The Story

When news dropped that a member of Ireland’s parliament was a suspected Russian agent, chaos ensued in the Irish parliament as politicians stood up to declare it wasn’t them. Today we hear from John Mooney, The Sunday Times investigative reporter who broke the story, on why Russia sees Ireland as Europe’s ‘Trojan horse’.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/thestoryGuest: John Mooney, investigative reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: RTÉ News, RTÉ Radio.Photo: Illustration by James Cowen.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk

Anger is building on both sides after a Met police officer was found not guilty of the murder of an unarmed black man. Chris Kaba was shot dead in 2022, but The Times can now reveal Kaba’s alleged involvement in a gang shooting just days before he was killed. What does the verdict mean for policing?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 Woode, crime correspondent, The Times.Read David’s reporting: Inside Chris Kaba’s criminal past: from knives at 13 to gangland gunsWhat happened to Chris Kaba? The ‘chaotic’ night he was shotHost: Manveen Rana. Clips: The Times, Sky News, The Guardian, Channel 4 News, Bruk It/Itch (67)/Prod. QUIETPVCKxBKayBeats/SBTV: Music, Numerous Times/67 (R6xSTxItch)/Prod. Carbs Hill/Link Up TV.Photo: Getty Images. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

This week, Israel released pictures of an underground bunker, furnished with flat screen TV and a hot shower. It was the place where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had lived with his wife and children until he was killed by the IDF. So, how was he tracked down and what does his death mean for the conflict in Gaza?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe  Guest: George Grylls, Defence and Political Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CBS, Sky News, ABC, Al Jazeera.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com 

One tiny ‘blue dot’ in Omaha, Nebraska could result in a tie between Trump and Harris. Why? And what happens then to decide who wins?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribeGuest: Tom Newton Dunn, Broadcaster and Journalist. Host: Luke Jones. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com Clips: News 5 Cleveland, News4JAX, KGW News, Photo: Getty Images

The government has announced a five-year trial of the weight-loss drug Mounjaro to consider whether its use could reduce unemployment and relieve pressure on the NHS. So this weekend, we revisit an episode from last year looking at another weight loss drug that’s already been approved for use by clinically obese individuals in the UK. But is an injection our best option for tackling obesity?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribeGuests: ·        Charlotte Ivers, Staff Writer, The Sunday Times. ·        Dr Amir Khan, NHS GP and Broadcaster.Host: Manveen Rana. Article: How celebrities’ favourite drug Ozempic made Denmark enormously rich.Clips: Global News Canada, CBS, E News.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.comThis episode was first published in September 2023.

As a bonus episode, we’re bringing listeners of The Story an episode from the new Tech Podcast from The Times. Presenters Katie Prescott and Danny Fortson are joined by Al Gore, former US Vice-President and now an environmental activist, as they discuss Artificial Intelligence and climate change.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribeGuest: Al Gore, Former US Vice President.Host:Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times. Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com

On Wednesday night it was announced that Liam Payne had died in Buenos Aires aged 31, where he was on holiday. What does his death say about the music industry? 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: Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic, The Times.Host: Luke Jones. Further reading: Liam Payne and the curse of too much fame too youngGet in touch: thestory@thetimes.comClips: Sky News, Times Radio, X Factor, Columbia / SycoPhoto: Getty Images 

Tensions are escalating between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy militia in Lebanon. Attacks on both sides have led to thousands dead and over a million people internally displaced. The latest confrontations come after decades of conflict, so where did it all begin? 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: Lina Khatib, associate fellow at Chatham House, director of the SOAS Middle East Institute, and contributor to The Times. Read more from Lina: Why killing of Hassan Nasrallah marks ‘beginning of the end’ for Iran Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Sky News, ITV News, NBC News, Binyamin Netanyahu, AP, CBS News, BBC News.Photo: Getty Images Further listening: Who are Hezbollah and are they heading for all-out war?