The Story

In Germany the radical right is on the rise. The Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has gone from the fringes to the second largest party in federal government. And it is expected to win more state elections this autumn. So how did the AfD become so popular in a country that's worked so hard to distance itself from its fascist history? And could it be stopped?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: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Olivia Case, Jesse Fox. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: How to beat the AfD: the German town where political rivals uniteFurther listening: The far-right plot to overthrow the German stateClips: Ungeskriptet Podcast, DW News. Photo: Getty Images.

Alex Baber is a self-taught investigator from rural West Virginia who claims to have solved a case that’s defeated the world’s best cryptographers for half a century: the identity of the Zodiac killer. Baber used AI to interpret the coded notes the serial killer left behind and, in the process, made another startling discovery.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, chief US reporter, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Emily Webb.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: An AI sleuth claims to have finally unmasked the Zodiac murderer, one of America’s most notorious serial killersClips: Paramount Pictures.Photo: Getty Images.

After months of trying to hide her true circumstances, Stacey Duguid decided to go public about her economic situation. The response from fellow midlife women was huge.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: Claire Cohen, contributor, The Times. Producers: Emily Webb.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: I was a high-flyer. Now, I’m broke and unemployedPhoto: Olivia Richardson, The Times.

Sir Keir Starmer is out. Andy Burnham is in. And after just days in Downing Street, the new prime minister has torn up his predecessor's playbook — swapping warnings of a hard inheritance for a blitz of cost of living giveaways. Is this smart repositioning after Starmer's early missteps, or a sugar rush that can't survive contact with the budget?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: Josh Glancy, associate editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Producers: Elle Scott, Shabnam Grewal, Jennifer Kennedy.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Keir Starmer’s biggest success was something that didn’t happenFurther listening: The remarkable rise of Andy BurnhamClips: BBC, 10 Downing Street / Youtube, Andy Burnham / Instagram, Bus Aunty / Instagram.Photo: Getty Images.

Riot police in Delhi have fired tear gas and baton charged the biggest protest the city has seen in years; tens of thousands of young Indians, marching under the banner of the "Cockroach Janta Party", calling for an end to corruption and educational reform. But what exactly triggered this uprising? And could this be the biggest threat Modi has faced in 12 years of power?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: Amrit Dhillon, contributor, The Times.Alexander Balakrishnan, content creator based in Delhi.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Elle Scott and Shabnam Grewal.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Why India’s cockroach uprising is more than just a pest for ModiFurther listening: 'Influencer of influencers': Modi's strategy to win the Indian electionClips: Sky News, BBC, Sonam Wangchuk / Instagram, WION.Photo: Getty Images.

A gas platform in the North Sea is at the centre of a fierce debate that has divided the country: should the UK be expanding fossil fuel infrastructure or going all-in on renewables? The Rough Field gas facility wants to repurpose depleted gas fields to solve Britain’s chronic shortage of energy storage. But should government funding go towards securing our current energy supply, or funding a greener future?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: Jim Armitage, contributing editor, The Sunday TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Micaela Arneson, Elle Scott. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more:  This rig could treble Britain’s gas reserves, so why is it closing?Further listening: War, immigration, welfare: the in-tray for Burnham and his new cabinetClips: Parliament, BBC, The Guardian, LBC, Express, Sky News. Photo: Sunday Times Photographer Richard Pohle.

Britain’s new prime minister Andy Burnham revealed his key cabinet picks yesterday; so who’s in, who’s out and what does it tell us about the direction in which he’ll take the country? And as the Iran and Ukraine wars rumble on and the cost of living continues to bite, how will the PM handle the key problems in his in-tray?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: Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case and Elle Scott.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Burnham on football, his father’s dementia and preparing for powerFurther listening: The remarkable rise of Andy BurnhamClips: Sky, Goalhanger, BBC, DWS News, Eureka UK, Global News.Photo: Getty Images.

Around Scotland, something bizarre has been happening. Men dressed in black have gathered in military-style formations. The silent parades are filmed in grainy black and white. Experts describe the imagery as unmistakably fascist. So what is this? And why is it happening now? 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 Leask, Scotland reporter, The Times & The Sunday TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Sophie McNultyWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Tensions rise over ‘fascist’ parades held across ScotlandFurther listening: Belfast on fireClips: LBC, Scottish Family Party - YouTube, Craig Houston - X, STV News.Photo: X - Craig Houston.

Lab-grown stones are booming, threatening to crush the diamond trade. So, how is the industry coping? And what does this mean for Botswana, a country whose schools, hospitals, roads, and economy have been built by the profits from diamond mining? 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: Richard Assheton, foreign features, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comPhoto: Getty Images.