The Story

We take a break from social distancing and life in lockdown to bring you an extraordinary story from Iraq. The Sunday Times' Louise Callaghan tells Manveen the tale of Abu Laith- the zookeeper of Mosul, and the man who kept a lion alive through mortar fire and raids by ISIS. Guest:Louise Callaghan, Sunday Times Middle East correspondentHost:Manveen RanaThis 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.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives. But what if you don't have a home to stay in? Greg Hurst on the government campaign to protect the homeless. Guests: Greg Hurst, Social Affairs Editor for The Times. Rob in London, Richard Todd in Exeter and Theresa Frampton in Bristol. Host: Manveen RanaThis 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.

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, Homo sapiens were not alone. Tom Whipple explains how we once shared the earth with Neanderthals and even 'hobbits'. Guest: Tom Whipple, Science Editor for The Times. Chris Stringer, Merit Researcher in human origins at the London Natural History Museum. Host: Manveen RanaThis 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.

The Swedish government's approach to coronavirus has been controversial. Unlike in the UK, they have urged citizens to take personal responsibility for enforcing social distancing rather than using police forces to ensure rules are followed. Now that the country has passed the grim milestone of 1,000 coronavirus deaths, what can the UK learn from the Swedish government's light-touch approach to the pandemic? Guests: Louise Callaghan, Middle East correspondent for the Sunday Times.  Host: Manveen RanaThis 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.

Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, is fighting extradition to the US, after seven years holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy. This week it was revealed that he secretly started a family during his time in hiding. Is it in the public interest for Julian Assange to be sent to the States?Guests: John Simpson, crime correspondent for The Times.Host: David Aaronovitch. 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 a number of existing therapies are being re-purposed to help patients with the most severe Covid-19 symptoms, we speak to a UK-based bioscience company about a drug they've developed and explore how it is being used in Italy. Guests: Tom Whipple, The Times science editorSomeit Sidhu, CEO and Co-founder of Izana BioscienceHost: Manveen RanaThis 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.

With reading on the rise under the lockdown, the Times Literary Supplement editor Stig Abell suggests three books for a little escapism during these uncertain times.  Guest: Stig AbellThis 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 have been warned that the Easter bank holiday could see the peak of the coronavirus crisis in the UK. But are our hospitals ready?Guest:‏Lucy Cocker, Junior Doctor and Deputy Chair of the BMA's Junior Doctor Committee.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 looks like the US will be badly hit by coronavirus. Could President Trump's approach be his downfall? Guests: Henry Zeffman, the Washington Correspondent for The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch.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.

The United States is now at the centre of the global coronavirus crisis and New York is the worst hit city in the country. What’s it like for regular New Yorkers at the centre of the pandemic? Guests:‏Laura Pullman, The Sunday Times New York correspondent.The audio diaries from nine New Yorkers. Host: Manveen Rana. NB: Caurice Wynters, one of the New Yorkers who spoke with us, is raising money to cover medical and living expenses for her family, after they all got sick with covid-19. You can contribute here: https://bit.ly/3aOBRWpThis 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.