PODCAST · news
The Story
by PII
The biggest stories, told in depth, daily. Join the world's best journalists to uncover what really matters. Hosted by Manveen Rana and Luke Jones. Published seven days a week and ready for you every morning. The Story is brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Have PM resignations become a new British disease?
Sir Keir Starmer resigned as prime minister yesterday morning, clearing the way for Andy Burnham to take the top job. But how did a leader who won a historic landslide election just 2 years ago become the shortest serving Labour prime minister in history? Is Burnham offering anything…
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LATEST: Starmer resigns
After weeks of intensifying pressure from ministers, backbenchers, and former allies, Keir Starmer made the only decision he really could – to resign. If Andy Burnham runs unchallenged to replace him, we could have a new prime minister as soon as July. So what do the next few weeks look like for...
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I found my birth father at 24. Then we fell in love - The Saturday Story
Sophia Greenwood was adopted as a baby and spent years searching for her biological parents. When she finally met her father at the age of 24, neither could have predicted what happened next. Their relationship would spark controversy, lead to criminal proceedings, and shape the rest of their...
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Who is the “king of soccer" Gianni Infantino?
As England kick off their World Cup campaign tonight, one man will be impossible to ignore: FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Hailed by supporters as the man who transformed football’s governing body and accused by critics of chasing power and influence, he's become one of the most powerful…
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UK social media ban: an end to brain rot and doomscrolling?
The government has announced a ban on some social media platforms for under-16s. It’s a move that echoes a similar ban introduced by the Australian government, which came into effect in December. So what are teens actually looking at on social media? And will a ban help? This podcast was brought…
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LATEST: Will Trump’s Iran peace deal hold?
Donald Trump has announced that his much trailed peace deal with Iran is to be signed this Friday, bringing an end to hostilities between the two countries and opening up the strait of Hormuz. With the fine print still to be worked out, many questions about the deal remain. Can it bring some...
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The G7 v Donald Trump
The annual G7 summit starts today in France. The normally stuffy, formal affair has been shaken up in recent years by Donald Trump, who has sparred with nearly all of America’s allies. So is the G7 still the powerful, united global force it once was? And with China building its own alliance, how...
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Ghost Mountain: part three - The network
Following months of police inaction over the disappearance of British tourist Lorna McSorley, we reveal a high-tech breakthrough. A new digital trail reveals potential suspects who might hold the answer to what happened - and seems to confirm the worst of local fears. This is the final episode of…
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Ghost Mountain: part two - Strong medicine
With the South African police’s search for missing British tourist Lorna McSorley gone cold, locals take matters into their own hands. Their investigation uncovers extraordinary and deeply troubling facts about her disappearance, linking it to a string of other missing people in the area. This is...
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Ghost Mountain: part one - Beware, crocodiles
Seventy one-year-old British tourist Lorna McSorley went out for a walk near South Africa's Ghost Mountain. She never returned. In the first part of this three-part investigation, we travel to the remote, superstitious heart of KwaZulu-Natal to retrace Lorna’s final steps. As the police search…
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LATEST: Defence secretary resigns
Defence Secretary John Healey resigned this afternoon, over the government’s much delayed defence funding plan. In a letter to the prime minister, Healey said Keir Starmer had been “unable” to commit resources that the UK desperately needs. So what does this mean for Starmer’s leadership? And…
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The ticking time bomb Netanyahu faces at home
The fragile ceasefire in the Middle East appears to be unravelling, with Iran and Israel exchanging missile strikes. The violence has been met with fury from President Trump, who’s been pushing to get a peace deal over the line for weeks. So why is Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu…
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West Ham owner accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour
The billionaire David Sullivan has been accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour by several women dating back to the 1980s. In a joint investigation with the BBC, The Times has spoken to seven women about their experiences. In his statement on 4 June, Sullivan announced his...
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Nigeria is killing its own civilians
On Sunday 10 May, the Nigerian military bombed a crowded market in the north of the country. It claimed terrorists were the target, but in reality, more than 100 civilians were killed and dozens more injured. The Sunday Times has gone to northern Nigeria to speak to survivors and investigate the...
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The big coup: How a small-time horse trainer took on the bookies - The Sunday Story
There’s an old saying in horse racing: “You can’t beat the bookies.” But what happens when a trainer uses inside information to try and prove that saying wrong? Is it right to do something that might be slightly questionable to beat the bookmakers who would do everything to beat you? This podcast...
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How infinite scrolling damages our brains - The Saturday Story
What starts as a quick check of social media can quickly turn into an hour lost to scrolling. The culprit is infinite scroll, a feature once built for convenience that has become one of the most powerful tools ever created for holding our attention. In fact, it's now thought the average Brit will...
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What Henry Nowak's murder means for policing
In December 2025, 18 year-old Henry Nowak was stabbed in the street. This week, his murderer Vickrum Digwa was given a life sentence. The case has ignited a debate about whether so-called 'two-tier policing' exists in the UK. So where does this leave our police forces? This podcast was brought to...
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Makerfield: the by-election which could decide the next prime minister
It’s the Makerfield by-election on June 18th and one of Keir Starmer’s key challengers - Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham - is vying for a seat. If he becomes the MP it’ll enable him to challenge Starmer for the top job. Elsewhere there’s a battle on the right as Reform and Restore Britain face...
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“Everyone hates you now” - Could Lebanon cost Trump his Iran deal?
An alleged expletive-filled phone call between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu has laid bare deep tensions over the war in Lebanon. As the conflict escalates, could it derail Trump's hopes of securing a deal with Iran? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The...
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LATEST: Henry Nowak murder sparks outrage
A student, Henry Nowak, who had been stabbed repeatedly told police “I can’t breathe” as they handcuffed him minutes before he died, newly-released bodycam footage has revealed. His attacker, Vickrum Digwa, falsely alleged that Nowak had racially abused him and knocked his turban off, prompting...
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The Mandelson files released
On Monday, the government released more than a thousand documents related to Peter Mandelson’s controversial appointment as ambassador to the US. It’s one of the largest publications of secret documents to parliament in UK history. The files contain insights into how Mandelson operated and what…
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How to prepare for the AI job apocalypse
As AI continues to grow, its innovators have warned of its potential impact on jobs. Meanwhile, young people in the UK are facing record levels of unemployment. Fearing for his own teenage daughter’s future, one Microsoft veteran has taken matters into his own hands and used data to identify the...
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Gisele Pelicot: "I don’t want to be a victim anymore" - The Sunday Story
Gisèle Pelicot has become a symbol of dignity, courage and defiance after waiving her anonymity and insisting her trial — in which dozens of men were accused of raping her while she was drugged unconscious by her husband — be held in public. In a rare interview, she speaks to Jane Garvey about…
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How George Michael changed my life - The Saturday Story
Pressures of migrant parents, the shackles of family expectation, and the urge to reinvent yourself in 90s Britain - all themes that connect writer Sathnam Sanghera with George Michael. Growing up in Wolverhampton as the son of Sikh immigrants, Sanghera was a teenage Wham obsessive, later finding...
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Q&A: Iran latest and the Makerfield by-election
As discussions - and tensions - rumble on in the Middle East, what are the stumbling blocks that have prevented a peace deal so far? And the Makerfield by-election which could help decide our next prime minister is fast approaching; we’ve got all you need to know on both topics, in our monthly…
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Fordingbridge rape victim: “I’m the one being punished”
In January last year, a 14 year old girl we’re calling Olivia, was attacked by three boys in Fordingbridge in Hampshire. Two were aged 14 and one just 13 years old. One of the boys raped her while the other two filmed the attack. Just two months earlier, the older boys had attacked another girl…
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Is Trump being out-negotiated over Iran?
Iranian officials remain in Qatar, negotiating the details of a possible peace plan for the region. Discussions continue even after American strikes hit targets in southern Iran late on Monday. So, is peace actually within reach? What’s really on the table? And after months of escalation and...
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Unrest in the Falklands
A leaked Pentagon memo suggesting the US could withdraw support for British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands has thrust the remote territory back into the global spotlight. The controversy revived memories of war in 1982, when the Argentinian junta attempted to assert their own claim to the...
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Inside the Femosphere: No hook-ups and men must pay
With the manosphere in mainstream, make way for the "femosphere". A movement urging women to rethink love entirely. Less romance and more strategy, no splitting the bill and no over-investing emotionally. But is it a bleak vision of dating, or the future of feminism? This podcast was brought to…
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She convicted her rapist years after her death - The Sunday Story
Sue Firth did all she could to bring the man who raped her to justice. Within hours of the assault, in the early morning of September 7 1985, she had reported it to police. A manhunt ensued, but yielded nothing. In 1997, aged 39, Firth died. But this was not the end of her story. Three decades...
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I made reality TV; it's even more extreme now - The Saturday Story
Former contestants on Married At First Sight this week made serious allegations of rape and sexual misconduct. All men accused deny any wrong doing. For TV producer and writer Daisy Goodwin, creator of shows like Grand Designs and Victoria, it’s another sign that reality TV is losing its grip…
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LATEST: Andrew inquiry looks into 'sexual misconduct' allegations
Two significant developments surround the story of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. First, detectives investigating Andrew could examine allegations of sexual misconduct and corruption as part of their inquiry into potential misconduct in public office. Andrew has not been charged and denies all...
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How did Pakistan become the peacemakers?
For decades, Pakistan was viewed by Western leaders with deep suspicion. They were accused of taking billions in US counter terrorism funding, while allegedly harbouring Taliban networks at the same time – even Osama Bin Laden himself. Now, that same country finds itself at the centre of efforts…
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Has Britain become ungovernable?
With Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership on the brink, the revolving door of Number 10 feels like it has never been more pronounced. But is this true? Why is Britain burning through leaders at record speed? And has the country become fundamentally ungovernable? This podcast was brought to you thanks…
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The return of Ebola
A new Ebola outbreak, driven by a rare strain of the virus, has struck the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The rapid rise in cases and deaths suggests that the virus had been circulating for some time before the alarm was raised. So why wasn’t it detected sooner? And have recent...
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Labour's Brexit conundrum
Andy Burnham, a potential leadership challenger to Sir Keir Starmer as PM, has said that re-running Brexit arguments is "the last thing we should do right now" after Wes Streeting put the EU back on the agenda. Ahead of one of the most significant by-elections in recent political history, could…
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Why Svalbard could be in Putin’s sights
The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard is home to a Russian settlement where signs are in cyrillic and inhabitants pay for their groceries in rubles. It’s also at the heart of the scramble between global powers for resources, so as the Arctic sea ice melts opening up the region, could Svalbard...
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Sunday Times Rich List: Britain’s Billionaire Exodus - The Sunday Story
This year’s Sunday Times Rich List offers a revealing snapshot of modern Britain’s fortunes, from the Gallagher brothers returning after their sell-out comeback shows, to David and Victoria Beckham officially joining the billionaire club. But beyond the celebrity headlines lies a much bigger…
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How the hantavirus cruise ship nightmare unfolded - The Saturday Story
The luxury cruise ship, MV Hondius, became a floating nightmare when passengers aboard the contracted hantavirus, leaving three people dead and triggering an international emergency response. But what really happened? And could the outbreak have been contained sooner? This podcast was brought to...
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Labour at war
The Labour psychodrama continues. Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary on Thursday afternoon, stating that it was clear Sir Keir Starmer would not lead the Labour Party into the next general election. However he has not yet triggered a leadership contest. Meanwhile, Andy Burnham, Mayor of...
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Trump meets Xi - what's at stake?
Donald Trump is in Beijing for his much-anticipated trip to see President Xi - the leaders meet today. But with the US seemingly stuck in a frozen conflict in the Middle East, does Xi see Trump as a lame duck? Will he help Trump persuade Iran to end the war or could the conflict embolden Xi’s...
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LATEST: Is Wes Streeting about to resign?
This morning the Times broke the news that Wes Streeting had told allies he was preparing to resign as Health Secretary tomorrow to trigger a leadership contest. The story emerged just ahead of the King’s arrival in Westminster for the state opening of parliament. What do we know now? And what…
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How Maga fell out of love with fast food
Republican voters across the United States are rejecting ultra-processed foods, marking a striking political and cultural shift. But, how did the ‘bread basket of America’ get so ultra-processed in the first place? And is this the moment Big Food faces a reckoning? This podcast was brought to you...
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"Keir Starmer couldn't run a bath". What next for Labour?
Labour suffered historic losses in Thursday’s elections, triggering dozens of the party’s MPs to call for Keir Starmer’s resignation. And yet, even with the party in disarray, the PM has so far remained defiant. So, can he survive? And what do the election results tell us about the country’s...
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Amanda Knox: Why I’ve turned my life into an Edinburgh comedy show - The Sunday Story
Amanda Knox was at the centre of one of the most gruesome murders and sensationalised trials of the 21st century. Accused of killing her flatmate, she transformed into a global media obsession almost overnight. Now, nearly two decades later, she’s turning that experience into an Edinburgh Fringe...
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Why Putin’s big parade will be a damp squib
In Moscow, preparations are complete for tomorrow’s Victory Day celebrations. This year’s military parade will be pared back amid fears of Ukrainian drone strikes. So as the country marks its biggest celebration in muted style, five years into a grinding war, how are Russians feeling about their...
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Is political violence America's new normal?
White House correspondents' dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. The White House says Saturday’s attack is the third 'assassination attempt' on Donald Trump in the last two years. But what do we know about Allen? And what does…
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Can King Charles fix the special relationship?
This episode was recorded before the events at the White House Correspondents’ Association on Saturday. King Charles arrives in America today for a state visit to mark the country’s 250th birthday. But with US-UK relations at a low over Iran - and the Epstein scandal still looming large - the...
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Can rugby survive its head injury problem? - The Sunday Story
Shane Christie was one of the brightest rugby stars in New Zealand before suffering multiple concussions, leading to a brain injury that would slowly take everything from him. And his experience is far from unique. In this deeply personal account, David Walsh talks to Shane's former partner…
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The fight for the "trillion dollar maps" - The Saturday Story
Hidden in a quiet Belgian archive, century-old colonial maps of the Democratic Republic of Congo may hold the key to an estimated $24 trillion in untapped minerals. Now the United States, backed by Trump, together with the likes of Jeff Bezos, want them. The curators, however, are in no hurry to...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The biggest stories, told in depth, daily. Join the world's best journalists to uncover what really matters. Hosted by Manveen Rana and Luke Jones. Published seven days a week and ready for you every morning. The Story is brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
PII
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