The Story

The Afghan war could finally be limping to an end, and a peace deal with the Taliban could now be on the horizon. But will some of the most dangerous Taliban fighters have to be released back into society?Guest: President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC, Channel 4, CSPAN.Additional Music: Jordan Powell, Nihilore (licensed under Creative Commons).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.

As the eyes of British news crews are trained on migrants crossing the Channel in boats, Lampedusa on Europe’s southern border is seeing far greater numbers of migrants coming from a new country of origin: Tunisia. What brings these families to Italy?Guest:Tom Kington, the Times Italy correspondent.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips used: Euronews, Tele Studio 98, TRIS, La Republica, BBC News, Home Office.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.

An MP has been accused of rape - and questions are again being asked about the role of whips in protecting parliamentary staff. Historically, the whips have a reputation as the shadowy brokers of backroom deals and the keepers of secrets. But is the notorious office where the real power in Westminster truly lies?GuestsEsther Webber, Red Box reporter.Anne Milton, former MP and deputy chief whip.Host: Manveen RanaClips used: BBC, the National TheatreThis 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 NRA is one of America's most powerful lobby groups. Now it has become the target of a lawsuit brought by New York's attorney-general. The organisation stands accused of "years of self-dealing and illegal conduct" by its top executives. The lawsuit could spell the end of the NRA, but could it change minds about the role of guns in American society?  Guests: Henry Zeffman, Washington correspondent for The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips used: History Channel, C-SPAN, ABC7NY, Bloomberg, CNN, NRA, Reagan Library, Global News, CNBC, ABC News, Jared Law.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.

It's official: the UK economy is back in recession. This week we've heard of record-high job losses and a sharp economic downturn - but the worst could still be to come.Guest: Gurpreet Narwan, economics correspondent, The Times.  Host: Manveen Rana.  Clips: BBC, ITV, 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.

President Trump has ordered firms to stop doing business with social media giant TikTok over security concerns. Microsoft was the front-runner to buy the company, but now Twitter has emerged as a possible suitor. What has made the app so popular and so controversial?Guests: Danny Fortson Sunday Times west coast correspondent.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips used: NBC, Tik Tok, ABC Australian, Biteable, France 24, CNBC, Fox News, Huffington Post, ABC 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.

In one heart-stopping moment last Tuesday, Beirut, a city that’s seen its share of wars, was rocked by the biggest blast in its history. Now that international donors have pledged a quarter of a billion euros in aid for Lebanon, can the country begin to rebuild?Guest Richard Spencer, the Middle East correspondent for The Times.Ghadi Sary, Middle East consultant and journalist. Melissa Ajamian, instructor in the Department of Political Studies at the American University of Beirut.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: FRANCE 24, BBC, CBC, CNN, 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.

At the eastern end of the Sunset Strip is a hotel called Chateau Marmont. For many years it's been the favourite hang-out spot of movie stars and writers; but now the Chateau’s owner has announced the hotel is about to become a private members club. What does the change mean for the future of the iconic venue?Guests:Shawn Levy, author of The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont.Jenn Hoffman, former US Weekly reporter.Host: David Aaronovitch.Clips used: OSSA, TMZ, WGN News, CineStars, CBS News, Graham Norton Show, Access Hollywood, Movieclips, Warner Bros Entertainment.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.

75 years ago this week, a devastating atomic bomb changed world history. What can we learn from these events? Guest:Koko Kondo, Hiroshima bomb survivor and peace campaigner.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: NBC, Imperial War Museum, US Army.You can hear more first-hand memories of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of the Second World War by listening to Voices of War at Imperial War Museums’ website iwm.org.uk/victoryThis 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.

Stories about the persecution of China’s Muslim Uighur minority have been in the news in recent weeks. We hear the story of one man living in Turkey: Abdurehim Parac, a Uighur poet in exile.Guests: Hannah Lucinda Smith, Times Istanbul correspondent.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: France 24, Sky News Australia, BBC, Channel 4 News, South China Morning Post, Al, Jazeera, PBS, CNBC.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.