The Story

The murder of Sarah Everard by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has brought the force to a point of near-crisis. The government has announced an inquiry. How can the police regain women's trust?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.'Sarah Everard murder: Killer and police shared abusive messages' was first reported by Fiona Hamilton, crime editor at The Times. Guests:- Josh Glancy, special correspondent, The Sunday Times.- Shabnam Chaudhri, former Detective Superintendent, Metropolitan Police.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, Sky News, Channel 5.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 two episodes this week, taking a deep dive into the pharmaceutical industry.Big drug companies have won plaudits for their work producing Covid vaccines within a year of the start of the pandemic. How much money are they making from them? And why are vaccines for other emerging diseases not being produced?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: Billy Kenber, investigations reporter, The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC, National Geographic, PBS, Voice of America.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 first of two episodes this week, we're taking a deep dive into the pharmaceutical industry. How much does the medication you take actually cost? What if a company came along and bought the rights to a particular drug and started charging double, triple, or even 10,000 times as much for the same drugs? Today: how a company made millions by raising the price on drugs that should have cost pennies. 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: Billy Kenber, investigations reporter, The 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.

The childcare sector is on its knees with nursery staff on low wages struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile parents buckle under the pressure of soaring childcare costs. And yet, the government has done little to help. Does this broken system need a complete rethink?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: Rosie Kinchen, features writer, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC 2, 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.

It's being called a 'perfect storm'. Rocketing gas prices and a shortage of lorry drivers have combined to cause a devastating ripple of chaos for businesses and families across the country. How much of this crisis could have been avoided? And how bad could it get?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: Ashley Armstrong, retail editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: 7NEWS Australia, ABC News, The Telegraph, Channel 4 News, ITN, Sky News, ITV 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.

Cannabis is far stronger than it used to be, and psychosis rates are soaring. What's causing some cannabis users to develop mental health issues, and how can they be treated? 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: Megan Agnew, commissioning editor, The Sunday Times MagazineHost: Calum Macdonald.Clips: Howard Stern show, ITV, 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.

Insulate Britain has staged sit-ins on the M25 and on the roads to Heathrow and the Port of Dover. The protesters are willing to risk going to prison for the cause. Who are they? And will they succeed?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 Ball, reporter for The Times.Host: Calum Macdonald.Clips: BBC, ITV, ITN, LBC, Insulate Britain.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.

Clarence House is caught up in a scandal involving a Russian banker, a group of royal fixers and a £500,000 donation that went missing. The Sunday Times has been investigating the practice of paid intermediaries taking money from wealthy donors in exchange for honours and access to the Prince of Wales. How damaging are the revelations? And what do they mean for the future king?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: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Correspondent, The Sunday Times. Host: Calum Macdonald.Clips: BBC, Sky News, Leus Family Foundation.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.

Until last week, it was one of the government's most closely guarded secrets. Only about ten people in Britain had been privy to the details.And then – out of the blue – the UK, the US and Australia unveiled a new strategic alliance. The deal promises nuclear-powered submarines for Australia, and renewed security in the Indo-Pacific region. Today we look at how the announcement has been met in Southeast Asia, where tensions over the South China Sea continue to grow.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: Sky News, The Guardian, The Telegraph.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 her two years as Home Secretary, Priti Patel has cultivated an image as a hardliner on immigration. Despite all her tough talk, the extent to which she's achieved anything concrete is debatable, and this summer has seen record numbers of migrants crossing the channel. With the Nationality and Borders Bill -- a radical overhaul of asylum laws -- making its way through parliament, will Patel finally get the crackdown she's been gunning for?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: Matt Dathan, home affairs editor, The TimesHost: Calum Macdonald.Clips: ITV News, Sky News, Channel 4, London Business School, The Guardian, Telegraph, GB News, Channel 5.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 an intense year for the BBC: budget cuts, a series of staff departures and redundancies, accusations of bias… and now, it has a hawkish new culture secretary to contend with. Plus, just around the corner, a new deal with the government over the licence fee is widely expected to shrink budgets further. How will the BBC look and sound for future generations?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: Rosamund Urwin, media and technology correspondent, The Sunday Times. Host: Calum Macdonald.Clips: ITV, BBC, LBC, Channel 4 News, GB News, Parliament TV, CNN, Bloomsbury Publishing.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.

Violence and neglect are rife in unregistered schools across the UK. We explore how a legal loophole allows these establishments to operate under the radar, ignoring basic educational and safeguarding standards. With inspectors powerless to intervene, the abuse continues.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 Ball, reporter for 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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. In this final episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent turns her attention to Westminster. What's happened in the three years since the Government pledged to end the practice of conversion therapy?  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.If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: Matthew Hyndman, co-founder, Ban Conversion Therapy. Jayne Ozanne, director and founder, Ozanne Foundation; chair, Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition.Reverend Jide Macaulay, founding Pastor and CEO, House Of Rainbow.Joe Hyman, LGBTQ+ activist and conversion therapy survivor. Peter Lynas, UK director, Evangelical Alliance.Chris Csabs, co-author and co-founder, SOGICE Survivors.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.Clips: X-Out-Loud, BBC, Core Issues Trust, 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 month Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election, hoping to capitalise on support for his pandemic response. With the election just days away, and polls showing a neck and neck race, could the move become one of Canada's biggest political miscalculations?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 Mitchell, Canada correspondent for The Times and Sunday Times.Host: Calum Macdonald.Clips: Ruptly, CBC, Soheil Koushan, Sun News, Global News, The Canadian Press, 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.

A new law restricting abortions in the state of Texas could spell the end of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling which guaranteed access to abortion for women in America. Today: the legal history of abortion in the US, and the effect the new law might have.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: Mary Ziegler, Stearns Weaver Miller Professor at Florida State University College of Law and author of Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: ABC, AP, BBC, CBS, Channel 4 News, CNBC, CNN, Global News, KMUW, NBC, PBS, WFAA.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 internet boom in the mid-90s, San Francisco has become a tech superpower, overtaking Silicon Valley. The city has more billionaires per square mile than anywhere in the US, but it also has more homeless people. Danny Fortson meets the residents of its tent cities.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: Calum Macdonald.Clips: CNBC, CNN, Fox News, CBS.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 people return to work and school, and Covid numbers continue to rise, just how normal might this autumn be?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:-Jill Treanor, City Editor, The Sunday Times.-Tom Calver, senior data journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times.Presenter: David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC, Channel 4 News, ITV News, Number 10.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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. Research suggests that trans people are twice as likely to have been offered some form of conversion therapy than any other group in the LGBTQ+ community.In this sixth episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent speaks to Dr Kate Nambiar: an endocrinology specialist at a gender identity clinic, as well as being a trans woman herself. 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.If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: -Dr Kate Nambiar, endocrinology specialist at a gender identity clinic.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.Clips: 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.

Next month world leaders will come together in Glasgow for COP26, the annual UN climate change conference, where the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. The summit will be just the culmination of a long process; much of the real work happens now, in the days and weeks beforehand. So, as COP26 draws closer, are negotiations as far along as they need to be?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: Rachel Kyte, Dean of Fletcher School at Tufts University.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: 5 News, ABC News, BBC, CBS, Channel 4 News, DW News, euronews, On Demand News, PBS, Straits Times, The Royal Family.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 16 years as Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel is exiting the international stage. What did the world's most powerful woman stand for, and what will her legacy be?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 Moody, Berlin Correspondent for The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: euronews, Channel 4 News, BBC Newsnight, 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.

A hundred years ago last month, The Times published a series of articles proving the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a conspiracy theory that Jews were looking to control world governments, were a forgery.In part two, David Aaronovitch dives into The Times archive to find out what happened after the proof was made public and why the conspiracy theory never quite went away. 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:-Rose Wild, Times writer.-Liane MacIver, Times assistant archivist.Presenter: 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.

A hundred years ago last month, The Times published a series of articles proving the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a conspiracy theory that Jews were looking to control world governments, were a forgery. David Aaronovitch traces the story through The Times archive.In part one, David looks at how the newspaper first covered the story of the Protocols and how one of our correspondents stumbled upon proof of the forgery.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: -Rose Wild, Times writer.-Liane MacIver, Times assistant archivist.Presenter: 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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. In this fifth episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent explores the way faith intersects with the movement to ban conversion therapy. 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.If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: -Suzi Ruffell, Stand up comedian, podcast host.-Steve Chalke, Founding minister of Oasis church.-Peter Lynas, UK director of the Evangelical Alliance. -Ahmed Shaheed, UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. In this fourth episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent goes undercover again, to explore the extremely secretive practice. 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. If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: -Suzi Ruffell, stand-up comedian; host, Out with Suzi Ruffell.-Pamela Gawler-Wright, UKCP Accredited Contemporary Psychotherapist; independent consultant to the MoU on conversion therapy in the UK.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.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 window for rescuing Afghans is rapidly closing, and for many, that will mean adjusting to life under the 'new' Taliban. Diplomatic correspondent Catherine Philp first met the Taliban 20 years ago. Today: the differences between the Taliban's claims that they've become more moderate, and their actions. Plus, we profile the leadership.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: Catherine Philp, diplomatic correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CNN, WION, NDTV, Al Jazeera, PBS, TOLO News, DW News, Sky News, NewsX.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 is not marked on maps. Men with automatic weapons guard its border. Few outsiders have ever visited the heavily guarded enclave in rural Albania that is home to the People’s Mujahidin, or MEK.For its supporters, MEK is the biggest and most resilient Iranian opposition group, a government-in-waiting. Others see it as a bizarre and secretive cult led by a zealot with no chance of replacing Iran's ruthless theocracy.Sunday Times foreign correspondent Matthew Campbell goes in search of the truth – the first British journalist to be allowed inside the camp.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: Matthew Campbell, foreign correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Al Jazeera, BBC News, Channel 4 News, France 24, Fox Business, NCRI.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 Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, has left office, resigning after a barrage of sexual harassment allegations. How did he go from potential president to political pariah?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: Will Pavia, New York correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, CNBC, Comedy Central.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 Monday this August, we're looking back at some of the stories from the past year that have stuck with us.With the Taliban now in control of Afghanistan, we return to the agreement between the US and the Taliban last February that sowed the seeds for what followed. Today we revisit a prescient May 2020 conversation with Times foreign correspondent Anthony Loyd, and our August 2020 interview with Afghanistan's recently deposed president.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: - Anthony Loyd, foreign correspondent, The Times. - Ashraf Ghani, former president of Afghanistan, 2014-2021.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Channel 4 News, 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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors’ treatment rooms. In this third episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent speaks to survivors and campaigners about the extremely secretive practice.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. If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: Justin Beck, conversion therapy survivor.Maya, conversion therapy survivor.Matt Mahmood-Ogston, founder, Naz and Matt Foundation.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.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 drank our way through lockdown and now we’re back on the razz – doing what we’ve done to let our hair down since ancient times. But why is booze such an intrinsic part of British life? 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: Josh Glancy, special correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC News, ITV News, Sky News, Asda, C-SPAN, RT.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.

Did the World Health Organisation miss its chance to stop Covid-19? More than a year and a half into the pandemic, we're no closer to a definitive answer on the origins of the virus. In this episode, The Sunday Times Insight investigation team exposes China's ten-year campaign to seize power within the World Health Organisation, and the impact that had on the scale of the pandemic. 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 Calvert, editor, Sunday Times Insight.-George Arbuthnott, deputy editor, Sunday Times Insight.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: PBS, AAP, NBC, France 24, WHO.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 Taliban takes power in Afghanistan, we follow one former interpreter for American and British troops who is trying to escape the country – and speak to the retired major general trying to help his friend to safety.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:- Ahmadzai, former interpreter for British and American forces in Afghanistan.- Charlie Herbert, retired British Army major general.H ost: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, CBS, NBC, 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.

Each Monday this August, we're looking back at some of the stories from the past year that stuck with us.In June 2020, with the world's attention on the pandemic, Hong Kong’s freedoms were under threat as the Chinese government imposed a draconian new security law. Now, the city is experiencing its largest exodus since records began. We revisit our interviews with two of Hong Kong's leading pro-democracy activists, and find out what they did next.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: - Didi Tang, Beijing correspondent, The Times.- Emily Lau, former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council.- Nathan Law, pro-democracy activist.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CNBC, BBC News, Sky News, CNN, CBS.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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. In this second episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent goes undercover to explore the extremely secretive practice. 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. If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: - Suzi Ruffell, stand-up comedian; host, Out with Suzi Ruffell.- Dr Rohit Dasgupta, University of Glasgow.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.Clips: Core Issues Trust, X-OUT-LOUD Europe, 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.

How did we arrive at such a sophisticated understanding of climate change, and yet still end up on the edge of disaster?Today: how 165 years of science and politics led to the United Nations declaring 'code red for humanity' this week – and why the story very nearly turned out differently.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: Dr Alice Bell, author of Our Biggest Experiment: A History of the Climate Crisis. Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC, Sky News, CNN, DW News, Al Jazeera, ABC News, ITN, Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Margaret Thatcher Foundation, WJW-TV8 Cleveland, CBS, Shell, ExxonMobil, Competitive Enterprise Institute.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.

You might think the UK would be a safe place for journalists, but investigative reporters in this country can face threats, lawsuits and intimidation. And now, the Home Office is proposing changes to the Official Secrets Act that would make the climate for journalists - and their sources - even more stifling. If passed, the legislation could open them up to prosecution.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, chief reporter for The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CSPAN, Sky News, CNN, BBC News.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday 22 March 2017, police officer Kris Aves sustained life changing injuries in the Westminster Bridge terror attack.Today, he tells us how, despite no longer being able to walk, he's found renewed hope in his life through golf, using a special contraption called a Paragolfer.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: - Kris Aves, Metropolitan police officer.- Cae Menai-Davis, Director and Founder of The Golf Trust.Host: David Walsh, Chief sports writer at The Sunday Times.Clips: TalkSPORT, ITV and 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.

Each Monday this August, we're revisiting some of the stories from the past year that have stuck with us.One year ago today, Alexander Lukashenko claimed to win a sixth term as president of Belarus in an election that was widely regarded as rigged. But after 26 years of Lukashenko's presidency, many in Belarus had had enough. After the election, the country saw the biggest protests in its history, which were met with mass arrests and repression. We followed four young Belarusians caught up in history.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: - Aliaksandra Yushkevich, student.- Kseniya Tarasevich, journalist.- Evgeniy Ganchits, project manager.- Tanya Alipchikova, PR manager.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, Sky News, DW News, France 24, BBC Radio 4, Euronews, Belsat TV, Nexta, WION.Additional music: Peremen! by the band Kino.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.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. In this first episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent goes undercover to explore the extremely secretive practice. 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. If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: - Jayne Ozanne, director and founder, Ozanne Foundation; chair, Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition.- Dr Qazi Rahman, senior lecturer, King's College London.- Michael King, Emeritus Professor, University College London.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.Clips: ITV News, Instagram: @xoutloudeuropeofficial, X-OUT-LOUD Europe, Core Issues Trust, BFI, 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.

What does it feel like to be abandoned out at sea? We go on board an oil tanker to tell the extraordinary story of those stranded on the MT Iba.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, Middle East correspondent for 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.

The so-called 'pingdemic' paralysed businesses, public services, and even the cabinet. But it was an inevitable side effect of lifting restrictions and letting the virus spread. As the world watches, will the decision to lift restrictions help or hinder business? 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:- Helen Heraty, owner of the Grays Court Hotel in York.- Sabah Meddings, senior business reporter, The Sunday Times.- Ben Spencer, science editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, Sky News, Channel 4, ZOE.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 month, amid much fanfare, GB News was born. It billed itself as a place where people could say the unsayable. But just weeks after its launch, GB News had taken one of its own presenters off air for taking the knee in solidarity with England’s black football players.In his only interview about the incident, Guto Harri takes us behind the scenes at GB News. What was it like to be cancelled by the anti "cancel culture" channel? And what does the fallout reveal about divisions in Britain today?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:-Guto Harri, broadcaster.-Chris Curtis, editor-in-chief of Broadcast Magazine.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: GB 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.

When parts of Belgium, the Netherlands and western Germany were hit by flooding earlier this month, it left a trail of devastation and over a hundred dead. As the flood waters subsided and locals dealt with the clean up operation, a blame game erupted.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 Moody, Berlin correspondent for The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: DW, BBC, Phoenix, WDR, ABC, 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.

Veteran Times war correspondent Anthony Loyd hits the road with Afghan security forces… and meets the Taliban. The second of two episodes this week looking back at 20 years of war in Afghanistan, and forward to the country’s uncertain future.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: Anthony Loyd, foreign correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Manveen's August 2020 interview with the president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, is available here.Clips: CNN, BBC, ABC News, Reuters, DW News, MSNBC, 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.

After 20 years of war, is the difficult truth that Nato has lost to the Taliban?The first of two episodes this week with Times war correspondent Anthony Loyd, as he looks back at Afghanistan's past – and forward to its uncertain future.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: Anthony Loyd, foreign correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, Channel 4 News, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, 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.

In 2019, Coleen Rooney, wife of former England football captain Wayne Rooney, accused Rebekah Vardy— also the wife of a prominent footballer or "Wag"— of leaking false stories about her private life. Rooney claimed to have discovered this after a “sting operation” on Instagram. Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, sued for libel. As their case is dragged through the courts, what can we learn about modern celebrity from the battle of the Wags?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:- Rebecca Twomey, showbiz and entertainment journalist.- Jonathan Ames, legal editor at The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: This Morning, Loose Women, Channel 4 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.

2021 is on track to be America's deadliest year for gun violence in two decades. With record numbers of mass shootings across the country, is the US finally ready to confront the problem?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, The Sunday Times.- Patricia and Manuel Oliver, Founders of Change The Ref campaign.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CBS, ABC, NBC, BBC, MSNBC, Wired.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.

Five years ago, the death of an ex-footballer in the Midlands town of Telford made headlines. Last month, the officer who unlawfully killed Dalian Atkinson by tasering him to the ground and kicking him in the head, has been jailed for eight years. What does this case tell us about how police de-escalate difficult situations, particularly for those involving someone experiencing a mental health crisis?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: Fiona Hamilton, Crime and security editor at The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Sky News, BBC, Aston Villa, Channel 4 News, TRT World, 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.

The forty fifth president of the US, Donald Trump, will be talked about forever. Now, Michael Wolff in his new book: Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency, exposes the chaos behind the scenes at the White House during President Trump's time in office. What did he learn when he sat down with him?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: Michael Wolff, journalist and author of Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: LA Times, CBS News, The Guardian, NBC 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.

Earlier this year football fans, politicians and royalty united against the breakaway European Super League. Today we reveal how the multibillion-pound plan was scuppered and ask: could it still be revived?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 Shah, business editor at The Sunday Times. Oliver's article on the Super League can be read here. Host: David Aaronovitch. Clips: talkSPORT, 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.