Photo of Fred Harter
Fred Harter

Reporter

Fred is a reporter at The Observer who writes for the Sensemaker daily newsletter and contributes coverage across print and digital. He has reported from over a dozen countries and was previously a freelance correspondent in Ethiopia, reporting for the Guardian, The Times and others.

Photo of Fred Harter

Fred Harter

Reporter

Fred is a reporter at The Observer who writes for the Sensemaker daily newsletter and contributes coverage across print and digital. He has reported from over a dozen countries and was previously a freelance correspondent in Ethiopia, reporting for the Guardian, The Times and others.

  • Fred Harter
    Russia and US no longer have a mutual treaty to govern their nuclear arsenals

    The expiry of New Start marks another death knell for the rules-based international order

    Thu, 5 Feb 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Bloodbath in Sudan

    On Sunday rebel forces in Sudan captured the key city of el-Fasher.  Reports suggest that tens of thousands of people were killed in a matter of days.  

    9 min • S1, E1224

  • Fred Harter
    The assisted dying bill is floundering in the upper chamber

    A handful of peers have put forward hundreds of amendments, potentially blocking the most important piece of social legislation in decades

    Wed, 4 Feb 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Why is Trump splitting with MAGA over Epstein?

    President Trump has spent his political career promoting conspiracy theories for electoral gain, now he’s trying to shut down one of the most enduring of the lot.

    7 min • S1, E1150

  • Fred Harter
    With the defenestration of his top general, Xi consolidates control

    Zhang Youxia’s ouster may make an invasion of Taiwan more likely

    Wed, 28 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Labour’s plan for a radical overhaul of policing in England and Wales

    Reducing the number of forces could save money and improve policing

    Tue, 27 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Video and witness evidence contradict the White House’s account of the latest Minneapolis shooting

    The Trump administration’s response underlines a disregard for the law, accountability and the truth

    Mon, 26 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ envisions a new global order, with himself at the top

    The idea has received a mixed reception

    Fri, 23 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    The future of Nato may rest on Greenland

    It’s still not clear whether Trump’s threats are high-stakes bargaining

    Wed, 21 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    ‘I just want to be alive’: Ugandan opposition leader issues plea from hiding

    Bobi Wine speaks to The Observer after fleeing on a motorbike taxi as armed men surrounded his home. The government is vowing to ‘handle him accordingly’

    Tue, 20 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Robert Jenrick’s defection is a coup for Reform – but there are risks too

    The party bills itself as an insurgent force. An influx of Tories dampens this message

    Mon, 19 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Death of author’s child puts Nigeria’s healthcare system in spotlight

    After Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie sued a Lagos hospital over the death of her 21-month-old son, Nigerians have been sharing their own tales of medical negligence

    Mon, 19 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Faced with protests, Iran has opted for repression

    Donald Trump warned he would intervene if the regime killed protesters. The threat hasn’t worked

    Tue, 13 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Chrystia Freeland, a Canadian politician, has been tasked with reshaping Ukraine

    The Rhodes scholar will need all the inventiveness once so admired by the KGB in supporting Vladimir Zelensky and handling Donald Trump

    Mon, 12 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Pop star politician risks a second shot at leading Uganda

    The Ugandan pop star turned politician is braving prison, torture and worse with his second tilt at the presidency

    Mon, 12 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    The proposed British and French force in Ukraine is a symptom of an ailing multilateral system

    A UN peacekeeping force might have been an option two decades ago. But blue helmets are no longer in fashion

    Fri, 9 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Cuba mourns 32 officers and fears losing Venezuela lifeline

    The Cuban death toll in the US raid reflects the extent of ties with Caracas - now it waits to see if Trump will act on threats

    Tue, 6 Jan 2026

  • Fred Harter
    Trigger-happy Trump loves to be a global tough guy

    Despite his America First agenda, Trump is no stranger to foreign entanglements – as shown in Syria, and Somalia, and Yemen, and Venezuela…

    Sun, 28 Dec 2025

  • Fred Harter
    Myanmar’s general election is driven by military control – and public fear

    The regime is hoping to legitimise its grip on power via a ‘sham’ election that few will dare to boycott – or speak out against

    Sun, 28 Dec 2025

  • Fred Harter
    The world is deeply unequal. But it’s more complicated than people think

    Gaps between rich and poor haven’t changed much over the past decade

    Thu, 18 Dec 2025

  • Fred Harter
    Jewish people, once again, are grieving on a sacred holiday

    The Bondi massacre brings home the brutal dangers of antisemitism

    Tue, 16 Dec 2025

  • Fred Harter
    Councils have a £4bn funding crisis. There is no sign of things getting better

    Spending cuts and demand for services have caused a perfect storm

    Fri, 12 Dec 2025

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