: NBC News, CBS News, CNBC, ABC News, Sky News, PBS NewsHour, King 5, The Independent, ITV News, 11Alive.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 marks 25 years since the UK handover of Hong Kong to China, with the promise of ‘one country, two systems’. Then, the former British colony was told its freedom would endure, but has a security crackdown turned it into just another Chinese city?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Stephen Vines, broadcaster and Sunday Times contributor.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips from BBC, Sky News, Information Services Department, HKSARG, CNN, NBC News, France 24, AFP, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Free Press, ABC 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.