The Story

One of the world’s most successful rappers, Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs is facing multiple lawsuits, with accusations from rape to sex trafficking. So what’s going on and who are the other famous faces being named? This podcast contains descriptions of sexual assault. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk...

In November 2019, a teenager pretending to be the son of a Russian oligarch was found dead by the river Thames. Police investigated but the parents of 19-year-old Zac Brettler felt they still lacked answers. Now a Sunday Times' investigation has uncovered evidence that raises serious questions about the Metropolitan Police's handling of the case.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the...

As police investigate the sending of explicit text messages to dozens of politicians, staff and political journalists, and the man at the centre of the scandal – Conservative MP William Wragg - resigned the party whip. The Times Chief Political Correspondent, Aubrey Allegretti, tells us what he’s discovered about the Westminster sexting scam, how many people could be involved, and who might be beh...

Alan Bates , the campaigner who took on the Post Office to expose flaws in its IT systems which led to wrongful convictions, has appeared before the public inquiry into the scandal. Can this crucial stage of the inquiry take the victims a step closer to justice? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.u...

Chinese President Xi Jinping's new slogan, "develop new productive forces," aims to bolster the expansion of high-tech sectors to drive economic growth. China already dominates the world of electric cars and controls more than 80 percent of the global solar panel manufacturing market. So, what could China’s technological dominance mean for the West?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to...

Christopher Kinahan is the head of a billion dollar international crime cartel and one of the world's most wanted men but he's been sharing his whereabouts and opinions through Google reviews. What is the normally security conscious man doing, and could the information ultimately lead to his capture? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times...

President Biden has called for an immediate ceasefire and Rishi Sunak is facing pressure to stop arms sales to Israel after an IDF strike killed aid workers in Gaza. This comes days after the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. What does this mean for Israel as the world marks 6 months since the October 7 terror attacks? This podcast was brought to you thanks t...

The government says their much anticipated childcare reform, offering two-year-olds 15 hours a week of free childcare, is hitting targets. But parents and providers say the scheme’s rollout has been chaotic. Today, we go to a pre-school to find out what the reality looks like.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today:...

Scotland’s new Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into force on Monday - and within 48 hours at least 800 'hate crimes' had been reported to Scottish police. So, what's in it? And why has it put Scotland once again at the centre of the culture wars? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory...

It's official: With Donald Trump confirmed as the Republican nominee, the US presidential race will be a Trump v Biden rematch. And with the primary contest over, Trump seems to be courting chaos again with some of the most infamous personalities from his 2016 presidential campaign slated to make a comeback. So just who is on Team Trump? And what do they tell us about the kind of race he will run?...

A Times investigation has revealed a worrying lack of security at a prison housing dangerous criminals, prompting an urgent investigation by the Ministry of Justice. The journalist who went undercover at HMP Bedford tells The Story about witnessing fights and drugs - and hearing of a prison escape because of doors being left unlocked. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of reader...

In our new monthly series of interviews, former foreign secretary and Times columnist William Hague speaks to his first guest, prime minister Rishi Sunak in Downing Street about juggling work and life as a dad, the threats and opportunities of AI, and inheriting ‘the worst hospital pass in many decades.’  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Su...

As President Putin repeats his assertion that Ukraine and the West are behind the terrorist attack last week that killed 137 Russians, the evidence is only growing that this was the work of ISIS. The culprits come from a faction that have risen out of the ashes of the former ISIS Caliphate: ISIS-K. So who are they? And how worried should the rest of the world be? This podcast was brought to you th...

Sir Keir Starmer has promised he will hold a vote on assisted dying if he wins the general election. In Canada - where it was made legal in 2016 - over 50,000 people have already been helped to die. So with momentum growing in Britain, could the Canadian experience hold important lessons for us? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Sub...

Fentanyl kills 200 people a day in America, a deadly epidemic felt throughout the country. We trace the journey of chemicals from China, to the drug labs of Mexico to the streets of the United States. Can the tide be stemmed? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory . Guests: Stephen Gibbs, L...

This Saturday morning we're sharing an episode of Times podcast How to Win an Election with listeners of The Story. In the US, Taylor Swift could have the power to swing the presidential election. As famous faces come out to back Keir Starmer's plans for the arts, we ask when a celebrity endorsement can boost a campaign... and when it can go badly wrong. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson,...

The whereabouts of the Princess of Wales is still under intense scrutiny after footage of William and Kate shopping failed to provide reassurance - and instead led to even more conspiracy theories. Does the obsession with Kate echo the days of Diana? And could the frenzy permanently damage Kensington Palace's brand? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and...

Data journalist Matilda Davies opened her first Facebook account when she was 11 years old. Years later, she requested all the information the social media behemoth had been collecting on her. What she uncovered shocked her. So, how exactly does the data gathering work? And what can we all do to reclaim some privacy? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and...

The NHS has announced a ban on puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria. This week, Parliament will debate a bill sponsored by Liz Truss that would make it a criminal offence to prescribe any drugs to children for treating gender dysphoria, including in private clinics. But the story behind this overhaul in treatment began five years ago, with an explosive investigation from The Times’...

The aviation giant, Boeing, is facing intense scrutiny after a series of incidents involving their commercial planes. The company was once a pillar of America's post-WW2 industrial empire - so what’s gone wrong?   This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory . Guest : Dominic O’Connell...

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse.  The family member most likely to sexually abuse a child is their brother or sister. For years sexual abuse by siblings has been too much of a taboo to discuss but more survivors of abuse come forward to discuss their experiences. We hear from one of them on today’s podcast.  If you or someone you know has been affected...

With Russia going to the polls this weekend, and President Putin’s grip on power tighter than ever, any semblance of meaningful opposition has been suppressed or driven out. One notable exception was the brief but bloody attempted mutiny last summer by the mercenaries of the Wagner Group. So with its challenge to Putin crushed, and its leadership dead…what came next for Wagner? This podcast was br...

Haiti’s acting prime minster has resigned, bending to pressure from the US. The move leaves a power vacuum into which has apparently stepped Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier. So, with much of the country's capital now a no-go zone, how did Haiti get here? And how did gang leader ‘Barbecue’ get his nickname?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunda...

When the Odysseus lander touched down on the lunar surface last month, it became the first US presence on the moon in more than fifty years. But unlike the Cold War space race between two global superpowers, we now see a growing roster of nations - and private companies - vying to announce their presence on the moon. So with competition for rare resources looking set to intensify…who owns the moon...

A new photo of the Princess of Wales released after months of social media speculation about her health has further fuelled conspiracy theories.  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: Kate Mansey, Royal Editor, The Times.  Host: Luke Jones.  Producer: Olivia...