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Sensemaker

The Observerobserver.co.uk

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


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Episodes

Ep 153: Code red on climate

Last week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a 'code red' report. Disaster is coming faster than we thought. But will leaders act fast enough? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 16, 20216 minEp. 153

Ep 152: The Duke of York... in the dock?

When Virginia Giuffre was under the age of 18, she claims Prince Andrew forced her to have sex with him. He's always denied it. But her lawyer is now convinced the case will come to court. Is he right? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 13, 20216 min

Ep 151: The Taliban returns

Just months after US President Joe Biden announced he’d be withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan, the country is in chaos. How serious is the Taliban threat? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 12, 20216 min

Ep 150: Fires and fury in Greece

Fires have ripped across the island of Evia, in Greece. And when help finally came it was too little, too late. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 11, 20216 min

Ep 149: A suspicious death

When the Belarusian human rights activist Vitaly Shishov was found hanged in a forest on the outskirts of Kyiv in Ukraine it was reported as suicide. His friends were immediately suspicious. They think it might be a political murder. Why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 10, 20216 minEp. 149

Ep 148: The dating app that cares?

Bumble has announced it will be offering free therapy to anyone who experiences sexual assault from someone they meet on the app. Is this a meaningful change, or just smart PR? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 09, 20215 min

Ep 147: The end of Covid?

With coronavirus cases and hospitalisations both falling in the UK ... could we really have sent Covid packing? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 06, 20216 min

Ep 146: Dying in the line of duty

Four police officers have taken their own lives since the Capitol riots in Washington DC in January, but their deaths are not considered "in the line of duty". Why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 05, 20217 min

Ep 145: The Olympian who won't go home

Krystina Timanovskaya is a Belarusian sprinter who fell out with her coaches in Tokyo. She got so worried about the fall-out that she's applied for political asylum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 04, 20217 minEp. 145

Ep 144: India's rape crisis

India has a terrible track record at dealing with sexual violence against women. The case of a high-ranking politician helps explain why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 03, 20218 minEp. 144

Ep 143: The Stormzy effect

Grime artist Stormzy has been supporting Black students at Cambridge university. He's making an impact, and it's part of a wider change at elite British universities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 02, 20216 minEp. 143

Ep 142: The mind Games

Simone Biles is the greatest female gymnast ever. By talking openly about mental health she may have changed elite sport forever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 30, 20215 minEp. 142

Ep 141: Donald Trump and the truth about January 6th

When protestors invaded the US Capitol on Jan 6th the country was shocked. Why do some of its politicians not seem to want to get to the truth about that day? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 29, 20217 minEp. 141

Ep 140: Money for medals

If the UK does well at the Tokyo Olympics, there's a reason why: money. Britain pays for its elite sports to do well. But it turns the taps off if they don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 28, 20216 minEp. 140

Ep 139: Israel - vaccine battleground

Israel was best in the world at vaccinating its people against Covid. Now, as the country opens up, sceptics are claiming that what's happening in Israel means vaccines aren't very effective. They're wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 27, 20216 minEp. 139

Ep 138: The next Olympics

After Tokyo comes Paris in 2024. If these Olympic games are difficult because of Covid, what legacy will they hand on? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 26, 20216 minEp. 138

Ep 137: The end of Guantanamo?

There were 40 prisoners left in the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay. Until one was released this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 23, 20218 minEp. 137

Ep 136: A spy called Pegasus

Pegasus is a piece of spyware that can infiltrate your phone and steal its secrets. This week we learned how governments are using it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 22, 20217 minEp. 136

Ep 135: Climate catastrophe in Germany

Floods in Germany have left more than a hundred dead and wrecked whole towns. It's not just a freak event, it's a climate-change catastrophe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 21, 20216 minEp. 135

Ep 134: The pingdemic

As Covid infections in the UK multiply, the NHS app is pinging hundreds of thousands of people to tell them to self-isolate. Businesses are wondering how they can cope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 20, 20217 minEp. 134

Ep 133: Why South Africans are rioting

South Africa has seen an outbreak of widespread violence and looting. What's going on? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 19, 20218 minEp. 133

Ep 132: The meaning of taking the knee

Rarely has a gesture been as misunderstood as taking the knee. We've looked into its history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 16, 20218 minEp. 132

Ep 131: The truth about Sputnik V

Sputnik V is the Russian vaccine against Covid. The world isn't sure it's getting the whole truth about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 15, 20217 minEp. 131

Ep 130: A horror in Haiti

Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in his own home last week. But who was behind it all? And why did they want to kill him? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 14, 20217 minEp. 130

Ep 129: A masked U-turn

At first Boris Johnson said that after the great unlocking, masks would no longer be mandatory. Just days later, he changed his mind. Why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 13, 20217 min

Ep 128: A star lawyer in the dock

Tom Girardi was such a famous lawyer that he was portrayed as a character in a Hollywood movie. But then rumours started to emerge that his clients weren't getting all the money he'd won for them in settlements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 12, 20216 minEp. 128

Ep 127: A vaccination anthem

Vax That Thang Up could be the sound of summer 2021. It's a pro-vaccination remake of Juvenile's 1999 hip-hop classic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 09, 20217 minEp. 127

Ep 126: Slow justice for the Stockwell Six

Why it took 50 years for the unjust conviction of six men – made up by a corrupt copper – to be overturned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 08, 20216 min

Ep 125: The rise of REvil and ransomware

Ransomware attacks - taking over computer networks and blackmailing their owners - has become huge business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 07, 20218 minEp. 125

Ep 124: A tragedy in Miami

As 28 people are confirmed dead and 117 are still missing in the rubble, America is asking: what went wrong at Miami's Champlain Towers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 06, 20216 min
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