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Sensemaker

The Observerobserver.co.uk

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


To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com

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Episodes

Could this be the end of abortion prosecutions?

In recent years, an increasing number of women - including Nicola Packer - have been investigated and put on trial for illegally ending their pregnancy. Writer: Phoebe Davis If you’d like to read more of Phoebe’s interview with Nicola Packer, click here . Producer: Karla Patella Host: Casey Magloire Episode photography: Joe Mee Photograph: Sonja Horsman Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 22, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1110

Has Keir Starmer pulled off a Brexit reset with the EU?

The much-hyped EU-UK summit has resulted in a deal that the Government says will improve “jobs, bills and borders”. But has Labour been too cautious? Writer: Cat Neilan Producer: Karla Patella Host: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 21, 20256 minSeason 1Ep. 1109

What did Cassie Ventura’s testimony reveal about Sean “Diddy” Combs?

The trial of Sean Combs has finished hearing testimony from the prosecution's main witness: the singer and Combs’ ex-partner Cassie Ventura. Contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline by calling their 24-hour freephone on 0808 2000 247 or visiting https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Karla Patella Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Alex Jones Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 20, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1108

The boxset boom on the silver screen

Why cinema is leaning heavily on the appeal of screening hit television shows. Writer: Vanessa Thorpe Producer: Jonathan Lewis Host: Claudia Williams Episode photography: Alex Jones Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists If you want to get in touch with us directly abo...

May 19, 20257 minSeason 1Ep. 1107

Why is Gen Z going to church?

A recent survey suggests Gen Z is fuelling a resurgence in church attendance, especially among Catholics. Why? Writer: Jess Swinburne Producer: Ada Barumé Photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 16, 20256 minSeason 1Ep. 1106

How has President Trump ushered in a new age of corruption?

The presidency and personal gain now go hand in hand – and no one has been able to do anything about it. Writer: Patricia Clarke Producer: Ada Barumé Host: Casey Magloire Photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 15, 20257 minSeason 1Ep. 1105

Israel’s new offensive in Gaza

The last living American hostage has been released from Gaza following direct talks between the US and Hamas. It comes as Israel prepares for a military occupation of the territory, moving the population and taking control of food and aid distribution. Writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer: Karla Patella Host: Claudia Williams Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 14, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1104

What pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of war?

When armed gunmen attacked holiday makers in the Himalayas it reignited a decades-old conflict. Writer and producer: Katie Gunning Photography: Joe Mee Executive producer: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 13, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1103

The musicians taking on AI

Musicians are worried about big tech companies using their work to train AI models. But a group of musicians has come out fighting with an attempt to defend their art. How does it work? Writer: James Tapper Producer: Casey Magloire Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Matt Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 12, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1102

Is Trump succeeding in deporting millions?

Donald Trump vowed to tighten borders and deport en masse. Now over 100 days in, his administration races to deliver on sweeping immigration promises. Is he succeeding? Writer: Serena Cesareo Producer: Serena Casareo Host: Claudia Williams Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 09, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1101

The Met Gala’s anti-MAGA resistance

This year’s red carpet bonanza celebrated Black tailoring and rejected Trump-era masculinity in a rare moment of defiance. Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Karla Patella Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 08, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1100

Why Reform is no longer the party of old white men

The results from last week’s local elections show that Nigel Farage’ party is now the most popular choice for gen X women. Writer: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Ada Barumé Host: Casey Magloire Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 07, 20257 minSeason 1Ep. 1099

Why do councils rent out their parks for summer festivals?

Underfunded councils are turning parks into festival grounds to raise cash but this is transforming the meaning of public space in cities. Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Rebecca Moore Host: Claudia Williams Episode photography: Joe Mee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 06, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1098

The downsides of weight-loss drugs

Weight loss drugs can be transformative for people who have struggled with obesity. But with a spike in hospital admissions experiencing adverse reactions to the drugs, should we be doing more to regulate this growing market? Writer: James Tapper Producer: Ada Barumé Host: Tomini Babs Executive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 02, 20256 minSeason 1Ep. 1097

The other Tate Brother

Tristan Tate is far less well-known than his notorious brother, Andrew. New evidence suggests he holds a central role in their alleged criminality. Writer: Phoebe Davis Producer: Katie Gunning Host: Casey Magloire Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website o...

May 01, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1096

What does the Supreme Court ruling on sex mean in practice?

The judges had to decide what the words ‘man’, ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ meant in the Equality Act. They decided that they referred to biological sex. It will have an effect on how trans people access services and single-sex spaces. Writer: Jess Swinburne Producer: Katie Gunning Photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early...

Apr 30, 20256 minSeason 1Ep. 1095

Are Chatbots afraid of dying?

Since December 2024, a run of scientific papers has illustrated AI’s capacity for deception. Deep learning pioneer Yoshua Bengio says the consequences could be existential. Writer: Patricia Clarke Producer: Ada Barumé Host: Tomini Babs Photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 29, 202510 minSeason 1Ep. 1094

Why is Russia relying on North Korean troops?

North Korean soldiers are fighting and dying in combat in Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence estimates about 60% of the shells fired by the Russian army were provided by North Korea. What does it say about Vladimir Putin that he had to turn to Kim Jong Un for help? Writer: Matt Russell with additional reporting by Nina Kuryata and Claudia Williams. Producer: Rebecca Moore Host: Tomini Babs Photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...

Apr 28, 20257 minSeason 1Ep. 1093

Why is Gen Z obsessed with running?

Young adults are swapping nightclubs for run clubs. The number of 20-29 year olds registering for the London marathon is up 86 per cent in the past three years. Writer: Andrew Butler Producer: Serena Cesareo Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Alex Jones Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 25, 20256 minSeason 1Ep. 1092

How did Pope Francis tackle child sexual abuse in the church?

For many Catholics Pope Francis will be remembered as a man determined to overthrow tradition, challenge privilege and speak up for those who were not heard. But he became head of the Catholic church at a time when the institution was plagued by widespread accusations of sexual abuse. For the victims of catholic priests, did he deliver justice? Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Matt Russell Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Joe Mee Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See ac...

Apr 24, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1091

Harvard University versus Trump

The world’s richest university is mounting the first serious fightback against the Trump administration. Who will blink first? Writer: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Casey Magloire Host: Casey Magloire Episode photography: Alex Jones Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 23, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1090

What's Behind the Rise of Thin-Fluencers?

If your ‘for you page’ is suddenly full of dieting tips and before and after pictures, you might be on the receiving end of a resurgence of ‘thin-spiration’ on social media. But what’s behind this comeback? And who is being impacted? Writer: Ada Barumé Producer: Casey Magloire Photography: Roisin Savage Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 22, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1089

What’s behind Birmingham’s bin strikes?

The standoff between Birmingham’s bin workers and the council is entering its fifth week as the latest pay offer was rejected. The Unite union says the dispute could spread to other areas of the country. . Writer: Jess Swinburne Producer: Casey Magloire Photography: Roisin Savage Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 17, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1088

Why did the UK government rush to save the last remaining steel power plant?

MPs were recalled to Westminster early on Saturday and passed an emergency legislation that allowed the UK government to seize control of British Steel, after its Chinese owner appeared to threaten closure. How did we get here? And why has steel-making in the UK become an issue of national security? Writer: Serena Cesareo Producer: Casey Magloire Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 16, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1087

Will Donald Trump save the iPhone?

The President has imposed a 145 per cent tariff on Chinese imports to America but has hinted smartphones could be exempt. Writer: Xavier Greenwood Producer: Patricia Clarke Host: Claudia Williams Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 14, 20257 minSeason 1Ep. 1086

Why are your allergies worse this year?

This weekend the Met Office declared the south of England experienced what it called a ‘pollen bomb.’ Why is hay fever season starting earlier, lasting longer and the symptoms are becoming more intense? Writer: Jonathan Lewis Producer: Jonathan Lewis Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Alex Jones Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 14, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1085

Why are American politicians defending anti-abortion activists in the UK?

When a 64-year-old woman was fined for holding a sign outside a UK abortion clinic, it sparked international backlash - including from organised, Christian activists in America and the US government. Writer: Phoebe Davis Producer: Serena Cesareo Host: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Alex Jones Executive Producer: Matt Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 11, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1084

Why do climate change sceptics care about a volcano eruption?

Tortoise has identified almost 300 influencers who are spreading misleading content about climate change that ranges from scepticism to misinformation. One of their false claims is that global warming is caused by an underwater volcano that erupted off the coast of Tonga To read more about Tortoise’s Hot Air project click here . Writer: Bex Sander Producer: Casey Magloire Host: Claudia Williams Episode photography: Alex Jones and Pununu Tukuafu, Tonga Geological Services. Executive Producer: Reb...

Apr 10, 20258 minSeason 1Ep. 1083

What does Trump's tariff mean for your personal finances?

Donald Trump's tariffs have caused chaos across international markets, but how does this impact your personal pensions and savings? Writer: Barney Macintyre Host: Tomini Babs Producer: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Matt Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 09, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1082

What do we know about the killing of paramedics in Gaza?

The United Nations has accused Israel of killing 15 rescue workers in Gaza. How has a video uncovered this weekend discredited the Israeli military’s version of events? Writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer: Ada Barume Host: Claudia Williams Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 08, 20259 minSeason 1Ep. 1081
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