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: [email protected] 

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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

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

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: [email protected] 

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: 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.

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: [email protected] 

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 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.

How much money Donald Trump has made from cryptocurrency? Why have rumours about Taylor Swift’s wedding led to an online betting frenzy? Are Silicon Valley whistleblowers under greater threat than ever before?

Jeevan Vasagar is joined by the Observer’s Technology Editor Patricia Clarke, Social Media Editor Caitlin Macdonald, and Reporter Jon Ungoed-Thomas as they battle it out to pitch the top story of the day. 

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

• @ObserverUK on X 
• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
• @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 

Host: Jeevan Vasagar

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.

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: [email protected] 

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 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.

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: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

• @ObserverUK on X 
• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
• @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 

Host: Jeevan Vasagar

Producer: Amalie Sortland

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 

Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

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

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: [email protected] 

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 Producer: Poppy Bullard

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.

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: [email protected] 

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: 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.

Why has Pope Leo written 42,000 words warning about the dangers of AI? Why is Britain at risk of ‘losing’ a generation of young people? And what does the European heatwave have to do with the fairness of tennis? 

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s John Simpson, Jessy Parker Humphreys 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: [email protected] 

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 Producer: Poppy Bullard

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.

Married at First Sight UK has been pulled off air after allegations of rape during filming were made by former participants. What does this tell us about safeguarding in reality TV? Why might Rachel Reeves’s newly announced cuts on food tariffs negatively affect our health? And why has a football club admitted to spying?

Jeevan Vasager is joined by The Observer’s James Tapper, Madeleine Parr and Andrew Butler as they battle it out and pitch the top stories of the day. 

Note: This episode contains mentions of sexual violence and suicide.

**We want to hear what you think! Email us at: [email protected] 

Follow us on Social Media: 

• @ObserverUK on X 
• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
• @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky 

Host: Jeevan Vasager

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Poppy Bullard

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.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announces he’s resigning from government in an attempt to force Sir Keir Starmer out of Downing Street. Has the Labour leadership contest officially started? What can we learn from US Donald Trump’s summit with China’s Xi Jinping? And why are young people facing a significant retirement crisis?

Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer’s Stephen Armstrong, Cat Neilan 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: [email protected] 

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 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.