The Story

Epizódy

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  How history is straining Poland’s ties with Ukraine 21.09.2026 29min

  Anti-Ukrainian sentiment is on the rise in Poland.The rift stems, in part, from a historical dispute over a wartime massacre of Poles 83 years ago, which has bubbled to the surface in recent months. So, how did relations sour so quickly? And what does this mean for Polish support in the war against Russia?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducer: Sophie McNultyWe want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Poland and Ukraine reopen old wounds that lay buried for 80 yearsFurther listening: The Ukrainian plot to sink the Russian economyClips: BBC, Good Morning Britain, Gazeta Wrocławska, Grzegorz Braun - Facebook, Kancelaria Prezydenta RP - Facebook, RMF24.Photo: Jack Hill/The Times. This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Why is Ironman so popular? - The Sunday Story 20.09.2026 14min

  Ironman ultra-triathlons demand competitors swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles, and then run a full marathon, paying upwards of $1000 for the pleasure. It’s not everyone’s idea of a perfect Sunday, but for its growing base of devotees, it has become almost like a religion. So how did the sport grow from its low-key Hawaiian roots to a money-making global phenomenon? And what drives people to push their bodies to the limit?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Rick Broadbent, sports writer, The Times.Producers: Harry Stott.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: $1,000 for 140 miles of suffering (in the rain) — why is Ironman so popular?Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Inside the Macklemore - Ed Sheeran tour fallout - The Saturday Story 19.09.2026 31min

  All of Ed Sheeran’s support acts have pulled out of his tour after his opening act Macklemore was dropped for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. So why has this become such a cause célèbre? What does it mean for Ed Sheeran? And what has happened through history when music and politics meet? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Jonathan Dean, executive editor of interviews for Culture and Books, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Ed Sheeran is in a £100m mess of his own makingFurther listening: My life with Freddie MercuryClips: teddysphoto / Instagram, BBC, NewsNation, Virgin Media One, Sky, Boston 25 News, ConcertChickCT / YouTube, Macklemore / Instagram, Nikki/YouTube, BV Concerts / YouTube, CNN.Music: Macklemore / Hind’s Hall / Bendo; Macklemore and Ryan Lewis / Thrift Shop / Macklemore LLC; Macklemore Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert / Same Love / Macklemore LLC; G-Eazy & Macklemore / FDT (Pt. 2) / Def Jam; Greenday / American idiot / Reprise Records; Billie Holiday / Strange Fruit / Commodore; Kendrick Lamar / Alright / Top Dawg / Aftermath / Interscope;Ed Sheeran / Shape of You / Asylum / Atlantic; Ed Sheeran / What do I know / Asylum / Atlantic; Nina Simone / Mississippi Goddam / Philips Records. Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Has space become the final frontier for war? 18.09.2026 23min

  The space race is on, but not as we’ve known it. Instead of a man on the moon, nations are jostling for who can plant weapons on the moon. In a major development this week, the US has announced that it has deployed a weapon to outer space – the first country to do so. But are other nations, like China and Russia, far behind?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Larisa Brown, defence editor, The Times.Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Eleanor Harrison-Dengate, Robyn Simon, Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: US confirms weapons in space, prompting warning from China Clips: Air and Space Forces AssociationPhoto: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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   Has Trump paved the way to a united Ireland? 17.09.2026 28min

  President Trump sparked controversy during his recent trip to Ireland when he said a unified Ireland would be “a fantastic thing.” That was followed on Monday by Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh leaders signing a pact pledging to break up the UK. With Prime Minister Andy Burnham set to meet with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin tomorrow, is a united Ireland now more likely?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Jennifer Bray, political editor, The Sunday Times Ireland.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Robyn Simon. We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders sign ‘historic’ independence pactClips: The Times, The Sunday Times, and RTE NewsPhoto: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Bonus: Bill Gates on AI risk, regulation and the "vacuum of US leadership" 16.09.2026 28min

  The Microsoft co-founder tells Danny and Katie why AI is "ultra-different" from any previous technology - and why tech companies shouldn’t be responsible for controlling it. Speaking about a new report on AI and equity published by The Gates Foundation he also explores the “vacuum of US leadership” in AI regulation.The Interview is Times Tech's weekly conversation with the people shaping the future of technology.Watch on YouTube Read more: Bill Gates: My plan to keep the world safe in the age of AIGet in touch: [email protected] Presenters:Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times.Danny Fortson, US West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Producer: Marnie Duke.Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia.Video Producer: Bronwen Latham.Image: GettyThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How Lucy Letby’s hospital failed her victims 16.09.2026 23min

  The Thirlwall Inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at the Countess of Chester hospital has released a damning report. It found the hospital could have prevented at least three of the murders, if not for evidence of a pernicious “them and us” culture and a lack of safeguards. But what does this report mean for the hospital authorities? And will it have any bearing on Letby's attempts at an appeal?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Sian Bradley, Northern correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Micaela Arneson, Eleanor Harrison-Dengate.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Lucy Letby inquiry: staff could have stopped three murders Further listening: Is there ‘new evidence’ in the Lucy Letby case?Clips: BBC, The Telegraph, The Mirror, True Criminals podcast, The Guardian, The Thirlwall Inquiry. Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  What the lightning Houthi advance means for the world 15.09.2026 28min

  The Iranian-backed Houthis have seized large swathes of territory in Yemen and taken control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key shipping corridor between Asia and Europe. About 12 percent of global trade passes through the strait, including huge amounts of oil, so the move has sent energy prices skyrocketing. But, who are the Houthis? What’s their aim? And with regional powers wary of getting dragged into yet another war, who can stop them?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Dr. Elisabeth Kendall, president of Girton College, Cambridge, specialising in Arabic and Islamic studies.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case, Robyn Simon.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Houthis seized strait ‘without a fight’. Now they’re bracing for oneFurther listening: Inside the West Bank crisis driving Britain to actClips: PBS, CBS, BBC, France 24, Fox News, ABC, CNN.Photo: Mohammed Huwais for Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Will superintelligent AI destroy humanity?  14.09.2026 29min

  Warnings about the dangers of AI are reaching fever pitch, with cases of AI agents going rogue and attempts by malicious actors to use the technology to create biological weapons. Industry whistleblowers are sounding the alarm about a technology they claim could destroy humanity, while AI CEOs are themselves making proposals for a slow down. So how do they plan to stop this march towards oblivion? And how scared should we all be?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Chris Dorrell, technology correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Harry Stott, Leo Danczak.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Anthropic blocks ‘malicious’ AI use over biological weapons fearFurther listening: 'We don't understand the consequences' - Why I quit OpenAI - The Sunday StoryClips: CBS, BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, NBC, Sky.Photo: Tony Bell, Times illustration.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Cover-ups, incompetence, and ‘a litany of failures’ exposed at the Nottingham inquiry - The Sunday Story 13.09.2026 35min

  In June 2023, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber and Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic who is currently serving an indefinite hospital order. The months-long public inquiry into their deaths has revealed a staggering number of failures by the authorities, and a widespread culture of denial and unaccountability. So what went wrong? And what lessons can be learned? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Fiona Hamilton, chief reporter, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Jesse Fox.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Nottingham attacks: ‘We have no faith in the police. We want justice’ Clips: BBC, Sky News, The Nottingham Inquiry. Photo: Richard Pohle, The Times. This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  My life with Freddie Mercury - The Saturday Story 12.09.2026 25min

  When Freddie Mercury, lead vocalist of Queen and one of the all-time greats of rock music, died from Aids in 1991, he left his beloved Kensington house to his lifelong companion Mary Austin. Once engaged to the superstar – before they both realised he preferred men – Austin was by his side from unglamorous beginnings to global stardom. She exclusively reads the story of their extraordinary relationship for the Story.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Mary AustinProducers: Sophie McNulty and Taryn Siegel.Read More: My life with Freddie Mercury — by the best friend he nearly married We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]: Live Aid, Queen Youtube. Music Excerpt: Queen - Lily of the Valley (Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  He went to jail for exposing America’s darkest 9/11 secret. Should Trump pardon him? 11.09.2026 37min

  It’s 25 years since the 9/11 attacks; in the aftermath, the CIA hunted down those responsible – detaining suspects and subjecting them to ‘enhanced interrogation.’ One of the prisoners who was subjected to these tactics was Abu Zubaydah, who, at the time, was thought to be a top member of al-Qaeda. John Kiriakou, a former CIA operative who led the operation to capture Zubaydah, blew the whistle on the torture that prisoners like him experienced. As a result, Kiriakou went to prison, as well. Now, he’s asking President Trump for clemency. This episode contains descriptions of violence and torture. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Josie Ensor, chief US reporter, The TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducer: Sophie McNultyWe want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: I went to jail for exposing America’s darkest 9/11 secret. Trump should pardon meFurther listening: The 9/11 suspect - part 1Clips: ABC News, C-SPAN, Cleared Hot Podcast.Photo: Michael McCoy for The Times.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How the AfD became a nightmare for Friedrich Merz 10.09.2026 31min

  The AfD’s thumping victory in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election has sent shockwaves across the German political landscape and left chancellor Friedrich Merz in a state of shock. With his popularity plummeting and further regional elections on the horizon, is Merz’s time almost up? And what does all of this tell us about the current state of German democracy? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Jesse Fox, Leo Danczak. We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Firewall to keep AfD out is crumbling — how will Friedrich Merz react?Further listening: Germany’s radical right is surging. Can they be stopped? Clips: BBC, CNN, Channel 4 News, T Online, CBC News, Phoenix, APT.Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Inside the West Bank crisis driving Britain to act 09.09.2026 31min

  Yesterday, foreign secretary Ed Miliband announced new sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank in response to an increase in settler expansion and violence there. So what is really happening on the ground? Can UK sanctions prevent settlement expansion? And what does this mean for Britain’s relationship with Israel and the US?This podcast contains scenes some listeners may find upsetting. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Christina Lamb, chief foreign correspondent, The Times.Gabrielle Weiniger, Israel correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case, Jesse Fox.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: ‘My son was on my wife’s lap when the IDF shot him dead’Further listening:  The ticking time bomb Netanyahu faces at homeClips:  Parliamentlive.tv, BBC, UK Government / facebook, CNN, PBS, Channel 4, Al Jazeera.Photo: Kobi Wolf for The Sunday Times.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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   Is Britain's economy really turning a corner? 08.09.2026 29min

  John Healey gave his first major speech as Chancellor on Monday, aiming to show that the economy has ‘turned a corner’. But his comments have been overshadowed by a background of turmoil in the bond markets, thousands of job cuts, and speculation that he is offering very little different to his predecessor Rachel Reeves. So what did this speech tell us about the new Chancellor? And will he have to raise taxes at the budget in October? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Jack Barnett, economics correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Leo Danczak, Shabnam Grewal.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: It’s decision time for Andy Burnham if he wants to win over marketsFurther listening: The Business: Scott Bessent, bond markets and the threat to UK borrowingClips: BBC, Sky News, Channel 4, The Andrew Neil Report.Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  LATEST: Anti-immigration protests in Dover and Portsmouth 07.09.2026 17min

  Hundreds of protestors in Portsmouth clashed with police last night and early this morning. It was the second mass demonstration against small boat arrivals after a far-right protest caused disruption at the Port of Dover on Saturday. So who is behind the protests? And what should the government do now?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Ollie Cole, newsroom reporter, The Times. Lord Walney, former government advisor on political violence and disruption.Dr Georgios Samaras, lecturer in public policy, Kings College London. Host: Seb Payne, leader writer and columnist, The Times. Producers: Felix Forbes, Maya Loubani, Rufus Jones. We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Portsmouth protest: police officers injured as migrant dinghy arrivesFurther listening: The state of asylum in the UKPhoto: PA.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The state of asylum in the UK 07.09.2026 29min

  Asylum seekers now make up one in ten of all migrants coming to the UK each year but just one in sixty of those that leave. This week, The Times is looking at the myriad problems with Britain’s asylum system, from Labour’s policies to how previous governments have failed to fix the crisis. What is there left to try?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Matt Dathan, home affairs editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Jordan Bardella: UK and France must ‘regain control of Channel’Further listening: Can Reform reset at conference?Clips: ITV, The I Paper, The Daily Express, 5 News, GB News, TalkTV, SKY, France 24, Channel 4, DWS News. Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Bayeux Tapestry’s long road back to Britain - The Sunday Story 06.09.2026 27min

  This week, after a meticulously planned voyage for the 11th-century retelling of the Battle of Hastings, the British Museum’s long-awaited Bayeux Tapestry exhibition opens to the public.  But, why has it taken almost a thousand years for the Bayeux Tapestry to return to Britain? And after all these centuries, why does this extraordinary piece of embroidery still capture the public imagination? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Katie Gatens, Europe correspondent, The Sunday Times Host: Manveen RanaProducer: Sophie McNultyWe want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Your interactive guide to the Bayeux TapestryClips: Sky News, DRM News, The Royal Family - YouTube.Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Why are autism diagnoses up? - The Saturday Story 05.09.2026 15min

  Autism diagnoses in England have shot up in recent years from 700,000 three years ago to around 1.1 million today. It's led to a backlash, with some suggesting the condition is being over-diagnosed. Not so, says Dr Mary Doherty, a top doctor who founded Autistic Doctors International. She says she knows why diagnoses are up. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Andrew Billen, feature writer, The Times.Producer: Olivia Case.  We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: I’m a top doctor and I’m autistic. I know why diagnoses are upPhoto: Tom Jackson for The Times magazineThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Can Reform reset at conference? 04.09.2026 29min

  As the Reform conference kicks off today, Nigel Farage and his team are looking to pitch themselves as a serious party ready to win a general election. But after a long, hot summer dogged by controversies, party infighting, and a by-election against a man dressed as a bin, this strategy might be undercutting itself. So where do they go from here? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Leo Danczak, Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Reform UK must walk a tightrope if it is to winFurther listening: Posh George: the criminal behind FarageClips: Sky News, Nigel Farage via YouTube, ITV News, BBC News, MS Now, Times Radio, Channel 4 News, The Telegraph.Photo: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.