The Story

Last summer, a hack of EncroChat phones by police forces led to the arrest of criminals involved in gangs, drugs and weapons across Europe. Who were those swept up in one of the biggest police operations of all time and where did EnroChat come from? 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: thetime...

Tensions have erupted in Northern Ireland once again, as leaders attempt to preserve a long-standing peace deal in the region. Twenty-three years after the Good Friday Agreement, why does peace in Northern Ireland seem so precarious and what happens next?  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...

Last week it was announced by the government that so-called vaccine passports could be rolled out across the country to help ease lockdown measures. But should we be worried about what this might lead to? 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 Knowle...

At the end of last month, we saw the release of the Race and Ethnic disparities report, it was controversial and many called into question its integrity. Today we dissect 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/storiesofourtimes . Guests: - Dr Mohammad S. Razai, Clinician and a...

The longest serving royal consort has passed away after seven decades of steadfast support of our monarch. Today we take you to the moment his wife, Queen Elizabeth the second, learnt she would take over as Great Britain's Head of State.  Guests: Kate Williams, royal historian. Matthew Parris, columnist for The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: Pathé and Thames TV. Hosted on Acast. See a...

The government is proposing new laws that will allow academics, students or visiting speakers the power to sue universities for compensation, if they feel they've been censored or if their free speech is somehow restricted. The announcement has been controversial, but is it the best way to encourage free speech on campus? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Time...

Not many feelings come close to the thrill of getting your foot on the property ladder after months of mortgages, solicitors and surveys. But what happens when things start to go wrong? The Sunday Times has been investigating an insurance giant, accused of issuing fraudulent inspection notes that have left leaseholders with vast repair bills. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support o...

There's a looming crisis in the cemeteries of Britain: many of them are running out of space. How have we got here and what can we do about 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/storiesofourtimes . Guests: -John Waite, volunteer, Highgate Cemetery. -Ian Dungavell, Chief...

Extraordinary scientific advances have taken place over the past year both because of Covid and despite it. Today we bring you three tales of human ingenuity you might have missed – and, for a change, nothing but good news. 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...

After the Ever Given vessel was freed earlier this week, the world breathed a huge sigh of relief. But what does this incident tell us about international trade and globalisation? 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: Louise Callaghan, Middle East corr...

In sub-Saharan Africa, people with albinism – those born without pigmentation in their skin, hair and eyes – have long been discriminated against and even hunted for their body parts, which are thought to hold magical healing powers. And during the pandemic, fear and misinformation have led some to embrace superstition over science, blaming people with albinism for the virus. This podcast was brou...

Tensions between the police and communities across the UK are at an all time high. One woman is behind the push to increase police powers. Who is Priti Patel and what's her plan for Britain? 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: Matt Dathan, Home Affair...

Around the country, girls who have suffered in silence for years at some of England's top schools are finally speaking out about the sexual abuse they've encountered. A stream of hundreds of harrowing stories has emerged. How was this ever allowed to happen? And what can be done to stop it? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscrib...

Is it time to rethink the way British democracy works and reform the upper chamber of parliament? 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:  Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall correspondent for The Sunday Times. Tom Calver, Senior data journalist at The Sunda...

Last week the former Team GB and Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman was struck off the medical register after being found guilty of ordering a banned substance “knowing or believing” it was to dope a rider in 2011. 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:&nbs...

This week marks a year since the Covid lockdown began. Every aspect of our daily life has been affected and more than 146,000 people have died of the virus in the UK.  In today's episode, we check in with old friends we've featured on the podcast last spring to see how their lives have changed. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday T...

Throughout the pandemic, demand for dogs has soared, and thieves have taken note. Dog theft has skyrocketed over the last year with criminal gangs cashing in. How are they getting away with it? And what can be done to stop them? 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...

Yesterday the government published new plans for the future of the military. Manveen Rana speaks to the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, about the changing face of war and Britain's future place in the world. 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...

Almost ten years ago, the world watched as a future king got married. Now, after a bombshell interview, things couldn't feel further removed from that day when the royal family basked in the world's positive attention. How is Prince William planning on reshaping his family's image? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today a...

Federico Umberto D’Amato, the former spy who created the country’s culinary bible, is accused of being behind the 1980 Bologna atrocity. Could this decades old mystery finally be solved? 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 Kington, Italy correspon...

Last week schools in England reopened after months of shutdown due to the pandemic, but has keeping kids out of the classroom come at a social greater cost than we realise? 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: Shingi Mararike, news reporter at The...

On Saturday night the Metropolitan Police arrested four people at a vigil for Sarah Everard. What went wrong that night? And what does it mean for the police and for women's rights? 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:  - Fiona Hamilton, crime an...

Content warning: this episode contains discussion of eating disorders and mentions of suicidal thoughts. At times during the pandemic, it's felt like diet and exercise - or at least worrying about them - has become a national obsession. But what if your weight was already an obsession? Today we speak to people struggling with eating disorders, which have been on the rise in the past year...

New variants of COVID-19 have caused spikes in infections around the world and rang alarm bells about vaccine resistance. We speak to two scientists tracking mutant strains of the virus. How are these variants discovered? And just how dangerous are they? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of reader of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: the...

Bitcoin is surging. Last month, it surpassed $50,000 per coin, and big institutions are buying in alongside retail investors. The new frenzy has started, partially due to Elon Musk's Tesla announcing its purchase of $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. So, why now? And what if the bitcoiners are right, and this is only the beginning?  This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers...