The Bunker – Your daily news Deep Dive

Is Vladimir Putin still the unshakable strongman, or is his grip on power beginning to falter? Today in The Bunker, Chris Jones is joined by Mark Galeotti, an internationally recognised expert on the inner workings of Putin’s Russia and author of the book Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine amongst many others, to explore the Kremlin’s next moves, the cracks in Putin’s armour, and what the West keeps getting wrong about the invasion of Ukraine.

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Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Keir Starmer seems downbeat as he marks a year in office with international crises and backbench backlash overshadowing the anniversary. Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the benefits bill fallout. Plus, they look to latest news from the Middle East and the ever present Donald Trump. 

• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. 

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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  

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On July 11, Superman flies back into cinemas in his third reboot – but this time, he’s different. Director James Gunn promises a beacon of hope, kindness, and decency, a sharp contrast to the grim hero we last saw. How will a reborn idealistic Man of Steel land in the most cynical American moment of the modern era? How has Superman changed in his 87 years in comics, movies and radio? And can he save the American Way from a real-life supervillain in the White House? Ian Gordon, author of Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon ,  joins fellow comics addict Andrew Harrison in The Bunker’s Fortress of Solitude. 

IAN GORDON’S SUPERMAN STARTER LIST

• Action Comics #1 (June 1938) 

• “Must There Be a Superman?” Superman #247 (January 1972) – In Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told

• Superman (1978) the film

• “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”  (Superman #423 and Action Comics #583, September 1986)

• Kingdom Come (1996)

• All Star Superman #1-12 (2005)

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• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.  

Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Mass fatalities in the Air India crash and the collision of a passenger flight and a US Army helicopter over the Potomac have triggered fears that serious aviation accidents are becoming more frequent. But are they really? John Walton, editor of independent aviation journalism site TheUpFront, talks to Andrew Harrison about why panics like this start, how safe air travel really is, and how this high-emissions industry is facing up to a low-emissions future. 

• Read John Walton on air travel for general readers as well as insiders at TheUpFront. 

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• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.  

Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but the questions around his life, his crimes, and his powerful friends remain. In 2024, new court documents were unsealed, revealing more about Epstein’s abuse yet much of the content remains redacted, leading to conspiracy theories, speculation – and social media battles between Elon Musk and President Trump. Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by investigative reporter Adam Klasfeld, editor-in-chief of All Rise News, to unpack what we know  and what remains obscured about the Epstein files.

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Written and presented by Gavin Esler Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Donald Trump once promised to keep America out of endless wars. But less than 200 days into his second term, the US military has carried out airstrikes on Iran. Following Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, the president gave orders to target Iranian nuclear facilities. His cabinet denies any ambition for regime change – but Trump’s own words suggest otherwise. So what’s really going on? Today in The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Dr Sanam Vakil, Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham House, to unpack the latest escalation in the Middle East and what the president’s endgame might be.

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Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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America’s strikes on Iran have left the world wondering what Trump’s next move will be. What do we know so far – and what could happen next? Plus, what comes now after the assisted dying bill vote? And with Reform surging in polls, Farage has another weird plan – will it work? And because the answer’s no, why not? Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis discuss all that and more in Start Your Week. 

We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. 

[NOT FOR PATREON]  

Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes: www.patreon.com/bunkercast   

Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  

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Is the BBC shifting right to please Reform voters? Leaked minutes from a top-level BBC editorial meeting reveal plans to reshape story selection and tone – not just in news, but even in drama – to improve the Corporation’s image among Reform UK supporters. But instead of chasing Farage’s fans, should the BBC hold Reform to account more rigorously? Don of media commentators Raymond Snoddy explains the danger of letting populism set the news agenda to Andrew Harrison.

• Raymond Snoddy writes on media at TheMediaLeader.com. He’s a contributor to the new book Pandering to Populism?

• Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more.

• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.  

Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

www.podmasters.co.uk

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The Bunker - news without the nonsense. Published every week day, we promise to deliver the insight that smart, modern listeners crave, beyond the headlines. Boost your knowledge, cut away the spin and get news without the nonsense on The Bunker.

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For the first time in MI6’s history, a female chief is taking the helm. Blaise Metreweli, a veteran of both old-school espionage and cutting-edge tech warfare, steps into the role as digital battlegrounds, rogue states, and AI-fuelled threats reshape global intelligence. Today on The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Dan Lomas, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham, to explore the role of Britain's top spymaster and what challenges she will face on the job. 

• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.  

www.patreon.com/bunkercast 

Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social 

Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.