The News Meeting

How seriously should world leaders take warnings of rogue AI models? Should people be allowed to bet on the trials of new medicines? Why did Ed Sheeran drop his support act, Macklemore, from his tour?Giles Whittell is joined by Cat Neilan, the Observer’s Whitehall editor, Caitlin Macdonald, social media editor and James Tapper, Observer reporter, as they battle it out to pitch the top story of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Poppy BullardExecutive Producer: Jasper CorbettTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Why has President Trump promised Americans $5000 dollars each if Republicans win the midterms elections? How seriously should we take former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon's earnest warning that AI will kill humanity? What do job cuts at Jaguar Land Rover tell us about the British economy? Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Hannah Schuller, Jessica Hayden and Ben Zaranko as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day.Listen to The Endgame wherever you listen to podcasts: https://observer.co.uk/listen/endgame **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jeevan VasagarProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Poppy BullardTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Why has Andy Burnham pledged to save the Jodrell Bank Observatory? Will the Holborn and St Pancras by-election be the ultimate test for Green Party leader Zack Polanski? And is Russia’s hybrid war with Europe really hybrid? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Jon Ungoed-Thomas, Cat Neilan and Erica Wagner as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Katie GunningTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

What are the consequences of the devastating flash flood in Nepal, which has killed hundreds and left more than 1,000 people missing? Why does England’s cricket team keep finding itself in trouble, with yet another player caught up in a suspected drunken mishap? And should we all start stockpiling the cupboards with tinned food?Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Poppy Bullard, Andrew Butler and Ben Zaranko as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. Listen to The Wargame wherever you listen to podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wargame/id1547225334 **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jeevan VasagarProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Matt RussellTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Can Prime Minister Andy Burnham eradicate rough sleeping by Christmas? Why has the 1996 killing of hip hop legend Tupac Shakur returned to the headlines? And what could Disney and ABC’s lawsuit against the Trump administration mean for the future of press freedom?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s James Tapper, Evan Moffitt and Caitlin Macdonald as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Matt RussellTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Can Andy Burnham do anything to combat wildfires? What does the future of universities and further education look like for students? And are we reaching a crunch point with global shipping?Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Cat Neilan, Hannah Schuller and Ben Zaranko as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jeevan VasagarProducer: Matt RussellTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Why are AI models hacking real companies? How will the ongoing drought affect our domestic food supply? And what is the political and humanitarian fallout after around 70,000 migrants swam from Morocco into Spain’s Ceuta enclave last week?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Hannah Schuller, Jonathan Lewis and Jon Ungoed-Thomas as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Giles WhittellProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Matt RussellTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Why are we experiencing so many wildfires in the UK? How is Prime Minister Andy Burnham proposing to reform adult social care? And is the future of the World Cup in jeopardy over FIFA’s controversial investment plans?Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Stephen Armstrong, Cat Neilan and Andrew Butler as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Host: Jeevan VasagarProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive Producer: Matt Russell and Poppy BullardTo 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Why did an OpenAI model go rogue? What does Ukraine's targeting of a Russian online retailer say about the war? And who is behind India's 'cockroach' protests?Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s James Tapper, Poppy Bullard and Hannah Schuller as they battle it out to pitch the top story of the day. **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok@theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists