The Observer Daily: cover-up after cover-up

The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom View in browser Cover-up after cover-up The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom Claudia Williams and Brad Gray • Monday 21 July 2025 Dear friend, Earlier this month it was revealed that, in 2022, a junior soldier at a barracks in Regent's Park accidentally released details of 18,714 Afghans who had applied to come to the UK under the Afghan Resettlement and Assistance Policy. The data breach was discovered in 2023 but was withheld from the public through a superinjunction intended to keep the document out of the Taliban's hands. It's not clear that Afghans have benefited from the secrecy imposed by the superinjunction but it appears to have been beneficial to British politicians. And it's just one moment in a much longer story of cover-ups related to the UK special forces in Afghanistan, revealed this weekend by my colleagues Ceri Thomas, Catherine Neilan and James Tapper – from the deletion of evidence to unheard witnesses, police obstruction, delay and denials. Click here to read more → "The enemy of nonsense" – George Orwell Also in The Observer Hezbollah's fight for survival From Beirut, Oliver Marsden reports on the decimation of Hezbollah after its war with Israel last year – its leaders assassinated, thousands of its soldiers killed and its influence inside Lebanon damaged. Israel's short war with Iran also left Hezbollah's key patron unable to send funds. A US proposal now offers respite for Lebanon's military and economy, but Hezbollah must lay down its arms. It now faces the most ­significant choice in its 40-year history: to disarm, continue fighting, or turn fully to politics. Click here to read more → The conspiracy theory that haunts Donald Trump by Xavier Greenwood and Fred Harter           The Biden administration's failure to release files relating to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became one of the key grievances of the Maga movement. Then Trump was elected for a second term, and now some of the key people in his administration are calling conspiracy theories about the so-called "Epstein files" a hoax. The problem for the president, write Xavier Greenwood and Fred Harter, is that Maga loyalists are not buying it. Click here to read more → Stephen Colbert is cancelled… and so is satire by Jacob Weisberg        Stephen Colbert found fame on The Daily Show, and later his own show The Colbert Report, by parodying a conservative political pundit. When he took over the reins of CBS's The Late Show the persona disappeared but much of Colbert's left-leaning politics remained. Now CBS says it's firing Colbert and cancelling The Late Show. The network says it's a "financial decision" but the timing is noteworthy, argues Jacob Weisberg. CBS owner Paramount is trying to navigate an $8 billion sale to entertainment company Skydance, and is under fire for agreeing to pay Trump $16 million in a legal settle­ment described as "a big, fat bribe" – by Colbert. Click here to read more → The 20 books to read this summer by the Observer New Review team        If your out-of-office is on, or you're desperate for some escapism, the New Review team have got you covered. They share 20 books you should read this summer, ranging from tales of teenage boyhood and female desire to Edwardian crime and the wonders of the brain. Enjoy. Click here to read more → Listen Daily Sensemaker Sportswomen are facing more abuse than ever Unlike men, they can't afford to leave social media       Click here to listen → Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow.   Claudia Williams Senior editor, digital The Observer Brad Gray Production editor, newsletters The Observer   My Account To manage your newsletters, track tickets and more, go to the 'My account' page on the Observer website: Manage my newsletters Follow Follow The Observer on social media on your preferred platform:   The Observer     The Observer Food Monthly The Observer Magazine The Observer New Review   Listen Listen for free in the Tortoise app or wherever you get your podcasts: Want to change how you receive these emails? Update email preferences Copyright © 2025 Tortoise Media. All rights reserved. Did this email get caught in your spam filter? Add editor@newsroom.observer.co.uk to your address book to never miss an email again. No longer want to receive this newsletter? Unsubscribe here.