The Story

President Trump has bowed to pressure from US lawmakers, including those in his own Republican party, to release files related to the investigation into the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. As leading MAGA figures start to rebel, we ask whether Trump has lost control over his base? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: George Grylls, Washington correspondent, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Olivia Case. Read more: Marjorie Taylor Greene: Americans won’t tolerate Trump’s Epstein files ‘bulls***’ Further listening: The new Epstein emails about Trump Clips: BBC, Sky, PBS, MS Now / YouTube, Democrats / Facebook, Fox. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an attempt to court the favour of the post-Assad regime in Syria, western countries have recently de-proscribed former terrorist groups. What does that mean for those who were deprived of their citizenship for allegedly associating with those groups, back when the West banned them? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Read more: Rabies, Russians and a return to scene of my kidnap, 11 years ago. Further listening: Palmyra: Syria's past, present and future. Clips: The Guardian, CNN, The Times, France 24. Photo: Anthony Loyd for The Times. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced sweeping changes to the asylum rules yesterday; the largest overhaul since the Second World War. The changes have apparently been inspired by Denmark but will they work or are they - as one Labour MP said - ‘repugnant’? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Olivia Case, Micaela Arneson, Harry Stott. Read more: Shabana Mahmood speech: Asylum policy to cope with ‘volatile’ world Further listening: Doomed to fail? Labour’s asylum u-turn Clips: Sky, Times Radio, parliamentlive.tv. Photo: Andrew Fox for The Sunday Times. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From this year, 18 year-old Danish women will have to take part in a conscription lottery and face potentially being called up for an 11 month military service. The country is just one of many in Europe aiming to improve military resilience in response to the growing threat from Russia. But what does it mean to the teenagers caught up on the front line of this debate? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Katie Gatens, commissioning editor of news review, The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Edith Rousselot. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time, scientists have successfully sequenced Adolf Hitler’s DNA, taken from a bloodstain in the bunker where he spent his final days. It's one of the most remarkable scientific studies in modern history, and the results are astonishing. They reveal a previously unknown medical condition, which finally uncovers the truth behind that famous wartime song, raise fascinating questions and resolve long-standing questions: Is Hitler of Jewish ancestry? Was he a schizophrenic? And what does his DNA tell us about evil? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Jack Blackburn, History Correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Dave Creasey. Clips: Times Radio, NBC, Channel 4/Blink Films UK. Read more: - Hitler had hidden genetic sexual disorder, DNA analysis reveals - Sunken port may provide clue to Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s lost tomb Photo: Shaun Parkinson/Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each episode is hosted by The Story released as a bonus weekly series on Saturdays. Andreia Pawel is co-founder of the Orange River-Karoo Conservation Area, one of the world’s most ambitious rewilding projects. Spanning more than a million hectares in Namibia, and with the support of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, it aims to restore lost ecosystems, reintroduce species and work with local Nama communities to build a new model for conservation. She tells Adam Vaughan how, with bold ambitions, we can breathe new life into the natural world. Planet Hope is brought to you in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Guest: Andreia Pawel, conservationist and co-founder, Orange River-Karoo Conservation Area Host: Adam Vaughan, environment editor, The Times Series producer: Priyanka Deladia Sound designer: David Crackles This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negotiations at the annual global climate change conference, or COP, are in full swing. But with consensus on the issue collapsing at home and abroad, including the US withdrawing from the landmark Paris agreement, is there even any point in the summit? We ask the UK’s special representative for climate. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Professor Rachel Kyte, UK special representative for climate. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Harry Stott, Olivia Case. Read more: Ed Miliband: Cop30 will prove net zero doubters wrong Further listening: Have we stopped caring about climate change? Clips: United Nations / YouTube, TRT World, DW News / YouTube, Yahoo / YouTube, ITV, SABC News, News X World. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein have been released by the US House Oversight Committee. One email alleges Donald Trump 'knew about the girls'. While the White House argues a selective leaking of this correspondence has created a fake narrative, what does this release tell us about the relationship between the US President and the convicted paedophile? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Josie Ensor, chief US reporter, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Taryn Siegel. Clips: NBC News, Fox News. Further Reading: What Epstein said about Trump in newly released emails Further Listening: Can Trump shake his Epstein problem? Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, The Times broke the news that the International Olympic Committee is a step closer to banning transgender women from competing in all female events. So why is the IOC acting now? And could President Trump have anything to do with it? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Martyn Ziegler, chief sports reporter, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Micaela Arneson. Read more: Transgender women to be banned from all female Olympic events Further listening: New rules for trans athletes: fairness or exclusion? Clips: Sky News, Bloomberg, Sports Insider by DRM / YouTube, CBS Evening News, Sky News Australia, Associated Press, Sky News Sports. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the resignations of two of its most senior members of staff, the BBC is being questioned over allegations of institutional bias. Donald Trump has threatened to sue the organisation, and with negotiations about the continuation of the BBC’s funding model underway, where does it leave our national broadcaster? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Rosamund Urwin, media editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Edward Drummond, Shabnam Grewal, Harry Stott. Clips: News.com.Au, Reuters, TalkTV, NBC News, Bloomberg News, GBNews, BBC News, Sky News, ITV News. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year, tech billionaire Mike Lynch was given a second chance at life when he was acquitted of criminal fraud charges. But while celebrating with friends and family aboard his yacht, a freak storm arose. Lynch, his daughter, and five others were tragically killed. This week, deliberations begin over how much compensation his estate owes to the company he defrauded. Payments which could lead to bankruptcy. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Katie Prescott, technology business editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Micaela Arneson. Further listening: The tragedy of Mike Lynch and the sunken yacht Clips: Danny in the Valley, BBC, LeadersIn, Black Thunder / YouTube, Charlie Rose. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the most watched TV show of the year, but The Traitors is much more than just entertainment: it’s a psychological experiment. How did a game, born out of Cold War Soviet roots, become a mirror of modern power, politics, and trust? Why do we value charm over logic? And can you ever really trust anyone? Not according to Times feature writer Helen Rumbelow. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Spoiler alert: Reveals the winner of the Celebrity Traitors from the start. Guest: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer and columnist, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Dave Creasey. Read more: The Traitors is rigged, just not how you think it isThe Celebrity Traitors final review — epic duplicity and backstabbingWho should be in series two of The Celebrity Traitors?Clips: BBC, Network 10. Photo: Cody Burridge/Studio Lambert/BBC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each episode is hosted by The Story released as a bonus weekly series on Saturdays. Explorer and Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative partner Steve Boyes has spent decades navigating Africa’s wild rivers. He tells Adam Vaughan how illness and resilience has reshaped his outlook and why protecting rivers, landscapes and communities has become his life’s mission. Planet Hope is brought to you in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Guest: Steve Boyes, conservationist and National Geographic Explorer. Host: Adam Vaughan, environment editor, The Times Series Producer: Priyanka Deladia Sound Designer: David Crackles This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year’s attack on a dance class in Southport killed three young girls and injured a further eight, as well as two adults. The teenager responsible, Axel Rudakubana, has since been sentenced to a minimum 52 years. But a public inquiry is still trying to understand whether it would have been possible to prevent the horrific event. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Constance Kampfner, northern correspondent, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Edward Drummond. Read more: Axel Rudakubana’s father ‘was too scared to challenge him’Southport killer’s brother ‘feared he would kill a family member’Clips: Southport Inquiry, Times Radio, The Times. Photo: Getty Images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost 700,000 people are waiting to book their driving test in the UK, a record backlog which is being exploited by scammers. Our reporter Emma Kirwan found victims across the UK have already paid out more than £134,000 this year trying to book slots which don’t exist. So, she tracked down a scammer and got him on the phone. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Emma Kirwan, reporter, Times Radio. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case. Clips: Times Radio. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Reeves has paved the way for potential tax rises. In a speech three weeks before the budget, the chancellor refused to commit to Labour’s manifesto promise to not raise National Insurance, income tax or VAT. With Nigel Farage also back-pedalling on tax cuts, is it time for the politicians to be more honest about the state of the economy? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Oliver Wright, policy editor, The Times Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Shabnam Grewal, Alula Hart. Read more: Reeves: We must all do our bit to secure Britain’s future Further listening: Do bond markets rule the world? Clips: Sky News, The Guardian, Parliament TV, ITV Politics. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Saturday evening, passengers on a train from Doncaster to London King’s Cross suddenly found themselves in the path of a man wielding a large kitchen knife. In the terrifying minutes that followed, there were scenes of horror and acts of bravery. So what happened, could the attack have been prevented, and can passenger safety be improved? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Manveen Rana Producers: Micaela Arneson, Shabnam Grewal. Read more: What happened on the train in Huntingdon? How stabbing attack unfolded Clips: BBC News, BBC Breakfast, Channel 4 News, Parliament TV, Sky News, RTE News, Times Radio. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tomorrow is election day for the mayor of New York and the frontrunner is 34-year-old Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani. But are his plans to remake America's biggest city achievable - or a pipe dream? And how might he face off against President Trump? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Will Pavia, New York correspondent, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Olivia Case, Sophie McNulty, Alula Hart. Clips: nnmaddox / YouTube, @amberyeet / TikTok, NBC, C-SPAN, zohran_k_mamdani / TikTok, Fox, Mr Cardamom / YouTube, Bernie Sanders / YouTube, @subwaytakes / TikTok, Forbes. Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gail Rice had given up on dating apps and was dreading old age. Then the psychologist had an idea — book a hotel room for a landmark birthday and pay a stranger to turn her on. Would it work? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Read by: Olivia Case. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Dave Creasey. Read more: My 70th birthday treat? I hired a male escort Clips: Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Searchlight Pictures. Photo: Isabella Moore for The Times Magazine. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each episode is hosted by The Story released as a bonus weekly series on Saturdays. In Lausanne, Switzerland, neuroscientist and Rolex Awards Laureate Grégoire Courtine and neurosurgeon Jocelyne Bloch have pioneered a “digital bridge” that translates brain signals into spinal stimulation, giving people with paralysis new ways to regain movement. They tell Tom Whipple about the science behind the technology, the patients leading the way and their hopes for the future of movement recovery after paralysis. Planet Hope is brought to you in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. Guest: Host: Tom Whipple, Science Writer, The Times. Series Producer: Priyanka Deladia Sound Designer: David Crackles This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.