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409 episodes

On trial: oil and war crimes
02/06/2026 | 51 mins.
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.
Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark: What does the future of AI look like?
28/05/2026 | 32 mins.
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.
'Social media is killing our kids'
26/05/2026 | 38 mins.
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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How might Labour's new leaders grow the UK?
21/05/2026 | 24 mins.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Doped Up!
19/05/2026 | 48 mins.
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
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About 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 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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