The Bunker – News without the nonsense

In August 2017, deadly violence broke out between white supremacists and counter protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia. The White supremacists claimed they were there to protest the removal of a confederate monument. But was there more to it? Was this actually a carefully orchestrated media event created by the alt right to gain more attention from the press? Aniko Bodroghkozy is professor of media studies at the university of Virginia and author of Making #Charlottesville. She was also there and joins Chris Jones in The Bunker. “The alt right was using many of the same tactics that the civil rights movement perfected in the 60s.” – Aniko Bodroghkozy. “I saw a contingent of neo-Nazis march right past my Synagogue… that’s a memory I will never get out of my head.” – Aniko Bodroghkozy. “The alt right really came to Charlottesville, not to protest the taking down of a statue, but to create a violent confrontation.” – Aniko Bodroghkozy. Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: A roundup of the latest on Trump’s impeachment, as the catastrophic wildfires swept across Maui. Plus, we look into the death of two Ecuadorian politicians, and finally – who is the leather jacket wearing maverick storming Argentina’s presidential elections? Laura Makin-Isherwood, formerly London bureau chief of Feature Story News, and Dillon Ancheta, a Maui-based journalist for Hawaii News Now, join Chris Jones this week. Listen in for your need-to-know on news and politics from across the world. “Despite the sadness and loss, there are glimmers of hope as people come together in Maui.” – Dillon Ancheta “It feels like we’re going to discuss Trump being indicted forever!” – Chris Jones  "Ecuador is caught in the crossfire between economics and the environment." – Laura Makin-Isherwood  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

China’s home ownership bubble is less bursting and more deflating. As property company Evergrande announces $81bn of debt, why is this crisis slipping under the radar? Giving you the latest on this emerging economic disaster, Alex Andreou is joined by Cindy Yu, host of acclaimed podcast Chinese Whispers and assistant editor at the Spectator to explore how the economic crisis in China will impact the world.  “Home ownership from China came about incredibly quickly.” “Property developers buy land from local governments, which has a knock-on effect on debt.” “It sounds bizarre in a country undergoing inflation, but China’s deflation crisis is very worrying.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Liam Tait and Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ozempic is all over social media. You’ve probably seen dramatic before and after pictures of influencers showing off their weight loss. Even Elon Musk claims to be using it. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Bobby Friction is joined by Dr. Robert Kushner, one of the scientists who led research into the safety of the so-called ‘miracle’ drug. to find out if this drug is the answer to the obesity crisis or just another money spinner for Big Pharma.  “Obesity shouldn’t be demonised, it is a disease to be treated.” “Once you stop using Ozempic, all the feelings of hunger and cravings for food come back.”  “People don’t push back against lifelong diabetes medication, so why does that change for a disease like obesity?” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Bobby Friction. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There have been yet more controversial appointments to the House of Lords. Is it fit for purpose? How can we fix it? Ros Taylor is joined by Darren Hughes, chief executive of Electoral Reform Society, to explore how the House of Lords has gone wrong and what we can do about it.  “There haven’t been a willing set of retirements from the House of Lords.” “Who regulates the regulators?” “Don’t forget we still have the Liz Truss list to come!” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Bibby Stockholm plan has been beset by legionella. Who could have seen this coming? The Tories want us to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, why are they obsessed with chaos? Plus, this week is ‘health week’. Given that doctors are on strike, what could possibly go wrong?We also have an update on wildfires in Maui, the latest from Niger’s military coup, and the stories you may have missed. Ros Taylor is joined by Alex Andreou to give you the news to look out for in the week ahead. “The Government couldn’t organise a fire in a match factory.” – Alex Andreou “Sunak has all of his plans pinned on the weather.” – Alex Andreou “Labour’s plan is an unsexy but important one: to make the state work again.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor and Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The rise of vapes and ever-increasing cigarette regulations are a big threat to Big Tobacco. What new methods have they dreamed up to keep us smoking? Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz is joined by tobacco industry expert Robert Branston, associate professor in business economics at the University of Bath, to explore how Big Tobacco is still raking in huge profits. “Tobacco is a product like no other legal product in terms of its lethality.” “The profits are as addictive for these tobacco companies as tobacco is for the consumers.” “It's very easy to think tobacco is yesterday's problem, but in large parts of the world tobacco use is going up.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US Supreme Court has a huge power grip over America. And, thanks to Trump, it’s now more politicised than ever. So how has that impacted real life? Brian Klaas is associate professor in global politics at UCL and argues the court is “...a politicised institution masquerading as an impartial one”. He joins Andrew Harrison in The Bunker to discuss if it can be fixed. Brian’s piece: https://www.forkingpaths.co/p/how-to-fix-the-us-supreme-court  “There was a deference given to the courts… as if they were gods on American soil.” – Brian Klaas “Politicising something takes 10 minutes, depoliticising something takes 10 years or more.” – Brian Klaas “They’re all actors… it’s all for show.” – Brian Klaas “There is a problem that is now unsolvable, which is I don’t think the court will be seen as apolitical ever again.” – Brian Klaas www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: The coup in Niger rolls on, as US envoys hold talks with the junta. And, a plot to kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy was foiled earlier this week. What happened? Plus the confusion about the Thai elections rage on. Could a coalition be formed? Andrew Harrison talks to Vice News senior Editor Dipo Faloyin and Vox journalist Ellen Ionas to answer all those questions. “People are hoping that a democratic solution will come about, but in the meantime, the Coup leaders are sitting back and staying strong.” – Dipo Faloyin “There’s very little evidence that Wagner has struck a deal with the coup leaders.” – Dipo Faloyin “The challenge that he now faces are more efforts by Russian forces trying to infiltrate Ukrainian society.” – Dipo Faloyin Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

QAnon began as a niche conspiracy theory. How did it become a movement for self-radicalisation? How have its dangerous ideas infiltrated society? Rafael Behr is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James Ball, author of The Other Pandemic How QAnon Contaminated the World, to explore how the dark corners of the internet have serious implications for mainstream politics.   “Lots of QAnon conspiracies emerged from online trolling.” “4Chan created things the rest of the internet couldn’t say.” “QAnon asked people to self radicalise which caused a snowball effect.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Link for James Ball’s book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-other-pandemic-9781526642554/ Link for Rafael Behr’s book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/politics-a-survivors-guide/rafael-behr/9781838955045 Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices