Emma is a high achieving, middle class girl from west London. She seems destined for a successful career in banking and a comfortable British life. Until she makes a decision that will come to define her. In 2001 Emma marries Bashar al-Assad - the now infamous dictator of Syria. In the early days, people inside and out of Syria dared to hope. Alongside his beautiful, progressive wife, Bashar promised to modernise the country. But when the Arab Spring reached Syria in 2011, Bashar's regime showed itself for what it really was: a brutal force, willing to capture and kill ordinary Syrians demanding change. And in all the years that a war raged on, Asma stands by her husband. She seemingly ignored the desperate pleas to stop her husband from killing his own people. But what did she really know about the atrocities her husband’s government was carrying out? And what choices did she really have? Some people allege that she actually assisted the regime and cashed in on the war, that she herself is a war criminal. Others say she tried to run away but was trapped, held hostage by a regime who threatened her life and her children. So, who is the real Emma? We call her Emma is a 6 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 for 50% off an annual digital subscription. You'll get access to: This series and all our podcasts before anyone elseAd-free listeningA daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a weekPuzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crosswordRecipes for every occasionFree tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for access to this series and ad-free listening to Observer podcasts. Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer - Gary Marshall Sound design - Karla Patella Podcast artwork - Lola Williams & Eliza Bourner Executive producers - Jasper Corbett and Basia Cummings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Documentary
All six episodes of Real Money are available now to listen for free. The world of cryptocurrencies is shaking. It might be just one domino-fall away from a complete crash, and that domino has a name. It’s called Tether. Tether is a crypto coin that holds up the entire cryptocurrency industry. There are over 70 billion Tethers in circulation and for every Tether that exists, a dollar should sit in a bank somewhere. But no one has seen the money it claims to have in the bank and now little-known company that specialises in financial detective work has offered a million dollar bounty to anyone who can find it. The people who might have this information are as hard to pin down as the company’s accounts. But Bafta and Emmy winning reporter Aleks Krotoski is on the hunt for the people, the proof, and, oh yes: the million dollars. The Tether story is not just about crypto. It’s about power, accountability and trust - and how far we’ll go when we want to believe that something is real. From the investigative team at Tortoise who brought you Sweet Bobby and Hoaxed, this is Real Money: The Hunt for Tether's Billions. To listen and read more of Tortoise's investigative journalism, visit http://tortoisemedia.com/realmoney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Tech News
Sir Harry Evans was arguably the greatest newspaper editor of the 20th century. The Sir Harry Evans Global Summit in Investigative Journalism brings together the biggest names in journalism to continue his legacy, and debate the future of speaking truth to power. In this series we bring you conversations from the inaugural summit, which was held in London on 10th May 2023. From Tortoise Media, in partnership with the Sir Harry Evans Global Summit for Investigative Journalism, Tina Brown Media, Reuters and Durham University. Tortoise is an independent newsroom dedicated to making sense of the world and the stories that matter. This summer, we're launching the Tortoise Journalism School, an intensive week-long programme in our newsroom in London devoted to workshops about journalism and work on a shared editorial project. Click here to find out more and to apply. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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News Commentary
When Sarah watched her 23 year old daughter cycle away from her in Chelsea - a well-off corner of London - she had no idea it would be the last time they’d see each other for 6 years. What would make a loving child from a life of privilege sever ties with friends and family, and disappear? It turns out, Sarah wasn’t alone in losing a daughter. Something strange was happening to other young women, too. And they all had one thing in common: a kind of therapist figure - a woman they were all seeing and sharing their problems, their secrets, their fears with. But it took years for the truth of what was happening behind closed doors to emerge, and the extraordinary things this woman led them to believe. Dangerous Memories is the story of young women who wanted to be healed that became, for us, a story about the healer, and what we risk when we let someone else into our mind, and our memory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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News
The Slow Newscast from The Observer takes the news slowly. We investigate, and every week we focus on stories that really matter in the UK and around the world. From wars in Ukraine and Gaza through to true crime and injustice and real life mysteries, The Slow Newscast team is devoted to narrative investigations covering some of the biggest topics of the day. Who are the people biohacking themselves in a quest for immortality? Or the man taking on an entire nation in the high seas to protect whales? And what happened when humanity's most distant messenger fell silent? From a newsroom with a different approach to journalism these are the stories we tell. Subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription: Early access, bonus content and ad-free listening to our podcastsA daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a weekPuzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crosswordRecipes for every occasionFree tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Documentary
From Tortoise, journalist Polly Curtis tells the story of the Gender Identity Development Service for children and young people at the Tavistock. The Tavi, as it’s known, is the only NHS clinic in England and Wales which treats children suffering from gender dysphoria. Its critics have accused it of fast-tracking young people into changing gender. Its supporters argue it has provided help and support, even a lifeline for some. In a few months time the clinic will close. This is the story of what happened. You can listen to the full series ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content by downloading the Tortoise audio app or subscribing to Tortoise+ on Apple podcasts. Or join ts a member to support our investigations and get invites to exclusive events. Go to tortoisemedia.com and enter the code Polly50 for half price membership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you’re new to The Observer audio, we release new podcast episodes every weekday. Our daily podcast The Sensemaker tells one story every day to make sense of the world. The Slow Newscast is our weekly investigative podcast focusing on the stories that really matter in the UK and around the world. Every Friday you can hear Observer journalists and special guests battle it out to see whose story should lead the news and why in The News Meeting. You can also listen to our award winning investigative series on Tortoise Investigates including hit podcasts Sweet Bobby, Hoaxed, Dangerous Memories, Lucky Boy, The Walkers and Foundling
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