The Story

Two of the century’s biggest artists are exchanging diss track blows in a beef that has engulfed the internet. But how has rap moved on since the violence of the 1990s? With the rappers’ fiery verbal blows raising allegations of domestic violence and sex abuse – how has it got so out of hand? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Guest:Blanca Schofield, Assistant Editor of Culture & Books, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host:Luke Jones.

Clips:TikTok, YouTube. 

Music credits:

Alright - Kendrick Lamar/To Pimp a Butterfly/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope.

One Dance - Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla/Views/Young Money/Cash Money/Republic.

Hotline Bling - Drake/Views/Young Money/Cash Money/Republic.

All The Stars - Kendrick Lamar/SZA/ Crowd Pleasers, Vol. II/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope.

Swimming Pools (Drank) - Kendrick Lamar/Good Kid, M.A.A.D City/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope.

Humble - Kendrick Lamar/Damn/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope. 

First Person Shooter - Drake featuring J. Cole/For All the Dogs/OVO/Republic.

Like That - Kendrick Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin/ We Don't Trust You/Wilburn Holding Co./Boominati/Epic/Republic.

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With the election now just around the corner, Labour says that if it wins, it’ll take away the tax breaks Britain’s private schools have benefited from for years. The introduction of VAT could push fees up by twenty percent, forcing middle class parents out and putting severe pressure on the sector. So why is Labour making this such a key part of its manifesto, and what could it mean for the future of education?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Sky News; Herald Institute Media.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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The state of our rivers is set to be one of the discussion points of the election and time’s ticking on Thames Water’s request for a 56 per cent increase in customers’ bills. As Ofwat mulls that one, it might ask how a company which leaks raw sewage into our rivers managed to rack up unsustainable levels of debt while also paying out dividends to shareholders. 

Warning: this podcast includes exclusive interviews from those brave enough to take a dip in The Thames.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Dominic O’Connell, business presenter, Times Radio.

Host:Luke Jones.

Clips:5 News, Sky News.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Our modern world is built on chips; they control everything from our cars to the stock market, dishwashers to missile systems, computers to - potentially soon - augmented humans. But with China and America battling for control over production - and about ninety percent of advanced chips made in geo-politically sensitive Taiwan - how secure is the future of our world?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Chris Miller, author of Chip War: the Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology and Professor of International History at Tufts University in Boston.

Host:William Hague.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the Tanoé-Ehy Forest stands as one of West Africa’s last untouched rainforests, a refuge for unique flora and fauna. Despite boasting West Africa's highest biodiversity, aggressive human activities have spared only 2% of the country’s forests. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by Primate Conservation Biologist Inza Koné, a 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate, as he strives to restore the balance between nature's resilience and humanity's unchecked greed, offering hope to the endangered wildlife and surrounding communities that thrive in the Tanoé-Ehy Forest.

This podcast is advertiser funded.

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Donald Trump’s 'hush money' trial is in its final stages as the prosecution and defence teams have both now rested their cases. The jury will return on Tuesday for closing arguments - and maybe even a verdict. This is ultimately a trial of two competing stories. So who told theirs best?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Will Pavia, New York correspondent for The Times

Host:Luke Jones. 

Clips: ABC News, WPRI, Forbes, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Michael Cohen's TikTok. 

Listen to Jane Mulkerrins discussing Stormy Daniels here.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk

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Rishi Sunak has announced a general election for July 4 after a day of fevered rumour in Westminster. The prime minister addressed the nation from outside No 10 and pledged to “fight for every vote" while Sir Keir Starmer urged people to vote Labour to "stop the chaos". Manveen Rana was at the heart of it all in Westminster. Why now? And are the parties ready?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:Times Radio.

Follow the election campaign live on Times Radio

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

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President Raisi’s death has been met with celebrations by those who hate the regime and mourning by those who love it. But could the vacuum left by his passing create a moment of danger for the regime’s hardline clerics and open up an opportunity for Iran’s reformers? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Guest:Rana Rahimpour, freelance Iranian journalist.  

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:Reuters, BBC News, TODAY, i24 News, Daily Mail. 

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After decades of buck-passing and over 3000 deaths the infected blood inquiry published its final report finding that patients were betrayed by 'cover-up'. The chairman of the inquiry said the ‘scale of what happened is horrifying’ and the prime minister has apologised. So, as ministers prepare to pay out billions of pounds in compensation, will this be enough for the families of those affected? Has justice finally been achieved? We ask Sunday Times’s Caroline Wheeler, who helped bring the inquiry about.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host:Manveen Rana

Clips:Parliament TV, Sky News, ITV, 5 News, Infected Blood Inquiry, World in Action, Lord Mayor of Treloar.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

'Death in the Blood' by Caroline Wheeler is available from theTimes Bookshop.

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The Hinduja family still leads the Sunday Times Rich List. But this year’s list records the largest fall in the billionaire count in the guide’s 36-year history. So why is it happening now and where are the billionaires moving to? Alfie Best, who remains on track to become Britain's first Romany gypsy billionaire, could have the answer. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Robert Watts, Contributor, The Sunday Times

Host:Luke Jones 

Clips: Sky News, Victorian Plumbing YouTube channel, CEOCAST YouTube channel, News Guardian

The Sunday Times Rich List can be found here, with a subscription.

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This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday.

The High Andes are one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world, but without urgent intervention, this landscape and its surrounding natural beauty will be lost. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by conservationist and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Constantino Aucca Chutas to hear how he is working with local communities to restore ancient cloud forests on the Andean mountain range, which play a vital role in the fight against climate change.

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Shockingly poor quality” is the verdict of a parliamentary inquiry into the UK’s maternity services. It found a system that lacked compassion and concluded, "poor care is all too frequently tolerated as normal". How did this happen? Hannah Barnes talks to Manveen about the birth that left her traumatised and her work to bring it to light. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Hannah Barnes, Associate Editor, New Statesman. 

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Clips:Parliament, Channel 4, Sky News. 

Birth trauma inquiry report

Support and help:The Birth Trauma Association

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Today we bring you the first episode of the Times's newest podcast 'The Royals'. Our hugely experienced Royal Editors Roya Nikkhah from The Sunday Times and Kate Mansey of The Times explore the ever-evolving world of the British monarchy. This week, it's all about the children. King Charles and the Duke of Sussex were both in London but no meeting took place - why? 

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A Times investigation into leaked records has identified convicts, fugitives and bankrupts who have secretly invested millions in the Emirates. More than £200 million of property in Dubai has been bought by criminals convicted in British courts and people who have failed to pay debts in the UK. What makes Dubai so attractive to criminals? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:

Clips: Visit Dubai. 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trial of nine suspects accused of plotting to overthrow the German government has begun in Stuttgart. The leaders of the far-right group is a 72-year-old self-styled aristocrat and a former AfD MP who was found with a bullet proof vest and night vision goggles. So who exactly are these people? And could the AfD's likely success in the upcoming European elections pose a real threat to German democracy?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Peter Conradi, Europe Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host:Luke Jones.

Clips:DW NEWS, Sky News, AFP. 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Open relationships are more popular than ever - but what's it like being in one? And what’s the history of non-monogamous, consensual, romantic relationships - from prehistoric times, via the Second World War to the modern internet age?

This podcast contains descriptions of sex and sexual acts.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Further listening:  Are dating apps running out of steam?

Guests:

Host:Jane Mulkerrins.

Clips:Challengers / Luca Guadagnino / Warner Bros. Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios, Couple to Throuple / NBCUniversal / Naked Television / Peacock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday.

Even for countries with adequate water resources, water scarcity is not uncommon. But for those who live in remote and poverty-stricken areas of the world, water scarcity can be the difference between life and death. With reports suggesting that by 2025 half of the world's population could be living in areas facing water scarcity, is there a way to turn the tide? Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by Kenyan entrepreneur and Laureate of the 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise Beth Koigi to learn more about her commitment to provide water access for those in need with her innovative solution, harvesting drinking water from the air. 

This podcast is advertiser funded.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an international manhunt, the FBI and Interpol say they have found a man wanted on multiple charges in four US states, who faked his death before fleeing America for Scotland. But the Glasgow resident at the centre of the case insists he is the victim of a "monstrous" miscarriage of justice – that he is not Nicholas Rossi, but is Arthur Knight, an Irish-born orphan who has never visited the United States. Our reporter investigates.

This episode was first published in October 2022.

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 Horne, News Reporter, The Times.

Host:David Aaronovitch.

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Pro-Palestinian protests that started at US campuses weeks ago have now spread to the UK and many parts of Europe. The US student protests are reminiscent of the 1968 Vietnam War protests which resulted in a political shift to the right and the election of Richard Nixon. Could Donald Trump leverage this civil unrest for political gain, just as Nixon did in 1968? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Guest: 

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:Reuters, PBS News, CNN, ITV News, Al-Jazeera, CBS News.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sunday Times’ investigative team, Insight, has combed through 6,000 top secret documents to piece together the story of multiple military and government cover ups into the murder of civilians during the Afghan conflict. Today, in part two, we hear about the methods used to stymie, block and obstruct the course of justice. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:- Jonathan Calvert, Insight investigative team editor, The Sunday Times

- George Arbuthnott, Insight investigative team deputy editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sunday Times’ investigative team, Insight, has combed through 6,000 top secret documents to piece together the story of multiple military and government cover ups into the murder of civilians during the Afghan conflict. Today, in part one, we hear about the senior special forces commander, codename N1466, who blew the whistle. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:- Jonathan Calvert, Insight investigative team editor, The Sunday Times, and

- George Arbuthnott, Insight investigative team deputy editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Military.com.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former MI5 double agent, Anthony Blunt, was unmasked as a Soviet mole in 1979 but the full extent of what he did isn’t known. Could he have been more dangerous than we thought? A new book has uncovered how he may have helped Hitler during the Second World War. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Robert Verkaik, Author of The Traitor of Arnhem. 

Host:Luke Jones. 

Clips:Channel 4, UK Parliament/Hansard, Netflix/The Crown Season 3, AP Archive.  

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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This Bank Holiday Monday listeners of The Story are treated to an episode of another podcast from The Times 'Off Air with Jane & Fi.' In this episode they are joined by author Salman Rushdie to discuss his new memoir 'Knife' where he talks about the vicious attack he survived in New York in 2022.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

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Netflix's latest hit, Baby Reindeer, is a fictional account of a real-life stalking, which our guest has experienced, too. So what happens in complicated stalking cases, when the lines between criminality, complicity and consent are blurred?

If you've been affected by any of the issues we've talked about today, do have a look at Paladin, the charity that Sarah used for help at paladinservice.co.uk.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:  Sarah Ditum, writer for The Times and The Sunday Times, and author of Toxic: Women, Fame and the Noughties. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips:Baby Reindeer © 2024 / Official Trailer / Netflix / creator: Richard Gadd

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Further listening:Sextapes, gossip blogs, and Paris Hilton: How the noughties went toxic

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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They were some of the most turbulent years of British politics as Prime Minister Theresa May steered her Brexit deal, via unprecedented disasters and triumphs, through parliament. The ultimate insider, Tim Shipman, Sunday Times’ chief political commentator was there throughout and shares new revelations and his unfiltered reflections on the politicians who led us through it all.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: Tim Shipman, chief political commentator, The Sunday Times and author of No Way Out: From the Backstop to Boris

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips:BBC News, Channel 4 News and 5 News.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 13 months in power, First Minister Humza Yousaf has resigned - and for the second time in as many years the SNP is looking for a new leader. So, how did it come to this for the once-dominant party? And what could it mean for the general election and the campaign for Scottish independence?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story

Guests: Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: STV News, The Guardian, Sky News, ITV News, SNP, Financial Times, The Sun.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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As the war in Gaza grinds on, and US President Joe Biden comes under increasing pressure to curb Israel's most serious military excesses, his administration has - for the first time ever - announced it's considering imposing sanctions on one specific Israeli Army unit. So what is the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, and why is it in America’s sights?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story

Guests: Gabrielle Weiniger, Times Correspondent based in Israel.

Host: Manveen Rana

Clips: ILTV News; France 24; Global News; AP; All Israel News

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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The prospect of internal conflict, as depicted in Alex Garland’s new film ‘Civil War’, is no longer regarded as an impossibility in America. With millions of guns in circulation, militia membership on the rise, and citizens relocating along ideological lines, could the US descend into a new civil war?

Guests:

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:Civil War © 2024, A24  / Entertainment Film Distributors, Director Alex Garland, The Telegraph, The Washington Post, The Evening Standard, CNN, The Independent, CBC News.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A group of former teachers and a cryptocurrency trader are teaching at a suspected illegal school, Universallkidz in Manchester, in which children are being educated to become the next generation of conspiracy theorists. The Times’ Tom Ball went undercover as a teacher to find out more.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story 

Guest:Tom Ball, Reporter, The Times.

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Get in touch:thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Mentioned in this episode:Hope Sussex school trains next generation of conspiracy theorists

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William Hague sits down with Azeem Azhar, entrepreneur, investor and one of the world’s leading thinkers on artificial intelligence, to discuss how tech could be the great equaliser, how we must control it and how the world will be unrecognisable in 5 years time. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story 

Guest:Azeem Azhar, entrepreneur, investor, author, thought leader.

Host:William Hague.

Further listening:Artificial intelligence: Our bright new future or the end of humanity?

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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After two years of legal disputes and political debate, Parliament has approved the government's Rwanda bill to send asylum seekers from the UK to be processed in east Africa. The question now: when will the first plane to Kigali depart? And will this be a political win for Rishi Sunak who says he wants to 'stop the boats'? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story 

Guest:Aubrey Allegretti, Chief Political Correspondent, The Times. 

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Clips:BBC Parliament, ITV, BBC News. 

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With young people in Britain and across the world increasingly reliant on smartphones, and many teens now openly admitting they’re addicted to social media, could an entire generation be suffering serious and irreversible damage, and what should we as a society do to stop 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/podcasts/the-story 

Guest:Helen Rumbelow, Times Feature Writer and Columnist.

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Email us:thestory@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Clips:NBC News, ITV News, Bloomberg Technology.

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India's PM Narendra Modi is favoured to win a third term as 970 million voters hit the polls in a six-week general election. Using an aggressive digital campaign, he’s doubling down on Hindu nationalism and promising more development. However, crackdowns on opposition and the press have intensified during his decade-long leadership, raising concerns about the future of India's secular democracy. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Get in touch:thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

Guest:Philip Sherwell, Asia correspondent, The Sunday Times. 

Host:Maveen Rana. 

Clips:ANI, Reuters, DW News, BBC, CNN, The Wire, Brut India. 

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The call came in the dead of night. “Are you on your own?” the man said. “I’ve got in with some bad people and they’ve locked me in a flat and they want £5,000 to release me.” The caller was Mark Menzies, the Conservative MP for Fylde in Lancashire.

The Times investigation reveals a litany of allegations involving sex, drugs and a drunk dog. Mark Menzies disputes all the allegations, and says he “fully complied with all the rules for declarations.”

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: Billy Kenber, Senior Investigations Reporter, The Times.

Host:Luke Jones.

Further listening: The council house row Angela Rayner can't shake.  

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Donald Trump has made history yet again, as the first American president to face a criminal trial. It’s one of four criminal cases against him - and the legal arguments already have experts divided. But what about the woman at the centre of it? What’s her story?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story

Guest: Jane Mulkerrins, Associate Editor, The Times Magazine.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Forbes, Fox News.

Email us: thestory@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Police are investigating whether Labour’s deputy leader broke “any offences”, including under electoral law, after Tory MPs alleged that she may have given false information about her main residence - an ex council house she purchased - a decade ago. Rayner, who has promised to resign if she is found to have committed a crime, said she “followed the rules at all times”. But how damaging could this row be to her - and to her party.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story

Guest: Kate McCann, Political Editor, Times Radio.

Host: Luke JonesClips: BBC, Newsnight, ITV, 5 News, Sky News.

Email us: thestory@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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The Israeli government is considering its response to Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack over the weekend. Israel’s allies – led by the US – have called for restraint, so, as the world tries desperately to de-escalate the situation, what could happen next?

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:

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: CBS News; Israeli Defence Force; United Nations; UK Prime Minister; Sky News; ABC News; Al Jazeera; DW News, Parliament.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world’s most successful rappers, Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs is facing multiple lawsuits, with accusations from rape to sex trafficking. So what’s going on and who are the other famous faces being named? This podcast contains descriptions of sexual assault.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: Keiran Southern, West Coast correspondent, The Times.

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips: Good Morning America, The Recording Academy / The Grammys, Law&Crime Network, ABC, FOX, Firstpost, FREEDOMNEWS TV, New York Mickey, Vogue, J Nolan, CBS.

Further listening: Will the mystery of Tupac’s death finally be solved?

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

Music:Burna Boy, 21 Savage, Brandy / On Form / City Boys / Atlantic Records; Been Around The World / Puff Daddy & The Family feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Mase / Bad Boy Records; I’ll Be MIssing You / Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans & 112 / Bad Boy Records; Notorious B.I.G / The Notorious B.I.G feat. Lil' Kim & Puff Daddy / Bad Boy Records; Family Affair / Mary J. Blige / MCA; No More Drama / Mary J. Blige / MCA; Bad Boy for Life / P. Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry / Bad Boy Records, Arista; Hypnotize / The Notorious B.I.G. feat Pamela Long / Bad Boy Records, Arista; Nasty Girl / The Notorious B.I.G. feat Jagged Edge, P. Diddy, Avery Storm, Nelly / Bad Boy Records, Atlantic; Lady Marmalade / Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink / Interscope.

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In November 2019, a teenager pretending to be the son of a Russian oligarch was found dead by the river Thames. Police investigated but the parents of 19-year-old Zac Brettler felt they still lacked answers. Now a Sunday Times' investigation has uncovered evidence that raises serious questions about the Metropolitan Police's handling of the case. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manven Rana.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

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As police investigate the sending of explicit text messages to dozens of politicians, staff and political journalists, and the man at the centre of the scandal – Conservative MP William Wragg - resigned the party whip. The Times Chief Political Correspondent, Aubrey Allegretti, tells us what he’s discovered about the Westminster sexting scam, how many people could be involved, and who might be behind 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. 

Guests: Aubrey Allegretti, Times Chief Political Correspondent.

Host: Manveen Rana

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk

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Alan Bates,the campaigner who took on the Post Office to expose flaws in its IT systems which led to wrongful convictions, has appeared before the public inquiry into the scandal.

Can this crucial stage of the inquiry take the victims a step closer to justice?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Tom Witherow, news and special projects reporter, The Times.  

Host:Luke Jones. 

Further listening: The Post Office scandal: How a TV drama delivered justice

Clips:Channel 4 News, ITV. 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

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Chinese President Xi Jinping's new slogan, "develop new productive forces," aims to bolster the expansion of high-tech sectors to drive economic growth. China already dominates the world of electric cars and controls more than 80 percent of the global solar panel manufacturing market. So, what could China’s technological dominance mean for the West? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory 

Guest:Richard Spencer, China Correspondent, The Times.  

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:AP Archive, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, YouTube/RUSI, Sky News, Reuters, BYD Europe, ABC News, CBS News.   

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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Christopher Kinahan is the head of a billion dollar international crime cartel and one of the world's most wanted men but he's been sharing his whereabouts and opinions through Google reviews. What is the normally security conscious man doing, and could the information ultimately lead to his capture?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: John Mooney, crime and security correspondent, Sunday Times Ireland.

Host:Calum Macdonald.

Clips: Raidió Teilifís Éireann, US State Department.

Further listening:Inside the Kinahan crime cartel and their billion euro empire

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President Biden has called for an immediate ceasefire and Rishi Sunak is facing pressure to stop arms sales to Israel after an IDF strike killed aid workers in Gaza. This comes days after the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. What does this mean for Israel as the world marks 6 months since the October 7 terror attacks?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests: 

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:Reuters, Channel 4 News, ITV News, Times Radio, IDF.  

Further listening: 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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The government says their much anticipated childcare reform, offering two-year-olds 15 hours a week of free childcare, is hitting targets. But parents and providers say the scheme’s rollout has been chaotic. Today, we go to a pre-school to find out what the reality looks like. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guests:

Special thanks to Desiree Chantarasak, and the children and teachers at Sunny Kids. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: UK Parliament, BBC Breakfast. 

Further listening: Childcare is a mess. Who will tidy it up?

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Scotland’s new Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into force on Monday - and within 48 hours at least 800 'hate crimes' had been reported to Scottish police. So, what's in it? And why has it put Scotland once again at the centre of the culture wars?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest:Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor,The Times & Sunday Times. 

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:BBC, Sky News, This Morning, JRE, The Daily Mail, ITV News, BBC, TalkTV, BBC, GB News, Police Scotland, 

Get in touch:thestory@thetimes.co.uk

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It's official: With Donald Trump confirmed as the Republican nominee, the US presidential race will be a Trump v Biden rematch. And with the primary contest over, Trump seems to be courting chaos again with some of the most infamous personalities from his 2016 presidential campaign slated to make a comeback. So just who is on Team Trump? And what do they tell us about the kind of race he will run?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: David Charter, Assistant Editor (US), The Times.

Host: Calum Macdonald.

Clips:Associated Press, NBC News, ABC News, C-SPAN, Guardian News, Lara Trump, BBC News.

Further listening: What to expect from President Trump 2.0

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A Times investigation has revealed a worrying lack of security at a prison housing dangerous criminals, prompting an urgent investigation by the Ministry of Justice. The journalist who went undercover at HMP Bedford tells The Story about witnessing fights and drugs - and hearing of a prison escape because of doors being left unlocked.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory

Guest: Paul Morgan-Bentley, Head of Investigations, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ITV News, Times Radio, BBC.

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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In our new monthly series of interviews, former foreign secretary and Times columnist William Hague speaks to his first guest, prime minister Rishi Sunak in Downing Street about juggling work and life as a dad, the threats and opportunities of AI, and inheriting ‘the worst hospital pass in many decades.’ 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest:Prime minister Rishi Sunak

Host:William Hague

Email us at our new address:thestory@thetimes.co.uk

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As President Putin repeats his assertion that Ukraine and the West are behind the terrorist attack last week that killed 137 Russians, the evidence is only growing that this was the work of ISIS. The culprits come from a faction that have risen out of the ashes of the former ISIS Caliphate: ISIS-K. So who are they? And how worried should the rest of the world be?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest:Mark Galeotti, historian, journalist and author of ‘We Need to Talk About Putin,’ ‘Putin’s Wars’ and ‘A Short History of Russia.’

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:Telegraph, PBS Newshour.

Email us at our new address:thestory@thetimes.co.uk

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Sir Keir Starmer has promised he will hold a vote on assisted dying if he wins the general election. In Canada - where it was made legal in 2016 - over 50,000 people have already been helped to die. So with momentum growing in Britain, could the Canadian experience hold important lessons for us?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest:Sarah Baxter, former deputy editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:BBC, ITV, Global News, Reuters. 

Email us at our new address:thestory@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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Fentanyl kills 200 people a day in America, a deadly epidemic felt throughout the country. We trace the journey of chemicals from China, to the drug labs of Mexico to the streets of the United States. Can the tide be stemmed?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guests:

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips: CNBC, NBC News, ABC News, C-Span.

Further listening:China’s deadly role in America’s fentanyl epidemic

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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This Saturday morning we're sharing an episode of Times podcast How to Win an Election with listeners of The Story.

In the US, Taylor Swift could have the power to swing the presidential election. As famous faces come out to back Keir Starmer's plans for the arts, we ask when a celebrity endorsement can boost a campaign... and when it can go badly wrong.

The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss star power, and who could be the next Conservative leader - could the runners and riders include Michael Gove and even David Cameron?

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The whereabouts of the Princess of Wales is still under intense scrutiny after footage of William and Kate shopping failed to provide reassurance - and instead led to even more conspiracy theories. Does the obsession with Kate echo the days of Diana? And could the frenzy permanently damage Kensington Palace's brand?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest: Kate Mansey, Assistant Editor, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: CNN, Fox News, The View, Anderson Cooper 360. 

Further listening: Kate, that photo, and a PR nightmare

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Data journalist Matilda Davies opened her first Facebook account when she was 11 years old. Years later, she requested all the information the social media behemoth had been collecting on her. What she uncovered shocked her. So, how exactly does the data gathering work? And what can we all do to reclaim some privacy?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest:Matilda Davies, data journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times.  

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:NBC, The Guardian.  

Students can subscribe to The Times for £9.99 a year for 3 years.Click here to access this special offer

Email us at our new address:thestory@thetimes.co.uk

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The NHS has announced a ban on puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria. This week, Parliament will debate a bill sponsored by Liz Truss that would make it a criminal offence to prescribe any drugs to children for treating gender dysphoria, including in private clinics. But the story behind this overhaul in treatment began five years ago, with an explosive investigation from The Times’ Lucy Bannerman.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest: Lucy Bannerman, News feature writer, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, Sky News Australia, X/Daniel Shelvey

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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The aviation giant, Boeing, is facing intense scrutiny after a series of incidents involving their commercial planes. The company was once a pillar of America's post-WW2 industrial empire - so what’s gone wrong?  

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory.

Guest: Dominic O’Connell

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ABC News 4, Reuters, Prelinger Archives, NASA, BBC News, The Sun, US National Archives, ABC News, NBC TODAY, KING 5 Seattle, KATU News. 

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk 

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse. 

The family member most likely to sexually abuse a child is their brother or sister. For years sexual abuse by siblings has been too much of a taboo to discuss but more survivors of abuse come forward to discuss their experiences. We hear from one of them on today’s podcast. 

If you or someone you know has been affected by sibling sexual abuse support and advice can be found Sibling Sexual Abuse Support and the Sibling Sexual Abuse Resource Centre.

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: Decca Aitkenhead, chief interviewer, The Sunday Times, and

Liz Roberts, sibling sexual abuse survivor.and advocate, www.liz-roberts.co.uk.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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With Russia going to the polls this weekend, and President Putin’s grip on power tighter than ever, any semblance of meaningful opposition has been suppressed or driven out. One notable exception was the brief but bloody attempted mutiny last summer by the mercenaries of the Wagner Group. So with its challenge to Putin crushed, and its leadership dead…what came next for Wagner?

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: Dr Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute.

Host: Manveen Rana

Clips: Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, BBC, NBC, Africanews

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Haiti’s acting prime minster has resigned, bending to pressure from the US. The move leaves a power vacuum into which has apparently stepped Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier. So, with much of the country's capital now a no-go zone, how did Haiti get here? And how did gang leader ‘Barbecue’ get his nickname? 

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:

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:CNN, BBC, CNN, France 24, WPLG Local 10, ABC, Biographics.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might like this one:Haiti: a failed state? https://pod.fo/e/16785c

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom' 

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When the Odysseus lander touched down on the lunar surface last month, it became the first US presence on the moon in more than fifty years. But unlike the Cold War space race between two global superpowers, we now see a growing roster of nations - and private companies - vying to announce their presence on the moon. So with competition for rare resources looking set to intensify…who owns the moon, and could conflict there mean war on earth?

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: Professor Anthony Grayling, Principal of Northeastern University, London, philosopher and author of Who Owns the Moon?

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: CNBC News, Fox News, NASA, BBC News, CBS News, ABC News, C-SPAN, NBC News, CBC News.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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A new photo of the Princess of Wales released after months of social media speculation about her health has further fuelled conspiracy theories. 

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:Kate Mansey, Royal Editor, The Times. 

Host:Luke Jones. 

Clips:BBC, Inside Edition. 

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom' 

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From Tuesday 19th March, Stories of our times will become The Story.

Manveen Rana and Luke Jones will be joined on the podcast by Times columnist and former foreign secretary William Hague, who once a month will sit down with a prominent newsmaker or thinker, with his first episode available later in March.

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After she resigned in 2022, everyone thought Liz Truss would disappear. Not a bit of it. She’s earned more than £300,000 from speeches, has a new book out and is a favourite of America’s alt-right. Rachel Sylvester asks Westminster insiders: is the former PM deluded or planning a comeback? 

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: Rachel Sylvester, columnist, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips:WarRoom.org, ITV News, Parliament, GB News, Sky News, Times Radio, CPAC, Conservatives, IoG, CNN.

Further listening: The untold story of Liz Truss's chaotic 49 days in No 10 

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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One in four drugs that are prescribed to adults in England are dependency-forming drugs. And while prescriptions for opioids have fallen following the epidemic in the US, two dependency-forming drug groups have seen prescriptions rise: pregabalin and antidepressants. Do we really understand how these drugs are affecting patients? Or are we sleep-walking into a new addiction crisis?

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.

If you've been prescribed any of the drugs mentioned in this podcast, do not stop taking your prescription without consulting your doctor first. And if you are concerned about dependence on prescription or other drugs, talk to your GP. If you’re having trouble finding the right sort of help, call the Frank drugs helpline on 0300 123 6600. 

Guest:Venetia Menzies, Data and Digital Journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host:Manveen Rana.

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom' 

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Tax burdens are at the highest level in living memory, yet public services are falling apart. That's why the rich should pay more tax, says our guest: economist and millionaire Gary Stevenson, a working-class kid who went from being expelled at school to becoming Citibank’s most successful trader. But would a wealth tax work?

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:

- Lily Russell-Jones, senior money reporter, The Times and The Sunday Times.

- Gary Stevenson, economist, millionaire former trader and author of The Trading Game: A Confession.

Host:Luke Jones. 

Clips:GB News, parliamentlive.tv

If you enjoyed this episode, you might like this one: 'Who is Britain's richest person?' https://pod.fo/e/17d4b3

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom' 

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We report from Israel during a critical week which might mark a tipping point in the Gaza war. If there isn't a ceasefire by the start of Ramadan this weekend, could violence erupt far beyond Gaza? 

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:

- Tamir Hayman, managing director of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies.

- Ehud Olmert, former prime minister of Israel.

- Samer Sinijlawi, chairman of the Jerusalem Development Fund.

Clips:Reuters, News9 Live, CBS.

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom' 

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Reform UK - a fringe political party founded by Nigel Farage - is unlikely to win many seats, it has little money and its leader has a low profile. But the Conservatives are still nervous about the Farage effect following a bruising by-election. Could the rise of Reform be the nail in the coffin for the Tories?

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:Harry Yorke, Deputy Political Editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host:Luke Jones.  

Clips:YouTube, Reform UK. GB News.  

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom' 

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On Friday, Operation Kenova, a long running investigation into a man known as Stakeknife, the British Army’s top spy within the IRA, will finally be published. Did the British government knowingly allow murder in order to protect its man on the inside? 

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: Luke Jones.

Clips:ITV News, Policing Board, Thames TV, BBC.

Further listening: An unsolved murder, the Troubles, and the British state

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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He's been skewering those in power with his drawings for The Times since 1992. In an age where finding the balance between satire and offence can be a fraught, Peter Brookes, our award-winning political cartoonist, discusses his brush with Boris Johnson, why he appreciates a loathsome politician, and the challenges of drawing Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest:Peter Brookes, political cartoonist, The Times. 

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:BBC, NBC.

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With his nomination as the Republican presidential candidate now looking all but certain, Donald Trump's grip on his party seems to get stronger with every primary. On Tuesday night, he added another emphatic victory to the list in Michigan. But with Super Tuesday just days away, he still has one opponent left standing. So who is Nikki Haley? And what's motivating her to keep going in the face of almost impossible odds?

Register here for Times US Election Live Q&A: https://times-event.com/us-election/

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest: David Charter, Assistant Editor (US), The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Fox News, Sky News, BBC News, CBS News, C-SPAN, NBC News, CNN.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Hamas has been sent a proposal for a new pause in military operations in Gaza, including the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Meanwhile, one month on from the International Court of Justice ruling that Israel must let more aid into Gaza – has this happened? We speak to a British paramedic in Rafah.

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:

- Iain Campbell, paramedic and aid worker in Gaza.

- George Grylls, defence and political correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: ICJ, The Times/US Network Pool, Forbes, Reuters, CBC News, BBC News, France24, TRT World. 

Further listening: A diary of war: Three months in Gaza

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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This Thursday, Rochdale voters will be asked to cast their vote in a by-election following the death last month of MP Sir Tony Loyd. There is technically no Labour candidate standing, though three former ones are. So what’s happening? And as the by-election is being framed by some as a referendum on Gaza - what of the other issues facing the town?

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:Darryl Morris, Presenter, Times Radio.

Host:Luke Jones.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

A full list of the candidates for the Rochdale by-election can be found here: https://www.rochdale.gov.uk/elections-voting/statement-persons-nominated-notice-poll 

Clips:Sky News, BBC, Daily Mail, George Galloway, Good Morning Britain.

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When the contraceptive pill was introduced in the 1960s, many considered it to be one of the most significant inventions of the 20th Century. Sixty years on, a generation of young women are questioning the pill - but why? 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: 

Host:Manveen Rana. 

Clips:CBS, ITV, TikTok, Channel 4.   

Email us:storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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If you murder someone, you get a life sentence. But what does a life sentence actually mean in practice? We speak to a bereaved parent fighting to end one of the justice system’s most egregious sentencing disparities.

Murder sentencing consultation (closing date: March 4, 2024): https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/murder-sentencing-consultation/

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:

- Carole Gould, mother of Ellie Gould, and co-founder of Killed Women. 

- Lucy Bannerman, News Feature Writer, The Times.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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With ever-increasing house prices across the country far outstripping the rate at which earnings are rising, millions of young people are now being forced to either live at home with their parents, or pay extortionate rent in a market where landlords have all the power. So what hope is there for Generation Rent?

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: Lily Russell-Jones, Senior Money Writer, The Times and Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: GB News; The Independent; BBC Radio 4; Times Radio.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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While an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza will be debated in the House of Commons today, all eyes are on Labour. The party has tiptoed around a position on the war in Gaza since the terrorist attacks of October 7th, causing divisions among MPs and supporters. Will Keir Starmer’s eleventh hour call for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” be enough to see off another rebellion and hold his party together in an election year? 

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:

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: NBC News, Sky News, Parliament, Mayor of London, BBC News, LBC, AFP, Times Radio.

Further listening: Keir Starmer’s Blairite playbook

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

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Alexei Navalny, Russia's opposition leader, is dead. His wife says that President Putin killed her husband while the Russian state denies any involvement. What does his death mean for the opposition, the Kremlin and the future of Russia?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest:Mark Galeotti, historian, journalist and author of ‘We Need to Talk About Putin,’ ‘Putin’s Wars’ and ‘A Short History of Russia.’

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:MEDIAZONE, BBC, SKY, @yulia_navalny / X.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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An overwhelming demand for ADHD diagnoses has left the NHS struggling to keep up. What’s behind the rise?

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of suicidal thoughts and eating disorders.

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: 

- Kat Brown, journalist and author of It's Not A Bloody Trend: Understanding Life as an ADHD Adult.

- Dr Ulrich Müller-Sedgwick, consultant psychiatrist.   

Host:Darryl Morris. 

Clips:Times Radio, BBC.  

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Christopher Nolan has become a franchise unto himself; one of the few directors who can walk into a studio with an original idea and walk out with the millions needed to make it. His latest film, Oppenheimer, has grossed over a billion dollars and been nominated for 13 Oscars. Today he takes us inside the making of the film.

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:Christopher Nolan.

Host: Tom Shone.

Clips:Universal Pictures/Oppenheimer, Warner Bros. Pictures/Interstellar, Golden Globes.

Closing music by Jason Mayo.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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A special counsel report in the US has again raised questions about Joe Biden’s mental faculties, describing the President as "a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." So, what are the mechanisms to replace him, were he to step aside or be removed?

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, assistant editor, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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An alleged Russian spy was an Afghan refugee who had worked his way into the British Foreign Office. According to court documents, he had met two Prime Ministers, the King and Prince William during the course of his work. The man, known only as ‘C2’ denies all the allegations.

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:Emma Yeomans, News reporter, The Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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With millions of people across the UK struggling to access NHS dental care, and many being forced to go private or even treat themselves at home, how did dentistry in Britain reach this point, how serious is the crisis, and what can be done to fix 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.

Guests:

- Dr. Paul Woodhouse from the Grange Dental Practice and,

- Rachel Sylvester, Times Columnist and Chair of the Times Health Commission.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: ITV News, Channel 4 News, UK Parliament, AP (British Movietone).

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Cheap drones, robots and AI have all shaped the conduct of the war in Ukraine. Ahead of its second anniversary on 24th February, Manveen talks to eminent war historian, Sir Lawrence Freedman, about how war will never be the same again.

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: Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College London.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips:Al Jazeera, Sky News, BBC News, DW News, CNN, Global News, ABC News, MGM/UA Entertainment Company/United International Pictures.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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How King Charles’s cancer diagnosis will affect the monarchy and those in it, personally and professionally.

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: Roya Nikkhah, Royal Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Times Radio, Channel 4, BBC, Sky News, CNN, WION, CBS, TODAY, BBC, TalkTV, Fabulous Magazine, AFP, ABC, CBS, GB News.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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It’s Super Bowl Sunday in America this weekend. But whispers from some corners of the internet suggest there’s a bigger game afoot. So just how did Taylor Swift find herself at the centre of a conspiracy theory involving America's biggest television event and a presidential election? And is there any truth to any of 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: Ben Hoyle, Foreign Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Recording Academy/GRAMMYs, MSNBC, NBC, NFLonFOX, Netflix, TikTok/NowThis, CNN, Taylor Swift, Restoring National Confidence Summit

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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A quarter of people watching pornography are women, but why do we find it hard to comprehend? We speak to the author of a new book who has interviewed one hundred women about their porn habits - what can we learn about women’s pleasure? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest: Dr Fiona Vera-Gray, deputy director at the Child and Women’s Abuse Studies Unit at London Metropolitan University, and author of Women on Porn: One hundred stories. One vital conversation. 

Host: Jane Mulkerrins.

Clips: Times Radio, The Tomorrow Show/NBC. 

Listen to Megan Agnew’s account of being inside an orgasm ‘commune’here

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu is increasingly embattled, amid protests by the families of hostages calling for him to go. Could this crisis lead to his downfall?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest: Anshel Pfeffer, Times contributor in Jerusalem and author of Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips:Reuters, CBC News, NBC News, American Jewish Committee, CNA, Channel 12 News, News9 Live, Face the Nation/CBS, Channel 4 News.

Listen to Amal Helles’s diary of life inside Gazahere.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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In an interview over the weekend, President Zelensky announced a major shake up in the Ukrainian army. It comes after a week-long battle between Zelensky and his top general. So after all of this internal disarray – how is the war seen right now by Ukrainians? Anthony Loyd returns from another trip to the country, where he embedded with brigades and met the men desperate to avoid conscription.

This episode contains frank descriptions of warfare.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest: Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips:Telegram/Щоденник Вільного

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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We hear the story of one woman who was stalked by her ex-boyfriend, as domestic abuse charities warn that young people are becoming accustomed to a high level of monitoring in romantic relationships. And one of our producers finds out first hand what it's like to be tracked.

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. 

If you’ve been affected by issues in this podcast, you can find a list of organisations that offer support here. 

Refuge also runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline for women experiencing domestic abuse, their family, friends and others calling on their behalf. You can call them on their free 24-hour helpline: 0808 2000 247

Guest: Constance Kampfner, News Reporter, The Times.

Host: Will Roe. 

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers:'Inside the newsroom'

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Palestinian journalist Amal Helles has been reporting for The Times and The Sunday Times from Gaza since the Hamas attacks on Israel, and the beginning of the conflict in October. Foreign journalists aren't allowed unaccompanied into the territory, where she lives with her husband and two small children. So we’ve been talking to her via WhatsApp voice notes about life amid food shortages, bombing and evacuation.

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: Amal Helles, journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Olivia Case.

Clips: France 24, Inside Edition, BBC, WSL, NBC, The Guardian, ABC, Al Jazeera, CBS, CTV, TRT World, ABC, WION, 13News Now, 13WMAZ, Channel 4, AP, PBS, The National, Reuters, DW News, Middle East Eye, Democracy Now, MSNBC.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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A former adviser to the prime minister is working with a secretive group of Tories to remove him from office before the general election. MPs have been out publicly backing Rishi Sunak and denying their involvement, but it risks setting off yet another civil war in the party. So who are the rebels? 

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: Steven Swinford, Political Editor, The Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Times Radio, Parliament Live, 10 Downing Street, BBC News, BBC Radio 4 Today, Sky News, BBC Breakfast. 

If you enjoyed this episode, you might like this one too:Keir Starmer’s Blairite playbook

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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On Sunday, three American troops were killed in a drone strike on a US base in Jordan. At least 34 were wounded. The group responsible for the attack is one of the many Iran-backed militias that operate in the region, and they've now announced that they will halt further attacks on the US. So did Iran authorise the attack? And, at a time of such heightened tensions in the Middle East, is it a sign that Iran is losing control of its proxy forces - or preparing for war?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest:Richard Spencer, Correspondent, The Times.

Host:Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, Fox News, Al Jazeera, MSNBC, BBC.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk.

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While UK students need straight As to get onto prestigious Russell Group degree courses, their international classmates can buy their way in through secret routes. An undercover Sunday Times investigation has already prompted an urgent review by the Department for Education.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guests:

- Jonathan Calvert, Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.

- George Arbuthnott, Deputy Insight Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host:Luke Jones.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk.

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OneTaste, the organisation behind the practice 'orgasmic meditation', was hailed as visionary at its peak. Since then, its leader, Nicole Daedone, has been arrested by the FBI on forced labour charges and her group has been branded a 'cult' – allegations they deny vehemently. But what is it? Sunday Times reporter Megan Agnew was invited to their California compound, The Land, 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:Megan Agnew, News Features Writer, The Sunday Times.

Host:Jane Mulkerrins.

Clips:ABC7 News, YouTube/Rebecca Watson, Eros Platform @OneTaste, goop.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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A Russian-born trader and a billionaire who admitted to fraud have topped this year’s Sunday Times Tax List, but more than two-thirds of the 100 individuals and families on the list contributed less tax this year. So, at a time when the tax bill for most people is up, who is paying less, and why?  

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:Robert Watts, Contributor, The Sunday Times.

Host:Luke Jones.

Clips:Sky News, Sky Sports News, Bloomberg, YouTube - Ed Sheeran. 

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom

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Sir Keir Starmer is on the pre-campaign trail this week, promoting his five missions that Labour are pledging to achieve if they win the upcoming election. It comes after the most detailed polling yet predicted a landslide majority to rival Tony Blair’s 1997 win. So what would Starmer actually do in government? And what lessons is he taking from the Blairite playbook?

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: Philip Collins, Columnist, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC Newsnight, Times Radio, ITV News, Sky News, The Rest is Politics, Labour, The Guardian, The Times, Novara Media, BBC News.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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UK health chiefs have declared a national incident following a surge in measles cases in the Midlands and London, and the World Health Organisation warned yesterday that it's spreading rapidly across Europe too. Measles is a disease many doctors thought they would never see again – so what's going on?

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.

Links:The Battle of the Beams by Tom Whipple

Clips:Times Radio, Sky News, Channel 4 News, CBS News, Right America Media, Vaxxed/Cinema Libre Studio.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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Louise Callaghan has spent most of the last decade reporting from the Middle East. During that time she witnessed a coup attempt in Turkey, the battle to free Mosul, and was the first Western journalist to report on a gas attack in Syria in 2018. As she heads to the US to report on the election there, she reflects on the lessons she learned in the region.

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: Louise Callaghan, former Middle East Correspondent and current Senior US Correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Clips: Euronews, TRT World, RTE, France 24, Al Jazeera.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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