The Story

President Trump has bowed to pressure from US lawmakers, including those in his own Republican party, to release files related to the investigation into the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. As leading MAGA figures start to rebel, we ask whether Trump has lost control over his base?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscr...

In an attempt to court the favour of the post-Assad regime in Syria, western countries have recently de-proscribed former terrorist groups. What does that mean for those who were deprived of their citizenship for allegedly associating with those groups, back when the West banned them? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe toda...

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced sweeping changes to the asylum rules yesterday; the largest overhaul since the Second World War. The changes have apparently been inspired by Denmark but will they work or are they - as one Labour MP said - ‘repugnant’? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/th...

From this year, 18 year-old Danish women will have to take part in a conscription lottery and face potentially being called up for an 11 month military service. The country is just one of many in Europe aiming to improve military resilience in response to the growing threat from Russia. But what does it mean to the teenagers caught up on the front line of this debate? This podcast was brought to y...

For the first time, scientists have successfully sequenced Adolf Hitler’s DNA, taken from a bloodstain in the bunker where he spent his final days. It's one of the most remarkable scientific studies in modern history, and the results are astonishing. They reveal a previously unknown medical condition, which finally uncovers the truth behind that famous wartime song, and resolve long-standing quest...

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each episode is hosted by The Story released as a bonus weekly series on Saturdays. Andreia Pawel is co-founder of the Orange River-Karoo Conservation Area, one of the world’s most ambitious rewilding projects. Spanning more than a million hectares in Namibia,...

Negotiations at the annual global climate change conference, or COP, are in full swing. But with consensus on the issue collapsing at home and abroad, including the US withdrawing from the landmark Paris agreement, is there even any point in the summit? We ask the UK’s special representative for climate. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday T...

Thousands of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein have been released by the US House Oversight Committee. One email alleges Donald Trump 'knew about the girls'. While the White House argues a selective leaking of this correspondence has created a fake narrative, what does this release tell us about the relationship between the US President and the convicted paedophile?  Th...

This week, The Times broke the news that the International Olympic Committee is a step closer to banning transgender women from competing in all female events. So why is the IOC acting now? And could President Trump have anything to do with it?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Gue...

After the resignations of two of its most senior members of staff, the BBC is being questioned over allegations of institutional bias. Donald Trump has threatened to sue the organisation, and with negotiations about the continuation of the BBC’s funding model underway, where does it leave our national broadcaster? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and Th...

Last year, tech billionaire Mike Lynch was given a second chance at life when he was acquitted of criminal fraud charges. But while celebrating with friends and family aboard his yacht, a freak storm arose. Lynch, his daughter, and five others were tragically killed. This week, deliberations begin over how much compensation his estate owes to the company he defrauded. Payments which could lead to...

It’s the most watched TV show of the year, but The Traitors is much more than just entertainment: it’s a psychological experiment. How did a game, born out of Cold War Soviet roots, become a mirror of modern power, politics, and trust? Why do we value charm over logic? And can you ever really trust anyone? Not according to Times feature writer Helen Rumbelow. This podcast was brought to you thanks...

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each episode is hosted by The Story released as a bonus weekly series on Saturdays. Explorer and Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative partner Steve Boyes has spent decades navigating Africa’s wild rivers. He tells Adam Vaughan how illness and resilience has reshaped h...

Last year’s attack on a dance class in Southport killed three young girls and injured a further eight, as well as two adults. The teenager responsible, Axel Rudakubana, has since been sentenced to a minimum 52 years. But a public inquiry is still trying to understand whether it would have been possible to prevent the horrific event. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers...

Almost 700,000 people are waiting to book their driving test in the UK, a record backlog which is being exploited by scammers. Our reporter Emma Kirwan found victims across the UK have already paid out more than £134,000 this year trying to book slots which don’t exist. So, she tracked down a scammer and got him on the phone. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The...

Rachel Reeves has paved the way for potential tax rises. In a speech three weeks before the budget, the chancellor refused to commit to Labour’s manifesto promise to not raise National Insurance, income tax or VAT. With Nigel Farage also back-pedalling on tax cuts, is it time for the politicians to be more honest about the state of the economy? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support...

On Saturday evening, passengers on a train from Doncaster to London King’s Cross suddenly found themselves in the path of a man wielding a large kitchen knife. In the terrifying minutes that followed, there were scenes of horror and acts of bravery. So what happened, could the attack have been prevented, and can passenger safety be improved?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the supp...

Tomorrow is election day for the mayor of New York and the frontrunner is 34-year-old Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani. But are his plans to remake America's biggest city achievable - or a pipe dream? And how might he face off against President Trump? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory...

Gail Rice had given up on dating apps and was dreading old age. Then the psychologist had an idea — book a hotel room for a landmark birthday and pay a stranger to turn her on. Would it work? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:  http://thetimes.com/thestory Read by:  Olivia Case.  Host:  Manveen Ra...

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each episode is hosted by The Story released as a bonus weekly series on Saturdays. In Lausanne, Switzerland, neuroscientist and Rolex Awards Laureate Grégoire Courtine and neurosurgeon Jocelyne Bloch have pioneered a “digital bridge” that translates brain signals...

This episode is from The Story's sister podcast The Royals. He will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The man formerly known as Prince Andrew is being stripped of his titles and removed from his mansion, Royal Lodge, on the Windsor estate. Last month The Times obtained a copy of the leasehold agreement for Royal Lodge which showed that while the prince paid £1 million for the leas...

Since January, one clinic in the UK has started prescribing the weight-loss medication Wegovy to 12-17 year-olds. For some, the results have been life-changing. But without evidence about the long-term impacts, is it safe? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Roisin Kelly, commission...

Donald Trump has threatened 100% tariffs on Chinese goods, while Xi Jinping hit back with export limits on rare earth minerals. As the two leaders come face to face in South Korea to make a deal, the stakes are high. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Cindy Yu, columnist and contri...

The government has announced plans to move migrants out of hotels and into accommodation on military barracks. The same plan Labour opposed when put forward by the Conservatives in 2023. What’s behind the move and could it work?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Matt Dathan,...

Eight years ago, French bloggers began to claim the President’s wife, Brigitte Macron, was born a man. As the false allegations spread internationally, the Macrons decided to take legal action. Yesterday, ten people appeared in a Paris court charged with cyberbullying and in the US, the right wing influencer Candace Owens faces a defamation suit. So where did this come from? And in a world of fake...