In this special episode looking at the first year of US President Donald Trump’s second term: What will the impacts of Trump’s cuts to USAID be? How has Trump reshaped global politics? Is Trump’s power threatened more by grassroots activism than pushback from institutions?

Jeevan Vasagar is joined by The Observer’s Deputy Comment Editor, Erica Wagner, Head of Data and Graphics, Katie Riley, and Chatham House’s Senior Research Fellow for the Latin America, US and North America Programme, Chris Sabatini.

Buy tickets to the next The News Meeting Live on Thursday, the 29th of January HERE

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Host: Jeevan Vasagar

Producer: Amalie Sortland

Executive Producer: Poppy Bullard

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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

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Host: Giles Whittell

Producer: Amalie Sortland and Casey Magloire

Executive Producer: Katie Gunning

To find out more about The Observer:

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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:

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• @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

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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

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Host: Giles Whittell

Producer: Casey Magloire

Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett and Gary Marshall

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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

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Host: Jasper Corbett

Producer: Poppy Bullard

Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett

To find out more about The Observer:

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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

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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

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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:

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• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
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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.

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:

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• @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok
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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.