A gang of young officials from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency targeted the US Agency for International Development. What does that tell us about his loyalty to Trump?

Despite overseeing the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Trump now demands the Taliban return 78 aircraft, 40,000 vehicles and 300,000 weapons left behind.

As the US steps back  from a key NATO committee, is this the UK’s chance to get closer with Europe again? 

Basia Cummings is joined by Moby Media Groups’s Saad Mohseni, plus Tortoise’s Stephen Armstrong and Giles Whittell as they battle to pitch the top story.

**Join us at the next edition of the News Meeting Live! We host live recordings on the last Thursday of every month. Get your ticket for February 27th here

To read the BBC’s analysis of Hollywoodgate, the documentary Basia mentioned about US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan, click here.

We always love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Send a voice note to: [email protected] 

Host: Basia Cummings, editor at Tortoise

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the 180-year-old rules that prevent MPs from debating issues about the Royal Family? As Donald Trump floats the idea of “clearing out” Gaza, what lies ahead for Palestinians returning home? And President Trump promised tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China - but how will this affect foreign relations with the US’ closest neighbours? 

Giles Whittell is joined by NPR’s International Correspondent Lauren Frayer, plus Tortoise’s Patricia Clarke and Jasper Corbett as they battle to pitch the top story.

**Join us at the next edition of the News Meeting Live! We host live recordings on the last Thursday of every month. 

Get your ticket for February 27th here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-1

Learn more about House of Lords with Tortoise’s Peer Review here: 

https://www.tortoisemedia.com/intelligence/peer-review 

Read the Ezra Klein article that Giles recommended here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-trump-column-read.html 

Read The Observer Patricia based her pitch on here: https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/feb/01/stop-shielding-uk-royals-from-parliamentary-scrutiny-says-labour-peer 

Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why were priceless ancient Romanian artefacts stolen from a Dutch museum and what does this tell us about the global black market in stolen art? Will the government’s latest plans to expand Heathrow airport bring the growth Rachel Reeves has been promising? And why did Donald Trump offer federal government employees money to quit their jobs?

Giles Whittell is joined by Tortoise’s Katie Riley, Claudia Williams and Jasper Corbett as they battle to pitch the top story.

**Join us at the next edition of the News Meeting Live! We host live recordings on the last Thursday of every month. 

Get your ticket for February 27th here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-1

Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much is tech guru Bryan Johnson willing to put his 19-year-old son through in his quest to avoid dying? Why 33% of surveyed Gen Z-ers say they prefer the army to run the country? What happens to the West Bank during a Trump administration?

Basia Cummings is joined by scientist and broadcaster Adam Rutherford, plus Tortoise’s Cat Neilan and Stephen Armstrong, as they battle to pitch the top story.

**Get tickets for our next News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book 

** Listen to the ‘Immortality Bros: The business of living forever’ here: https://lnk.to/XSGGvM 

** Listen to Jordan Peterson and the making of man here: https://lnk.to/YAYX7Y 

Host: Basia Cummings, editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s direct plea to Donald Trump has led a Republican congressman to demand her deportation. Should Democrats buy Trump’s meme coins? And what’s the point of Davos?

Giles Whittell is joined by Tortoise’s James Harding, Patricia Clarke and Katie Riley as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day.

**Get tickets for our next News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book 

Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Tortoise first reported on the allegations made against author Neil Gaiman. Does a ceasefire in Gaza mean peace? And what are Donald Trump’s plans for day one in the White House?

Jeevan Vasagar is joined by Tortoise’s Cat Neilan, Katie Gunning and Chloe Hadjimatheou as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day.

Listen to Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman here: 

https://lnk.to/NG-Master

**Get tickets for our next News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book 

Listen to Making Sense of Sustainable Farming here: 

https://lnk.to/MSOSF

Guests:

• Katie Gunning, senior audio producer at Tortoise
• Cat Neilan, political editor at Tortoise
• Chloe Hadjimatheou editor at Tortoise

Host: Jeevan Vasagar, editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the world gears up for a second Donald Trump presidency, how will newsrooms handle the whirlwind this time around? What lessons will they take from the missteps and chaos of his first term? 

Tortoise’s deputy editor Giles Whittell is joined by Pulitzer prize-winning American journalists Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan and Tortoise’s data editor, Katie Riley.

**Get tickets for our next News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book 

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should politicians do about allegations of poor treatment for workers at Shein’s factories in China? Will Keir Starmer back the chancellor amid the UK’s economic woes? And is allowing supervised drug use the solution to Scotland’s drug death crisis?

Giles Whittell is joined by Tortoise’s Cat Neilan, Patricia Clarke and Stephen Armstrong as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day.

**Get tickets for our next News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January here: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book 

To read Laura Bicker’s BBC investigation into Shein click here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrylgvr77jo 

To vote for Cat Neilan’s episode of the Slow Newcast Frank Hester: Tory Northern Diamond has been shortlisted for Scoop of the Year at the inaugural iNHouse Communication’s Political Podcast Awards 2025 

https://politicalpodcastawards.co.uk/the-peoples-choice-award/ 

Guests:

• Patricia Clarke, reporter at Tortoise
• Cat Neilan, political editor at Tortoise
• Stephen Armstrong, reporter at Tortoise

Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will climate events like fires and hurricanes affect America’s home insurance market? Why is the Silicon Valley tech boss scrapping fact-checking ahead of Trump 2.0? And what should happen to two french orca whales now their marine park is set to close? 

Jess Winch is joined by Tortoise’s Giles Whittell, Claudia Williams and Patricia Clarke as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day. 

Click here to join us at the News Meeting live on Wednesday 29th January: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events/the-news-meeting-live/book 

Guests:

• Patricia Clarke, reporter at Tortoise 
• Claudia Williams, reporter at Tortoise
• Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Host: Jess Winch, news editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giles Whittell is joined by Tortoise’s Alexi Mostrous, Jeevan Vasagar and Cat Neilan as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day. They discuss the allegations levelled by the It Ends With Us co-stars, how journalists should respond to Elon Musk's remarks on grooming gangs in England, and President Biden blocking a $15 billion deal.

Listen to Alexi’s series Who Trolled Amber here: lnk.to/WhoTrolledAmber

Guests:

• Alexi Mostrous, investigations editor at Tortoise 
• Cat Neilan, political editor at Tortoise
• Jeevan Vasagar, contributing editor at Tortoise

Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.