The Story

Britain’s small boats saga has had a dramatic week. Wednesday saw 781 people arrive in Britain, the highest number of the year, while on Monday a dingy carrying 60 migrants was met at sea by the far-right activist ‘Danny Tommo’. Protests have since engulfed parts of the south coast, but why is this all happening now? And what can the government do to get a handle on 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/thestoryGuest: Emma Yeomans, news reporter, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producers: Jesse Fox, Robyn Simon.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: How Danny Tommo came face to face with migrants in the ChannelFurther listening: Flights, visas, and kidnappers: The new migrant route to BritainClips: Danny Tommo YouTube, Channel 5 News, ITV News, BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Al Jazeera, The Central Club podcast, Dan Wootton (Facebook), BBC Politics.Photo: Getty Images.

In an area just north of Blackpool, a chemical factory sits on the River Wyre. In the past few years, journalists have detected large amounts of forever chemicals in land around the plant. And yesterday, some residents discovered they had high levels of these chemicals in their blood. So, what does this mean? And what can those tested do about 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/thestoryGuest: George Odling, senior news reporter, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producers: Robyn Simon, Jesse Fox.With audio from: Lara Wildenberg.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Alarm over 'forever chemicals' in blood of Lancashire town residentsClips: CBN News, BBC News, BBC World Service, News4AJAX, ‘Dark Waters’ - Universal Pictures.Photo: James Speakman for The Times.

The US president will greet his Chinese counterpart at the start of a state visit later today. The two leaders will hold talks in Washington, DC tomorrow during which artificial intelligence is expected to be high on the agenda. Despite weeks of warnings about the devastation AI could cause to humankind, the two countries are locked in a battle for global domination of the technology. Could Donald Trump and Xi Jinping stop the escalation?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: Rana Mitter, professor of US-Asia relations, Harvard Kennedy School.Host: Luke Jones.Producers: Micaela Arneson, Jesse Fox.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: China’s AI is not the best but it can still come firstFurther listening: Will superintelligent AI destroy humanity? Clips: BBC, LiveNOW from FOX, USA Today, CNBC, C-SPAN.Photo: Getty Images.

Andy Burnham will meet Donald Trump in person for the first time today at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Top of the agenda are the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, North Sea drilling, trade deals and AI. So who wants what? Will there be any curveballs? And can the PM charm his opposite number in this first face-to-face?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: Ben Clatworthy, Whitehall editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Olivia Case, Robyn Simon. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Andy Burnham is set to meet Trump: here are the potential flashpointsFurther listening: Has space become the final frontier for war?Clips: Sky, BBC, Channel 4, The Guardian, GB News, AP, Parliament.live, United Nations / YouTube. NBC, France24. Photo: Getty Images and Wikimedia Commons.

Anti-Ukrainian sentiment is on the rise in Poland.The rift stems, in part, from a historical dispute over a wartime massacre of Poles 83 years ago, which has bubbled to the surface in recent months. So, how did relations sour so quickly? And what does this mean for Polish support in the war against Russia?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: Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducer: Sophie McNultyWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Poland and Ukraine reopen old wounds that lay buried for 80 yearsFurther listening: The Ukrainian plot to sink the Russian economyClips: BBC, Good Morning Britain, Gazeta Wrocławska, Grzegorz Braun - Facebook, Kancelaria Prezydenta RP - Facebook, RMF24.Photo: Jack Hill/The Times. 

Ironman ultra-triathlons demand competitors swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles, and then run a full marathon, paying upwards of $1000 for the pleasure. It’s not everyone’s idea of a perfect Sunday, but for its growing base of devotees, it has become almost like a religion. So how did the sport grow from its low-key Hawaiian roots to a money-making global phenomenon? And what drives people to push their bodies to the limit?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Rick Broadbent, sports writer, The Times.Producers: Harry Stott.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: $1,000 for 140 miles of suffering (in the rain) — why is Ironman so popular?Photo: Getty Images.

All of Ed Sheeran’s support acts have pulled out of his tour after his opening act Macklemore was dropped for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. So why has this become such a cause célèbre? What does it mean for Ed Sheeran? And what has happened through history when music and politics meet? 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: Jonathan Dean, executive editor of interviews for Culture and Books, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Ed Sheeran is in a £100m mess of his own makingFurther listening: My life with Freddie MercuryClips: teddysphoto / Instagram, BBC, NewsNation, Virgin Media One, Sky, Boston 25 News, ConcertChickCT / YouTube, Macklemore / Instagram, Nikki/YouTube, BV Concerts / YouTube, CNN.Music: Macklemore / Hind’s Hall / Bendo; Macklemore and Ryan Lewis / Thrift Shop / Macklemore LLC; Macklemore Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert / Same Love / Macklemore LLC; G-Eazy & Macklemore / FDT (Pt. 2) / Def Jam; Greenday / American idiot / Reprise Records; Billie Holiday / Strange Fruit / Commodore; Kendrick Lamar / Alright / Top Dawg / Aftermath / Interscope;Ed Sheeran / Shape of You / Asylum / Atlantic; Ed Sheeran / What do I know / Asylum / Atlantic; Nina Simone / Mississippi Goddam / Philips Records. Photo: Getty Images.

The space race is on, but not as we’ve known it. Instead of a man on the moon, nations are jostling for who can plant weapons on the moon. In a major development this week, the US has announced that it has deployed a weapon to outer space – the first country to do so. But are other nations, like China and Russia, far behind?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: Larisa Brown, defence editor, The Times.Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Eleanor Harrison-Dengate, Robyn Simon, Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com.Read more: US confirms weapons in space, prompting warning from China Clips: Air and Space Forces AssociationPhoto: Getty Images.

President Trump sparked controversy during his recent trip to Ireland when he said a unified Ireland would be “a fantastic thing.” That was followed on Monday by Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh leaders signing a pact pledging to break up the UK. With Prime Minister Andy Burnham set to meet with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin tomorrow, is a united Ireland now more likely?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: Jennifer Bray, political editor, The Sunday Times Ireland.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Robyn Simon. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders sign ‘historic’ independence pactClips: The Times, The Sunday Times, and RTE NewsPhoto: Getty Images.