The Story

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday. If the current trajectory continues, fast fashion emissions are set to surge by 50% by 2030. And with textile production becoming a greater contributor to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined, a crucial question remains - how can the textiles industry harness the power of the circular economy to make global change. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by social entrepreneur and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Denica Riadini-Flesch, live at the Royal Geographical Society, to hear how she is rekindling our connection to the land and creating societal and environmental change, one stitch at a time. This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Israeli airstrike that killed at least forty-five displaced Palestinians in Rafah has once again focused the world’s attention on the war in Gaza. The White House insists no red lines have yet been crossed. So where is Biden's red line? Guests: Robert S. Ford, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, and former U.S. Ambassador to Syria. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC News; CNN; NBC; C-SPAN; The Guardian; X/Twitter. Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Listen back: What if there’s no ceasefire? Manveen Rana reports from Jerusalem (06 March 2024) - https://pod.fo/e/2242e1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two of the century’s biggest artists are exchanging diss track blows in a beef that has engulfed the internet. But how has rap moved on since the violence of the 1990s? With the rappers’ fiery verbal blows raising allegations of domestic violence and sex abuse – how has it got so out of hand? 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/thestory Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Guest: Blanca Schofield, Assistant Editor of Culture & Books, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Clips: TikTok, YouTube. Music credits: Alright - Kendrick Lamar/To Pimp a Butterfly/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope. One Dance - Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla/Views/Young Money/Cash Money/Republic. Hotline Bling - Drake/Views/Young Money/Cash Money/Republic. All The Stars - Kendrick Lamar/SZA/ Crowd Pleasers, Vol. II/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope. Swimming Pools (Drank) - Kendrick Lamar/Good Kid, M.A.A.D City/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope. Humble - Kendrick Lamar/Damn/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope. First Person Shooter - Drake featuring J. Cole/For All the Dogs/OVO/Republic. Like That - Kendrick Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin/ We Don't Trust You/Wilburn Holding Co./Boominati/Epic/Republic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the election now just around the corner, Labour says that if it wins, it’ll take away the tax breaks Britain’s private schools have benefited from for years. The introduction of VAT could push fees up by twenty percent, forcing middle class parents out and putting severe pressure on the sector. So why is Labour making this such a key part of its manifesto, and what could it mean for the future of education? 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/thestory Guests: Host: Luke Jones. Clips: Sky News; Herald Institute Media. Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The state of our rivers is set to be one of the discussion points of the election and time’s ticking on Thames Water’s request for a 56 per cent increase in customers’ bills. As Ofwat mulls that one, it might ask how a company which leaks raw sewage into our rivers managed to rack up unsustainable levels of debt while also paying out dividends to shareholders. Warning: this podcast includes exclusive interviews from those brave enough to take a dip in The Thames. 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/thestory Guest: Dominic O’Connell, business presenter, Times Radio. Host: Luke Jones. Clips: 5 News, Sky News. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our modern world is built on chips; they control everything from our cars to the stock market, dishwashers to missile systems, computers to - potentially soon - augmented humans. But with China and America battling for control over production - and about ninety percent of advanced chips made in geo-politically sensitive Taiwan - how secure is the future of our world? 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/thestory Guest: Chris Miller, author of Chip War: the Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology and Professor of International History at Tufts University in Boston. Host: William Hague. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday. In Côte d’Ivoire, the Tanoé-Ehy Forest stands as one of West Africa’s last untouched rainforests, a refuge for unique flora and fauna. Despite boasting West Africa's highest biodiversity, aggressive human activities have spared only 2% of the country’s forests. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by Primate Conservation Biologist Inza Koné, a 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate, as he strives to restore the balance between nature's resilience and humanity's unchecked greed, offering hope to the endangered wildlife and surrounding communities that thrive in the Tanoé-Ehy Forest. This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s 'hush money' trial is in its final stages as the prosecution and defence teams have both now rested their cases. The jury will return on Tuesday for closing arguments - and maybe even a verdict. This is ultimately a trial of two competing stories. So who told theirs best? 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/thestory Guest: Will Pavia, New York correspondent for The Times Host: Luke Jones. Clips: ABC News, WPRI, Forbes, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Michael Cohen's TikTok. Listen to Jane Mulkerrins discussing Stormy Daniels here. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak has announced a general election for July 4 after a day of fevered rumour in Westminster. The prime minister addressed the nation from outside No 10 and pledged to “fight for every vote" while Sir Keir Starmer urged people to vote Labour to "stop the chaos". Manveen Rana was at the heart of it all in Westminster. Why now? And are the parties ready? 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/thestory Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Times Radio. Follow the election campaign live on Times Radio Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Raisi’s death has been met with celebrations by those who hate the regime and mourning by those who love it. But could the vacuum left by his passing create a moment of danger for the regime’s hardline clerics and open up an opportunity for Iran’s reformers? 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/thestory Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Guest: Rana Rahimpour, freelance Iranian journalist. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Reuters, BBC News, TODAY, i24 News, Daily Mail. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After decades of buck-passing and over 3000 deaths the infected blood inquiry published its final report finding that patients were betrayed by 'cover-up'. The chairman of the inquiry said the ‘scale of what happened is horrifying’ and the prime minister has apologised. So, as ministers prepare to pay out billions of pounds in compensation, will this be enough for the families of those affected? Has justice finally been achieved? We ask Sunday Times’s Caroline Wheeler, who helped bring the inquiry about. 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/thestory Guest: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana Clips: Parliament TV, Sky News, ITV, 5 News, Infected Blood Inquiry, World in Action, Lord Mayor of Treloar. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' 'Death in the Blood' by Caroline Wheeler is available from the Times Bookshop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hinduja family still leads the Sunday Times Rich List. But this year’s list records the largest fall in the billionaire count in the guide’s 36-year history. So why is it happening now and where are the billionaires moving to? Alfie Best, who remains on track to become Britain's first Romany gypsy billionaire, could have the answer. 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/thestory Guest: Robert Watts, Contributor, The Sunday Times Host: Luke Jones Clips: Sky News, Victorian Plumbing YouTube channel, CEOCAST YouTube channel, News Guardian The Sunday Times Rich List can be found here, with a subscription. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday. The High Andes are one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world, but without urgent intervention, this landscape and its surrounding natural beauty will be lost. Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by conservationist and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Constantino Aucca Chutas to hear how he is working with local communities to restore ancient cloud forests on the Andean mountain range, which play a vital role in the fight against climate change. This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Shockingly poor quality” is the verdict of a parliamentary inquiry into the UK’s maternity services. It found a system that lacked compassion and concluded, "poor care is all too frequently tolerated as normal". How did this happen? Hannah Barnes talks to Manveen about the birth that left her traumatised and her work to bring it to light. 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/thestory Guest: Hannah Barnes, Associate Editor, New Statesman. Host: Manveen Rana. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Clips: Parliament, Channel 4, Sky News. Birth trauma inquiry report Support and help: The Birth Trauma Association Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we bring you the first episode of the Times's newest podcast 'The Royals'. Our hugely experienced Royal Editors Roya Nikkhah from The Sunday Times and Kate Mansey of The Times explore the ever-evolving world of the British monarchy. This week, it's all about the children. King Charles and the Duke of Sussex were both in London but no meeting took place - why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Times investigation into leaked records has identified convicts, fugitives and bankrupts who have secretly invested millions in the Emirates. More than £200 million of property in Dubai has been bought by criminals convicted in British courts and people who have failed to pay debts in the UK. What makes Dubai so attractive to criminals? 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/thestory Guests: Clips: Visit Dubai. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trial of nine suspects accused of plotting to overthrow the German government has begun in Stuttgart. The leaders of the far-right group is a 72-year-old self-styled aristocrat and a former AfD MP who was found with a bullet proof vest and night vision goggles. So who exactly are these people? And could the AfD's likely success in the upcoming European elections pose a real threat to German democracy? 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/thestory Guest: Peter Conradi, Europe Editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Clips: DW NEWS, Sky News, AFP. Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Open relationships are more popular than ever - but what's it like being in one? And what’s the history of non-monogamous, consensual, romantic relationships - from prehistoric times, via the Second World War to the modern internet age? This podcast contains descriptions of sex and sexual acts. 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/thestory Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.co.uk Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom' Further listening: Are dating apps running out of steam? Guests: More: A Memoir of Open MarriageHost: Jane Mulkerrins. Clips: Challengers / Luca Guadagnino / Warner Bros. Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios, Couple to Throuple / NBCUniversal / Naked Television / Peacock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Planet Hope, a podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by The Story as a bonus weekly series each Sunday. Even for countries with adequate water resources, water scarcity is not uncommon. But for those who live in remote and poverty-stricken areas of the world, water scarcity can be the difference between life and death. With reports suggesting that by 2025 half of the world's population could be living in areas facing water scarcity, is there a way to turn the tide? Environment Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by Kenyan entrepreneur and Laureate of the 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise Beth Koigi to learn more about her commitment to provide water access for those in need with her innovative solution, harvesting drinking water from the air. This podcast is advertiser funded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an international manhunt, the FBI and Interpol say they have found a man wanted on multiple charges in four US states, who faked his death before fleeing America for Scotland. But the Glasgow resident at the centre of the case insists he is the victim of a "monstrous" miscarriage of justice – that he is not Nicholas Rossi, but is Arthur Knight, an Irish-born orphan who has never visited the United States. Our reporter investigates. This episode was first published in October 2022. 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: Marc Horne, News Reporter, The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.