After the most contentious week of Keir Starmer’s premiership so far, MPs will gather in the House of Commons later today to vote on the controversial benefits bill. Has the rebellion been effectively squashed? Or is this only the beginning? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Patrick Maguire, Chief Political Commentator, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Clip...
Jun 30, 2025•31 min
Tomorrow 33-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani will be officially confirmed as the Democratic Party candidate for New York mayor, putting him in pole position to land the role in November. His win caused a political earthquake in America, personifying questions over the future direction of the party. So who is this fresh new face of the Democratic party, and what does his rise tell us about the increasing popularity of left-wing economics? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the ...
Jun 29, 2025•33 min
This episode was originally published in February. In 2016, 24-year-old Gypsy-Rose Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in the US State of Missouri, for arranging the murder of her mother. Her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, had Munchausen syndrome by proxy - a rare form of abuse where she would convince doctors that her daughter was ill - leading to unnecessary treatment. The harrowing details of what Blanchard went through have made her a media sensation - but should we feel sympathy for...
Jun 28, 2025•30 min
Danny meets up with Alex Blania, the CEO and one of the co-founders, alongside Sam Altman, of Tools for Humanity. Their project Worldcoin, aims to help us weed out AI imitators by verifying humans online. All you have to do is scan your iris on one of their orbs to get a unique biometric ID and some cryptocurrency. Danny and Katie also take on Tesla’s robotaxi rollout, and question whether it's right and proper for humans to fall in love with AI bots? Spoiler alert! The answer is probably not, f...
Jun 27, 2025•43 min
When Rob Burley started talking to an AI chatbot for feedback while writing his book, he had no idea where the conversation would lead, only 24 hours later. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Rob Burley, writer. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Further reading: Help! I’ve fallen for my chatbot! Is this the future of AI? Clips: Neil Diamond/Forever in blue jeans, Sky News...
Jun 26, 2025•32 min
Trump’s golfing buddy Steve Witkoff was a property developer before Trump came to power. Now he’s the president's right-hand-man in all things diplomatic, including sorting the current crisis in Iran. Is he the right man for the job? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Louise Callaghan, Senior US Correspondent, The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Olivia Case. Further rea...
Jun 25, 2025•36 min
Has the crisis over Iran driven its already weakened leader to the brink? Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is unpopular but do the people of Iran want regime change from outside? And if he falls, what then for Iran? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Professor Mohsen Milani, Author, The Making of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. Fatemeh Jamalpour, Iranian Journalist. Host: Manveen Rana, Produce...
Jun 24, 2025•31 min
Iran has launched missiles at US airbases in response to US strikes on its nuclear facilities. Donald Trump says US bombers obliterated Iran’s three main nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. But the extent of the damage is still unclear. Is the situation escalating and will the US now push for regime change? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Richard Spencer, The Times. H...
Jun 23, 2025•28 min
Jonathan Anderson, the Northern Irish designer who made Loewe a billion dollar brand, has just taken on the biggest job in fashion: the first sole creative director of Dior since the eponymous Christian Dior. Ahead of this fashion week there’s been a chaotic reshuffle at the top of fashion as the industry copes with a challenging economic downturn. Who is the most important man in fashion, and can he rescue Dior from the chaos? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of ...
Jun 22, 2025•29 min
This podcast was originally published last August. Just hours before the sinking, the party aboard the yacht had been celebrating a spectacular legal victory - so what led to this moment? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Taryn Siegel. Further listening: Danny In The Valley:...
Jun 21, 2025•29 min
The government has held a meeting of the Cobra committee to discuss the Israel-Iran crisis - but how important is it really during a national emergency, and is it the UK's version of the White House Situation Room? The political masterminds also discuss the political impact of backing America during a conflict, and whether Keir Starmer can start ignoring Kemi Badenoch at prime minister's questions. Send your comments and questions to [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
Jun 20, 2025•41 min
The first woman to run MI6, the foreign branch of Britain's Secret Intelligence Services has been named. Blaise Metreweli takes over the role of ‘C,’ as the head of the service has always been called, in the autumn. She will go from complete anonymity to becoming the public face of British foreign espionage. A long career in espionage means much is shrouded in mystery but we have some fascinating details about the new C and about the history of the job. This podcast was brought to you thanks to ...
Jun 19, 2025•29 min
Decca Aitkenhead was nine when a GP risked jail to help her mother to die. Years later she watched her best friend succumb to the slow torture of Huntington's disease, and for a few days she found herself confronting her own death. She tells Jane Mulkerrins how those experiences have shaped her views on assisted dying. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Decca Aitkenhead, Chief In...
Jun 18, 2025•39 min
As thousands of Ukrainian soldiers struggle with debilitating PTSD since the Russian invasion, one unconventional therapy has proved surprisingly effective: ketamine. How did this become a treatment for mental illness? And does it really work? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Clips: Netf...
Jun 17, 2025•33 min
How did Israel pull off the most devastating attack on the Iranian regime in its 45 year history and did it achieve its aim of destroying the country's ability to produce a nuclear weapon? As Tehran retaliates for the deaths of its leading military and nuclear personnel, what is the path to de-escalation, and is there a path to something far worse? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Gue...
Jun 16, 2025•35 min
Weight loss drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy aren't just changing bodies - they're rewiring society. Half a million Britons have tried them and that number’s soaring. So what will be different in this slim new world? Sunday Times science editor Ben Spencer explains how the drugs are fundamentally altering everything from alcohol to airlines. We also hear Harriet Walker's experience of taking the drugs, and why the expression "on the pen" is now firmly in the vernacular of fashion week. This podcas...
Jun 15, 2025•35 min
This episode was originally published in March. The word "unprecedented" is often used to describe Donald Trump's presidency. He's broken with convention repeatedly: from announcing tariffs on allies, to the suggestion that he wants to buy Greenland. But are these moves really without precedent? Or do Trump's politics echo that of 19th century US presidents, but with a more alarming twist? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscri...
Jun 14, 2025•35 min
A pattern is seemingly emerging with a series of high profile targeted killings taking place inside Russian territory, blamed on Ukrainian forces. This week, an in depth look at those stories, who may be responsible for them, why they may be happening and what are rules when it comes to assessing wether they are legally and ethically justified. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 13, 2025•40 min
The protests in Los Angeles have created a political opportunity for California’s Democrat governor, Gavin Newsom. He has called Donald Trump a “stone-cold liar” and said that democracy itself is under threat after the president ordered the National Guard and the Marines onto the streets of LA. Have the Democrats found a credible opponent who could take on Trump? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.c...
Jun 12, 2025•26 min
For years, the Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed used his power to abuse and rape women who worked for him. He was never prosecuted. In her new book The Monster of Harrods: Al-Fayed and the secret, shameful history of a British institution, Alison Kervin reveals the staggering scale of his abuse and the huge number of people who enabled it. This episode contains details of rape and sexual abuse. If you need support, go to www.247sexualabusesupport.org.uk or call 0808 500 2222. This podcast was brou...
Jun 11, 2025•38 min
On Monday a boat of twelve activists, including Greta Thunberg, was intercepted by Israel on its way to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza. More than a humanitarian mission, its aim was to keep the world's attention on what the UN calls "the hungriest place on earth". Israel dismissed the project as a “selfie yacht” guided by "instagram activism". Gabrielle Weiniger tells Manveen Rana how the incident became the latest battle in the war of messaging for both sides. This podcast was brought...
Jun 10, 2025•31 min
The closest of bromances devolved last week into a public cage fight. Where did this come from? And when the richest man in the world and the most powerful man in the world decide to do battle, what are the stakes? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Katy Balls, Washington DC Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Further reading: Trump...
Jun 09, 2025•32 min
The journalist James Bloodworth has been exploring the manosphere revealing a hidden world of modern masculinity and the anxieties driving it. Charting the history from pickup artists to incels and influencers, he tells Manveen about the attractions of this digital world to young men and his own experiences within it. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: James Bloodworth, journalis...
Jun 08, 2025•29 min
This episode was originally published two year ago. They are supposed to help adults quit smoking – so why is a Willy Wonka array of disposable vapes being mass marketed to children? The Chartered Trading Standards Institute wants tougher penalties for those selling to under-18s. Just how did vaping get so big in Britain? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Josh Glancy, News Revie...
Jun 07, 2025•28 min
With tough choices facing the government, the political masterminds look at what goes on behind the scenes ahead of a spending review - and how reluctant ministers are brought into line. And as the Tories finally put the boot into the Liz Truss legacy, have they found a new strategy on the economy - and will anyone notice? Send your comments and questions to [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 06, 2025•40 min
As Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour comes to the UK, we chart the rise of a shy schoolgirl from Texas who became a record-breaking billionaire. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Megan Agnew. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Hannah Varrall. Further reading: The making of Beyoncé — by friends, family and Team Bey insiders Clips: CMA Awards 2016, The Howard Stern Show, YouTube/@bvconcerts, ...
Jun 05, 2025•31 min
The government’s Strategic Defence Review has set out a vision for Britain’s defence for the next decade. One of its authors, General Sir Richard Barrons, spoke to Manveen Rana about the threat from Russia, the wars and weapons of the future and how quickly society can collapse. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: General Sir Richard Barrons, co-author of the Strategic Defence Rev...
Jun 04, 2025•32 min
The dollar has been the global reserve currency nearly a century. But four months into the new Trump administration, could that be about to change? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Further reading: Trump’s ‘revenge taxes’ are more dangerous than his trade war Further listening: Why the price of...
Jun 03, 2025•31 min
Anthony Loyd and the legendary photographer Don McCullin have been to Syria to chronicle the destruction of Palmyra by Islamic State and to see what is changing under the new Syrian regime. Manveen sat down with them at Don’s house in Somerset to reflect on war, loss, friendship — and a remarkable career. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent, Th...
Jun 02, 2025•43 min
Giorgia Meloni has world leaders falling at her feet and the Trump administration in her thrall. But how did she reinvent herself from leader of a minor neo-fascist party to the new political queen of Europe? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Tom Kington, The Times correspondent in Rome. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Edith Rousselot. Further reading: Stop flirting with Giorgia M...
Jun 01, 2025•29 min
