{"podcast":{"title":"The Slow Newscast","slug":"the-slow-newscast-1064150","podcast_index_feed_id":1064150,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/a8a5a759-8cb1-52ad-b50a-8e08dcee4d1f","website_url":"https://observer.co.uk/","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61ba187a1a8cbeaa483cf196/1764692320223-b7d0bc24-9371-40c2-9a5f-6dd62863a3c6.jpeg","author":"Alice Sandelson","episode_count":416,"summary":"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 podcasts 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-25T12:21:31.002109+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-slow-newscast-1064150"},"episode":{"title":"China’s shadow war: Ice picks in suburbia | Episode Three","slug":"china-s-shadow-war-ice-picks-in-suburbia-episode-three","published_at":"2026-04-02T04:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-slow-newscast-1064150/china-s-shadow-war-ice-picks-in-suburbia-episode-three","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-slow-newscast-1064150","url":"https://shows.acast.com/the-tortoise-podcast/episodes/chinas-shadow-war-ice-picks-in-suburbia-episode-three","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/the-tortoise-podcast/e/69cd4ba2057b5949955b0f4e/media.mp3","summary":"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.  To enjoy the Slow Newscast ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription. You’ll get access to: This series and all our podcasts before anyone else Ad-free listening Premium newsletters Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword Exclusive offers from our partners Tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads. Reporters - Alexi Mostrous and Frankie Vetch Producer - Jonathan Lewis Additional production - Amalie Sortland Sound design - Dominic Delargy Podcast illustration - Shonagh Rae Editor - Jasper Corbett Credits - Voice of America, CBS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"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 Ch…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1969,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-slow-newscast-1064150/episodes/china-s-shadow-war-ice-picks-in-suburbia-episode-three/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-slow-newscast-1064150/china-s-shadow-war-ice-picks-in-suburbia-episode-three.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}