The Story
1,235 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★ - 126 ratingsThe Story: the flagship podcast from The Times and Sunday Times. One remarkable story, told in depth, each day.
Hosts Manveen Rana and Luke Jones take you to the heart of the story you need to know with exclusive reports and investigations.
Plus, each month, William Hague hosts an agenda-setting interview with a key newsmaker or thinker.
Discover the story behind the story with world-class journalism from The Times and Sunday Times.
The Story is available at the start of your day from Monday to Friday, with bonus ‘Inside the Newsroom’ episodes every Saturday for Times subscribers, available by connecting your subscription via Apple Podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episodes
Investigation: Undercover at one of the UK's most dangerous prisons
March 29, 2024 00:01 - 33 minutes - 77.1 MBA 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: Pa...
Hague talks to Rishi Sunak about being a dad, AI, and a terrible political inheritance
March 28, 2024 00:01 - 37 minutes - 86.3 MBIn 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 Ho...
Putin’s ISIS problem
March 27, 2024 00:01 - 26 minutes - 60.5 MBAs 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://theti...
Lessons from the world's assisted dying capital
March 26, 2024 00:01 - 27 minutes - 61.9 MBSir 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 S...
Inside the fentanyl trade
March 25, 2024 00:01 - 33 minutes - 76.1 MBFentanyl 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: Stephen Gibbs, Latin America correspondent, The Times & The Sunday Times, and Keiran Southern, West Coast c...
How To Win an Election... With Taylor Swift (And Other Celebrities)
March 23, 2024 00:01 - 42 minutes - 33.4 MBThis 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 ...
Kate-Gate: How the Royals lost control of the narrative
March 22, 2024 00:01 - 25 minutes - 58 MBThe 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, Assista...
Every scary thing Meta knows about you
March 21, 2024 00:01 - 24 minutes - 56.3 MBData 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, dat...
The five-year road to banning teenage puberty blockers
March 20, 2024 00:01 - 26 minutes - 60.7 MBThe 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 a...
Boeing, a dead whistleblower, and the company that crashed to earth
March 19, 2024 00:01 - 30 minutes - 70.3 MBThe 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...
Revealed: The hidden crime of sibling sexual abuse
March 18, 2024 00:01 - 39 minutes - 90.5 MBWarning: 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 Se...
What Wagner did next - the rebranding of Putin’s secret weapon
March 15, 2024 00:01 - 28 minutes - 66.3 MBWith 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 toda...
How street gangs led Haiti’s descent into anarchy
March 14, 2024 00:01 - 27 minutes - 62.5 MBHaiti’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: Stephen Gibbs, Latin America ...
Who owns the moon? AC Grayling on the question that could start war on Earth
March 13, 2024 00:01 - 31 minutes - 71.8 MBWhen 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 sup...
Kate, that photo, and a PR nightmare
March 12, 2024 00:01 - 33 minutes - 76.8 MBA 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: [email protected] Find out more about our bonus series for Times subsc...
Stories of our times is becoming The Story
March 11, 2024 18:00 - 2 minutes - 6.42 MBFrom 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What Liz Truss did next
March 11, 2024 00:01 - 29 minutes - 67.4 MBAfter 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. H...
Prescription Nation: Britain's hidden drug dependency
March 08, 2024 00:01 - 24 minutes - 56.9 MBOne 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 ...
Confessions of a millionaire: Should the super-rich pay more tax?
March 07, 2024 00:01 - 31 minutes - 71.2 MBTax 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: - Lil...
What if there’s no ceasefire? Manveen Rana reports from Jerusalem
March 06, 2024 00:01 - 33 minutes - 75.5 MBWe 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 Isra...
The Rise of Reform UK - the party the Tories fear
March 05, 2024 00:01 - 31 minutes - 72.7 MBReform 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...
Stakeknife: How Britain’s IRA mole got away with murder
March 04, 2024 00:01 - 34 minutes - 78.3 MBOn 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, Poli...
Cartoons and controversies with Times cartoonist Peter Brookes
March 01, 2024 00:01 - 28 minutes - 64.3 MBHe'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/stor...
Why won't Nikki Haley quit in the race against Trump?
February 29, 2024 00:01 - 37 minutes - 85.3 MBWith 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/...
Aid in Gaza: A month on, did the ICJ make any difference?
February 28, 2024 00:01 - 31 minutes - 72.6 MBHamas 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 Camp...
A by-election circus in Rochdale
February 27, 2024 00:01 - 29 minutes - 68.5 MBThis 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/storiesofourt...
Why young women are falling out of love with the pill
February 26, 2024 00:01 - 29 minutes - 66.6 MBWhen 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: Laura Hackett, Deputy Literary Editor, The Sunday Times. Kate Muir, Author, Everything You Need to Know About T...
Her daughter was murdered. Why will the killer be released so soon?
February 23, 2024 00:28 - 32 minutes - 73.9 MBIf 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...
Is there any hope for Generation Rent?
February 22, 2024 00:01 - 29 minutes - 66.6 MBWith 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, S...
Keir Starmer's Gaza problem
February 21, 2024 00:01 - 28 minutes - 66.1 MBWhile 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 th...
What Navalny’s death means for Putin's Russia
February 20, 2024 00:01 - 30 minutes - 70.6 MBAlexei 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’ a...
Is ADHD being over-diagnosed?
February 19, 2024 00:01 - 31 minutes - 71.9 MBAn 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, consu...
A conversation with director Christopher Nolan
February 16, 2024 00:01 - 34 minutes - 79.2 MBChristopher 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: Christop...
How Biden could be replaced
February 15, 2024 00:01 - 26 minutes - 59.7 MBA 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 touc...
‘Russian spy in MI6’: the Afghan connection
February 14, 2024 00:01 - 21 minutes - 49 MBAn 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...
Rotten to the core: What’s at the root of Britain’s dental crisis?
February 13, 2024 00:01 - 28 minutes - 64.9 MBWith 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, ...
AI, drones, and smartphones: How Ukraine changed warfare
February 12, 2024 00:01 - 28 minutes - 64.5 MBCheap 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 Ran...
What the King’s cancer means for Harry, William, Charles and the monarchy
February 10, 2024 18:00 - 24 minutes - 55 MBHow 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@th...
Taylor Swift and the ‘Super Bowl plot’ to swing the election
February 09, 2024 00:01 - 26 minutes - 60.1 MBIt’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, Fo...
Women watch porn too - so why can’t we talk about it?
February 08, 2024 00:01 - 26 minutes - 60.2 MBA 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 Metropo...
How the Israeli hostage crisis could topple Netanyahu
February 07, 2024 00:01 - 27 minutes - 63.8 MBIsrael’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, ...
The Ukrainians desperate to avoid the draft
February 06, 2024 00:01 - 31 minutes - 71.2 MBIn 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 t...
Why are Gen Z stalking their partners?
February 05, 2024 00:01 - 25 minutes - 59.1 MBWe 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...
A diary of war: Three months in Gaza
February 02, 2024 00:01 - 34 minutes - 78.6 MBPalestinian 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 a...
Inside the Tory plot to oust Rishi Sunak
February 01, 2024 00:01 - 28 minutes - 65.1 MBA 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,...
Three US soldiers dead: Has Iran miscalculated?
January 31, 2024 00:01 - 23 minutes - 53.4 MBOn 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 broug...
Cash for places: The backdoor for overseas students into Britain's top universities
January 30, 2024 00:01 - 29 minutes - 68.2 MBWhile 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. ...
Inside California's ‘orgasm commune’
January 29, 2024 00:01 - 37 minutes - 85 MBOneTaste, 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. Sub...
Why the super-rich are paying less tax
January 26, 2024 06:00 - 23 minutes - 53 MBA 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 Su...
Keir Starmer’s Blairite playbook
January 25, 2024 00:01 - 27 minutes - 62.3 MBSir 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: thetim...