The News Meeting

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

Why can’t England’s men’s football team win a major football tournament? Is Gen Z an economically selfish generation? And what kind of message is the government sending by nationalising British Steel?Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer’s Stephen Armstrong, Jessy Parker Humphreys and Ben Zaranko 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: Jasper CorbettProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive 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

With the US-Iran peace deal seemingly in tatters, and reporting restrictions on western media outlets, how can journalists figure out what’s actually going on in Iran? Why is Nigel Farage spending the summer arguing against a bin in the Clacton byelection? Has Donald Trump’s intervention over a red card at the World Cup undermined fans' trust in FIFA? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Hannah Schuller, Poppy Bullard and Andrew Butler 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: Amalie SortlandExecutive 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 might Andy Burnham move part of the Downing Street operations to Manchester? What happened to maternity care across Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust? And can we adapt our cities to extreme heat?Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Ben Zaranko, Jessy Parker-Humphreys and Evan Moffitt 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 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

Why are UK voters so anti-establishment? Why can’t we name the Putney Pusher suspect? And why is the government banning teenagers from having AI relationships? Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Sarah Dear, Stephen Armstrong and Cat Neilan 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 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

Who's calling the shots when World Cup staff and fans are denied entry? Can the US-Iran ceasefire survive another exchange of strikes? And why has the Belfast knife attack become about the Irish border?  Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s John Simpson, Hannah Schuller and Evan Moffitt 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: 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

This episode is a sports desk takeover ahead of the World Cup. What’s going to happen when Iran plays their first match on US soil? Why is FIFA facing allegations of trying to sell tickets using unofficial platforms? And could England win the World Cup? Andrew Butler, is joined by George Simms, Jessica Hayden and Rory Smith - as they battle it out to pitch the top World Cup 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: Andrew ButlerProducer: Amalie SortlandExecutive 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