The Story

World leaders have gathered in China ahead of tomorrow’s military parade to mark the end of the Second World War. Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Narenda Modi were among the 20 other leaders welcomed to what's been dubbed the 'anti-NATO' summit to discuss global security and economic matters ahead of the event. What can we learn from the relationships between the attendees and how should the West react?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Richard Spencer, China Correspondent, The Times, andCatherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Edward Drummond. Clips: APT, Reuters, SCMP.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tomorrow, the Greens announce their new leader, and one contender has been borrowing from the Farage playbook in his campaign. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn's new populist party is getting hundreds of thousands of sign-ups since its launch. Are the days of gradualism - and our two-party system dominance - over?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: Aubrey Allegretti, Chief Political Correspondent, The Times.Josh Glancy, Associate Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: YouTube / Break Through News, Sky, YouTube / @zakpolanskigreen, Novara Media, The Telegraph, ITV, YouTube / Ellie and Adrian 2025.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Caribbean nation of Haiti is now at the mercy of gangs bent on kidnap, rape and murder. Louise Callaghan meets their victims — and confronts a warlord.Written and read by: Louise Callaghan, US correspondent, The Sunday Times.Producer: Edith Rousselot. Photo: Giles Clarke/ Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book, Power and the Palace, the former Times royal correspondent Valentine Low uncovers the secretive relationship between the monarchy and government. Speaking to Palace aides, politicians and civil servants, he reveals the private side of Queen Elizabeth II.© Valentine Low 2025 Extracted from “Power and the Palace” by Valentine Low, to be published by Headline Press on September 11 at £25 Available to buy from The Times Bookshop.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryWritten and read by: Valentine Low.Producer: Euan Dawtrey.Photo: Ian Gavan / Stringer.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Taylor Swift announced her engagement to boyfriend of two years, NFL tight end Travis Kelce. So what can we expect at America's version of a royal wedding? Will there be hints or Easter eggs about it in her new album? And what could a stable love life mean for an artist who’s built a career on heartbreak?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: Sarah Ditum, writer, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Read more: Taylor Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce is an all-American love storyHappily ever after? The Disneyfication of America’s ‘royal couple’Taylor Swift’s $1m ring is so huge she’ll get a six-pack on her fingerClips: Fix, iHollywoodTV, ABC, New Heights podcast, CDC / Pfizer, E! Entertainment. Music: All Too Well / Taylor Swift / Republic Records, Bejewelled / Taylor Swift / Republic Records, You Belong With Me / Taylor Swift / Republic Records, So High School / Taylor Swift / Republic Records.Photo: Instagram / @TaylorSwift. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump announced on Truth Social this week that he had fired Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook. While most people had no idea who she was, her sacking could have a massive impact. The move is seen as part of the continued politicisation of the Fed, the US’s independent central bank and some economists fear it could be the start of a journey towards economic meltdown in America with global repercussions. 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: Mehreen Khan,  Economics Editor, The Times.Host:  Manveen Rana.Producer: Shabnam Grewal.Read more: Trump is rapidly tightening his grip on US central bankDollar weakens after Trump ‘sacks’ Fed governor Lisa CookClips: CNN, Bloomberg, The Legal Defence Fund.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday Nigel Farage unveiled Reform UK’s plans to tackle the issue of small boats and illegal migration. It's a problem that's driven European politics for almost a decade, we look to the continent for lessons they've learned on how it could be solved.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Edith Rousselot. Read more: Look to Sweden for bold policies on migrantsClips: Times Radio.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the prospect of peace in Ukraine looking increasingly clouded following Donald Trump's attempts at inter-continental deal-making, the former head of the UK military, General Sir Nick Carter, tells Tom Newton Dunn that the US president doesn't understand his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Can Europe's leaders achieve some kind of security guarantee without US boots on the ground to back it up? And does Trump understand the lessons of history?Guest: General Sir Nick Carter, Former UK Chief of the Defence Staff.Host: Calum Macdonald and Tom Newton Dunn.Producer: Sophie McNulty.Clips: Fox News.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ron Hubbard is the biggest builder of underground bunkers, giving security to wealthy buyers who fear the world is coming to an end. And business is boomingThis podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryWritten by: Bevan Hurley.Read by: Edward Drummond.Producers: Edward Drummond and Kate Lamble.Photo: James Breeden for the Times. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bobby Cunningham was 31 when he became Head of Security at Wandsworth Prison, Britain’s most notorious jail, where he was tasked with fighting corruption. The Sunday Times's Whitehall editor Gabriel Pogrund reveals his dealings with organised crime.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: Gabriel PogrundHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Olivia Case, Edward Drummond, Shabnam Grewal.Read more: Revealed: the prison chief linked to organised crimeClips: BBC, Sky News.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Brain, the leader of a Church of England ‘sex cult’ known s the Nine O'Clock Service, has been found guilty of 17 charges of indecent assault, three decades after its collapse. Why did the Church fail to learn lessons from the scandal?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: Sean O'Neill, Senior Writer, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Edward Drummond.Read more: Chris Brain: ‘charismatic priest’ behind the Nine O’Clock ServiceClips: BBC.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pro-democracy campaigner, media mogul and British citizen Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned in China for five years and on trial for two. As the closing statements are made, what will happen to one of China’s most prominent critics? And can the UK government - or Donald Trump - step in to free him?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Cindy Yu, Columnist and Contributing Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Clips: BBC, Hoover Institute / YouTube, Sky, The Guardian, CNN, FOX, AP, Max Media, Asia, The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom / Ron Holwerda / Acton Institute. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nvidia's the first company to be worth more than $4trilllion, developers are being offered salaries in the billions, and companies that don’t even have a product are securing investments beyond their wildest dreams. Yet there were reports this week that Meta could downsize its AI division. Our resident silicon valley watcher says there's an AI bubble, and looks back to the dot com boom and bust, for answers on what happens when it bursts.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: Danny Fortson, US West Coast correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Read more: Silicon Valley’s AI-fuelled madness has echoes of the dotcom crashListen to Danny every week on The Times Tech PodcastClips: First Post, YouTube / @InvestDive, Bloomberg, YouTube / Meet McKay, CNBC, YouTube / 100xEngineers, BBC, YouTube / Budding, Pets.com, MSNBC, YouTube / @scalacodeIN, Stanford eCorner, CNET, YouTube / @fortune.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Times can reveal the English Defence League founder is charging around £28 a minute for videos giving practical advice to supporters on migrant hotel protests and anti-Islam activism. The private consultations raise concerns about the potential for radicalisation at a time of heightened tensions surrounding immigration issues. 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: Shanti Das, Senior Investigations Reporter, The Times.Host: Calum MacDonald.Producer: Shabnam Grewal.Read more: Tommy Robinson charging £28 a minute as personal coach to far rightClips: Minnect, The Express, The Telegraph.Photo: Times illustration/Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zelensky landed in Washington DC, accompanied by European leaders, to try and stem the fallout from the Alaska summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Will Ukraine be forced to cede territory to secure peace? And how is that going down in Kyiv?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:Professor Mark Galeotti, Historian, Times Contributor, Director of Mayak Intelligence and Author of We Need to Talk about Putin.Anthony Loyd, Special Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Taryn Siegel and Edith Rousselot.Read more: The ball is in Zelensky’s court but he is in an impossible positionClips: Fox News, Bloomberg TV, Associated Press, The Guardian.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Oasis reunion supernova leaves the UK to conquer the rest of the world, the success is beyond anyone's dreams -- including Oasis. How did this happen? Will Hodgkinson tells us about his many chats with the Gallagher brothers over the years, and his theories on how they finally reunited -- and what happened with the dynamic pricing debacle.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: Will Hodgkinson, Chief Rock and Pop Critic, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Read more: Oasis in Cardiff review — still mad for it after all these years.Clips: BluntMag, THEMattPope, Oasis, OasisOfficialMusic, Matt Ridsdill-smith, MTV, milesth944.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Slater and his US partner created Quittr, which helps men resist sexually explicit material. It’s making them millions.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryWritten and read by: Damian Whitworth.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Read more: Bonnie Blue: 1,000 men and the worrying normalisation of pornPhoto: Ava Pellor for The Free Press.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's Times podcast we thought you might enjoy hearing from a regular guest on the Story; Tom Whipple. In his new podcast, Tom explores the stories behind great scientific discoveries. We've brought two of them together, one of electric current and a second on the capacity of muscles for a helping of double science. If you'd like to hear more of Tom's series - all ten episodes are available in the Making Science feed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US vice-president JD Vance is holidaying with his family in the Cotswold village of Dean. But on the side, he's meeting a phalanx of British politicians. Who's on the roll-call? And what does this tell us about where Trump's possible successor sees the future of British politics?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: Josh Glancy, Associate Editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Read more: JD Vance holds court with top Tories in Cotswolds thanks to George OsborneClips: The Guardian, CNBC, The Jaipur Dialogues, TikTok / iamtomskinner, Sky.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over 500 Palestine Action supporters arrested at last weekend's protests are now being processed by the courts. So who is behind the direct action protest group and is the government right to have proscribed them as terrorists?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 Witherow, News Reporter, The TimesHost: Luke JonesProducer: Rosie StopherRead more: A history of Palestine Action: from birth to banClips: PA, Sky News, The Guardian.Photo: Getty images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.