The Slow Newscast

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 and Amalie Sortland  Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Harmony Blaise Editor: Jasper Corbett Clips: ITV News, Channel 4 News, 5 News, Loreal Elvive, Ozempic  

Children are being caught in a global grooming pandemic. This is the story of a mother whose daughter was one such victim.  

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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?

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 

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

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 that once heralded him. Clip Credits: Tennis Channel, The Telegraph

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?  

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, Stephen Smith goes in search of the lost art.

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?

According to the 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.

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

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 Subscribe to The Observer today: https://observer.co.uk/subscribe  And get access to: Our podcasts before anyone else A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword Recipes for every occasion Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online Subscribe today for just £1 for your first month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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?

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?

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.     Further listening:  China's shadow war: The dissidents | Episode One China's shadow war: The Americans | Episode Two