When The Crooked House pub near the West Midlands town of Dudley was consumed by fire and then demolished, much more was lost than just a quirky venue for a drink. Could the loss of yet another pub shine a light on something much bigger going on in Britain? And could it be rebuilt, brick by brick?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: - Lucy Bannerman, News Feature Writer, The Times.- Tom Rees, co-owner, The Carlton Tavern pub. Host: Manveen Rana. Clips: BBC, The Guardian, 5 News, The Telegraph, Express & Star. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After inconclusive elections last month, today Spain's parliament reconvenes to try to form a government. But as Spanish politicians look to the future, questions from the recent past continue to haunt them. When it comes to the country's bloody civil war, and the repressive regime that followed it, who gets to decide how the past is remembered?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: - Marta Santiváñez, producer for Times Radio.- Sir Paul Preston, professor of international history at the London School of Economics.Host: Luke Jones.Link: Check out The Times' historic 1937 report on the brutal assault of Guernica here.Clips: British Movietone (AP). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, Times science editor Tom Whipple stood on what used to be a glacier, on rock that used to be below 40 metres of ice. Then, glaciologist Matthias Huss hacked out a chunk of ice to take home. By the end of this summer, that may be the last remnant left. This is the story of the glacier that no longer is – but which 15 years ago weighed a million tonnes – and a climate change milestone which is beyond dispute.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: Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times.Host: Luke Jones.Link: Tom Whipple’s new book is available at the Times Bookshop: The Battle of the Beams: The secret science of radar that turned the tide of the Second World Warhttps://timesbookshop.co.uk/the-battle-of-the-beams-9781787634138 Clips: BBC News. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is now Europe’s biggest consumer of cocaine. The drug has been linked to a surge in domestic violence and middle-class users are being warned it’s not a victimless crime. How is so much cocaine getting into the country? And what can the authorities do about it?You can read Dipesh's article (and see an image of charcoal soaked in cocaine) here.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: Dipesh Gadher, Home Affairs Correspondent, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: France 24, Al Jazeera, Euronews, BBC News, Sky News. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not long ago, the tiny nation of El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world. Now, it has the highest incarceration rate. President Nayib Bukele – who has described himself as “the world’s coolest dictator” – has detained 70,000 gang suspects without trial. His supporters point to the homicide rate, which is down 93 per cent. But Bukele’s critics warn that his hardline policies risk sacrificing democracy for security.  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: Stephen Gibbs, Latin America Correspondent, The Times. Host: Luke Jones. Clips: NBC, CBS, Channel 4, Sky News Australia, ITV, Al Jazeera, CFR Education. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pop superstar Lizzo has said a lawsuit with claims of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment are ‘false’. Three former dancers have brought legal action against the singer, her dance captain and her production company. The allegations threaten to tarnish Lizzo’s brand, built on self-love and positivity – so can she survive the backlash? And is this a parable of modern celebrity and idol worship?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: Megan Agnew, Features Writer, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: TikTok/@bricksmagazine, TikTok/@shellywixted1990, Sky News, Big Boy TV, Twitter/@lizzo, Washington Post, ABC’s Good Morning America, Juice/Lizzo/Atlantic Records, British Vogue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With an election just around the corner, politicians are quitting Westminster in their droves, many of them under 40. Is the job broken – or are they just jumping before they're pushed? We meet the leavers and reluctant remainers.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: Charlotte Ivers, staff writer and columnist, The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: Times Radio, ITV News, Global. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the neighbourhood of Whitby in Cheshire, residents had to grapple with a question that many more of us will have to ask in the coming years: how should we heat our homes if we’re no longer allowed gas boilers? What started as a proposal to test hydrogen heating soon escalated into an explosive argument. As government policies aimed at reaching net zero start to affect our daily lives, is it a sign of the squabbles to come?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:- Ben Cooke, Times Earth editor.- Kate Grannell, campaigner.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: Cheshire West and Chester Council, Sky News, The Economist, TED. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niger, in west Africa, has suffered its fifth coup in just over six decades of independence. This one could have repercussions far beyond its borders – not least because Africa, not the Middle East, is now the centre of global jihad. And while there is no sign of Moscow’s hand in the coup, it has been welcomed by the Wagner group and could help Putin get his claws into this uranium-rich country. So what does all this mean for the competition between world powers, not to mention our day-to-day safety?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: Richard Assheton, West Africa correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Luke Jones.Clips: BBC, CNN, Euronews, DW News, Al Jazeera, France 24, US Africa Command, TV News Nigeria, Nigerian Television Authority, Telegram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Younger people are turning away from alcohol, with Gen Z most likely to be teetotal – including Spider-Man actor Tom Holland. Millennials, too, are drinking less than their parents. What's prompted this generational shift in drinking habits? 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: Helen Rumbelow, Features Writer, The Times. Professor John Holmes, Director of the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group. Host: Jane Mulkerrins, Associate Editor, The Times magazine. Clips: Jay Shetty, Dr Alex George, Avalon Comedy/Lee Mack. TikTok (freedietalks, energisewiththem, thelivneedham) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.