The Story

The call came in the dead of night. “Are you on your own?” the man said. “I’ve got in with some bad people and they’ve locked me in a flat and they want £5,000 to release me.” The caller was Mark Menzies, the Conservative MP for Fylde in Lancashire. The Times investigation reveals a litany of allegations involving sex, drugs and a drunk dog. Mark Menzies disputes all the allegations, and says he “fully complied with all the rules for declarations.” This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Billy Kenber, Senior Investigations Reporter, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Further listening: The council house row Angela Rayner can't shake. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has made history yet again, as the first American president to face a criminal trial. It’s one of four criminal cases against him - and the legal arguments already have experts divided. But what about the woman at the centre of it? What’s her story? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story Guest: Jane Mulkerrins, Associate Editor, The Times Magazine. Host: Luke Jones. Clips: Forbes, Fox News. Email us: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Police are investigating whether Labour’s deputy leader broke “any offences”, including under electoral law, after Tory MPs alleged that she may have given false information about her main residence - an ex council house she purchased - a decade ago. Rayner, who has promised to resign if she is found to have committed a crime, said she “followed the rules at all times”. But how damaging could this row be to her - and to her party. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/podcasts/the-story Guest: Kate McCann, Political Editor, Times Radio. Host: Luke JonesClips: BBC, Newsnight, ITV, 5 News, Sky News. Email us: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Israeli government is considering its response to Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack over the weekend. Israel’s allies – led by the US – have called for restraint, so, as the world tries desperately to de-escalate the situation, what could happen next? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CBS News; Israeli Defence Force; United Nations; UK Prime Minister; Sky News; ABC News; Al Jazeera; DW News, Parliament. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world’s most successful rappers, Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs is facing multiple lawsuits, with accusations from rape to sex trafficking. So what’s going on and who are the other famous faces being named? This podcast contains descriptions of sexual assault. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Keiran Southern, West Coast correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Good Morning America, The Recording Academy / The Grammys, Law&Crime Network, ABC, FOX, Firstpost, FREEDOMNEWS TV, New York Mickey, Vogue, J Nolan, CBS. Further listening: Will the mystery of Tupac’s death finally be solved? Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Music: Burna Boy, 21 Savage, Brandy / On Form / City Boys / Atlantic Records; Been Around The World / Puff Daddy & The Family feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Mase / Bad Boy Records; I’ll Be MIssing You / Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans & 112 / Bad Boy Records; Notorious B.I.G / The Notorious B.I.G feat. Lil' Kim & Puff Daddy / Bad Boy Records; Family Affair / Mary J. Blige / MCA; No More Drama / Mary J. Blige / MCA; Bad Boy for Life / P. Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry / Bad Boy Records, Arista; Hypnotize / The Notorious B.I.G. feat Pamela Long / Bad Boy Records, Arista; Nasty Girl / The Notorious B.I.G. feat Jagged Edge, P. Diddy, Avery Storm, Nelly / Bad Boy Records, Atlantic; Lady Marmalade / Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink / Interscope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 2019, a teenager pretending to be the son of a Russian oligarch was found dead by the river Thames. Police investigated but the parents of 19-year-old Zac Brettler felt they still lacked answers. Now a Sunday Times' investigation has uncovered evidence that raises serious questions about the Metropolitan Police's handling of the case. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manven Rana. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As police investigate the sending of explicit text messages to dozens of politicians, staff and political journalists, and the man at the centre of the scandal – Conservative MP William Wragg - resigned the party whip. The Times Chief Political Correspondent, Aubrey Allegretti, tells us what he’s discovered about the Westminster sexting scam, how many people could be involved, and who might be behind it. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Aubrey Allegretti, Times Chief Political Correspondent. Host: Manveen Rana Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Bates, the campaigner who took on the Post Office to expose flaws in its IT systems which led to wrongful convictions, has appeared before the public inquiry into the scandal. Can this crucial stage of the inquiry take the victims a step closer to justice? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Tom Witherow, news and special projects reporter, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Further listening: The Post Office scandal: How a TV drama delivered justice Clips: Channel 4 News, ITV. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's new slogan, "develop new productive forces," aims to bolster the expansion of high-tech sectors to drive economic growth. China already dominates the world of electric cars and controls more than 80 percent of the global solar panel manufacturing market. So, what could China’s technological dominance mean for the West? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Richard Spencer, China Correspondent, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: AP Archive, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, YouTube/RUSI, Sky News, Reuters, BYD Europe, ABC News, CBS News. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Kinahan is the head of a billion dollar international crime cartel and one of the world's most wanted men but he's been sharing his whereabouts and opinions through Google reviews. What is the normally security conscious man doing, and could the information ultimately lead to his capture? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: John Mooney, crime and security correspondent, Sunday Times Ireland. Host: Calum Macdonald. Clips: Raidió Teilifís Éireann, US State Department. Further listening: Inside the Kinahan crime cartel and their billion euro empire Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Biden has called for an immediate ceasefire and Rishi Sunak is facing pressure to stop arms sales to Israel after an IDF strike killed aid workers in Gaza. This comes days after the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. What does this mean for Israel as the world marks 6 months since the October 7 terror attacks? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Reuters, Channel 4 News, ITV News, Times Radio, IDF. Further listening: What if there’s no ceasefire? Manveen Rana reports from JerusalemA diary of war: Three months in Gaza Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government says their much anticipated childcare reform, offering two-year-olds 15 hours a week of free childcare, is hitting targets. But parents and providers say the scheme’s rollout has been chaotic. Today, we go to a pre-school to find out what the reality looks like. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guests: Special thanks to Desiree Chantarasak, and the children and teachers at Sunny Kids. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: UK Parliament, BBC Breakfast. Further listening: Childcare is a mess. Who will tidy it up? Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scotland’s new Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into force on Monday - and within 48 hours at least 800 'hate crimes' had been reported to Scottish police. So, what's in it? And why has it put Scotland once again at the centre of the culture wars? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor, The Times & Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC, Sky News, This Morning, JRE, The Daily Mail, ITV News, BBC, TalkTV, BBC, GB News, Police Scotland, Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's official: With Donald Trump confirmed as the Republican nominee, the US presidential race will be a Trump v Biden rematch. And with the primary contest over, Trump seems to be courting chaos again with some of the most infamous personalities from his 2016 presidential campaign slated to make a comeback. So just who is on Team Trump? And what do they tell us about the kind of race he will run? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: David Charter, Assistant Editor (US), The Times. Host: Calum Macdonald. Clips: Associated Press, NBC News, ABC News, C-SPAN, Guardian News, Lara Trump, BBC News. Further listening: What to expect from President Trump 2.0 Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Times investigation has revealed a worrying lack of security at a prison housing dangerous criminals, prompting an urgent investigation by the Ministry of Justice. The journalist who went undercover at HMP Bedford tells The Story about witnessing fights and drugs - and hearing of a prison escape because of doors being left unlocked. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory Guest: Paul Morgan-Bentley, Head of Investigations, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: ITV News, Times Radio, BBC. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our new monthly series of interviews, former foreign secretary and Times columnist William Hague speaks to his first guest, prime minister Rishi Sunak in Downing Street about juggling work and life as a dad, the threats and opportunities of AI, and inheriting ‘the worst hospital pass in many decades.’ This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory. Guest: Prime minister Rishi Sunak Host: William Hague Email us at our new address: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As President Putin repeats his assertion that Ukraine and the West are behind the terrorist attack last week that killed 137 Russians, the evidence is only growing that this was the work of ISIS. The culprits come from a faction that have risen out of the ashes of the former ISIS Caliphate: ISIS-K. So who are they? And how worried should the rest of the world be? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory. Guest: Mark Galeotti, historian, journalist and author of ‘We Need to Talk About Putin,’ ‘Putin’s Wars’ and ‘A Short History of Russia.’ Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Telegraph, PBS Newshour. Email us at our new address: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised he will hold a vote on assisted dying if he wins the general election. In Canada - where it was made legal in 2016 - over 50,000 people have already been helped to die. So with momentum growing in Britain, could the Canadian experience hold important lessons for us? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory. Guest: Sarah Baxter, former deputy editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC, ITV, Global News, Reuters. Email us at our new address: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fentanyl kills 200 people a day in America, a deadly epidemic felt throughout the country. We trace the journey of chemicals from China, to the drug labs of Mexico to the streets of the United States. Can the tide be stemmed? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.co.uk/thestory. Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CNBC, NBC News, ABC News, C-Span. Further listening: China’s deadly role in America’s fentanyl epidemic Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Saturday morning we're sharing an episode of Times podcast How to Win an Election with listeners of The Story. In the US, Taylor Swift could have the power to swing the presidential election. As famous faces come out to back Keir Starmer's plans for the arts, we ask when a celebrity endorsement can boost a campaign... and when it can go badly wrong. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss star power, and who could be the next Conservative leader - could the runners and riders include Michael Gove and even David Cameron? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.