The Slow Newscast

The Observer

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.

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427 episodes
Updated Today

Episodes427

Newest first

Today · 40 min
Hard knocks: the cost of courage
When World Cup Winner Phil Vickery retired in 2010, he thought his toughest physical battles were behind him. Today, like hundreds of former players, he lives with memory loss and the looming threat of brain trauma – and he’s demanding answers. And across the world, more and more people are looking towards one man in particular. Reporters: Ben Coles and Jonathan Lewis Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lucy Stevenson Sound design: Dominic Delargy Executive producer: Jasper Corbett Credits: ITV, BBC, Dodge Woodall, ABC News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Friday · 25 min
Who owns our water?
What are companies extracting British spring water, companies like Coca Cola and Nestle, paying for that water? The answer is extraordinary. And with the threat of nationalisation, what does the future hold for our water companies? In other words, what is our water worth? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 28 · 38 min
One-star review: A stolen year
How a mislaid phone led to a nightmare of fake reviews and claims of antisemitism. When Ali, a restaurateur, realised his mobile’s security had been breached and that random things were missing from his flat, he began to feel uneasy. Was he being targeted for his politics or his personal life? And more importantly, who could stop it? Credits: Reporter - Eva Wiseman Producer - Matt Russell Sound design - Dominic Delargy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 23 · 37 min
Bankrolling Farage: Who Funds Reform? Episode two: The Money Men
In early 2025, Reform hosts a fundraiser at private member’s club Oswald’s. In attendance are many of the men whose deep pockets line the party’s accounts. Reporter - Cat Neilan Series Reporter/Producer - Poppy Bullard Narrative Producer - Matt Russell Sound Design - Dominic Delargy Artwork - Blythe Walker Sibthorpe Producer for Goalhanger - India Dunkley Executive Producer for Goalhanger - Tom Whiter Executive Producer for the Observer - Jasper Corbett Clips: GB News, Xenia Tchoumi, Spears Magazine, Sky News Australia, Reform UK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 21 · 27 min
Bankrolling Farage: Who Funds Reform? Episode one: The Missing Millions
In 2019, Nigel Farage leads the Brexit Party to victory in the European Elections. But there’s a mystery at the heart of the party’s accounts. Reporter - Cat Neilan Series Reporter/Producer - Poppy Bullard Narrative Producer - Matt Russell Sound Design - Dominic Delargy Artwork - Blythe Walker Sibthorpe Producer for Goalhanger - India Dunkley Executive Producer for Goalhanger - Tom Whiter Executive Producer for the Observer - Jasper Corbett Clips: Reform UK, BBC, The Times, House of Commons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 17 · 25 min
Have England failed again?
Another heartbreak for England in the World Cup, but does the tournament tell us anything about the nation's mentality? Rory Smith reveals the stories and moments that have stuck with him from six weeks on the road in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 14 · 40 min
Fire on the mountain: Mistaken identity
Ademola Adedeji was wrongfully identified as a gang member and jailed for conspiracy to commit GBH. This is the story of how a nine second clip from a rap video upended his life. Reporter: Ciaran Tracey Producer: Matt Russell Artwork: Lucy Stevenson Sound design: Dominic Delargy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 9 · 32 min
Who is the man behind Syria's war crimes dossier?
Caesar and Sami risked everything to show the world what was truly going on in Syria after the 2011 revolution. The Caesar files are a collection of tens of thousands of photos documenting human rights abuses and torture in Syria under the dictator Bashar al-Assad. They have become the cornerstone of Syrian war crime prosecutions around the world. This is the story of the one of the most remarkable and daring collections and the courageous men behind it. A collection which may not just steer the course of international justice, but will serve as a permanent historical archive of a horrifying legacy for Syrians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 7 · 43 min
We call her Emma
When the Arab Spring reached Syria in 2011, Bashar al-Assad'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 stood 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 Asma...or Emma as she was known? 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 to get 50% off your annual subscription. Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads. 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.
July 2 · 23 min
After 250 years is America at a crossroads?
The US celebrates 250 years of independence from the British Crown on 4th July. Accusations have flown that Trump has used the anniversary to celebrate himself, not the country. So what does it tell us about Trump’s place within America…and is it really that unusual? Ada Barumé is joined by the Observer’s Americans, Erica Wagner and Evan Moffitt to discuss this moment in US history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 30 · 39 min
Wasteland: the rubbish gangs
Criminal gangs have turned Britain's waste system into a goldmine and transformed pockets of the countryside into toxic wastelands. But how do you hide an 11,000 tonne illegal dump in plain sight? Reporters: Jeevan Vasagar and Jonathan Lewis Producer: Jonathan Lewis Sound design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lucy Stevenson Executive producer: Matt Russell Editor: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 25 · 20 min
Are heatwaves the new norm?
Each year new temperature records are threatened to be broken. But the UK seems to respond not with innovative adaptation, but with shock. Why? Ada Barumé is joined by academic meteorologist Rob Thomson and Dimple Rana, who is the Heat Resilience Leader at Arup, to discuss how we got here and where we go next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 23 · 29 min
The Burnham Identity
Following Keir Starmer's resignation, Andy Burnham is now in prime position to become the UK's next prime minister. So what does he stand for? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 18 · 25 min
Frank Cottrell Boyce on modern childhood
This week we’re speaking to Frank Cottrell Boyce, the children’s laureate, who has spent two years visiting schools, libraries, and communities to discover what it means to grow up in Britain today. He’s written about it in a new book ‘A British Childhood: How our children live now’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 16 · 43 min
Pepped-up: the secret world of peptides
Ordinary people are turning to illegally produced peptides in the hopes of a beauty quick fix. How are these shady black market drugs slipping through the regulatory gaps? Reporters: Stephen Armstrong and Madeleine Parr Producers: Madeleine Parr, Matt Russell and Amalie Sortland Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Harmony Blaise Editor: Jasper Corbett Clips: ITV News, Channel 4 News, 5 News, Loreal Elvive, Ozempic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 11 · 51 min
K2: Killer Mountain
A Sherpa was left for dead on Everest at the end of the climbing season. Stranded for almost a week thousands of metres up in extreme conditions, he survived. But his story is not a new story, and it raises questions about the mountaineering industry that has risen around the industry of summiting the world's most dangerous episodes. We've been here before, so can lessons be learned? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 9 · 34 min
Online grooming: a mother's story
Children are being caught in a global grooming pandemic. This is the story of a mother whose daughter was one such victim. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Matt Russell Illustrator: Sara Andreasson Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 4 · 21 min
The Henry Nowak case
The death of student Henry Nowak has shocked the country and sparked riots in Southampton. Ada Barume is joined by the Observer’s Whitehall Editor Cat Neilan and Home Affairs Editor John Simpson to discuss the implications for the government, and the police. Producer: Amalie Sortland Executive Producer: Poppy Bullard Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 2 · 51 min
On trial: oil and war crimes
Senior executives of Swedish firm Lundin Oil stand accused of complicity in war crimes. The case against them took more than a decade to come to trial, and the trial was the longest in Swedish history. If they are found guilty it could change how the rich and powerful operate around the world, but will it deliver justice for the Sudanese victims of war? Reporter: Francisco Garcia Producer: Ada Barumé Executive Producer: Matt Russell Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lucy Stephenson Editor: Jasper Corbett Clips: Äldre TV4, Journeyman Pictures Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 28 · 32 min
Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark: What does the future of AI look like?
Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark joins The Observer to reveal why he believes there is a chance we will see human-level AI by 2028. From how AI is already changing the job market to a historic meeting at the Vatican, he explains why we must prepare for a future where technology forces us to rethink what it means to be human. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.