The Story

At the start of the pandemic, two million of the most vulnerable people in England were told to 'shield' in order to remain safe. This week, the national shielding programme is being put on pause. With hundreds of new coronavirus cases being reported every day, is it too soon? And what will happen to the people most at risk?Guests: Sean O'Neill, chief reporter, The TimesCharlotte Augst, chief executive, National VoicesJudi, shielding in NorthamptonLindsay, shielding in SheffieldHost: Manveen RanaWith thanks to Our Covid Voices: https://ourcovidvoices.co.uk/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 today's programme we take a break from the news. Anthony Loyd is The Times' foreign correspondent, and one of the most experienced and respected war reporters of his generation. When he goes off to war zones he always takes one essential tool: his fishing rod.Guest: Anthony LoydHost: David AaronovitchThis 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.

While Westminster deals with the fallout from one Russian affair, today’s Stories of our Times podcast is about the couple who blew the whistle on Russia’s state sponsored doping operation in sport. The Sunday Times’ chief sports writer David Walsh told their story to Manveen Rana.Guests: David Walsh, Sunday Times chief sports writer andVitaly and Yuliya Stepanov, Russian whistle blowing couple.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CBS, ARD, WADA, CGTNAdditional music: Meydan & Scott Holmes (licensed under Creative Commons)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.

China has cracked down in Hong Kong, Britain has banned the Chinese technology giant Huawei from its 5G network, and there’s growing disquiet about human rights abuses against China’s Uighur minority. Are we heading for a cold war with China?Guest: Lucy Fisher, Defense Editor for The TimesHost: David AaronovitchClips: BBC, Talkradio, UK 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.

Over the last fortnight, Scotland has recorded many fewer deaths from Covid-19 compared to the UK as a whole. Does Scotland have a strategy the rest of Britain can learn from? Guests:  Mark McLaughlin, Politics and Education Correspondent, The Times in Scotland Devi Sridhar, Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh Host:  Manveen Rana Clips: BBC, Scottish Government You can hear Cathy Newman's recent interview with Nicola Sturgeon for Times Radio here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A spate of high profile burglaries in expensive neighbourhoods and a mountain of stolen goods lead investigators to discover hundreds of burglars, all on holiday in the UK to commit their crimes. The Times’ crime correspondent explains how these individuals operate and the Sunday Times’ Matthew Campbell tells of his trip to Chile to track down the families of those convicted in the UK.  Guests: John Simpson, Times crime correspondent.Matthew Campbell, Sunday Times foreign features editor.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used from Global News, Fox News and the 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.

David Grossman is one of America's most prolific and controversial police trainers. His courses on 'kill-ology' put violence and the act of killing at the heart of law enforcement. In the aftermath of Black Lives Matter, Grossman's methods have come under question. Host:David AaronovitchGuest:Laura PullmanClips:ABC, CBS, Warner Bros., Cannon Air Force BaseThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dominic Cummings has promised that a ‘hard rain’ will fall on the civil service. And last month Sir Mark Sedwill, Britain’s most senior civil servant, stood down. Has the pandemic created a moment for Dom to reinvent the heart of British government? Guest:Oliver Wright, Policy Editor of The Times Host:David AaronovitchClips:BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News, CNN, ABC, IPPR, The Ditchley 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.

At the height of the Cold War, East Germany operated an elite secret academy designed to train secret police agents in tradecraft and tactics for psychological manipulation. Now, a trove of previously classified recordings that reveal the inner workings of that Stasi training school have been published. Guests:Oliver Moody, Berlin Correspondent for the Times.Roger Boyes, Diplomatic Editor and columnist at The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.With thanks to Südwest Rundfunk (SWR), the German public broadcaster that released the recordings, and the Bundesbeauftragte für die Stasi-Unterlagen (BStU) – Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Files, in English - for the audio.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.

Groomsman, Michael Curran, was acclaimed for his dedicated work with top horses but went into a spiral of decline that ended in his tragic suicide. What leads someone who reaches the top of their profession to take their own life?Samaritans: 116 123 or [email protected]:David Walsh, Chief Sports Writer.Host: David Aaronovitch.Additional music: Scott Holmes, Komiku, Kai Engel and Jordan Powell (licensed under Creative Commons).Clips used: Racing TV and Racing Welfare.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.

Sir Keir Starmer has been Labour leader for 100 days, during which he’s had to deal with his own party’s issues as well as offer a response to the government’s handling of the pandemic.Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Sunday Times politics and investigations reporter.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: BBC, LBC, Channel 4 News, Novara Media, Sky News.Additional music: Komiku (licensed under Creative Commons).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 socialite Ghislaine Maxwell - who was a close companion of Jeffrey Epstein - is facing decades in jail after being arrested over charges which include the enticement of minors and sex trafficking of children.Guests: Henry Zeffman, Times Washington Correspondent.Rosie Kinchen, associate editor and the main interviewer of News Review at The Sunday Times. Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips used: Channel 4, BBC, Sky News, NBC, CNN, CBS, Nine Network Australia.Additional music: Bodysurfer (licensed under Creative Commons).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.

Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky was killed in a Russian prison in 2009. Bill Browder shares his decade long journey for justice- campaigning for a new UK law that takes on people who breach human rights. Guest: Bill Browder, financier and head of the Magnitsky Global Justice campaign.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: Euronews, Al Jazeera, CBC.Additional music: Jordan Powell, Kai Engel, Komiku and Mystery Mammal (licensed under Creative Commons).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 the permanent banning of controversial right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins from Twitter say about the current landscape of social media platforms? And will Parler ever take Twitter's place online?Guests: Hugo Rifkind, Times Columnist and leader writer.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips used: BBC, Telegraph, Wall Street Journal, ABC, Fox News, ITV, Sky New Australia.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across Britain, we are emerging from lockdown. But not everything is back to normal. As shops and pubs reopen their doors, we spend some time with three iconic businesses in London's East End. Guests: Anna Sereno, E. Pellicci's CafeReggie Adams, Marquis of Cornwallis pubMohsin Hassan, Ali's Barber ShopHost: Manveen Rana, Asya FouksThis 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.

An investigation by The Sunday Times has found evidence that connects a deadly incident in 2012 in southern China with the current global pandemic.Guests:Jonathan Calvert, Insight EditorGeorge Arbuthnott, Insight Deputy EditorHost:Manveen RanaClips:BBC, Sky News, CBS, CNN, WHOThis 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 most of England eases lockdown, we ask: is the government making the right move?Guest: Sir David King, former chief scientific adviser, chair of the Independent SAGE.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: Independent SAGE, ITV News, BBC, PBS.Additional music: Komiku, Monplaisir, Scott Holmes (licensed under Creative Commons).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 Robert Jenrick planning scandal unfolded, investigative reporter Gabriel Pogrund wanted to speak directly with one of the men at the centre: Richard Desmond.  The former newspaper owner and porn publisher has had a unique career.  So who is he, and how did he get close to the British political establishment?  Guests: Gabriel Pogrund is a politics and investigations reporter at The Sunday Times   Host: Manveen Rana Clips: BBC, ITV News, Channel 4 News, The Daily Express, 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.

A trade deal between Britain and America has been held up as one of the major advantages of the UK exiting the European Union. But the disruption wrought by coronavirus and political turmoil in America are threatening to derail any prospect of a swift agreement being reached. Meanwhile, Britain appears to be inching closer to common ground for a trade deal with the EU.Guests:Henry Zeffman, Washington Correspondent at The Times.Bruno Waterfield, Brussels Correspondent at The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips used: VOA News, Global News, The Sun, The Guardian, euronews, CNBC Television, The Straits Times, The Independent, Evening Standard, 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.

Much about the virus remains a mystery. Today, we catch up on everything we’ve learned about the virus so far - and the big unknowns - with The Times' science editor. Could a second spike in the UK be on its way?Guest: Tom Whipple, science editor for The TimesHost: Manveen Rana.Clips: Sky News, ITV News, Al Jazeera, BBC News, DW News.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former USA Gymnastics team doctor is now a convicted child sex offender, behind bars for 175 years. You might think that was where the story ended. But for many survivors, his sentencing was just the beginning of a long fight for justice in the sport they love. Guests: Rebecca Myers, reporter and feature writer for The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Additional music: Meydän (licenced under Creative Commons).Clips: CBS New York, CBS, WXYZ-TV Detroit, NBC, Inside Edition, MLive, Click on Detroit - Local 4 - WDIV.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.

1 in 5 men in the UK say they don't have any close friends. Stig Abell is one of them. What are the obstacles to making friends as an adult, and could a psychotherapist help him find answers?Guests: Nadine Abell, Stig's wife.Cate Campbell, Psychotherapist and relationship counsellor.Xand van Tulleken, a former colleague of Stig.Host: Stig Abell, host of the Times Radio's breakfast show.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Manveen and David take a break as Times Radio presenters host the podcast, ahead of the launch of the station on the 29th June.For Luke Jones, going to the theatre has been an almost weekly part of his life for as long as he can remember. That is, until the coronavirus lockdown began, and the theatres closed for public safety. Now, the theatre sector is grappling with the question of how and when they'll be able to reopen.Guests: Alan Cumming, actor.Kate Varah, Executive Director of the Old Vic. Lisa Burger, Executive Director of the National Theatre.Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company.Host: Luke Jones, host of Times Radio's breakfast show.Clips: BBC News and What's on Stage.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Manveen and David take a break as Times Radio presenters host the podcast, ahead of the launch of the station on the 29th June.The images of babies born via surrogate, waiting in a hotel in Ukraine for their biological parents to collect them during lockdown, were broadcast all over the world. Today, we go inside the global surrogacy industry and explore how the pandemic has disrupted the system. Guests: Olga Pysana is an Intended Parent Partner for the UK and US at the 'World Centre of Baby', a surrogacy agency in Ukraine. An anonymous expectant mum. Richard Vaughn, international fertility lawyer. Host: Jenny Kleeman, host of Times Radio's breakfast show.Clips: CBS, Euronews, Al Jazeera.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Manveen and David take a break as Times Radio presenters host the podcast, ahead of the launch of the station on the 29th June.Since the death of George Floyd, black families around the world have been considering how to cope with the impact of racist killings. But how should we all talk to our children about it?Guests:- Christabel Nsiah Buadi, writer and broadcaster.- Riana Elyse Anderson, assistant professor at the University of Michigan.- Hannah Cusworth, history teacher in South London.Host: Aasmah Mir, host of Times Radio's breakfast show.Clips:ABC, BBC, NPR, CBS.Additional music by Jordan Powell used under Creative Commons licence.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Manveen and David take a break as Times Radio presenters host the podcast, ahead of the launch of the station on the 29th June.The government's Covid-19 contact tracing system is key to helping contain the spread of the virus, but is it fit for purpose? Guests: Billy Kenber, Investigations reporter at The Times.Anonymous contact tracerHost: John Pienaar, host of Times Radio's drive show.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month German police have identified a convicted sex offender as a prime suspect in the case of the missing British girl - last seen in the Algarve in 2007.Guest: David Collins, Sunday Times Northern Correspondent.Host: David Aaronovitch. Clips: Sky News, ITV, ABC, BBC, 7NEWS Australia.Additional music: Jordan Powell, Chris Zabriskie (licenced under Creative Commons)This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years, many elite black athletes felt they had to hold back from commenting on race and racism. Today multi-Olympic gold medallist Edwin Moses speaks out. Host: Manveen Rana.Guests:Edwin Moses, Double Olympic 400m Hurdles champion.David Walsh, Sunday Times Chief Sports Writer.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 business offering instant loans to struggling small businesses has been accused of using aggressive and unethical tactics. 76-year-old widow Jill Eade acted as guarantor on a loan with the company. Now, she faces the prospect of homelessness, and repayments of up to 300 thousand pounds. Guests: Kenza Bryan, Money reporter for The Times and The Sunday Times.Jill Eade, guarantor for a loan with Nationwide Corporate Finance. 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.

What happened to the passengers and crew on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, when there was an outbreak of coronavirus in February?   Guests: Katie Glass, feature writer for the Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips: Sky, BBC, Channel 4 News, Princess Cruises Youtube channel.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Policing in the US is under the spotlight more than ever. A city in New Jersey has cut crime and won the support of its citizens by scrapping its police force and rebuilding from scratch. Could it be a blueprint to heal an angry nation?Guests: Josh Glancy is Washington Bureau Chief for The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Fox, CNN, Comedy Central, MSNBCThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, statues have fallen like dominoes around the world, and a new discussion about the people commemorated in our public spaces has begun. We go back to Bristol where the week's events started, and learn why Colston's legacy is still so pervasive in the city. We also hear of a campaign to replace Colston with a statue of some very different figures from the city's past. Guests: Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol Will Humphries, Southwest correspondent for The Times Keri Andriana, granddaughter of civil rights campaigner Roy Hackett Host: Manveen Rana Clips: CBS, BBC, ITV, The Sun, BFI, WVCB Additional music: Jordan Powell, Chris Zabriskie (licenced under Creative Commons).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 Royal Family have been in the headlines a lot during this pandemic - not always for the right reasons. But has the pandemic changed the Windsor's relationship to the public forever? Guests: Roya Nikkhah, The Sunday Times Royal Correspondent.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.

In the first weeks of lockdown we saw Brits come together in a show of astonishing unity. But a new poll reveals divisions are emerging. What could this change of heart mean for the UK's future? Guests: Bobby Duffy, professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute, King's College London.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.

Last week Britain offered a possible route to citizenship for around three million Hong Kong residents. Why might that be needed? As Beijing passes a new national security law which could undermine Hong Kong's freedoms, we speak to a veteran pro-democracy campaigner on what has changed in the territory. Guests: Didi Tang, Times' Beijing correspondent.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.

Is lockdown an opportunity for police to tackle crime differently? We meet the police commander behind a new initiative, where officers visit criminals in lock down and try and turn their life around. Guests: Fiona Hamilton, Crime and Security Editor for the Times.Alex Murray, commander for specialist crime in 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.

As rioting and protests continue to engulf the United States, we examine President Trump's reaction to the demonstrations. How did previous American presidents respond in similar circumstances?Guests: David Charter, US editor of the Times.Kailee Scales, Managing Director of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CBS, UVA Miller Centre, ABC, New York Times, KABC-TV, Bush Library, CNBC, NBC, Washington Post, King Rose Archives.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 Government has U-turned on its controversial plans to end remote voting in Parliament, following a backlash from MPs, who feared this would be discriminatory against vulnerable and elderly Members. Today we ask: if the world has changed because of coronavirus, is it time Parliament did too?Guests:Ester Webber, political reporter for The Times Red Box email. Dame Margaret Hodge, Labour politician. 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 are now entering the 'test and trace' phase of fighting the pandemic where we could use our smartphones to keep us all safe from a second spike. One UK population has been chosen as guinea pigs for the rest of us to see if it really works: enter the residents of the Isle of Wight. Guests: Tom Knowles, Times technology correspondent.Rosamund Urwin, senior reporter at The Sunday Times.Rose Hornak, resident on the Isle of Wight. Bob Seely, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: NHS, BBCThis 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.

Protests and riots have been sparked across the US by the killing of George Floyd. Floyd, an unarmed black man, was filmed dying as a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed and pinned down in the road. Today we bring you stories from Minneapolis, where civil unrest continues. Guests: Will Pavia, New York correspondent for The Times.Laura Pullman, New York correspondent for The Sunday Times. Brandon Clayton, protester and resident in Minneapolis.Clips: CBSThis 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 Primary Schools across the country begin to reopen today we examine the moral dilemma parents and teachers face.Guests: Sian Griffiths, Education and Families Editor at The Sunday Times.Host:Manveen Rana.Clips:BBCThis 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 can we learn about the Prime Minister's chief adviser from his own words?Guests: Ian Leslie, writer and journalist.Steven Swinford, The Times' Deputy Political Editor.Hosts:Manveen Rana and David Aaronovitch.Clips: BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News, The Telegraph. Additional music by Meydän, Daniel Birch, Chris Zabriskie and Jordan Powell used under Creative Commons licence.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 local mayor in Prague is in police hiding following reports that agents from Russia plotted to have him assassinated. It’s an international incident that began when the mayor removed a statue honouring a Russian World War Two military hero.Guests: Ondřej Kolář is the district mayor of Prague.Edward Lucas is a columnist for The Times, and a former foreign correspondent based in Prague.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Euronews.Additional music: Chris Zabriskie.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re almost six months into the pandemic. But how close are we to developing the cure we all so desperately want? We meet a participant in one of the hundreds of trials happening around the world. 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.

More than three decades on from the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, new evidence has been brought to light that may reveal the identity of his killer. But after 34 years and thousands of theories, will we ever get an answer that truly satisfies everyone? Guests:Oliver Moody, Berlin Correspondent, The Times. Henrik Berggren, a Swedish historian and biographer of Olof Palme.Host: David Aaronovitch.CLIPS: 1972 UN Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment and Swedish TV show "Kvällsöppet" (1977).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.

Britain has the worst coronavirus death toll in Europe despite the government insisting they followed the best scientific advice. The Sunday Times Insight team brings you the inside story into what went wrong for the UK.  Guests:Jonathan Calvert, Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.George Arbuthnott, Deputy Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.With additional reporting from:Jonathan Leake, Science and Environment Editor at The Sunday Times.Dipesh Gadher, Chief Investigative Reporter at The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC, @BorisJohnson TwitterThis 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 Prime Minister of Lesotho has resigned amid accusations that he was involved in the murder of his estranged wife. His third wife is also set to stand trial over her alleged involvement in the murder plot. We dive into the politics of the small African kingdom of Lesotho. Guests: Witness, anonymous.Lebohang Totanyana, former Minister of Mining in Lesotho.Barnaby Mitchell, BBC camera operator. Host: Manveen Rana. Archive: SABC News, Al Jazeera, DW News, KTN News Kenya. Special thanks to the BBC.Additional music by Chris Zabriskie.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With experts suggesting that long term lock down will negatively affect our mental health, we ask: what can we all do to bring delight and joy into our lives during the crisis?  Guests: Laurie Santos, Professor of Psychology at Yale UniversitySanjay Shewakramani, Emergency Department doctorThis 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.

Care home deaths in England and Wales now account for forty percent of all deaths from coronavirus - and one result has been a political row. Why have things gone wrong for our most vulnerable citizens and the people who care for them?  Guests:Greg Hurst, social affairs editor at The Times.Irene Owen, a 91-year-old resident of Devonshire Court in Leicestershire.Sonja Bell, daughter of a elderly resident at The Heights in Buckinghamshire.Kimberly Ross, care assistant at Connaught Court in York.Karen Casey, activity co-ordinator at Zetland Court in Bournemouth.Additional support: Michael Clarke, Times Video Team.Host: David Aaronovitch.Additional music: Chris Zabriskie (licenced under Creative Commons).Clips: BBC, TalkRadio, TalkSport.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 Lee Solomon set up his funeral home, he had one mission: to give families the sendoff they really wanted. But now that's no longer possible. For a month Lee has been keeping an audio diary for us, chronicling the experience of running a funeral home during the Covid-19 outbreak and the hardships that come with it.Guest:Lee Solomon runs 'Lilies Funeral Directors' in Sutton Coldfield.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.