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PODCAST

Sensemaker

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 contentHead to our websiteobserver.co.ukDownload the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contacthello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

news news commentary

All Episodes

7:22

Is Rachel Reeves's Heathrow expansion a green...

Sensemaker ·

2025/02/05

The UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has backed a third Heathrow runway, saying the airport expansion will meet the government’s climate targets because of ‘green aviation’. But is there such a thing?Reporter: Xavier GreenwoodProducer: Xavier GreenwoodExecutive Producer: Rebecca MoorePhotography: Joe Mee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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7:45

How DeepSeek shook Wall Street

Sensemaker ·

2025/02/04

A new Chinese AI model sent shockwaves through the US financial markets last week. Will it transform the tech industry forever?Reporter: Patricia ClarkeProducer: Patricia ClarkeExecutive Producer: Rebecca MoorePhotography: Joe Mee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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9:23

The woman behind Trump’s global anti-abortion agenda

Sensemaker ·

2025/02/03

Valerie Huber, a little-known but influential activist, has spent years shaping policies to restrict access to abortion. Now Donald Trump is back in the White House her influence will be felt globally.Writer: Phoebe DavisProducer: Casey MagloireHost: Claudia WilliamsEpisode photography: Joe MeeExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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10:27

Is the West Bank the new front in the...

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/31

What's behind an Israeli military operation and surging settler violence in the West Bank following the Gaza ceasefire?Writer: Lilly CheslawProducer: Katie GunningExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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6:16

Trapped by the lifetime ISA: a costly catch for...

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/30

Many young people saw the Lifetime ISA as their ticket onto the housing ladder. But with soaring property prices and a rigid price cap, thousands are now facing unexpected penalties - some are losing thousands in government withdrawal fees.Writer: Barney MacintyreProducer: Patricia ClarkeExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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6:35

Why did Donald Trump pardon a convicted "drug kingpin"?

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/29

Donald Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace that facilitated drug sales using Bitcoin. What does his freedom tell us about the future of cryptocurrency?Writers: Xavier GreenwoodProducer: Casey MagloirePhotography: Joe MeeHost: Claudia Williams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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8:16

Can redefining terrorism stop the lone wolf threat?

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/28

In the wake of the Southport murders, the UK Government is reviewing its terrorism strategy and considering adopting a broader definition. But will this stop lone wolf attacks in the future?Writer: Cat NeilanProducer: Ada BaruméHost: Claudia Williams Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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8:24

Hopes and fears for a new Syria

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/27

For the first time since 2000, Syria has ushered in a new year without President Assad as their autocratic head of state. But what's next for the country? Two Syrians share their hopes and fears for the future.Writer: Ada BaruméProducer: Ada BaruméHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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7:34

Will Trump succeed in deporting millions?

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/24

Before last year’s election Donald Trump vowed to carry out the biggest mass deportations in American history, targeting millions of undocumented immigrants from day one of his presidency. Five days since his inauguration… does it look like he will succeed?Writer: Serena CesareoProducer: Serena CasareoHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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9:14

The Prince, the press, and the payout

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/23

Yesterday Prince Harry settled his long-running legal battle with Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper group. It’s being hailed as a victory for the royal, but who has actually won?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or

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9:12

Should England’s cricketers boycott Afghanistan?

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/22

The England men’s cricket team faces calls to boycott an upcoming match against Afghanistan in protest of the Taliban’s oppressive policies, particularly their human rights abuses against women and girls. But should athletes be forced to take a stand?Writers: Phoebe Davis and Andrew ButlerProducer: Casey MagloirePhotography: Joe MeeHost: Tomini Babs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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9:32

The second age of Trump

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/21

Donald Trump is sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. What did his Inauguration Address tell us about the direction he is setting for America and the world – from immigration and climate change to the future of Ukraine?Writer: David TaylorProducer: Rebecca MooreHost: Tomini Babs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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8:02

Inside the fight to shut down an AI-powered “nudify”...

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/20

This month, the UK government vowed to crack down on explicit AI deepfakes by going after the people who create them. But the story of a popular “nudify” app highlights why tackling the issue is so challenging.Writer: Patricia ClarkeProducer: Patricia ClarkePhotography: Joe MeeExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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8:57

A prospect of peace between Israel and Hamas

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/17

After 15 months of conflict, could this week’s ceasefire deal mark the beginning of the end of one of the deadliest wars in modern history?Writers: Lilly Cheslaw and Rebecca Moore.Producer: Katie Gunning.Photographer: Joe Mee.Executive producer: Jasper Corbett. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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6:28

How windfarms unwittingly cause chaos to the UK’s air...

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/16

Offshore windfarms are powerful generators of clean energy and are a key part of Labour’s green energy pledge. But these colossal turbines can blind the UK’s defence systems. What does this mean, and what can be done about it?This episode was written by Elaine McCallig Mixed by Casey Magloire.Photography by Jon Jones.Executive producer is Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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7:42

TikTok’s fate: the countdown to a US ban

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/15

The ongoing legal battle over TikTok’s future could see the app banned from Sunday. As political and legal pressures mount, TikTok's 170 million American users are left wondering if their beloved platform will survive.To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to

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8:06

Mark Zuckerberg bows to Donald Trump

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/14

Silicon Valley is changing. Big tech executives are looking at another term under Donald Trump and deciding its time for a shake-up. It’s out with the old and in with the new.Writer: Barney MacintyreProducer: Patricia ClarkePhotography: Jon JonesExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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8:23

How Pokémon Go Powers AI

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/13

Niantic, the company behind the game that took the world by storm in 2016, is building a massive geospatial AI model that could end up powering robots – allusing player data.The company behind the wildly popular augmented reality game has been quietly helping to train a massive AI model by collecting user data to build a detailed 3D map of the world. While this geospatial model could power innovations like Augmented Reality glasses, there are concerns about privacy and potential uses for military

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6:26

Why rising borrowing costs spell trouble for Rachel...

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/10

What are bond yields and why does their rise risk derailing the Labour government’s plans for the UK?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app- for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a memberand get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about

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8:11

The MAGA Effect on South Korea’s Democracy

Sensemaker ·

2025/01/09

South Korea faced a major crisis when President Yoon imposed martial law late last year. Why do his supporters rally behind him with American ‘Stop the Steal’ flags?Writer: Eleanor BiggsMix: Casey MagloirePhotography: Jon JonesHost: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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1,240 results

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