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Sensemaker

The Observerobserver.co.uk

The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world.


To find out more about The Observer:

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Episodes

Ep 603: The gangs matrix

Awate Suleiman challenged how London’s Metropolitan Police gathers information about potential gang members and won. His campaign with Liberty and Unjust has been nominated for a Sheila McKechnie Foundation National Campaigner Award. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 24, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 603

Ep 602: Ultra-processed food

The largest food and drink producers in the UK are dependent upon selling ultra-processed food. What’s the cost and why does it matter? Read more about Tortoise's Better Food Index: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/intelligence/the-better-food-index/ Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to torto...

May 23, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 602

Ep 601: The Hollywood writers’ strike

The explosion of TV streaming services means Hollywood writers are being paid less and less. Now they are on strike. What are they asking for and how could it affect what you watch? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journ...

May 22, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 601

Ep 600: The United Nations in Afghanistan

Why the UN is under fire from some of its own staff in Afghanistan for its treatment of women staff. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tor...

May 19, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 600

Ep 599: Sam Altman testifies

The man behind ChatGPT has warned the US Senate that there is an “urgent” need for AI regulation. What might that look like? Listen to the Truth Tellers podcast: https://podfollow.com/truth-tellers Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further su...

May 17, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 599

Ep 598: Scotland’s juryless rape trials

The Scottish government has announced plans to hold trials for serious sexual offences without a jury. Why have defence lawyers said they'll boycott the scheme? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us bui...

May 17, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 598

Ep 597: Zelensky’s European tour

Ukraine’s president has been visiting European capitals in an attempt to secure more support ahead of a renewed fightback against Russia. What is President Zelensky asking for and will it be enough? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further s...

May 16, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 597

Ep 596: The case of Simon Case

The country’s most senior civil servant has a habit of attracting the wrong kind of headlines. Could his time as Cabinet Secretary be drawing to a close? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a di...

May 15, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 596

Ep 595: Ed Sheeran's legal victory

A court has ruled that the British musician did not copy a Marvin Gaye song when he wrote the 2014 hit Thinking Out Loud. What does the verdict mean for the music industry? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and...

May 12, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 595

Ep 594: The Coronation arrests

The Metropolitan Police says it regrets arresting six anti-monarchy protesters on the morning of the Coronation. It raises questions about new laws designed to stop disruptive protests. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow j...

May 11, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 594

Ep 593: Tackling online abuse

Content showing the most extreme online sexual abuse of children has doubled since 2020. What’s being done to stop it? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consid...

May 10, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 593

Ep 592: The godfather of AI quits with a warning

One of the pioneers of artificial intelligence has quit his job at Google and warned about the dangers of the technology. What does Geoffrey Hinton’s departure tell us about the future of AI? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support ...

May 09, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 592

Ep 591: King Charles' Coronation

Nearly 70 years after his mother's coronation, King Charles will be officially crowned this weekend. What could the future look like for the monarchy? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a diff...

May 05, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 591

Ep 590: Georgia’s jailed ex-president

Mikheil Saakashvili claims he has been tortured and poisoned in prison for standing up to Russian president Vladimir Putin. What happens to him could decide Georgia’s future. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism ...

May 04, 20238 minSeason 1Ep. 590

Ep 589: Microsoft and Activision: game over?

The UK competition regulator has blocked Microsoft’s plan to buy Activision. Does that mean the biggest takeover in the gaming industry’s history is dead? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a ...

May 03, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 589

Ep 588: The great Pacific garbage patch

The world’s largest mass of plastic marine litter has become a new home for thousands of creatures who haven’t been able to survive in the middle of the Pacific ocean before. What does this new ecosystem show about the extent of human plastic pollution? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to...

May 02, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 588

Ep 587: Jimmy Lai and freedom in Hong Kong

Pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned in Hong Kong since December 2020. What does his case tell us about media freedom in Hong Kong? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a diffe...

Apr 28, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 587

Ep 586: The SNP in crisis

How a financial crisis in the Scottish National Party threatens its dominance of Scottish politics. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tor...

Apr 27, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 586

Ep 585: Sudan on the brink

The UK government is evacuating Brits from one of the world’s poorest countries as it teeters on the edge of civil war. How did Sudan get here? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different k...

Apr 26, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 585

Ep 584: Raab: the backlash

Last week, Dominic Raab resigned after a report found he'd "humiliated staff" and acted in an "intimidating" manner towards civil servants. What does it tell us about the relationship between civil servants and ministers? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If...

Apr 25, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 584

Ep 583: Donbas girl

Through multiple online accounts, Donbas Devushka created a disinformation empire and pushed a pro-Russia campaign online. Now, one of the people behind it has been exposed. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism a...

Apr 24, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 583

Ep 582: North Wales’ Hollywood fairytale

It was a shock to most when actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham football club in 2020 but now the club is on the brink of a fairytale ending. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us bu...

Apr 21, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 582

Ep 581: Bird flu is back

The world is going through its worst-ever outbreak of bird flu, but restrictions in the UK are being relaxed. How concerned should we be? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of...

Apr 20, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 581

Ep 580: Atlanta’s Cop City protests

An environmental activist was shot and killed by the police in Atlanta, Georgia. What does this tell us about policing in the United States? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind...

Apr 19, 20237 minSeason 1Ep. 580

Ep 579: Ozempic on the NHS?

England’s NHS has approved semaglutide, Hollywood’s favourite weight-loss injection. But is the hype justified? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider don...

Apr 18, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 579

Ep 578: Airports lift the liquids ban

London City Airport is the latest to scrap the 100 millilitre liquid rule for hand luggage. When will others follow suit? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do co...

Apr 17, 20235 minSeason 1Ep. 578

Ep 577: The Pentagon documents leak

The FBI has arrested a man who they believe is linked to a leak of confidential US defence and intelligence documents. What did we learn from the leak? Click here to listen to The News Meeting. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further suppor...

Apr 14, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 577

Ep 576: The Battle for Bakhmut

Why a small city in eastern Ukraine has become the scene of the fiercest fighting in Europe since World War Two. Click here for Tortoise’s Slow Newscast: Wagner’s War. Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help...

Apr 13, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 576

Ep 575: Virgin Orbit

Richard Branson’s latest space venture was meant to revolutionise the satellite industry. Instead, it went bankrupt. What went wrong? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of news...

Apr 12, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 575

Ep 574: Au revoir to e-scooters

Paris has become the first city in the world to ban rental e-scooters. Could the UK be next? Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism. For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year. As a member you’ll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown . If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise a...

Apr 11, 20236 minSeason 1Ep. 574
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