

Sensemaker
The Observer
The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world.Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to: Our podcasts before anyone else A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword Recipes for every occasionFree tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or onlineClick here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 19, 2025 • 6min
Is Labour’s welfare gamble a risk worth taking?
In Labour’s most controversial move since taking office last summer, the government this week set out plans to reform the UK’s welfare system. But will it actually achieve the joint aims of saving money and getting more people back into work?Writer: Cat NeilanProducer: Casey MagloireHost: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca MooreEpisode Photography: Roisín Savage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 18, 2025 • 8min
Can Trump really strike a peace deal in Ukraine?
President Trump’s promise to stop the war in Ukraine may be more tricky to pull off than he hoped. Ukraine has agreed to pause the fighting and sit at the negotiating table but so far there’s little sign that the Russian President is willing to even entertain a ceasefire. Is there any chance Trump can pull off this peace deal?Writer: Chloe HadjimatheouProducer: Ada BaruméHost: Claudia Williams Executive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 17, 2025 • 7min
Manchester United’s theatre of nightmares
Not long ago Manchester United was the biggest name in global football, now the club is having its worst season in thirty years and one of its owners claimed it nearly went bust towards the end of last year. How did things get so bad and is it recoverable? Writer: Jasper Corbet Producer: Matt Russell Host: Claudia WilliamsEpisode photography: Roisin Savage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 14, 2025 • 6min
Syrian deal gives peace a chance
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa, will be hoping his new deal with Kurdish forces, which control an oil rich region in the northeast, will send a message that his government represents all Syrians. Will the agreement steer the country away from civil war?Writer: Chloe HadjimatheouProducer: Ada BaruméHost: Tomini BabsExecutive producer: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 13, 2025 • 9min
Andrew Tate lands in Trump’s America
The Tate brothers left Romania for the US despite facing serious criminal charges. What does this mean for the women bringing cases against the brothers?Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Go to https://surfshark.com/sensemaker for 4 extra months of Surfshark.Writer: Phoebe Davis Producer: Casey MagloireHost: Tomini BabsEpisode photography: Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 12, 2025 • 7min
Why is Romantasy so popular?
More and more people are obsessed with books about love stories set in fantasy worlds. What's the appeal?Writer: Aleena AugustineProducer: Xavier GreenwoodHost: Tomini BabsEpisode photography: Roisín SavageExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 11, 2025 • 8min
What are the consequences of Trump’s foreign aid cuts?
Donald Trump froze most of America’s foreign aid funding and is dismantling the US Agency for International Development. How is this affecting the millions of people who rely on USAID to survive?Writer: Serena CesareoProducer: Serena CesareoHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 10, 2025 • 7min
Can Trump fix America’s eggflation?
The price of eggs has skyrocketed. While Trump made them a central issue during his campaign, the problem runs deeper than inflation. Why could eggs spark a political crisis for the president? Writer: Phoebe Davis Producer: Gary MarshallHost: Claudia Williams Episode photography: Roisín SavageExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 7, 2025 • 8min
Musk, Trump, and the secretive government overhaul
Elon Musk has called the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which he runs, “maximally transparent”. But it’s taking entire teams of reporters to piece together what is really happening inside The White House.Writer: Patricia ClarkeProducer: Patricia ClarkeHost: Tomini Babs Episode photography: Roisín Savage Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 6, 2025 • 7min
The ceasefire deadlock: What comes next for Israel and Hamas?
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has expired, and hopes for a second phase are fading fast. With hostages still held in Gaza and political tensions rising in Israel, is renewed war now inevitable?To listen to Chloe Hadjimatheou on The News Meeting click here: lnk.to/2JnIOkWriter: Xavier Greenwood with additional reporting from Lilly Cheslaw.Producer: Casey MagloireHost: Casey MagloirePhotography: Roisin SavageExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


