Election special: Coming soon

On April 30, 1980, six gunmen stormed the Iranian embassy in London, taking everyone inside hostage. The ensuing siege would change the course of history. But what really happened behind barricaded doors? In a new book, Ben Macintyre tells the real story of those six days for the first time.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe Guest: Ben Macintyre, author of The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: BBC, ITV.Photo: Times Media Ltd.Further reading: How the SAS were ordered to end Iranian siegeGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel has vowed that Tehran will ‘pay’ after Iran launched over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, following an Israeli ground invasion in southern Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In a week of escalating violence in the Middle East, how might Israel retaliate - and what lies ahead for the region at this dangerous moment?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe Guest: George Grylls, Defence Correspondent, The Times.  Host: Luke Jones. Clips: CBS, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC. Photo: Getty ImagesGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the competition between the leadership candidates - Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat - heats up as the four make their key speeches on the main stage at Conservative Party conference. Manveen Rana is in Birmingham to join the media scrum - and to witness the battle for the soul of the party. 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:Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times.Daniel Finkelstein, columnist, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Times Radio, GB News, Sky News. Episode artwork: Times Photographer Richard Pohle. Get in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For 40 years, Professor Allan Lichtman has honed a near-perfect system for picking the next American president. It was inspired by a Soviet seismologist - but how does he do it? And who is he putting his money on this time?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe  Guest: Professor Allan Lichtman, author of Predicting the Next President: The Keys to the White House.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: France 24, Fox News, CNN, ABC News.Episode artwork: Getty ImagesGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She's a fashion icon - known for her sharp bob and dark glasses. As Paris Fashion Week wraps up, we consider the enduring influence of the Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. How does the woman who has edited the fashion magazine for nearly 40 years stay relevant in a world of TikTok trends and social media influencers? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.com/subscribe  Guest: Harriet Walker, Fashion Editor, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: CBS Late Show with David Letterman, Disney+ In Vogue: The 1990s, YouTube/OxfordUnion. Photo: Getty ImagesGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yuval Noah Harari’s books Sapiens and Homo Deus sold millions around the world. His latest - Nexus - examines information and how we share it, from campfire stories in the Stone Age to the AI networks of today. But as the way we share information gets evermore complicated, could this be the end of a history controlled by humans?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHost: William Hague.Guest: Yuval Noah Harari, author and historian.Photo: Penguin Random House / Yuval Noah HarariGet in touch: [email protected] the Times' review of Nexus: here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah, who is the Iranian-backed group and could this new conflict break out into a wider, regional war?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: Oliver Marsden, journalist, The Times.Rami Khouri, journalist.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: ITN, CBS, 13News Now, TMJ4 News, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, PBS, AP.Photo: Getty Images.Get in touch: [email protected] Further listening: Exploding pagers and Israel’s new phase of war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Sydney and her 23-month-old son turned to the council for temporary accommodation, they were housed in an old office converted into a studio flat. A Sunday Times investigation into her block found residents complaining of sweltering heat and mould. This type of housing has been labelled Britain’s ‘slums of the future’ - so why are families still ending up there? 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: Hugo Daniel, News Reporter, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: BBC Breakfast. Episode artwork: Matthew Chattle for The Sunday Times. Read Hugo’s full report: The forgotten families who have to live in old office blocksFurther listening: Undercover: The Times investigation into Turkish plastic surgery clinics Undercover at one of the UK's most dangerous prisonsGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The prime minister has told his party’s conference that there is ‘light at the end of this tunnel’. But after weeks of bad press about his top adviser’s pay and freebies - are Labour in danger of becoming a one-term government? And what’s going on in Downing Street - has dysfunction led to this series of own-goals?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: Aubrey Allegretti, Chief Political Correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: Times Radio, BBC News, Sky News, ITV News.Episode artwork: Times Photographer Jack Hill. Read more:Labour aides unionise over pay cuts and conditionsSleaze, quarrels and austerity: Labour is looking a lot like the ToriesFurther Listening: Politics Unpacked Get in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Normal People and Conversations with Friends author Sally Rooney is a publishing sensation and became a huge star whilst still in her twenties. Her new book Intermezzo, published today, follows two grieving brothers in complicated relationships. Will it cement Rooney’s reputation as the voice of millennials - or is she overhyped?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: Laura Hackett, Deputy Literary Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones.Clips: Normal People/BBC Three/Hulu, Manchester EUDC 2013, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Denmark, Fox News.Episode artwork: Getty Images.Further listening: What 50 years of best-selling books says about usGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.