The Story

For years, Afghanistan’s female judges worked at the highest levels of the judiciary, sentencing members of the Taliban, Isis and Al-Qaeda. Since the Taliban swept to power this summer, they’ve been in hiding, in fear for their lives. Where do they go now? What does the British government, and the rest of the world owe these women? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers o...

In the summer of 1944, some of Adolf Hitler's most trusted senior officers narrowly failed in their attempt to assassinate him. But was that the whole story? A recently unearthed file reveals Britain had a man at the heart of Operation Valkyrie. 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:  theti...

Last Wednesday, 27 people died crossing the Channel from France in a small, inflatable dinghy. On the same day, many more did make it, landing on the beach in Kent. What is it actually like for the people trying to find their way to safety? And what are politicians doing to tackle these dangerous journeys? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The S...

The news of a new Covid variant swept the world in hours. Days later, new restrictions were introduced. Today: what the emergence of Omicron could mean for the next few months. 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:  Tom Whipple, science edito...

Fifty-five years ago, Barbados gained independence from Britain. Despite independence, Queen Elizabeth has remained head of state. Today, that's come to an end. Barbados has formally cut ties with the British monarchy and declared itself a republic. Will other realms in the Commonwealth follow? And what does the move mean for the royal family? This podcast was brought to you th...

Domestic violence programmes have traditionally been tailored for the victims. Now, there’s a push to work with the perpetrators to stop their abusive behaviour. How do these programmes work? Can abusive men ever change? 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/storiesofourtim...

On Monday, after 16 months in solitary confinement, Ghislaine Maxwell will finally go on trial in New York, where she is charged with multiple sex trafficking offences relating to the Jeffrey Epstein sex abuse case. It's the most eagerly anticipated trial of the year, so what can we expect as it unfolds? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sun...

Europe is being battered by a fourth wave of Covid. Today we speak to our correspondent in Berlin, to find out how the German-speaking parts of Europe became the epicentre for both the fourth wave of the virus and a wave of antivax riots sweeping the continent. 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...

The NHS is under intense pressure, but since the peak of the pandemic public attention has largely moved elsewhere. Today we catch up with The Times' health editor – and with the doctors we spoke to in January, during the peak of the pandemic – to find out how the NHS is coping. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today...

Last week tensions at the border between neighbouring Poland and Belarus escalated as thousands of people, looking to start a new life in the West, were stranded in desperate conditions. Belarus has been accused of 'weaponising' the plight of migrants in a geopolitical standoff between the EU and its neighbour. So what's behind the situation - and what happens next? This p...

Xi Jinping is consolidating his position as the all-powerful president of China. But who is the man at the top of the sharpest pyramid in the world of politics? 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 . Host:  David Aaronovitch. Guest:  Michael She...

Last month, the government brought in a new law to stop under-eighteens using Botox and fillers for cosmetic reasons in England. But with reports of botched procedures and easy access to products online - is this law enough to tame the industry? And who's paying the price for beauty? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Ti...

The ink has dried on the agreement and the dignitaries have returned home - so what really happened at COP - and what does it mean for the planet? 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. Host:  Manveen Rana. Guests:   - Ben Spencer, science edito...

They used to be the stuff of sci-fi and futuristic Hollywood films. But now, artificially intelligent weapons are transforming armies around the world. A technological arms race has begun - should we be worried? 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. Host:...

The scandal at Yorkshire County Cricket Club has triggered a wave of resignations at the county and condemnation from all corners. It's led to an existential crisis for the game in this country. Today, the man at the heart of the story, Azeem Rafiq will speak to a parliamentary committee to discuss the alleged racist abuse and bullying he experienced while playing for Yorkshire CCC. So how did we...

Spectrum 10k was supposed to be Britain's biggest ever study of autism. But just weeks after launch, it was put on pause. As the genetics revolution picks up pace, could this be among the first of many such confrontations between researchers and those who feel threatened by their work? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscri...

It's a sport in which men and women compete equally. But is horse racing all that it seems? New accusations paint a picture of a culture that condones threatening behaviour - and frowns upon those who report it. 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/storiesofourt...

There was public outcry when MPs voted against stricter penalties for water companies dumping raw sewage into England’s rivers. But following a U-turn, the Government has now passed a new Environment Bill it says will reduce the amount of raw sewage polluting our waterways. But do the measures go far enough? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sund...

A Sunday Times investigation revealed this weekend that every chief Conservative Party treasurer in the past seven years gave the party £3m – and every one was offered a peerage. Manveen Rana speaks to the Insight team, renowned for carrying out some of the most groundbreaking investigations on Fleet Street. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sun...

A debate on changing the procedure by which standards in Parliament are upheld last week led to a backlash from MPs - and a major u-turn. So, as the government defends itself against allegations of 'sleaze', where, does it leave the current system of policing standards in Westminster? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe toda...

For the past six weeks, The Sunday Times has been reporting on the unsolved murder of Agnes Wanjiru, a young mother living near a British Army base in Kenya. She was last seen alive with a British soldier: 'Soldier X'. Today: the latest on the investigation, as members of Soldier X's regiment name the accused killer, and as one former soldier speaks to the police. This podcast was brought to...

As the first week of COP26 draws to a close, we're going on a journey, deep into the heart of the Amazon rainforest to see how one indigenous tribe is fighting miners, farmers and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for survival. 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/stories...

Since 2016, a mysterious illness has affected US diplomatic and security staff working abroad. The symptoms include headaches, fatigue and problems with balance and memory, but are they victims of attacks with sonic weapons or is there another explanation? 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:&...

A year on from the US presidential election, America's most conservative citizens are relocating en masse to a remote region in the Pacific Northwest. Times filmmaker Alastair Good takes us into the American Redoubt, where talk of secession and civil war is routine. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get...

Lebanon is in economic crisis with shortages of food, medicine and electricity on the ground. Today, how did the country, whose capital was once described as the Paris of the Middle East, get here? And is there hope for the future? 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/stori...