The Story

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...

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman is at the centre of a migration crisis after the Manston immigration centre was reported as unsafe, understaffed and 'wretched' by the borders watchdog. So, how did the situation unfold, what are the politics behind it and what do we know about the people risking their lives crossing the Channel to come to the UK? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the su...

Over 5.5 million farm birds have been culled to stem the largest outbreak of avian influenza ever recorded in the UK. The virus has spread to Britain’s seabirds causing a huge environmental impact and killing tens of thousands. From this week, all poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors. So what does it mean for the meat and eggs we eat? And how bad could the outbreak get? This p...

Tomorrow, for the first time since the election that many Americans still believe was 'stolen', voters in the US head back to the polls. Almost everything except the presidency is up for grabs – and for many Americans on both sides, the fate of the nation itself hangs in the balance. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today...

Brazil’s left-wing former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has achieved a historic victory over his far-right rival, the incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro. With many seeing this election as the last chance to save the Amazon rainforest, will Lula be able to reverse Bolsonaro’s destructive policies? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Tim...

In recent years the once dominant social media platform has been hit by problem after problem. Fewer people use it, and revenues and profits are down. So just what has taken a bite out of Mark Zuckerberg’s empire? 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: Danny Fortson, West Coast Co...

Former US president Donald Trump is facing a host of legal issues. So which could prove the most problematic for him and what could be the consequences? Could any of them stop him becoming president a second time – or send him to jail? And if he is indicted or convicted, could America tear itself apart? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Ti...

A royal correspondent’s best sources are often the unseen aides, advisors and staff, working behind the scenes. Who are these advisors? What do they really do? And what can they tell us not just about how past stories unfolded – like Harry and Meghan's exit from the household – but the future of the royals?  Book: Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low. This podcast was...

At the end of his first week in power, Rishi Sunak already faces a backlash over his choice for home secretary. And more importantly, what can he possibly do to avert a recession? 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: - Tim Shipman, chief political commentator, The Sunday Times....

With Labour riding high in the polls, Keir Starmer is calling for an early general election. But after 12 years in the shadows, few members of Labour's top team, including Starmer himself, have had experience of government. So what are they doing to get ready? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/st...

Mortgage rates have risen sharply, hitting their highest levels in 14 years. We trace the ripple effect across the economy, as higher rates threaten to lay the foundations for another crash in the housing market. 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: - Hannah Al-Othman, news rep...

In October 2012, cyclist Lance Armstrong was banned from the sport for life and stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles after anti-doping authorities branded him a drug cheat. 10 years on we look back at one of the biggest sporting falls from grace with the journalist who spent years questioning Armstrong’s integrity. Article - Lance Armstrong: a decade on from disgrace This podcast was...

She’s the shortest serving prime minister in British history. As the Conservative party embarks on the process of finding another new leader, Tim Shipman guides us through the process, the contenders (including the possible return of Boris Johnson) and what it all means for the country. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe to...

Ten years ago, the Jimmy Savile affair shocked the nation, sparking a moral panic about child abuse and institutional cover ups. In response, the government launched a national inquiry in 2014. This week, after eight years and over £180m spent, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will release its final report. So what have we learned - and what has the inquiry achieved? This podcast wa...

The new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has announced plans to scrap “almost all” the tax cuts in last month’s mini-budget and curtail support for households with energy bills after April. After weeks of economic uncertainty, will this be enough to steady the markets? And where does it leave prime minister Liz Truss? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Su...

The second stage of the inquiry into the Post Office scandal begins this week, focusing on the computer system at the centre of the story. How much did the Post Office know about problems with its IT system while it prosecuted its staff? 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: Saba...

China’s ruling Communist Party’s Congress begins on Sunday where Xi Jinping is expected to secure an unprecedented third term - effectively allowing him to stay in power for life. It comes at a time of heightened tension with the US over Taiwan. So what are Xi’s intentions? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes...

This month the Sunday Times turns 200 years old. To mark the occasion, Times Radio’s John Pienaar has been speaking to the editors: Emma Tucker, who's edited the paper since 2020, and John Witherow, the former Sunday Times editor who's just finished nine years at the helm of The Times. The conversation took place in front of an audience at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Sunday. It’s a packe...

It’s been a long and twisting road: six months of ‘on again off again’, after Elon Musk made an offer to buy Twitter, only to back out a few months later. Two weeks before Musk and the social media company were set to face off in court to decide this, the world’s richest man changed his mind again and agreed to go ahead with his original offer after all. So, is this the end of the saga? Or just th...