The Slow Newscast

When Asha visited her new therapist during covid, little did she realise she was placing her faith in the wrong individual. Her story reveals the perils of an unregulated industry, where people can use and abuse the unique privileges that come with the label of 'therapist'.

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The Chancellor has delivered the first budget of Andy Burnham's premiership. But what does it reveal about their vision for the UK?

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When The Observer’s Technology Editor, Patricia Clarke began investigating a new phenomenon initially dubbed ‘AI psychosis’, she found lives upended by long, intimate conversations with chatbots. But as she followed the evidence from a psychiatric ward in Bristol to the safety teams in Silicon Valley, a far darker story emerged. Guided by AI industry whistleblowers, grieving families and hundreds of pages of chatbot transcripts, Spiralexposes how big tech is running an unprecedented experiment on the human mind.

This is episode one of Spiral, a six-part series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer, produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network.

Reported by Patricia Clarke

Produced by Katie Gunning

Sound design by Hannah Varrall

Development production by Jess Swinburne and Owen Thomas

Artwork by Jon Hill and Michelle Thompson

Narrative editor is Gary Marshall

Executive producers are Jasper Corbett and Basia Cummings

Spiral is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer.

To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free,subscribe to The Observer.

Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads.

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Last week, a group of West Bank settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and veteran Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine, who was there to cover the annual olive harvest. The assault left Levine in hospital with broken bones, but she is not the first foreigner to be caught in the middle of increasingly violent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.

Basia Cummings speaks to the Observer's Ruth Michaelson who is in Tel Aviv covering the upcoming elections, about what happened and whether it'll impact the outcome of the vote.

Producer: Ada Barume

Exec: Matt Russell

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In September 2025, religious leaders in the UK got a shock: protests at Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally were carrying crosses, and waving signs with Christian slogans. On stage, pastors led the crowd in song and prayer. One of those pastors is Rikki Doolan, who says he converted Tommy Robinson while he was in prison. This is the story of how the far-right found God.

Reporter: Kart Mathieson

Reporter/producer: Poppy Bullard

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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For decades, Paul Skalnik made a living telling police and prosecutors that other prisoners had confessed to crimes. The former police turned con artist and jailhouse informant helped send a man called Jim Dailey to death row for the murder of a teenage girl.

Basia Cummings speaks to investigative journalist and author Pamela Colloff who spent years uncovering his deceptions, and his story exposes a criminal justice system prioritising winning convictions over the truth.

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Exec: Matt Russell

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Britain’s cultural institutions are wrestling with what to do with the human remains in their collections. But as they reckon with the ethical ramifications the sale of body parts remains largely unregulated. Who are the people selling? And why is it easier than ever to buy human remains?

Reporter: Evan Moffitt

Producer: Ada Barumé

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Exec producer: Matt Russell

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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The former Unite boss says the police investigation into alleged corruption during his tenure will clear his name after years of accusations. But whether it can erase this dark episode in British trade unionism is another matter. So will the reputation of someone who was one of the UK's most influential power brokers stand the test of time?

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The former Unite boss says the police investigation into alleged corruption during his tenure will clear his name after years of accusations. But whether it can erase this dark episode in British trade unionism is another matter. So will the reputation of someone who was one of the UK's most influential power brokers stand the test of time?

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James Tapper, The Observer's Science editor and a weight-loss jab user, tells the story of his journey using the weight-loss drugs. A journey that along with lost kilograms, led him to the godfather of these drugs: a man who discovered the hormone that led to the development of GLP-1s and who reveals his concerns about their widespread use.

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Kenyan men are leaving their country for work – and ending up on the frontlines of Russia’s war in Ukraine. This is the story of the recruiters, the promises and the poverty that keeps the pipeline moving.

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Stephanie Arcanjo spent three years building a life with her boyfriend, Eric. One day he vanished, and the police came knocking. Only then would she learn his true identity, and that their life together was a lie.

Basia Cummings speaks to Sao Paolo based reporter Oliver Basciano about Stephanie and hears her side of the story.

Oliver Basciano's reporting can be found at https://observer.co.uk/contributor/oliver-basciano

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Nkechi Simms is a successful actor who’s had parts in Top Boy and BBC comedy PRU. Outwardly life is good and at 26 she’s got everything going for her. But this hasn’t always been the case. When she was 12 Nkechi’s mother handed her over to Camden Council and she was placed in foster care. Now she wants to find out what happened to her and why. The only way she can do this is by getting hold of her care records. But that’s easier said than done. And will those records answer her questions? 

Careless is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer.

To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free,subscribe to The Observer.

Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads.

Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr

Produced and written by Madeleine Parr

Sound design by Simon Panayi 

Artwork by Jon Hill 

The editor is Jasper Corbett

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What links a rare breed of flamingo and government corruption? In Albania, plans to redevelop Sazan, the country's biggest island, and disrupt the wildlife that lives there, caused protests. When it emerged that it was Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka who was behind the development, the protests became about not just than just wildlife, but about the way the country is run. Andrew Anthony visited the country to find out more.

Host: Basia Cummings

Reporter: Andrew Anthony

Producer: Poppy Bullard

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

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In Ben Stokes, England cricket created a star....and quickly lost control of that star. This is the story of how a maverick genius built and broke the team he created.

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What drove Syrians to rise up and overthrow a brutal dictator? ‘Days of Love and Rage’ by Anand Gopal is an intimate account of how one town in Syria joined a revolution. The book took him 8 years to report and write.  

The Observer’s Basia Cummings and Chloe Hadjimatheou, reporter of the We Call Her Emma podcast series about Asma al-Assad, talk to Gopal about how Syrians took politics into their own hands while facing threats from their own government and then ISIS. 

Anand Gopal's reporting on Syria and ISIS can be found here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/18/the-open-air-prison-for-isis-supporters-and-victims 

His book, Days of Love and Rage, can be found here: https://www.plutobooks.com/product/days-of-love-and-rage/

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Ten years ago Kim Edwards and her boyfriend, Lucas Markham, who were both 14 at the time, stabbed Kim’s mother and Kim’s younger sister to death. They were both sentenced to life in prison and became the youngest, and among the most notorious, double murderers in Britain. For the first time Kim’s grandmother, Maxine Follows, tells her side of the story, and questions how the criminal justice system treats children.   

Reporter: Katie Glass

Producer: Ada Barume

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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In the late 1980s 14-year-old Gareth had a sexual relationship with his 27-year-old chemistry teacher, Sally-Anne Bowen. His friends told him at the time that he was a ‘lucky boy’.  Last week Sally-Anne Bown was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault. The Observer’s podcast series ‘Lucky Boy’ played a part in the case. 

Basia Cummings is joined by Chloe Hadjimatheou, who reported the story, to discuss the conviction of Sally-Anne Bowen.

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Paolo Zampolli, the Italian modelling agent who introduced Donald Trump to his future wife, Melania, has gone from the 1990s fashion world to the very top of the Trump administration, joining the small circle of loyalists Trump likes to keep close to advance his brand and influence. It is a story about how power works at the White House and how the distinction between private interests and public office are increasingly blurred.

Reporter: Stephen Armstrong

Producer: Jonathan Lewis and Amalie Sortland

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Emma O’Neill

Editor: Matt Russell

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Is ECT therapy safe? Postcode prescribing leaves patients at mercy of psychiatric opinions. Jessica Rawnsley has been investigating what this means for patients

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After a spate of paranormal sightings in 1970s London, debate raged over the existence of a vampire in Highgate Cemetery. Fifty years on, the legend has been taken on by a new generation, fuelled by the world’s longest-running online feud

Reporter: Francisco Garcia

Producer: Poppy Bullard

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Blythe Walker-Sibthorpe

Editor: Matt Russell

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After a 2025 mass shooting on Florida State University’s campus, investigators found a year’s worth of chat history between the shooter and ChatGPT. MotherJones’ Mark Follman has been investigating what the chat log reveals about the shooter and the chatbot and examines how AI responds when faced with severe warning signs and where the responsibility lies when something goes wrong.

Note: This story discusses suicide and violence.

Mark Follman's reporting can be found here: https://www.motherjones.com/media/2026/08/openai-chatgpt-fsu-mass-shooting-chat-logs/

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Rupert Lowe is the MP for Great Yarmouth, and the leader of Restore Britain, a right-wing political party which launched in February this year. So, how did the leader of such a young, fringe party end up appearing as a guest on the world’s most popular podcast? And what does it tell us about how the far-right works? 

Reporter: Poppy Bullard

Producers: Amalie Sortland and Ada Barume

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Editor: Matt Russell 

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Nigel Farage has been re-elected as MP for Clacton. But that also means a Parliamentary investigation into Farage resumes. So what's next for Reform and their leader?

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When Peter Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the United States over his links with Jeffrey Epstein people wondered how he ever got appointed in the first place.

Eventually Keir Starmer’s government was forced to publish more than a thousand pages of emails, messages and letters which reveal how Peter Mandelson was appointed, vetted and cleared to become the UK’s most influential diplomat.

What emerges from those documents, is a story about who wields power in Britain today, how it works and how we conduct our politics.

The Observer’s Ada Barumé tells the story of a political farce that begins with the appointment of Peter Mandelson and ends with the resignation of Keir Starmer.

All four episodes are now available to listen to for subscribers to the Observer.

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On Thursday 30th July, an avalanche hit the world's twelfth highest mountain. Ten experienced climbers were caught by it, among them one of the world's most famous and experienced mountaineers Nirmal Purja. Is the world of mountaineering becoming more dangerous?

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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 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.

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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?

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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’

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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Last year in the UK, a fifth of people arrested for terrorism offences were under 18. Counter-terrorism experts warn that outlawing social media for children is a matter of national security. So what are children really watching online?

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With a leadership election on the horizon, there are discussions among the backbenches about how potential contenders might look to reshape and re-energise the UK's growth. The Observer's political editor Rachel Sylvester speaks with economics editor Ben Zaranko about what the various approaches might look like.

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For decades, doping has hid in the shadows of elite sports. Now, for the first time, it’s out in the open. The Enhanced Games promises a new era of ‘superhumanity’ – is this the future of sport?

Reporters: Jeremy Whittle and Chris Marshall-Bell

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

Editor: Jasper Corbett

Clips: ABC News, Enhanced Games, Josh Brett, Daily Mail

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It was recently revealed by The Guardian that before he stood to be an MP in 2024, Nigel Farage received a £5 million gift from billionaire Christopher Harborne. But is there anything wrong with that?

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Blake Lively’s legal action against Justin Baldoni was settled just two weeks before it was due to go to trial. But the legal documents filed by both sides reveal something darker than a celebrity feud; a new troubling PR playbook.

Reporting: Stephen Armstrong and Casey Magloire.

Producers: Casey Magloire and Katie Gunning.

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

Clips credits;

ITV news

Vogue

New York Times

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The elections look set to create ominous headlines for Labour. In the locals they could see massive losses across the country. But in Wales and Scotland voters go to the polls to determine who will run the Senedd and Holyrood. It means the results might not just determine Keir Starmer’s future, but the future of the United Kingdom.

Observer editor-in-chief James Harding sits down with political editor Rachel Sylvester to unpack what the elections could mean for Keir Starmer, Labour and the United Kingdom.

Producer: Amalie Sortland

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Novak Djokovic has long been Serbia’s most successful athlete, and perhaps most famous citizen. But as political conflicts such as youth protests have fractured the country, the tennis superstar has found himself on the outside of a regime and a country who once heralded him.

Reporters: Francisco Garcia and Camilla Bell - Davies

Producer: Madeleine Parr

Artwork: Harmony Closs

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

Clip Credits: Tennis Channel, The Telegraph

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Alexi is joined by the Observer's national news editor, Claudia Williams to discuss the case of Tarryn Baird. Last week, her husband, Christopher Trybus was cleared of driving her to kill herself. Where does a grieving mother who spent 10 years searching for answers go from here?

Host: Alexi Mostrous

Guest: Claudia Williams

Producer: Ada Barumé

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In 1988, a painting by Lucian Freud of his one-time friend Francis Bacon was stolen from a Berlin art gallery. It’s now worth £20 million. This week, Steve Smith goes in search of the lost art.

Reporter: Steve Smith

Producer: Ada Barumé

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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This week, there’s one story dominating the headlines: the Peter Mandelson scandal and whether it spells the end for Keir Starmer’s troubled premiership. What does this episode tell us about Starmer himself and why has the Epstein scandal had so much political impact in the UK?

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According to United States and Israel, there's 460 kilograms of enriched uranium that Iran are just ten days away from turning into weapons grade nuclear bomb material. The story of Iran's nuclear arms race is less clear than they make it appear though. It's a tale of espionage, assassinations, and a high-stakes game of bluff.

Credits:

Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou

Producer - Matt Russell

Sound Design - Dominic Delargy

Artwork - Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Editor - Jasper Corbett

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After sixteen years of rule in Hungary, Viktor Orbán has been voted out of office. But in that time, he’s built a deep-rooted network of soft power through think-tanks, universities and media organisations. As the new Prime Minister Péter Magyar seeks to assert his own identity and vision for Hungary, will Orbanism’s influence cause him problems?

Slow Newscast Extra: 

Host: Ada Barumé

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

Illiberal land: Hungary’s empire of ideas

Reporter: David Aaronovitch

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett

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Ceri Thomas revisits the appalling case of Peter Sullivan, jailed for 38 years for a murder he did not commit and offered no apology when finally released. Why does the court work so slowly? Why is it allowed to mark its own homework, and why is it so resistant to reform? 

Reporter: Ceri Thomas

Producer: Katie Gunning

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Matt Russell

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Meta and YouTube were found liable earlier this year in a social media addiction trial and ordered to pay out $6 million in damages. Could this be a blueprint for how to avoid history repeating itself with AI?

Host: Alexi Mostrous

Producer: Amalie Sortland

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Last year, a YouTuber attempted to reach an uncontacted tribe on the remote island of North Sentinel, an area that is out of bounds for everyone else on the planet. His bid for content may have been audacious, and illegal, but it’s just the latest in a long line of misguided foreigners attempting to make contact. But do these individuals represent the greatest threat to the tribe? And what do we as a planet stand to lose if contact is made?

Reporter: Xavier Greenwood

Producer: Madeleine Parr 

Additional production: Ada Barumé

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Matt Russell

Clip Credits: NBC News, News 10 and News9 Live

Subscribe to The Observer today: https://observer.co.uk/subscribe 

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A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week

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A businessman from Tunbridge Wells is accused of leading a double life. He’s secretly recorded planning a brutal attack with ice picks on behalf of the Chinese state. His story takes a dramatic turn with a high-stakes escape. 

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Reporters - Alexi Mostrous and Frankie Vetch

Producer - Jonathan Lewis

Additional production - Amalie Sortland

Sound design - Dominic Delargy

Podcast illustration - Shonagh Rae

Editor - Jasper Corbett

Credits - Voice of America, CBS

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American citizens are recruited to carry out Beijing’s dirty work on home soil. A Florida correctional officer poses as an art dealer, exposing the murky world of transnational repression and China’s shadow war.

This is part two of a three part series. To listen to all episodes today, and enjoy the Slow Newscast ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription.

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Reporters - Alexi Mostrous and Frankie Vetch

Producer - Jonathan Lewis

Additional production - Amalie Sortland

Sound design - Dominic Delargy

Podcast illustration - Shonagh Rae

Editor - Jasper Corbett

Credits - CNBC

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Alexi goes in search of the “long arm” of the Chinese state following a series of attacks and bounties on British soil. He uncovers a coordinated campaign of fear that has left dissidents feeling unsafe in the UK – and asks what British authorities are doing to protect them. 

This is Part One of a three part series. To listen to all episodes today, and enjoy the Slow Newscast ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription.

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Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads.

Reporters - Alexi Mostrous and Frankie Vetch

Producer - Jonathan Lewis

Additional production - Amalie Sortland

Sound design - Dominic Delargy

Podcast illustration - Shonagh Rae

Editor - Jasper Corbett

Credits - Channel 4, Sky News, ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC

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Every year babies are abandoned by their parents. Following a long reporting project exploring the story of one foundling on a search for her biological parents, Alexi Mostrous asks, 'why do mothers abandon babies?'. To try and make sense of these complicated, often hidden stories, he's joined by the series reporter Lucy Greenwell and the series' producer Katie Gunning.

Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to all 6 episodes.

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Foundling is a six-part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. This is episode 1 - On the verge

Journalist Lucy Greenwell goes in search of Jess following rumours and unanswered questions about where she was born and who gave birth to her. 

To listen to the rest of the series, just search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to all 6 episodes.

To find out more about The Observer:

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Credits: 

Reporter - Lucy Greenwell

Producer - Katie Gunning

Original theme music - Tom Kinsella

Sound design and additional music - Rowan Bishop

Podcast artwork - Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Narrative editor - Gary Marshall 

Editor - Jasper Corbett

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Last week, the New York Times ran an experiment that has far-reaching implications, especially for book lovers. It asked readers to compare five pairs of writing samples — one written by AI, the other by a well-known author — and choose which they preferred. AI was chosen much of the time. So, can AI actually write good literature? Book Prize judge Erica Wagner, The Observer's book editor Tom Gatti, and author Ada Barumé discuss.

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America's war against Iran has revealed plenty of gunslinging, provocative rhetoric from the US defence secretary Pete Hegseth. But is there much to learn about America's aims in Iran from Trump's self-described 'secretary of war'?

Reporter/Producer: Alexi Mostrous and Ada Barumé

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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Genetic testing start ups are a booming industry in America. Behind the headlines of 'designer babies' are companies tapping into disputed science, facing accusations that this is a pathway to eugenics. So what does the story of one company in particular tell us about this new field of fertility and science?

Reporters: Madeleine Parr and Matt Russell

Producers: Madeleine Parr and Matt Russell

Additional production: Gary Marshall

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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Alexi sits down with the reporter of this week’s Slow Newscast, Francisco Garcia, to talk about one stop in particular on the road to Putin’s frontline, the Orthodox Church. How did a young man from Dunblane end up converting to this ancient form of Christianity? And why are so many young men converting to the Orthodox Church?

Producer: Ada Barumé

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

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Jay Fraser was born and raised in Dunblane. Then, after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he signed up to fight...for Russia, not Ukraine. Now he and others who have followed similar paths tell their story of how they ended up on the frontline for Putin.

Reporter: Francisco Garcia

Producers: Gary Marshall and Matt Russell

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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Stephen Miller is the United States Homeland Security Advisor. But the vague sounding title belies his immense influence with Donald Trump behind the scenes. He’s better understood as the architect of some of the US’s most audacious recent policies - the capturing of Venezuelan President Maduro, the rollout of ICE enforcement through communities, and a threat to capture Greenland. So what can he tell us about what America will do next?

Credits:

Reporter: Stephen Armstrong

Reporter/Producers: Madeleine Parr, Poppy Bullard, Jonathan Lewis

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Editors: Matt Russell & Jasper Corbett

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The Epstein Files are wreaking havoc across British institutions; first the Royal family and now, the government. Peter Mandelson was sacked as US Ambassador in September over his links to the billionaire paedophile, but the latest tranche of documents show the pair were closer than anyone previously knew. What did their relationship look like? And did it give Jeffrey Epstein access to the heart of the British government?

Reporters: Ada Barume and Poppy Bullard

Producer: Poppy Bullard

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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The dating app Bumble built its identity on a promise: women make the first move. In this episode, The Observer uncovers a legal campaign by men’s rights activists that helped dismantle that premise.

Correction: A previous version of this episode stated that the Los Angeles Angels baseball case settled for $500,000. That case did not settle and was dismissed in court. It was a separate case involving the Oakland Athletics baseball team that settled for $500,000. This episode has been updated.

Reporter: Patricia Clarke

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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There are over a thousand oil tankers at sea that are helping finance Russia's war in Ukraine in plain sight. And they're not just trading in sanctioned oil, they're sabotaging the very infrastructure we all rely on. The UK and EU know about them, they pass right by our coasts, but so far have been unable to stop them at any sort of scale. This is the story of a shadow ship, sailing its way through sanctions, sabotage and subterfuge.

Credits:

Reporter/Producer: Matt Russell

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lola Williams

Executive Producer: Gary Marshall

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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Rachel hears the shocking story of “Patient A”, who explains that patients are at risk too. Her testimony raises more questions about the way sexual misconduct cases are handled in healthcare, as victims — both doctors and patients — call for change.

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Gary Marshall

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

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This week Brooklyn Beckham publicly cut ties with his parents David and Victoria Beckham. Its exposed a rift in the family that seemingly dates back at least to Brooklyn's wedding.

More than two years ago, Brooklyn Beckham married the actress Nicola Peltz in a wedding that did not go smoothly. Nicola Peltz's billionaire father, Nelson Peltz, filed a lawsuit against two wedding planners demanding a refund. The Observer's Claudia Williams in this episode of the Slow Newscast asked the question: what happens when you treat a wedding like a billion-dollar business deal? 

This episode was first published on 28th March 2023

Reporter: Claudia Williams

Producer: Imy Harper

Sound design: Sam Mbatha

Editor: Basia Cummings

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When an esteemed transplant surgeon is found to have sexually harassed a number of his female colleagues — sometimes in the middle of operations — the General Medical Council recommends that he be struck off the medical register. But that is not what happens.

Rachel Sylvester discovers that the case of James Gilbert, isn't a shocking one-off. In fact, it is symptomatic of a much wider problem in surgery.

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Gary Marshall

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

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From next week, our Investigations Editor Alexi Mostrous – the man behind Sweet Bobby, Who Trolled Amber and Elon’s Spies – will take over as the new host of the Slow Newscast, and he wants to hear from you. 

If there are particular types of stories you’d like us to cover more often, or if you have thoughts on what we do well, or could do better, please let us know.

You can email us on studios@observer.co.uk

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In a small town in north Wales, an alleged theft at a local estate agents plants the seeds for a global blockbuster. To listen to episode two, just search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 13th January.

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Credits:

Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou

Additional reporting - James Urquhart

Producer - Matt Russell

Music supervision & sound design - Karla Patella

Artwork - Lola Williams

Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett

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Donald Trump is facing an unexpected fallout as one of his most loyal supporters has resigned from Congress and turned against him. With divisions widening after the attack on Venezuela, is there a split in the broader MAGA movement?

Reporter: Stephen Armstrong

Producers: Madeleine Parr and Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Editor: Matt Russell

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One of the stories in 2025 that seemed to capture the British public's attention was the trial for the men accused of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree. In this audio essay, Andrew Hankinson explores who those men are...and what might have motivated them.

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Like many public institutions across the UK, the Guildhall school of music has had to reckon with a past where abuse by staff was either ignored or dismissed. So when a second former student came forward to tell The Observer's Vanessa Thorpe their story, this time from the 1990s, how would the institution respond?

Reporter: Vanessa Thorpe

Producer: Ada Barumé 

Artwork: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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David Walliams has been dropped by his publisher over alleged ‘inappropriate’ behaviour.

A spokesperson for Walliams said that the author had never been informed of any allegations raised against him nor was he given the opportunity to respond to questions about them. He strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately.

Walliams came to prominence starring alongside Matt Lucas in the TV series Little Britain which ran from 2003 - 2006. Critics though accused the comedy show of trading in stereotypes and casual racism. And some of that is evident in Walliam’s children’s books too. 

This episode was first published on 23rd May 2023.

Reporter: Claudia Williams

Producer: Matt Russell

Sound design: Tom Burchell

Editor: Basia Cummings

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In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die.

Reporter: Hilary Andersson

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to:

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In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die.

Reporter: Hilary Andersson

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

Subscribe to The Observer today: https://observer.co.uk/subscribe 

And get access to:

Our podcasts before anyone else

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Gianni Infantino is the most powerful man in world football but in the run up to the 2026 men's World Cup, his relationship with US president Donald Trump has grown very friendly. It's led to questions whether Infantino still has football's best interests at heart.

Reporter: Rory Smith

Producer: Ada Barumé

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

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The chancellor’s budget was supposed to be a gamechanger, but turned out to be an exercise in political survival. This is the story of how Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves took on a radical budget.

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producers: Jonathan Lewis and Matt Russell

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

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If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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When Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announced a new political party this summer, it had all the ingredients to be a big success. But a summer of disarray has seen them overtaken by a rival on the left. What happened?

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Three years ago, travel writer Lydia Gard discovered freediving. An extreme and beautiful sport defined by one objective: to dive as deep as you can on one single breath. It soon became a calling. Then, she stumbled on a darker side of the sport. Rumours that a group of top divers were doping to go deeper. So she decided to investigate.

Reporter - Lydia Gard 

Producer -  Gary Marshall. 

Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella

Sound design - Rowan Bishop

Podcast artwork - Lola Williams 

Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne 

Executive producer - Basia Cummings 

To find out more about The Observer:

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If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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With Prince Harry in effective exile and Andrew disgraced, the Royal family is smaller than ever before and at a potential crisis point. Prince William has already signalled his intention to be a different kind of monarch to King Charles. But can the monarchy survive, and what is its purpose?

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Madeleine Parr

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

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If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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Over the summer, Epping, a small town on the outskirts of London became the scene of mass protests. featuring hundreds of people. Noisy and occasionally violent, the demonstrations attracted crowds from around the country and plenty of media attention.

But what really happened in Epping and what does it tell us about where the right in Britain is heading?  

To find out more about The Observer:

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Just outside Gaza is a small settlement of Israelis hoping to enter and settle inside Gaza. They may be a fringe movement, but their voice holds a powerful sway within Israel's cabinet. Could they influence the terms of a future peace plan for Gaza?

Reporter: Oliver Marsden

Producer: Poppy Bullard and Matt Russell

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

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The French President and the First Lady of France are taking American right wing commentator Candace Owens to court in Delaware over bizarre claims the First Lady is transgender and the President is part of a CIA-backed mind-control programme, among many other conspiracy theories. But how much are the French President and the First Lady risking in doing so?

Reporter: Stephen Armstrong

Producer: Ada Barumé

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

Editor: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

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Donald Trump has launched four lawsuits against major media organisations for up to $15 billion over the past year. This is the story of Trump's war on the media and the people driving it.

Reporter: Giles Whittell

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Matt Russell

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

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If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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Since May, almost 900 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in the vicinity of aid checkpoints. So what exactly has happened at these aid sites?

Reporter: Ruth Michaelson

Producer: Madeleine Parr

Artwork: Jon Jones & Lola Williams

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editors: Jasper Corbett & Matt Russell

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Unite was once the biggest trade union in Britain, and the largest funder of the Labour Party. In the past its reputation has come under scrutiny. Four years after its first female leader was elected on a promise of restoring trust… it remains mired by in-fighting.

In our podcast called “An uncivil war inside Unite”, which was released on 30 September 2025, we failed to convey Unite’s position that it is in good financial health and that the submission of its accounts has been delayed by a re-audit of the 2021 filing involving the Birmingham project which was overseen by the previous leadership regime. We apologise for this omission

Reporter: Jon Ungoed-Thomas

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Art work: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The week in culture, annotated. Writer and journalist Liv Little and Observer critic Miranda Sawyer get notes from editors all the time - now it’s their turn to hand them out. Every Wednesday morning, Liv and Miranda weigh in on the latest cultural happenings, from reality TV meltdowns and art house films, to gallery openings and TikTok trends. Smart, funny, and full of sharp observations. We Have Notes is culture with commentary.

To listen to We Have Notes click HERE

Let’s chat! Send us your voice notes! 

@WeHaveNotes_Pod on Instagram

@WeHaveNotes_Pod on TikTok

wehavenotes@observer.co.uk via email 

Watch the full episode on YouTube - HERE 

Hosts: Liv Little and Miranda Sawyer 

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore 

Producer: Casey Magloire 

Artwork: Lola Williams and Blythe Walker Sibthorp

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Insiders tell the story of how the US Health Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has hollowed out the Center for Disease Control putting the whole world at risk in the event of another pandemic. 

Reporter: Stephen Armstrong

Producer: Ada Barumé

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Art work: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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