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PODCAST

Sensemaker

The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world.To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our websiteobserver.co.ukDownload the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contacthello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

news news commentary

All Episodes

7:49

Syria's prisons

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/13

The ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has revealed the full scale of how he used the prison system to lock up, torture and execute his opponents. What do we now know about what went on? Producer: Eleanor BiggsPhotography: Jon JonesHost: Tomini BabsExecutive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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7:30

Could Nigel Farage’s Reform party be backed by mega...

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/12

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and property tycoon Nick Candy have been named as considering multi-million-pound contributions, which could change the face of British politics forever. Reform could become the best-funded political party in the UK.Writer: Cat Neilan.Producer: Katie Gunning.Photography: Jon Jones.Executive producer: Rebecca Moore.To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early

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7:03

France’s political tailspin

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/11

France’s government has been toppled, making Michel Bernier the shortest serving prime minister in the history of the modern French Republic. What does it mean for France – and the rest of Europe? Writer: Claudia WilliamsProducer: Claudia WilliamsPhotography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a

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6:33

How did Syrian rebels overthrow Bashar al-Assad?

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/10

For more than half a century, the Assad family ruled Syria with brutality and repression. It took less than two weeks for rebels to bring that rule to an end. What does this mean for Syria and the region?Writer: Xavier GreenwoodProducer: Xavier GreenwoodHost: Claudia WilliamsPhotography: Jon JonesExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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7:14

The assisted dying bill has passed its first House of...

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/09

MPs voted in favour of proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. The bill has many more stages to pass before it becomes law. So what happens next?Writer: Phoebe DavisProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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6:44

Are targets for the rollout of electric vehicles too...

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/06

The carmaker behind Fiat, Jeep, and Citroën says the closure of its Vauxhall factory in Luton is due to new zero-emission policies. But is that the full story?Writers: Barney MacintyreProducer: Matt RussellHost: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's

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7:34

Syrian rebels take back Aleppo

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/05

In just 24 hours President Assad’s forces just “melted away” in Syria’s second biggest city. How did the rebels seize control and what might Assad do in response?Writer: Chloe HadjimatheouProducer: Gary MarshallHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's

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7:06

Banana Art

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/04

A banana taped to the wall with duct tape sold at a Christie’s auction for $6.2 million to a cryptobillionaire. At the same auction, a Henri Matisse remained unsold. What does this sale tell us about the state of the art market?Writer: Jess SwinburneProducer: Casey MagloireHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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6:10

Russia’s new experimental ballistic missile

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/03

Vladimir Putin has threatened to deploy more Oreshnik missiles against Ukraine. He boasted that they’re equipped with multiple warheads and have destructive power comparable to a nuclear strike.Writer: Nina KuryataProducer: Eleanor BiggsHost: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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7:32

Why has Kate Nash started an OnlyFans?

Sensemaker ·

2024/12/02

Singer-songwriter Kate Nash has hit the headlines for starting an OnlyFans account to pay for her tour. She says that selling pictures of her butt online is the only way she can make money in an economic landscape that squeezes musicians. Writer: Eleanor BiggsProducer: Casey MagloirePhotography: Joe MeeHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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6:40

Who do the Lords work for?

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/29

The House of Lords rarely gets much scrutiny, either by the media or the public. A team of Tortoise journalists has put a spotlight on the UK’s second chamber and asks whether some of its members are working for us or themselves?Writer: Cat NeilanProducer: Katie GunningEpisode photography: Joe MeeExecutive producer: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and

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8:33

The crisis in women’s healthcare

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/28

Gynaecology waiting lists are at a record high in England and Wales, with over three-quarters of a million people waiting to be treated. How did it get this bad?Writer: Phoebe DavisProducer: Patricia ClarkeEpisode photography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of

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10:24

Can an AI chatbot cure loneliness?

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/27

30 million people have signed up to use Replika, “the AI companion who cares”. The chatbot can text you, flirt with you, and promises to love you unconditionally. But what are the risks that come with loving an AI?This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. Writer and producer: Patricia ClarkeEpisode photography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple

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8:40

What are Israel’s plans for northern Gaza?

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/26

For nearly two months, the Israeli army has encircled cities in the north of the Gaza Strip. Experts warn Israeli settlements could be established there within the next few weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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9:03

Why are there protests over Māori rights in New Zealand?

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/25

A proposed new bill has prompted one of New Zealand’s biggest protests of all time. Why is it so controversial? And what does it seek to change?Writer and producer: Claudia WilliamsEpisode photography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio

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6:48

No men, no sex: A feminist backlash to Donald Trump’s...

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/22

In the wake of the US election result, why are some American women joining a radical feminist movement that started in South Korea?Writer: Phoebe DavisProducer: Claudia WilliamsTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a

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5:52

Is the UK’s 5G network a myth?

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/21

The UK was one of the first countries to adopt 5G but now it has one of the worst networks in the world. Why is it so difficult to get a decent phone signal in the UK?Writer: Sophie FentonProducer: Tomini BabsHost: Claudia WilliamsExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's

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7:20

Does severe flooding in Spain signal a warning for...

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/20

While national debate raged in Spain over who should be held accountable for the deadliest floods in decades, heavy rainfall flooded parts of Southern Italy. Extreme floods are likely to increase as a consequence of climate change: is Europe ready to deal with them?Writer: Serena CesareoProducer: Casey MagloireHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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8:16

Will an anti-vaxxer take over America’s department of...

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/19

Robert F. Kennedy Jr has a long record of criticising vaccines and spreading medical misinformation. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen him to be the secretary of Health and Human Service in his upcoming administration.To listen to Basia’s interview with RFK Jr click here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/audio/what-the-rfk-jr/Writer: Rebecca Moore with additional reporting from Alexi Mostrous.Producer: Claudia WilliamsHost: Claudia WilliamsPhotography: Joe MeeExecutive Producer: Jasper CorbettTo

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8:00

The world’s loneliest penguin

Sensemaker ·

2024/11/18

An emperor penguin has turned up on a surfers beach in southwestern Australia, more than 2000 miles away from its natural habitat in the Antarctic. How did it end up so far off course?Writer and producer: Claudia WilliamsEpisode photography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Rebecca MooreWith thanks to Jazz Bailey for her videos.To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and

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1,242 results

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