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The Story

The Times

300 episodes

The biggest stories, told in depth, daily.

More about the show

Join the world's best journalists to understand what really matters.

The Story is hosted by Manveen Rana and Luke Jones, published seven days a week and ready for you every morning.

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

Episodes page 2 of 6

  1. How history is straining Poland’s ties with Ukraine

    · 29 min

    Anti-Ukrainian sentiment is on the rise in Poland.The rift stems, in part, from a historical dispute over a wartime massacre of Poles 83 years ago, which has bubbled to the surface in recent months. So, how did…

  2. Why is Ironman so popular? - The Sunday Story

    · 14 min

    Ironman ultra-triathlons demand competitors swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles, and then run a full marathon, paying upwards of $1000 for the pleasure. It’s not everyone’s idea of a perfect Sunday, but for its growing…

  3. Inside the Macklemore - Ed Sheeran tour fallout - The Saturday Story

    · 32 min

    All of Ed Sheeran’s support acts have pulled out of his tour after his opening act Macklemore was dropped for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. So why has this become such a cause célèbre? What does it mean for…

  4. Has space become the final frontier for war?

    · 24 min

    The space race is on, but not as we’ve known it. Instead of a man on the moon, nations are jostling for who can plant weapons on the moon. In a major development this week, the US has announced that it has deployed a…

  5. Has Trump paved the way to a united Ireland?

    · 28 min

    President Trump sparked controversy during his recent trip to Ireland when he said a unified Ireland would be “a fantastic thing.” That was followed on Monday by Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh leaders signing a…

  6. Bonus: Bill Gates on AI risk, regulation and the "vacuum of US leadership"

    · 28 min

    The Microsoft co-founder tells Danny and Katie why AI is "ultra-different" from any previous technology - and why tech companies shouldn’t be responsible for controlling it. Speaking about a new report on AI and…

  7. How Lucy Letby’s hospital failed her victims

    · 24 min

    The Thirlwall Inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at the Countess of Chester hospital has released a damning report. It found the hospital could have prevented at least three of the murders, if not…

  8. What the lightning Houthi advance means for the world

    · 29 min

    The Iranian-backed Houthis have seized large swathes of territory in Yemen and taken control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key shipping corridor between Asia and Europe. About 12 percent of global trade passes through…

  9. Will superintelligent AI destroy humanity?

    · 29 min

    Warnings about the dangers of AI are reaching fever pitch, with cases of AI agents going rogue and attempts by malicious actors to use the technology to create biological weapons. Industry whistleblowers are sounding…

  10. Cover-ups, incompetence, and ‘a litany of failures’ exposed at the Nottingham inquiry - The Sunday Story

    · 36 min

    In June 2023, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic who is currently serving an indefinite hospital order. The months-long public inquiry…

  11. My life with Freddie Mercury - The Saturday Story

    · 26 min

    When Freddie Mercury, lead vocalist of Queen and one of the all-time greats of rock music, died from Aids in 1991, he left his beloved Kensington house to his lifelong companion Mary Austin. Once engaged to the…

  12. He went to jail for exposing America’s darkest 9/11 secret. Should Trump pardon him?

    · 37 min

    It’s 25 years since the 9/11 attacks; in the aftermath, the CIA hunted down those responsible – detaining suspects and subjecting them to ‘enhanced interrogation.’ One of the prisoners who was subjected to these…

  13. How the AfD became a nightmare for Friedrich Merz

    · 31 min

    The AfD’s thumping victory in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election has sent shockwaves across the German political landscape and left chancellor Friedrich Merz in a state of shock. With his popularity plummeting and…

  14. Inside the West Bank crisis driving Britain to act

    · 32 min

    Yesterday, foreign secretary Ed Miliband announced new sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank in response to an increase in settler expansion and violence there. So what is really happening on the ground?…

  15. Is Britain's economy really turning a corner?

    · 29 min

    John Healey gave his first major speech as Chancellor on Monday, aiming to show that the economy has ‘turned a corner’. But his comments have been overshadowed by a background of turmoil in the bond markets, thousands…

  16. LATEST: Anti-immigration protests in Dover and Portsmouth

    · 17 min

    Hundreds of protestors in Portsmouth clashed with police last night and early this morning. It was the second mass demonstration against small boat arrivals after a far-right protest caused disruption at the Port of…

  17. The state of asylum in the UK

    · 30 min

    Asylum seekers now make up one in ten of all migrants coming to the UK each year but just one in sixty of those that leave. This week, The Times is looking at the myriad problems with Britain’s asylum system, from…

  18. The Bayeux Tapestry’s long road back to Britain - The Sunday Story

    · 27 min

    This week, after a meticulously planned voyage for the 11th-century retelling of the Battle of Hastings, the British Museum’s long-awaited Bayeux Tapestry exhibition opens to the public. But, why has it taken almost a…

  19. Why are autism diagnoses up? - The Saturday Story

    · 15 min

    Autism diagnoses in England have shot up in recent years from 700,000 three years ago to around 1.1 million today. It's led to a backlash, with some suggesting the condition is being over-diagnosed. Not so, says Dr…

  20. Can Reform reset at conference?

    · 30 min

    As the Reform conference kicks off today, Nigel Farage and his team are looking to pitch themselves as a serious party ready to win a general election. But after a long, hot summer dogged by controversies, party…

  21. Bonus: How will Scott Bessent and the bond markets affect your tax and pension?

    · 32 min

    How will US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and global bond markets impact UK borrowing, John Healey’s UK Budget, and the wider UK economy? Rising inflation rates, soaring government debt, and higher borrowing costs…

  22. How has Giorgia Meloni lasted this long?

    · 27 min

    On Friday, Giorgia Meloni will break Italy’s record and become the longest-serving continuous prime minister since the Second World War. Her sceptics predicted she would only last a few months. So how has she managed…

  23. Can the ‘Burnham bounce’ survive reality?

    · 23 min

    Andy Burnham faced parliament for the first time as prime minister on Tuesday. He’s spent the summer projecting a sunny, optimistic vision of Britain’s future – but how long can the good vibes last as Burnham faces the…

  24. How much longer can the US afford the Iran war?

    · 29 min

    It’s been six months since President Trump announced the US and Israel had launched a military campaign against Iran. And despite some early military successes, the conflict has had financial and political costs for…

  25. The man fighting to help the families of seriously ill children

    · 34 min

    When Ceri Menai-Davis’ five year old son Hugh was diagnosed with cancer, his whole family’s life was transformed. The emotional toll was unimaginable, but alongside that came myriad other hidden costs, and he soon…

  26. As Notting Hill Carnival turns 60, how long can it continue? - The Sunday Story

    · 30 min

    The Notting Hill Carnival began in the sixties as a celebration of the culture of Britain’s Windrush generation - but as the tradition has swelled there are issues of overcrowding and violence. Critics question the…

  27. Britain's sleep rape crisis - The Saturday Story

    · 30 min

    It’s a crime that many victims don’t know is illegal. Now a Times investigation has found that online platforms are hosting graphic content depicting women being sexually assaulted while they sleep, despite UK laws…

  28. Inside Meta's multibillion reality check

    · 30 min

    The tech giant Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion and add child-safety measures to its platforms, after settling a landmark trial against a coalition of American states. So, will the forthcoming measures actually…

  29. LATEST: Devastation in Nepal

    · 13 min

    At least 360 have died, with hundreds more still missing, after a flash flood in Nepal. Experts are warning that a second flood may be imminent. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The…

  30. Q&A: Harry and Meghan return, underground data centres and peace for Ukraine?

    · 26 min

    Does the king get to decide where his grandkids go to school? Could we build data centres underground? And why was the CIA chief in Moscow this week? You asked, so we answered, in this edition of our monthly Q&A…

  31. Why America is talking about Natalie Harp

    · 27 min

    Ten days ago, Natalie Harp was a name known almost exclusively to those in Washington's political circles but when a Democratic senator name-checked her in a campaign speech, it caused a war of words. So who is she and…

  32. Why an extreme weather pattern has everyone worried

    · 23 min

    Meteorologists are warning about a “Godzilla” El Niño which will cause extreme weather, food shortages and economic disruption. While the weather pattern happens regularly and mostly affects countries around the…

  33. What do you want to know?

    · 0:54

    We’re publishing our monthly Q&A episode this Thursday. Send us your questions by Wednesday, 26 August, 12pm BST. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Further listening: Q&A: Public transport hell…

  34. Flights, visas, and kidnappers: The new migrant route to Britain

    · 22 min

    The Times has discovered that thousands of migrants are using a new, hybrid route to try to come to the UK: legal flights and visas, combined with illegal border crossings. But most don’t make it; the smuggling gangs…

  35. The fraudsters pardoned by Trump - The Sunday Story

    · 26 min

    In his second administration, Donald Trump has so far pardoned or released approximately 1,800 convicted criminals. That includes rioters who stormed the Capitol, fraudsters who stole millions from their victims, and…

  36. I tried the Maga diet — here's what happened - The Saturday Story

    · 15 min

    It’s the diet Trump’s inner circle are said to swear by: protein, fermented food and... not much else. Its creator, Sean O’Mara, promises that it works magic on your gut. The Times' feature writer Damian Whitworth’s…

  37. Best of: On the line - Whack-a-mole

    · 33 min

    This is episode five of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing from The Times and The Sunday Times first published in March. In the final episode of our county lines series, we hear how…

  38. Bonus: Harry and Meghan are moving back to the UK — why now?

    · 29 min

    Harry and Meghan are reportedly moving back to Britain with Archie and Lilibet, more than six years after leaving royal life for California. But why now — and how will their return work in practice? Roya Nikkhah is…

  39. Best of: On the line - Mike

    · 35 min

    This is episode four of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing from The Times and The Sunday Times first published in March. Mike started selling drugs for a county lines gang when he was…

  40. Best of: On the line - the loophole

    · 38 min

    This is episode three of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing from The Times and The Sunday Times first published in March. Children aren't just running drugs for county lines gangs -…

  41. Best of: On the line - the never-ending battle

    · 27 min

    This is episode two of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing from The Times and The Sunday Times first published in March. Today we go inside Operation Titan, as North Yorkshire Police fight…

  42. Best of: On the line - a family business

    · 32 min

    This is episode one of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing from The Times and The Sunday Times first published in March. Today we reveal how police took down the family controlling the…

  43. Murder in the Dordogne - The Sunday Story

    · 29 min

    Karen Carter was murdered outside her home in the tranquil Dordogne village of Trémolat. The police launched a manhunt, and slowly a story of obsession, romance, and unrequited love started to come to light. So, why…

  44. Sport moves you like nothing else — as I found out after my heart attack - The Saturday Story

    · 14 min

    While recovering from a heart attack, Times sports journalist Owen Slot distracted himself by watching a summer of thrilling sport. He was still hooked up to a heart rate monitor, so he decided to run an experiment:…

  45. The State of It: Farage wins Clacton – but his £5m headache remains

    · 20 min

    Nigel Farage has done the inevitable and defeated Count Binface in the Clacton by-election. To celebrate, Reform threw a gigantic Glastonbury-style festival on Clacton beach. Farage-fest 2026 featured disco, live music…

  46. On the streets with the Taliban’s ‘Virtue and Vice’ police

    · 31 min

    It’s been five years since the Taliban took over Afghanistan’s capital. Since then, the country has been plunged into economic crisis and women have all but disappeared from society. The Times’ special correspondent…

  47. Undercover at the Church of Scientology

    · 39 min

    A Scientology whistleblower told Times journalist Tom Ball that the church’s Edinburgh branch had children as young as thirteen working there during school hours. The church denied the allegation. Tom went undercover…

  48. The impossible dilemma of early release

    · 25 min

    Andy Burnham is facing the first big test of his premiership. With jails reaching a crisis point, the government has announced an emergency early release scheme to avoid running out of prison spaces by the end of this…

  49. Has Farage’s Clacton by-election backfired?

    · 32 min

    Nigel Farage has had a tricky summer. With his party down in the polls and beset by scandal, it hasn’t been ideal preparation for Thursday’s by-election. So Times Radio's Rosie Wright heads to the seaside in Essex to…

  50. Why this summer's drought could lead to food shortages

    · 29 min

    The UK produces around half of the food we eat but this year's droughts have led to shriveling crops and farmers struggling to feed their animals. Is our changing climate jeopardising our food security? This podcast…

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