Observer Front Page 14th of February 2021

But the Observer says one of the key figures behind the UK’s vaccination effort – Prof Sarah Gilbert, who led the team developing the Oxford jab – has criticised the UK’s pandemic plan. She said the UK failed to respond to warnings about potential new viruses, took too long to recognise that Covid-19 was spread through the air, and was too slow in setting up the vaccine manufacturing centre in Oxfordshire, which will only be completed at the end of the year.

Observer Front Page 15th of March 2026

An incident at a UAE oil depot, attributed to Iran, escalates Gulf tensions and raises risks to shipping and energy supply. In response, there are calls for a Royal Navy presence in the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard routes.

Observer Front Page 8th of March 2026

Prospective parents used polygenic screening to select an embryo predicted to have higher cognitive potential. Though selecting for intelligence is illegal in the UK, clinics abroad offer it and demand is rising, intensifying ethical and regulatory debate over genetic selection.

Observer Front Page 1st of March 2026

A senior religious leader was killed in Tehran amid a series of incidents. Officials blamed a foreign state, triggering retaliatory military action. The US urged people to challenge the leadership, while the UK and EU withheld backing for a US‑led response.

Observer Front Page 22nd of February 2026

Mountbatten-Windsor faces intensifying scrutiny, igniting debate over the Crown’s future. Questions centre on public funding, accountability and the social contract. Some argue transparency and reform are essential to restore trust; others say the institution may no longer align with modern British values.