The Story

Andy Burnham's victory in Makerfield makes him Labour leader and prime minister in waiting. How will the next days and weeks play out? Keir Starmer has said he will stand in a leadership contest if one is triggered. So does that mean a bloody contest rather than a coronation? In a special episode recorded live on Times Radio with Ed Vaizey, we go through the possible scenarios. Hosts: Ed Vaizey, p...

The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding this week to begin negotiations toward a broader peace agreement in the Middle East. But what does the deal look like inside Iran? And how are ordinary Iranians responding to this moment? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Gu...

Eighteen firebombings across Europe, including in London, have all been allegedly traced back to one man. Iranian-backed Mohammed al-Saadi was finally caught by the FBI last month. But how did a man no one had heard of come to allegedly execute these orders? And how was he finally caught?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subs...

As England kick off their World Cup campaign tonight, one man will be impossible to ignore: FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Hailed by supporters as the man who transformed football’s governing body and accused by critics of chasing power and influence, he's become one of the most powerful figures in global sport. But who is the man at the centre of football's biggest stage? This podcast was broug...

The government has announced a ban on some social media platforms for under-16s. It’s a move that echoes a similar ban introduced by the Australian government, which came into effect in December. So what are teens actually looking at on social media? And will a ban help?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http:...

Donald Trump has announced that his much trailed peace deal with Iran is to be signed this Friday, bringing an end to hostilities between the two countries and opening up the strait of Hormuz. With the fine print still to be worked out, many questions about the deal remain. Can it bring some stability to the world economy? And will it actually bring peace to the Middle East in the long term? This...

The annual G7 summit starts today in France. The normally stuffy, formal affair has been shaken up in recent years by Donald Trump, who has sparred with nearly all of America’s allies. So is the G7 still the powerful, united global force it once was? And with China building its own alliance, how should it respond?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times...

Following months of police inaction over the disappearance of British tourist Lorna McSorley, we reveal a high-tech breakthrough. A new digital trail reveals potential suspects who might hold the answer to what happened - and seems to confirm the worst of local fears. This is the final episode of a special three-part investigation. WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of murder and...

With the South African police’s search for missing British tourist Lorna McSorley gone cold, locals take matters into their own hands. Their investigation uncovers extraordinary and deeply troubling facts about her disappearance, linking it to a string of other missing people in the area. This is part two of a special three-part investigation. WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of...

Seventy one-year-old British tourist Lorna McSorley went out for a walk near South Africa's Ghost Mountain. She never returned.  In the first part of this three-part investigation, we travel to the remote, superstitious heart of KwaZulu-Natal to retrace Lorna’s final steps. As the police search hits a dead end, bizarre rumours begin to emerge - including talk of witchcraft and an illicit trad...

Defence Secretary John Healey resigned this afternoon, over the government’s much delayed defence funding plan. In a letter to the prime minister, Healey said Keir Starmer had been “unable” to commit resources that the UK desperately needs. So what does this mean for Starmer’s leadership? And will taxpayers ultimately be left to foot the bill?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the su...

There has been a second night of riots in Belfast following a knife attack in the Northern Irish city on Monday. Yesterday authorities called for calm after vehicles and houses were set alight. As violent anti-immigration protests continue, what’s it like on the ground and what can the government do going forward? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and Th...

The fragile ceasefire in the Middle East appears to be unravelling, with Iran and Israel exchanging missile strikes. The violence has been met with fury from President Trump, who’s been pushing to get a peace deal over the line for weeks. So why is Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu risking his relationship with his greatest ally? And how much are pressures at home dictating Israel's stance...

The billionaire David Sullivan has been accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour by several women dating back to the 1980s. In a joint investigation with the BBC, The Times has spoken to seven women about their experiences.  In his statement on 4 June, Sullivan announced his immediate resignation as joint-chair and director of West Ham, saying the “false allegations” had been...

On Sunday 10 May, the Nigerian military bombed a crowded market in the north of the country. It claimed terrorists were the target, but in reality, more than 100 civilians were killed and dozens more injured. The Sunday Times has gone to northern Nigeria to speak to survivors and investigate the attack.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sun...

There’s an old saying in horse racing: “You can’t beat the bookies.” But what happens when a trainer uses inside information to try and prove that saying wrong? Is it right to do something that might be slightly questionable to beat the bookmakers who would do everything to beat you?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe...

What starts as a quick check of social media can quickly turn into an hour lost to scrolling. The culprit is infinite scroll , a feature once built for convenience that has become one of the most powerful tools ever created for holding our attention. In fact, it's now thought the average Brit will spend five years of their waking lives doomscrolling. So how did infinite scroll come to dominate our...

In December 2025, 18 year-old Henry Nowak was stabbed in the street. This week, his murderer Vickrum Digwa was given a life sentence. The case has ignited a debate about whether so-called 'two-tier policing' exists in the UK. So where does this leave our police forces? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetim...

It’s the Makerfield by-election on June 18th and one of Keir Starmer’s key challengers - Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham - is vying for a seat. If he becomes the MP it’ll enable him to challenge Starmer for the top job. Elsewhere there’s a battle on the right as Reform and Restore Britain face off. But who's got the best chance of success, in this complicated constituency that’s more than meets t...

An alleged expletive-filled phone call between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu has laid bare deep tensions over the war in Lebanon. As the conflict escalates, could it derail Trump's hopes of securing a deal with Iran? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests:   Dr Lina Khatib,...

A student, Henry Nowak, who had been stabbed repeatedly told police “I can’t breathe” as they handcuffed him minutes before he died, newly-released bodycam footage has revealed. His attacker, Vickrum Digwa, falsely alleged that Nowak had racially abused him and knocked his turban off, prompting police to handcuff the teenager. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The...

On Monday, the government released more than a thousand documents related to Peter Mandelson’s controversial appointment as ambassador to the US. It’s one of the largest publications of secret documents to parliament in UK history. The files contain insights into how Mandelson operated and what he, and ministers, really thought of the prime minister. So what does all this mean for the embattled Ke...

As AI continues to grow, its innovators have warned of its potential impact on jobs. Meanwhile, young people in the UK are facing record levels of unemployment. Fearing for his own teenage daughter’s future, one Microsoft veteran has taken matters into his own hands and used data to identify the most AI-proof jobs. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and T...

Gisèle Pelicot has become a symbol of dignity, courage and defiance after waiving her anonymity and insisting her trial — in which dozens of men were accused of raping her while she was drugged unconscious by her husband — be held in public. In a rare interview, she speaks to Jane Garvey about why she no longer wants to be defined as a victim. This episode originally aired on Off Air with Jane an...

Pressures of migrant parents, the shackles of family expectation, and the urge to reinvent yourself in 90s Britain - all themes that connect writer Sathnam Sanghera with George Michael. Growing up in Wolverhampton as the son of Sikh immigrants, Sanghera was a teenage Wham obsessive, later finding unexpected parallels with the pop star’s life, and his own. This podcast was brought to you thanks to...