The Story

Last week, cryptocurrency exchange Binance was hacked, affecting a record £4.7bn of assets. While North Korea denies being behind the attack, investigators say clues point to the actions of the rogue state. How did the country develop into a hacking superpower, and as cyber crime escalates, how can we protect ourselves?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:Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.Ciaran Martin, Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations, University of Oxford, and founding Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ.Host: Manveen RanaProducers: Robyn Simon and Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Binance heist: investors pull out $4.5bn after hackers’ attackFurther listening: Unit 29155: The Russian cyberagency targeting BritainPhoto: Getty Images.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.

King Charles is in the Caribbean – his first tour there as monarch. Along with the royal processions, meetings and public appearances, Charles’ recent visits have also included discussions of Britain’s historic role in the transatlantic slave trade. Now, local calls for an apology and even reparations for slavery have grown louder. So how will the King and the UK government answer them?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: Kate Mansey, assistant editor and royal editor, The Times.Sathnam Sanghera, writer for The Times and the author of Empireworld: How British Imperialism has shaped the globe.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Micaela Arneson, Robyn Simon.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Soaked King demands brolly as slavery row dominates Caribbean tourFurther listening: Building Britain | The Legacy of Penrhyn Castle Ep. 1Clips: Sky News, Global News, BBC, GB News, The Royal Family Channel, ITV News, The Guardian, ITN, TODAY.Photo: Getty Images.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.

Tomorrow, Americans head to the polls in the most expensive election in US political history: the 2026 midterms. Although Trump’s not on the ballot, the elections are seen as a referendum on his leadership, and alongside diesel prices and the war in Iran, there’s a new issue getting Americans nationwide to reconsider their vote: data centres. So why have data centres become such a hot button issue? What is resistance like on the ground? And how will this change how Americans vote tomorrow?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:Susie Coen, US correspondent, The Times.Darrell West, senior fellow, The Brookings Institution.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Paige Reynolds.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: We refuse to have a data centre on our farm, even for $26mFurther listening: US midterms: Can the Democrats flip Texas?Clips: CNN, AP, NBC, KENS 5, ABC news, CBS News Chicago, MLive, CBS News, Fox News, USA TodayPhoto: Glenn Hartong for The Times.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, 33 year old bodybuilder Mateusz Chmura collapsed and died during a prestigious UK competition. The cause of his death is yet to be confirmed but it’s raised fresh questions about why there are so many fatalities in the sport – some figures suggest around 50 a year, internationally. So what’s killing these athletes? And is the widespread substance abuse in this world spilling over into the mainstream?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: Matt Lawton, chief sports correspondent, The Times.Imran Khan, sports and exercise physiologist and director of SafePulse.Host: Manveen Rana.Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Questions for bodybuilding after death following on-stage collapseClips: BBC, frontdouble1 / instagram, Fitness Routine English / Youtube.Photo: PCA / InstagramThis 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 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: [email protected] 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.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.

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: [email protected] more: Netanyahu edges ahead — but is facing weeks of election wranglingFurther listening: The Inside Story of Burnham’s first 100 daysPhoto: Getty Images.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.

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: [email protected] 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.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 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: [email protected] 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.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.

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: [email protected] 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.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.

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: [email protected] listening: Q&A: Harry and Meghan return, underground data centres and peace for Ukraine?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.