The Story

Like increasing numbers of Brits, columnist Robert Crampton had a guilty secret: he was drinking more, the older he got. Way more. In a brutally honest account, he reveals what finally led him to quit.Websites and numbers for concerns regarding alcohol addiction: Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline in complete confidence. 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm)NHS support: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/Drinkaware: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/ or 0800 9177650This 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: Robert Crampton, Columnist at The Times.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.

Details have emerged in court about how an undercover MI5 agent managed to infiltrate and gather evidence on the political wing of the ‘New IRA’. Dennis McFadden’s work led to the arrest of a number of the organisation's top people, who all deny the charges against 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: Sean O’Neill, Senior Writer, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: 7News, Channel 4 News, Sky News, BBC, DW 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.

How should we eat? What should we eat?Author and epidemiologist Tim Spector says it’s time to ban the D word – ‘dieting’ – lose the calorie counting and enjoy food in a more integrated way. Tim Spector’s latest book, ‘Food for Life, The New Science of Eating Well’: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/435986/food-for-life-by-spector-tim/9781787330498This 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: Professor Tim Spector, author and epidemiologist, King’s College London.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.

After a period of global upheaval unlike any other in living memory, we look back at the year war came to Ukraine, and how its fallout has changed Europe and the world. We ask two of our most experienced foreign correspondents for their views on the people and events likely to shape global events in 2023, as the world adjusts to the “new normal” of conflict and economic turbulence.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent, The Times.Peter Conradi, Europe Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: NBC News; The Guardian; Sky News; France 24; BBC News; New York Times; DW; ABC News (US); CBS News; Euronews; Telegraph; Evening Standard; The Sun; 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.

Over the festive period, we’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2022.Google engineer Blake Lemoine brought an unusual concern to his company: he feared the AI language program he was working with had gained sentience. Even if he's wrong – and Google certainly thinks he is – is the fact that an AI bot can imitate sentience so convincingly reason enough to be worried?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 Whipple, Science Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.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 week between Christmas and New Year, we’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2022.In April 1982, Captain Christopher Craig set sail with his crew on the frigate HMS Alacrity to the Falkland Islands after Argentina had invaded the British overseas territory. Four decades on, Chris and his son Duncan - then a six-year-old schoolboy in Bournemouth - reflect on that war.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: - Captain Christopher Craig, CB, DSC, Royal Navy.- Duncan Craig, Travel Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Call for Fire: Sea Combat in the Falklands and the Gulf War - A book by Christopher Craig.Clips: ABC News, The Telegraph, 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 week between Christmas and New Year, we’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2022.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 week between Christmas and New Year, we’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2022.It's a legend many of us have grown up with: a plucky group of British officers, finding themselves trapped in a heavily guarded POW camp during the Second World War, try every trick they can think of to break out. But, in a new book by Ben Macintyre, we hear for the first time the real story of Colditz. A story that's not just more complicated, but far more interesting than the one we were told.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 Macintyre, Associate Editor, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC/Universal Studios, The Imperial War Museum.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 week between Christmas and New Year, we’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2022.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.

In the week between Christmas and New Year, we’re listening back to some of our favourite episodes of 2022. We begin with one of the most riveting stories of the year, from The Times’ war correspondent Anthony Loyd. In their podcast series Last Man Standing, Anthony and Manveen investigated the kidnap of the British photojournalist John Cantlie. Cantlie had been taken hostage by Islamic State in 2012. His fate is still unknown. For Anthony, this brought back memories of his own narrow escape…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. Hosts: Manveen Rana and Anthony Loyd, War Correspondent, The Times.Clips: BBC and 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.

Today's Christmas Eve bonus episode comes courtesy of our sister podcast: Wine Times.Discussing and decanting with Suzi Ruffell and Will Lyons on a live special of Wine Times are Times Radio broadcasters Jane Garvey and Fi Glover. As well as four great wines to taste, Fi explains why she refuses to feel stressed about Christmas this year, Jane discusses her love for Cava, Will shares why Brits are big wine drinkers and Suzi delights in the idea of hosting her first Christmas lunch.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.  Wines:Villa Broglia Gavi di Gavi 2021Purple Owl Pinot Noir 2021Saracosa Governo Rosso IGT 2021L’Epiphanie de Sauternes 2018All the wines in the series are available at www.sundaytimeswineclub.co.ukThis 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.

Every day, hundreds of readers write into The Times and The Sunday Times. In a year when the news didn’t seem to stop, the letters editors of the two papers pick out their highlights.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:- Andrew Riley, Letters Editor, The Times.- Stephen Bleach, Letters Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: 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.

Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, a humanitarian crisis has unfolded in Afghanistan. Foreign financial government support has run dry, and aid agencies are left to plug the gaps amid drought and famine. Our correspondent has been to visit projects run by Afghanaid, one of the organisations being supported by this year’s Christmas Appeal. For more information and to donate to the Times and Sunday Times Christmas Appeal visit: https://times.ctdonate.orgThis 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 Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CNN, France 24, BBC News, CBS News, United Nations, ABC 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.

Strike action on a scale not seen since the 1980s is set to continue into January as workers demand pay rises to match spiralling inflation. Today, as ambulance crews in England and Wales begin a strike, why are so many joining the picket line and how is the government responding to the industrial action?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.   Guest: Patrick Maguire, Red Box Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, BBC, 5News, Thames Television, ITN, NBC 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.

The Times has an august history of recording the lives of significant people, and has been doing so in the obituaries pages since the 19th century. Today, we remember some of the people who may not be household names but are no less fascinating. 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.  Hosts:- Anna Temkin, Deputy Obituaries Editor, The Times. - Mariella Frostrup, Times Radio. Guests: - Tom Dart, obituaries writer, The Times. - Shirley Malcom, director of the SEA Change initiative at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. - Emily Maitlis, broadcaster and journalist. - Professor Mary Beard, classicist. Remembering the lives of:- Colonel Gail Halvorsen, pilot.  - Dr Shirley McBay, mathematician. - Professor Peter Maitlis, chemist. - Joyce Reynolds, classicist. Clips: BBC, 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.

British volunteer Dave Young has rescued over 800 Ukrainians from the war's frontline, as well as losing his right eye to shrapnel. Anthony Loyd and filmmaker Federica De Caria join Dave in the city of Bakhmut, the epicentre of the bloodiest attritional battle of winter, as he embarks on dangerous rescue work – and considers what drives him to keep going.Watch Anthony Loyd and Federica De Caria's film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X32e2YF9phEThis 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.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 one of the most controversial World Cups in living memory heads towards its final climax this weekend -- what was it actually like being there? And for the host nation -- after scandals, condemnation and $200 billion -- was it worth 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: Josh Glancy, Special Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: talkSPORT, US Department of State.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.

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day but, for increasing numbers of children, it’s a meal they miss, affecting their concentration and learning at school. So, as the cost of living crisis affects so many this winter, what can be done? We learn of the work of one of the charities being supported by this year’s Christmas Appeal, Magic Breakfast, which provides food for breakfast clubs, allowing children to start their days properly.For more information and to donate to the Times and Sunday Times Christmas Appeal visit: https://times.ctdonate.orgThis 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: Joanna Bates, deputy headteacher, Blue Gate Fields Junior SchoolSian Acreman, headteacher, Blue Gate Fields Junior SchoolPupils of Blue Gate Fields Junior SchoolNicola Woolcock, Education Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Jamie Oliver, 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.

It’s been 10 years since America’s deadliest mass shooting in an elementary (primary) school. In the years since, the weapon used - the AR-15 - has also been deployed in some of the decade’s most horrifying shootings. So how did the AR-15 rifle become the weapon of choice for mass shooters? 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 Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: ABC News, 60 Minutes, CNBC, Independent, CNN, NBC, Reuters, 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.

Today, we hear from two Ukrainian journalists who we spoke to back in March, at the beginning of Russia's invasion. At that time, Kateryna Malofieieva was in the Donbas, following the ever-shifting front line of the war. Natalia Gryvnyak was in Kyiv, trying to decide whether or not to leave the country. What has happened to them in the tumultuous ten months since?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: Kateryna Malofieieva and Natalia Gryvnyak.Host: Manveen Rana.You can find all of the work by Natalia Gryvnyak's production company here: http://infeatures.com/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.

Are we living in a world where there is pressure on those in the public eye to exude virtue above all else? Where has this sensibility come from and is it leading to a blandness in our arts and culture?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.  Guest: James Marriott, Times columnist.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: The Late Show with James Corden, Thames TV, Rock Star Interviews on YouTube. This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last few weeks, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for private schools in the UK to have their charitable status scrapped, but why?Also today, The Sunday Times launches its annual Parent Power Schools Guide. School league tables: the best UK primary and secondary schools revealedFind the best primary and secondary schools in your area with our guide to academic performance.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: Sian Griffiths, Education Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Parliament TV, BBC Archive, BBC, Bloomberg, London Review of Books.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 Rishi Sunak outlasts his predecessor in the top job, just how is he doing? With polls suggesting a heavy Conservative loss at the next election, a cost of living crisis and strikes across numerous sectors, what can we make of the prime minister’s first few weeks in power?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Henry Zeffman, Associate Political Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, Times Radio, Telegraph, Channel 4, UK Parliament, 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.

Seventy-five percent of all lives lost to suicide in the UK are male. And one charity is leading a campaign to do something about it. For this year, The Times and The Sunday Times is supporting the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) who help people in crisis.  To donate to The Times and Sunday Times Christmas Appeal visit thetimes.co.uk/christmasappeal or call 0151 284 2336.For help and support:CALM Helpline: 0800 58 58 58. Samaritans Helpline: 116 123This 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: - Harry Corin, mental health campaigner. - Ashley Hargreaves, CALM campaigner.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: 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.

Putin’s invasion has ushered in a new era of industrial warfare. As the winter freeze sets in, the pace of the war has not yet abated. Weapon stocks are running low and Russia is rearming. The West now faces a choice: either summon the political will (and the money) to become an arsenal for democracy, or put pressure on Ukraine to make compromises. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Roger Boyes, diplomatic editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC News, Channel 4 News, CNN, 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.

Over the weekend, reports emerged that the chair of the British Museum, ex-chancellor George Osborne, has been holding ‘secret’ talks with the Greek prime minister over the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece. Also known as the Elgin Marbles, the pieces have become symbolic of a wider debate about colonial legacy and restitution in the cultural world. Supporters of the marbles staying put argue they were obtained legally, but Greece says they were stolen – so should they be returned?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. With thanks to The British Museum.Guests: - Dame Mary Beard, classicist.- David Sanderson, arts correspondent, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Channel 4 News, Times Radio, Reuters, CBC News, BBC World Service, Al Jazeera, ITV Good Morning Britain, LBC, UK Parliament, LSE, 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.

Chinese cities have seen days of extraordinary protests calling for an end to the country’s zero-Covid measures, and for President Xi to step down. So what is it about this generation of students that’s motivated them to come out en masse on the streets for the first time since Tiananmen Square? And what does it mean for President Xi? 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: BBC, Channel 4, The Telegraph, Reuters, CNN, NBC, CBS, Fox News.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a stinging rebuke from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom - which ruled that the devolved Scottish parliament cannot authorise an independence referendum - SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has doubled down saying democracy itself is now at stake, and vowing to turn the next general election into a 'de facto' referendum. Could that work? And what does that even mean?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: Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Sky News, BBC News, The Guardian, Scottish National Party.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.

One hundred years ago, when the tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in Egypt, the world learnt of the treasures via The Times which had secured the exclusive rights and photographs. So just how did the newspaper get the scoop?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: Nick Mays, archivist, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.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.

Every prime minister's last act in office is to choose a final list of people to elevate to the House of Lords, parliament's second chamber. And Boris Johnson's resignation honours are already kicking up a storm…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: Parliament TV, Times Radio, Al Jazeera English, 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 2020, retired Gwent police officer Ricky Jones took his own life. Jones’s family - who he’d subjected to years of abuse - looked through his old iPhone to try to understand more about their husband and father. But it revealed things even they were not prepared for.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.   Domestic abuse helpline and support:England - Refuge - The freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247Wales - Live Fear Free - Helpline 0808 80 10 800Scotland - Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline 0800 027 1234Northern Ireland - Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline 0808 802 1414Articles: How a dead officer’s iPhone exposes misogyny, corruption and racism in a police forceGwent police officers joked about Jimmy Savile and ‘sex pests’ in the forceMy life as a female firearms officer in the misogynistic police boys’ clubGuests: David Collins, Northern Editor, The Sunday Times.Hannah Al-Othman, News Reporter, The Sunday Times.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.

Romeo agents have infiltrated the West German Government by wooing secretaries of high-up officials. In the second part of this two-part series, a new agent reveals information about corruption at the very top.You can read Oliver Moody's article here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:Gunnar Take, historian at the University of Stuttgart.Katja Hoyer, historian and author of 'Beyond the wall'.Host: Oliver Moody, Berlin Correspondent, The Times.Clips from: Timeline, Tele Studio West, Operation Romeo: The Love Commandos of the StasiThis 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.

What’s the best way to spy on your enemies? Sleep with their secretaries. In part one of this two-part series, new evidence is unearthed of East Germany‘s ruthless blueprint for Cold War sexpionage, revealing for the first time stories of the agents sent to seduce young women working for West Germany’s top politicians.You can read Oliver Moody's article here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:Gunnar Take, historian at the University of Stuttgart.Katja Hoyer, historian and Visiting Research Fellow at King's College London.Host: Oliver Moody, Berlin Correspondent, The Times.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fast fashion clothing company Boohoo has exploded in popularity since the pandemic. After reports of appalling working conditions in 2020, the company had made a big show of trying to do better. So has it? A Times reporter goes undercover at one of their warehouses to find 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: Tom Ball, Northern Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Sky News, E!, Reuters, 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.

Amid staff shortages, Covid backlogs and potentially the first national nursing strike in the NHS’s history, the health service is facing a challenging winter ahead. How did we get here? And just how bad could things get?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: Shaun Lintern, Health Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Sky News, WION, CBC News, 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.

It was the worst-kept secret in US politics: that former President Trump would be running again in 2024. After a disappointing midterm election for Republicans, where Trump candidates under-performed, the announcement last week was met with a groan by many of Trump's own party. Now that he's in the ring, though, he's immediately the frontrunner. So can he win?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Ben Hoyle, Assistant Foreign News Editor, The Sunday Times. Presenter: Jenny Kleeman. Clips: CBS, Fox News, Candace Owens podcast, CNN, Washington Post, Newsnation, ABC News, Forbes.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukrainian troops forced Putin’s war machine into a chaotic exit from the city of Kherson last Friday. After eight months of Russian occupation, it was free.But as the Russians fled, stories of brutality and torture poured out. What scars has the occupation left on its remaining inhabitants, what poison has it left behind – and how can a devastated city return to something like normal life? This episode contains descriptions of torture. 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: Marc Bennetts, foreign correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.Presenter: David Aaronovitch.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: NBC News, Times Radio, BBC News, ITV 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.

As the 27th UN Climate Change Conference draws to a close, The Times’ environment editor Adam Vaughan has travelled deep into the Amazon rainforest talking to British-backed scientists at their base camp to find out whether the Amazon is at tipping point.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, The Times’ environment editor.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Channel 4, The Guardian, 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.

Tomorrow, our newest Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will announce his Autumn Statement. In previews, he's prepared the country for 'some pain' to fill a £50 billion 'black hole' in the public finances. If this means Austerity 2.0, what have we learned from the first one?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: David Smith, Economics Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, Fox News, CNBC, Sky News, Parliament TV, Times Radio, Telegraph, 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 team behind one of the most successful Covid-19 vaccines have returned to their original mission: making cancer vaccines. The BioNTech professors say the jab will be with us before 2030. What will it mean for the future of cancer treatment? Who will get them? And if cancer isn't killing us, what will?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.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: BBC, ITV, CNBC, 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 the twelve years since Qatar was awarded the World Cup, a number of questions have been raised about the appropriateness of hosting the tournament there. For one Times sports writer preparing to cover the tournament, it’s taken him through the five stages of grief.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: Matt Dickinson, senior sports writer, The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch. Clips: TalkSport, Sky Sports News, RTE, Sky News, FA TV, ABC News, Euronews, DW News, Channel 4 News, ITN, CGTN, Sky Sports, Visit Qatar, Times Radio, Reuters, 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.

Draconian Covid rules and crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters turned the global business hub into a walled city. As it slowly reopens, expats are curiously divided on the power of Beijing - so what’s going on inside fortress Hong Kong?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Oliver Shah, Sunday Times associate editor.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: travelfilmarchive, izzitEDU, Real World Economics, ABC, SKY, WION, CNBC, SWCC lectures, Reuters, France 24, NBC, CNA, Bloomberg, Parliament TV, 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.

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman is at the centre of a migration crisis after the Manston immigration centre was reported as unsafe, understaffed and 'wretched' by the borders watchdog. So, how did the situation unfold, what are the politics behind it and what do we know about the people risking their lives crossing the Channel to come to the UK?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Matt Dathan, Home Affairs Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, ITV News, BBC 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.

Over 5.5 million farm birds have been culled to stem the largest outbreak of avian influenza ever recorded in the UK. The virus has spread to Britain’s seabirds causing a huge environmental impact and killing tens of thousands. From this week, all poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors. So what does it mean for the meat and eggs we eat? And how bad could the outbreak get?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 Spencer, science editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Sky News, CBS News, AP, TVB 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.

Tomorrow, for the first time since the election that many Americans still believe was 'stolen', voters in the US head back to the polls. Almost everything except the presidency is up for grabs – and for many Americans on both sides, the fate of the nation itself hangs in the balance. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: David Charter, US Editor, The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch. Clips: BBC News, TV Ontario, MSNBC, News 19 WLTX, NBC, CNN, CBS, ABC News, PAHomepage.com, Dr Oz, 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.

Brazil’s left-wing former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has achieved a historic victory over his far-right rival, the incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro. With many seeing this election as the last chance to save the Amazon rainforest, will Lula be able to reverse Bolsonaro’s destructive policies?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: Stephen Gibbs, Latin America correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Times Radio, CBC News, Deutsche Welle, Channel 4 News, Reuters, France 24, 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.

In recent years the once dominant social media platform has been hit by problem after problem. Fewer people use it, and revenues and profits are down. So just what has taken a bite out of Mark Zuckerberg’s empire?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: Jenny Kleeman. Clips: CNBC, Vator, NBC News, Queen City News, CBS News, France 24, Spotify, Comedy Central, Meta, Sky News, ITV News, CNN, Yahoo Finance.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former US president Donald Trump is facing a host of legal issues. So which could prove the most problematic for him and what could be the consequences? Could any of them stop him becoming president a second time – or send him to jail? And if he is indicted or convicted, could America tear itself apart?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: Hugh Tomlinson, Washington Reporter, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: MSNBC, BBC, GBH News, C-SPAN, Fox News, NBC News, CBS News, ABC, Newsy, WCNC, Salem Media, San Francisco Police Department.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A royal correspondent’s best sources are often the unseen aides, advisors and staff, working behind the scenes. Who are these advisors? What do they really do? And what can they tell us not just about how past stories unfolded – like Harry and Meghan's exit from the household – but the future of the royals? Book: Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Valentine Low, Royal Correspondent, The Times.Host: Jenny Kleeman.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: Apple, CBS, ITV, Sky News, Entertainment Tonight, TalkTV.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the end of his first week in power, Rishi Sunak already faces a backlash over his choice for home secretary. And more importantly, what can he possibly do to avert a recession? 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: - Tim Shipman, chief political commentator, The Sunday Times. - Arthi Nachiappan, economics correspondent, The Times. Presenter: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC News, Times Radio, 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.