THINKIN WITH JAMES HARDING
Court is in session
Facebook is Exhibit A in the battle for truth; the most powerful example on the planet of the damage unregulated social media is doing to the public square. Facebook’s response has been to set up its own supreme court. But whatever that court does, whatever it says, it won’t be the last word…
editor’s voicemail
Buckle up!
A thread has emerged in our Battle for Truth podcasts: social justice has been failed by market liberalism. The answer could lie in seatbelts…
arts & culture
Jagger’s edge
Jumpin’ Jack Flash was always kinda political – and now he’s turned his sights on the anti-vaxxers. Read more in today’s Creative Sensemaker.
prince philip
The “problematic” prince
The rush to judge the Duke of Edinburgh by the standards of 2021 says more about us than it does about him.
tigray
Ethiopia, past and present
Old rivalries and have tipped Africa’s role model into a violent war from which no winners can emerge.
sensemaker: our daily roundup of the news that matters
Dignity and discord
16 april 2021
- China’s economy grew by a record 18.3 per cent over the past year, reflecting its sharp recovery from a Covid-induced shock.
- Joe Biden responded to Russian cyber attacks with new sanctions on 32 entities and officials.
- The chair of the UK’s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments told MPs that the problems highlighted by the Greensill scandal needed “immediate address”.
The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh tomorrow at 3pm in Windsor is being analysed in advance with an obsessiveness that used to be associated with Kremlinologists…
covid Inquiry
One year
On 23 March 2020, the UK locked down as part of an effort to control the virus. How successful has that effort been? Catch up on our Covid Inquiry now.
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Slow Views
The Velvet revolution
Rachael Blackmore’s triumph in the Grand National was also a victory for generations of female jockeys – many of them little-known – who struggled against the patriarchal racing establishment for the most basic rights on the racecourse
The fool’s gold of Greensill
The supply chain financing offered by Lex Greensill seemed like a useful tool. But its shiny appeal was deceptive – and the fallout has potentially serious implications for politics, government and fintech. To help you through the thickets, here’s a step-by-step guide.
The law already exists to tackle lobbying. It just needs fixing
Rather than focusing on private companies representing their own interests, why not make public bodies more transparent and accountable? The Freedom of Information Act could do that job
I have an opinion. Or do I?
The surfeit of hot takes, the bombardment of social media, and the fear of cancel culture have left us quivering wrecks, less likely to arrive at – and defend – clear ideas and evidence-based arguments
Listen
Buckle up! The role of seatbelts in the Battle for Truth
As it was with cars in the mid-20th Century, so it is with the internet now. These technologies are wonderful advancements for humanity, but they also need to be prevented from causing harm
Facebook and the battle for truth
In the court of public opinion, Facebook is Exhibit A in the battle for truth; the most powerful example on the planet of the damage unregulated social media is doing to the public square. Facebook’s response has been to set up a higher court, its own supreme court in fact. Whatever it does, whatever it says, it won’t be the last word.
The lost (again) Leonardo
The Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci is the most expensive painting ever sold at auction: $400m. After it was sold it vanished. But the arguments about it rage on.
Dominic Cummings, Barnard Castle and the battle for truth
In theory, it’s the crucible where politicians encounter journalists and a story is revealed in the white heat of the moment. In practice, critics would have it, it’s a cooked-up charade co-produced by the media and politics. What role does the political press conference have now in the battle for truth?
Watch
Sensemaker Live: Are we reopening too quickly?
Make sense of this week’s major news stories in a live editorial conference with Tortoise editors.
COP26: who are they kidding?
Will COP26 really be a catalyst for meaningful global action on climate change? Join us to find out.
Can Covid cure healthcare of its race bias?
What is driving race bias in healthcare and how do we begin to tackle it?
Open News
Add your voice to the Tortoise editors’ weekly news conference. Bring story ideas and perspectives. Have your say.
Book
Campus Injustice: are women safe on campus?
How do we fix rising sexual abuse on campus? Join us to find out.
A ThinkIn with Tracey Thorn
Join Liz Moseley in conversation with Tracey Thorn on her new book, My Rock ‘n’ Roll Friend
The Tortoise Climate Summit: How can we accelerate net zero?
Join us to start writing a global to-do list before the world gathers in Glasgow to work out how to save itself.
The Road to COP26: In conversation with Nigel Topping
Join Nigel Topping in conversation with Tortoise co-founder James Harding to kick off the Tortoise Climate Summit.
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