The News Meeting

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 the team’s Must Reads here: Sarina Wiegman, the tough England manager who could win us the EurosIlliberal land: Hungary’s empire of ideas‘A relentless, destructive energy’: inside the trial of Constance Marten and Mark GordonListen to the Retreat from Kabul parts One and Two**Join us at the News Meeting Live HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles Whittell, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Producer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 HEREAnd you can read Francisco’s Must Read HERE**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with ITV News presenter Charlene White.Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett, Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chloe Hadjimatheou, an investigative reporter for The Observer, and Alexi Mostrous, the investigations editor, delve into the controversy surrounding the bestselling memoir, The Salt Path. They discuss the allegations of authenticity regarding the author's experiences with homelessness and the literary implications of such discrepancies. The podcast also examines the emotional resonance of the memoir's claims on health, public reactions, and the ethical dilemmas of portraying personal narratives. Their insights shed light on the complexities of truth in memoir storytelling.

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 subsequent fight to find out why details of her ordeal made it into the tabloids. You can buy Don’t Let It Break You, Honey HERE**Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with ITV News presenter Charlene White.Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett, Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ObserverProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com 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 - HEREThe private trials of Keir Starmer by Tom Baldwin - HERE The Verge’s reporting on Justin Sun - HEREFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Matt Russell, Deputy Head of AudioTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com 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 ObserverProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Rebecca MooreTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com 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 AndrewsFollow 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 contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com 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 AndrewsListen 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 EditorProducers: 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 contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com 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 AndrewsFollow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Rebecca Moore, Executive ProducerProducer: Casey MagloireExecutive 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 contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.