The Story

It's a legend many of us have grown up with: a plucky group of British officers, finding themselves trapped in a heavily guarded POW camp during the Second World War, try every trick they can think of to break out. But, in a new book by Ben Macintyre, we hear for the first time the real story of Colditz. A story that's not just more complicated, but far more interesting than the one we were told....

Vladimir Putin turns 70 today. In recent weeks, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen territorial losses, a shambolic partial mobilisation, sham referendums and threats of nuclear attacks. So what possible outcomes are there for President Putin’s plan? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtim...

We take a look at a popular Sunday Times feature about the National Scrabble Championships in the UK and uncover a hidden community of word nerds. Plus, tile by tile, we trace the evolution of the popular game - from going online during the pandemic to banning offensive words following the Black Lives Matter protests. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times an...

The death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini whilst in police custody has sparked nationwide protests in Iran. The authorities have responded with a heavy crackdown, and it’s estimated over 130 people have died so far. As protests continue, could the death of one young woman lead to regime change? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe...

After nine days of political pressure, chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has u-turned on the government’s plan to abolish the top rate of income tax, saying he felt ‘humility and contrition’. So, what was the mood at the Conservative party conference as Kwarteng addressed his party? Plus, we learn more about the chancellor driving the policy formerly known as ‘Operation Rolling Thunder’. This podcast was...

After an international manhunt, the FBI and Interpol say they have found a man wanted on multiple charges in four US states, who faked his death before fleeing America for Scotland. But the Glasgow resident at the centre of the case insists he is the victim of a "monstrous" miscarriage of justice – that he is not Nicholas Rossi, but is Arthur Knight, an Irish-born orphan who has never visited the...

When the World Wide Web was launched in 1991, hopes for it were high. But three decades later, the internet seems to be defined not by interconnectivity and liberation, but by scandal, abuse and polarisation. Political journalist Marie Le Conte remembers a different internet -- from those early days. An internet that was fun, freeing and joyful. The 'good' internet. This podcast was brought to you...

On Christmas Day three years ago British businessman Marc Bennett was found dead in his four star hotel room in Qatar. He'd been successfully working on the country’s tourism industry but died in unexplained circumstances after being arrested and allegedly tortured by the country’s police. A British coroner ruled there was no evidence of suicidal intent. So what happened? This podcast was brought...

Leicester has always been held up as a beacon of multicultural Britain. But for more than two weeks, the city has witnessed religious clashes between young men from the Hindu and Muslim communities. The violence flared up after a cricket match, but is there more to this story than meets the eye? Has fake news stoked tensions? And could the Hindu nationalist ideology of Indian Prime Minister N...

From Squid Game to K-pop to kimchi, South Korea has taken the planet by storm. How did a once-impoverished country turn its fortunes around? And what has it done for South Korea's standing abroad? 'Hallyu! The Korean Wave' is on at the V&A in South Kensington until June 2023: https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/hallyu-the-korean-wave   This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support o...

As the Labour Party meets in Liverpool for its annual conference, the dividing lines between the two biggest parties have rarely been more stark. Ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s speech tomorrow, what might we learn about his plans for the party and the country? 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:...

The hard right is on the rise in Italy. Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party is tipped to win Sunday’s general election. If it does, she’ll become Italy’s first female prime minister - and the first hard right leader since the Second World War. So who is she? And what does her popularity tell us about the legacy of Italy’s fascist past? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of...

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss has inherited an economy in turmoil. With the nation on the verge of recession and significant challenges ahead, what might we expect to hear from tomorrow's “Fiscal Event”? 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 .&nb...

The Women’s Super League kicked off this weekend, following the euphoria of the Lionesses' win at Euro 2022 this summer. How was that success won? We trace the little-known history of women’s football from struggle to the success - including a time when the Football Association banned the women's game completely.  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times a...

Liz Truss will make her first foreign trip as prime minister this week to the UN general assembly in New York. She already has plenty of experience in global diplomacy, but has sometimes ruffled feathers with her approach. How is she viewed by the world’s media and governments and will she be able to win over her critics abroad? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of T...

After a lifetime of preparation the former Prince of Wales became King Charles III. What kind of monarch will he be? What challenges will he face? And should the new King apologise for Britain's role in slavery and colonialism? 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/storiesofourti...

Ukrainian forces have retaken over 3000 sq miles of Russian-occupied territories in the northeast of the country. Could these developments signal a change in fortunes for Ukraine? And how might Russia respond? 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...

Over her reign, Queen Elizabeth II saw more prime ministers than any previous monarch. What relationship did she have with them and what happens behind closed doors at the private weekly audience? 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: Sir Anthony...

Over the course of her life the Queen visited every inhabited continent and met hundreds of world leaders, helping the UK forge relations across the globe. We hear from former Foreign Secretary Lord William Hague who joined her on a number of state visits and saw first hand the effect she had as a royal diplomat, on everyone from Prime Ministers and Presidents to the bowing goats of Oman. This pod...

Over the course of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II sustained Britain's monarchy for seven decades, between the eras of steam and Zoom. She departed possessing the gratitude and respect of the overwhelming majority of her subjects who today find it hard to come to terms with a world from which she is absent. So what characterised the second Elizabethan Age? This podcast was brought to you thanks to t...

The country now enters a time of national mourning for a nation to pay its respects to Her Majesty the Queen. Years of planning and centuries of tradition will be drawn upon as Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest. So what do the next 10 days hold? 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.c...

On a Monday evening last month, 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot dead in Liverpool by a stranger. It’s the latest in a spate of deadly gun and knife attacks in the city. So what’s going on in Liverpool’s underworld? Why is it seemingly so easy to get guns in the city? And why are so many dying at the hands of those they’ve never met?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the suppo...

Six months ago, The Times’ Africa correspondent Jane Flanagan spoke to us about her search for the cause of her long Covid symptoms. We catch up with her to find out how her treatment is going, and we look at the state of long Covid treatment. 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.u...

Today, Liz Truss takes over as the new Conservative Prime Minister. So what do we know about her and how she will address the urgent challenges we face? 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: Charlotte Ivers, Political Correspondent, Times Radio....

The new prime minister will be announced today, and Boris Johnson will exit Downing Street tomorrow after just over three years in the job. What legacy will he leave behind?  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: Patrick Maguire, Red Box Edito...