
Sensemaker Audio
Courting controversy
In 2022 the United States Supreme Court has reshaped America through a series of controversial decisions on the climate; religious rights; gun laws and â most momentous of all â abortion.
Sensemaker Audio
In 2022 the United States Supreme Court has reshaped America through a series of controversial decisions on the climate; religious rights; gun laws and â most momentous of all â abortion.
Quarterly
Alexi Mostrous untangles the extraordinary web of deceit and manipulation revealed in Tortoiseâs chart-topping podcast
Sensemaker Audio
14 year old Molly Russell viewed images of self harm and suicide on social media in the months before she died. A coroner has now concluded that the content was âunsafeâ and it contributed to her death.
Slow Newscast
How the chief of a notorious Damascus torture unit was put on trial thousands of miles away, in a German courtroom
Go behind the scenes and take a closer look at the complex world the catfisher used to trick Kirat
Quarterly
Brightonâs Palace Pier, built in 1899, is still standing proud but the once regal West Pier is a different story, writes Paul Caruana Galizia
Quarterly
John Darwin famously took a canoe out to sea to fake his own death so that his life insurance could save him from bankruptcy. But his wife Anne took most of the blame. Hattie Garlick wonders why
Podcast
Since the series finished, so many listeners have written to Alexi and Kirat with burning questions. In this bonus episode, they sit down in the studio and answer them. What did the Skype voice sound like? Did the catfisher have burner phones? How did the WhatsApp group work?
Sensemaker
What just happened
Sensemaker Audio
In 2022 the United States Supreme Court has reshaped America through a series of controversial decisions on the climate; religious rights; gun laws and â most momentous of all â abortion.
Sensemaker Audio
14 year old Molly Russell viewed images of self harm and suicide on social media in the months before she died. A coroner has now concluded that the content was âunsafeâ and it contributed to her death.
Slow Newscast
How the chief of a notorious Damascus torture unit was put on trial thousands of miles away, in a German courtroom
Podcast
Since the series finished, so many listeners have written to Alexi and Kirat with burning questions. In this bonus episode, they sit down in the studio and answer them. What did the Skype voice sound like? Did the catfisher have burner phones? How did the WhatsApp group work?
In the final episode of Sweet Bobby, Kiratâs case against the catfisher takes an unexpected turn. As Alexi is putting the finishing touches to the series, he gets a phone call that changes everything
After the confession, Kirat goes to the police. But their reaction to her case isnât what sheâs expecting. Plus: Alexi tries a new approach with the catfisher
In this episode, Kirat deals with the fallout from the confession. Alexiâs investigation reveals the startling true beginnings of the scam, as he tries to work out why this this happened
Bobby keeps slipping through Kiratâs grasp and sheâs pushed to breaking point. Finally she makes a big decision â and discovers the truth
Slow Newscast
The abduction of a young woman from the streets of Cambridge is the origin-story of how Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai treats the women in his life
thinkin
Over the course of six jaw-dropping episodes, the Sweet Bobby podcast tells the story of Kirat Assi and one of the most extraordinary examples of catfishing youâre ever likely to hear. When the investigation began, Tortoiseâs Alexi Mostrous could never have predicted the twists, turns, deceptions and reveals in Kiratâs story. We donât want to share any spoilers now, but join us for this very special ThinkIn where weâll get into the stories behind the story of Sweet Bobby, meet some of the characters involved, and explore what this sensational story says about trust, relationships, and our online lives. editor and invited experts Liz Moseley Members Editor, Tortoise Alexi Mostrous Head of Investigations, Tortoise Amrit Maan Solicitor; founder and director, Punjab Arts; managing director of The Punjab Restaurant, Covent Garden Harkirat (Kirat) Assi Artistic director, Punjab Arts
thinkin
Shukri Abdi died in 2019. Her family still donât know what happened to her. Join us to hear more about their fight for justice. Our daily digital ThinkIns are exclusively for Tortoise members and their guests.Try Tortoise free for four weeks to unlock your complimentary tickets to all our digital ThinkIns.If youâre already a member and looking for your ThinkIn access code you can find it in the My Tortoise > My Membership section of the app next to âThinkIn access codeâ.Weâd love you to join us.Shukri Abdi was born and raised in a refugee camp in Kenya. She arrived in the UK with her mother and siblings in January 2017, aged 10, after fleeing war in Somalia. Her body was found in the River Irwell in Bury in June 2019. The circumstances surrounding her death, and the events leading up to it, remain a mystery. Greater Manchester police initially deemed her drowning a âtragic incidentâ with no suspicious circumstances. The inquest was opened in February but adjourned with no resumption date. Her case has received renewed attention following the death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. Andy Burnham, mayor for Greater Manchester, is calling for answers. This ThinkIn is an opportunity to join Tortoiseâs investigations team listening to perspectives from those close to Shukriâs case, and to cases like it, in search of those answers.Chair: James Harding, Editor and Co-founder, TortoiseOur special guests are:Nimo Omer is a freelance journalist and North America editor at the Meridian Magazine, specialising in topics surrounding race and migration.Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO Kidscape, a charity focussed on childrenâs safety, with an emphasis on the prevention of harm by equipping children with techniques and mindsets that help them stay safe. Kidscapeâs Child Protection programmes are now taught UK-wide in thousands of schools and community groups. Their mission is to provide children, families, carers and professionals with advice, training and practical tools to prevent bullying and protect young lives. She is also Non Executive Director at WokenUp, a board member of the UK Safer Internet Centre, Childrenâs Charitiesâ Coalition on Internet Safety and the Internet Matters Expert Advisory Group. She is a Member of the England Committee, Action for Children.How does a digital ThinkIn work?A digital ThinkIn is like a video conference, hosted by a Tortoise editor, that takes place at the advertised time of the event. Digital ThinkIns are new to Tortoise. Now that our newsroom has closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, we feel itâs more important than ever that we âget togetherâ to talk about the world and whatâs going on.The link to join the conversation will be emailed to you after you have registered for your ticket to attend. When you click the link, you enter the digital ThinkIn and can join a live conversation from wherever you are in the world. Members can enter their unique membersâ access code to book tickets. Find yours in My Tortoise > My Membership in the Tortoise app.If you have any questions or get stuck, please read our FAQs, or get in touch with us at memberhelp@tortoisemedia.comWhat is a Tortoise ThinkIn?A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. It is a place where everyone has a seat at the (virtual) table. Itâs where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise.
thinkin
From his best selling and prize winning book, East West Street and BBC podcast The Ratline, to his epic career as one of the UKâs most celebrated human rights barristers, Philippe Sands continues to shed light on the darker side of humanity. The Ratline tells the tale of familial love, deceit, and denial in the aftermath of the Nazi regime. The renowned QC investigates the life and death of Otto von Wachter â the Nazi governor, responsible â though his son is not convinced â for the murder of hundreds of thousands of Jews and Poles, including some of Sandsâ family members. His latest book of the series is both a history and a memoir of this mysterious story. Chair: Merope Mills, Editor and Partner, Tortoise This special ThinkIn is exclusively for Tortoise members. If youâre not yet a member but would like to come, you can buy a ticket for ÂŁ50. The ticket includes entry to the Philippe Sands ThinkIn for you and a friend, and one yearâs Tortoise membership. As a member, you get access to our app, Sensemaker emails, the Tortoise Quarterly as an ebook and 10 ThinkIn tickets for the year. If you would like to bring a friend, you can reserve their spot by emailing us at thinkin@tortoisemedia.com with their name and email address. What is a Tortoise ThinkIn? A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. Modelled on what we call a âleader conferenceâ in the UK (or an editorial board in the US), it is a place where everyone has a seat at the table. Itâs where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. Itâs where, together, we sift through what we know to come to a clear, concise point of view. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise. Drinks from 6.00pm, it starts promptly at 6.30pm. If you are late to a ThinkIn you can âSlinkInâ! If you would like to contribute to this ThinkIn, let us know by emailing thinkin@tortoisemedia.com We film our ThinkIns so we can watch them back, edit the best bits and share them with members who werenât there in person. Members can find their ThinkIn booking code in My Tortoise, under My Membership.
thinkin
Miscarriages of justice are, statistically speaking, a rarity.  Violent crime is nasty and cruel. And yet the world of podcasts and documentaries has been revived by the true crime genre, much more so than film or books.  Some say crime stories are social pacifiers, a means of asserting the social order. Others say itâs a way of exploring what we are capable of. What appeals about it?  Does it obscure or illuminate human nature and the way the criminal justice system really works? What is a Tortoise ThinkIn? A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. Modelled on what we call a âleader conferenceâ in the UK (or an editorial board in the US), it is a place where everyone has a seat at the table. Itâs where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. Itâs where, together, we sift through what we know to come to a clear, concise point of view. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise. Drinks from 6.00pm, starts promptly at 6.30pm. If you are late to a ThinkIn you can âSlinkInâ! If you would like to contribute to this ThinkIn, let us know by emailing thinkin@tortoisemedia.com We film our Thinkins so we can watch them back, edit the best bits and share them with members who werenât there in person. Members can find their ThinkIn booking code in My Tortoise, under My Membership.
Quarterly
Alexi Mostrous untangles the extraordinary web of deceit and manipulation revealed in Tortoiseâs chart-topping podcast
Go behind the scenes and take a closer look at the complex world the catfisher used to trick Kirat
Quarterly
Brightonâs Palace Pier, built in 1899, is still standing proud but the once regal West Pier is a different story, writes Paul Caruana Galizia
Quarterly
John Darwin famously took a canoe out to sea to fake his own death so that his life insurance could save him from bankruptcy. But his wife Anne took most of the blame. Hattie Garlick wonders why
Sensemaker
What just happened
Slow View
Did exposure to asbestos in the National Theatre contribute to an actorâs death? Paul Caruana Galizia investigates
Slow View
It is four years since the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. We still await full justice â and a chance for her country to break from its corrupt past
Sensemaker
What just happened
Slow View
Joseph Muscat, former leader of Malta, has been testifying at the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galiziaâs assassination