The Story

It had it all: sex, lies, FBI stings, and the first presidential impeachment for over a century. Thirty years on from the most famous “office romance” in modern politics, Monica Lewinsky reflects, in her own words, on the impact of being 'that women'. With former president Bill Clinton’s conduct once again being questioned amid the Epstein files, we revisit 1998: the power imbalance, the media feeding frenzy, and the question that still lingers - who really paid the price? From global slut-shaming, to a life derailed at 24, this is the story of what happened next.Guest: Jane Mulkerrins, Associate Editor, Times Magazine.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Dave Creasey.Read more: Monica Lewinsky: I was called a bimbo and abused on a world stageClips: CNN, ABC, Fox News.Photo: Aaron Richter for the Times Magazine.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

In December, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot ‘Grok’ rolled out a new image-editing feature on his social media site, X. It didn’t take long for users to exploit it, digitally undressing women and girls and spreading non-consensual deepfakes. But while a governmental backlash in the UK is growing, these photos are still flooding in. So how is this legal? And are we finally reaching a moment where the harms of AI can’t be brushed aside?Update: As of this morning (9/1), X has disabled Grok’s image generation tool for non-subscribers. Grok wrote in a reply that this was done “to ensure responsible use and address recent concerns about misuse for inappropriate content.”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:Emma Yeomans, news reporter, The Times.Chris Stokel-Walker, tech journalist and author. Samantha Smith, columnist at The Catholic Herald.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Sophie McNulty, Harry Stott. Read more: Elon Musk’s AI undressing tool on Grok could be bannedFurther listening: Is 2026 the year of the AI backlash?Clips: NBC News, Fox News.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

After hitting Venezuela last week and capturing the country’s president, Donald Trump turned his attention to Greenland - the US says it’ll discuss ownership with Denmark next week. Trump’s also talked about getting involved in Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia. So which country might be next? What is the ‘Donroe Doctrine?’ And could this be the end of NATO?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, contributor, The Times.Mogens Lykketoft, former Danish foreign minister and former president of the United Nations General Assembly.Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Olivia Case, Micaela Arneson.  Read more: What would a US takeover of Greenland look like? Four options examinedFurther listening: Is Trump's attack on Venezuela about drugs, politics or oil? Clips: Palm Beach Post, The White House, Forbes, Sky, Global News, CNN, Bloomberg.     Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

2025 was a year of tumult for an increasingly unpopular Labour government, while insurgent parties to their right and left shot up in the polls. But what will 2026 have in store? Will Keir Starmer’s political downfall continue? And can the Greens and Reform continue their upward trajectories in the crucial local elections this May?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.Geraldine Scott, assistant political editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Harry Stott.Read more: Here’s what lies ahead for Keir Starmer and Labour in 2026Clips: Bloomberg, LBC, Sky, BBC, GB News, Reform / Youtube, Daily Mail / Youtube, Manchester Evening News / Youtube, The Independent / Youtube, Daily Express / Youtube, DRM News, The Mirror / Youtube, Conservatives / Youtube, Bold Politics with Zack.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

Today marks five years since the Jan 6 storming of the Capitol, and nearly one year of Trump 2.0. How has the US president already changed American democracy?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 Charter, assistant editor (US), The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Read more: What has Trump done? Executive orders that matter — and one you missedClips: The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, CBS, Reuters, The Associated Press, The White House, Fox News, ITV News.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

The US has bombed Venezuela and abducted its President, Nicolás Maduro. But why did Donald Trump do it? And with Maduro now in New York awaiting trial, what’s next for his country?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, US correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Harry Stott.Read more: Why has Trump attacked Venezuela now? A history of US interventionFurther listening: Are Trump's strikes in Venezuela a 'war on drugs' - or a grab for oil?Clips: The White House / X, Guardian News / Youtube. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

Longevity science has been trying to unlock the mysteries of ageing for years; it’s spawned a multi-billion dollar global industry of supplements, anti-ageing regimens, exercise, and more. But what actually works and what’s just hokum? 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: Peta Bee, health and wellbeing writer for The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones. Producer: Micaela Arneson. Read more: 15 easy ways to live longer (and four things you should stop now)Clips: PioneerWorksVideo, Jay Shetty Podcast, @waywemove / YouTube, ABC Science, WCNC, Bodybuilding.com, KTLA 5, Jessica Carroll / YouTube. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

In 2025 China continued to flourish. Despite the tariffs, it hit a record trade surplus of over $1 trillion, Chinese companies like DeepSeek took on the US tech giants and the country leveraged its soft power on social media sites like RedNote. With economic, technological and diplomatic might, will China try to take on America as the foremost global superpower in 2026? Or does its ruling party have another plan in mind?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: AP, @TheHumnitarian-gph / YouTube, CNBC, CGTN, Bloomberg, @ChemOutsourcingOfficial, @ChinaUncensored / YouTube, NBC, BBC, @CBC News, @TinaSourcing / YouTube, RedNote / Anzu Baibai. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

Millions of us now use AI daily, asking the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini to help with tasks like writing emails or designing logos. But as AI increasingly becomes part of our lives, our Silicon Valley expert predicts this year will see a significant push back against its influence. 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: Edward Drummond. Read more: Why Sam Altman declared ‘code red’ at OpenAI — and how to fix it Further listening: The Times Tech Podcast Clips: Global News, WXYZ-TV, WHAS11, 11 Alive, CBS News, More Perfect Union, Times Tech Summit. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com