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

Dec 7, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 488: Dry World Cup stadiums
With just days to go before kick-off, Qatar banned beer from its World Cup stadiums. What happens to all the beer? Listen to The Tavistock here: https://podfollow.com/the-tavistock-inside-the-gender-clinic Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take our time to tell stories that really matter. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise to get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join exclusive events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Claudia50 to get a year's digital membership for £50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 6, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 487: Slavery reparations
A wealthy Conservative MP whose family made its fortune from the slave trade is facing claims for reparations. The government of Barbados wants him to hand over his plantation on the island.
Dec 5, 2022 · 8 min
Ep 486: The Alzheimer’s drug
An experimental Alzheimer’s drug called lecanemab has been hailed as an historic breakthrough. But what does it actually mean for people living with the disease? Listen to The Slow Newscast here: https://pod.fo/e/14fe19 Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take our time to tell stories that really matter. If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise to get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join exclusive events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Claudia50 to get a year's digital membership for £50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 2, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 485: After the final whistle
Iran’s football team has been knocked out of the men’s World Cup, but their refusal to sing the national anthem means they may face repercussions back home. What will happen to them next?
Dec 1, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 484: The return of a Disney hero
Bob Iger has returned as CEO of Disney two years after stepping down. What does his comeback tell us about the challenges for Disney and other streaming services?
Nov 30, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 483: The boy killed by mould
Awaab Ishak was two-years-old when he died because of exposure to mould in his home. How does that happen in modern Britain?
Nov 29, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 482: China’s Covid protests
In China, large scale dissent has burst onto the streets for the first time in decades and President Xi Jinping has been directly criticised. Why now?
Nov 28, 2022 · 5 min
Ep 481: Big pay for big bosses
The chief executives of the UK’s biggest listed companies have seen their pay soar. On average, they were paid 30% more this year compared to last year. What’s driving the increase?
Nov 25, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 480: Brexit is back
Reports that “senior government figures” are considering a Swiss-style trade deal with the European Union caused an instant backlash. Why are we talking about Brexit again?
Nov 24, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 479: Fifa’s boss fights back
A day before the Qatar World Cup began, Gianni Infantino came to the defence of the host nation. After his surprising monologue at a press conference it was clear football and politics would continue to collide under his leadership.
Nov 23, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 478: Tech giants cut jobs
Amazon, Meta, Twitter and Microsoft have all announced they are cutting staff. What’s happening in the tech industry?
Nov 22, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 477: Life after climate change
The UN climate talks ended without progress on cutting fossil fuels, so what happens next?
Nov 21, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 476: A brutal killing in the Russia-Ukraine war
A Russian mercenary group has ruthlessly executed one of its former members who defected to Ukraine – but how did he end up back in Russian hands?
Nov 18, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 475: Hunt's autumn statement
The chancellor has announced a raft of new tax rises and spending cuts designed to keep inflation down as the country enters recession
Nov 17, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 474: Trump is back
The man who tried to stage a coup to stay in power has announced he is running for president again. Donald Trump still has his passionate supporters, but does he have a path back to the White House?
Nov 16, 2022 · 5 min
Ep 473: Campaigners at COP
The changing face of COP’s young climate activists.
Nov 15, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 472: Crypto implosion
Could the implosion of the crypto exchange FTX trigger a wider meltdown in the world of digital currencies?
Nov 14, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 471: Reservist NHS army
One man’s idea to create a Territorial Army for the NHS to help it deal with future crises…
Nov 11, 2022 · 7 min
Ep 470: Trump’s enemy within
The midterm elections in the United States were supposed to deliver a Republican red wave to sweep away Democrats. But the wave never came – and that has big implications for Donald Trump who is facing a new rival in his own party.
Nov 10, 2022 · 6 min
Ep 469: Williamson pays the price
Gavin Williamson has been forced to leave the cabinet for the third time since 2019. Why did he have to go and what questions does it raise about the prime minister’s judgement?