The actor on the Twin Peaks creator, Fallout and dancing to Charli XCX on social media

Did international tourists go on “sniper safaris” to Sarajevo during the siege in the mid-nineties? Why do some campaigners want to halt the new medical trial into the use of puberty blockers? What lies behind renewed efforts to find a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia?   Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Stephen Armstrong, Bex Sander and 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  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: 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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists  

Once a fertile ground for film directors and stars, agencies are now being pushed out of the market

In 2026, the UK government will decide whether to end terrestrial TV. Host: Katie Gunning Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Amalie Sortland Episode Photography: Joe Mee Executive producer: Matt Russell

The empire for sale includes HBO, CNN and a major film studio division

Which international peacekeeping forces might be present in Gaza, and what will their role be? Is the fact that kids on free school meals do worse in their GCSEs a symptom of a failed state? Does the Amazon outage show that the internet is too reliant on a small number of companies?   Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Stephen Armstrong, Bex Sander and Ruth Michaelson as they pitch their top story of the day.   

As RedBird Capital drops out, a new prospective buyer emerges

The French President and the First Lady of France are taking American right wing commentator Candace Owens to court in Delaware over bizarre claims the First Lady is transgender and the President is part of a CIA-backed mind-control programme, among many other conspiracy theories. But what are the First Lady and French President risking in doing so?

It remains unclear who has the confidence or capital to buy the long-standing newspaper

Who is responsible for breaking the ceasefire in Gaza? How might the Louvre heist thieves get away with selling jewels belonging to Napoleon's wife? Does Virginia Giuffre's memoir shed new light on the allegations against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and  Prince Andrew? Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Phoebe Davis and Stephen Armstrong, and the journalist and author Pete Apps, as they pitch their top story of the day.  

And it is almost certainly better than the alternative of no BBC

The US government says it has agreed a deal which would see a portion of TikTok owned by US investors.    Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Poppy Bullard Host: Ada Barume Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore  

The series notched up the BBC’s highest overnight ratings for almost a year and will benefit more than the victor’s named charity

Could Tiktok become MAGA-tok? What are the implications of recognising a Palestinian state? Should Rwanda be hosting an international cycling competition? Rebecca Moore is joined by The Observer's Stephen Armstrong, Bex Sander and Serena Cesareo as they pitch their top stories of the day.  

Regulators may block latest attempt to buy network in decline

Insiders tell the story of how the US Health Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has hollowed out the Center for Disease Control putting the whole world at risk in the event of another pandemic. 

Viewing figures for the hit show are unprecedented in modern times

With young people in Nepal using social media sites like Discord to organise protests, are we witnessing the South Asian Spring? How influential is Elon Musk in British politics following his message to the Unite the Kingdom protestors? And how did the Assad regime systematically steal hundreds of children from their families?    Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Patricia Clarke, Chloe Hadjimatheou and Stephen Armstrong, as they each try to pitch the top story of the day.  

Venture capitalists are striking more deals with influencers, but do they have the right business models to rival Hollywood

For the first time in decades, American Vogue, the leading fashion publication, has a new editorial head succeeding Anna Wintour, often regarded as the most powerful woman in the industry. Who is the new woman in charge?    Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Amalie Sortland Episode Photography: Joe Mee Executive producer: Jasper Corbett

Plans to move to internet-only streaming by 2035 may be moving too fast

Will Afghanistan get the aid it needs? Is China the new America when it comes to globalisation? Could a lawsuit from a dark corner of the internet affect the Online Safety Act? Rebecca Moore is joined by Observer reporters Stephen Armstrong, Phoebe Davis and Bex Sander as they pitch their stop stories of the day.  

By embracing private philanthropy, the sector has received record sums, however businesses are feeling burnt by protests

Will Zelensky find any success with Trump, in the wake of the Alaska Summit? What does the militarisation of Washington DC tell us about America's political direction? And why are MPs making TikToks?  Rebecca Moore is joined by the Financial Times' Working It Editor Isabel Berwick, Plus The  Observer's Katie Riley and Stephen Armstrong, as each try to pitch the top story of the day.

The French first couple will face rightwing commentator Candace Owens in a Delaware court after her bizarre CIA claims

HS2 should have been a symbol of engineering excellence. Instead half of it has been scrapped and it's still running £50 billion over budget. This is the story of how Britain's largest infrastructure project became its biggest scandal.

The Wizard of the Kremlin author on tech conquistadors, threats to democracy, and his friendship with Emmanuel Macron

Are Labour's concerns about social cohesion a sign that they may be aligning with some of Reforms ideas on immigration? Why does Kemi Badenoch want to outlaw doctors' strikes? And are the latest aid drops in Gaza a sign of change to come? Jasper Corbett is joined by journalist and broadcaster David Aaronovitch. Plus, the Observer reporter Stephen Armstrong and senior producer Katie Gunning.

The young wife of a kibbutz worker killed fighting Hamas hopes peace will at last give her a chance of closure

The Trump administration is setting the stage for what might become the largest deportation of illegal immigrants in US history. Can it succeed? Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Amalie Sortland Host: Casey Magloire

RedBird Capital Partners submits formal request to progress £500m deal for newspaper

Also in this episode: will plans to overhaul the water companies in England and Wales work? And why is Trump suing Rupert Murdoch?

It is an industry that thrives on quality, yet Italy’s top houses are being investigated for sub-contracting, black market mark-ups and sweat shop labour

X’s, formerly Twitter, chatbot Grok has been churning far-right sentiments

The $55 billion deal is part of an attempt to diversify the kingdom’s economy and improve its international image

Why did the case to prosecute rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs fail? Who’s to blame for Rachel Reeve’s terrible week? Should kids be taught to read faster? Giles Whittell is joined by a trio of Observer reporters. Cat Neilan is the Whitehall Editor, Vanessa Thorpe is the Media and Arts reporter and Stephen Armstrong, who has been covering the Diddy trial for the paper. **Join us at the News Meeting Live: LIVE from the Observer Newsroom on Tuesday 29th July - with Charlene White and Kehinde Andrews Follow us on Social Media: @ObserverUK on X @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky Listen to Stephen’s episode of the Sensemaker about the Diddy Trial here https://tinyurl.com/ysz3s2dy Host: Giles Whittell, deputy editor-in-chief at The Observer 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 Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

The agreement could deepen conservative control over the US media landscape

The 8-week trial has concluded and the former media mogul has been found guilty of two federal charges and is now facing time in prison.

The author on handing over the Reacher reins, being inspired by Enid Blyton, and why he’s still ‘mad as hell’ at being sacked from ITV – 30 years on

Amazon’s billionaire founder is taking over the city for his wedding to Lauren Sanchez.