Shows / The Slow Newscast
The Slow Newscast
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…
Episodes
The Slow NewscastNorth Korea's war in Europe
North Korean troops are in combat, likely for the first time since the Korean war in the 1950s. Not in Korea, but in Europe. Because last summer Ukraine…
The Slow NewscastHow to ruin a football club
Manchester United is a club used to success. But it is languishing in the league and saddled with debt. This is the story of how one of the world's most…
The Slow NewscastNimby Nation
Earlier this year the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, wrote about a group of people he called zealots. And he identified one man in particular who the Prime…
The Slow NewscastDie, die, DEI
Donald Trump has ordered the federal government to scrap its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and corporate America has supposedly followed suit. But…
The Slow NewscastThe $Trumpcon
Memecoins started as a fad. A niche but fun way to bet on the longevity of internet trends. But then, days before his second inauguration, Donald Trump…
The Slow NewscastThe hunt for the 100ft wave
Surfing’s ultimate barrier is the 100 foot wave. In Dec 23-year-old Alo Slebir is rumoured to have surfed a 108 foot wave. The problem is no one can agree how…
The Slow NewscastAre we alone?
Donald Trump promised to release classified files about extraterrestrials. But even if they disappoint the millions of people hoping to find proof of existence…
The Slow NewscastTrump's Dealmaker: Steve Witkoff and Gaza
A week before Donald Trump's inauguration, a real estate mogul flew to Jerusalem to meet Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Within days, a ceasefire…
The Slow NewscastLucky Boy
Gareth spent years believing he was a lucky boy. He was the 14-year-old who got the attention of the attractive young science teacher. Now, decades later, he…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman | The lawsuit
Last year we published a podcast series called Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman. Five women accused the best-selling fantasy author Neil Gaiman of…
The Slow NewscastThe Rwanda plan: How to waste £700m
The flagship policy for several Prime Ministers became the Rwanda plan. But three years, four Prime Ministers and £715 million later, the policy is dead and…
The Slow NewscastF**k it, release ‘em all: Trump and the Jan 6ers
For more than two years, Special Counsel Jack Smith investigated allegations of President Trump’s election fraud. His investigation ended last month – not with…
The Slow NewscastGoodbye mum: the ruthless fight for child custody
One of the most difficult questions facing a judge in the family court is which parent should have custody of a child. To help them answer that, judges rely on…
The Slow NewscastRogue Russia: Nuclear poker
In October 2022 the course of the Russia's war in Ukraine shifted. Intelligence from the USA and UK indicated that Russia could turn to a nuclear bomb to get…
The Slow NewscastRogue Russia: Agents of mayhem
Last October, the head of MI5 said Russia was on a mission to cause "sustained mayhem" on European streets. It might be hard to spot at first, but it is there…
The Slow NewscastJordan Peterson and the making of man
Jordan Peterson is a controversial figure, but he is also a man with a long-standing appeal to a particular demographic. What does his popularity tell us about…
The Slow NewscastFinding my voice
Xavier Greenwood’s childhood memories are dominated by a speech impediment and a thick accent. But was it all in his head? Reporter: Xavier Greenwood Sound…
The Slow NewscastThe final bow: David Bowie's last act
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 heroes. Zelda…
The Slow NewscastThe immortality bros: The business of living forever
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, but it…
The Slow NewscastKilling hope: Iran's mind wars
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-democracy…
The Slow NewscastStuck in space
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 have been…
The Slow NewscastMy AI girlfriend: a cure for loneliness
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, flirt with you…
The Slow NewscastOperation Asshole: Paul Watson's whale war
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 radicals…
The Slow NewscastElon: A star is born
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. After months…
The Slow NewscastSick parade: A crisis at Catterick Garrison
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 modernises its…
The Slow NewscastThe Furys: An empire of fists
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 Slow NewscastThe cases against Sean Combs
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 conspiracy, sex…
The Slow NewscastBeyond Trump: JD Vance and the New Right
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…
The Slow NewscastElon's Spies
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 Tortoise…
The Slow NewscastThe hunt for Iran's next Supreme Leader
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 how long…
The Slow NewscastOne light day: Voyager's long farewell
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 silent…
The Slow NewscastThe Festival Fossil Fuels Fiasco
How one of Britain’s most successful book festivals came unstuck over its sponsorship deal. Editor's note: Jaguar Land Rover has asked us to point out that…
The Slow NewscastLucy Letby: the Expert Witness
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 is in short…
The Slow NewscastLeaked: who profits from celebrity nudes?
Ten years ago, nude images of dozens of A-list celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst were leaked online following an iCloud hack. They’re…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 6
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 listening…
The Slow NewscastThe Clooney intervention
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, and he…
The Slow NewscastTaylor Swift's London
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 her personal…
The Slow NewscastPalestine's forgotten leader
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 life…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 5
Almost a month since the investigation where two women came forward with allegations that the author Neil Gaiman sexually assaulted them - allegations he…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 4
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 sexual…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 3
Episode three: The pond New Zealand police tell the former nanny there isn’t enough evidence to actively pursue her sexual assault complaint against Neil…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 2
Episode two: The Whatsapps The former nanny who alleges Neil Gaiman sexually assaulted her shares her WhatsApp messages with him. The messages appear friendly…
The Slow NewscastMaster: the allegations against Neil Gaiman - episode 1
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 and the…
The Slow NewscastLost glacier: the climate pioneers
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 triumph…
The Slow NewscastThe Greatest: Simone Biles
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 will she…
The Slow NewscastThe end of Brexit
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 Tortoise…
The Slow NewscastDangerous Memories
To listen to Dangerous Memories, search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts. When Sarah watched her 23 year old daughter cycle away from…
The Slow NewscastTaking the stand: Emma's story
Two reports of rape. Two criminal trials. Two not guilty verdicts. Two men, cleared. Two women – torn apart. A Tortoise investigation has heard how two…
The Slow NewscastTaking the stand: Grace's story
Two reports of rape. Two criminal trials. Two not guilty verdicts. Two men, cleared. Two women – torn apart. A Tortoise investigation has heard how two…
The Slow NewscastFrank Hester: Tory Northern diamond
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 the cusp…
The Slow NewscastCrushed! Apple's Big Brother moment
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 people who make…
The Slow NewscastSunak's summer shower
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? This is…
The Slow NewscastWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 5
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 on…
The Slow NewscastWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 4
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 payment to a…
The Slow NewscastWord for word: Trump on trial – episode 3
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 payment to a…
The Slow NewscastWord for word: Trump on trial – episode 2
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 payment to a…
The Slow NewscastWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 1
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 payment to a…
The Slow NewscastThe Gas Man
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 Special Agent…
The Slow NewscastIntroducing... What's wrong with democracy?
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. In ‘What’s…
The Slow NewscastThe Good Soldier: Killings and cover-up in Afghanistan
The British army has never faced more serious allegations of wrongdoing; that the SAS committed multiple war crimes in Afghanistan. A public inquiry is…