The Story

A Times investigation has found that tobacco companies have been engaged in a secret lobbying campaign to try and boost their e cigarette sales. They've bankrolled scientific papers playing down the risks of youth vaping and funded so-called independent foundations, which then try and lobby the government. How has this gone unchecked? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of r...

Jon Venables was ten years old when he and another boy tortured and killed two year old James Bulger. He’s now been refused parole on his imprisonment for a separate charge. So how did he end up here? Did he get a fair trial in the first place? And are we getting it right when it comes to our treatment of children who kill? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Ti...

He's one of the most popular rappers in America: Young Thug is facing up to 120 years in prison for allegedly being the head of a violent criminal gang. State prosecutors in Georgia are using lyrics from his songs as 'proof' of acts they say he was involved in, including the murder of a rival. But with this line of courtroom argument, is artistic freedom of speech under threat?  This podcast...

With no fewer than five separate Tory factions meeting to discuss whether or not to back the government on its revised Rwanda policy, Rishi Sunak finds himself fighting for his political reputation on two fronts: immigration and his handling of the pandemic. Yesterday, he faced the Covid inquiry. Our parliamentary sketch writer, Tom Peck, tells Manveen that Sunak may have survived the legal cross-...

America’s opioid crisis is now in its third decade and has killed more people than the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam combined. Fentanyl, the most commonly used synthetic opioid, is up to 50 times stronger than heroin. Made from chemicals manufactured in China, it’s then put into pill form in Mexico and smuggled across the border. As China and the US agree to crack down on the illegal trade...

Over the past two days, Boris Johnson faced a grilling at the Covid Inquiry. His appearance came after weeks of testimony from senior officials, politicians and scientific advisers who hadn't held back in their assessment of his handling of the pandemic. So what did we learn about the crucial decisions made by the then Prime Minister? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support...

Net migration to the UK hit a record high in 2022 – 745,000 more people arrived in the country than emigrated. After 13 years of promising to cut immigration, the government introduced yet another plan this week to reduce numbers. We look at what it would mean for the economy. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: theti...

The victory of Geert Wilders in Holland’s recent election has raised the spectre of a European Donald Trump. Now scrabbling to put together a coalition government, what does the return of an anti-Islamist, hard-right politician mean for The Netherlands, and for Europe more widely? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: t...

Iran has built an intricate network of gangs, private investigators and assassins to target enemies of the regime around the world. An investigation by The Sunday Times has found that Tehran has launched at least 17 plots, including abductions and murders, against UK targets since the start of last year. So, what is it like to be one of these targets? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the...

On Friday, the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza came to an end. But as hostilities resume, are war crimes being committed? We hear from a war lawyer. 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 Jennifer Maddocks, Assistant Professor of Law at the United States Military Acade...

A diplomatic row has broken out between Rishi Sunak and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the Elgin Marbles. Today, we’re revisiting an episode from last December, when David Aaronovitch spoke to classicist and British Museum trustee Dame Mary Beard about how the Parthenon sculptures ended up in the UK 200 years ago. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of...

The former Ukip and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is being paid £1.5 million to take part in ITV’s I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! and is on the trail of Gen Z fans. Could a reality TV career-boost propel him back into politics? And if it does, how might that change the British political landscape? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sun...

Negotiations to extend the ceasefire continue. But what could happen when the pause in fighting eventually ends? We bring you the view from both sides, with our correspondents in Israel and 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 : Richard Spencer, foreign correspondent...

As the royals hit the headlines again with the release of another “tell-all” book, what’s it like reporting on ‘The Firm’? Valentine Low, The Times writer on all things royal for the past 15 years has retired, but before he left, he shared some of the highlights of his career as part of the royal press pack.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and Th...

This week, COP28 starts in Dubai. The conference will be chaired by Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who happens to be the head of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company. Leaked documents suggest al-Jaber might even be using the climate summit as an opportunity to strike bilateral deals on fossil fuels. So is this year’s COP a farce? Or, beneath the troubling headlines, are there actually signs of prog...

Christy Kinahan is the former Dublin taxi driver who heads the world’s most wanted international gang. John Mooney, who has been pursuing Christy and his gang for a decade, considers if the net is finally closing in. 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.  Read John’s Sunday Times m...

This weekend we're bringing you a documentary special from Times Radio's sister station, talkSPORT. British-Ukrainian journalist and reporter Andrew Todos looks at how football in Ukraine has found its feet again, even as the war continues. Featuring Ukrainian icons Andriy Shevchenko, Sergei Rebrov and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Sam Altman the CEO of OpenAI - the makers of ChatGPT - was sacked by his board. After a dramatic few days, he is back at the company along with a new board. But is it really business as usual at OpenAI? 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: Danny Fortson, West C...

It’s been nearly seven weeks since 240 Israeli hostages were seized in a terrorist attack by Hamas. The attack was followed by intense retaliatory bombings of the Gaza strip by the Israeli army and thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Finally, a deal for the release of some hostages has been brokered between Hamas and Israel, and a four-day ceasefire in Gaza may begin on Friday. So what has...

British director Sir Ridley Scott's new epic, Napoleon , is released in cinemas today. It comes as Marvel’s latest film suffered its lowest box office opening ever, raising questions about the future of superhero movies. Have audiences grown tired of the genre Scott has called "boring as shit"? Our critic gives his verdict on the new release, and assesses the state of cinema in 2023. This podcast...

Tomorrow, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will present his Autumn Statement to the Commons. For a government down in the polls, it may offer the opportunity for giveaways - and the Prime Minister says his government “can and will” cut taxes. But, with an economic recovery precarious, and coming before a general election next year, could a future Labour government be left paying the bill? This podcast was b...

Polling ahead of next year’s election shows a majority of Americans think Biden is too old to be president. Rambling speeches, stumbles, and his advancing years are a cause for alarm in the Democratic Party. As he turns 81 today, is it time for him to step aside for another candidate? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe toda...

This Sunday we're bringing you a bonus episode from a new podcast: Normal Women , from celebrated novelist and historian Philippa Gregory. Normal Women is a radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen – but of social and cultural change, powered by the determination, persistence and effectiveness of women, from 1066 to modern times. This is...

Seven years ago, Fifa introduced the VAR system: the video assistant referee. It was meant to help make quicker, more accurate decisions about on-field incidents like off-side and handballs. But after a series of recent errors, is it ruining the beautiful game? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storie...

The final season of the hit Netflix series The Crown comes out today. The show has reanimated events lost to history, and put our fascination with the royals into overdrive, but it has also made liberal use of its creative licence. So what has it taught us? And does it matter if drama plays with the truth of real lives? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times...