What do the latest revelations about Peter Mandelson’s appointment tell us about Keir Starmer’s leadership? What are the long term implications of Iran and the US blocking the Strait of Hormuz? And is climate change’s impact on pollen the source of our hay fever problems? 

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer reporter James Tapper, producer and reporter Poppy Bullard and sports reporter Jessy Parker Humphreys, to decide the top story of the day.

**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

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

Pope Leo has publicly criticised President Trump’s actions in Iran, but what does this mean for the Christian MAGA followers caught in the middle? Is the UK government divided over defence spending? And how consequential is the end of Victor Orban’s grip on Hungary, following his sweeping election defeat? 

Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Cat Neilan, John Simpson and Stephen Armstrong  as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. 

**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: Jeevan Vasagar

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

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

Why does the Artemis II mission around the moon matter? Are concerns around Anthropic’s new AI model Mythos justified? And who has the upper hand in the ceasefire agreement between the US-Israel and Iran?

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s technology reporter, Patricia Clarke, reporter Phoebe Davis and Deputy Comment Editor, Erica Wagner, to decide the top story of the day.

**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: Amalie Sortland

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

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

What can NASA's latest rocket launch teach us about our bodies? Is shared house ownership worth it? And what does the return of Kanye West tell us about our relationship with musicians?

Jeevan Vasagar is joined by Jessica Hayden, The Observer’s assistant sports editor; Ada Barumé, producer; and Phoebe Davis, reporter, to see who can pitch the top story of the day. 

**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: Jeevan Vasagar

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

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

Join our events – observer.co.uk/our-events

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

What does AI chatbots have to do with violence against women and girls? Why have Meta and Google been found liable for social media addiction? And could Nigel Farage's visit to Ipswich Town's Portman Road be the start of Reform’s relationship with football?

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s technology reporter, Patricia Clarke, deputy sports editor, Andrew Butler, and data reporter, Hannah Schuller, to see who can pitch the top story of the day. 

**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: 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.

Why did President Donald Trump postpone his deadline to strike Iranian power plants? How is the Iran war impacting the cost of living in the UK? And is there a pattern to anti-semitic attacks in the UK? 

To battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news, Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer reporter Stephen Armstrong, producer Ada Barumé and Head of Data and Graphics, Katie Riley.

Come along to the next The News Meeting LIVE, right in our newsroom, this Thursday at 6:30 pm! Get your ticket at observer.co.uk/our-events. 

**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.

Why has a recent blackout in Cuba sparked questions about a potential conflict with the US? How concerned should we be about the spread of meningitis? And why did Kenya introduce menstrual leave for workers? 

Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Evan Moffit, Elaine McCallig and James Tapper as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. 

**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: Jeevan Vasagar

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.

Why is President Donald Trump asking NATO for help in the Iran war? What’s going to happen with the hundreds of thousands who are displaced in Lebanon? And what is the Labour government going to do about the nearly one million young people who are out of work? 

To battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news, Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer reporters Stephen Armstrong, Hannah Schuller and Bex Sander.

**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.

How did a British man end up being charged for allegedly filming Iranian missiles in Dubai? A tranche of new files raise questions about what the Labour government knew about Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein before appointing him UK ambassador to the US. What could the files mean for Keir Starmer’s future as Prime Minister? And why is the Edinburgh International Festival facing backlash?

To battle out who can pitch the story that should lead the news, Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Arts and Media Editor Vanessa Thorpe, News Reporter Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Assistant Sports Editor Jess Hayden.

**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: 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.

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] 

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.