The News Meeting

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 th...

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...

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 th...

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. Link...

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 T...

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...

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, repor...

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...

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-pilled R...

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 New...

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....

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:&nb...

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 t...

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...

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 HERE And you can read Francisco’s Must Read HERE **...

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 Sens...

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...

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 M...

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 i...

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...

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...

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...

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 Bill...

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...

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 J...