The i Podcast

“Labour's Plan For Power: Fixing The North-South Divide” is the third episode of a special new i podcast series looking at what Sir Keir Starmer's party would do differently if it wins the next election.Hosted by Paul Waugh, i‘s chief political commentator, this is a four-part series that also covers the economy, Brexit and the NHS.Andy Burnham, the Metro Mayor for Greater Manchester, tells us: “I keep saying the North-South divide is no accident. It's the product of UK national policy over many decades under many governments. And we either decide to change it or we don't.”But former Business Secretary Peter Mandelson warns Keir Starmer's plan to take power from Whitehall and give it to local areas could undermine his own “five missions” for a Labour government.And Angela Rayner reveals how her own experience as a care worker and trade unionist convinced her of the need to devolve as much power as possible. “When people feel they have control over what they're trying to achieve, they own it. You just got to give people a little bit more empowerment. And it's surprising how well that can pay off.”Subscribe to Labour's Plan for Power to hear every episodeProduced and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is composed by Slicebeats, Coma Media, Daddy_s_Music and AKTASOK, licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music in the links below. https://pixabay.com/ru/music/nature-cinematic-documentary-159610/https://pixabay.com/ru/music/tic-toc-suspenso-7312/https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-documentary-11052/https://pixabay.com/music/solo-piano-piano-moment-9835/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour's Plan For Power: The NHS and Your Health is the second episode of a special new i podcast series looking at what Sir Keir Starmer's party would do differently if it wins the next election. Hosted by Paul Waugh, i's chief political commentator, this is a four-part series that also covers the economy, Brexit and the North-South divide.The Royal College of Nursing tells us that it is ready to go on strike again if a Labour government fails to deliver on pay and staff shortages. Former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn warns that it is “unacceptable” for senior doctors to take industrial action and urges Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting to make that is “bottom line”.And Streeting himself says that he will stand up for patients against “vested interests” of trade unions and others who oppose NHS reform. With former Health Secretary Andy Burnham and an array of health experts we also discuss funding pressures, the role of the private sector, waiting lists, GP access and social care.Subscribe to Labour's Plan for Power to hear every episodeProduced and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is composed by Slicebeats, Coma Media, Daddy_s_Music and AKTASOK, licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music in the links below. https://pixabay.com/ru/music/nature-cinematic-documentary-159610/https://pixabay.com/ru/music/tic-toc-suspenso-7312/https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-documentary-11052/https://pixabay.com/music/solo-piano-piano-moment-9835/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour's Plan For Power: The Economy is the first episode of a special new i podcast series looking at what Sir Keir Starmer's party would do differently if it wins the next election.Hosted by Paul Waugh, i's chief political commentator, this is the first of a four-part series that will also cover the NHS, Brexit and the North-South divide.Ken Clarke reveals why he thinks Rachel Reeves' “responsible approach” to public finances would be “reassuring” if Labour won power. Peter Mandelson warns any new tax rises would deter business at home and abroad. Ed Balls explains why Labour adopted Tory spending limits in 1997. John McDonnell spells out the danger of not spending or taxing enough. And Rachel Reeves tells us just what it would mean to be Britain's first female chancellor - and why Labour is “on the cusp of achieving something remarkable” at the next election.Subscribe to Labour's Plan for Power, and listen to all four episodes today.Produced by Albert Evans and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is composed by Slicebeats, Grand Project, Coma Media and AKTASOK, licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music in the links below. https://pixabay.com/music/synthwave-on-the-road-to-the-eighties-131722/https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-documentary-11052/https://pixabay.com/ru/music/tic-toc-suspenso-7312/https://pixabay.com/ru/music/nature-cinematic-documentary-159610/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The housing crisis is a vast web of overlapping problems and failings. It's a feature of modern Britain. But as the economy flounders, the crisis takes new forms, dragging more people in. And the impact on those caught in its grasp is devastating.In this week's episode of The i Podcast we are joined by our housing correspondent Vicky Spratt who has uncovered a scandal about how mothers and children are being treated by the very authorities they have turned to for help. Produced by Albert Evans and edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having a child is supposed to be a life-affirming experience, if you follow popular logic. But what if you hate it?There's a growing movement promoting a “child-free lifestyle” - and some of its biggest proponents are parents, fed up with their offspring and wishing they'd taken a different path.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are joined by chief features writer Kasia Delgado, who has been talking to the parents who regret having children and the groups they have formed to share their experiences. We will also hear from the parents themselves about the taboo surrounding voicing these opinions and what they wish they had known before they took the plunge.Produced by Albert Evans and edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years since the Taliban stormed Kabul, devastating the lives of thousands of Afghans, those who fled to Britain are now facing an uncertain future. The Taliban takeover marked the end of a 20-year presence of coalition forces in the country and the beginning of a dark new chapter for the nation, restricting rights and freedoms for women and girls. Afghans who worked with the western-backed Government live in fear for their lives. Many who worked with the British, American and other Western nations braved perilous journeys to escape their new reality. In this week's episode of The i Podcast we speak to three Afghan women who fled Afghanistan for Britain.To date, the UK has opened its doors to 24,600 vulnerable Afghans under two resettlement schemes hailed as the world's most generous. Yet families who arrived have lived in cramped hotel rooms for months without provisions to cook or wash their clothes. Now a new fear looms as the hotels are due to be shut at the end of August with those that remain facing eviction. Some have nowhere else to go.Read Molly's article here: https://inews.co.uk/news/afghan-refugee-hotel-no-space-cooking-washing-machines-2543645Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six years ago Paul Price's life changed forever. He was picking up his daughter from an Ariana Grande concert when a terrorist detonated a bomb in the entrance to the Manchester Arena. It was one of the most devastating terror attacks in a generation and Paul was at its epicentre. He spent the following eight months in hospital as doctors battled to fix his shattered body.But these months of pain and loss were followed by another challenge - accessing the support he desperately needed from the British government.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we visit Paul at his house in Liverpool to find out why he feels the government has "made his trauma worse". You can read his opinion piece here.Produced by Albert Evans and Molly Blackall, additional production by Izin Akhabau. Edited by Julia Webster. Music by Tim Kulig and Michael Kobrin via Pixabay.Check out their music here:Tim Kulig (timkulig.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Michael Kobrinhttps://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It wouldn't be the first time a whistleblower has stunned the US Congress with an extraordinary revelation, but last week's hearings were truly stranger than fiction.Not one but three military witnesses testified about their experiences of UFOs, otherwise known as UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena).In this week's episode of The i Podcast we're joined by science writer, Stuart Ritchie, and senior reporter, Richard Holmes, as we explore the line between fact and fiction in these extraordinary testimonies.Former intelligence official David Grusch told Republican Representative Nancy Mace the federal government held the "non-human" biological remains of the pilots of a crashed craft and the allegations didn't end there.Mr Grusch said he is now in fear for his life for speaking openly about the discoveries, claiming the Pentagon has a secretive multi-decade programme to collect and piece together crashed UAPs.The Pentagon, meanwhile, disputes claims of a cover-up, having released footage of US Navy pilots chasing disc-like objects whizzing through the sky for the public to see in 2020.But Congress members from both sides of the aisle are now demanding more transparency to answer a long-standing question – are UFOs real? Listen back to the Covid Lab leak episode here: https://pod.link/1655186150/episode/da7369c27224520df0408adde7d63170Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A general election is on the horizon in the next 17 months. Last Thursday's triple-decker by-election results could be the final major democratic exercise in Britain before we head to the polls nationally. You may have heard the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaders claiming by-election success, but look a little closer at the results and you'll find things that will worry politicians of all stripes. In this week's episode of The i Podcast chief political correspondent Richard Vaughan and politics reporter Poppy Wood join us to pick through the by-election aftermath.While the Conservatives held the seat vacated by Boris Johnson in Uxbridge and Ruislip by just 495 votes, Labour's campaign propelled the UK's new youngest MP to victory in Selby and Ainsty in Yorkshire. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats reclaimed the seat of Somerton and Frome that they lost to the Conservatives back in 2015. So how will these by-election results impact how each party runs their national campaign? From net zero to public sector pay disputes, i's politics team is on hand to explain how each party will address key policies to try to turn their hand to victory in the next general election.Produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe is boiling. The countries around the Mediterranean are facing soaring temperatures as an anticyclone sends temperatures through the roof. And while the mercury is expected to dive in the coming days, the continent is waking up to a harsh new reality. Climate change is here and we are not prepared for it.In this week's episode of The i Podcast we take a look at how the climate crisis is fuelling these major weather events, like the Cerberus heatwave, and find out what can be done about it. Joining us from the island of Sardinia is foreign reporter Claire Gilbody-Dickerson who has been talking to locals, tourists, and emergency service workers, struggling in the scorching heat. Then environment correspondent Daniel Capurro and science correspondent Tom Bawden gives us the details on why this heatwave is just the latest in a string of unpredictable events and what we can expect in Europe and across the world.Produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of close to 15 years of cheap credit is over and it's having a significant impact on the British economy. As the Bank of England rachets up interest rates, many homeowners are feeling the pinch, but the impact goes beyond higher interest payments for those with mortgages.This sea change in monetary policy is calling into question one of the few certainties of life in Britain. The idea that property is a safe and secure investment is on shaky ground.To help us explore what this means for Britain's economy, society, and political landscape, in this week's episode of The i Podcast we are joined by our housing correspondent, Vicky Spratt, and money and business editor, Jessie Hewitson.Join us as we take a deep dive into the mortgage crisis, looking at the ramifications of the ongoing transformation of the UK economy, and find out how our guests are coping with the borrowing crunch themselves.Produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a few short years, Saudi Arabia has become one of the biggest players in world sports. Capitalising on the pandemic, it has unleashed its oil-backed financial power and made inroads in most of the world's top sporting industries.It's growing dominance over golf, inroads into the Premier League and eye-wateringly expensive deals for some of football's biggest stars are just a few indicators of the kingdom's takeover.But this has been met with widespread criticism. Accusations of sport-washing and human rights abuses have followed, coming from industry insiders and fan groups alike.In this episode of The i Podcast, we are unpacking why the Middle-Eastern country is making such a bold move and the major impact it is having on teams and communities, Joining us is northern football correspondent Mark Douglas and chief football writer Daniel Storey to shed light on the events as they have unfolded and the consequences for “the beautiful game”. We also have professor of sport and geopolitical economy at SKEMA business school in Paris, Simon Chadwick, to provide his expert insight on the Saudi expansion and what it means in geopolitical terms.Produced by Albert Evans, the assistant producer was Sebastian Piette Pereira. Edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 24-hours Yevgeny Prigozhin's heavily armed convoy of Wagner troops captured the world's attention as they crossed from Ukraine into Russia, humiliating Vladimir Putin and the Russian army in the process.As the former caterer's forces stormed towards Moscow, Wagner's advance raised major questions about the Kremlin's control within Russia's own border. By the time the screeching halt was announced on Saturday night, the shockwaves from this event were reverberating across the world.In this episode of The i Podcast, we are taking a look behind this major development in the Russian war with Ukraine.Joining us is foreign news and feature writer Kieron Monks and special projects editor Rob Hastings to shed light on the events as they have unfolded and the implications for Ukraine. We also have special correspondent and Russia expert Patrick Cockburn to give his insights on the conflict between Wagner and the Russian military establishment. With our guests we will explore the origins of the dispute, the impact this may have on the war with Ukraine, and its potential for destabilising Putin's regime.Read more about Wagner here: https://inews.co.uk/topic/wagner-groupProduced by Albert Evans, assistant producer was Sebastian Piette Pereira. Edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Sudan has faced significant challenges since it gained independence from its northern neighbour in 2011. But the conflict between two Sudanese factions has triggered a migrant crisis that is dramatically worsening conditions – and this is largely being ignored by the rest of the world.In this special episode of The i Podcast, Molly Blackall takes us to the border between Sudan and South Sudan, where thousands of new arrivals are entering a living nightmare in the camps that have sprung up to house them.Molly meets the people who are facing bandits, snakes and disease in the camps as they look to the future – their lives unrecognisable from those they had before the conflict broke out in April this year.We will explore how the conflict took hold, the journey they took, and why aid organisations including Save the Children say a decision taken at the height of the pandemic by the UK Government is making conditions even worse. Additional audio supplied by Reuters and PA. Written and produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A six-month i investigation has uncovered a suspected Russian intelligence asset has been living freely in the UK and even used the flagship Homes for Ukraine scheme to bring his family to Britain.i Senior Reporter Richard Holmes joins us this week on a special episode of The i Podcast to reveal how he unearthed this remarkable story and what it says about the UK's ability to counter suspected foreign threats.From covert meetings with FBI agents in Italian restaurants to high-level Ukrainian investigations, Richard has worked for half a year to bring the story to our front page this week.Find out the lengths he went to uncover exactly what happened in the heart of government when the scheme was launched, and what the subject, who i has chosen not to name, has to say about the allegations.Read Richard's investigation here: https://inews.co.uk/news/alleged-russian-intelligence-asset-living-london-homes-ukraine-scheme-2374434Written and produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For most of us, rinsing out our plastics and dropping those single-use containers into our kerbside recycling seems like a worthy, if unremarkable, pursuit.But a new study suggests even recycling plastic may be doing more harm than we realise.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, science and environment correspondent Tom Bawden and environment correspondent Daniel Capurro join host Serina Sandhu to look at how exactly we can kick our plastic habit and clean up our recycling act. From increasing its toxicity to releasing billions of microplastic particles in every cubic metre of wastewater, recycling may not be the silver bullet we once hoped.Now, ministers are set to increase a crackdown on "wishscycling", when well-meaning households drop items that can't be recycled into their green bins.So how else can we prevent our plastic consumption from wreaking havoc on the environment and taking its toll on our health? Written and produced by Phoebe Fleming, edited by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservative MPs have a problem they can't shake. A problem called Boris Johnson. The former PM looms large over the party, rarely far from newspaper front pages.His supporters want him to return to frontline politics and renew the 80-seat majority he delivered in 2019. Others in the party treat him like a bad smell, reminding them of the worst days of the “Partygate” scandal.In this week's episode of The i Podcast we take a look at this divisive character and what his enduring presence means for Rishi Sunak's party as it faces one of the toughest political landscapes in its 13 years in government.Joining us to tread through the latest wave of controversy following Mr Johnson is i Policy Editor Jane Merrick before we speak to polling guru Sir John Curtice about how Mr Johnson fares with voters. Produced by Julia Webster and Phoebe Fleming. The executive producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might sound like science fiction, but while unions worry about AI's risk to jobs, some experts are concerned about a more existential threat to humanity.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, host Molly Blackall is joined by i science writer, Stuart Ritchie, to look at why many have concerns about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.This new technology could reinvent the economy freeing workers from menial tasks and boosting productivity. Yet on the flip side, millions of jobs are at risk due to it's widespread use.But job losses may turn out to be the least of our worries. Beyond the world of work there is an even greater threat – that to human life itself.And surprisingly, it's not just sideline sceptics issuing these warnings – some of the loudest voices are the very scientists and developers who created the technology.Sign up to Stuart's newsletter here: https://inews.co.uk/my-account?ico=signup_header Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the biggest issue facing Britain in a generation. The UK's broken housing market is fuelling deprivation and poverty on a vast scale - and policymakers are struggling to find a solution. In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are taking a deep dive into how the UK became addicted to rising house prices and the effects of this, from leaseholders to renters, and homeowners grappling with soaring interest rates.Our guide on this journey is i housing correspondent Vicky Spratt, who explores what can be done to fix Britain's housing mess. Vicky is also taking your questions on matters including if we are on course for a house price crash, the 100 per cent rate mortgage, leasehold reform, and shared ownership. She's also answering your questions on solutions such as a land value tax and the upcoming Renters Reform Bill.Sign up to Vicky's newsletter here: https://inews.co.uk/my-account?ico=signup_header Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The results of last Thursday's local elections, were on the face of it, terrible for the Conservatives. The party lost more than 1,000 seats, haemorrhaging support across the country to Labour and the resurgent Lib Dems.But if you look a little closer for glimmers of hope for the Government, a number of interesting factors come into view that show that the race for Downing Street is far from a done deal.In this week's episode of The i Podcast we are taking a look at Labour's lacklustre performance in some areas, the opening of Lib Dem front in the Conservative's “blue wall” and why personality politics is on the wane.Joining us to pick through the details are Political Editor Hugo Gye and Political Reporter Chloe Chaplain to help shine a light on the coming election due in the next 18 months.Read more of our politics coverage here: https://inews.co.uk/category/news/politicsProduced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Britain hangs up the bunting for King Charles's coronation, over 4,000 miles away in the Commonwealth realm of Grenada, arrangements look a little different.Magistrate Arley Gill describes how locals have little to no interest in celebrating “the business of the British”.Gill and his community are not alone. After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a new era is being ushered in, and with it, restlessness is growing in the former British colonies yet to become republics.In this week's episode of The i Podcast we look at whether King Charles III could be the last monarch of the Commonwealth realm.The realm was born from the British Empire and funded by the proceeds of slavery, making the relationship with modern Britain deeply complicated.This week, host Molly Blackall is joined by Alannah Francis and Serina Sandhu to explore how more Caribbean islands may soon ditch their colonial past and get rid of the British monarch. Read Alannah's big read here: https://inews.co.uk/news/commonwealth-what-happen-king-charles-shrink-caribbean-monarchy-2298477Produced by Phoebe Fleming & Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For over a year, Labour has been riding high in the polls. Keir Starmer's ruthless crushing of internal dissent, tighter message disciple and a Government in disarray had the party sustaining a more than 20-point lead against the Conservatives.But recently, that lead has begun to tail off, and with it, the dreams of the party winning a huge majority in the next general election. The party's lead has dropped to around 14 per cent – with some pollsters predicting a hung parliament if an election was held now.In this week's episode of The i Podcast we are taking a look at why that is – and how Labour is coming out swinging in response. Host Molly Blackall is joined by i chief political commentator, Paul Waugh, to give us the inside story of the Opposition's strategy.Read Paul's commentary and analysis here: https://inews.co.uk/author/paul-waughWe are also talking to pollsters about what voters are telling them and why the shifting political map of Britain has major implications for Westminster.Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Tate‘s hyper-macho brand of 21st century chauvinism has gained him legions of fans and put him firmly in the spotlight.This fanbase has backed him throughout his legal issues and is mainly young men, frustrated by the status quo and viewing him as role model. But it's not just men. In this week's episode of The i Podcast we meet the women who are also falling under his spell.i‘s chief features writer, Kasia Delgado, has been tracking the rise of Tate as concerns grew among parents and teachers about his influence on young men.But for 25-year-old Julia Zwegat, a registered nurse working in Germany, Tate's ultra-masculine persona and his doctrine of hard work, determination and “no excuses” is just as compelling. We spoke to her to find out why. Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Contains audio from The Pregame Podcast and Reuters. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin - licensed via Pixabay. Additional music licenced via Epidemic Sounds. Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mother-of-one Soraya Wooller spends her weekends in places most people wouldn't want to venture. A volunteer for local group Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, Soraya tests treated wastewater being discharged back into her local riverfrom a nearby sewage treatment plant. In the past ten years Soraya and her community have seen the river deteriorate. The water has turned opaque, coated with algae, its fish populations quietly diminishing. So why has the health of Britain's rivers been allowed to decline so dramatically in the past decade? In this week's episode of The i Podcast we travel back to the late 80s and the privatisation of this critical industry. Host Molly Blackall is joined by i's Environment Correspondent Daniel Capurro and Senior Reporter Ben Gartside who have been following the money to find out why community groups such as Soraya's are now finding their local rivers in such a perilous position. Find out more about i's campaign to Save Britain's Rivers Produced by Julia Webster and Phoebe Fleming. The executive producer is Albert Evans. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. A Thames Water spokesperson said: "Our turnaround plan stretches over eight years and will fix the basics, raise the bar and shape the future. It has already seen a number of improvements including improving trends in water quality, complaints management and supply interruptions performance. It will take time and we know there is a lot of work we need to do but we're making progress." "We've committed £1.6 billion of investment in our sewage treatment works and sewers over the next two years. This will help us to deliver our commitment to a 50% reduction in the total annual duration of discharges across London and the Thames Valley by 2030, and within that an 80% reduction in sensitive catchments. "We're currently increasing sewage treatment capacity at a number of our sewage works across the Thames Valley, including Witney, Chesham, Church Hanborough, Bampton and Fairford to be completed by 2025. "We're also the first company to provide live alerts for all untreated discharges throughout our region and this ‘near real-time' data is available to customers as a map on our website and is also available through an open data platform for third parties, such as swimming and environmental groups, to use. "We are taking these steps to rebuild our business in order to deliver on our turnaround plan.This will take time and significant investment, but we are committed to achieving this plan and ensuring our customers see and feel the progress we are making." Regarding the testing at Standlake they said: "We adhere to the site permit issued by the EA and achieve higher standards when possible." An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We are holding the water industry to account on a scale never seen before – securing record fines against water companies and driving up monitoring and transparency to ensure the public can see what is going on." "Locally, we have secured penalties of almost £33m from Thames Water since 2017 and the number of sewage spills from Thames Water overflows was down 50% in 2022 on the year before – and we will continue to ensure polluters are held to account." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many, spying conjures images of anoraked men, secret meetings and briefcases furtively exchanged on park benches. But how does the reality in 21st century Britain compare?In this week's episode of The i Podcast, host Molly Blackall is joined by senior reporter Richard Holmes to take a look at the threats the UK's faces from hostile intelligence services - and why one looms large in the mind of many senior spooks. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has seen it cast of out the structures of global co-operation. It's now depending ever more on intelligence to get what it wants.To help us uncover how this takes place, we are joined by Christopher Steele, former MI6 officer, who authored the controversial Steele Dossier about Donald Trump's alleged links to the Russian state. He helps us uncover what actions Russia is undertaking and why - and how the Chinese threat stacks up.Read more i reporting on the new frontier of spying here: https://inews.co.uk/topic/spyingIf you'd like to read more of Richard's reporting you can find that here: https://inews.co.uk/author/richard-holmesProduced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than a million women in the UK are thought to be suffering from an illness that is leaving some of them bedbound, unable to work and battling with the mental strain of a debilitating condition. But you probably won't have heard of it.Chronic urinary tract infections can be terrible for sufferers, but experts warn that the awareness, testing and treatment for them is simply not good enough. In this week's episode of The i Podcast we are taking a look at why this is – and what can be done about it.i reporter Connie Dimsdale joins host Molly Blackall to discuss her reporting on the hidden women's health crisis sweeping the UK.Read i reporting on Chronic UTIs here: https://inews.co.uk/topic/chronic-utiProduced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay.Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many people with autism find navigating a world not designed for them a difficult task. They are forced to spend much of their lives trying to fit in – but what if it is the “neurotypical” majority who should adapt?In this week's episode of The i Podcast we are joined by iMoney and Business Editor Jessie Hewitson to talk about the way her view of the condition has changed dramatically in the years since her son's diagnosis.In the 90s, advocates for a better understanding of autism attempted to reverse the conversation around it, coining the phrase “neurotypical syndrome” – describing “sufferers” as following “impossible social rituals”, finding it “difficult to communicate directly” and lying far more often than autistic people. It's an idea that Jessie has warmed to.Through the process of writing her book Autism: How to raise a happily autistic child she came to appreciate the need to reframe neurodivergence – and look beyond the contradictions of the non-autistic world.One of the people who transformed her view was Laura James – an author and journalist whose autism was only diagnosed in her forties. She joins us to give a unique insight into why neurotypical people should try and “be more autistic”.Read Jessie's writing here: https://inews.co.uk/author/jessie-hewitsonProduced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Covid-19 emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan three eventful years ago there have been two leading hypotheses on the virus's origin.The predominant theory suggests Covid-19 emerged through close contact between humans and animals in Wuhan's wet market. The second suggests it was the result of an accidental leak from a lab in the city of nine million people.Quickly dismissed by some as conspiracy theory fodder, the lab leak hypothesis took a back seat - attractive only to some curious scientists, or those with perhaps a heightened interest in science fiction or a disposition to believing in secret plots and cover-ups. Then in late February the US Department of Energy stated that its current belief was that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid, was most likely leaked from a lab in China, followed by a public statement of support for this theory from the FBI.Neither agency provided fresh evidence to support their shift in opinion. Many scientists point out there is no evidence that Covid leaked from a lab, and other US government agencies have said they believe a natural jump from animal to human is the more likely explanation.This week host Molly Blackall and Science Writer Stuart Ritchie delve into what the current science tells us about where Covid might actually have come from, with the help of guests Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist, and Jinghan Zeng, an expert on China and international relations.Could it be possible that the lab leak theory was too quickly dismissed in favour of the prevailing animal market consensus? And if so, what does it tell us about how we study viruses in labs?Read inews science expert Stuart Ritchie's article weighing up the arguments here: https://inews.co.uk/news/covid-lab-leak-theory-blindly-believing-dismissing-focus-evidence-2181006Professor Michael Worobey's research about the zoonotic theory is here:https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm4454Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here:https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From front man of The Undertones to a vocal environmental campaigner, Feargal Sharkey is on a mission to clean up Britain's rivers and to force water companies, regulators, and ministers to do their bit.Social media posts of sewage discharging into our rivers and seas may have caught your attention recently, and the situation on a national scale is similarly gloomy.Only 14 percent of England's rivers are in good ecological condition and the latest government projections indicate that unless there is a serious intervention, that number will have dropped to 6 percent by 2027.Speaking at the Amwell Magna Fishery, where Sharkey is chair of the oldest angling club in England, he explains to Cahal Milmo why the plight of Britain's rivers caught his attention and what he plans to do about it.Does Sharkey think there will be a day when the water companies and regulators have done enough to no longer be the target of his ire? He's really looking forward to the day, he says, that he can go back to talking about music.Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music herehttps://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sex and drugs going hand in hand is nothing new. But when things are taken to extreme lengths – such as in the world of chemsex – the door is opened to criminality on a vast scale.Patrick Strudwick's reporting has drawn attention to the individuals and criminal gangs involved in exploiting the murky world of chemsex parties for their own gain, and he joins us in this week's episode of The i Podcast.It's a world in which men meet each other for sex under the influence of drugs like meth and GHB and is mostly consensual – but not always, and the numbers speak for themselves.In the largest-ever survey of men involved in the chemsex scene found that more than a quarter have been sexually assaulted while on GHB, nearly half had been given drugs without their knowledge and one in five had been deliberately overdosed.But the criminality extends beyond the actions of individuals as criminal gangs are now piling in to exploit the lucrative opportunities presented by this world. Patrick gives his insights after years reporting on the subject and tells us what needs to change to stop people being harmed.If you have been affected by the issues in this episode contact these charities for support: https://galop.org.uk/chemsex/https://londonfriend.org.uk/sex-and-chemsex/Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year after Russia began it's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shattering the certainties of international politics, the ripples are still being felt worldwide.From tough talking in the corridors of power, to shoppers facing spiralling prices for essential goods, to Ukrainians picking through the rubble of devastated towns and cities, this conflict is being felt globally and will define geopolitics for generations.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, Molly Blackall is joined by i Special Correspondent Patrick Cockburn to unpack the critical moments from the conflict – and shine a light into the future of the war.Patrick brings a unique range of experiences to the table. He's covered conflicts far and wide – from Northern Ireland to Yemen. His knowledge of the Kremlin comes from two stints in Moscow, first during the Perestroika reforms in the mid-80s that helped bring the Soviet Union tumbling down, then during Vladimir Putin's rise to power in the late 90s. He's also been a Washington DC correspondent.Patrick and Molly discuss the conflict so far, before she puts readers' questions to him. Listen to the episode – wherever you get your podcasts. Let us know if you'd like any of our writers to cover a topic by leaving a comment in the review section of your podcast app. The producer is Julia Webster, Executive Producer is Albert Evans.The music featured is Out Of Time by Daddy_s_Music. You can check out their tracks here: https://pixabay.com/users/daddy_s_music-22836301/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the beginning of February, a mysterious flying balloon drifted into the public's view in the skies above Montana. Locals eagerly filmed the unidentified object, posting videos on social media, kickstarting speculation that it was a visitation from extraterrestrials.While bizarre, it seems there was something altogether more earthly was going on. The US pointed fingers squarely at China, claiming the balloon was a spying device, but Beijing insists it was merely a meteorological device, blown off course.By the time the balloon was shot down by a US Air Force fighter jet over the Atlantic, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had canceled a trip to China and relations between the two countries are showing no signs of improving.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, Senior Reporter Serina Sandhu is joined by foreign news reporter Keiron Monks to discuss how the mysterious balloons have reignited political tensions between the two superpowers.Only 14 percent of the UK's rivers are classified as being in a ‘good' ecological state and if things don't change that could be as low as 6 percent by 2027.What does this mean in practice? It's killing off our fragile ecosystems, making us sick and destroying these natural treasures for future generations.The i has a plan to reverse the fortunes of our national waterways, that's we are launching the Save Britain's Rivers campaign – alongside our sister publication the New Scientist.In part 2 of this episode we are joined by our Environment Correspondent Daniel Capurro to explain how we plan to pressure politicians and businesses into cleaning up their act.Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Truss is back and she knows who is at fault for her disastrous 49-day tenure as prime minister: a “blob of vested interests” opposed to her vision of a low-tax economy.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, deputy political editor, Arj Singh, joins host Molly Blackall to lift the lid on her explosive intervention that has reignited the Tory party's love affair with cutting taxes – and split the party once again.While many thought these libertarian ideals went the same way as Truss's doomed premiership, some in her party are unperturbed by the financial crisis they caused and want to try it all over again.Later, we are joined by i‘s chief features writer, Kasia Delgado, who has been looking at cases of people faking their own deaths and the pitfalls of doing so in the modern age.Faking your own death – or pseudocide – is attempted by hundreds of people every year. We take a look at this shadowy world and find out just how easy it is to disappear.Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine's Western allies have announced they will supply the embattled nation with high-tech tanks in a strategic move they hope will be decisive in its battle with Russia.From the German-engineered excellence of the Leopard 2 to the British Challenger 2, complete with a kettle for making tea, these new weapons will augment the Soviet-era vehicles Ukraine has been using to hold off the Russian advance.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, Chief Reporter Cahal Milmo and Senior Reporter Serina Sandhu join Molly Blackall to explore how the new tanks could have an impact on the conflict, which is nearing its one-year mark.Then we are heading to a waterway many call one of Britain's “most spectacular rivers” But the Wye is dying, choked by devastating pollution.The fate of the river, which runs along part of the England-Wales border, is by no means unique – but it has become a flashpoint in the battle to save the nation's waterways.Science and Environment Correspondent Tom Bawden joins us to take a look at why the river is under such grave threat, and what can be done to restore it to its former glory.Stay up to date with our Ukraine coverage here: https://inews.co.uk/topic/ukraineTom's story on the River Wye can be found here: https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/river-wye-death-uk-longest-best-loved-rivers-2108758Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit was supposed to revive the fishing industry. Free of the shackles of Brussels rules, the UK's fishing fleets would once more be able to make the most of British coastal waters and revitalise their coastal communities.This is what Boris Johnson told Ian Perkes in Devon back in 2019. Four years later, the Brixham fish merchant's business has seen sales plummet 30 per cent and export costs rise by as much as £3,000 a week.In this week's episode of The i Podcast with our chief news correspondent, David Parsley, we are going to take a look at what went wrong.Then we are joined by i‘s chief features writer, Kasia Delgado, who has been looking at the four-decades-long deal between the media and the Royal Family, that has come under intense scrutiny.As Prince Harry's bombshell claims continue to make waves – the media's relationship to the Royal Family is fraying, and Kasia takes us behind the scenes on how this deal is being upended. Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour has enjoyed a hefty polling lead over the Conservatives for more than a year. Polling averages are giving Labour up to a 20-point lead and many in Westminster expect them to win the next election – due within the next two years.In this week's episode of The i Podcast, policy editor Jane Merrick and political reporter Chloe Chaplain give us the inside view on how the Opposition party will navigate the coming months – and how it intends to turn the polling lead into a landslide victory.Later, senior reporter Serina Sandhu joins our host, Molly Blackall, to take us on a deep dive into the world of fine dining – where the cost of living crisis seems a million miles away.So why are people prepared to wait months and fork out hundreds of pounds for millimetre-thin sliced Quince? Serina will make that clear and explain why “revenge dining” may have something to do with it. Keep up to date with Chloe and Jane's coverage in the links below:https://inews.co.uk/author/jane-merrickhttps://inews.co.uk/author/chloe-chaplainSerina's piece is here: https://inews.co.uk/author/serina-sandhuProduced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans and the assistant producer is Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An exclusive i investigation has uncovered the measures Chinese intelligence is believed to have taken to track British Government figures' every move. In this week's episode of The i Podcast – Senior Reporter Richard Holmes lifts the lid on his remarkable front-page story – that has sent shockwaves through Britain's political establishment.Richard joins host Molly Blackall to explain the “disturbing things” his contacts in the British intelligence services have found after sweeping Government cars and why they are pointing fingers at Beijing's formidable security apparatus.Later we are joined by new i Science writer Stuart Richie who has written a guide on how to avoid being caught out by hyped-up science in 2023 – and how to never lose your cautious optimism about science making the world a better place.He breaks down the reasons why science reporting is fraught with difficulties and the key things to look out for as a reader.Keep up to date with Richard's string of exclusives here: https://inews.co.uk/author/richard-holmesStuart's first piece is here: https://inews.co.uk/news/stop-tricked-bad-science-reporting-2063504Produced by Julia Webster. Executive producer is Albert Evans. Assistance by Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are lifting the lid on the UK's response to the Covid-19 outbreak in China and what it tells us about Rishi Sunak's Government and Britain's place in the world.i‘s policy editor, Jane Merrick, joins Molly Blackall to give us the inside track on splits in the Cabinet and the geopolitical implications of the decision to bring in the first travel restrictions in a year for people arriving from China.Later, we are joined by i‘s science and environment correspondent, Tom Bawden, who has been looking at a remarkable scientific breakthrough that opens the door to the possibility of people living to until 120 – and healthily.He takes us through the science that may be finally cracking one of science's “holy grails” with major implications for humanity as we know it. Read Jane's coverage here: https://inews.co.uk/author/jane-merrickTom's story is here: https://inews.co.uk/news/cure-old-age-trial-new-drug-increase-life-expectancy-2024142Produced by Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While many of us may have been expecting a joyful re-opening of society after the pandemic, 2022 has brought many surprises, dashing our hopes of life finally returning to normal.In the final episode of the year Editor-in-chief Oly Duff and host Molly Blackall take a look back at the defining moments of 2022. From the political musical chairs in Downing Street to the first war on the European continent in a generation and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.Oly shares some of the pieces that resonated with him most this year, from Dean Kirby's investigation into Russian filtration camps which revealed for the first time Ukrainians were being forcibly deported inside Russia's borders, to Patrick Strudwick's piece on the Queen being a quiet LGBT ally.You can read those articles here:https://inews.co.uk/opinion/empire-does-not-sit-well-equality-queen-lgbt-ally-1853604https://inews.co.uk/news/ukraine-russia-war-putin-mauripol-deportations-filtration-camps-1539050-1539050Produced by Phoebe Fleming. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The NHS comes under considerable pressure every winter, but is this year the worst yet? In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are looking at the mounting challenges the health service faces – as the latest wave of industrial action takes hold.i Special Projects Editor Rob Hastings has been speaking to paramedics about how they feel working on the frontline of the frontline and the mounting concerns they have about the UK's ability to deal with surging demand for medical care in the winter months.He also runs us through the five reasons why this year is so much harder than previous challenges, as the sector emerges battered and bruised after the Covid-19 pandemic.When then take a look at why women are increasingly leaving their significant others and attending female-only sex parties.Our People Writer Eleanor Peake has been chatting to the women organising – and attending – these events to find out why escaping the “male gaze” is so important to them.Read Rob's long read here: https://inews.co.uk/news/health/nhs-paramedic-diary-shifts-hospital-queues-ambulance-delays-2029190Read Eleanor's trip into the world of sex parties here: https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/why-women-are-leaving-their-boyfriends-at-home-to-attend-female-only-sex-parties-2025743Produced by Julia Webster. The Executive Producer is Albert Evans with additional production by Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Strep-A has killed 16 children and caused panic among parents. The situation has been exacerbated by a lack of vital antibiotic supplies. In this week's podcast, we take a look at what went wrong – and what it tells us about our Government's response to infectious diseases in a post-pandemic world.Joining us to lift the lid on what has hampered the response is i Policy Editor Jane Merrick, who has broken a series of stories during the outbreak about the scramble to supply the vital antibiotics needed to parents of sick children. i Reporter Alannah Francis also joins us to tell us about the frontline medical staff and families that have been swept up in the chaos.Read Jane's coverage here: https://inews.co.uk/author/jane-merrickHere are Alannah's reports from the frontline of the outbreak. https://inews.co.uk/news/strep-a-mother-girl-symptoms-infection-pharmacy-antibiotics-2017441https://inews.co.uk/news/antiobiotics-shortage-goverment-supply-issues-lives-risk-2014511Many of us have had the “saving for a rainy day” adage drilled into us since an early age. So why are increasing numbers of people turning their backs on it, when it comes to their pensions?The latest DWP figures reveal that one in six people aged 40 to 75 haven't begun saving for retirement yet, while a quarter will be solely relying on the state pension. Lizzie Anderson has been speaking to those that have decided to live life to the full and go pension free.Produced by Julia Webster. The Executive Producer is Albert Evans with additional production by Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are taking a deep dive into the divided world of Brexit.Our exclusive new polling shows that something significant is changing: many of those who voted to leave the EU are now regretting their decision.To help shed light on what is going on – and what it means for the UK we are joined by North of England reporter Steve Robson who has been pounding the pavements in the towns of Cheshire chatting to voters about how they feel about Britain's EU exit.Also joining us from somewhere “deep from the bowels” of Parliament, our Chief Political Commentator Paul Waugh gives us the inside scoop from the much-maligned Westminster bubble and how our politicians are responding to the fallout from Brexit.Then we are joined by Money and Business reporter Laurie Havelock who has been looking at the growing role of cryptocurrencies in divorce proceedings around the world.Read more on the polling here: https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/voters-against-brexit-deal-eu-rules-better-trade-2007161Read Steve's article here: https://inews.co.uk/news/leave-voters-changed-minds-brexit-2002261Produced by Julia Webster. The Executive Producer is Albert Evans with additional production by Phoebe Fleming.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third episode of The i Podcast, host Molly Blackall speaks to i Housing Correspondent Vicky Spratt and Chief Political Correspondent Richard Vaughan about Michael Gove's plan to fix the UK's housing crisis.Vicky takes us into the home of Andie Williams, a social housing tenant living in a 60s block in Westminster with her four children, who are just one of many families across the country experiencing the same dangerous levels of mould and damp.Less than a mile down the road from where Andie lives, Vicky sits down with the Housing Secretary Michael Gove in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to ask him what he plans to do about Britain's poor housing.In our second segment i‘s Northern Football Correspondent Mark Douglas phones in from Qatar where he's successfully found the only British pub in Doha. A haven of plentiful beer, trophy-shaped glasses and even fish and chips, he explains why the Red Lion pub has become a gathering spot for fans from all over the world.Read Mark's article here: https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2022-inside-qatar-only-british-pub-1995981Catch up on Vicky's coverage of the housing crisis here: https://inews.co.uk/author/vicky-sprattIf you'd like to take up our very special Black Friday offer for 50% off a digital subscription go to inews.co.uk/podcast and support our journalism in the process. Produced by Basil Oxtoby. The Executive Producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the second episode of The i Podcast, we are joined by our lobby team to discuss the unlikely relationship between new PM Rishi Sunak and elder statesman Gordon Brown, and why they have more in common than you might think. i's Political Editor Hugo Gye and Deputy Political Editor Arj Singh have uncovered details about Rishi Sunak's relationship with the former Labour PM and what it tells us about the new Government and its attempts to steer the UK through the economic crisis.We then head over to the streets of Colchester where i's People Writer Eleanor Peake has lifted the lid on the schism in the world of "gimps" and why one man in Essex is angry at the so-called "Somerset gimp" for giving them all a bad name.Rishi Sunak's unlikely friendship with Gordon Brown revealedhttps://inews.co.uk/news/politics/rishi-sunak-friends-gordon-brown-tories-gone-new-labour-help-1981867The Essex Gimp: ‘The Somerset Gimp is giving gimps a bad name'https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/gimp-man-essex-somerset-community-1975853Produced by Julia Webster. The Executive Producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is undoubtedly one of the strangest World Cups ever. The global "festival of football" kicks off this weekend in the tiny Gulf state of Qatar in a cloud of controversy. In this special launch episode of our brand-new weekly podcast, Molly Blackall speaks to i's Chief Football Writer, Daniel Storey in Doha and Special Correspondent, Patrick Strudwick about why this World Cup has come under such scrutiny.In the 12 years since Qatar was awarded the World Cup, the eyes of the world have turned on the tiny nation of just under three million people. As the Qatari government has pumped billions into building stadiums for the event, criticism has grown over the treatment of the thousands of migrant workers who worked on the projects. From Doha, Daniel has written about how the sky-high costs for travelling fans and lingering moral doubts mean that the tournament will "push fan loyalty to the limit".The president of Fifa,Gianni Infantino, insisted in a press conference in late October that “everyone is welcome in Qatar" but Patrick's reporting has uncovered the brutal reality for LGBT people living in the country and the threats facing visiting LGBT fans. Listen as they both debate the controversies and what role star players can take in shining a light on the lack of human rights in Qatar. Some of the discussion does contain accounts of sexual violence, so listener discretion is advised.Produced by Julia Webster. The Executive Producer is Albert Evans.Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here.https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The i Podcast - bringing you insight and analysis on the most essential stories from the team at i.Every Wednesday morning our expert journalists will take you behind the headlines of our exclusive reports and in-depth features.i is for people with open minds - and this is the podcast to help you expand your horizons. Our commitment to you is politics without the spin. News coverage without an axe to grind. Lively opinion, so you hear all sides of the argument.Whether it's online, or on the newsstand, we are committed to bringing you trusted, non-partisan news and this podcast is no different.Listen to our trailer for a quick taster of what you can expect to tune into on Wednesday mornings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.