The Story

As Israel focuses on fighting Hamas in Gaza, tensions are rising in the other Palestinian territory, the occupied West Bank. Since October 7, violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers has led to the death of over 180 people, mostly Palestinians. With Israel now fighting on two fronts - Gaza and Lebanon - could it cope with a third? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of...

Former prime minister David Cameron is back in the government after Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle. Pressure had been mounting on Sunak to sack Suella Braverman after a controversial opinion piece in The Times last week. So why is Cameron back? And what do the appointments mean for the Conservatives and their election strategy? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of T...

The head of Ukraine’s military says the war is at a stalemate. Meanwhile, Western attention is shifting to the Israel-Gaza conflict. So is a military victory off the table and should President Zelensky start negotiating with President Putin? 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.  G...

“This really is the single weirdest book I have ever read, and anyone who does not reach the same conclusion after reading it should be sectioned.” That was our colleague Patrick Maguire’s verdict on ‘ The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson ’ by former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, which was published on Thursday. So this weekend we’re bringing you an episode of another Times p...

Tomorrow is the Annual General Meeting of the National Trust - and battle lines are being drawn. Over the past two years, a protest faction called 'Restore Trust' has emerged to challenge the UK's biggest charity. They accuse the organisation of playing politics by highlighting links to colonialism and slavery. But The National Trust says that the history of Empire needs to be part of what we pres...

Suella Braverman has accused the Metropolitan Police of “playing favourites” with protesters as she clashed with Britain’s most senior officer over his decision to give the go-ahead to Saturday’s pro-Palestinian march. Her comments come after the government spent much of the past week on a collision course with protesters and the police over the protests planned for Saturday – Armistice Day – whic...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a whistle stop tour of the Middle East earlier this week, as part of a frantic diplomatic effort to de-escalate the Israel-Gaza crisis. His visit comes as China calls for a ceasefire in a bid to position itself as the neutral arbiter in the region. US politicians have labelled Russia, China and Iran as the ‘axis of evil’ - so should the West be worri...

Scion of the Kennedy dynasty, Robert Kennedy Jr has ditched the Democrats and declared his candidacy in the 2024 US Presidential race, running as an Independent. But in a Biden-Trump run-off, who does Kennedy hurt most?  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 Char...

Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has come under scrutiny after the Charity Commission opened an investigation into links between her family and the charity set up in his name, the Captain Tom Foundation. They are also facing questions over Captain Tom’s book deal, and over an unauthorised spa.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times....

As the parties prepare to do battle at the polls, The Times launches a new podcast, 'How to Win an Election', in which we bring together three of the most experienced political strategists of the past four decades: legendary architect of New Labour, Peter Mandelson; Daniel Finkelstein, who has worked alongside Tory leaders and prime ministers from John Major onwards as they fought to modernise the...

Last night Israel's military said its forces had "advanced another significant stage in the war" and encircled Gaza City, the most built-up area of the Gaza Strip and the heart of the Hamas tunnel network. Israel's government says the purpose of the war is to eliminate Hamas, but is that an objective that can be achieved? We speak to a former major-general who was once the UK's most senior command...

German shoemakers Birkenstock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange at a valuation of more than $8 billion last month, and the sandals are top of John Lewis’ must-have Christmas list this year. So how did this nearly 250-year-old company go from orthopaedic footwear to a cameo in the Barbie film? And how did the shoe woo the fashion industry? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the su...

During a 34-hour communications blackout that began on Friday evening, Israel launched its ground invasion into Gaza. With thousands of Palestinians killed and conditions in the territory deteriorating, the UN secretary general has repeated his call for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian access. Israel has rejected this saying “calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas” and t...

Dominic Cummings gives evidence to the UK’s Covid inquiry today – the latest in a string of senior advisors to Boris Johnson to do so. The published evidence, including private WhatsApp conversations, is bringing to light internecine grudges between those in charge. We catch up on what’s been revealed so far. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sun...

This week world leaders and AI companies will gather for a summit at Bletchley Park, the Second World War code-breaking centre. It’s the most important attempt yet to formulate a shared view on what artificial intelligence might be capable of and how it should be regulated. But with elections taking place in both the US and the UK in the next year or so, could the threat posed by AI deepfakes to d...

Friday was a big day for Taylor Swift. She released the reimagined version of her 2014 album 1989 , and was declared a billionaire by business news outlet Bloomberg. So this weekend we're listening back to our conversation with The Sunday Times' resident Swiftie, Charlotte Ivers. What is it about the pop princess that has the power to influence an entire generation and their politics? This podcast...

This week Britney Spears released her new memoir, and is the latest celebrity to open up about the trauma of being a young famous woman in the 2000s. Post-MeToo and the Russell Brand allegations, there has been a collective re-evaluation of how stars like Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan were treated. So why did we want to see them humiliated? And why did so many of us think it was normal?&n...

As Israel conducts 'wide-scale' retaliatory strikes against Gaza, the humanitarian crisis in the area has reached devastating proportions. Thousands are dead and food, fuel and water have almost run out. If this was part of the plan, what is the strategy and is there an end game? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: th...

Prisons in England and Wales are at full capacity. Exclusive reporting for the Times revealed judges were being advised to suspend sentences, rather than put prisoners away. After HS2, concrete in schools, and NHS waiting lists, where will this latest scandal leave the Tories’ reputation for competence? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Ti...

As the cost began to spiral, HS2 bosses allegedly shredded documents, sacked whistleblowers and used misleading projections to keep the scheme alive and the cash coming. We speak to the team behind a new investigation into the beleaguered rail project, and hear one whistleblower’s secret recordings. HS2 Ltd denies any wrongdoing. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of...

Shoplifting offences have risen by 25 per cent in the past year alone, according to the Office for National Statistics. With some incidents turning increasingly violent, and many perpetrators going unpunished, business owners are calling for action. So what’s behind the rise? And what might be the solution? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunda...

Two weeks into the current Israel-Gaza conflict, we take a moment to reflect on the events of October 7th and their aftermath. In this personal conversation, our colleagues Josh Glancy and Gabriel Pogrund discuss the impact on British Jews. Stories of Our Times will continue to cover this story from many different angles, including further conversations with members of the communities affected by...

The attack on a hospital in Gaza, leaving at least 500 dead, has led to fears that the situation is spiralling out of control. With each side blaming the other for the bombing, how can a regional conflict be contained, and war on a global scale be averted?   This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk...

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says that bedbugs on the Underground are a ‘real cause for concern’, after fears that an infestation in Paris could spread to the UK capital and beyond. But how bad is the problem in France really? And what should you do if you spot one of the little creatures? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe t...

The past century has seen the borders of Palestine and then Israel shift. From the Balfour Declaration in 1917 – when Britain first promised a Jewish homeland – a fierce struggle over land and nationhood has taken place. Whether you need a beginner’s guide to the history or just a reminder, we'll take you from that date through to the conflict today.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to...