Jess Winch and guests debate what should lead the news. They discuss the thousands of people disappeared by Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the controversy surrounding Saudi Arabia hosting the tournament amid human rights concerns, and a proposed new law banning marriages between first cousins.

Guests:

• Dr Adam Rutherford, scientist, broadcaster and scientist
• Basia Cummings, editor at Tortoise 
• Claudia Williams, reporter at Tortoise 

Host: Jess Winch, news editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

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 exclusive content

- Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 [email protected] 

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

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 Biggs

Photography: Jon Jones

Host: Tomini Babs

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore

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

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 journalists

Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 [email protected]

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

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 Williams

Producer: Claudia Williams

Photography: Jon Jones

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore

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 get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 [email protected]

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

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 Greenwood

Producer: Xavier Greenwood

Host: Claudia Williams

Photography: Jon Jones

Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett

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

Giles Whittell is joined by three guests pitching an angle on the toppling of the Syrian regime - the only story leading the news. 

Guests:

• Charlene White, Loose Women panellist
• Chloe Hadjimatheou, narrative editor at Tortoise 
• Cat Neilan, political editor at Tortoise 

Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Eleanor Biggs 

Executive producer: Jasper Corbett

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 exclusive content

- Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 [email protected] 

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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 Davis

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore 

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

Jess Winch is joined by three guests who bring a story they think should lead the news. They debate reports that Elon Musk may donate millions to Nigel Farage’s Reform, the collapse of France’s government and a scientific breakthrough that has the potential to reduce the energy required to store data.

Guests:

• Patricia Clarke, technology reporter at Tortoise 
• Chloe Hadjimatheou, narrative editor at Tortoise 
• Cat Neilan, political editor at Tortoise 

Host: Jess Winch, news editor at Tortoise

Email: [email protected]

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive producer: Rebecca Moore 

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 exclusive content

- Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 [email protected] 

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

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 Macintyre

Producer: Matt Russell

Host: Casey Magloire

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore

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

In this season finale, Rachel and John look at some of the major trends shaping how we live today and those that are going to matter in the future.

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 exclusive content

- Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about [email protected]

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