The Story

The UK is holding this year’s Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine which won last year but can’t fulfil its hosting duties because of the war. So what can we expect? What role is Eurovision playing in the war effort? And why have cyber security experts been drafted in?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guests:

• Tom Ball, northern correspondent, The Times. 
• Tina Karol, Ukrainian celebrity, singer and philanthropist.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producer: Olivia Case.

Clips: Eurovision Song Contest; BBC; SKY; Crossroads news; Tyler Rumple; Channel 4; Mojo; Russia Today; Vice; WiWibloggs; Kyivstar; European Broadcasting Union; Eurovision Network; Charity Concerts for Ukraine; Voice of Peace; Kyivstar TV / The Voice Ukraine / Namalyuyu tobi zori / Dimash Daulyetov.

Music clips:

Show Me Your Love / Mikhail Nekrasov, Tina Karol, Pavlo Shylko / Lavina Music.

Hard Rock Hallelujah / Miss Awa, Mr. Amen, Mr. Kalma, Mr Kita, Mr Lordi / Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

Oi u luzi chervona kalyna / Andriy Khlivnyuk / Volodymyr Antonovych, Mykhailo Drahomanov.

Waterloo / ABBA / Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson / Polar / Epic / Polydor / Atlantic.

Ukrainian national anthem (State Anthem Of Ukraine) / Ukrainian opera singers / Mykhailo Verbytsky, Pavlo Chubynsky.

Baila El Chiki Chiki / Rodolfo Chikilicuatre and friends / ARD Entertainment.

Stefania / Kalush Orchestra / Ihor Didenchuk, Tymofii Muzychuk, Vitalii Duzhyk, Ivan Klymenko / Sony.

Heart of Steel / TVORCHI / Jimoh Augustus Kehinde, Andrii Hutsuliak / Independent. 

Refrain / Lys Assia / Géo Voumard, Émile Gardaz / Decca.

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 polling suggests the public are losing faith in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarian rule, what does this weekend’s election mean for Turkey - and the wider world? 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Articles: Profile - Is President Erdogan about to lose his 20-year grip on power? - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/is-president-erdogan-about-to-lose-his-20-year-grip-on-power-333lvtnsl 

The Turkish election is on a knife edge. Is Erdogan’s time up? - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-turkish-election-is-on-a-knife-edge-is-erdogans-time-up-dlwznwwjw

Guest: Beril Eski, freelance journalist.

Host: Louise Callaghan, Middle East Correspondent, The Sunday Times. 

Clips: Euronews, France 24, Al Jazeera, CNN, CNBC, Sky News BBC 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.

A British man was recruited by MI5 and MI6 to infiltrate al-Qaeda training camps – but then brought the horror back home.

This episode contains descriptions of strong violence and might not be suitable for all listeners.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

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 part thriller, part farce, starring a glamorous Greek MEP, an Italian toyboy and bundles of euros stuffed in suitcases and hidden under beds. So did Qatar buy its way into the European parliament?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Matthew Campbell, Foreign Features Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: France 24, DW News, Euronews, BBC News, European Parliament, VOA.

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 away for the bank holiday, but in the meantime we thought we'd introduce you to one of the newer hit podcasts from the Times stable: Off Air, hosted by Jane Garvey and Fi Glover. Every afternoon from Monday to Thursday, Jane and Fi bring you a fresh look at the news and lively conversation with fascinating people.

In this episode from last week, they speak to the author of a new book about how Britain prepared for nuclear armageddon at home during the Cold War. As Julie McDowall reveals in this frightening but also rather funny book, the British, when contemplating devastation, took refuge in pointless planning.

Hosts: Jane Garvey and Fi Glover.

Guest: Julie McDowall, author of Attack Warning Red!: How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War.

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.

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by Stories of Our Times as a bonus weekly series each Saturday.

The balance between wilderness areas and the species that depend on them are fragile and are being threatened. Environmental Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan joins conservationist and National Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes in Zimbabwe to investigate why Africa’s greatest water sources - the rivers that run through the heart of the continent - are crucial to a prosperous future environment in Africa and beyond. 

Through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex supports the Great Spine of Africa expeditions that traverse and document thousands of kilometres of rivers never scientifically documented before.

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, Charles will be crowned King at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony marked with hundreds of years of tradition. Just how will the coronation represent our more modern country, and what might we expect from his reign?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Valentine Low, writer, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Reuters, BBC News, Sky News, CBS News, CBC.

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.

Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide. 

On Tuesday night, police in Canada announced the arrest and charge of a 57-year-old man on two counts of aiding or counselling suicide.

In this update to our three-part series, Poison, we learn more about the alleged extent of his activities. 

If you or someone you know has been affected by suicide or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.

[email protected]

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.

Thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia since the war began. But why? Where are the children being sent? And who’s trying to find them and bring them home?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Christina Lamb, chief foreign correspondent, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producer: Olivia Case.

Clips: SKY, CNN, BBC, International Criminal Court, UATV English, DW News, Ambient City, nathanolson, The infographics show, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, MSNBC.

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 began as a Sunday Times investigation into Boris Johnson’s finances soon snowballed into a months-long scandal, which led to the resignation of the BBC chairman on Friday. With top civil servant Simon Case now facing calls to quit, could more resignations follow? And will we ever find out who offered to loan Johnson £800,000?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guests:

- Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor, The Sunday Times.

- Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.

Producer: Olivia Case.

Clips: Times Radio, Sky News, ITV 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.