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 Observer

Producer: Poppy Bullard

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore

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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 [email protected]

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 - HERE
• The private trials of Keir Starmer by Tom Baldwin - HERE 
• The Verge’s reporting on Justin Sun - HERE

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, Deputy Head of Audio

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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 [email protected]

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 Observer

Producer: Poppy Bullard

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore

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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 [email protected]

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 Andrews

Follow 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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

If 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 [email protected]

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 Andrews

Listen 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 Editor

Producers: 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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

If 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 [email protected]

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 Andrews

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, Deputy Head of Audio 

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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 [email protected]

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 Andrews

Follow us on Social Media: 

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

Host: Jess Winch, Managing editor at The Observer

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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

If 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 [email protected]

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 HERE
• Watch Karen’s full conversation with Patricia Clarke at the Observer Bookclub live HERE
• Listen to Alexi’s podcast series, Dr Anti-Vax HERE

Follow us on Social Media: 

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

Host: Jess Winch, Managing editor at The Observer

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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

If 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 [email protected]

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 Observer

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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

If 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 [email protected]

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 Observer

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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

If 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 [email protected]

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