‘A united nations of crime’: how Marbell...

The tiny, astonishingly wealthy country has become a major player on the world stage, trying to solve some of the most intractable conflicts. What’s driving this project? By Nesrine Malik. Read by Sulin Hasso. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

Every Wednesday and Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2025, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, from June: with his brilliant mind and impeccable credentials, it’ ... Show More

Many of his supporters hoped the prime minister would restore the UK’s commitment to international law. Yet Labour’s record over the past year has been curiously mixed By Daniel Trilling. Read by Simon Darwen. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

Au Mexique, un des pays les plus meurtris par les crimes contre les journalistes, 12 journalistes ont été assassinés depuis le début de l’année. Mago Torres a publié une enquête intitulée Le pays des 2 000 fosses, sur la violence au Mexique, qui lui a valu cette année le prix du ... Show More

Matteo Messina Denaro was arrested after decades on the run, found hiding in plain sight in Sicily. Lorenzo Tondo and Clare Longrigg report on what it means for the once mighty Cosa Nostra. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 

Outside a war zone, Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries to be a journalist. In 2021, seven journalists were murdered. In the first few weeks of this year alone, the killing of five journalists has prompted an outcry and concern. We hear what it is like when your job is ... Show More

The crime writer joins us to discuss the mechanics of mystery novels, plus Margaret Atwood at the Hay festival in Cartagena. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod 

Thousands of people - including politicians, students and journalists - are killed in drug cartel violence in Mexico every year.One of the biggest cartels is Sinaloa. Joaquín "El Chapo” Guzmán led the cartel until he was jailed in 2019. He’s currently serving a life sentence. His ... Show More

In recent years, another one of Italy's feared criminal groups has risen above the Sicilian Mafia to become among the most powerful organized crime groups in the world: The Calabrian 'Ndrangheta. Started as a self-defense militia centuries ago to protect against pirates and raide ... Show More

The story begins in Sicily, on Friday, March 12th, 1909. Three gunshots thundered in the night, and then a fourth. Two men fled, and investigators soon discovered who they had killed: Giuseppe Petrosino, the legendary American detective whose exploits in New York were celebrated ... Show More