The Bunker – News without the nonsense

How alarming is China's tech ambition – and is there any limit to their quest for industrial dominance? From contentious recruitment policies, corporate espionage and not to mention the ten thousand meter hole they’re drilling into the centre of the earth, the nation seems desperate to bolster its position.Alex Andreou is joined in The Bunker by Dr Rogier Creemers to understand Xi’s quest for scientific world domination.  “China needs technology but doesn’t want to pay for it.” “If you think you can predict what will happen in China, you’re a liar or a fool.” “The west received junk which is probably already at the bottom of a landfill as China raked in billions in revenue.” www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Alex Andreou. 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

Two years ago, Saudi Arabia announced it was creating a city of the future: known as The Line. Is it actually going to happen? The proposed 110-mile-long smart city of skyscrapers would be fueled by green energy and controlled by Artificial Intelligence. While the urban experiment is currently under development, many believe that the city is just a sci-fi dream that will never see the light of day. Joining Ros Taylor in The Bunker today is Matthew Blunderfield, the host of architecture podcast Scaffold, to answer the question: what would the perfect city of the future look like?  “Imagine a tower taller than the Empire State Building, extruded from Birmingham to Leeds and then doubled. That's the Line.” “There’s an underlying violence in forming this project.” “We don’t know what will happen to the ecosystem when we erect an enormous tall wall in the middle of a desert.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. 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

From earthquakes to terrorism – we live in a world of constant crisis. But are we prepared for it? Drawing on a wealth of experience as a former public servant and Director of GCHQ, Sir David Omand’s new book How to Survive a Crisis: Lessons in Resilience and Avoiding Disaster addresses responses to some of the greatest crises in recent memory. He joins Doomsday Watch podcast host Arthur Snell In The Bunker. “We must be future-proof to crisis, but we are more vulnerable than ever.” “The world of politics is hand-to-hand combat.” “What would you do when your world is turned upside down?” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book link:https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/448107/how-to-survive-a-crisis-by-omand-david/9780241561331 Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant Producer: Matilda Snell. 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

“Essex man” is a notorious caricature of Thatcherite Brits. How did the Conservatives win over the county? And where – if any – were pockets of resistance? Marie Le Conte is joined by Tim Burrows, author of new book The Invention of Essex: The Making of an English County, to explore the class dynamics and unexpected cultural politics of this much maligned county.  “There’s a feeling that people from Essex came up the social ladder too quickly.” “Home ownership has a lot to do with Conservatism in Essex.” “Essex could be a blank canvas for different political ideals.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book link:https://profilebooks.com/work/the-invention-of-essex/Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. 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

How do you solve a problem like Boris Johnson? Sunak needs to escape the shadow of his predecessor but reciting his 5 goals doesn’t seem to be cutting it. Could a potential mortgage bailout be enough to get the general public back onside? Plus we’ve got the reaction to that Party Gate video, the latest on Ukraine's counter offensive, and Labour's resurgence in Scotland. Gavin Esler joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead. “If Sunak doesn’rt get a grip he will be the 4th conservative leader destroyed by Johnson.” – Gavin Esler “Boris Johnson was never popular, he was just more popular than Corbyn.” – Gavin Esler “The threat of having an election is enough to keep the backbench in line.” – Gavin Esler  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Gavin Esler. Producers: 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

As the Lords come under scrutiny, we’re joined by one of the good ones – Lord Alf Dubs joins Dorian Lynskey in the Bunker to discuss how his own experience as a holocaust survivor impacts his politics, the failure of consecutive home secretaries and how the Lords should be modernised under Starmer’s Labour party.  “Right wing parties across Europe exploit the asylum issue for their own shabby political ends.” “The Lords appointment system worked well, until you get a PM like Johnson who totally abused it.” “There's nothing unworthy about being an economic migrant but it doesn't give you the human rights protection of an asylum seeker.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. 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

Xylazine, also known as Tranq, is causing a horrific wave of drug deaths across America. It’s mixed with the opioid named fentanyl to cause a cheaper, longer-lasting, yet more dangerous high. Perhaps the most shocking effect is its ability to rot the flesh around the injection site. Megan Cohen is the founder of The Grace Project in Philadelphia. She runs an outreach scheme on Kensington Avenue, home to the largest open air drugs market on the East Coast. She joined Alex Andreou in The Bunker to discuss the serious threat Tranq poses. “These aren’t zombies out there, they’re people impacted by the disease of addiction.” – Megan Cohen “What we noticed is the doses were stronger and the overdoses were happening more often.” – Megan Cohen “What we’re seeing is that narcan isn’t reversing overdoses as it was before, because of xylazine.” – Megan Cohen “When it comes to the wounds we still don’t have answers.” – Megan Cohen Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you haven’t tried our new press review show PAPER CUTS yet, here’s a taster of today’s episode. This time it’s the Mail and Telegraph’s Johnson-related meltdown, the majesty of Glenda Jackson and much more as comedian Fin Taylor and writer-historian Alex von Tunzelmann join Andrew Harrison under a huge pile of newsprint. Hear the full episode here.We’re out mid-morning every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to look at the the day’s best headlines, wildest stories and weirdest opinions. Subscribe on your favourite app. It’s the perfect chaser to your daily Bunker… Illustrations by Modern Toss https://moderntoss.com/Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by Sophie Black. Design: James Parrett. Music: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Exec Producer: Martin Bojtos. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. PAPER CUTS is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our view of hackers has been warped by movie portrayals of hoodie-wearing computer whizzes. But what are they really like? These keyboard bashers have uncovered some of the world's darkest secrets – and even come close to destroying the internet. But why do they do it? Scott Shapiro searches for answers in his new book Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks. He joins Dorian Lynskey in The Bunker. “The hackers that I’ve spoken to, they’re by and large normal, psychologically speaking.” – Scott Shapiro. “Any time there’s a hack, people say “It’s a nation-state, it’s Russia” it’s a reflex.” – Scott Shapiro. “People don't like to talk about when they’ve been hacked, because it’s embarrassing.” – Scott Shapiro. “There are a lot of mistaken stereotypes about hackers, one is the romance of a lone wolf.” – Scott Shapiro. “Security analysts hate the word hacker.” – Scott Shapiro. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey. Producer: Kasia TomasiewiczAudio production: Simon Williams Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cars are making us unhappy and unhealthy. From poor air quality, to mind numbing commutes and gridlocked city centres. Can anything be done to change car culture – or are we already on a highway to hell? Ros Taylor sits down with journalist and author of Carmageddon, Daniel Knowles, to discuss the rise of automobiles and asks if it’s too late to course correct.  “The problem to the average driver isn’t you, it’s everything else. ” “I think the car industry likes the idea of reducing civilian deaths without slowing down cars.” https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/730724/carmageddon-by-daniel-knowles/ www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. 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