The News Meeting

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 bat...

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 Ja...

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 t...

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...

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...

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...

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 jo...

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 the...

Is youth mobility on the cards for Labour’s post-Brexit plan with Europe? Why is it so hard to record incidents of spiking? How will Labour’s immigration plan affect international students and higher education?  Giles Whittell is joined by Rebecca Myers, Katie Riley and Cat Neilan, as they battle to pitch the top story of the day. **Join us at the News Meeting Live LIVE from Hay Festival on T...

How will Labour’s immigration legislation affect the UK’s care sector? What are the potential conflicts of interests if Trump accepts a jet from Qatar? The Indian Premier League is set to return after the competition was suspended amid rising tension in Kashmir, but what does this tell us about India's power in international cricket?  Rebecca Moore is joined by Orwell Prize winning Pete Apps,...

As tensions rise between the two nuclear powers and US remains noticeably missing from the world stage, who will be the guarantor of peace between India and Pakistan? What does the new US-UK trade deal tell us about the new world order? Elon Musk is stepping away from Doge, was his time in government a success or costly failure?  Jess Winch is joined by author Quinn Slobodian and The Observer...

Why are there calls to return British art like the original Winnie-the-Pooh doll from America to the UK? Trump and Zelensky have finally signed the US-Ukraine mineral deal, but who is the real winner? With wedding season approaching, what lengths are people willing to take to look slimmer on the big day? Rebecca Moore is joined by Jeevan Vasagar, James Tapper and Vanessa Thorpe, as they battle to...

What do councils do with the money they get from renting public spaces out for festivals? How will the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of a woman impact our day-to-day lives? And North Korea has confirmed it sent troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine. Giles Whittell is joined by Rebecca Moore, Chloe Hadjimatheou and Miranda Sawyer as they battle to pitch the top story of the day. **...

Donald Trump has failed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, how frustrated is he with Russia’s latest round of attacks on Kyiv? Ofcom published its news set of rules tech firms must comply with - or else. And how have the devastating attacks in Kashmir reignited tensions between India and Pakistan?  Giles Whittell is joined by Rebecca Moore, Stephen Armstrong and Cat Neilan, as they battle to...

What does the government’s takeover of the Scunthorpe steelworks mean for the future of UK industry? Why is a bin strike in Birmingham exposing deep cracks in Britain’s social fabric? And who’s paying the price for Trump’s cuts to US foreign aid? Rebecca Moore is joined by Katie Gunning, Stephen Armstrong and NPR’s Lauren Frayer as they battle to pitch the top story of the day. **Join us at the ne...

A few hours before he announced a 90-day pause on tariffs, the president posted “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT” on social media. Why has this led to accusations he manipulated the market for his own gain? The popularity of companion AI chatbots is rapidly increasing, but what safety nets are in place to protect young people? How have Big Law firms in America reacted to Trump 2.0? Rebecca Moor...

The United Nations says 15 medics have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, could this mark a turning point in how the West responds to the war? Is Keir Starmer right to suggest Donald Trump’s tariffs spell the end of globalisation? And with trillions wiped off global markets, will the President retreat from his punchy new policy? Giles Whittell is joined by Jasper Corbett, Chloe Hadjimatheou an...

Will President Trump’s global tariff hike force countries to forge new alliances beyond the US? What is the government’s plan to tackle the problems involving young boys in Netflix’s Adolescence ? And why are doctors sounding the alarm over the return of Victorian-era diseases? Jess Winch is joined by the Observer’s Rebecca Myers, along with Jasper Corbett and Stephen Armstrong from Tortoise, as t...

One of the largest earthquakes in decades has wrecked parts of Myanmar, but how does a country still grappling with civil war and military rule handle a natural disaster of this scale? The Guardian investigates why senior Tory Lords and MPs are lobbying to thwart the renters’ reform bill. What does Prince Harry’s bullying allegations, brought forward by his former charity chief, reveal about the w...

Will there be any repercussions after top US security officials accidentally added the editor of the Atlantic to a Signal group used to plan airstrikes in Yemen? New government, new Spring Statement, but is this the same old politics? And why we need to talk about the growing fashion scene in Bath. Giles Whittell is joined by journalist Anu Anand, Bath Spa University Chancellor Sharanjit Leyl and...

Have the disruptions at Heathrow airport revealed key weaknesses in the UK’s infrastructure? Is the US looking to pull out of Ukraine so it can focus on a potential war with China? And what will happen to millions of people’s genetic data now that 23andMe has declared bankruptcy?  Giles Whittell is joined by Sky News’ Yalda Hakim, alongside Tortoise’s Patricia Clarke and Cat Neilan, as they e...

What is President Trump’s “voluntary transfer plan” for Gaza residents? As Trump clashes with a federal judge over mass deportation, is the Supreme Court willing to stand up to the President? Who were the Navajo code talkers, and why was their wartime legacy briefly erased from US military websites? Jess Winch is joined by Tortoise’s Katie Riley, Chloe Hadjimatheou and Jasper Corbett, as they each...

Are welfare reforms Labour’s only hope of saving money ahead of the Spring Statement? Who are the hundreds of Venezuelans who have been forcibly removed from the US? And what is the media getting wrong when it comes to reporting on femicide by an intimate partner? Giles Whittell is joined by Media Storm podcast hosts Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia, along with Claudia Williams from Tortoise, a...

Is potential deportation of Mahmoud Khalil proof that Donald Trump will use cancel culture against his loudest critics? If misogyny is a political ideology, should the Southport murderer's crime be classed as terrorism? Why health professionals are struggling to treat teenagers addicted to vaping. Giles Whittell is joined by founder and host of The Young Turks, Cenk Uygur. Plus,Tortoise’s Katie Ri...

Is King Charles’ new Apple playlist a savvy PR move or just a bid for relevance? Mark Carney is Canada's new prime minister; are technocrats the best leaders to combat Trump 2.0? How will the Reform party’s internal battle impact the next British election? Jeevan Vasagar is joined by Orwell Prize-winning author and Inside Housing contributing editor, Pete Apps. Plus,Tortoise’s Katie Riley and Kati...