The Slow Newscast

The final bow: David Bowie's last act

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

David Bowie's last months were spent fulfilling one final ambition: staging a musical based around his songs. They say you shouldn’t meet your heroe...

The immortality bros: The business of living forever

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The tech millionaire Bryan Johnson once went viral for infusing himself with a litre of his 17-year-old son’s blood plasma. That experiment failed, ...

Killing hope: Iran's mind wars

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The fall of Assad in Syria is a disaster for Iran, so much so that people are beginning to ask if this might finally be the moment when Iran’s pro-d...

Stuck in space

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In June 2024, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore went into space. It was expected to last just over a week. Instead, by the time they'll return, it'll ...

My AI girlfriend: a cure for loneliness

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Eugenia Kuyda thinks she can solve an “epidemic” of loneliness. Her app, Replika, is “the AI companion who cares”, a chatbot that can text you...

Operation Asshole: Paul Watson's whale war

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Out on the high seas, Paul Watson became a hero and pariah of the environmental movement. Now he sits in a remote prison. How should we treat the radi...

Elon: A star is born

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Donald Trump declared victory in the US presidential election, he told an adoring crowd that "a star is born". He was referring to Elon Musk.Afte...

Sick parade: A crisis at Catterick Garrison

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a story of stigma, uncomfortable truths and allegations of an attempted cover up at Britain's biggest army base.As the UK army rapidly moderni...

The Furys: An empire of fists

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Fury family bridge the gladiatorial old world of boxing and the very new world of influencer culture. This is the story of how one family built a ...

The cases against Sean Combs

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For thirty years, Sean "Diddy" Combs was hailed as the kingmaker of hip-hop. But now he's in jail, facing three federal charges of racketeering conspi...

Beyond Trump: JD Vance and the New Right

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether Trump wins or loses the US election, he has a political heir: his 40-year-old running mate JD Vance. Beyond the made-up stories about Haitian ...

Elon's Spies

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is episode one of three. You can binge the entire series today by subscribing to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or by downloading the Tor...

The hunt for Iran's next Supreme Leader

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Iran is at an inflection point both on the international stage and at home. Uncertainty, unrest and war have shaken it, and there are questions over h...

One light day: Voyager's long farewell

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Voyager space probe is sailing through space, far beyond earth's solar system. It is humanity's most distant messenger. And then last year it fell...

The Festival Fossil Fuels Fiasco

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How one of Britain’s most successful book festivals came unstuck over its sponsorship deal.  Editor's note: Jaguar Land Rover has asked us...

Lucy Letby: the Expert Witness

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Lucy Letby’s trial is, in part, the story of how important expert witnesses have become critical in criminal cases where hard evidence ...

Leaked: who profits from celebrity nudes?

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ten years ago, nude images of dozens of A-list celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst were leaked online following an iCloud hack.&...

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 6

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A fifth woman has come forward with allegations against the author Neil Gaiman. To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a list...

The Clooney intervention

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Following a disastrous live debate against Donald Trump, the Democrats were at panic stations. It looked like Joe Biden was going to lose the election...

Taylor Swift's London

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor Swift is performing more concerts in London than anywhere else in the world. The city’s had a tangible impact on her music, her career and he...

Palestine's forgotten leader

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Marwan Barghouti has long been touted as the next leader for Palestinians. The only problem is he's locked away in an Israeli jail for the rest of his...

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 5

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Almost a month since the investigation where two women came forward with allegations that the author Neil Gaiman sexually assaulted them - allegations...

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 4

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode four: The fan The second woman to allege Neil Gaiman sexually assaulted her first met him as an 18-year-old fan. They began a consensual sexua...

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 3

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode three: The pond New Zealand police tell the former nanny there isn’t enough evidence to actively pursue her sexual assault complaint against...

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 2

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode two: The Whatsapps The former nanny who alleges Neil Gaiman sexually assaulted her shares her WhatsApp messages with him. The messages appear ...

Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 1

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode one: The bath Neil Gaiman is one of the world’s most successful authors. And one of the most loved. His works have been adapted for film, TV...

Lost glacier: the climate pioneers

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Switzerland, a group of unlikely climate pioneers came together and took their government to Europe's highest human rights court, and won. But the ...

The Greatest: Simone Biles

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

She is arguably the best gymnast the world has ever seen. But history shows us that she’s human too. Will Simone Biles fly at the Paris Olympics or ...

The end of Brexit

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Labour have pledged to make the UK the fastest growing economy in the G7. So is this the end of Brexit?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the To...

Dangerous Memories

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To listen to Dangerous Memories, search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts.When Sarah watched her 23 year old daughter cycle awa...

Taking the stand: Emma's story

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two reports of rape. Two criminal trials. Two not guilty verdicts. Two men, cleared. Two women – torn apart. A Tortoise investigation has heard how ...

Taking the stand: Grace's story

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two reports of rape. Two criminal trials. Two not guilty verdicts. Two men, cleared. Two women – torn apart. A Tortoise investigation has heard how ...

Frank Hester: Tory Northern diamond

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Frank Hester has given the largest donations to the Conservative party in history. Even with the party's popularity at rock bottom with the public, on...

Crushed! Apple's Big Brother moment

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Apple’s latest advert was a disaster. What does it tell us about the company’s future under Tim Cook – and about the relationship between the pe...

Sunak's summer shower

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party are far behind in the polls. There are no good options for Rishi Sunak to call an early election, so why now? T...

Word for word: Trump on trial - episode 5

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime.In a special one-off, we will be sharing our new series Word for Word: Trump ...

Word for word: Trump on trial - episode 4

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial. He is accused of falsifying his business records by saying a hush money paymen...

Word for word: Trump on trial – episode 3

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial. He is accused of falsifying his business records by saying a hush money paymen...

Word for word: Trump on trial – episode 2

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial. He is accused of falsifying his business records by saying a hush money paymen...

Word for word: Trump on trial - episode 1

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial. He is accused of falsifying his business records by saying a hush money paymen...

The Gas Man

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To listen to the Gas Man, search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts. It starts with a tip-off. It’s the late 1980s and US...

Introducing... What's wrong with democracy?

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By the end of this year, countries making up half the world’s population will have held elections. But not all of them will have been free and fair....

The Good Soldier: Killings and cover-up in Afghanistan

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The British army has never faced more serious allegations of wrongdoing; that the SAS committed multiple war crimes in Afghanistan. A public inquiry i...

The Sacklers: Getting away with it

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Sackler family made billions from the opioid painkiller OxyContin, which played a significant part in the opioid epidemic. The Sacklers have been ...

Panic in the Boardroom

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A year ago the Confederation of British Industry was at the centre of a media storm and a crisis at the organisation quickly ensued. Members left in d...

Brace, brace: Boeing's hard landing

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Boeing once ruled the skies.  Now they find themselves in the middle of a scandal, without public trust and their reputation in free-fall. This i...

Zaporizhzhia: Ukraine's nuclear front

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the early days of the invasion, Russia took over Europe's biggest nuclear power station. For two years, Zaporizhzhia's nuclear plant has been under...

Hong Kong's billionaire rebel

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At his height Jimmy Lai was a newspaper owner and tycoon who loved to cause trouble. But he’s been behind bars for more than a thousand days with no...

Putin's murders: The full Stalin - episode 3

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Shortly before Vladimir Putin was reelected for a fifth term as Russia’s president he eliminated his last possible rival for power, Alexei Navalny, ...

Putin's murders: Follow the money - episode 2

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Shortly before Vladimir Putin was reelected for a fifth term as Russia’s president he eliminated his last possible rival for power, Alexei Navalny, ...

Putin's murders: A culture of political murder - episode 1

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Shortly before Vladimir Putin was re-elected for a fifth term as Russia’s president he eliminated his last possible rival for power, Alexei Navalny,...

Dangerous games: Red Bull's killer PR

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The energy drink company has built a billion-dollar brand promoting extreme sports like BASE jumping. Who’s responsible when it goes wrong?To find o...

The State of Netanyahu: The Failure - episode 3

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Benjamin Netanyahu has arguably shaped his country's image more than anyone else in the world. But his actions have put at risk Israel's relationship ...

The State of Netanyahu: The Magician - episode 2

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To get the full series now, download the Tortoise app.Benjamin Netanyahu has arguably shaped his country's image more than anyone else in the world. B...

The State of Netanyahu: Mr Right - episode 1

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To get the full series now, download the Tortoise app.Benjamin Netanyahu has arguably shaped his country's image more than anyone else in the world. B...

Broking Bad

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Modern brokerage firms in the City are an echo of another age. Not just because they still rely on people - rather than technology - to facilitate tra...

Anna Wintour: The last Editor

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anna Wintour is one of the most important people in fashion. She is arguably one of the world's most influential and powerful people. A brand in her o...

Who Trolled Amber?

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To listen to episode two follow the Tortoise Investigates feed. To get the full series now, download the Tortoise app.What comes to mind when you thin...

A hidden hell: the prison for children

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a town in Kent, there is a place where vulnerable and volatile boys are locked away for "days on end", where weapons are widespread and living cond...

The trials of Alexei Navalny

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was first published in March 2022.  In early 2021 Alexei Navalny and his wife, Yulia Navalnaya returned to Russia where a year ...

Ackman: A billionaire’s war on woke

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager, campaigned successfully to topple Harvard’s first black leader, Claudine Gay, in a row over anti-semi...

Marked men

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When a man in Birmingham died unexpectedly last year, a question was asked: was he assassinated? At first, it sounds unbelievable, but as the story un...

Betrayal: Alex and Nicola - episode 2

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The two most charismatic leaders in a generation took Scotland to the brink of independence. But when Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon's powerful part...

Betrayal: Alex and Nicola

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The two most charismatic leaders in a generation took Scotland to the brink of independence. But when Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon's powerful part...

Murdoch: The other hacking story

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Caruana Galizia investigates a new dimension to the phone hacking story; allegations that Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper group hacked phones not fo...

From Lizzo to Beckham: My life according to… Me

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From Harry and Meghan to David Beckham and Lizzo, our TV screens are awash with celebrity documentaries like never before. But what story are they tel...

The Biden Operation

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It may be a re-fight of the 2020 elections, but in this year's US presidential elections, the stakes feel much higher. And that's got a lot of Democra...

Eight years hard Labour: episode 6 - Do you really want to go out on a knight like this?

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Corbyn’s time as Labour leader is up. The party faces an uphill battle to mount a credible challenge to the Conservative majority at the next...

Eight years hard Labour: episode 5 - The Revolution Defeated

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Parliament can’t find a way through the Brexit labyrinth. Jeremy Corbyn’s position is as muddy as ever. Keir Starmer, now Shadow Brexit Secretary,...

Eight years hard Labour: episode 4 - Jeremy and the Jews

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An old Facebook comment from Jeremy Corbyn resurfaces. The Labour leader is forced to to explain why he publicly supported a graffiti artist accu...

Eight years hard Labour: episode 3 - Oh Jeremy Corbyn

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Corbyn faces an unexpected general election, called by Theresa May. Against the odds Labour does better than expected, although it’s still no...

Eight years hard Labour: episode 2 - The chicken coup

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Murmurings of discontent grow among some Labour MPs. The blame the Brexit referendum result on Jeremy Corbyn’s half hearted campaigning efforts. The...

Eight years hard Labour: episode 1 - Jez we can

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2015 Labour is back in opposition after another election defeat. The party needs a new leader. It chooses Jeremy Corbyn, a long serving left-wing M...

Motherland

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of motherhood is strangely absent from a lot of literature. After her own experience of childbirth, Catherine Nixey takes on millennia of ca...

The poet's window

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Arifa Akbar lost her sister far too young. She died from a 19th century illness in a 21st century hospital. Arifa’s journey through grief takes her ...

Helen versus Sam: The battle for OpenAI

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner calls herself an “effective altruist”. That philosophical movement fuelled the firing and rehiring of Sam A...

Assad: The rubble king

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

President Assad has won the war in Syria and to consolidate his power he’s demolishing opposition neighbourhoods in order to create a shiny new Syri...

Unforgivable: Boris Johnson and Covid’s second wave

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From the middle of Sep 2020 to the end of October, Boris Johnson’s government dithered and delayed the decision over a second national lockdown. Thi...

Eight years' hard Labour

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is the inside story of two revolutions in the Labour party in eight short years. From the takeover by the far left under Jeremy Corbyn to the ele...

Walter's War: An English gentleman

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To listen to the full series subscribe to the Tortoise Investigates feed.It’s London, 2012. Oliver is a dashing diplomat. Charlie is a young graduat...

Sneakered: Adidas, Yeezy & Kanye

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The deal between Kanye West and Adidas was no ordinary celebrity endorsement. Now under renewed scrutiny after West’s outrageous behaviour, how can ...

The lottery winner

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Caruana Galizia investigates how a lucrative contract to run the UK’s National Lottery was awarded to a company whose Czech billionaire owner r...

The shadow: Hamas's hidden commander

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mohammed Deif – thought to be the mastermind behind Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th - hasn’t been seen for 20 years and no one’s even s...

Dr Anti-Vax: The fall

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A British doctor sparks a global health panic about the safety of vaccines. But even though his work is discredited, he lights a fire that becomes the...

Mr Right: Paul Marshall and the battle for The Telegraph

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Telegraph is for sale for the first time in a generation. The new owner will become one of the most influential people on the right in Britain. Wh...

Killer mountain: Abandoned on K2

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been a dangerous year in the world of extreme mountaineering. Has the focus on record-breaking gone too far?For the premium Tortoise listening ...

Trump and Rudy: A bare-knuckle romance - episode 3

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was “America’s mayor”. Now he’s been indicted, along with Donald Trump, for allegedly attempting to overturn t...

Trump and Rudy: A bare-knuckle romance - episode 2

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was “America’s mayor”. Now he’s been indicted, along with Donald Trump, for allegedly attempting to overturn t...

Trump and Rudy: A bare-knuckle romance - episode 1

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was “America’s mayor”. Now he’s been indicted, along with Donald Trump, for allegedly attempting to overturn t...

Blue light: one woman's story of policing on the frontline

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For years, Claire McEnery was the most senior woman in the Lancashire police force. With that seniority came exposure to the best – and worst – of...

Introducing... Trendy

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Trendy, the new weekly show from Tortoise.Britain’s top pollster, Sir John Curtice, and former Downing Street advisor, Rachel Wolf, explo...

William and Murdoch: the prince and the press baron

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this year, when the media went into a frenzy about the rift between the royal brothers and the publication of Harry's book Spare Paul Caruana ...

Boris’s Baroness: The mysterious rise of Charlotte Owen

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From intern to baroness in seven years, Charlotte Owen’s entry to the House of Lords has left even friends scratching their heads in wonder. Her ele...

Attack of the Killer Whales

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans think of themselves as the world’s apex predator. But what happens when another powerful carnivore threatens us in a place where they are the...

Putin v Prigozhin: A story of mutiny and death

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In late June, Yevgeny Prigozhin marched on Moscow with a small army of mercenaries. Exactly two months later, he was dead. This is the story of what r...

Spotted: snooker’s fight against match fixing

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In June a scandal erupted that threatened the future of snooker after ten elite players were banned for match fixing. It all starts in a small snooker...

Sick river: saving the Brent

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cities are where the battle to save planet earth will be won and lost. But it is not the urban environment that matters, but our relationship with nat...

Johnny Depp: the great uncancelling

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017 the MeToo movement swept through Hollywood. Some men, such as Harvey Weinstein, went to prison. Others who were accused of sexual misconduct a...

The death of Kellie Sutton

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 A family's six-year fight for a pioneering legal decision. Will an inquest jury conclude, for the first time, that a woman who took her own...

Genocide hunters: on the trail of a mass murderer

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For almost three decades, one of the world's most wanted men had stayed at large. Earlier this year, he was finally caught. This is the story of how a...