The Story

Over two episodes, Matthew Syed takes listeners inside GCHQ’s headquarters in Cheltenham. Today, he speaks to the Director, Sir Jeremy Fleming, on a wide range of topics, from the threats facing the UK, misinformation, the Online Harms Bill, and how working in security and intelligence has changed over the course of his 30-year career. 

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: Sir Jeremy Fleming, GCHQ Director.

Host: Matthew Syed.

Clips: 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.

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This week the government said it would ban so-called conversion therapy for gay or bisexual people in England and Wales, but not for transgender people. The policy followed two U-turns in the space of an evening.

It's a sensitive and controversial issue which was the subject of a special investigation on this podcast last August, by the journalist Emily Sargent. So today we're revisiting the first part of Thinking Straight.

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.

The full Thinking Straight series:

• Part 1: Conversion
• Part 2: Undercover
• Part 3: Surviving
• Part 4: Undercover again
• Part 5: Faith and queerness
• Part 6: Conversion and transitioning
• Part 7: The ban

Getting help

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:

Switchboard provides an information, support and referral service for anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.

Phone: 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm).

Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.

Phone: 116 123

Guests: 

- Jayne Ozanne, director and founder, Ozanne Foundation; chair, Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition.

- Dr Qazi Rahman, senior lecturer, King's College London.

- Michael King, Emeritus Professor, University College London.

Host: Emily Sargent, journalist.

Clips: Times Radio, ITV News, Instagram: @xoutloudeuropeofficial, X-OUT-LOUD Europe, Core Issues Trust, BFI, BBC.

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 April 1982, Captain Christopher Craig set sail with his crew on the frigate HMS Alacrity to the Falkland Islands after Argentina had invaded the British overseas territory. Four decades on, Chris and his son Duncan - then a six-year-old schoolboy in Bournemouth - reflect on that war.

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.

Guests: 

- Captain Christopher Craig, CB, DSC, Royal Navy.

- Duncan Craig, Travel Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Call for Fire: Sea Combat in the Falklands and the Gulf War - A book by Christopher Craig.

Clips: ABC News, The Telegraph, BBC.

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.

Since firing 800 of its employees with no warning, P&O Ferries has faced mounting pressure from the government and calls for CEO Peter Hebblethwaite to resign. How did this happen? And what's on the horizon for the embattled company?

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: Ben Clatworthy, Transport Correspondent, The Times.

Host: Calum Macdonald.

Clips: The Telegraph, BBC News, Sky News, ITV, DP World.

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 been billed as the future of the internet. But what exactly is 'The Metaverse'? One Sunday Times journalist takes a journey into the the virtual-reality world. It may be for over-13s, but she found harassment, racism and talk of porn make it scary even for adults.

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: Louise Eccles, Consumer Affairs Editor, The Sunday Times.

Host: David Aaronovitch.

Clips: Sky News, CNBC, CNET, Meta, WION, Microsoft Ignite.

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.

Nearly four million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine since it began a month ago. It's the biggest movement of people since records began. We hear stories from the Polish border, as this wave of humanity crosses through.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get 3 months' subscription for just one pound at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guests:

Roger Boyes, Diplomatic Editor, The Times.

Natalia Gryvnyak, Ukrainian journalist.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: Times Radio, LA Times, Euronews.

For information on how to help the people of Ukraine visit: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-to-help-ukraine-uk-v8grddrs8

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.

Hospitals bombed. Thousands of civilians killed. If war crimes have been committed in Ukraine, as many suspect, have the events of the past month exposed the laws of war as toothless?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get 3 months' subscription for just one pound at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Professor Gregory Gordon, former war crimes prosecutor and professor of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Host: Manveen Rana.

For information on how to help the people of Ukraine visit: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-to-help-ukraine-uk-v8grddrs8

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.

Every week thousands of fans criss-cross the country to support their football team, but among them are those who others wish would stay at home. A Times investigation has looked into the new generation of football hooligans.

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: Matt Lawton, Chief Sports Correspondent, The Times.

Host: David Aaronovitch.

Clips: TalkSport, Sky News, ITV News, Tyne TV, 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.

When President Zelensky put a call out for fighters to join the defence of Ukraine against the Russian assault, an estimated 20,000 answered - including Shane Matthew, a former member of the British Army. As we mark a month since the start of the war in Ukraine, what is life like for those who have gone to fight?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get 3 months' subscription for just one pound at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Larisa Brown, Defence Editor, The Times,

and

Shane Matthew, former soldier.

Host: Calum Macdonald.

For information on how to help the people of Ukraine visit: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-to-help-ukraine-uk-v8grddrs8

Clips: CNN, France 24, DW News, Al Jazeera, Channel 5, BBC News, 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.

We're feeling the pinch as the cost of everyday items increases. Why is this happening? And what might the Chancellor say in his Spring Statement to alleviate the financial pressure?

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. 

Guests:

- Ashley Armstrong, Retail and Mergers & Acquisitions Editor, The Times.

- Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times.

Host: David Aaronovitch.

Clips: Sky News, Channel 4, ITV News, CNBC, Associated Press.

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.