The Slow Newscast

James Tapper, The Observer's Science editor and a weight-loss jab user, tells the story of his journey using the weight-loss drugs. A journey that along with lost kilograms, led him to the godfather of these drugs: a man who discovered the hormone that led to the development of GLP-1s and who reveals his concerns about their widespread use

Kenyan men are leaving their country for work – and ending up on the frontlines of Russia’s war in Ukraine. This is the story of the recruiters, the promises and the poverty that keeps the pipeline moving.

Stephanie Arcanjo spent three years building a life with her boyfriend, Eric. One day he vanished, and the police came knocking. Only then would she learn his true identity, and that their life together was a lie. Basia Cummings speaks to Sao Paolo based reporter Oliver Basciano about Stephanie and hears her side of the story. Oliver Basciano's reporting can be found at https://observer.co.uk/contributor/oliver-basciano

Nkechi Simms is a successful actor who’s had parts in Top Boy and BBC comedy PRU. Outwardly life is good and at 26 she’s got everything going for her. But this hasn’t always been the case. When she was 12 Nkechi’s mother handed her over to Camden Council and she was placed in foster care. Now she wants to find out what happened to her and why. The only way she can do this is by getting hold of her care records. But that’s easier said than done. And will those records answer her questions? Careless is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer.To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer.Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads.Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine ParrProduced and written by Madeleine ParrSound design by Simon Panayi Artwork by Jon Hill The editor is Jasper Corbett

What links a rare breed of flamingo and government corruption? In Albania, plans to redevelop Sazan, the country's biggest island, and disrupt the wildlife that lives there, caused protests. When it emerged that it was Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka who was behind the development, the protests became about not just than just wildlife, but about the way the country is run. Andrew Anthony visited the country to find out more.Host: Basia CummingsReporter: Andrew AnthonyProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Matt Russell

In Ben Stokes, England cricket created a star....and quickly lost control of that star. This is the story of how a maverick genius built and broke the team he created.

What drove Syrians to rise up and overthrow a brutal dictator? ‘Days of Love and Rage’ by Anand Gopal is an intimate account of how one town in Syria joined a revolution. The book took him 8 years to report and write.  The Observer’s Basia Cummings and Chloe Hadjimatheou, reporter of the We Call Her Emma podcast series about Asma al-Assad, talk to Gopal about how Syrians took politics into their own hands while facing threats from their own government and then ISIS. Anand Gopal's reporting on Syria and ISIS can be found here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/18/the-open-air-prison-for-isis-supporters-and-victims His book, Days of Love and Rage, can be found here: https://www.plutobooks.com/product/days-of-love-and-rage/

Ten years ago Kim Edwards and her boyfriend, Lucas Markham, who were both 14 at the time, stabbed Kim’s mother and Kim’s younger sister to death. They were both sentenced to life in prison and became the youngest, and among the most notorious, double murderers in Britain. For the first time Kim’s grandmother, Maxine Follows, tells her side of the story, and questions how the criminal justice system treats children.   Reporter: Katie GlassProducer: Ada BarumeSound Design: Dominic DelargyArtwork: Lucy StevensonExecutive Producer: Matt RussellEditor: Jasper Corbett