Sensemaker

The Observer

The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world.

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1,388 episodes
Updated June 19

Episodes1388

Newest first

Oct 28, 2024 · 7 min
North Korean troops join Russia’s fight in Ukraine
Kim Jong Un has sent thousands of military personnel to Russia as part of a deal with Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called it a “clear escalation” of the war.
Oct 25, 2024 · 6 min
The press frenzy over Liam Payne’s death
The world was shocked last week by the news of pop star Liam Payne's death. What does the lurid media coverage that followed tell us about the press’s relationship with celebrities?
Oct 24, 2024 · 7 min
AI goes nuclear
Big tech is hunting for new sources of power to supply the boom in generative artificial intelligence.
Oct 23, 2024 · 8 min
Just Stop Oil protest laws
Two Just Stop Oil protestors were arrested after throwing a can of Heinz tomato soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. What do their lengthy prison sentences tell us about the changing laws around protest in the UK?
Oct 22, 2024 · 8 min
Why is Israel clashing with peacekeeping forces in Lebanon?
Israel and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon remain in a standoff, with the safety of UN peacekeepers on the line. What could happen next?
Oct 21, 2024 · 8 min
Assisted dying: how could the law change in England and Wales?
Assisted dying could become law in England and Wales for terminally ill adults. But opponents fear it could lead to a “slippery slope”. What is being proposed, and what has happened in other countries that have adopted similar laws?
Oct 18, 2024 · 5 min
The Canary Island migrant route
The Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Spain is even more dangerous than crossing the Mediterranean, so why is it growing busier as migration by sea elsewhere in Europe has declined?
Oct 17, 2024 · 8 min
Introducing...The Animal Sensemaker
One animal, every week, to make sense of the world
Oct 17, 2024 · 6 min
The race to save the Amazon
A Brazilian cattle rancher who destroyed large areas of the Amazon has been ordered to pay $50 million to restore the land he logged. As deforestation rates soar in countries around the world, can we ever reverse them? Writer: Jess Swinburne Producer: Jess Swinburne Host: Claudia Williams Executive Producers: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 16, 2024 · 7 min
Riots, racism and British society
In the wake of violence and racism during the riots this summer, one of Britain’s leading public intellectuals reflects on how racism - and his experience of it - has changed over the last 50 years.
Oct 15, 2024 · 7 min
Who is the real JD Vance?
Whether Trump wins or loses the US election, he has an heir: his 40-year-old running mate JD Vance. So where does Vance want to take America?
Oct 14, 2024 · 8 min
Too Cleverly? Inside the Conservative leadership race
After a series of twists and turns, the Conservative leadership race has reached the final stage with a result due in November. But who is the frontrunner and what does it tell us about the future of the opposition?
Oct 11, 2024 · 7 min
Did climate change make Hurricane Milton stronger?
Just weeks after Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction across several south-eastern US states, Hurricane Milton has smashed its way across Florida. Why does climate change make hurricanes more destructive?
Oct 10, 2024 · 8 min
Will facial recognition technology transform policing?
The head of the UK’s largest police force says facial recognition technology could be the best new crime fighting tool since fingerprinting. But campaigners have called it ‘dystopian’.
Oct 9, 2024 · 9 min
Big Tech's growing political influence
What does Elon Musk’s endorsement of Donald Trump tell us about the relationship between Silicon Valley and US politics?
Oct 8, 2024 · 7 min
One Year On From October 7. Part 2: Gaza, Hamas and the Palestinians
It’s been a year since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. Since then, according to Palestinian health officials, Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza strip has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians.
Oct 7, 2024 · 8 min
One Year On From October 7th. Part 1: The Hostages
On the anniversary of their capture, a deal to secure the return of the Israeli hostages taken into Gaza feels more distant than ever.
Oct 4, 2024 · 5 min
The elite footballers threatening to strike
Some of the world’s biggest footballers are threatening to go on strike because they say they’re overworked and risking their health by playing too many games. How much truth is there in that claim and how will the industry respond?
Oct 3, 2024 · 8 min
The driving test backlog
Waiting times for UK driving tests are creeping back up, and the official booking site has become overrun by bots. What will it take to fix the problem?
Oct 2, 2024 · 8 min
American abortion ban leads to woman’s death
What does Amber Thurman’s death reveal about reproductive rights in America?