The Story

The latest installment of the wildly popular Court of Thorns and Roses series hit the bookstores on Tuesday. Mega fans celebrated the midnight release with parties at Waterstones across the country. So just how did Sarah J Maas’ romantic fantasy - ‘romantasy’- series become a global literary phenomenon? The Times went to one of the parties to find out. 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: Sarah Ditum, contributor, The Times. Producer: Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Fairies, foxtrots and sauciness — my night at the romantasy ballClips: @thtgrlreads - TikTok, @archgosai - TikTok, @mikaelakelling - TikTok, @fantasticalbookworm - TikTok, The Mel Robbins Podcast, Born To Make You Happy by Trisha Paytas provided by Symphonic Distribution. Photo: The Times / Gareth Iwan Jones.

Following this week’s elections in Israel, will Benjamin Netanyahu cling on as Prime Minister? Why did Christa Pike’s execution fail? And as Andy Burnham weighs up a return to free movement with the EU, have the political class ever accepted Brexit? You asked, so we answered, in this edition of our monthly Q&A series.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:Gabrielle Weiniger, Israel correspondent, The Times and Sunday Times.Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times and Sunday Times.Olivia Empson, US correspondent, The Times and Sunday Times.Tom Whipple, Science Writer and Special Correspondent, The Times and Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana, Luke Jones.Producer: Jesse Fox, Paige Reynolds.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Netanyahu edges ahead — but is facing weeks of election wranglingFurther listening: The Inside Story of Burnham’s first 100 daysPhoto: Getty Images.

Chancellor John Healey has delivered the first budget of Andy Burnham’s government. It was a deliberately low-key statement marked by a string of small policy announcements, and thin on detail when it came to the government’s two biggest fiscal headaches: defense spending and the ballooning welfare bill. So, did the budget actually deliver? And how will it affect you?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: Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times.Rachel Mortimer, deputy money editor, The Times & The Sunday Times.Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Micaeala Arneson, Jesse Fox, Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Budget 2026 key points: a summary of the highlightsFurther listening: The inside story of Burnham’s first 100 daysClips: Parliamentlive.tv Photo: Getty Images.

Last Friday, the UK government told British households to have three days’ worth of food and water in their homes, as insurance against national emergencies. Now, the UK is prepping. But what exactly are the threats? Are we lagging behind our European cousins when it comes to readiness? And what do you need to do?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 Lucy Easthope, emergency planning and disaster recovery expert and government advisor.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Don’t call us preppers, we just want to be preparedFurther listening: The inside story of Burnham’s first 100 daysClips: BBC, @the.realsashb / Instagram, @merlemunster / Instagram, thechristycollins / TikTok, @muddlethroughmummy / Instagram, @iamellahudson / Instagram, fatgirls.problems / TikTok, Imperial War Museums, BBC, GBNews, ABC, @SimonClark / YouTube, NewsX / Facebook, Al Jazeera, DW News, FRANCE 24.Photo: Getty Images.

Investigators in the Philippines are looking into Thomas Markle Sr, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, after his son told authorities he had found child sex abuse images at his father’s former home. So, what exactly do we know about the allegations? What could happen next? And is the scandal shifting the narrative around Meghan?Thomas Markle Sr denies the allegations against him. 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: Kate Mansey, assistant editor & royal editor, The Times & co-host, The Royals podcast. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Sophie McNulty, Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Police suspect Meghan’s father is ‘grossest kind of sex offender’Further listening: The Royals with Roya and KateClips: TalkTV, ITV News, E! News, The Daily T Podcast, The Real Thomas Markle Jr. and Friends - YouTube, Hard Megxit - YouTube, ABC News, Dan Wootton Outspoken - YouTube, 7News, Sky News. Photo: Getty Images.

We’re publishing our monthly Q&A episode this Friday. Send us your questions by Wednesday, 28 October, 5pm GMT.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comFurther listening: Q&A: Harry and Meghan return, underground data centres and peace for Ukraine?

Tomorrow is Andy Burnham’s 100th day in office. To mark the occasion, the prime minister sat down for a series of four interviews with The Sunday Times. He tells political editor Ben Riley-Smith how he felt like an imposter when he first came to Westminster, his strategy in dealing with Donald Trump, and how much closer he actually wants to get to Europe.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 Riley-Smith, political editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Micaela Arneson, Harry Stott.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: The inside story of Andy Burnham’s first 100 days: ‘I’ve got to be radical’Further listening: Bonus: Andy Burnham's radical British resetClips: Sky, Andy Burnham via YouTube, Onlooker UK, BBC, Times Radio, Andy Burnham via X, TalkTV.Photo: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

Four schoolgirls in Bicester are asking the government to ban school uniforms in porn, arguing it sexualises minors and puts them at risk. The outfits are a common costume for female performers in pornography, despite the fact that one UK study revealed 35% of girls surveyed had received unwanted sexual attention whilst wearing one. So why is this legal? And could a new piece of legislation make a difference?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: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer and columnist, The Times.Rose, Mae, Aylin and Willow, students at the Cooper School in Bicester.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: The teen girls campaigning to get school uniform banned from pornFurther listening: What happens when we stop reading?Clips: House / Heel and Toe Films / Shore Z Productions / Bad Hat Harry Productions / Universal Television[d] / FOX, The Big Bang Theory / Chuck Lorre Productions / Warner Bros.Television / CBS, Britney Spears / Baby One More Time / Jive, St Trinian's / Ealing Studios / Fragile Films / UK Film Council, BBC.Photo: Philippa James for The Times.

Three years ago, the journalist Ann Treneman was told that her husband, Ian, had inoperable cancer. Just six weeks later, Ian had died. As time has moved on, Ann continues to grapple with her loss. The experience has forced her to confront how little she once understood grief, and to consider why something so universal remains so difficult for us to talk about.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: Ann Treneman, notebook columnist, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Robyn Simon.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: What no one tells you about grief: the loss doesn’t heal with timePhoto: Grey Hutton for The Times