Sensemaker

The Observer
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Feb 28, 2024 • 9min

Ep 799: How Birmingham went bust

Exploring how Birmingham City Council declared bankruptcy, leading to increased council tax rates. Delving into mismanagement of funds, IT system failure, and equal pay dispute causing financial crisis. Birmingham faces job losses, protests, and budget cuts amidst funding shortfalls and aging population.
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Feb 27, 2024 • 9min

Ep 798: When egg freezing goes wrong

A hospital in London has told more than 130 patients that their eggs and embryos might have accidentally been damaged. What does this incident tell us about the UK’s fertility services?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 26, 2024 • 9min

Ep 797: The case against Julian Assange

British judges are deciding whether the founder of WikiLeaks should be allowed to appeal his extradition to the United States. What is he accused of doing?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 23, 2024 • 7min

Ep 796: The university that contributed to a student’s death

A landmark judgement has found that the University of Bristol contributed to the death of a student called Natasha Abrahart by discriminating against her. What does her suicide tell us about the duty of care that universities have towards their students?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 22, 2024 • 8min

Ep 795: Why Trump is selling golden trainers

Donald Trump is on the campaign trail for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, so why did he take time out to promote a new Trump-branded footwear range?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 21, 2024 • 8min

Ep 794: How The Body Shop lost its sheen

The business known for its natural and ethical beauty products has been a staple of the British high street for the past 50 years. Now it’s closing half of its UK stores and reducing the size of its head office, leading to hundreds of job losses.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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 20, 2024 • 9min

Ep 793: Russia after Navalny

Kremlin critic and Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny has died in prison. As questions swirl about his death and world leaders condemn Vladimir Putin, what does it mean for Russia?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 19, 2024 • 10min

Ep 792: Biden: too old to be president?

When Joe Biden won the election in 2020 he was seen by many as the ‘safe’ option compared to Donald Trump. But during his presidency he’s become well-known for his gaffes and occasional stumbles. Many US voters are wondering: is 81 too old to run for president?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 16, 2024 • 7min

Ep 791: Labour, Rochdale and the anti-Semitism row

Defending Labour’s long-held seat in Rochdale should have been a walk in the park. But with a fortnight still to go before the by-election there, the party has been forced to drop its candidate. How did Labour end up here?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Feb 15, 2024 • 8min

Ep 790: Zelensky fires his top general

After a year of tension between the two men, the Ukrainian president fired his top military commander. What does it tell us about Volodymyr Zelensky’s plan for the next stage of the war with Russia?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 ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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