The Slow Newscast - podcast cover

The Slow Newscast

The Observerobserver.co.uk

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.


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

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 [email protected]

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

Episodes

Myanmar: the forgotten coup

More than a year after Myanmar fell to a military coup, Ali Fowle investigates the growing resistance movement. Is there hope of a different future? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 25, 202235 minSeason 1Ep. 158

Hostile environment

The making of the modern Home Office Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 18, 202245 minSeason 1Ep. 157

Hunt for the porn king: a reckoning

Last year, as women accused Pornhub of profiting from their abuse, we tracked down its intensely secretive owner. This week, we’re looking back to find out: what happened next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 11, 202220 minSeason 1Ep. 156

Chained woman

When a video of a woman chained to a wall went viral in China, it ignited a battle for the truth between the people and the state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 04, 202241 minSeason 1Ep. 155

America at the crossroads: abortion in South Bend

The fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse abortion rights is reverberating across America. Arguably nowhere more so than in South Bend, Indiana, a small city in the heart of the Midwest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 28, 202242 minSeason 1Ep. 154

Left to die: Return to the Amarula

Last summer our three-part podcast Left To Die told the harrowing story of 200 civilians trapped in a hotel in Mozambique under siege by violent extremists. This week, we’re looking back to find out: what happened next? To listen to the full series, click here:   https://podfollow.com/1575743851 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 21, 202225 minSeason 1Ep. 153

Londongrad: The Johnson Affair

A former KGB officer, Britain’s foreign secretary – and a potential national security breach. Listen to Londongrad, Paul Caruana Galizia's 6-part series investigating the influence of Russian oligarchs at the heart of UK government, business and media: https://podfollow.com/1625862285 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 14, 202234 minSeason 1Ep. 152

The Darwin job: the vanishing, reappearing notebooks

One sleuth, two notebooks – and a 20-year mystery. Listen to Life, Changing, a new series from Tortoise and the Nuffield Foundation:  https://podfollow.com/1631138421 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 07, 202244 minSeason 1Ep. 151

Hollywood’s cultural revolution

When China opened up to the West, Hollywood saw a massive opportunity. But China had its own dreams. Now the movie studios are beginning to realise what they gave away Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 23, 202240 minSeason 1Ep. 149

Visit Rwanda: Britain’s harsh welcome for refugees

Britain’s harsh welcome for refugees – and what happened when the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was tried before Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 16, 202255 minSeason 1Ep. 148

The Rules: democracy in Britain

Every day more cracks emerge in the political system that guarantees the freedoms Britons hold dear. How do we stop it shattering? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 09, 202235 minSeason 1Ep. 147

Introducing: Londongrad

How the Lebedevs partied their way to power is a 6 part series investigating two men - who are at the heart of the story of Britain opening its doors to Russian oligarchs. Alexander Lebedev is a former KGB officer. He’s the man with the money and - as we’ll see - with the plan. Alexander’s son, Evgeny, rose from a fixture on the social scene to a seat in the House of Lords. He did it with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s help and against the advice of the security services. There’s never been a st...

Jun 03, 20224 minSeason 1Ep. 146

Stripped. Searched. Traumatised. Children and the police

How many more Child Qs are there? How many children are strip-searched by the police and who are they? Patricia Clarke and Claudia Williams investigate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 02, 202242 minSeason 1Ep. 145

Odesa

The Ukrainian port normally feeds the world, but the Russian invasion means nothing is getting out. Can we reopen the port – or will millions starve? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 26, 202236 minSeason 1Ep. 144

Revealed: Stormy Daniels and her battle for truth

Who is the real Stormy Daniels? Hattie Garlick meets arguably one of America’s most misunderstood and misrepresented women Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 19, 202246 minSeason 1Ep. 143

Downfall: twenty days that did for Rishi Sunak

How did Rishi Sunak go from one of the most popular members of the government to one of the least in a matter of days? Matthew d’Ancona pieces together what happened. Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our...

May 12, 202250 minSeason 1Ep. 142

The Backstory

Today we are sharing an episode of Tortoise's new podcast series: The Backstory with Andrew Neil. This week Andrew talks to Fiona Hill, former director for Europe and Russia at the US National Security Council, about Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and her journey from the North East of England to the White House. Click here https://podfollow.com/the-backstory-with-andrew-neil to follow The Backstory wherever you get your podcasts for a new episode every Tuesday. For access every Friday to a bonus...

May 05, 202249 minSeason 1Ep. 141

Mariupol

Two atrocities in the port city of Mariupol epitomise Russia’s violence in Ukraine. This is the story of those atrocities and of Mariupol’s truth With special thanks to Konstantin Korobov and Nina Kuryata for their help in reporting this story. Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to ...

Apr 28, 202243 minSeason 1Ep. 140

The Lost Ark

What happens when a museum possesses a group of objects so sacred that they can never be seen in public or studied in private – and the original owners want them back? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 21, 202237 minSeason 1Ep. 139

Greg Barker: the lord's work

The days of the Russian oligarch in London are numbered. What fate awaits the enablers – those well-connected people who worked for and provided services to wealthy Russians? This is the story of one of them Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to ou...

Apr 14, 202242 minSeason 1Ep. 138

Fallen women

Twenty-seven women fell in suspicious circumstances. Seventeen died. Often, in the shadow of their fall, was a man. What if they didn’t fall. What if they were pushed? Warning : This episode contains some upsetting content around the issues of domestic violence, sexual violence and homicide. Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture. If you want more slow and considered journalism, y...

Apr 07, 20221 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 137

The trials of Alexei Navalny

What does the story of Alexei Navalny and wife Yulia Navalnaya tell us about Vladimir Putin’s Russia and the state of opposition? Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just...

Mar 31, 202234 minSeason 1Ep. 136

Into the dark: The broken promise of a bionic eye

Imagine being blind but thanks to the wonders of technology being able to see again. How would you then feel if that sight was taken away? Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and onl...

Mar 24, 202239 minSeason 1Ep. 135

Shadow whipping: The men who saved Boris

Political wisdom says the Russian invasion of Ukraine saved Boris Johnson’s skin. But the really successful operation to rescue the prime minister started long before and involved three men who you've probably never heard of. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 17, 202238 minSeason 1Ep. 134

Russian warship, go f**k yourself

We thought the Russians were masters of the information war; that they’d sweep Ukraine aside. It's not turning out that way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 10, 202239 minSeason 1Ep. 133

Lebedev: Lord of Siberia

Door after door in Britain has been opened for Evgeny Lebedev, all the way to a seat in the House of Lords. Who has opened the doors, and why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 03, 20221 hr 4 minSeason 1Ep. 132

An injection of fear

The ‘epidemic’ of spiking with needles in clubs and at parties in autumn 2021 revealed something important about women’s lives in Britain. But it wasn’t what we thought. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 24, 202243 minSeason 1Ep. 131

Modi's warrior pose

The brilliance of populist politicians often lies in creating subtle dividing lines on apparently innocuous issues. What could be more innocuous than yoga? But India’s prime minister Narendra Modi – arguably the world’s most successful populist – has seized hold of yoga and weaponised it. In this week’s Slow Newscast, Warrior Pose, Claudia Williams reports on how a harmless pursuit has been transformed into a political wedge.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

Feb 17, 202242 minEp. 130

Inside Branch 251

In a courtroom in west Germany, a man called Anwar Raslan stands accused of torturing Syrian civilians. He faces life in prison. But why does Germany care? These were far-away crimes. The answer lies in a remarkable story about the idea of justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 10, 202246 minEp. 129
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