Tortoise News

The storm caused widespread damage in Jamaica and is making its way to Cuba; is climate change to blame for its power? What - or who - is behind Donald Trump's obsession with Venezuela? Is it good news that a cargo ship has made it through the North East Passage for the first time?Jeevan Vasagar is joined by the Observer's Erica Wagner, Jessica Hayden and Chloe Hadjimatheou as they pitch their top stories of the day, live from the Observer newsroom. Must Reads:JumpersThe House at Number 48Iran, Russia and the New Zealand insurer that kept their sanctioned oil flowing**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jeevan VasagarProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producers: Rebecca Moore and Matt RussellTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Which international peacekeeping forces might be present in Gaza, and what will their role be? Is the fact that kids on free school meals do worse in their GCSEs a symptom of a failed state? Does the Amazon outage show that the internet is too reliant on a small number of companies?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Stephen Armstrong, Bex Sander and Ruth Michaelson as they pitch their top story of the day. You can listen to We Have Notes HEREMust Reads:West End GirlLily Allen On Marriage, Motherhood And Her Music Comeback**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Gary MarshallTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump imposed what he called “tremendous” sanctions on Russia's two biggest oil companies. What's next for the Trump-Putin rollercoaster? President Trump is planning to demolish the East Wing of the White House as early as this weekend. Who will pay for this 99,000ft ballroom? Two Metropolitan Police officers have been dismissed for gross misconduct following their appearance in a BBC Panorama undercover investigation that caught serving officers making racist and misogynistic comments. Giles Whittell is joined by journalist and author Ari Shapiro, former US representative to NATO and foreign policy advisor to Barack Obama Ivo Daalder and The Observer's Jessica Hayden, as they pitch their top story of the day. **Join us at the next News Meeting Live! Get your tickets → HERE Must Reads:Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, From Revolution to Autocracy by Jullia LoffeThe Trump Rules for Radical Schools**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell Producer: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is responsible for breaking the ceasefire in Gaza? How might the Louvre heist thieves get away with selling jewels belonging to Napoleon's wife? Does Virginia Giuffre's memoir shed new light on the allegations against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Phoebe Davis and Stephen Armstrong, and the journalist and author Pete Apps, as they pitch their top story of the day.You can buy Pete's book Homesick HEREMust Reads:Among Portland Protests, it's Frogs and Sharks and Bears, Oh My!We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They've Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.Sustainability by Numbers**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As more and more people turn to AI for news, how should journalists fight back and protect the human by-line? Will Donald Trump's cosy relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino allow him to dictate which cities the World Cup will be held in the US? Will the British Museum win its £3.5 million battle to keep a rare gold Tudor Heart pendant?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Alex O'Connell, Vanessa Thorpe and Jessy Parker Humphreys, as they pitch their top story of the day.Must Reads:Is Nick Fuentes Winning Over Women on the Left?**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Matt RussellTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One story is dominating the headlines today: the rapidly unfolding situation in the Middle East. This morning, Hamas released the last 20 living hostages; in return, Israel freed over 1,700 Palestinian detainees. We're devoting the entire episode to the latest from Gaza.Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Narrative Editor Chloe Hadjimatheou and Middle East Correspondent Ruth Michaelson, to answer questions about the first part of Donald Trump's peace deal in Gaza.**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Matt RussellTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why has Donald Trump sent hundreds of National Guards to Illinois? Should the UK look to France when it comes to tackling the far-right? Will the US-backed plan for peace in Gaza work?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Katie Riley and Poppy Bullard, and David Runciman, Honorary Professor of Politics at Cambridge University and host of the Past Present Future podcast, as they pitch their top story of the day.**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do new oil projects in the Gulf of Mexico signal the end of an international consensus on climate change? Will the Home Office's new plans to curb protests backfire? Six months on from the Supreme Court ruling, why are the public expected to police each other's gender?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Jeevan Vasagar, Ada Barumé and Evan Moffitt as they pitch their top stories of the day. Find the team's Must Reads here:One Battle After AnotherRivalsInfinite WibblePre-order Jeevan's book The Surge HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two Jewish people were killed in a terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue. Did President Trump and Pete Hegseth cross the line with their inflammatory speeches to military generals? And what's behind the surge in profits at soft toy maker Jellycat?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Erica Wagner, John Simpson and Sam Freedman, as they pitch their top story of the day.**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell Producer: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will the US ban a safe and legal abortion pill? Is the Met Police full of Freemasons? Can Labour take control of the narrative on immigration?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Francisco Garcia, Serena Cesareo and Phoebe Davis as they pitch their top story of the day.Find the team's Must Reads here:The Art of the Impersonal EssaySoftly As I Leave YouWe Have Notes**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weekend marks the first-ever Riyadh Comedy Festival, with Jimmy Carr, Aziz Ansari, and Dave Chappelle on the bill. It's being reported they are each being paid upwards of $375,000 to perform in a country which severely restricts freedom of speech. What does Trump's cryptic “good luck to all” at the UN really mean for Ukraine - and should we be worried? Is the breakthrough on Huntington's disease The News Meeting's first genuinely good news story? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's International Editor, Steve Bloomfield, and reporters Rachael Healy and James Tapper as they pitch the top story of the day** Listen to The Observer's new culture podcast We Have Notes HERE**Join us at the next News Meeting Live HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-In-ChiefProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the President made the erroneous link between pregnant women taking paracetamol to autism. What happens now that trust in basic pain relief is shaken? Has Reform miscalculated with its climate-skeptical stance? And Nike has teamed up with Kim Kardashian's SKIMS - but is their new campaign crossing the line by sexualising female athletes?Giles Whittell is joined by journalist and author David Aaronovitch, the Observer's National News Editor Claudia Williams and reporter Jon Ungoed-Thomas as they pitch the top story of the day** Listen to The Observer's new culture podcast We Have Notes HERE**Join us at the next News Meeting Live HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-In-ChiefProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Tiktok become MAGA-tok? What are the implications of recognising a Palestinian state? Should Rwanda be hosting an international cycling competition?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Stephen Armstrong, Bex Sander and Serena Cesareo as they pitch their top stories of the day.Find the team's Must Reads here:The Rabbit HoleWhat it means to get really really highHidden Valley Road**Join us at the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 23rd September at 6:30pm** Rebecca Moore will be joined by David Aaronovitch, Claudia Williams and Jon Ungoed-Thomas. Get your tickets → HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What did we learn from Donald Trump and Keir Starmer's press conference? Why is Israel invading Gaza City? What does the suspension of the Jimmy Kimmel show tell us about press freedom in America?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Erica Wagner, Steve Bloomfield and Rachel Sylvester as they try and pitch the top stories of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 23rd September at 6:30pm** Rebecca Moore will be joined by David Aaronovitch, Claudia Williams and Jon Ungoed-Thomas. Get your tickets → HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With young people in Nepal using social media sites like Discord to organise protests, are we witnessing the South Asian Spring? How influential is Elon Musk in British politics following his message to the Unite the Kingdom protestors? And how did the Assad regime systematically steal hundreds of children from their families? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Patricia Clarke, Chloe Hadjimatheou and Stephen Armstrong, as they each try to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 23rd September at 6:30pm** Giles Whittell will be joined by David Aaronvitch, Claudia Williams and Jon Ungoed-Thomas. Get your tickets → HEREFind the team's must reads here:The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain's asylum crisisYou Might Have Already Fallen for MAHA's Conspiracy TheoriesGrayson Perry: Delusions of GrandeurRead more on today's stories: US cash turned Tommy Robinson into the poster boy of UK far rightHow a western charity helped the Syrian regime abduct childrenPrepare for revolution now, Elon Musk tells London rally as police come under attack**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does the sacking of Peter Mandelson mean for Keir Starmer? Does Vladimir Putin want war with NATO? Is the UK at risk of an uptick in political violence?Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Jessica Hayden, Katie Gunning and Bernard Gray as they each try to pitch the top story of the day.Find the team's must reads:Bosses can reject applicants who support rival football teamCultural Capital**Join us at the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 23rd September at 6:30pm** Rebecca Moore will be joined by David Aaronovitch, Claudia Williams and Jon Ungoed-Thomas. Get your tickets → HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca MooreProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why can't the French government pass a budget? Who will win in the fight for the soul of the Labour Party? Why do pensioners keep being arrested?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Tom Gatti and Serna Cesareo, as well as the journalist and author Charlie Brinkhurst Cuff, as they each try to pitch the top story of the day.Find the team's must reads:lThe Missing SisterBack to PetroleumHow Music Criticism Lost Its Edge**Join us at the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 23rd September at 6:30pm** Rebecca Moore will be joined by David Aaronvitch, Claudia Williams and Jon Ungoed-Thomas. Get your tickets → HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will revelations about Angela Rayner's taxes be the end of her political career? How will Melvyn Bragg's exit from In Our Time impact the iconic show? Why did Nigel Farage compare the UK to North Korea in his plea to US politicians? Giles Whittell is joined by the Observer's Cat Neilan, Paul Hayward and Alex O'Connell as they each try to pitch the top story of the day.Must Reads:'Jimmy Breslin Essential Writings'**Join us at the News Meeting Live on Tuesday 23rd September at 6:30pm** Rebecca Moore will be joined by David Aaronvitch, Claudia Williams and Jon Ungoed-Thomas. Get your tickets → HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Casey Magloire and Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Afghanistan get the aid it needs? Is China the new America when it comes to globalisation? Could a lawsuit from a dark corner of the internet affect the Online Safety Act?Rebecca Moore is joined by Observer reporters Stephen Armstrong, Phoebe Davis and Bex Sander as they pitch their stop stories of the day.Links to the team's Must Reads and recommendations here: Inside the world of the Great British Bake OffFit For TVFargo **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer Producer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will SpaceX's latest triumph mean Elon Musk will make it to Mars? Why will the price of Mounjaro weightless drugs go up? Benjamin Netanyahu called the IDF's airstrike on Gaza's Nasser Hospital a “tragic misstep" but so far 240 Palestinian journalists have died since the beginning of the conflict.Giles Whittell is joined by the Observer's International Editor, Steve Bloomfield, our Acting National News Editor, Rebecca Myers and reporter, James Tapper, as each try to pitch the top story of the day.Links to the team's Must Reads and recommendations here: Race Across the World‘House of Earth and Blood' by Sarah J. Maas**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Essex council has been granted a High Court injunction to stop a local hotel from housing asylum seekers. What is behind the massive growth of Women's Rugby and support for the Red Roses? Will a tax on tourists help boost local economies and support the arts? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Ceri Thomas, Vanessa Thorpe and Jessica Hayden, as each try to pitch the top story of the day.Read more on today's stories here: Ellie Kildunne: I was just a girl with a passion, a belief and a raw talent - HEREThe Epping injunction is a gift to Labour's opponents - HERE ‘It's about restoring pride': can Blackpool use its saucy image to win back the crowds? HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-In-ChiefProducers: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Zelensky find any success with Trump, in the wake of the Alaska Summit? What does the militarisation of Washington DC tell us about America's political direction? And why are MPs making TikToks? Rebecca Moore is joined by the Financial Times' Working It Editor Isabel Berwick, Plus The Observer's Katie Riley and Stephen Armstrong, as each try to pitch the top story of the day.Links to the team's Must Reads and recommendations here: Does HR still need humans?What Happened When Mark Zuckerberg Moved In Next DoorANDREW NEIL: The world is being remade. And as the Alaska talks show all too clearly, Britain and Europe are now condemned to the status of mere observers**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer Producers: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will facial recognition technology change law enforcement forever? JD Vance has been wooing his British political allies in the Cotswolds, but will a new think-tank deepen US influence in right wing politics? Is the government at risk of losing public support after the Palestine Action arrests? Giles Whittell is joined by the Observer's Whitehall Editor Cat Neilan, News Reporter Jon Ungoed Thomas and Consulting Editor for Comment, Erica Wagner. Links to the team's Must Reads and recommendations here: BlackberryViolent, lawless, broken Britain? The facts tell a different story**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-In-Chief Producers: Amalie Sortland and Poppy BullardTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What proof has Israel provided to support their claim that Anas al Sharif ran a Hamas cell in Gaza? Why has the partnership between Premier League Football and Stonewall ended? And will Putin's visit to the US bring an end to the war in Ukraine? Giles Whittell is joined by NPR's International Correspondent, Lauren Frayer. Plus the Observer's Serena Cesareo and Jessy Parker Humphreys, as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. Links to the team's Must Reads and recommendations here: What It's Like to Brainstorm with a Bot - HERE Dr. Phil's Road From Oprah to ICE Raids - HEREUber's Festering Sexual Assault Problem - HEREA livestream of deep sea creatures transfixes Argentina and sparks calls for refunding science - HEREMore from Lauren's NPR colleague Anas Baba reporting from Gaza For NPR's Anas Baba, covering the war in Gaza also means living it - HEREThe deadly risk of trying to reach food in Gaza - HERE**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-In-Chief Producer: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it wrong for the government to ask police to release information on the ethnicity and immigration status of crime suspects? As countries gather for the UN plastics summit, just how much of our lives are contaminated by plastic? Who is the YouTuber behind the misinformation campaign targeting France's First Lady?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Political Editor Rachel Sylvester, reporter Phoebe Davis and reporter James Tapper. Links to the team's Must Reads here: The Retrievals Series 2The Ezra Klein ShowListen to Rachel's series The Lab Detective HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Producer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK Parliament takes its summer break, has Reform seized the media spotlight and emerged as a viable third-party contender? What are the risks of uploading ID to age-restricted websites under the Online Safety Act? Will Trump impose his peace deal deadline on Russia if Putin refuses negotiations?Rebecca Moore is joined by The New Statesman's Associate Political Editor, Rachel Cunliffe. Plus the Observer's Poppy Bullard and Patricia Clarke, as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. Links to the team's Must Reads and recommendations here: Gen lay-Z: Why my generation doesn't care about work - HERE One year on, tensions still circle Britain's asylum-seeker hotels - HERENathan For You (Season 4, Episode 8), Finding Frances. Trump's relationship with Putin ‘at breaking point' after Russia unleashes Kyiv blitz - HEREWe want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer Producer: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are male novelists a dying breed? Can women trust apps with their personal data? Are tariffs the only way Donald Trump knows how to do diplomacy?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Home Affairs Editor John Simpson, Head of Data and Graphics Katie Riley and Consulting Editor for Comment, Erica Wagner. Links to the team's Must Reads here: What do tweens really want?DOGE-pilledRead Erica's piece on the Booker Prize longlist HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Producer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the UK's decision to conditionally recognise the state of Palestine more symbolic than practical? As protests in Epping continue, how is rhetoric around asylum seekers impacting children from ethnic minority backgrounds? Now that the Lionesses have won the Euros for a second time, is this confirmation that the hard work put into the women's game has paid off?Giles Whittell is joined by ITV News Presenter and Loose Women panellist Charlene White. Plus, the Observer's narrative editor Chloe Hadjimatheou and Deputy Sports Editor, Andrew Butler.**Join us at the next News Meeting Live HEREDive deeper into all the stories from this episode: Leader: it is time to recognise Palestine HERESensemaker podcast: How did the Lionesses do it again? HERENever mind the economy, immigration is now a bigger concern for voters HERESensemaker podcast: How much aid is getting through to Gaza? HERENigel Farage wants to be taken seriously, but can't stop playing dangerous games HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-In-ChiefProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of Audio and Rebecca Moore, Executive producerTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Labour's concerns about social cohesion a sign that they may be aligning with some of Reforms ideas on immigration? Why does Kemi Badenoch want to outlaw doctors' strikes? And are the latest aid drops in Gaza a sign of change to come? Jasper Corbett is joined by journalist and broadcaster David Aaronovitch. Plus, the Observer reporter Stephen Armstrong and senior producer Katie Gunning.**Listen to the Sensemaker podcast: How did the Lionesses do it again? HERE**Join us at the News Meeting Live HERELinks to the team's Must Reads here: Tom Lehrer, Musical Satirist With a Dark Streak, Dies at 97Britain isn't broken by Sam Freedman What I Learnt From Being Disinherited by Daisy GoodwinFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jasper Corbett, Head of Audio Producer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Belgium paving the way for more international action over Gaza? Have the Lionesses paved the way for a permanent change in English football culture? What's going on at Unite? Rebecca Moore is joined by three Observer journalists. Senior Digital Editor Claudia Williams, Sports Reporter Jessy Parker Humphreys and Architecture Critic Rowan Moore. Links to the team's Must Reads here: The billionaire and the tax evading gift shopsThe Human Side of Music's Prince Of DarknessRecords Tumbling for Lucy BronzeListen to the Inside Unite HERE**Join us at the News Meeting Live HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett, Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why has Israel launched a new air and ground offensive in Gaza, where many international aid organisations are operating? Will plans to overhaul the water companies in England and Wales work? And why is Donald Trump suing Rupert Murdoch? Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer's Head of Data and Graphics, Katie Riley, researcher Serena Cesareo, and reporter Stephen Armstrong.Links to the team's Must Reads here: ‘My Friends' by Hisham Matar: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127488823-my-friends ‘Where Americans Ever Healthy' by Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-07-18/was-the-us-ever-healthy-what-maha-gets-wrong-about-nutrition-history ‘You Said ‘Yes' to Being an Organ Donor. What Exactly Does That Mean?' by the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/20/health/organ-donors-information.html **Join us at the News Meeting Live HERE: Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jasper Corbett, Head of AudioProducer: Amalie SortandExecutive Producer: Matt RussellTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will the conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein divide Trump from his MAGA supporters? Can British culture accept genetically modifying embryos to prevent serious diseases? And why have we only just learned of the data breach involving Afghan refugees? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Head of Audio Jasper Corbett, reporter Phoebe Davis and producer Poppy Bullard. Links to the team's Must Reads here: Sarina Wiegman, the tough England manager who could win us the EurosIlliberal land: Hungary's empire of ideas‘A relentless, destructive energy': inside the trial of Constance Marten and Mark GordonListen to the Retreat from Kabul parts One and Two**Join us at the News Meeting Live HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Producer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is climate politics full of hot air? What's next for the government's Prevent scheme? What's behind falling vaccine rates in some parts of the country? Rebecca Moore is joined by a trio of Observer reporters: Whitehall editor Cat Neilan, Senior Audio Producer Katie Gunning and Senior Writer Francisco Garcia.You can read Rebecca's Must Read HEREAnd you can read Francisco's Must Read HERE**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with ITV News presenter Charlene White.Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett, Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Observer recently published a major investigation into the bestselling memoir The Salt Path. In this special episode, Giles Whittell is joined by the journalist behind the story, Chloe Hadjimatheou, and her editor, Alexi Mostrous, to discuss how the investigation unfolded. To read Chloe's piece click here.To read Raynor Winn's rebuttal, click here.To listen to the episode of The Sensemaker outlining Chloe's piece, click here. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with ITV News presenter Charlene White.Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy EditorProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Britain and France on the cusp of yet another agreement over small boats? Could the Texan floods have been prevented? Can women trust the justice system? Rebecca Moore is joined by Observer reporters Phoebe Davies and Serena Cesareo, and the journalist and author Jenny Evans, whose book Don't Let It Break You, Honey details her experience being assaulted by a high profile figure, and her subsequent fight to find out why details of her ordeal made it into the tabloids. You can buy Don't Let It Break You, Honey HERE**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with ITV News presenter Charlene White.Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett, Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did the case to prosecute rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs fail? Who's to blame for Rachel Reeve's terrible week? Should kids be taught to read faster? Giles Whittell is joined by a trio of Observer reporters. Cat Neilan is the Whitehall Editor, Vanessa Thorpe is the Media and Arts reporter and Stephen Armstrong, who has been covering the Diddy trial for the paper. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Listen to Stephen's episode of the Sensemaker about the Diddy Trial here https://tinyurl.com/ysz3s2dy Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Keir Starmer facing his most significant rebellion yet? Why is Chinese billionaire Justin Sun being accused of buying access to Donald Trump? And what should Health Secretary Wes Streeting focus on if he wants to fix the NHS? Rebecca Moore is joined by host of the Westminster Inside podcast Sascha O'Sullivan, alongside The Observer's Patricia Clarke and Jon Ungoed-Thomas, as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Listen to Westminster Insider here: Read everything mentioned in the episode here: Patricia's article - Trump's top crypto investor edges closer to the seat of American power - HEREThe private trials of Keir Starmer by Tom Baldwin - HERE The Verge's reporting on Justin Sun - HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are TV audiences for women's sport falling? Was the Nato summit a victory lap for Donald Trump? And who is Zohran Mamdani, the charismatic progressive running for New York City Mayor?Giles Whittell is joined by Katie Riley, data editor at The Observer; Jessica Hayden, The Observer's assistant sports editor and author of The Red Roses: Behind the Scenes with the England Women's Rugby Team; and Ivo Daalder, former US ambassador to Nato and foreign policy advisor to President Obama.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has Netanyahu got the Middle East exactly where he wants it? How will Iran respond to the US strikes on its nuclear facilities? Will the the conflict in the region change British politics forever?Rebecca Moore is joined by the journalists Rana Rahimpour and Jotam Confino, and former advisor to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, as they battle it out for the top story of the day. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde AndrewsFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer Producers: Poppy Bullard Executive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of Audio To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Ayatollah Khamenei becoming increasingly isolated? Who's got Donald Trump's ear in the decision to strike Iran? How can we find out what's happening on the ground in Gaza?Jess Winch is joined by the Observer's Head of Audio Jasper Corbett, journalist Rana Rahimpour and the author of Prisoners of Geography, Tim Marshall, as they battle it out for the top story of the day. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde AndrewsListen to The hunt for Iran's next Supreme Leader - HERE Buy Prisoners of Geography https://observershop.co.uk/prisoners-of-geography-9781783968596/Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jess Winch, Managing EditorProducers: Casey Magloire and Poppy Bullard Executive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of Audio To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could the latest developments in Iran and Israel end the Cold War of the Middle East? Why has it taken 40 years to start the process of identifying the bodies of 800 unknown babies in Ireland? And will President Trump's MAGA support base buy into his family's latest venture? Rebecca Moore is joined by the Observer's managing editor Jess Winch, NPR's Lauren Frayer and co-host of Good Bad Billionaire Zing Tsjeng, as they battle it out for the top story of the day. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde AndrewsFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of Audio To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of The News Meeting, Jess Winch is joined by Jerusalem-based reporter Noga Tarnopolsky, along with The Observer's Chloe Hadjimatheou and Stephen Armstrong. Together, they unpack the Middle East conflict through the perspectives of America, Israel and Iran.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde AndrewsFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jess Winch, Managing editor at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OpenAI's Sam Altman self-publishes chat GPT's water and energy consumption for the first time, but how can tech companies continue to expand in a more sustainable way? How will RFK Jr's appointment of known anti-vaxers to the CDC panel shape vaccination policy in the US? And are generational labels a problematic myth? Following Israeli strikes on Iran, The Observer's Chloe Hadjimatheou and Jess Winch discuss the latest developments in the Middle East.Then, Jess Winch is joined by award winning journalist and best selling author of Empire of AI Karen Hao; plus, The Observer's Alexi Mostrous and James Tapper, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews ** Links to everything mentioned in the episode: Get your copy of Karen's book Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination HEREWatch Karen's full conversation with Patricia Clarke at the Observer Bookclub live HEREListen to Alexi's podcast series, Dr Anti-Vax HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jess Winch, Managing editor at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's behind the president's decision to deploy the National Guard in response to protests over immigration raids? Is Greta Thunberg's journey aboard the detained Madleen flotilla the most effective way to highlight the plight of Gazans? And how should we tackle the soaring water use of AI?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Katie Gunning, Jon Ungoed-thomas and Serena Cesareo, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why has the American Evangelical leader Johnnie Moore been chosen to chair the Gaza Humanitarian Fund? How will slipping data collection standards in the US undermine critics of the Trump administration? What is the rationale behind President Donald Trump's latest travel ban placed on 12 countries? Giles Whittell is joined by journalist Anu Anand, along with The Observer's Katie Riley and Jasper Corbett, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his stark new film on the fishing industry, David Attenborough warns we're "almost out of time" to save the oceans. Are Nigel Farage's calls to change UK abortion laws the start of a new culture war? And with Thames Water in crisis, should the government step in?James Harding is joined by Pod Save the UK's Coco Khan, along with The Observer's Basia Cummings and Miranda Sawyer, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews ** Listen to Coco Khan on Pod Save the UK HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: James Harding, editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK government's new Strategic Defence Review says it's time for British citizens to step up. In southern Gaza, the Red Cross says 21 people were “declared dead on arrival” at a field hospital after an incident near an aid distribution centre. And could Ukraine's Operation Spider's Web change the face of modern warfare?Giles Whittell is joined by Media Storm's Mathilda Mallinson along with The Observer's Cat Neilan and Jasper Corbett, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.To read Cat's article about the Strategic Defence Review click here.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE at SXSW on Wednesday 4th June - with Coco Khan and Miranda SawyerLIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Rebecca MooreExecutive Producer: Katie GunningTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the book is good, do we care if it was written by AI? Should we be concerned by the distribution of aid in Gaza by non-UN services? A team of British climbers recently reached Everest's summit in just five days after using xenon gas to boost performance. Does this kind of enhancement challenge traditional ideas of mountaineering achievement?Giles Whittell is joined by author, political adviser, and foreign policy specialist Chloe Dalton along with the Observer's Claudia Williams and Vanessa Thorpe, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE at SXSW on Wednesday 4th June - with Coco Khan and Miranda SawyerLIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What links Elon Musk's business ties in South Africa to the US president's attack on Cyril Ramaphosa? Will AI hit women in the workforce hardest? And could the case of Adriana Smith - a brain-dead pregnant woman being kept alive because she's pregnant - reshape abortion laws in states like Georgia?Giles Whittell is joined by writer and journalist Marisa Bate, along with Observer reporters Stephen Armstrong and Phoebe Davis, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from Hay Festival on Thursday 29th May - with Chloe Dalton LIVE at SXSW on Wednesday 4th June - with Coco KhanLIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Read more of Phoebe's reporting on abortion laws in the UK here: Police could search homes and phones after pregnancy lossProsecuted, shamed and traumatised for mistake of taking abortion pills too lateFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper's book, Original Sin alleges that officials working for Biden's administration tried to keep what they describe as the president's mental decline hidden. Is the media guilty of sensationalising Cassie Ventura's testimony and the trial involving Sean ‘Diddy' Combs? Why are changes to the fisheries policies between the EU and UK causing such a fuss?Giles Whittell is joined by Anu Anand, Stephen Armstrong and Patricia Clarke as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live:LIVE from Hay Festival on Thursday 29th May - with Chloe Dalton LIVE at SXSW on Wednesday 4th June - with Coco KhanLIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Read more about the team's guilty pleasure news stories here:British mountaineer breaks his own record for most Everest climbs by a non-NepaliListen to more of the Observer's coverage on today's stories here: The Slow Newscast: The Clooney Intervention The Case against Sean CombsFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producers: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did Bradley Wiggins seek advice from disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong to help him recover from cocaine addiction? What does the indictment of a US judge tell us about President Trump's plans to take on the judiciary? How is a law from the 1800s being used to criminalise women who have abortions in 2025? Jess Winch is joined by Marie Le Conte, Rowan Moore and Andrew Butler, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day.**Join us at the News Meeting Live:LIVE from Hay Festival on Thursday 29th May - with Chloe Dalton LIVE at SXSW on Wednesday 4th June - with Coco KhanLIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 17 June - with Zing Tsjeng and NPR's Lauren Frayer LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Read The Observer's exclusive - Bradley Wiggins: ‘I was a functioning cocaine addict' HERERead Marie's column on cricket: ‘It's like a summer fling, but I'm not sure cricket is for me' HERERead more about the team's guilty pleasure news stories here:Gunnersbury women's cricket club celebrate hitting historic centuryThe Cybertruck was supposed to be apocalypse-proof. Can it even survive a trip to the grocery store?How Video Game Sex Scenes Are MadeFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jess Winch, managing editor at The ObserverProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producers: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.