The Slow Newscast

Tortoise Media

The Slow Newscast takes news slowly: every week we investigate one story that really matters

  • 25 minutes 54 seconds
    Epping: A very English uprising

    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:


    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.

    4 November 2025, 6:00 am
  • 29 minutes 21 seconds
    Among the settlers on Gaza's border

    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 


    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.

    28 October 2025, 6:00 am
  • 44 minutes 25 seconds
    Trolled: Brigitte Macron

    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 


    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.

    21 October 2025, 5:00 am
  • 34 minutes 49 seconds
    The shakedown: Donald Trump vs the media

    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 


    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.

    14 October 2025, 5:00 am
  • 39 minutes 16 seconds
    Gaza's Deadly Aid

    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



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

    6 October 2025, 9:23 am
  • 31 minutes 58 seconds
    An uncivil war inside Unite

    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.


    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


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


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

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

    30 September 2025, 5:00 am
  • 4 minutes 41 seconds
    Introducing ... We Have Notes

    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

    [email protected] 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

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

    25 September 2025, 8:36 am
  • 40 minutes 37 seconds
    Contagion: RFK Jr’s war on public health

    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

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

    23 September 2025, 5:00 am
  • 40 minutes 35 seconds
    The match: My sister and her new DNA

    What happens when you get new blood and new DNA from a complete stranger? This is the story of a woman whose own features began to change following a stem cell transplant.


    Reporter: Eva Wiseman

    Producer: Matt Russell

    Sound design: Dominic Delargy

    Artwork: Lola Williams

    Editor: Jasper Corbett

    Commissioning 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 


    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.

    16 September 2025, 5:00 am
  • 41 minutes 58 seconds
    The immortality bros: the new frontiers of health

    A city in Honduras is home to a start-up selling experimental gene therapies for $25,000 a dose. Now, those radical ideas are reaching the United States. What happens when biohacking leaves libertarian fringes… and reaches Capitol Hill?


    Reporter: Patricia Clarke

    Producer: Madeleine Parr

    Sound design: Dominic Delargy

    Artwork: Lola Williams

    Executive Producer: Matt Russell

    Editor: Jasper Corbett

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

    9 September 2025, 5:00 am
  • 28 minutes 38 seconds
    The diva and the dictator: opera at war

    Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Anna Netrebko was the biggest opera star in a generation. Since the war, due to past support for Vladimir Putin, she has effectively been boycotted by theatres around the world. Except, this autumn, she’ll be headlining the Royal Opera House’s new season.


    Reporters: Vanessa Thorpe, Nina Kuryata and Lauren Crosby Medlicott

    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 


    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.

    2 September 2025, 5:00 am
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