Sensemaker

A 15-year-old black school girl who was suspected of carrying cannabis was strip searched by police officers at her school. How unusual is this?The Sensemaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the world.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.We also have a daily Sensemaker email delivered to your inbox once a day. It’s our editors’ pick of the stories that matter most right now, and why, in brief. To read the Sensemaker, get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online, you can join Tortoise as a member. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Claudia50 to get a year's membership for just £50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigeria’s growing population keeps facing fuel shortages despite it being Africa’s largest oil producer. Why?The Sensemaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the world.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.We also have a daily Sensemaker email delivered to your inbox once a day. It’s our editors’ pick of the stories that matter most right now, and why, in brief. To read the Sensemaker, get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online, you can join Tortoise as a member. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Claudia50 to get a year's membership for just £50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The decision to sack 800 staff via Zoom and replace them with cheaper agency workers seemed to surprise many. But there were signs of what was to come.The Sensemaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the world.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.We also have a daily Sensemaker email delivered to your inbox once a day. It’s our editors’ pick of the stories that matter most right now, and why, in brief. To read the Sensemaker, get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online, you can join Tortoise as a member. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Claudia50 to get a year's membership for just £50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Tony Sewell chaired the controversial Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities the University of Nottingham decided to revoke their offer of an honorary degree. Was it justified?The Sensemaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the world.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.We also have a daily Sensemaker email delivered to your inbox once a day. It’s our editors’ pick of the stories that matter most right now, and why, in brief. To read the Sensemaker, get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online, you can join Tortoise as a member. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Claudia50 to get a year's membership for just £50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday’s economic update was not a Budget, but with the cost of living soaring Rishi Sunak was facing calls to ease the squeeze. Did the chancellor rise to the challenge? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a 40-year-old debt was settled between Britain and Iran last week, two British hostages were allowed to return home. So why was Morad Tahbaz, also a British hostage, left behind?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Kremlin has near total control over the media in Russia, so when one woman demonstrated against the Ukraine war live on air, she disrupted the narrative. What do we know about the protestor and the presenter she interrupted? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Western leaders are trying to predict the Russian president's next move. Some believe he has become isolated. What do we know about Vladimir Putin's life? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Halyna’s parents attempt to escape their hometown in eastern Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has returned home to the UK after being held hostage by Iran for nearly six years. What do we know about why she was finally released? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Xi Jinping has said his friendship with Vladimir Putin has "no limits". So what does he make of Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 40-mile column of Russian trucks, tanks and armoured vehicles was a symbol of its military might. But then it got stuck. What does it tell us about the invasion of Ukraine? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The frozen seascape just off Antarctica, home to a sunken ship for 106 years, is one of the most scientifically important ecosystems on the planet. What can it teach us about climate change? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Lviv, Halyna feels quite far from the invasion. But for her parents, who live near the border with Russia, it is very real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two weeks on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the UK has only granted 760 visas to Ukrainian refugees. Why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Accused of committing war crimes, Russia is being investigated by the international criminal court. But prosecuting those responsible will not be easy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ousted in 2014, the corrupt former president could be Vladimir Putin’s pick to replace Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukrainian activist Daria Kaleniuk made an impassioned plea to Boris Johnson for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but NATO doesn’t want to risk a direct confrontation with Russia. She tells Tortoise why she thinks it is the wrong decision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just a few days ago, Halyna was a young woman living a peaceful life in Ukraine's capital. Now she has been forced to flee because of the war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flash flooding in Sydney comes in the same week a major report offered the ‘bleakest warning yet’ on the impacts of climate breakdown, but it's not entirely out of our control yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany has overturned decades-old security and foreign policy doctrines in the face of Russia’s aggression in eastern Europe. How did it happen? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There have been protests and high profile Russians have criticised the invasion of Ukraine. But how do you work out the true extent of opposition to Putin’s war? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky faced criticism at home. Now he is a wartime leader rising to the moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Ukrainian woman describes the day her country was invaded by Russia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last autumn, reports of women being spiked with needles in clubs or at parties began to circulate. But months on, no confirmed cases have been found. So what happened? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The case of a couple accused of attempting to launder $4.5 billion worth of bitcoin teaches us a lot about cryptocurrency and its place in the economy. You can read more about this case in Tortoise's Sensemaker newsletter: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2022/02/17/sensemaker-220217/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tributes have flooded in for music entrepreneur Jamal Edwards, who has died at the age of 31, a Youtube star who helped propel British rap and grime into the mainstream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK expelled everyone who lived on the Chagos Islands more than 50 years ago. Why are they still being blocked from returning? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15-year-old Kamila Valieva’s doping scandal has made headlines around the world. But she’s just a child. What about the team of adults surrounding her? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inflation has hit a 30-year high as energy, fuel and food costs continue to soar. A humble bag of pasta can tell us why the prices of supermarket basics are rising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany’s new chancellor was initially criticised for his slow and awkward response to the Ukraine crisis, but he has now met Vladimir Putin. What does it tell us about his policy towards Russia? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More Insulate Britain activists were jailed last week. Since their protests began in September global energy prices have risen dramatically and British households face a 54% increase in their fuel bills. It might strengthen their case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major launched a scathing attack on Boris Johnson over Partygate last week. He is known to be a critic of the prime minister, so will it make any difference? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

French president Emmanuel Macron met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week. It was an attempt to de-escalate tensions over Ukraine, but Macron had another aim too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Academy Awards is improving diversity seven years after a hashtag criticising the Oscars went viral, but progress is slow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Kaji is one of the highest paid ‘child influencers’ on the planet, but internet success stories like his pose a challenge to regulators.Sign up to the Tech States newsletter here: https://torto.se/3HA5XNS  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week the Isis leader was killed during a raid on his hideout in Syria. What will his death do to the strength of the terrorist group he once led? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much is made of Carrie Johnson's apparent influence over policy in Number 10, but her power tells us something about her husband too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a mega iceberg melted it released 152 billion tonnes of fresh water into the ocean, but that is not what is worrying scientists most. It represents a bigger problem for our planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has hinged its success on its ability to "level up" the country. A mayor and former rugby player provides the blueprint for how the Tories can do it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eric Adams, New York City’s new mayor, faces his first major test. Can he curb the recent spike in shootings while balancing police tactics against the rights of poor communities? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been more than 20 years since the British military lifted their ban on gay people serving, so why are LGBT+ veterans still waiting for compensation? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yevhen Murayev was named in a strange Foreign Office press release as the potential leader of a pro-Russian government in Ukraine. Who is he and what is the UK up to? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Australian Open banned t-shirts about the missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, but then u-turned. What does it tell us about how sporting bodies deal with repressive regimes? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How an investigation by the Metropolitan Police threatens Boris Johnson no matter what it finds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An anonymous crypto group thought they bought the rights to Dune. They were wrong.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year Larry Fink, one of the biggest names in finance, writes a letter to the business world. Why has it become one of the most anticipated events in the calendar? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most exciting sporting rivalry you’ve probably never heard of. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it do to a politician, to be caught lying to parliament?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Virginia Giuffre is Prince Andrew's accuser. She's fought some of the most powerful people in the world - and, amazingly, she's won. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.