How and why is the war in Iran impacting oil prices? What do we know about the new supreme leader of Iran? And how damaging will Keir Starmer's fracturing relationship with President Donald Trump prove to be?

To battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news, Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer reporters Poppy Bullard, Stephen Armstrong and Serena Cesareo.

Listen to ‘Stephen Miller’s America’ episode on the Slow Newscast HERE.

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

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Host: Jasper Corbett

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Casey Magloire

To find out more about The Observer:

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Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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Why has the Home Secretary banned student visa applications for people from Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Cameroon? How will the recent conflict between the US and Iran impact the Men’s Football World Cup? How are senior members of the US army using religious language to bolster support for the conflict with Iran?

Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer’s Andrew Butler, Erica Wagner and Hannah Schuller, as they battle it out to see who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

@ObserverUK on X 

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Host: Jasper Corbett

Producer: Casey Magloire 

Executive Producer: Matt Russell and Jasper Corbett 

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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In this episode we discuss the US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend. How did the situation unfold and what are the wider ramifications for the region?

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s International Editor Steve Bloomfield, Narrative Editor Chloe Hadjimatheou and Middle East expert and author Jotam Confino. 

Subscribe to our newsletters HERE for a wide array of digital stories and columns straight from The Observer newsroom.

Listen to Chloe Hadjimatheou’s Slow Newscast documentary on ‘The hunt for Iran's next Supreme Leader’ HERE.

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

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• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
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Host: Giles Whittell 

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Casey Magloire

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politicians broke away from tradition and discussed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in Parliament this week - does this signal the end of deference? The number of people living in asylum hotels has dropped, but what’s behind this trend? Popular influencer Clavicular is the face of a growing community of looksmaxxers who are taking over the internet. What is looksmaxxing and why is it so popular? 

To battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news, Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Whitehall Editor Cat Neilan, and two newcomers; writer, journalist and host of Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on Sunday, Sir Trevor Phillips, and award-winning documentary maker and journalist, Benjamin Zand. 

Read ‘Clavicular didn’t invent ‘looksmaxxing’ – gay men have been at it for a long time’ on The Observer website HERE.

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

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Host: Giles Whittell 

Producer: Casey Magloire and Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Casey Magloire

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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What does a bomb explosion in the Ukrainian city of Lviv tell us about where Russia’s war in Ukraine might be going? How will the UK be affected by President Donald Trump’s new 15% global tariff? And what might be behind the killing of El Mencho, the most-wanted cartel boss in Mexico?

Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer’s Poppy Bullard, Elaine McCallig and Bex Sander as they battle it out to see who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

Please come and see us this Thursday, the 26th of February, for the next The News Meeting Live: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-8 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

• @ObserverUK on X 
• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
• @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 

Host: Jasper Corbett

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Casey Magloire

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew the Duke of York, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

In this episode, Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Political Editor Rachel Sylvester, Home Affairs Editor John Simpson and Professor of the History of Monarchy at City, University of London, Anna Whitelock. They discuss the details of the arrest, possible fallout and impact on the Monarchy.  

Join us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 26th of February: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-8 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

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: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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Why are Britain and its European allies backing the conclusion that the Kremlin poisoned Alexei Navalny? What’s driving a growing measles outbreak in London? And why is the UK’s top military official framing rearmament as a moral necessity?

Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer’s Hannah Schuller, Phoebe Davis and Francisco Garcia as they  battle it out to see who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

Please come and see us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 26th of February: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-8 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

• @ObserverUK on X 
• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
• @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 

Host: Jasper Corbett

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Casey Magloire

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should the government consider implementing a graduate tax to make the tuition repayment system fairer? What did Jim Ratcliffe get wrong about immigration in the UK? And do we need to get serious about carbon capturing? 

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Andrew Butler, Ada Barumé and James Tapper as they battle it out to see who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

Join us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 26th of February: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-8 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

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: Matt Russell and Jasper Corbett 

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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Two senior aides to Keir Starmer have resigned. What does this tell us about where his leadership is heading? What do mass layoffs at The Washington Post mean for journalism? And why did Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl half-time show so irked Donald Trump? 

Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer’s Whitehall Editor Cat Neilan, producer Casey Magloire and Digital Production Editor Elaine McCallig to battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

Please come and see us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 26th of February: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-8 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

• @ObserverUK on X 
• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
• @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 

Host: Jasper Corbett

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Matt Russell

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has apologised for appointing Peter Mandelson to his cabinet, but will that be enough to keep him in Downing Street? With an internet blackout impacting the flow of information out of Iran, how can journalists report on the ongoing atrocities? And as soldiers in Ukraine face an unrelenting winter, is a turning point in the conflict around the corner? 

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer reporters Serena Cesareo and Jon Ungoed Thomas, and International Editor Steve Bloomfield to battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

Join us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 26th of February: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-8 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

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: Matt Russell

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.