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

Jan 5, 2023 · 6 min
Ep 508: Within striking distance?
Britain is in the middle of yet more train strikes. How close are the unions and the rail companies to a deal?
Jan 4, 2023 · 6 min
Ep 507: War aims
As the war in Ukraine grinds on, the chance of peace still seems far away.
Jan 3, 2023 · 7 min
Ep 506: 2023 predictions
We’re doing something a little different… and a bit risky. We’re going to kick off the new year by predicting what we think might happen in 2023.
Dec 30, 2022 · 8 min
Ep 505: Sheryl Sandberg leaves Meta
One of the most powerful women in tech left the world’s biggest social media company this year. Alexi Mostrous explains how Sheryl Sandberg’s departure from Meta helps him make sense of 2022
Dec 29, 2022 · 8 min
Ep 504: The ghost of Boris Johnson
Rishi Sunak has spent his first Christmas as prime minister. But with some in the Conservative Party still viewing him as a pretender, there’s still a very real prospect of him being visited by the ghost of Boris Johnson.
Dec 28, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 503: Courting controversy
In 2022 the United States Supreme Court has reshaped America through a series of controversial decisions on the climate; religious rights; gun laws and – most momentous of all – abortion.
Dec 27, 2022 · 9 min
Ep 502: The women who could change Iran
This year the stories of two Iranian women – Mahsa Amini and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – can help us understand the challenges facing Iran’s regime.
Dec 26, 2022 · 4 min
Ep 501: Beth Mead's revenge tour
In an historic year for English women’s football, one player stood out – Beth Mead. Her journey to success is a story of dedication and bouncing back from knock-backs.
Dec 23, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 500: Comedian, president, wartime leader
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has thrust President Volodymyr Zelensky onto the international stage and into the spotlight. He’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and honoured with an Oscar but now he needs a victory.
Dec 22, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 499: Britain’s housing crusader
This year Kwajo Tweneboa led a searing campaign exposing the squalid living conditions some people are living in, so perhaps it was no surprise when a coroner ruled that a two-year-old boy died from exposure to mould in his home.
Dec 21, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 498: The warrior with a wooden spoon
Food prices have soared this year and the arguments about the causes have raged. One campaigner cut through to demand change from government and supermarkets.
Dec 20, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 497: Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
There were legal wranglings, lots of firings and plenty of missteps when one of the world’s richest men bought Twitter. Why did Elon Musk do it and what does it mean for the social network?
Dec 19, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 496: A union leader for our times
Mick Lynch’s union, the RMT, was one of the first to go on strike this year. Since then many more have taken industrial action to demand better pay and working conditions as the cost of living rises.
Dec 16, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 495: Iran’s public executions
Iran has begun publicly executing people who took part in the nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. The regime has been damaged by the unrest and mass killings could weaken it further.
Dec 15, 2022 · 5 min
Ep 494: Taylor’s Swifties fight back
A group of Taylor Swift fans are suing a ticket company for fraud, price fixing and antitrust violations. It’s not the first time Ticketmaster has been criticised.
Dec 14, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 493: Crypto contagion
Sam Bankman-Fried has been arrested. A month after his cryptocurrency exchange FTX collapsed, what has it revealed about the industry?
Dec 13, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 492: Strike-hit Britain
A fresh wave of rail strikes has begun. Nurses, paramedics, postal workers and many others are also planning industrial action this month. What impact will it all have on the economy and people’s lives?
Dec 12, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 491: China's Covid gamble
After nearly three years, China has abandoned key parts of its flagship zero-Covid policy.
Dec 9, 2022 · 8 min
Ep 490: The allegations against Crispin Odey
The investigation into the sexual assault allegations against one of Britain’s richest and most powerful men
Dec 8, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 489: Royal race row
Lady Susan Hussey has caused a race row after asking a Black charity boss where she was “really” from during a reception at Buckingham Palace. Who is Ngozi Fulani and why does this come at such a bad time for the royal family?