The Story

The government is proposing new laws that will allow academics, students or visiting speakers the power to sue universities for compensation, if they feel they've been censored or if their free speech is somehow restricted. The announcement has been controversial, but is it the best way to encourage free speech on campus?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:Sian Griffiths, education editor at The Sunday Times.Stephen Ceci, professor of psychology at Cornell University.Host: Manveen Rana. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not many feelings come close to the thrill of getting your foot on the property ladder after months of mortgages, solicitors and surveys. But what happens when things start to go wrong? The Sunday Times has been investigating an insurance giant, accused of issuing fraudulent inspection notes that have left leaseholders with vast repair bills.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:-Martina Lees, Senior property writer for The Times and The Sunday Times.-Martin Scott, Head of construction and engineering at Walker Morris Law Firm in Leeds.-Lydia Turnbull, leaseholder.-Snowden Mount, leaseholder.-Rebecca Goodson, leaseholder.Host: Manveen Rana. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a looming crisis in the cemeteries of Britain: many of them are running out of space. How have we got here and what can we do about it?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:-John Waite, volunteer, Highgate Cemetery.-Ian Dungavell, Chief Executive, Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust.-Dr Julie Rugg, Cemetery Research Group, University of York.-Mohamed Omer, Board Member, Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery.Host: Leona Hameed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Extraordinary scientific advances have taken place over the past year both because of Covid and despite it.Today we bring you three tales of human ingenuity you might have missed – and, for a change, nothing but good news.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.Host: David Aaronovitch.Guests: Tom Whipple, science editor, The Times.Lindley Johnson, planetary defence officer, Nasa.Dr Elena Adams, DART systems engineer, Johns Hopkins University.Further reading from The Times: 'Science is fast‑forwarding into the future', David Aaronovitch, December 2nd, 2020.'Deepmind finds biology’s ‘holy grail’ with answer to protein problem', Tom Whipple, December 1st, 2020.'More medical breakthroughs on the way thanks to BioNTech coronavirus vaccine', Tom Whipple, February 8th, 2021.'Nasa will crash rocket into asteroid to avert catastrophe', Will Pavia, April 30th, 2020.Clips used: ITV, CBC, BBC, TRT World, SpaceX. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the Ever Given vessel was freed earlier this week, the world breathed a huge sigh of relief. But what does this incident tell us about international trade and globalisation?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:Louise Callaghan, Middle East correspondent at the Sunday Times.Jill Treanor, City editor at the Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Additional reporting by Ben Spencer, the Science editor at the Sunday Times.Clips used: BBC, Anas Alhajji Twitter and the Telegraph. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In sub-Saharan Africa, people with albinism – those born without pigmentation in their skin, hair and eyes – have long been discriminated against and even hunted for their body parts, which are thought to hold magical healing powers. And during the pandemic, fear and misinformation have led some to embrace superstition over science, blaming people with albinism for the virus.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:- Robert Shivambu, South Africa media manager at Amnesty International.- Irene George, a woman living with albinism.- Cosmas Maduhu, lawyer and activist living with albinism.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips used: Channel 4, ABC News, BBC, Click on Detroit, United Nations, Al Jazeera, Amnesty International. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions between the police and communities across the UK are at an all time high. One woman is behind the push to increase police powers. Who is Priti Patel and what's her plan for Britain?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 Dathan, Home Affairs editor at The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips used: LBC, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro.co.uk, ITV GMB, Evening Standard, Sky News, The Sun, BBC News, The Guardian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Around the country, girls who have suffered in silence for years at some of England's top schools are finally speaking out about the sexual abuse they've encountered. A stream of hundreds of harrowing stories has emerged. How was this ever allowed to happen? And what can be done to stop it?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:-Sian Griffiths, Education and families editor at The Sunday Times.-Ben Ellery, News reporter at The Times.-Additional reporting from Isabelle Stanley.Host: Manveen Rana. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it time to rethink the way British democracy works and reform the upper chamber of parliament?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: Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall correspondent for The Sunday Times.Tom Calver, Senior data journalist at The Sunday Times.Lord Salisbury, member of the House of Lords.Host: Manveen Rana. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week the former Team GB and Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman was struck off the medical register after being found guilty of ordering a banned substance “knowing or believing” it was to dope a rider in 2011.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 at The Times.Host: Will Roe.Much of the original journalism by The Sunday Times' Chief sports writer, David Walsh.Clips used: Times Radio, TalkSPORT, BBC, Eurosport, OMN, Daily Mail, Olympic YouTube Channel, IBTimes UK, Cambridge University Darwin College lecture series and ARD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.