The Story

Nearly four million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine since it began a month ago. It's the biggest movement of people since records began. We hear stories from the Polish border, as this wave of humanity crosses through. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get 3 months' subscription for just one pound at: theti...

Hospitals bombed. Thousands of civilians killed. If war crimes have been committed in Ukraine, as many suspect, have the events of the past month exposed the laws of war as toothless? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get 3 months' subscription for just one pound at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes . Guest: Prof...

Every week thousands of fans criss-cross the country to support their football team, but among them are those who others wish would stay at home. A Times investigation has looked into the new generation of football hooligans. 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/storiesofourtime...

When President Zelensky put a call out for fighters to join the defence of Ukraine against the Russian assault, an estimated 20,000 answered - including Shane Matthew, a former member of the British Army. As we mark a month since the start of the war in Ukraine, what is life like for those who have gone to fight? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The...

We're feeling the pinch as the cost of everyday items increases. Why is this happening? And what might the Chancellor say in his Spring Statement to alleviate the financial pressure? 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: - Ashley Armstrong, Retai...

Covid cases are surging in the UK, and more people over 70 are testing positive than at any time in the pandemic. What’s going on? We speak to one of the key members of SAGE, the government’s expert advisory committee. 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 .&nbs...

A number of Western nations have imposed sanctions on Russia, its leadership and some of Putin's alleged allies. But are they working? 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: Oliver Wright, Policy Editor, The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch. For informatio...

A Times undercover investigation has revealed a catalogue of problems at the DVLA that have led to drivers waiting for months for their licence renewals. What lies behind the crisis at this important government agency? 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 . Gue...

This week, in a further sign that the Russian military could be in trouble, it was revealed that the Kremlin asked China for military aid. But will Beijing want to wade into this war? And have Vladimir Putin's actions frustrated Xi Jiping? 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/st...

After nearly six years of detention in Iran, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released to join her family in the UK. Here, we return to an episode from last year and explore whether an unpaid British debt was the reason behind her imprisonment. 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:  thet...

Last Wednesday, a maternity hospital in Mariupol was bombed. The World Health Organisation says there have been 24 attacks in Ukraine on healthcare facilities and five on ambulances, killing at least a dozen people and injuring 34. So today we’re going back to the start of the war, telling the story of one day and a visit to a children's hospital in Kyiv. This podcast was brought to you thanks to...

It's been almost two years since the first national lockdown, when schools closed their doors and the nation's families got to grips with home schooling. Since then, an estimated 100,000 students simply haven't returned to education. So who are these 'ghost children’ - and how do we get them back to class? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday...

As the war stretches into its third week, the city of Kharkiv has been among the worst hit. Today: what it's like to report from a city devastated by war, while it's still being constantly bombarded. 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: -...

On Thursday Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government with his assets in the UK frozen, leaving the football club in limbo. Today, we look at what sporting boycotts can achieve and ask if the Russian ice hockey star, Alex Ovechkin, could damage Vladimir Putin. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe...

The ruble is in free fall and western companies have pulled out of Russia. Those who are brave enough to protest the war are being arrested, while others are leaving the country. So, how is this affecting ordinary Russians? We hear from them and from a veteran correspondent who's worked in Russia for over two decades. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times an...

While Ukrainian cities are being bombarded with Russian fire, it might be of little comfort but Ukraine is winning the information war. Whether it's inspiring daily clips of the president rallying the country's morale or phone footage showing ordinary Ukrainians doing extraordinary things, what do two Ukrainians still in the country make of their country’s resistance so far? This podcast was broug...

Did the British military see Putin’s war in Ukraine coming? What more should Britain be doing? And how might the war end? Manveen Rana speaks with the former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter. 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: Gene...

What is going through his mind? Where will this end? And would he press that button? There's a view of Putin which says these are impossible questions to answer, which paints him as a mysterious, mercurial figure. But today, we take the other view: that for quite some time, the Russian president has told us exactly who he is. If only we'd been listening. This podcast was brought to you thanks to t...

One year ago this week, Sarah Everard was kidnapped by a serving police officer as she walked home in south London and then raped and killed. Her murder sparked global outrage and shone a harsh light on police culture and violence against women. But, a year later, has anything changed? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe tod...

He describes himself as the enemy’s number one target. So, as a plot to assassinate the Ukrainian President was reportedly thwarted by the nation’s armed forces, and the assault on the Ukrainian capital intensifies, we ask how Volodymyr Zelensky came to lead his country in its darkest hour since the Second World War. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and...

The war in Ukraine is forcing countries to reconsider their relations with Europe's easternmost neighbour. As Germany prepares to almost double its spending on its military, following the postponement of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia, are we seeing a sea-change in Russo-German relations? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Su...

As thousands flee the bombing to get to safety, we hear from two local journalists about what it's like to watch and report as your home country comes under attack. 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:   Natalie Gryvnyak in Kyiv. Kateryna Malofie...

As Ukraine’s capital Kyiv continues to come under fire from Russian forces, a 36-hour curfew has been imposed and residents have taken shelter. One likely reason for that curfew: 400 Russian mercenaries already operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky, as Manveen Rana exclusively reports. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of Th...

Following the announcement of Prince Andrew’s settlement with Virginia Guiffre, the Queen was diagnosed with Covid and Prince Charles faced questions over an alleged cash-for-honours scandal. We speak to the Times' New York correspondent and Sunday Times royal editor about the fallout from a less-than-vintage week. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and T...

Last weekend police swept through Ottawa, clearing a settlement of protestors. For three weeks, truck drivers from all over the country gathered in the Canadian capital. They were furious with covid laws, and with Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. With the protests gone, where does that anger go? And with American truckers planning to shut down Washington D.C. next week, how far has this mo...