The Story

Each Monday this August, we're revisiting some of the stories from the past year that have stuck with us.One year ago today, Alexander Lukashenko claimed to win a sixth term as president of Belarus in an election that was widely regarded as rigged. But after 26 years of Lukashenko's presidency, many in Belarus had had enough. After the election, the country saw the biggest protests in its history, which were met with mass arrests and repression. We followed four young Belarusians caught up in history.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: - Aliaksandra Yushkevich, student.- Kseniya Tarasevich, journalist.- Evgeniy Ganchits, project manager.- Tanya Alipchikova, PR manager.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC News, Sky News, DW News, France 24, BBC Radio 4, Euronews, Belsat TV, Nexta, WION.Additional music: Peremen! by the band Kino.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Attempts at conversion therapy are taking place across the country: in village churches, Harley Street clinics and counsellors' treatment rooms. In this first episode of a seven-part series, reporter Emily Sargent goes undercover to explore the extremely secretive practice. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.Phone: 116 123Guests: - Jayne Ozanne, director and founder, Ozanne Foundation; chair, Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition.- Dr Qazi Rahman, senior lecturer, King's College London.- Michael King, Emeritus Professor, University College London.Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.Clips: ITV News, Instagram: @xoutloudeuropeofficial, X-OUT-LOUD Europe, Core Issues Trust, BFI, BBC.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it feel like to be abandoned out at sea? We go on board an oil tanker to tell the extraordinary story of those stranded on the MT Iba.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Louise Callaghan, Middle East correspondent for The Sunday Times.Host: David Aaronovitch.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The so-called 'pingdemic' paralysed businesses, public services, and even the cabinet. But it was an inevitable side effect of lifting restrictions and letting the virus spread. As the world watches, will the decision to lift restrictions help or hinder business? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Helen Heraty, owner of the Grays Court Hotel in York.- Sabah Meddings, senior business reporter, The Sunday Times.- Ben Spencer, science editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, Sky News, Channel 4, ZOE.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, amid much fanfare, GB News was born. It billed itself as a place where people could say the unsayable. But just weeks after its launch, GB News had taken one of its own presenters off air for taking the knee in solidarity with England’s black football players.In his only interview about the incident, Guto Harri takes us behind the scenes at GB News. What was it like to be cancelled by the anti "cancel culture" channel? And what does the fallout reveal about divisions in Britain today?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:-Guto Harri, broadcaster.-Chris Curtis, editor-in-chief of Broadcast Magazine.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: GB News.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When parts of Belgium, the Netherlands and western Germany were hit by flooding earlier this month, it left a trail of devastation and over a hundred dead. As the flood waters subsided and locals dealt with the clean up operation, a blame game erupted.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent for The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: DW, BBC, Phoenix, WDR, ABC, Channel 4 News.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veteran Times war correspondent Anthony Loyd hits the road with Afghan security forces… and meets the Taliban. The second of two episodes this week looking back at 20 years of war in Afghanistan, and forward to the country’s uncertain future.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Anthony Loyd, foreign correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Manveen's August 2020 interview with the president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, is available here.Clips: CNN, BBC, ABC News, Reuters, DW News, MSNBC, Al Jazeera.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 20 years of war, is the difficult truth that Nato has lost to the Taliban?The first of two episodes this week with Times war correspondent Anthony Loyd, as he looks back at Afghanistan's past – and forward to its uncertain future.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guest: Anthony Loyd, foreign correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, Channel 4 News, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, AP.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2019, Coleen Rooney, wife of former England football captain Wayne Rooney, accused Rebekah Vardy— also the wife of a prominent footballer or "Wag"— of leaking false stories about her private life. Rooney claimed to have discovered this after a “sting operation” on Instagram. Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, sued for libel. As their case is dragged through the courts, what can we learn about modern celebrity from the battle of the Wags?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Rebecca Twomey, showbiz and entertainment journalist.- Jonathan Ames, legal editor at The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: This Morning, Loose Women, Channel 4 News, Sky News.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2021 is on track to be America's deadliest year for gun violence in two decades. With record numbers of mass shootings across the country, is the US finally ready to confront the problem?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests:- Sarah Baxter, The Sunday Times.- Patricia and Manuel Oliver, Founders of Change The Ref campaign.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: CBS, ABC, NBC, BBC, MSNBC, Wired.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.