The Story

Very few people get to see David Attenborough behind the scenes. Tony Lee Moral did, starting out as a young researcher alongside him at Bristol’s legendary Natural History Unit. As Attenborough turns 100, what's it like to observe him in his natural habitat? Tony reflects on the charm, curiosity, exacting standards and quiet humanity that made him such a remarkable person to work with.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Read by: Tony Lee Moral.
Producer: Dave Creasey.
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Read more: David Attenborough at 100 — we’ve been lucky to watch him roam this planet
Clips: BBC.
Photo: Getty Images.
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For now, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to stay as the Reform leader Nigel Farage calls this a “truly historic shift in British politics”.

Steven and Lara caught up at the Times office in Westminster just after 4pm to unpack the results from England’s local council and mayoral elections, alongside national contests in Scotland and Wales, as Reform and the Greens surge and Labour suffer huge losses.

Hosts:
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Picture credit: 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.

In Moscow, preparations are complete for tomorrow’s Victory Day celebrations. This year’s military parade will be pared back amid fears of Ukrainian drone strikes. So as the country marks its biggest celebration in muted style, five years into a grinding war, how are Russians feeling about their government and the economy? And what’s been the true impact of the war in Iran?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Alexander Gabuev, director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre.
Host: Rosie Wright.
Producer: Callum Martin.
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Read more: No tanks or missiles at Russia’s scaled-back Victory Day parade
Further listening: The descent into madness under Putin
Clips: YouTube, Times Now World, France24, FreakiAhhMilitary, APT, Daily Express.
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.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has been poured over by the press – but what about their relationship with one another? New Times reporting reveals they met for the first time in 1999 at an NSPCC charity event, and continued a mutually advantageous relationship for a decade. So how do the people who brought them together feel about it now? And what can it tell us about how power works in the upper echelons of British society?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Hugo Daniel, general news reporter, The Sunday Times.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Producers: Harry Stott.
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Read more: Revealed: When Andrew first met Peter Mandelson
Further listening: Starmer strikes back over Mandelson vetting scandal
Clips: Getty, The Lost Media Archive / Youtube, ITN.
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.

This episode was recorded before the latest announcement from President Trump pausing 'Project Freedom'.

Earlier this week President Trump launched his latest move in the Iran war... 'Project Freedom' was designed to get ships through the Strait of Hormuz under US military escort. But Iran said the plan meant the US was breaking the ceasefire and the two countries began trading missiles again. The UAE’s been hit too, at a time when it's increasingly turning to Israel for help. So how will the new allegiances being formed in fire reshape the region? Where are negotiations up to? And is there any hope of peace?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Michael Stephens, consultant and senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and fellow at RAND Europe.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Producers: Olivia Case and Sophie McNulty.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]
Read more: Iran war latest: Hegseth says ceasefire holds but US ‘locked and loaded’
Further listening: Is political violence America’s new normal?
Clips: Fox, Hugh Hewitt / YouTube.
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.