Stories of our times

Jane Coates' daughter Lucy was just 23 when she was shot and killed by her father, while visiting him in Texas. US authorities quickly ruled her death an accident and no charges were brought. But as The Sunday Times reveals holes in Lucy's father's account, Jane wants the case reopened.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 Tarrant, news reporter for The Sunday TimesJane Coates, victim's motherSam Littler, victim's boyfriend and witnessHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Julia WebsterWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: My daughter was shot dead by her father. Why wasn't he arrested?Father shot daughter dead after ‘arguing about Donald TrumpPhoto: Picture provided by the family, graphic by Kathia MestanzaThis 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.

A strict conservatorship, control of her finances, breakdowns, nonstop media pressure and divorce. It's been one hell of a journey for the Princess of Pop, but the latest news that Britney Spears has entered rehab leaves fans asking the question, will she ever be truly free?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: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer for the Times.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Controlled, hounded, scarred. Could Britney Spears ever truly be free?Clips: NBC, ABC, CNN, hugebritneyfan, britneyonline.Music: Baby One More Time - Britney Spears - Sony Music Entertainment.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.

Yesterday afternoon in Manchester, a man was found guilty of a brutal rape for which an innocent person had been wrongly jailed for more than 17 years. We bring you a special update to our groundbreaking podcast series Seventeen Years - The Andrew Malkinson Story, which first highlighted this tragic miscarriage of justice.You can listen to the full series on The Times Investigates feed: https://pod.fo/e/3256f8Hosts: Will Roe & Emily Dugan, Sunday Times' Special correspondent.Producer: Will Roe. Clips: Greater Manchester Police. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comIf you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Rape Crisis England & WalesNHS - Help after rape and sexual assaultCriminal Cases Review CommissionAppeal - Charity and law practiceThis 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.

The prime minister says he's "furious" over the latest twist in the Epstein scandal, amid revelations the child sex offender's former friend Peter Mandelson was appointed British ambassador to the US despite failing security vetting. For months, ​​Keir Starmer insisted his ambassador was properly appointed. Today, he admitted this was not the case. So, what went wrong? And what does it mean for the future of Starmer's government? 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, Times Radio newsroom reporterLeigh Turner, former Ambassador to Austria and UkraineHost: Carolyn QuinnProducers: Sandra Mitchell, Sofia JohansonWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Keir Starmer ‘furious' over Peter Mandelson vetting failurePhoto: 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.

The economic ripples caused by the Iran war are beginning to have an impact across the globe, from fuel rationing across South-East Asia, to fuel protests in Ireland. The IMF's recent report on the global economy makes for grim reading – and the UK comes out as one of the worst affected of the G7. So could food and fuel shortages be coming to the UK? And how will the government try to mitigate the worst effects?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:Rob Doran, director of Black Dog Crisis Management.Jack Barnett, economics correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Harry Stott, Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Britain preparing for food shortages as Iran war bites UK economy faces hardest hit from Iran war of G7, says IMFFurther listening: Trump's ceasefire with Iran - what's in it and what nextClips: BBC, ABC NEWS (Australia), RTE, Sky 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.

Behind the scenes of Iran's war, China's been forging alliances, stockpiling oil and building resilience in the form of renewable energy. So how could all of this help it attack Taiwan? When might it happen? And can anyone 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: Cindy Yu, columnist and contributing editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Iran war latest: Ceasefire with US ‘to be extended by two weeks'Further listening: The Pope v TrumpClips: Fox, Bloomberg, Times of India, Hoover Institution.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.

Over the weekend, Donald Trump posted an image of himself as a Jesus Christ like figure, which was subsequently deleted. It came after the President and the Pope exchanged a war of words over the conflict in Iran. What's behind this latest spat, and how could it affect Trump's standing among American's Christians?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: Kaya Burgess, science and religious affairs correspondent, The Times, and Christopher Hale, Democratic operative and author of Letters from Leo substack.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Edward Drummond.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Trump's row with Pope Leo could cost him dearly among Catholic votersClips: Times Radio, Fox News, Vatican News, 9News, BBC, Forbes, USA Today, CBS 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.

Viktor Orban, the far-right prime minister of Hungary who led the country for 16 years, was ousted in a landslide electoral defeat on Sunday. He lost to his former ally turned critic, Péter Magyar, despite a strong show of support from the Trump administration. So what does Orban's defeat mean for Trump? And for the far-right in 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/thestoryGuest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Julia Webster. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Why Peter Magyar's victory is a warning to TrumpFurther listening: The election that could change HungaryClips: Al Jazeera, APT News, CSPAN, Fox, Associated Press, United 24 Media, The White House via 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.

The city of Ranya– a small town in Northern Iraq– is more than 2,500 miles from Calais and Dunkirk. But it has a near monopoly on the people smuggling gangs that traffic migrants across the English Channel. The Times visited Ranya to meet the kingpins and ask: how did one village become responsible for Britain's small boats crisis?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: Shayma Bakht, reporter, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: I met the smuggling kingpins behind the deadly Channel crossingsFurther listening: ‘Repugnant' or necessary? The new asylum rulesClips: Getty Images, DRM News. Photo: Times Media Ltd.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.

In this special two part podcast, Whitehall editor at The Sunday Times, Gabriel Pogrund, is joined by the preeminent investigative journalist and author Patrick Radden Keefe.On a cold November night in 2019, 19 year old Zac Brettler jumped to his death from the balcony of a luxury London apartment. Police concluded it was suicide, however, under Radden Keefe's forensic microscope together with Gabriel's own Sunday Times investigation, serious questions are raised about what really happened that night, and whether it was suicide after all. It's a tale rooted in London's criminal underground, and now the subject of Radden Keefe's latest book, London Falling.In episode 2: What really happened on the night Zac died? Gabriel gets hold of some crucial new evidence which calls into question the Met Police's investigation.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: Gabriel Pogrund - Whitehall editor at The Sunday Times.Guest: Patrick Radden Keefe.Producer: Dave Creasey.Executive Producer: Kate FordWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: The dead teenager, the lying suspect and the black box that proves itPhoto: The Times, design by Cecilia Tombesi.Click here to buy London Falling at the times bookshop.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.

In this special two part podcast, Whitehall editor at The Sunday Times, Gabriel Pogrund, is joined by the preeminent investigative journalist and author Patrick Radden Keefe.On a cold November night in 2019, 19 year old Zac Brettler jumped to his death from the balcony of a luxury London apartment. Police concluded it was suicide, however, under Radden Keefe's forensic microscope together with Gabriel's own Sunday Times investigation, serious questions are raised about what really happened that night, and whether it was suicide after all. It's a tale rooted in London's criminal underground, and now the subject of Radden Keefe's latest book, London Falling.In this episode we hear about how a young man, born into a wealthy family, become embroiled with a notorious London gangster.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: Gabriel Pogrund - Whitehall editor at The Sunday TimesGuest: Patrick Radden KeefeProducer: Dave Creasey.Executive Producer: Kate FordWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: The dead teenager, the lying suspect and the black box that proves itPhoto: The Times, design by Cecilia Tombesi.Click here to buy London Falling at the times bookshop.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.

For decades UK sofas have contained chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and infertility because of uniquely strict fire rules. Up to a fifth of their foam consists of a chemical not used in any other country's sofas, but is now classed “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organisation. So how deadly is your sofa, why is the UK an outlier and are things set to improve?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: Martina Lees, senior property reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Edward DrummondWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Sitting comfortably? Your sofa is among the most toxic on Earth 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.

After mounting hostilities and Trump's threats that ‘a whole civilization will die' unless Iran backs down, Tehran and Washington have agreed to a two week ceasefire. Now, they're discussing a ten-point plan to permanently end the war. But is this the end of the fighting or just a pause? What's in the peace plan? And has this conflict taught Iran that it can hold the world to ransom?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: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case and Sophie McNulty.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: What's in Iran's ten-point ceasefire plan? Trump's stumbling blocks examinedFurther listening: The West Bank land grab no one's watchingClips: BBC, CNN, AP, CSPAN, NDTV, The Mary Trump Podcast. 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.

With the world's attention fixed on the war in Iran, Israeli settler gangs are rapidly and violently expanding outposts in the West Bank – seemingly with impunity. So, what's it like on the ground? Is the Israeli government softening to the ‘extremist' settler movement? And will settlers ever be held accountable? 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: Richard Spencer, world affairs correspondent, The TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Sophie McNulty, Taryn SiegelWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Israel's settlers seize their chance to snatch land in West BankFurther listening: The Board of Peace: the new UN or Trump's vanity project?Clips: CNN, France 24, BBC, CBS, ABC 7, Middle East Eye.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.

Thousands of pensioners invested their life savings into London Capital and Finance before it was revealed to be the UK's biggest ever Ponzi scheme. Now, new Times reporting shows how the millions in investments were lavishly spent by LCF's founders. So how was a scheme on this scale allowed to take root in the first place?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: Jim Armitage, contributing editor, The Sunday Times.Antonia Summer, investor in LCF.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Harry Stott, Callum Martin.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Inside Britain's biggest Ponzi scheme: where did £237m go?Clips: Rehman Chisti MP / Facebook.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.

Hungary goes to the polls on Sunday and for the first time in sixteen years, Donald Trump's right-wing ally Viktor Orbán might lose his iron grip on power. But who is this man who's ruled the country for so long? What do we know about the man who could unseat him? And what would a loss for Orbán mean for the populist right and for Europe as a whole?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: Peter Conradi, Europe editor, The Sunday TimesVictor Sebestyen, journalist and author covering Eastern Europe & RussiaHost: Luke JonesProducer: Sophie McNulty, Olivia CaseWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Who is Peter Magyar, the man hoping to oust Viktor Orban?Clips: Bloomberg, DRM News, Péter Magyar - YouTubePhoto: Getty Images, 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.

It's the trial rocking France's intelligence service. Two guards who had always dreamt of going under cover were allegedly tricked into a plot to kill a ‘Mossad agent', who was nothing of the sort. It's an unbelievable tale of freemasons, fake missions - and real violence, where personal grudges are dressed up as matters of national security.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: Adam Sage, Paris correspondent, The Times. Host: Rosie Wright.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Freemasons, bored spies and a murder-for-hire scandal at France's MI6Photo: 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.

For millions of people, Disney was a huge part of their childhood. But, for a great number of people that love never went away, and today, it's those people who have become central to Disney's bottom line. They are the so called “Disney adults”. But their world isn't all sunshine and rainbows, it's a passionate subculture marked by competition, criticism - and high costs.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: Julia Webster and Sophie McNulty. Producer: Dave Creasey. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: ‘Next-level scary': inside the ultra-competitive world of Disney adultsClips: Disney. 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.

When The Times foreign correspondent Marc Bennetts moved to Russia in 1997, there was hope for a new future for the country. But over the next 25 years, he witnessed the rise of Vladimir Putin and the erosion of civil liberties. In his new book, The Descent: Witnessing Russia's Spiral into Madness Under Putin, Marc charts how one man remade Russia in his own paranoid image.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: Marc Bennetts, foreign correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Lies and fear: my life under the Kremlin's propaganda machineFurther listening: ‘I took a grenade blast to escape': Russian deserters speak to The TimesClips: Channel One Russia, Educational Video Group, NBC News, ITN, Times Now World, Dot's Eye. 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.

A Sunday Times investigation has found that, in Scotland, there are claims that the SNP has, in effect, shut down criticism from the charity and voluntary sectors because of a system that leaves them umbilically tied to its political objectives and fearing grave consequences if they step out of line.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: Dan Sanderson, Scottish political editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Taryn Siegel.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: How the SNP spends billions ‘to buy loyalty from charities'Clips: 5 News, Parliament TV.Illustration: Tony Bell.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.

The countdown has begun for the launch of NASA's Artemis II mission around the Moon, the first manned mission there in more than 50 years. Their voyage around our nearest neighbour will pave the way for a lunar landing and, eventually, a Moon base. But why is there suddenly rekindled interest in moon exploration, and could this bring humans toward the ultimate goal of reaching Mars?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: Scott Kelly, retired NASA astronaut.Kaya Burgess, science and religious affairs correspondent for The Times.Host: Manveen RanaProducer: Julia WebsterWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Artemis II: mission to the MoonFurther listening: The Epstein Files, AI journalism and the future of truth - The Sunday StoryClips: NASA, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, PBS, Space Age Archive, Associated Press, CriticalPast, Cosmosphere.Photo: Kathia Mestanza, 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.

Donald Trump has threatened that the US would “obliterate Kharg Island” if a deal with Tehran was not reached. The US president has suggested he'd put boots on the ground to seize control of Iran's key oil export terminal. So why does the island matter so much? How would a ground invasion work? And just how risky is it to the US troops involved?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: George Grylls, Washington correspondent, The Times.Sir Simon Mayall, ex-Lieutenant General in the British army and author.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Harry Stott, Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Can the US take Kharg Island? How an invasion could play outFurther listening: Q&A: What we know (and don't know) about Trump's Iran talksClips: CBC, FOX, BBC, C-SPAN.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.

Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of war, was one of the most controversial picks in Trump's cabinet. But as Trump's foreign adventures have come to define his second term, Hegseth is not just more visible, he's become the Iran war's main cheerleader. So who is he?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: Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist, the Times and the Sunday Times. Host: Manveen RanaProducers: Harry Stott and Micaela ArnesonWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Pete Hegseth, the former soldier and TV host selling Trump's warFurther listening: Q&A: What we know (and don't know) about Trump's Iran talksClips: FOX, BBC, Forbes, CBS, SKY.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.

As AI seeps into every corner of art, film and social media, up next, it's podcasts. An AI-generated show called The Epstein Files topped the Apple series charts last week, bringing you the very latest on the colossal 3.5 million documents, in a time frame that most journalists could only dream of. Even the hosts are AI. But does it work? And what does AI-led journalism mean for the future of investigations and the search for truth? We tracked down its creator.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: Manveen RanaProducer: Robert WallaceWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comPhoto: 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.

This week, Channel 5 broadcast a dramatisation of the downfall of former BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, with Martin Clunes in the lead role. The programme traces the events that led to his sudden and very public fall from grace. Andrew Billen, veteran journalist who specialises in interviews with celebrities, politicians and writers at The Times, met Edwards on several occasions, including the day before his world came crashing down. In a compelling piece published this week, Billen reflects on the man he thought he knew.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, features writer, The Times.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: I've met Huw Edwards, here's what the TV drama gets right (and wrong)Photo: Getty ImagesThis 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.

Polymarket and Kalshi have become two of the fastest-growing online platforms in the prediction market, hosting bets where people can wager on the outcome of events, including on the conflict in Iran. But some observers have raised concerns that unusually precise, well-timed bets could point to insider dealings. So what exactly are prediction markets? And what does it mean for society when you can bet on almost anything?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 Stokel-Walker, technology journalist and author.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Sophie McNulty & Julia Webster.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Dollars and death threats: the dark side of prediction marketsFurther listening: How AI helped Trump attack IranClips: FRENCH 24 English, CNN, 60 Minutes, CBS News, Fox 10 Phoenix, iSpot, The Times, Coinbase. 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.

As the war with Iran rumbles on, are ceasefire talks back on or is that ‘fake news'? What's in America's 15 point peace plan? Could an Iranian missile reach the UK? And how long can Iran keep fighting? Hosts Manveen Rana and Luke Jones are here to answer your questions, in our monthly Q&A. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHosts: Manveen Rana and Luke Jones. Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Iran war latest: US ‘negotiating with itself', Tehran claimsFurther listening: Inside Lebanon as Israel and Hezbollah wage warPhoto: Getty Images and The Times' designer Dana Chan.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.

In the final episode of our county lines series, we hear how county lines drug gangs are continuing to shift their business model to avoid detection. Policing minister, Sarah Jones, explains how the government is planning to fight back. Plus, The Times' crime editor David Woode sits down with The Sunday Times' northern editor David Collins to discuss what they've learnt about the inner workings of county lines gangs.This is episode five of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing, running in audio, video, print and digital from The Times and The Sunday Times.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: David WoodeProducers: Kate Lamble, Edward Drummond, and Taryn SiegelWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: I joined the police on a county lines crackdownPhoto: 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.

Mike started selling drugs for a county lines gang when he was just a teenager. After being arrested and getting stabbed, he left that life behind. But he's been willing to share his experiences with The Times' crime editor David Woode for the first time, explaining how he got caught 'under a spell'. This is episode four of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing, running in audio, video, print and digital from The Times and The Sunday Times.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: David WoodeProducers: Kate Lamble and Taryn Siegel. With thanks to the St Giles TrustWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Inside the case of a 15-year-old caught with a machete and pistolFurther listening: Why I carried a knifePhoto: 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.

Children aren't just running drugs for county lines gangs - sometimes they're running the lines themselves.Today The Sunday Times's northern editor David Collins talks to the police officers who worry laws designed to protect victims of exploitation might actually encourage gang leaders to promote teenagers into higher positions in their criminal organisation.This is episode three of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing, running in audio, video, print and digital from The Times and The Sunday Times.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 more: Drug dealers use anti-slavery law to escape prosecution | I was a county lines drug runner. I tried to quit, then I was stabbedWatch: School-age kingpins: why children now hold the key to county linesHost: David CollinsProducers: Kate Lamble and Taryn SiegelExecutive producers: Tim Walklate and Dan BoxWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comThis 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.

Today we go inside Operation Titan, as North Yorkshire Police fight back against county lines drugs gangs. But with each line the police shut down, another pops up in its place, sometimes within days. The Sunday Times' northern editor David Collins investigates how to break the cycle. This is episode two of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing, running in audio, video, print and digital from The Times and The Sunday Times.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 more: Drug dealers use anti-slavery law to escape prosecution | I was a county lines drug runner. I tried to quit, then I was stabbedWatch: School-age kingpins: why children now hold the key to county linesHost: David Collins.Producers: Kate Lamble and Taryn SiegelExecutive producers: Tim Walklate and Dan BoxWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comThis 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.

Part one of a five-part special investigation into county lines drug dealing, running in audio, video, print and digital from The Times and The Sunday Times.Today we reveal how police took down the family controlling the drug trade in one British city, creating a power vacuum that was filled by a new breed of violent, criminal operation - county lines.The Sunday Times' northern editor David Collins is given unprecedented access to North Yorkshire Police as they fight back against the drug gangs. 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 more: Exposed: how drug gangs deal without fear as the law can't keep up | I was a county lines drug runner. I tried to quit, then I was stabbedWatch: School-age kingpins: why children now hold the key to county linesHost: David CollinsProducers: Kate Lamble, Taryn SiegelExecutive producers: Tim Walklate, Dan BoxWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comThis 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.

After years in hiding, The Sunday Times has obtained images of Christy and Daniel Kinahan, leaders of the all-powerful Kinahan cartel, living freely in Dubai. They are some of the most wanted criminals in the world. So why aren't they in custody?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: John Mooney, Investigative reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Taryn Siegel.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: The world is looking for the Kinahan drug lords. We found themFurther listening: Gourmet gangster: Could Kinahan be caught by his Google reviews?Clips: 971 FC, Irish Gangland, FM Boxing, Storyful.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.

What began as an evening out at a nightclub in Kent has rapidly spiralled into a "super-spreader" event that has left doctors stunned and two young people dead. This surge in Meningitis B cases has triggered a public health alert, leaving the UK scrambling as private vaccine supplies run dry. So how can the authorities contain this unprecedented outbreak?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: Eleanor Hayward, Health Editor, The Times. Professor Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine, the University of East Anglia.Niamh Curran, reporter, The Times Enterprise Network.Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Julia Webster, Callum Martin, Olivia Case. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Meningitis B outbreak: six cases after Kent superspreader event.Meningitis started with a headache. Then the blinding pain began.What causes meningitis? Symptoms and how the infection spreads.Further listening: Inside the world of "Looksmaxxing"Clips: SkyPhoto: Denise Kelly, 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.

On Monday, Israel announced it's preparing a ground offensive into Lebanon. Fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy group, has ratcheted up since the death of Iran's supreme leader more than two weeks ago. Over 900 people have been killed in Lebanon and nearly one million are displaced. Will Israel's new campaign bring a quicker end to the fighting? Or prolong a war which is already spiralling out of control?This episode contains graphic descriptions that some listeners may find distressing.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: Lousie Callaghan, foreign correspondent, The Sunday Times. Tom Ball, reporter, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Micaela Arneson, Julia Webster.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: IDF prepares for Lebanon offensive: ‘We don't know how this ends'Further listening: The Gulf's moment of truth - reshaping the Middle EastClips: IDF via @NationalDefence 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.

The war in the Middle East has now entered its third week and shows no sign of ending any time soon. Oil prices have soared and transatlantic relations between the US and its allies are strained. So what are President Trump's options now? And will the Europeans support him in policing the strategically important Strait of Hormuz?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: George Grylls, Washington Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case and Harry Stott.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Starmer resists Trump's call to send warships to Strait of HormuzFurther listening: Is Cuba next?Clips: Fox, The White House, STV, The Times, Euronews, Keir Starmer / YouTube, WSJ, C-SPAN, DRM News International / YouTube. Photo: Getty Images, The Times' Senior Digtal Designer Shaun Parkinson.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.

Throughout Cuba, fuel shortages, blackouts, and food scarcity have become the norm. Since the US intervention in Venezuela in January, the oil lifeline into Cuba has all but dried up. Trump is now claiming that Cuba is on the brink of collapse. As the war in Iran rages on unabated – is this American neighbour his next target?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: Matthew Campbell, foreign features editor, The Sunday TimesCatherine Philp, world affairs editor, The TimesHost: Rosie Wright.Producers: Sophie McNulty & Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comFurther reading: Cubans await Trump's next move: ‘Would the Americans bomb us?'Further listening: Drugs, oil and power: what Trump is doing with VenezuelaClips: AP, DRM News, News Nation, Onyx Media, Archivo DiFilm, 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.

From the shadowy corners of incel forums, a new obsession was quietly emerging. To succeed, financially, socially and sexually, you need to level up your face and frame. Enter “Looksmaxxing”, the idea that how you look can be engineered to perfection to maximise your full aesthetic potential. It's a TikTok-fuelled culture of mogging, "bone-smashing", and glow-ups - and a way for young men to measure beauty, status, and self-worth. How far will some go to “max” their looks? Is it vanity, or a survival strategy in a hyper-visual world? And what does it reveal about the state of men's mental health today?Our listener survey is live - find it 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/thestoryHost: Rosie WrightGuest: Jack Burke, times contributor.Producer: Dave CreaseyRead more: Looksmaxxing: the worrying new extreme teenage trendImage: Getty ImagesThis 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.

In 1938, Catherine Duleep Singh, goddaughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of the last Maharajah of Punjab, personally secured the escape of Jewish families to Britain, saving them from the Holocaust. Her story didn't end there, she became a prominent suffragette, fighting for women's rights while navigating life in exile. We explore her remarkable courage, activism, and the lives she forever changed.Our listener survey is live - find it 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/thestoryRead by: Jack Blackburn, history correspondent for The Times.Producer: Dave CreaseyRead more: Last princess of Punjab who saved families from the HolocaustImage: Getty ImagesThis 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.

The Story host Manveen Rana and her Times colleague Anthony Loyd continue their search for what happened to the British photojournalist John Cantlie, after he was kidnapped by ISIS in Syria. In this thrilling denouement to the series, Manveen and Anthony travel to a maximum security prison in Iraq to meet a man who could hold the answer. But will this ISIS prisoner reveal all? Or will Cantlie's death remain a mystery?Listen to the full Last Man Standing series 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/thestoryHosts: Manveen Rana and Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The Times.Producer: Harry Stott.Executive producer: Will Roe.Further reading: Anthony Loyd: my hunt for the forgotten Isis hostage John CantlieWatch: Hostage on BBC iPlayer. Clips: BBC.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.

Peter Mandelson's disastrous few months continue apace, after the government released a tranche of documents that tell us a lot about his hiring - and firing - as ambassador to the US. So what's in the files? And what does it all say about the judgment of the Prime Minister?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryOur listener survey is live - find it here.Guest: Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times. Host: Rosie Wright. Producers: Harry Stott, Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Peter Mandelson files: flawed vetting, ‘risk' and other revelationsMandelson files expose Keir Starmer — and it's just the beginningFurther listening: Mandelson, Epstein and the fight for survival at No 10Clips: Guardian News, AFP News Agency, Sky News, Diario AS. 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.

As Iran continues to attack its Gulf neighbours could the strikes turn into a wider war? Who might be drawn in? And with Iran hitting friends as well as foes, how will this war reshape the Middle East and its relationship with the US?Our listener survey is live - find it 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/thestoryGuests: Michael Stephens, consultant and senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. Hofit Golan, influencer and content creator.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case and Harry Stott.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Iran latest: Trump says war could end soon as ‘nothing left to target'Further listening: Iran has a new leader - how long will he last?Clips: Al Jazeera. 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.