The Story

Last week, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first American chosen to lead the Catholic Church. In the weeks running up to his election, he openly criticised the Trump administration’s immigration policy and even had a row with Vice President JD Vance on X. Does this suggest that President Trump may be in for a bumpy ride from the world’s other most powerful American? 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: Christopher Hale,  Democratic politician from Tennessee and Catholic nonprofit executive.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Edith Rousselot.Further reading: The real Pope Leo XIV — by those who knew him in Rome, Chicago and PeruWho is Robert Prevost? New Pope hit out at Trump administration weeks agoClips: Bloomberg, Reuters, Rome Reports in English Youtube, CBS News, EWTN Global Catholic Network, Khou 11, Guardian News. Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com 

New talks on Ukraine continue in Istanbul tomorrow and after months of taking Vladimir Putin's side, President Trump now seems much more supportive of Ukraine. So why the switch? And more than three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, are we any closer to a deal or are both sides just putting on a show for 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/thestoryGuest: Professor Mark Galeotti, Historian, Author and Director of Mayak Intelligence. Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.Further reading: Zelensky ‘will only negotiate peace deal with Putin’ in IstanbulClips: Europe Pulse, FOX, YouTube / David Feldman, France 24, CTV News, NBC, Channel 4, Forbes, BBC, Amanpour and Company, Bloomberg, CBS, YouTube / Reuters. Photo: Office of the President of Uraine via Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

In March this year, a team of Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers accepted the Oscar for best documentary. Their film No Other Land is a glimpse into the reality of life in the West Bank, the most populous of the Palestinian Territories. Before the month was out, though, one of the people on that stage - co-director Hamdan Ballal - would return home to the West Bank and be attacked and detained by Israeli settlers and soldiers. Times reporter Venetia Menzies went to meet Hamdan and his co-director and star of the documentary, Basel Adra, to find out what life is like now for Palestinians in the West Bank. 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: Venetia Menzies, ​​assistant data editor at The Times and The Sunday TimesHost: Luke Jones Producer: Hannah VarrallFurther reading: https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/palestinian-film-director-oscar-israeli-settlers-q62756r9v Clips: Oscars, No Other Land, CBS Chicago, France 24 English, Hollywood Reporter.Photo: Basel Adra (Venetia Menzies)Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com  

Two men have been found guilty of criminal damage, for the felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in Northumbria. Constance Kampfner sat through the trial, in which the prosecution called what Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers had done, ‘a moronic mission to cause mindless vandalism.' The men were remanded in custody for their own protection after the verdict was announced. 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: Constance KampfnerHost: Luke Jones Producer: Hannah Varrall and Shabnam Grewal Clips: BBC News, Sky News, Channel 4 News, National Trust .Photo: Getty ImagesGet in touch: thestory@thetimes.com     

This episode was originally published last November.On Sept 12, 2001, Blerim Skoro was approached by a man and a woman while he was in prison. They turned out to be CIA agents. That one meeting would change the course of his life and lead him on a journey across countries, inside terrorist groups, as he tried to make it home to his family.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: Josie Ensor, US Correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Taryn Siegel.Clips: Video filmed by Blerim Skoro, provided by ‘The Accidental Spy’, directed by Anthony Wonke.Photo: John Beck for The Times.Further reading: I gave my life to the CIA. They betrayed meGet in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

Fi's off today on important business, so Jane M is here! Normal schedule resumes tomorrow... whatever that means. Today, Jane and Jane chat power outages, Björn Ulvaeus, and Euston toilets.Plus, Jane speaks with David Collins, Northern Editor of The Sunday Times, about his book 'Saffie', which tells the story of the youngest victim of the Manchester Arena terror attack and her family's fight for justice.If you fancy sending us a postcard, the address is:Jane and FiTimes Radio, News UK1 London Bridge StreetLondonSE1 9GFSend your suggestions for the next book club pick!If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producer: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie CutlerHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions are rising between India and Pakistan after 26 people were killed in Kashmir - the disputed region that sits between them. Now, India has fired missiles into Pakistan and Pakistan says it’s killed dozens of Indian soldiers. But why is Kashmir a flashpoint and could this be the spark that takes the two nuclear powers to war?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: Andrew Whitehead, former BBC India Correspondent and author of ‘A Mission in Kashmir.’Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Olivia Case.Further Reading: Why did India attack Pakistan? The Kashmir crisis explained.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

How do hackers take down a high street staple? What started as a contactless payment outage at Marks and Spencer, quickly became the retail fortnight from hell, as cyber attacks have brought brands to a crashing halt in online trading over the last two weeks. So who is behind it, and what are their methods? And more importantly, how do you guard yourself in an evermore online world?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: Mark Sellman, Technology Correspondent, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producer: Rosie Stopher.Further reading: Who are Scattered Spider hackers linked to the M&S cyberattack?M&S and Co-op cyberattackers ‘tricked IT into resetting passwords’M&S staff share war stories of ‘toughest’ week after cyberattackClips: Sky News, BBC, ITVPhoto: The TimesGet in touch: thestory@thetimes.com  

Eight years before the Grenfell tragedy, a fire in a high-rise building killed six people. Now a Sunday Times investigation has raised serious questions about the cladding used on those flats and thousands of others in the UK. So is this Britain's biggest corporate scandal?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: Martina Lees, Senior Property Writer, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Taryn Siegel Olivia Case.Further reading: A high-rise fire killed Catherine. The cladding firm kept on selling.Photo: Steve Bell / Shutterstock.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com