Promises were made after the US seizure of the Marinera, but 18 ships have since passed through the Dover straits carrying oil to fund the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine

A recent survey by the Key Cities group found that 60% of their member councils - which include places like Bath, Hull and Medway in Kent - were planning on selling off things like shopping arcades and social clubs to pay for the rising costs of social care.   Host: Ada Barume Writer: Becky Pinnington and Poppy Bullard Producer: Madeleine Parr Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive producer: Matt Russel

Congressman vows to prevent government insiders ‘lining their pockets’

A Russian spy ship has directed lasers at Royal Air Force pilots monitoring its movements near UK waters. What is President Vladimir Putin trying to achieve with this latest provocation? Scotland has qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Can this rare moment of sporting joy help unite the nation? Meanwhile, councils are weighing up the sale of youth and community centres. What consequences could these closures have for local communities?   Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Assistant Sports Editor, Jessica Hayden, Data and Graphics reporter, Becky Pinnington, and Contributing Editor on National Security, Bernard Gray, as they battle it out to pitch the top stories of the day.    Get your ticket for the News Meeting Live HERE    **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 Whitell   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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists  

Australian singer taps into British nostalgia to end Wham!’s winning streak with her crowdpleaser XMAS

Fears are growing that the quality of Office for National Statistics figures could affect vital decision-making

Two thirds of funds given to Nigel Farage’s party this parliament have come from donors with overseas interests

Official data suggests the capital may be safer than at any time in the past half century, beating other major cities