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The Observer

Every Monday and Friday three journalists battle it out to try and convince the editor that their pitch should lead the news. 

Discover what goes on behind the scenes in a newsroom. Why do some stories dominate, while others fail to make the cut?

Tell us if you agree with the final running order - email newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.com 

Book your place at a news meeting live in our newsroom - https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events 

Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore

Producer: Casey Magloire

Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to:

 • Our podcasts before anyone else
 • A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week
 • Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword
 • Recipes for every occasion
 • Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online

Click here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month.

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

Tortoise News

What will the UK government do about xAI’s Grok? Can a 1000-year-old tapestry really help repair European diplomacy? And how does ICE use data to identify who gets deported?

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Head of News, Alex O’Connell, Fronts Editor, Evan Moffitt and Data and Graphics reporter, Bex Sander. 

Please come and see us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 29th of January: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-7 

Listen to the new Tortoise Investigates series ‘The Walkers: The real Salt Path’ wherever you listen to podcasts now: https://observer.co.uk/listen/the-walkers-the-real-salt-path 

**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 Whittell

Producer: Amalie Sortland and Casey Magloire

Executive Producer: Katie Gunning

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 do US immigration agents track people down?

How can we tell what’s really happening on the ground in Iran? Why are murder rates falling in London? And are ICE agents immune from legal accountability?

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

Please come and see us at the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 29th of January: https://observer.co.uk/our-events/the-news-meeting-live-7 

**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 Corbett

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Katie Gunning

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’s really happening on the ground in Iran?

How did the seizure of a Russian oil tanker unfold? Is President Trump’s crypto-profeteering a bigger scandal than Watergate? And with the United States turning 250, is this a time to reflect on the UK-US special relationship? 

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Vanessa Thorpe and James Tapper, plus special guest - the host of The Making of Musk: Understood, Jacob Silverman. Today they battle it out to see who can pitch the story that should lead the news.

You can find Understood wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/NewsMeetingxMoM 

**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 Whittell 

Producer: Casey Magloire 

Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Gary Marshall 

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to:

 • Our podcasts before anyone else
 • A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week
 • Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword
 • Recipes for every occasion
 • Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online

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

Why did the US seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker?

Will captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro get a fair trial in the US? Who is driving American foreign policy? How would Trump’s supporters view a military campaign?

Jasper Corbett is joined by The Observer’s Washington Correspondent Hugh Tomlinson, Reporter Phoebe Davis, and lawyer Robert McWhirter as they give their assessment on the situation in Venezuela. 

**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 Corbett

Producer: Poppy Bullard

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 next for Venezuela?

Will the world turn against AI? Could the England men’s team finally win the World Cup? And who is the mysterious backbencher preparing to challenge Keir Starmer?

Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer’s consulting editor for comment, Erica Wagner; deputy sports editor, Andrew Butler; and Whitehall editor, Cat Neilan, as they look ahead to the stories set to shape 2026.

**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: Rebecca Moore

Producer: Casey Magloire and 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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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

What will be the biggest stories of 2026?

It has been a busy year! The Epstein files were released, Prince Andrew is no longer a prince, The Lionesses won the Euros and Ozempic has taken hold of Hollywood. And they are just a few non-Donald Trump related headlines.

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Jeevan Vasagar, Poppy Bullard and Jessy Parker Humphreys, as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the year. 

**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 Whittell 

Producer: Casey Magloire & Amalie Sortland

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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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

2025’s biggest stories of the year

Will European countries decide to give billions of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine? What did we learn about Trump’s White House from Vanity Fair’s 11 months of reporting? How should the government respond to the Palestine Action hunger strikers?

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Senior Producer Katie Gunning, Data and Graphics Editor Katie Riley, and Data Reporter Hannah Schuller as they battle it out for the top story of the day. 

Find the team’s must reads:

All Cock, No Wok

**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 Whittell

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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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

Palestine Action hunger strikers

It’s been a huge year for British sport: the Lionesses roared to victory in the Euros this summer, the Red Roses won the Women's Rugby World Cup and Lando Norris won Formula 1 drivers' championship.

In such a record-breaking year across the sports, who deserves to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year? This year’s contenders are: Hannah Hampton, Chloe Kelly, Ellie Kildunne, Luke Littler, Rory McIlroy and Lando Norris.

Andrew Butler is joined by The Observer’s Assistant Sports Editor Jess Hayden, alongside sports reporters Jessy Parker Humphreys and George Simms, as they go head-to-head to debate who deserves to take home SPOTY.

Vote for who you think should win here: https://www.smartsurvey.com/t/observersport/ 

**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 Butler

Producer: Amalie Sortland

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 Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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

Who should win Sports Personality of the Year?

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the shooting attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, an act of terrorism and anti-semitism. The Washington Post has introduced AI-generated podcasts, and pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of national security offences.

Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer’s technology reporter Patricia Clarke, senior researcher Serena Cesareo, and our very own producer Casey Magloire, as they battle it out to 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: Rebecca Moore

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.

The terror attack on Bondi Beach

The Iranian leader said the water problem in the capital “cannot be solved” and has suggested evacuating the city’s nearly ten million residents. Iran and Egypt, two countries that criminalise homosexuality, were picked to play the World Cup’s Pride Match in Seattle. And some councils are now regularly paying more than £250,000 a year to support children with special educational needs.

Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer reporters Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Jessy Parker Humphreys, and Fronts Editor Evan Moffitt, as they battle it out to 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: Rebecca Moore

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Gary Marshall

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 happens if Tehran runs out of water next week?

What should lead the news? Three people pitch the story they think matters most to Tortoise editor-in-chief James Harding.

Rishi Sunak has sacked his home secretary and appointed a former prime minister as foreign secretary. Rory Stewart, former cabinet minister and author of ‘Politics on the Edge’, joins the Tortoise team to discuss that and the situation at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital.

You can listen to a longer conversation between Rory Stewart and James Harding about his book, his political career and what he might do next in a bonus episode, which will be out on Wednesday.

What do you think should lead the news? Email your stories to newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.com.

The producer was Rebecca Moore and the executive producer was Lewis Vickers. 

For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. 

For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.

If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable.

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

Rory Stewart on David Cameron’s return and Suella Braverman’s sacking

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