The Story

The leading Catholic school Ampleforth College has been temporarily banned by the government from taking on new pupils because of safety concerns. The boarding school is challenging a poor Ofsted report but the government said it was too slow in making improvements highlighted by repeated inspections dating back to March 2018. How did the school get here and what will happen now? This podcast was...

All this week, rainbow coloured bootlaces and armbands are being worn by football players nationwide. This is to mark the Premier League's annual 'rainbow laces' campaign in support of the LGBT+ community. As well as being a celebration of inclusion, the campaign serves as a reminder of the absence of openly gay professional male footballers in the sport. Why is this still the case? This podcast w...

In June, the charismatic leader of the Nkuringo gorilla group was killed by a poacher. The incident shocked the conservation community and caused an international outcry. How has the death of Rafiki affected the human and gorilla communities in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest? And is the pandemic responsible for a rise in poaching? This episode is in support of Tusk, one of three charities backed b...

Today, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah will speak at a High Court inquest into the death of her daughter Ella who died following an asthma attack in 2013. She believes it was the high levels of pollution that caused her daughters death. If the coroner rules that air pollution directly caused Ella's death, she would become the first person in the UK and possibly the world to have that listed on her deat...

When news broke of the assassination of the head of Iran’s nuclear programme the details suggested an operation straight out of an action film. The Iranian government’s story however was very different and involved remote controlled weapons. Yet, the question remained: who was behind the operation and what does it mean for Middle Eastern politics? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the supp...

This week the UK approved its first coronavirus vaccine for widespread use. With the end now clearly in sight, does the government's current plan for a relaxation of restrictions over Christmas still make sense? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Guest...

Yesterday at the High Court, a judgement was passed that could have major implications for the treatment of children at gender identity clinics. We speak to two people with very different perspectives: Keira Bell, the 23-year-old who detransitioned and is at the centre of the case; and the mother of a young transgender man, who thinks the court made the wrong decision. Guests: Sian Griffiths, educ...

In Britain, about 2.4 million children live in families who cannot afford all the food they need. During the pandemic, up to 8.1 million Britons have struggled to pay for food.   Manchester United’s star striker Marcus Rashford and former manager Sir Alex Ferguson credit their tough upbringings with inspiring them to fight childhood poverty. Rashford and Sir Alex have joined forces to support...

Transparency rules have been cast aside by ministers in their coronavirus panic. The result? Privileged access for friendly lobbyists and £1.5bn of contracts to Conservative-linked companies. We speak to the Sunday Times journalist who exposed much of it, and a lawyer bringing a case against the government. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunda...

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court heard arguments over whether Shamima Begum should be allowed to come back to Britain to fight for her citizenship. It's a legal battle that could have enormous consequences for her future and her family. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/s...

The UK is not alone in having to decide what to do with its citizens stuck in Syrian camps and Iraqi prisons. Thousands of European nationals travelled to the Middle East to take part in the conflict that has torn the region apart. How is the rest of Europe coping with the problem? Are they bringing foreign fighters back? And what do they do with them if they do return? This podcast was broug...

Supreme Court judges are now deliberating on whether Begum should be allowed back to Britain to fight for her citizenship. But would happen if she did return? How does deradicalisation work and when can it go wrong? All this week, Stories of our Times brings you a special series on Shamima Begum, and her fight to come home to Britain. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of r...

In the second part of our series on Shamima Begum, we explore the experience of British nationals detained in Syria. What are living conditions like inside refugee camps? And should Britain repatriate its nationals who live in them? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesof...

It was a chance meeting in a Syrian camp. A veteran war reporter, a young mother, and an interview that polarised a nation. Shamima Begum was just 15 years old when she and two of her school friends from Bethnal Green left Britain to join Islamic State. Five years later, with her fate still hanging in the balance, the Supreme Court will this week decide whether she can return to the UK to challeng...

All next week Stories of our times will examine the effectiveness of the UK’s policy towards those detained in Syria; discuss de-radicalisation; and look at the dissenting views on the idea of repatriation as the Supreme Court decides whether Begum can return home to contest the removal of her citizenship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn fled house arrest in Tokyo and turned up in Beirut in December 2019, the details read like they’d come straight from the pages of a spy thriller. Accused of financial misconduct by Nissan, and facing a long trial and prison sentence, he decided to make a break for it. What’s his side of the story? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The...

Was one of the most famous interviews in UK television history secured by underhand means? Twenty-five years on, the BBC finds itself under fresh scrutiny.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Guests: Valentine Low, Royal Correspondent at The Times. Ros...

Donald Trump got more Republicans to vote for him than any US presidential candidate in history. He's changed the party and the country forever. And though he may be on his way out, is Trumpism here to stay? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Gues...

It's been a turbulent time on university student campuses, with some erupting in protest against Covid-19 measures. Now, a million students will leave the bubbles they've lived in on campus to travel across the country. Can we bring them home safely? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetim...

After a tumultuous week, the Vote Leave contingent that brought the PM to power was expunged from No 10. But what does the undignified power struggle mean for the future of Johnson's government? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Guest:  Tim Shipman,&n...

The first in an unfolding miniseries -  The Vaccine  - tracking the progress of those tackling this historic challenge. We'll be making sense of the latest developments as they happen, taking an inside look at the vaccine industry, and learning from past efforts to defend humanity from our biological enemies. This week: in the war between scientists and the virus it looks like...

If there's one item of food that defines this era, and a generation of millennials, it's the avocado. But how much do we know about where the avocados in British supermarkets come from? This episode explores the allegations of violence and intimidation emerging from Kakuzi farm in Kenya, which is owned by a British company.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of r...

How did Amazon boom during the pandemic? And how big will it grow whilst other retail businesses suffer?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Host: David Aaronovitch.  Guest: Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent for the Sunday Times. Clips...

Hares Youssef, a Ukrainian businessman, claims he was promised a US visa in return for information that would damage Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. Should these new allegations be investigated? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Guests: Lt Col Alexander...

What will a Biden presidency look like? And what do we know about the man taking on the top job in the White House?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Guests:  Josh Glancy, Washington Bureau Chief for The Sunday Times. Richard Schiff, actor and a...