The Slow Newscast

Jeremy Corbyn faces an unexpected general election, called by Theresa May. Against the odds Labour does better than expected, although it’s still not the biggest party in Westminster. But Jeremy Corbyn’s star is undimmed. He is greeted with a rapturous reception on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated...

Murmurings of discontent grow among some Labour MPs. The blame the Brexit referendum result on Jeremy Corbyn’s half hearted campaigning efforts. They launch a dramatic attempt to get rid of him. Sir Keir Starmer has to decide who he’s going to back. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Appl...

In 2015 Labour is back in opposition after another election defeat. The party needs a new leader. It chooses Jeremy Corbyn, a long serving left-wing MP who’s never run anything. He is the party’s most radical and unlikely leader in its history. The newly elected former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir Starmer, takes a job under Corbyn as a shadow minister.  You can find out more abou...

The story of motherhood is strangely absent from a lot of literature. After her own experience of childbirth, Catherine Nixey takes on millennia of canonical literature and asks: why the start of the story is never fully told? To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access...

Arifa Akbar lost her sister far too young. She died from a 19th century illness in a 21st century hospital. Arifa’s journey through grief takes her to Rome, Keats…and gentle words of reflection. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a mem...

Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner calls herself an “effective altruist”. That philosophical movement fuelled the firing and rehiring of Sam Altman last month – and has tried to steer the future of AI to the tune of half a billion dollars. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts...

President Assad has won the war in Syria and to consolidate his power he’s demolishing opposition neighbourhoods in order to create a shiny new Syria - one in which dissent never existed. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and...

From the middle of Sep 2020 to the end of October, Boris Johnson’s government dithered and delayed the decision over a second national lockdown. This is the story of those 43 days, laid bare at the Covid Inquiry: a story of chaos. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app  - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+  on Apple Podcasts f...

This is the inside story of two revolutions in the Labour party in eight short years. From the takeover by the far left under Jeremy Corbyn to the election of Keir Starmer who set about erasing all traces of his predecessor.  To listen to the full series subscribe to the feed. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.&nbsp...

To listen to the full series subscribe to the Tortoise Investigates feed. It’s London, 2012. Oliver is a dashing diplomat. Charlie is a young graduate trying to find her feet in the world. They meet online and she falls in love. A few months into the relationship, and with his encouragement, Charlie applies for a job in British intelligence. She's feeling optimistic, the interview goes well. Then,...

The deal between Kanye West and Adidas was no ordinary celebrity endorsement. Now under renewed scrutiny after West’s outrageous behaviour, how can one rapper’s departure cause such chaos at a multinational sportswear brand? For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on...

Paul Caruana Galizia investigates how a lucrative contract to run the UK’s National Lottery was awarded to a company whose Czech billionaire owner retains links with Russia.  Note: Clive Efford MP referred to “a Gazprom owned oil storage unit in the Czech Republic”. It was in fact a “Gazprom owned gas storage unit”. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, do...

Mohammed Deif – thought to be the mastermind behind Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th - hasn’t been seen for 20 years and no one’s even sure if he’s still alive. When the enemy is more of an idea than a person, who do you end up fighting?  For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, s...

A British doctor sparks a global health panic about the safety of vaccines. But even though his work is discredited, he lights a fire that becomes the modern anti-vax movement. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.  If you’d like to further s...

The Telegraph is for sale for the first time in a generation. The new owner will become one of the most influential people on the right in Britain. Who will win the race? For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.  If you’d like to further support...

It’s been a dangerous year in the world of extreme mountaineering. Has the focus on record-breaking gone too far? For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.  If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of ne...

Twenty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was “America’s mayor”. Now he’s been indicted, along with Donald Trump, for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Will Rudy die in jail for The Don? For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.&nbs...

Twenty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was “America’s mayor”. Now he’s been indicted, along with Donald Trump, for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Will Rudy die in jail for The Don? For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.  If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donatin...

Twenty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was “America’s mayor”. Now he’s been indicted, along with Donald Trump, for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Will Rudy die in jail for The Don? For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.  If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donatin...

For years, Claire McEnery was the most senior woman in the Lancashire police force. With that seniority came exposure to the best – and worst – of life, but also to the best and worst of the police.  For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.&nbsp...

Welcome to Trendy, the new weekly show from Tortoise. Britain’s top pollster, Sir John Curtice, and former Downing Street advisor, Rachel Wolf, explore the key political, social and economic trends that help shape what voters think and what politicians do. Follow the feed here so you don't miss an episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, when the media went into a frenzy about the rift between the royal brothers and the publication of Harry's book Spare Paul Caruana Galizia started looking into a different aspect of the story. One that wasn't getting much attention: Prince Harry’s legal battles with the press. Then in April a new story emerged from that fight. It attracted a brief flurry of interest before seemi...

From intern to baroness in seven years, Charlotte Owen’s entry to the House of Lords has left even friends scratching their heads in wonder. Her elevation might be hard to explain, but it tells us volumes about the way British democracy works.  For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app.  For early and ad-free access, s...

Humans think of themselves as the world’s apex predator. But what happens when another powerful carnivore threatens us in a place where they are the masters? Killer whales have been attacking - and sometimes sinking - sailboats off the coast of Spain and Portugal. This is the story of the changing relationship between humanity and the world’s biggest predator. For the premium Tortoise listeni...

In late June, Yevgeny Prigozhin marched on Moscow with a small army of mercenaries. Exactly two months later, he was dead. This is the story of what really happened on the road to Moscow. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists,  download the free Tortoise audio app . For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podca...