The Story

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day but, for increasing numbers of children, it’s a meal they miss, affecting their concentration and learning at school. So, as the cost of living crisis affects so many this winter, what can be done? We learn of the work of one of the charities being supported by this year’s Christmas Appeal, Magic Breakfast, which provides food for breakfast clubs...

It’s been 10 years since America’s deadliest mass shooting in an elementary (primary) school. In the years since, the weapon used - the AR-15 - has also been deployed in some of the decade’s most horrifying shootings. So how did the AR-15 rifle become the weapon of choice for mass shooters?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Su...

Today, we hear from two Ukrainian journalists who we spoke to back in March, at the beginning of Russia's invasion. At that time, Kateryna Malofieieva was in the Donbas, following the ever-shifting front line of the war. Natalia Gryvnyak was in Kyiv, trying to decide whether or not to leave the country. What has happened to them in the tumultuous ten months since? This podcast was brought to you t...

Are we living in a world where there is pressure on those in the public eye to exude virtue above all else? Where has this sensibility come from and is it leading to a blandness in our arts and culture? 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: James Marriott, Times columnist...

In the last few weeks, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for private schools in the UK to have their charitable status scrapped, but why? Also today, The Sunday Times launches its annual Parent Power Schools Guide. School league tables: the best UK primary and secondary schools revealed Find the best primary and secondary schools in your area with our guide to academic performance...

As Rishi Sunak outlasts his predecessor in the top job, just how is he doing? With polls suggesting a heavy Conservative loss at the next election, a cost of living crisis and strikes across numerous sectors, what can we make of the prime minister’s first few weeks in power? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetime...

Seventy-five percent of all lives lost to suicide in the UK are male. And one charity is leading a campaign to do something about it. For this year, The Times and The Sunday Times is supporting the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) who help people in crisis.   To donate to The Times and Sunday Times Christmas Appeal visit  thetimes.co.uk/christmasappeal  or call 0151 284...

Putin’s invasion has ushered in a new era of industrial warfare. As the winter freeze sets in, the pace of the war has not yet abated. Weapon stocks are running low and Russia is rearming. The West now faces a choice: either summon the political will (and the money) to become an arsenal for democracy, or put pressure on Ukraine to make compromises. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the sup...

Over the weekend, reports emerged that the chair of the British Museum, ex-chancellor George Osborne, has been holding ‘secret’ talks with the Greek prime minister over the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece. Also known as the Elgin Marbles, the pieces have become symbolic of a wider debate about colonial legacy and restitution in the cultural world. Supporters of the marbles staying put...

Chinese cities have seen days of extraordinary protests calling for an end to the country’s zero-Covid measures, and for President Xi to step down. So what is it about this generation of students that’s motivated them to come out en masse on the streets for the first time since Tiananmen Square? And what does it mean for President Xi?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of...

After a stinging rebuke from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom - which ruled that the devolved Scottish parliament cannot authorise an independence referendum - SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has doubled down saying democracy itself is now at stake, and vowing to turn the next general election into a 'de facto' referendum. Could that work? And what does that even mean? This podcast was brought t...

One hundred years ago, when the tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in Egypt, the world learnt of the treasures via The Times which had secured the exclusive rights and photographs. So just how did the newspaper get the scoop? 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: Nick Mays,...

Every prime minister's last act in office is to choose a final list of people to elevate to the House of Lords, parliament's second chamber. And Boris Johnson's resignation honours are already kicking up a storm… 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: Lara Spirit, Red Box reporte...

In 2020, retired Gwent police officer Ricky Jones took his own life. Jones’s family - who he’d subjected to years of abuse - looked through his old iPhone to try to understand more about their husband and father. But it revealed things even they were not prepared for. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk...

Romeo agents have infiltrated the West German Government by wooing secretaries of high-up officials. In the second part of this two-part series, a new agent reveals information about corruption at the very top. You can read Oliver Moody's article here . This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourti...

What’s the best way to spy on your enemies? Sleep with their secretaries. In part one of this two-part series, new evidence is unearthed of East Germany‘s ruthless blueprint for Cold War sexpionage, revealing for the first time stories of the agents sent to seduce young women working for West Germany’s top politicians. You can read Oliver Moody's article here . This podcast was brought to you than...

Fast fashion clothing company Boohoo has exploded in popularity since the pandemic. After reports of appalling working conditions in 2020, the company had made a big show of trying to do better. So has it? A Times reporter goes undercover at one of their warehouses to find out. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thet...

Amid staff shortages, Covid backlogs and potentially the first national nursing strike in the NHS’s history, the health service is facing a challenging winter ahead. How did we get here? And just how bad could things get? 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: Shaun Lintern,...

It was the worst-kept secret in US politics: that former President Trump would be running again in 2024. After a disappointing midterm election for Republicans, where Trump candidates under-performed, the announcement last week was met with a groan by many of Trump's own party. Now that he's in the ring, though, he's immediately the frontrunner. So can he win? This podcast was brought to you thank...

Ukrainian troops forced Putin’s war machine into a chaotic exit from the city of Kherson last Friday. After eight months of Russian occupation, it was free. But as the Russians fled, stories of brutality and torture poured out. What scars has the occupation left on its remaining inhabitants, what poison has it left behind – and how can a devastated city return to something like normal life? ...

As the 27th UN Climate Change Conference draws to a close, The Times’ environment editor Adam Vaughan has travelled deep into the Amazon rainforest talking to British-backed scientists at their base camp to find out whether the Amazon is at tipping point. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofour...

Tomorrow, our newest Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will announce his Autumn Statement. In previews, he's prepared the country for 'some pain' to fill a £50 billion 'black hole' in the public finances. If this means Austerity 2.0, what have we learned from the first one? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/stor...

The team behind one of the most successful Covid-19 vaccines have returned to their original mission: making cancer vaccines. The BioNTech professors say the jab will be with us before 2030. What will it mean for the future of cancer treatment? Who will get them? And if cancer isn't killing us, what will? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday...

In the twelve years since Qatar was awarded the World Cup, a number of questions have been raised about the appropriateness of hosting the tournament there. For one Times sports writer preparing to cover the tournament, it’s taken him through the five stages of grief. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk...

Draconian Covid rules and crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters turned the global business hub into a walled city. As it slowly reopens, expats are curiously divided on the power of Beijing - so what’s going on inside fortress Hong Kong?   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...