The Slow Newscast

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 who once heralded him.Reporters: Francisco Garcia and Camilla Bell - DaviesProducer: Madeleine ParrArtwork: Harmony ClossSound design: Dominic DelargyEditor: Jasper CorbettClip 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?Host: Alexi MostrousGuest: Claudia WilliamsProducer: Ada Barumé

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, Steve Smith goes in search of the lost art.Reporter: Steve SmithProducer: Ada BaruméArtwork: Blythe Walker SibthorpSound design: Dominic DelargyEditor: Jasper Corbett

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 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.Credits: Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer - Matt Russell Sound Design - Dominic Delargy Artwork - Blythe Walker Sibthorp Editor - Jasper Corbett

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 BaruméProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Matt RussellIlliberal land: Hungary’s empire of ideasReporter: David AaronovitchProducer: Jonathan LewisArtwork: Lola WilliamsSound Design: Dominic DelargyExecutive 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 ThomasProducer: Katie GunningArtwork: Lucy StevensonSound design: Dominic DelargyEditor: Matt RussellSubscribe to The Observer today: https://observer.co.uk/subscribe And get access to:Our podcasts before anyone elseA 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 onlineSubscribe today for just £1 for your first month.