Podcasts about The Sunday Times

Have you ever wondered why anxiety is so hard to get rid of, even when you feel like you're doing everything right? Maybe you've been meditating, breathing, journaling, and it still keeps coming up. Turns out, there's a reason for that, that I haven't heard anyone else talk about.  Owen O'Kane is a psychotherapist, three-time Sunday Times bestselling author, and former NHS Mental Health Lead who has spent 30 years at the intersection of physical and mental health, including a decade in palliative care. In this conversation, Owen shares how anxiety is not an enemy to be defeated but a scared part of you that's desperate to be heard, and we get into exactly how to finally change your relationship with it. 

I'm delighted to be introducing a brand-new topic to the podcast: modern grandparenting. It's not a life stage I'm personally entering just yet - but as Magnificent Midlife continues to evolve, it's one that feels increasingly important to talk about. My guest is Dee Dee Moore, founder of More Than Grand, an online hub dedicated to helping new grandparents make the very best of their role. Dee Dee brings a sharp understanding of family dynamics, communication and boundaries - and a refreshing honesty about how easy it is to get grandparenting wrong, even with the best intentions. We talk about: -Why grandparenting has become more complicated and more emotionally loaded than ever before -The growing trend of parents limiting or cutting off contact with grandparents (and why it happens) -How modern parenting culture, social media and constant advice have increased anxiety for new parents -Why supporting the parents - not indulging the grandchild - is the most important grandparent role -Common missteps grandparents make  -How mindful grandparenting begins with intention, self-reflection and honest conversations -What parents actually want from grandparents and what grandchildren remember most -Navigating tricky in-law relationships with curiosity, respect and emotional maturity -Why maintaining a relationship with a daughter- or son-in-law matters more than many grandparents realise -How technology - including AI - can help grandparents stay connected, especially across distance -The importance of embracing your grandchildren's world rather than expecting them to adapt to yours -Why grandparenting is a role worth preparing for, not something to "wing" And more. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.   Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book   The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers: UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/   You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.   Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.   FeedSpot #5 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts  FeedSpot #7 in 100 Best Midlife Women Podcasts FeedSpot #2 in 10 Best UK Life Hacks Podcasts   You'll find lots of strategies, support and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.   Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.  

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.

The Epstein files fallout continues with the release of a photograph showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Mandelson. Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers is joined by Jennifer Newton to discuss the ongoing controversy around Andrew's friendship with Epstein – and how it has affected the positions of his daughters. Russell discusses his exclusive on how Beatrice and Eugenie are "furious for being left out in cold" over their parents' Epstein links. You can read the full story here: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/beatrice-eugenie-furious-being-left-36864588 They also chat about the other moments in the Royal diary, including the Prince and Princess of Wales' visit to London's Borough Market, Catherine's consciousness about her alcohol intake after her cancer diagnosis, and Queen Camilla hosting the Women of the World event at Clarence House. You can also order Russell Myers' Sunday Times bestseller book 'William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story' here: https://lnk.to/WilliamCatherine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we are delighted to be joined by the Sunday Times' Gabriel Pogrund, whose book – Get In, which details Starmer's rise to power – is out now in paperback with new revelations on the Peter Mandelson vetting process. It turns out that Keir Starmer did not even speak with his prospective US ambassador before offering him the biggest diplomatic position in Starmer's government. The whole scandal has exposed the prime minister's startling lack of curiosity and a detachment from important process that seems especially baffling given his background as a lawyer. What is the reason behind this lack of curiosity? And how does Starmer compare to other prime ministers in recent memory?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman and Gabriel Pogrund.Produced by Oscar Edmondson. 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.

Today we are delighted to be joined by the Sunday Times' Gabriel Pogrund, whose book – Get In, which details Starmer's rise to power – is out now in paperback with new revelations on the Peter Mandelson vetting process. It turns out that Keir Starmer did not even speak with his prospective US ambassador before offering him the biggest diplomatic position in Starmer's government. The whole scandal has exposed the prime minister's startling lack of curiosity and a detachment from important process that seems especially baffling given his background as a lawyer. What is the reason behind this lack of curiosity? And how does Starmer compare to other prime ministers in recent memory?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman and Gabriel Pogrund.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Bannister onPaul Conroy, the photojournalist who worked extensively in war zones in the Middle East and the Balkans. He was with the Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin when she was killed in Syria. Kenith Trodd, the TV producer best known for his work with Dennis Potter on series like Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective. Stephen Poliakoff pays tribute. Astrid Llewellyn who skippered the first all-female crew to take part in a Tall Ships Race. Jo Purvis, the DJ who promoted LGBTQ+ ballroom dancing events in the 1970s and 1980s. Interviewee: Stephen Poliakoff Interviewee: Tim Llewellyn Interviewee: Toni Krause Interviewee: Peter FlockhartProducer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn TansleyArchive used: Paul Conroy interview, Music on the Front Line, Music Matters, BBC Radio 3, 03/05/2025; Paul Conroy: My Escape from Homs, Outlook, BBC World Service, 22/01/2013; Caught on a Train, Play for Today, Playhouse, Director: Peter Duffell, Writer: Stephen Poliakoff , BBC Two, 31/10/1980; The Ballroom of Romance, Play for Today, Playhouse, Director: Pat O'Connor, Writer: William Trevor, BBC Two, 05/11/1982; Pennies From Heaven, Episode 4: Better Think Twice, Director: Piers Haggard, Writer: Dennis Potter, BBC One, 28/03/1978; The Singing Detective, BBC Promo, 1991; The Singing Detective, Night Waves, BBC Radio 3, 16/06/2014; Sunday Feature: Dennis Potter - With Aggressive Affection, BBC Radio 3, 04/08/2015; Astrid Llewellyn interview and actuality, The Tall Ships Race 1974, BBC Television, 07/08/1974; Jo Purvis interview, Purvette, taken from the film ondon. Director: Alex Eisenberg, Courtesy of Alex Eisenberg, 2024;

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.

03/13/26: InForum columnist Jim Shaw is a former KVRR TV news director and is guest-hosting for Joel Heitkamp on "News and Views." He is joined by international journalist and Fargo native, Roxana Saberi, about the war in Iran. She has been reporting on the war for outlets such as The New York Times, Sunday Times of London, Time Magazine and CNN. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 6, Episode 726:  Surprisingly, Genevieve LeJeune founded Skirt Club to address a need she felt in her own life, only to discover 25,000 other women felt the same way. The private members club creates women-only spaces where nervous systems can relax, and genuine connection happens without performance or fear of judgment. After spending 15 years in finance enduring workplace harassment that was simply normalized, Gen witnessed how women of her generation were conditioned to survive in male-dominated environments. She started hosting champagne parties that grew from 15 to 150 attendees within a year, revealing just how many women needed a supportive environment to explore their sexuality without shame. (The demand was staggering.) Through building communities across 36 cities worldwide with 27,200 members, Gen discovered that women's fundamental needs are surprisingly universal across cultures. Her events have evolved beyond sexuality into something broader to include embodiment, connection, and authentic self-expression. When women abandon people-pleasing patterns and reconnect with their bodies, they experience profound personal liberation. Lejeune emphasizes that sisterhood and reduced judgment among women could genuinely transform society. By helping each other ask for support and building confidence through collaboration rather than competition, women create the foundation for lasting peace. Find out more:  Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and the Skirt Club website Founding Skirt Club for Women's Sexual Empowerment Women's Only Spaces Create Safety and Intimacy Creating Safe Spaces for Women to Thrive Women Supporting Women Across the World Women's Sexual Pleasure and Empowerment Learning to Say No Without Guilt Generational Views on Internet and Sexual Exploration Women Fear Risk, Men Just Try It Ethical Non-Monogamy and Relationship Transparency Breaking Sexual Taboos for Women's Pleasure Women Owning Their Sexuality and Independence Women's Activism and Social Movements Community Care and Sexual Exploration Events Women's Empowerment Through Connection and Embodiment Where to Find Skirt Club Online Ruan's novella: The Arousal Package PodNation Podcast Affiliate link, Get 15% OFF with code podna15 on Ryze Coffee at ⁠https://www.ryzesuperfoods.com/⁠ ⁠Support the show and get exclusive content⁠ Sign up for Ruan's Newsletters ⁠https://subscribepage.io/ruanwillow Get 10% OFF ENTIRE ORDER (min. purchase $69, no usage limits) with code RUANWILLOW10 on pleasure sex toys at https://www.kiiroo.com/ https://offers.feeliate.com/to92wTJh Affiliate link, collect your body's health and sexual health info with a wearable device for men from Firm Tech 15% OFF with code ruan15 ⁠⁠https://myfirmtech.com/ruanwillow⁠⁠ BeeDee app. Enter the code ohfuckyeah on the Whips ('superlikes') page to get 1 free Whip, use my affiliate link to check out this app at ⁠⁠https://beedee.app/?r=ohfuckyeah⁠⁠ The Fantasy Box, where you can try out a similar fantasy in a box, or find a theme you like! (affiliate link) ⁠⁠https://thefantasybox.sjv.io/c/6250602/2141126/26423⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Copyright 2026 Pink Infinity Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Key Takeaways: • **Women's behavior and openness fundamentally changes in all-female spaces** — nervous systems relax and genuine vulnerability emerges without male presence, creating conditions for authentic connection that mixed-gender environments cannot replicate. • **Bisexual and bi-curious women represent an underserved market hungry for community** — the jump from 15 to 150 members in one year demonstrates massive unmet demand for judgment-free spaces where women can explore sexuality openly. • **Overcoming shame requires both safe spaces and exposure to diverse perspectives** — cultural conditioning around female desire is universal across cultures, but can be collectively unlearned through supportive communities and exposure to how other women authentically live. GENEVIEVE LEJEUNE is the founder of Skirt Club, a private members club for bi-curious & bisexual women. With more than 25,000 members globally, women are more interested in each other than ever. She was the first to curate luxurious global events where women can put their own desires first, and gain confidence from the bedroom to the boardroom. A leading figure in the movement for women's sexual empowerment, Genevieve has been interviewed for high-profile publications such as Marie Claire, Elle Magazine, Cosmo, Bloomberg, Rolling Stone and the Sunday Times.

Welcome to the new era of Motherkind. This is a new chapter. More intentional. More expansive. The conversations are deeper, the guests are bold, and the ambition is clearer. We're now video-first, which means you can watch every full episode on YouTube. I'd love you to subscribe and join us in this next season of Motherkind. If you're ready to think differently about ambition and motherhood, you're in the right place What if confidence comes because you start, not before? In this energising, honest conversation, Zoe sits down with entrepreneur and personal branding expert Amelia Sordell to talk about visibility, ambition, and building a career alongside motherhood. Amelia shares how she grew, and later closed a multi-million-pound agency, rebuilt her career on her terms, and now helps women stop shrinking and start backing themselves. This episode is for mothers who want more — but feel overwhelmed about where to begin. In this episode, you'll learn: . What personal branding really means (beyond social media) . How small career experiments build confidence fast . Practical ways to grow visibility — even on a career break . Why action beats overthinking every timeHow to redefine success around freedom, not status Amelia also opens up about juggling motherhood and business, burnout, and having the courage to walk away from success that no longer felt aligned. This is an episode about courage.About choosing yourself.About just getting started. Because you are not “just a mum.”And you don't need permission to build something extraordinary. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you're becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet If you liked this episode, listen to this next:  Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Watch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe  Get Zoe's Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations' This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: . Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women's supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. . Start your children's reading journey with Usbourne Books . For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Most people remember exactly where they were the week of March 11, 2020. Life suddenly stopped. The world went quiet. And for a brief moment, everything about our routines, priorities, and pace of life was thrown into question. Six years later, the world is loud and fast again. But the real question is: what were we supposed to learn from the moment when everything slowed down?In this episode, Ryan talks with award-winning author Chloe Dalton about the strange stillness of those early pandemic months and how one unexpected encounter with a wild hare during lockdown completely changed the way she thought about time, work, and the life she was building. Later in the episode, novelist Susan Straight joins the conversation to reflect on why it's important that we don't rush to forget that time and what remembering the pandemic can still teach us.

Rapa Nui, known to Western cultures as Easter Island for centuries, has long been a source of mystery. While the massive stone statues that populate the island's landscape have loomed in the popular Western imagination since Europeans first set foot there in 1722, in recent years, the island has gained infamy as a cautionary tale of eco-destruction. The island's history as it's been written tells of Polynesians who carelessly farmed, plundered their natural resources, and battled each other, dooming their delicate ecosystem and becoming a warning to us all about the frailty of our natural world. But what if that history is wrong? In The Island at the Edge of the World: The Forgotten History of Easter Island (Bloomsbury, 2025), archeological writer and scholar Mike Pitts offers a direct challenge to the orthodoxy of Rapa Nui, bringing to light new research and documents that tell a dramatic and surprising story about what really led to the island's downfall. Relying on the latest archaeological findings, he paints a vastly different portrait of what life was like on the island before the first Europeans arrived, investigating why a Polynesian people who succeeded for centuries throughout the South Pacific supposedly failed to thrive in Rapa Nui. Pitts also unearths the vital story of one of the first anthropologists to study Rapa Nui, an Oxford-trained iconoclast named Katherine Routledge, who was instrumental in collecting firsthand accounts from the Polynesians living on Rapa Nui in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But though Routledge's impressive scholarship captured the oral traditions of what life had been like pre-1722, her work was widely dismissed because of her gender, her reliance on indigenous perspectives, and her conclusions which contradicted her historical peers. A stunning work of revisionism, this book raises critical questions about who gets to write history and the stakes of ignoring that history's true authors. Provocative and illuminating, The Island at the Edge of the World will change the way people think about Easter Island, its colonial legacy, and where the blame for its devastation truly lies. Mike Pitts is a writer and broadcaster, archaeologist and former museum curator. His books include A Fairweather Eden: Excavations at Boxgrove, Hengeworld, Digging for Richard III, Digging up Britain, and How to Build Stonehenge. He has also written for almost all of the important British newspapers - the Guardian, Observer, Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, New Scientist, BBC History Magazine, Spectator and other papers and magazines - and conduct original research and publish in peer-reviewed journals. He also edited British Archaeology magazine for 20 years and is a Fellow of the London Society of Antiquaries. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Rapa Nui, known to Western cultures as Easter Island for centuries, has long been a source of mystery. While the massive stone statues that populate the island's landscape have loomed in the popular Western imagination since Europeans first set foot there in 1722, in recent years, the island has gained infamy as a cautionary tale of eco-destruction. The island's history as it's been written tells of Polynesians who carelessly farmed, plundered their natural resources, and battled each other, dooming their delicate ecosystem and becoming a warning to us all about the frailty of our natural world. But what if that history is wrong? In The Island at the Edge of the World: The Forgotten History of Easter Island (Bloomsbury, 2025), archeological writer and scholar Mike Pitts offers a direct challenge to the orthodoxy of Rapa Nui, bringing to light new research and documents that tell a dramatic and surprising story about what really led to the island's downfall. Relying on the latest archaeological findings, he paints a vastly different portrait of what life was like on the island before the first Europeans arrived, investigating why a Polynesian people who succeeded for centuries throughout the South Pacific supposedly failed to thrive in Rapa Nui. Pitts also unearths the vital story of one of the first anthropologists to study Rapa Nui, an Oxford-trained iconoclast named Katherine Routledge, who was instrumental in collecting firsthand accounts from the Polynesians living on Rapa Nui in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But though Routledge's impressive scholarship captured the oral traditions of what life had been like pre-1722, her work was widely dismissed because of her gender, her reliance on indigenous perspectives, and her conclusions which contradicted her historical peers. A stunning work of revisionism, this book raises critical questions about who gets to write history and the stakes of ignoring that history's true authors. Provocative and illuminating, The Island at the Edge of the World will change the way people think about Easter Island, its colonial legacy, and where the blame for its devastation truly lies. Mike Pitts is a writer and broadcaster, archaeologist and former museum curator. His books include A Fairweather Eden: Excavations at Boxgrove, Hengeworld, Digging for Richard III, Digging up Britain, and How to Build Stonehenge. He has also written for almost all of the important British newspapers - the Guardian, Observer, Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, New Scientist, BBC History Magazine, Spectator and other papers and magazines - and conduct original research and publish in peer-reviewed journals. He also edited British Archaeology magazine for 20 years and is a Fellow of the London Society of Antiquaries. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

War in the Middle East has caused oil and gas prices to soar and sent the markets into turmoil. But why does oil still have such a powerful influence over the cost of household goods? And what has history taught us about how wars are waged when oil holds such sway?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/thestoryGuest:Dr Ellen R. Wald, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center and author of Saudi, Inc..Harry Wallop, consumer journalist and Times Radio contributor.Host: Rosie WrightProducer: Julia Webster and Harry StottWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Does Trump really have a plan for what he is doing in Iran?Further listening: Could Trump lose MAGA over Iran?Clips: Blue Georgia on X, The White House, The Economic Times, CNN, GB News, APPhoto: 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.

Rapa Nui, known to Western cultures as Easter Island for centuries, has long been a source of mystery. While the massive stone statues that populate the island's landscape have loomed in the popular Western imagination since Europeans first set foot there in 1722, in recent years, the island has gained infamy as a cautionary tale of eco-destruction. The island's history as it's been written tells of Polynesians who carelessly farmed, plundered their natural resources, and battled each other, dooming their delicate ecosystem and becoming a warning to us all about the frailty of our natural world. But what if that history is wrong? In The Island at the Edge of the World: The Forgotten History of Easter Island (Bloomsbury, 2025), archeological writer and scholar Mike Pitts offers a direct challenge to the orthodoxy of Rapa Nui, bringing to light new research and documents that tell a dramatic and surprising story about what really led to the island's downfall. Relying on the latest archaeological findings, he paints a vastly different portrait of what life was like on the island before the first Europeans arrived, investigating why a Polynesian people who succeeded for centuries throughout the South Pacific supposedly failed to thrive in Rapa Nui. Pitts also unearths the vital story of one of the first anthropologists to study Rapa Nui, an Oxford-trained iconoclast named Katherine Routledge, who was instrumental in collecting firsthand accounts from the Polynesians living on Rapa Nui in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But though Routledge's impressive scholarship captured the oral traditions of what life had been like pre-1722, her work was widely dismissed because of her gender, her reliance on indigenous perspectives, and her conclusions which contradicted her historical peers. A stunning work of revisionism, this book raises critical questions about who gets to write history and the stakes of ignoring that history's true authors. Provocative and illuminating, The Island at the Edge of the World will change the way people think about Easter Island, its colonial legacy, and where the blame for its devastation truly lies. Mike Pitts is a writer and broadcaster, archaeologist and former museum curator. His books include A Fairweather Eden: Excavations at Boxgrove, Hengeworld, Digging for Richard III, Digging up Britain, and How to Build Stonehenge. He has also written for almost all of the important British newspapers - the Guardian, Observer, Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, New Scientist, BBC History Magazine, Spectator and other papers and magazines - and conduct original research and publish in peer-reviewed journals. He also edited British Archaeology magazine for 20 years and is a Fellow of the London Society of Antiquaries. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Rapa Nui, known to Western cultures as Easter Island for centuries, has long been a source of mystery. While the massive stone statues that populate the island's landscape have loomed in the popular Western imagination since Europeans first set foot there in 1722, in recent years, the island has gained infamy as a cautionary tale of eco-destruction. The island's history as it's been written tells of Polynesians who carelessly farmed, plundered their natural resources, and battled each other, dooming their delicate ecosystem and becoming a warning to us all about the frailty of our natural world. But what if that history is wrong? In The Island at the Edge of the World: The Forgotten History of Easter Island (Bloomsbury, 2025), archeological writer and scholar Mike Pitts offers a direct challenge to the orthodoxy of Rapa Nui, bringing to light new research and documents that tell a dramatic and surprising story about what really led to the island's downfall. Relying on the latest archaeological findings, he paints a vastly different portrait of what life was like on the island before the first Europeans arrived, investigating why a Polynesian people who succeeded for centuries throughout the South Pacific supposedly failed to thrive in Rapa Nui. Pitts also unearths the vital story of one of the first anthropologists to study Rapa Nui, an Oxford-trained iconoclast named Katherine Routledge, who was instrumental in collecting firsthand accounts from the Polynesians living on Rapa Nui in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But though Routledge's impressive scholarship captured the oral traditions of what life had been like pre-1722, her work was widely dismissed because of her gender, her reliance on indigenous perspectives, and her conclusions which contradicted her historical peers. A stunning work of revisionism, this book raises critical questions about who gets to write history and the stakes of ignoring that history's true authors. Provocative and illuminating, The Island at the Edge of the World will change the way people think about Easter Island, its colonial legacy, and where the blame for its devastation truly lies. Mike Pitts is a writer and broadcaster, archaeologist and former museum curator. His books include A Fairweather Eden: Excavations at Boxgrove, Hengeworld, Digging for Richard III, Digging up Britain, and How to Build Stonehenge. He has also written for almost all of the important British newspapers - the Guardian, Observer, Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, New Scientist, BBC History Magazine, Spectator and other papers and magazines - and conduct original research and publish in peer-reviewed journals. He also edited British Archaeology magazine for 20 years and is a Fellow of the London Society of Antiquaries. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/archaeology

Iran has appointed a new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. He's the son of the late Ali Khamenei and a shadowy figure with a history of orchestrating brutal crackdowns on dissenters. President Donald Trump is also not a fan. So what does his appointment mean for the conflict raging in the Middle East? 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: Catherine Philp, world affairs editor, The Times.Negah Angha, former US State Department and National Security Council advisor. Host: Darryl Morris.Producer: Micaela Arneson, Sophie McNulty.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comOur listener survey is live - find it here.Read more: Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new supreme leader?Further listening: How AI helped Trump attack IranClips: Sky News, Al Jazeera, NBC, Fox News, The Times, ABC NewsPhoto: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the new era of Motherkind. This is a new chapter. More intentional. More expansive. The conversations are deeper, the guests are bold, and the ambition is clearer. We're now video-first, which means you can watch every full episode on ⁠YouTube⁠. I'd love you to subscribe and join us in this next season of Motherkind. If you're ready to think differently about ambition and motherhood, you're in the right place. Confidence isn't a personality trait — it's a skill. And it can be rebuilt faster than you think. In this practical, empowering solo episode, Zoe shares the simple shifts that helped her go from losing all her confidence in early motherhood to feeling stronger and more self-assured than ever. After interviewing hundreds of experts and writing extensively on confidence, Zoe breaks down the tiny daily habits that genuinely move the needle — no fluff, no toxic positivity, no “bounce back” pressure. Because confidence doesn't come from massive life overhauls. It's built through small, repeatable actions that compound over time. In this episode, Zoe shares: . Why comparison quietly destroys confidence — and how to stop doing it . The subtle language habits that make you feel smaller (and what to say instead) . How setting boundaries strengthens self-worth . The powerful body-language trick backed by social psychology . Why celebrating tiny wins rewires your brain for confidence These are micro-habits you can start today — in the next hour — that will create lasting change over the months ahead. If you've been feeling less confident since becoming a mother, this episode is your reminder: You're not broken.You don't need fixing. You just need tools that actually work in real life. Watch every full episode on ⁠YouTube⁠ and subscribe  Loved this episode? Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode of Motherkind. It helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. You might also enjoy Zoe's conversation with ⁠Mel Robbins⁠ on how motherhood reshaped her confidence and the tools that changed everything. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you're becoming now and download your ⁠FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet⁠ Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on ⁠Instagram ⁠ Get Zoe's Sunday Times bestselling book, ⁠'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations'⁠ This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women's supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at ⁠wildnutrition.com/motherkind⁠. Ts and Cs apply. Start your children's reading journey with⁠ Usbourne Books⁠ For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit ⁠Indeed.com/ Motherkind⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Mooney, Crime and Security Correspondent with The Sunday Times, on his investigation into tracking down Christy and Daniel Kinahan.

The use of Artificial Intelligence by militaries used to be talked about in the abstract, but during the US and Israel's strikes on Iran we've seen it used in real time. So what happens when you have robots who can make battlefield decisions quicker than the speed of thought? And what made the Trump administration fall out with one of the world's leading AI companies?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/thestoryGuest: David Leslie, Professor of ethics, technology and society in the Digital Environment Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London.Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Harry Stott, Sophie McNulty. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: How AI helps 20 US troops do the work of 2,000 in Iran warFurther listening: Anthropic vs Pentagon: How AI is changing warClips: Fox, CBS News, Reuters.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.

John Mooney, Investigations Editor with the Sunday Times, talks to Matt about his forensic investigation with Bellingcat into Christy Snr and Daniel Kinahan, who have been living in Dubai for a number of years, and who were thought to be living underground since a US bounty was offered for information leading to the arrest of the criminal gang leaders.To catch the full conversation, press the 'play' button on this page.

Thirty years after her death, Frida Kahlo went from relative obscurity to one of the most famous female artists on the planet. Now, her image has been used on everything from watches, scented candles, clothes, sanitary pads, and even Barbie dolls. But how did the communist icon become the face of a million dollar enterprise? At the centre of the story is a Kahlo family divided. Should her image reflect her artistic treasures or a global brand?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/thestoryGuest: Blanca Schofield, assistant culture and books editor for both The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Rosie Wright.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Artist — or brand? How Frida Kahlo's family lost controlPhoto: FridaMoji/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.

Sunday NY Times Arts & Leisure section

Sunday NY Times Opinion

The war in Iran has left its people divided. Some openly welcome the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, others mourn, steadfast in their loyalty to the Islamic Republic. The divisions run deep, cutting across generations. Majid Parsa grew up in one such household. He tells his story.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: Majid Parsa, author of The Ayatollah's Gaze.Host: Rosie Wright.Producer: Dave Creasey.We 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.

Elizabeth Arnott is an award-winning writer and journalist and has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook. Her work—covering everything from true crime to Arctic exploration—has featured in publications including The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Guardian. She lives with her husband and their young daughter in London, where she spends far too much time drinking iced coffee and watching serial killer shows.Killer Women Podcast is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#podcast #author #interview #authors #KillerWomen #KillerWomenPodcast #authorsontheair #podcast #podcaster #killerwomen #killerwomenpodcast #authors #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #authorinterview #writingcommunity #authorsontheair #suspensebooks #authorssupportingauthors #thrillerbooks #suspense #wip #writers #writersinspiration #books #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookaddicted #bookaddiction #bibliophile #read #amreading #lovetoread #daniellegirard #daniellegirardbooks #elizabetharnott #berkleypublishing

As the war in the Middle East enters its seventh day, prominent supporters of President Trump have criticised his decision to attack Iran. The political stakes are high for a president who pledged no new wars on the campaign trail. So can he keep the MAGA crowd on his side?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/thestoryGuest: Katy Balls, Washington editor for The Times and The Sunday TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducer: Julia WebsterWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Iran is Trump's biggest bet yet. It could define his presidencyFurther listening: Iran after the AyatollahClips: Sky, CBS, CNN, ABC, WAAY 31, BBC, Fox, Tucker Carlson, Channel 4, C-SPAN, Associated Press, Boston GlobePhoto: Graphic by 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.

Elizabeth Arnott is an award-winning writer and journalist and has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook. Her work—covering everything from true crime to Arctic exploration—has featured in publications including The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Guardian. She lives with her husband and their young daughter in London, where she spends far too much time drinking iced coffee and watching serial killer shows. Killer Women Podcat is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #podcast #author #interview #authors #KillerWomen #KillerWomenPodcast #authorsontheair #podcast #podcaster #killerwomen #killerwomenpodcast #authors #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #authorinterview #writingcommunity #authorsontheair #suspensebooks #authorssupportingauthors #thrillerbooks #suspense #wip #writers #writersinspiration #books #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookaddicted #bookaddiction #bibliophile #read #amreading #lovetoread #daniellegirard #daniellegirardbooks #elizabetharnott #berkleypublishing

Welcome to the new era of Motherkind. This is a new chapter. More intentional. More expansive. The conversations are deeper, the guests are bold, and the ambition is clearer. We're now video-first, which means you can watch every full episode on YouTube. I'd love you to subscribe and join us in this next season of Motherkind. If you're ready to think differently about ambition and motherhood, you're in the right place. To open this new season, Zoe sits down with Maria Hatzistefanis, founder of Rodial and Nip + Fab, for a powerful conversation on discipline over motivation, burnout, guilt, and why hustle culture is failing mothers. Maria built her business over 25 years without external funding, without selling out, and without buying into hustle culture myths. But behind the glossy success was burnout, guilt, lost friendships, imposter syndrome and discipline most people never see. This conversation is honest, practical and deeply reassuring for any mother navigating ambition and family. Inside this episode, you'll hear: . Why “overnight success” is a dangerous myth . How motherhood made Maria a better, not weaker, leader . The season she had no friends, and what she'd do differently . The simple two-question filter she uses before saying yes . Why discipline builds confidence (not the other way round) . How to start a business in just 30 minutes a day . Why guilt is the biggest drain on your energy and how to drop it Maria also shares the mindset from her latest book, How to Make Your First Million, including her practical framework for managing time, building powerful networks, and creating sustainable success that works alongside family life, not against it. This is a conversation about ambition without apology. About building slowly, intentionally and sustainably. And about redefining success on your own terms. If you've ever wondered: Can I build something meaningful without burning out? This episode is for you. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you're becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Watch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe  Get Zoe's Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations' This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women's supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. Start your children's reading journey with Usbourne Books For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An unusual podcast listener gets in touch.Four years on from our series exploring the circumstances behind the kidnap and disappearance of British photojournalist John Cantlie by ISIS in Syria, Last Man Standing returns. As the BBC TV releases a three-part documentary series Hostage, based on reporting from our original series, we bring you the latest for our own podcast.Find the full Last Man Standing series here. Hosts: 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.

When the Mexican government took down a drug lord last week, the Sunday Times was there to document the aftermath. Does this mark a turning point in the war on drugs? Or are things about to get much worse? A warning that this episode contains descriptions of graphic violence. 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: Louise Callaghan, Americas correspondent, The Sunday Times. Host: Rosie Wright. Producer: Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: A cartel boss is dead, but normal Mexicans always pay the priceFurther listening: The town ripped apart by Mexico's new narcos Clips: BBC, WMTW, Configo FN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Noticias Telemundo, Reuters. 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.

Events in Iran have led news bulletins, alongside ongoing wars in Ukraine and Sudan. As crises compete for attention, questions are being raised about whether reporting captures a wider shift in global power or centres on immediate developments. Christina Lamb, Chief International Correspondent at The Sunday Times, Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara Media, and Sir John Tusa, former Managing Director of the BBC World Service, discuss the media's role in uncertain times. The Green Party's victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election in the north of England, overturning a previously safe Labour seat, has prompted debate about political reporting in the UK. Rachel Cunliffe, Associate Editor at The New Statesman, explains her approach. At the age of 90, Sir John Tusa has launched a new interview podcast, The Best is Yet to Come, featuring conversations with public figures in their nineties. The series enters a crowded podcast market and raises questions about how older voices are represented in the media. Production credits Presenters: Katie Razzall Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai Researcher: Ruth Waites Technical Coordinator: Margot Campanaro Sound: Pat Sissons

Unividuals Podcast Ep 3: In this candid episode of the Unividuals Podcast, philosopher Tim Freke reveals the heartfelt motivation behind his groundbreaking worldview, 'Unividualism:' a deep love for life and a desire to face death feeling he's given his best contribution to humanity's evolution. After 35 books, he now shares this free synthesis of science and spirituality—one elegant process of becoming that carries consciousness beyond biological death into a vast, loving intelligence. Online community: https://timfreke.com/online-community/ Free Newsletter https://timfreke.com Experiential Events https://timfreke.com Substack https://timfreke.substack.com/ I am the author of 35 books, translated into 15 languages, including a Sunday Times bestseller and Daily Telegraph 'Book of the Year'. For some inexplicable reason I was included in ‘The 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People' lists in Watkins Magazine for 2021 and 2022.

Last month, Sir Keir Starmer made it clear that the US would not be permitted to use UK bases to launch strikes against Iran. On Sunday, that position shifted. Not only has the UK now allowed the use of joint bases, it is also intercepting Iranian drones, and sources have told The Times that a British warship may be deployed to Cyprus. As tensions in the Middle East escalate, is Britain being drawn ever deeper into the conflict? And how might this end?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 Evans, defence contributor, The TimesGeneral Sir Patrick Sanders, former Chief of the General Staff and co-host of The General & the Journalist, one of our sister podcasts Host: Rosie WrightProducers: Sophie McNulty & Olivia CaseWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Special relationship ‘not what it once was', as Trump rebukes PM on IranFurther listening: Iran after the AyatollahClips: The Times, AP, BBC, CNN, The White House, 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.

Katie Razzall hears how the conflict in the Middle East is being covered across the region with staff from the BBC Monitoring Unit. Christina Lamb, Chief Foreign Correspondent at the Sunday Times, Aaron Bastani from Novara Media and broadcaster Sir John Tusa discuss whether day to day crisis reporting is crowding out the deeper story of geopolitical realignment. We also discuss whether the were media blind spots behind the Green Party's shock win in Gorton and Denton. And Sir John Tusa returns to talk about his new podcast The Best Is Yet to Come - why he's interviewing the over 90s, and what a lifetime in broadcasting has taught him about how the media should evolve.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai

Happy pub' day Elizabeth! Award-winning author and journalist Elizabeth Arnott spoke with us about her early studies of serial killers, a wild journalism career, and her latest period-set crime novel THE SECRET LIVES OF MURDERERS' WIVES. Elizabeth Arnott has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook (her maiden name). As a journalist, she covered everything from true crime to Arctic exploration and appeared in publications such as The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Guardian among others. She has described her much-anticipated latest historical crime novel as Mad Men with murders, and Lessons in Chemistry with a body count. The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives [available for pre-order and landing March 3, 2026; Berkley Hardcover], is a story that “... centers on three unlikely friends—all former wives of serial killers—and their efforts to solve a string of local killings in 1966 California.” The book was acquired in a heated seven-way auction and named one of “The Best Books for Book Clubs in 2026” by Glamour, and among “The 10 Most-Anticipated Mystery-Thriller Books of 2026” by Marie Claire. Parade wrote of the book, “... a story that feels like Bright Young Women collided with Mindhunter …. a propulsive, period-set whodunit perfect for anyone who loves early criminal profiling and Mad Men-era aesthetics with bite.” [This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to⁠ ⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."] [Discover⁠ The Writer Files Extra⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at⁠ writerfiles.fm⁠] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please⁠ click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Elizabeth Arnott, Milena and I discussed: Elizabeth's early obsession with the film Almost Famous Renting a flat above a brothel in grad school Her freewheeling freelance days traveling the globe for stories When her journalism career hit rock bottom The path to writing about the forgotten victims of violent crimes How to write a novel in six weeks And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠Elizabeth Arnott on Instagram⁠ ⁠The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives By Elizabeth Arnott⁠ – March 3, 2026 (Amazon) ⁠Elizabeth Arnott on Twitter⁠ ⁠Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer⁠ ⁠diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid Instagram⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vijay Bassi Reed is a former communications specialist who retrained in midlife as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. She is also a competitive HYROX and fitness racer. Her midlife transition emerged from burnout and hormonal change, leading to a deliberate reassessment of health, work and identity - and a stronger, more sustainable way of living. We talk about: -Vijay's journey from senior corporate communications roles to midlife personal trainer and nutrition coach -How anxiety, burnout and perimenopause quietly derailed confidence (long before menopause was named) -Why so many women are offered antidepressants  -Menopause as an opportunity to reassess identity, values and how we want to live -The role of structured movement in rebuilding trust in the body -Discovering strength training, HIIT - and unexpectedly falling in love with running -What HYROX is and why it's resonating with women in their 40s, 50s and beyond -Completing a first marathon in midlife  -Cultural attitudes to food, alcohol and achievement  -Why alcohol and menopause often don't mix (and why opting out is allowed) -Letting go of "shoulds" and lowering tolerance for bullsh*t in midlife -Why starting before you feel "ready" matters more than perfect timing And more. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening.   Order Rachel's book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond, recommended in The New York Times as one of seven top books about menopause at magnificentmidlife.com/book   The paperback can also be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers: UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/ Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/   You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.   Podcast recommended by the Sunday Times.   FeedSpot #5 in 40 Best Midlife Podcasts  FeedSpot #7 in 100 Best Midlife Women Podcasts FeedSpot #2 in 10 Best UK Life Hacks Podcasts   You'll find lots of strategies, support and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.   Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

After weeks of protests against Ayatollah Khamenei's regime earlier this year, the Iranian people cried out for American help as they were massacred in their thousands. Over the weekend, the Americans and Israelis did finally intervene in Iran, killing the Ayatollah, but leaving a flood of questions in their wake. Who will now fill the political vacuum? Will there be regime change? And what next for the Iranian people?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:Rana Rahimpour, Iranian journalist.Ali Ansari, professor of Iranian history, the University of St. Andrews. Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Harry Stott, Julia Webster. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Who will replace Ayatollah Khamenei — a moderate or an ‘Iranian Putin'?Further listening: Iran's supreme leader killed - is the Middle East in all out war?Clips: BBC, AP, EuroNews, State Department / Instagram, 60 Minutes.Photo: Getty Images, The Times, 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.

Who are you now? And why does motherhood feel like it's quietly rewritten you? Today's Motherkind Moment is with the incredible Michelle Kennedy, founder of Peanut, who has just launched the powerful “Make Matrescence Mainstream” campaign. Zoe was proud to be part of this campaign and truly encourages you to look it up, watch it, and sit with it. Because matrescence, the profound identity shift we go through when we become mothers, is still something we don't talk about nearly enough. In this short but powerful clip, Zoe asks Michelle how her identity changed across her two matrescence experiences. What Michelle shares might surprise you. She speaks honestly about not knowing who she was after her first baby. She knew Michelle the professional. Michelle, the friend. Michelle, the daughter. But she didn't yet know Michelle the mum. She shares how clarity didn't arrive overnight; it evolved slowly. How motherhood became the best chapter of her life, but not the only chapter. And how realising she is multifaceted changed everything. They also explore trade-offs. The myth of “doing it all.” Why filling your own glass first isn't selfish — it's necessary. And why something as simple as a 20-minute shower can be the most humanising act in early motherhood. If you've ever felt like you've lost yourself… If you've wondered why this transition feels so seismic… If you've felt guilty for wanting space, ambition, rest or boundaries… This conversation is for you. However, your matrescence has unfolded, whether it felt joyful, destabilising, lonely, clarifying, or all of the above, you are not alone. In this Moment, you'll hear: Why it's completely normal to feel like you “lose yourself” after becoming a mother  How matrescence reshapes your identity over time, not overnight Why motherhood can be the most powerful chapter of your life without being the only chapter. How protecting small, non-negotiable moments for yourself is not selfish — it's foundational. If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: How to Turn Your Hardest Motherhood Struggles Into a Career With Purpose with Michelle Kennedy Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you're becoming now and download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe's Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations' This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women's supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. Start your children's reading journey with Usbourne Books For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we are joined by Elizabeth Arnott. Elizabeth Arnott is an award-winning writer and journalist and has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook. Her work - covering everything from true crime to Arctic exploration - has featured in publications including The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review and The Guardian. She lives with her husband and their young daughter in London, where she spends far too much time drinking iced coffee and watching serial killer shows.In this episode, we discuss Elizabeth's journey through autoimmune illness, love for dark stories, and the fascinating worlds of true crime and genre fiction. Discover how life's unexpected turns shape her writing and perspectives. Give this episode a listen!Trigger Warning: This episode mentions the idea of the death of a child Recommendations From This Episode: Alone Being the Queen of Jewish Romance with Jean MeltzerDevil In DisguiseFollow Elizabeth: @elizabetharnottwritesFollow Carly: @carlyjmontagFollow Emily: @thefunnywalshFollow the podcast: @aloneatlunchpodPlease rate and review the podcast! Spread the word! Tell your friends! Email us: aloneatlunch@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 133 - Jenni explores pelvic floor health as 2026's Sunday Times trend, weighing pros and cons while highlighting overlooked factors. Essential listening for women in their third trimester and menopause.Disclaimer: Please note that all information and content on the UK Health Radio Network, all its radio broadcasts and podcasts are provided by the authors, producers, presenters and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge. As a service to our listeners/readers our programs/content are for general information and entertainment only.  The UK Health Radio Network does not recommend, endorse, or object to the views, products or topics expressed or discussed by show hosts or their guests, authors and interviewees.  We suggest you always consult with your own professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advisor. So please do not delay or disregard any professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advice received due to something you have heard or read on the UK Health Radio Network.

For decades, a chilling rumour has haunted Sarajevo: that foreign tourists paid to visit the besieged city in the early 1990s to shoot at its residents. Today, Italian authorities are investigating several cases of alleged ‘tourist snipers,' thrusting these accusations back into the headlines. Now, an eyewitness to these so-called ‘human safaris' has spoken to The Times about what he saw more than 30 years ago.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/thestoryGuest: Tom Kington, the Italy correspondent, The TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducer: Sophie McNultyTranslator: Aleksa AnticWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Sarajevo sniper tourists ‘killed children by day, then partied at night'Clips: BBC, ITN, FRENCH 24 English. Photo: Getty Images, Tom Kington.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.

Shownotes  Take your business to the next level with my FREE VITA Coaching Checklist Layla and Rebecca share the stories of their Kundalini awakenings How undigested energy becomes trauma in our nervous systems How a Goddess dress and a case of norovirus became a spiritual crossroads for Layla How to tell whether your soul or your ego is speaking Rebecca's favorite simple way to stay connected with your soul   Bio   Rebecca Campbell is an international bestselling author, mystic, and spiritual teacher whose creations have inspired millions of people all over the world.    Her bestselling books, oracle decks, and trainings have been translated into over 40 languages worldwide and her work has been featured in Vogue, The Sunday Times, Oprah.com, Psychologies Magazine, and more.    Rebecca's mission is to support people to live a soul-led life and develop a direct experience of the sacred. Her events are full sensory experiences… you will always leave having shifted something energetically and connected deeply to your soul.    Buy her latest book, Your Soul Had A Dream, Your Life Is It.   Learn more about Rebecca's work on her website and follow her on Instagram. Follow Layla!

First, as the USA, Israel and Iran trade drone and missile strikes, how the war  may play out for Russia: my sense is that on balance it will give Moscow more opportunities than headaches. Then, from bangers to Mish: decoding Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's annual report to the State Duma. Think of a head butler in a grand house: no say in the party upstairs, every burden downstairs. The technocrats may plan to edge Russia from “gas station” to “supermarket,” but is this viable?The Sunday Times article I mention is here, Ben Aris's BNE Intellinews piece here, and the signup page for Thursday's crisis exercise here.The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations.You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows, and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials including the (almost-) weekly Govorit Moskva news briefing right here. Support the show

What if “manifesting” isn't about vision boards and wishful thinking… but about brave, uncomfortable action? In this deeply personal solo episode, Zoe shares - for the first time - how she built Motherkind and manifested her dream career alongside early motherhood Not through magic.Not through overnight success.But through clarity, courage and trusting the nudges. Zoe breaks down the three-part framework that changed everything for her: How to get clear on what you actually want (even if all you know is what you don't want) Why tiny, 1% brave steps build unstoppable momentum The truth about “paralleling” careers and why most transitions aren't dramatic leaps What it really means to “trust the process” - and how to spot the breadcrumbs She shares the uncomfortable early days: buying a £50 microphone from Currys, consulting with clients to fund the dream, working late nights with a baby waking at 4 am, and the moments of flow that signalled she was on the right path If you're sitting in a career that feels fine but not fulfilling…If you have an idea you can't quite shake…If you're wondering whether it's too late, too risky, too unrealistic… This episode is your permission slip. Motherhood doesn't end ambition.It can clarify it. Know what you want.Take one small brave step.Trust what flows. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you're becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet If you liked this episode, listen to this next: The Work Series: My Biggest Mistakes and Regrets - Zoe's Story Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe's Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations' This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women's supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Start your children's reading journey with Usbourne Books Sonic Rooms from Pop That Mumma is a guided audio album designed to help mums find moments of calm in everyday life – use code MOTHERKIND for 30% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Erin Claire Jones was introduced to Human Design by a stranger in New York City in 2015—a chance encounter that would change the course of her life. Today, she's one of the world's leading experts in Human Design. For the past decade, Erin has been teaching it as a practical tool for alignment in work, love, and everyday decision-making. Through her coaching, courses, digital products, and personalized guides, she's helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide return to who they truly are and find their flow.  Do you know what career you're really meant to pursue? Can you identify the relationships you should really be investing in? Are you living your life to the fullest? Do you want to understand better your partner or work colleagues? Human Design is a mystical personality assessment that uses NASA data, astrology, and Eastern philosophy to generate mind-blowingly accurate insights into how you uniquely thrive at work, in love, and beyond. It is very practical and gives detailed info on what Human Design you are and you can find out what Human Design your children are, spouses are, and make dynamics make more sense. Erin's book: How Do You Choose?  A Human Design Guide to What's Best for You at Work, in Love, and in Life is a hands-on guide to using your Human Design to find more flow at work, deepen your relationships, and make aligned, confident decisions. Her work has been featured in Forbes, The Sunday Times, Vogue, Allure, Nylon and more. https://erinclairejones.com/book You can find out your human design by going here: BLUEPRINT GUIDE: A hyper-personalized, super accessible guide to your human design Here's the link to get your custom guide: https://humandesignblueprint.com/guide Link to study human design with Erin:  https://humandesigngenius.com/ Website: www.heatherthomson.com Social Media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/iamheathert/                     You Tube: https://youtube.com/@iamheathert?si=ZvI9l0bhLfTR-qdo SPONSOR: AirDoctorPro - Head to www.AirDoctorPro.com  and use promo code HEATHER to get UP TO $300 off today! AirDoctor comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, plus a 3-year warranty—an $84 value, free! Get this exclusive, podcast-only offer now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices