The News Meeting

What happens if Tehran runs out of water next week?

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 [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

What happens to streaming if Netflix buys Warner Bros?

Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. - including its film and television studios, HBO Max, and HBO - is set to have major ripple effects on both TV and cinema. Meanwhile, the Kremlin is applauding the Trump administration’s newly released national security strategy. Why is Moscow welcoming it? A border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is turning deadly. How are natural resources fuelling the tension? Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer reporters Hannah Schuller and Stephen Armstrong, and Senior Writer Francisco Garcia, 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 [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 Executive Producers: Rebecca Moore & 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 [http://observer.co.uk/]  Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why has Wes Streeting launched a review into autism and ADHD diagnoses?

Will the next men’s football World Cup be the most politically tense in history? Did we learn anything from the latest round of peace talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s envoys? Is overdiagnosis of conditions like Autism and ADHD leading to worse outcomes for neurodiverse people? Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer’s Ides and Comment Editor Alex O’Connell, Deputy Sports Editor Andrew Butler, and journalist and author Julia Ioffe as they battle it out to pitch the top stories of the day.  Buy Julia Ioffe’s book from the Observer Bookshop: * Motherland [https://observershop.co.uk/motherland-9780008469665/] **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk [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: Poppy Bullard Executive Producer: Matt Russell 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 [http://observer.co.uk/]  Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why does Benjamin Netanyahu want to be pardoned?

Why did Prime Minister Keir Starmer decide to defend himself and the Chancellor over last week’s budget? Rightwing activist and regular GB News contributor Lucy White claimed Commons deputy speaker Nusrat Ghani should not be allowed in the house because she was born in Pakistan. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked President Isaac Herzog for a pardon in his corruption cases. Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Whitehall editor, Cat Neilan, senior researcher, Serena Cesareo, and producer Poppy Bullard, as they battle it out to pitch the top stories of the day.  Find the team’s Must Reads: * The Observer’s Global AI Index [https://observer.co.uk/data/global-ai] **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk [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 Executive Producers: Rebecca Moore & 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 [http://observer.co.uk/]  Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why wasn’t Rachel Reeves’ budget bolder?

Will the shooting of two National Guards in Washington DC change US politics forever? Should the UK roll out screening for prostate cancer? Did Chancellor Rachel Reeves miss an opportunity to gear up the economy for growth? Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer’s Cat Neilan, Steve Bloomfield and James Tapper, as they battle it out to pitch the top stories of the day.  Find the teams Must Reads: * Less WFH, more Lime, slower buses [https://www.londoncentric.media/p/tfl-london-transport-trends-buses-slower-lime-bikes-driving] **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk [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: Poppy Bullard Executive Producer: Matt Russell 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 [http://observer.co.uk/]  Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.