The Story

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...

This story is a disturbing illustration of how one man can seemingly go through life lying to women, abandoning them with children while paying no child support. 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: Unmasked: the ‘infertile’ father of multiple children with different women htt...

The murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer shocked the nation and eroded public trust in the police. Now The Times has exposed the scale of serious crimes committed by 145 by serving policemen and women - from rape and violence to corruption and fraud. Times subscribers can read more about the 145 police officers convicted of serious offences . This episode contains material that some...

Modelling agencies are recruiting young people who have fled war-torn African countries and are living in extreme poverty. They are flown to Europe to take part in fashion castings, but some return within days or weeks, often laden with debt. We speak to the journalists behind the Sunday Times investigation.  With thanks to Edwin Okoth who provided additional reporting on this investigation,...

The 2023 conference season is winding down. But did the parties achieve what they wanted - and needed - to? And did they shift the dial when it comes to the result of the next general election? 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: Lara Spirit, Red Box Editor, The Times. Kate Mc...

On Saturday the militant Palestinian group Hamas launched an unprecedented terrorist attack on Israel, killing more than 900 people in Israel and taking up to 130 hostages. In response, Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, declared war and launched airstrikes killing almost 690 people in Gaza. His defence minister ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, which aid organisations have w...

As Disney celebrates its 100th birthday this month, a series of recent flops and gargantuan acquisitions has left people asking whether the shine is beginning to wear off. Plus, we look back at the studio’s past - including the time when Donald Duck dressed up as a Nazi. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co...

If the polls are to be believed, Sir Keir Starmer is on track for a comfortable victory at the next general election – and just this morning, he has hailed a by-election win in the Glasgow seat of Rutherglen & Hamilton West as a "seismic result". But voters are less clear on what he and his party would do with power. This weekend the Labour Party's annual conference – perhaps the last before t...

Last night, for the first time in American history, the House of Representatives voted to remove its speaker from office. It was a victory for a group of Republicans who oppose giving Ukraine further American aid – which, for now, is on pause. Meanwhile in Europe, Slovakia's recent elections saw a new, pro-Russia, leader pledging to end support for Ukraine. What does all this mean for Kyiv's war e...

Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short, met Sam Bankman-Fried when his crypto exchange was rewriting the rules of global finance and was by his side when the empire imploded. Ahead of his fraud trial which starts today, this is the inside story of the crypto whizz kid at the heart of one of the 21st century's most spectacular financial collapses. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the suppo...