The Story

Yesterday the government published a list of over a hundred schools in England which are fully or partially shut because of safety fears over RAAC – a type of concrete that’s started to crumble. Has the government done 'a f***ing good job', as the education secretary put it? Or did it fail to heed the warnings? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The S...

A year ago today, Liz Truss stood in Downing Street at the start of her premiership promising “action every day”. Over the tumultuous 49 days that followed, her time as prime minister was derailed by a series of U-turns, market shocks and a pervading sense of chaos. We go behind the scenes with Truss's biographer on the shortest ever stay in No 10. This podcast was brought to you thanks...

Jody Oliver deceived his wife, children and male fiancés while adopting a colourful array of identities, scamming those around him out of millions of pounds. Now that he’s in jail, his story can be told. 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.   Article: The seven lives of the £2m fr...

Since the nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies, one question has remained – and may always be – unanswered: why? In this episode we speak to an expert on female serial killers who outlines why we shouldn't be shocked by Letby and her crimes, and how Letby fits the profile of a female serial killer. But also – even more chillingly – how she doesn't. This podcast was brought to y...

Foreign leaders’ families have been snapping up some of Britain's most expensive mansions and penthouses, but their identities were hidden from public view – until now. £250m of UK property is owned by the children of notorious autocratic rulers and their allies via offshore companies, an exclusive Times investigation has revealed. Our reporter visits some of London’s most desirable addresses and...

Vivek Ramaswamy - the rising star of the US Republican Party - wants to send troops to the Mexican border, abolish government departments and push for a deal to let Russia keep parts of Ukraine. Could the man nicknamed “Trump 2.0” beat the former president to be the party’s presidential nominee?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Time...

The Times has unmasked a Chinese government spy who’s targeting thousands of British professionals on LinkedIn. This person - and their team - are after military secrets and sensitive intelligence in exchange for money and business opportunities. So who are they? How do they operate? And what’s being done about it?  For more on China’s influence in the UK, read Professor Steve Tsang's piece f...

Despite this week’s release of Prince Harry’s new series for Netflix, Heart of Invictus , this summer has been a chastening time for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their deal with Spotify was cancelled and a former executive called them “grifters”. Three years after leaving the royal family, can the couple make a success of their new lives? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of...

Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences after a plane crash which is believed to have killed the boss of the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Once close to Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s relationship with the president had soured in recent months after an attempted mutiny. Is Putin to blame for the crash? And could Wagner retaliate against the Kremlin? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the supp...

This Saturday we're bringing you an extra episode from another Times podcast – The Game football podcast . The Lionesses are now just one win away from lifting the World Cup trophy. Molly Hudson and Owen Slot share the latest from the England camp down under, as Sarina Wiegman prepares her squad for the biggest game of their careers. Lauren James is available to play after serving her two match ba...

The 33-year-old neonatal nurse has been found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder a further six, during a year-long period between 2015 and 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Letby was acquitted of two counts of attempted murder. Why did she commit these unimaginably awful crimes? And what now for the hospital?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the suppor...

When The Crooked House pub near the West Midlands town of Dudley was consumed by fire and then demolished, much more was lost than just a quirky venue for a drink. Could the loss of yet another pub shine a light on something much bigger going on in Britain? And could it be rebuilt, brick by brick? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. S...

After inconclusive elections last month, today Spain's parliament reconvenes to try to form a government. But as Spanish politicians look to the future, questions from the recent past continue to haunt them. When it comes to the country's bloody civil war, and the repressive regime that followed it, who gets to decide how the past is remembered? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the suppor...

Last month, Times science editor Tom Whipple stood on what used to be a glacier, on rock that used to be below 40 metres of ice. Then, glaciologist Matthias Huss hacked out a chunk of ice to take home. By the end of this summer, that may be the last remnant left. This is the story of the glacier that no longer is – but which 15 years ago weighed a million tonnes – and a climate change milestone wh...

The UK is now Europe’s biggest consumer of cocaine. The drug has been linked to a surge in domestic violence and middle-class users are being warned it’s not a victimless crime. How is so much cocaine getting into the country? And what can the authorities do about it? You can read Dipesh's article (and see an image of charcoal soaked in cocaine) here . This podcast was brought to you thanks to the...

Not long ago, the tiny nation of El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world. Now, it has the highest incarceration rate. President Nayib Bukele – who has described himself as “the world’s coolest dictator” – has detained 70,000 gang suspects without trial. His supporters point to the homicide rate, which is down 93 per cent. But Bukele’s critics warn that his hardline policies risk sacri...

Pop superstar Lizzo has said a lawsuit with claims of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment are ‘false’. Three former dancers have brought legal action against the singer, her dance captain and her production company. The allegations threaten to tarnish Lizzo’s brand, built on self-love and positivity – so can she survive the backlash? And is this a parable of modern celebrity and idol...

With an election just around the corner, politicians are quitting Westminster in their droves, many of them under 40. Is the job broken – or are they just jumping before they're pushed? We meet the leavers and reluctant remainers. 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: Charlotte I...

In the neighbourhood of Whitby in Cheshire, residents had to grapple with a question that many more of us will have to ask in the coming years: how should we heat our homes if we’re no longer allowed gas boilers? What started as a proposal to test hydrogen heating soon escalated into an explosive argument. As government policies aimed at reaching net zero start to affect our daily lives, is it a s...

Niger, in west Africa, has suffered its fifth coup in just over six decades of independence. This one could have repercussions far beyond its borders – not least because Africa, not the Middle East, is now the centre of global jihad. And while there is no sign of Moscow’s hand in the coup, it has been welcomed by the Wagner group and could help Putin get his claws into this uranium-rich country. S...

Younger people are turning away from alcohol, with Gen Z most likely to be teetotal – including Spider-Man actor Tom Holland. Millennials, too, are drinking less than their parents. What's prompted this generational shift in drinking habits?  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 Sunday we're bringing you an extra episode from another Times podcast – the Red Box politics podcast with Matt Chorley. Very few people have had as many political lunches as Sunday Times chief political commentator Tim Shipman. Tim joins Matt for a big lunch at Hawksmoor in Borough Market to discuss wining and dining ministers, the state of politics, and Tim's next book. If you enjoyed this e...

This week, for the third time in only a few months, former president Donald Trump was indicted, pleading 'not guilty' to four federal charges that argue he was part of a conspiracy that sought to defraud the United States and overturn the 2020 election. So what exactly is he accused of doing? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscr...

Last month, it’s understood that London’s Metropolitan Police agreed a record £2million settlement after admitting that a 35-year long murder investigation was mired in corruption and incompetence.  Private detective Daniel Morgan’s body was found with an axe in his head in a pub car park in 1987, but no one has ever been convicted. Articles: Met Police have spent £138m on legal battles since...

High-calorie, ultra-processed food has taken over the British diet, accounting for 60 per cent of our calorie intake. Now, in an alarming new book, Dr Chris van Tulleken shows what non-natural foods are doing to our bodies – and argues they should be treated like cigarettes. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetime...