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Mathew Crawford was raised in a family with elite occultist/intelligence services/masonic connections and forcibly enlisted, from a very young age, in the CIA's remote viewing programme. But he survived to become an educator, entrepreneur , statistician, finance specialist and founder of Rounding the Earth newsletter. In this wide-ranging chat, well worth your attention, Mathew enlarges on his theory that the world is run by a Military Occult Banking Syndicate and that Project Stargate is their primary control mechanism. Also on the menu: Gandhi was an MI6 agent; ‘remote viewing' is fake, whatever people like David Morehouse tell you; the third century BC Chinese eunuch who rode a deer and claimed it was a horse; Madame Blavatsky; the Lincoln assassination; Hitler's favourite movie; and lots, lots more. Be warned: the podcast ends very abruptly, not because of CIA interference but because the motherboard on Mathew's computer finally died. https://roundingtheearth.substack.com/ ↓ ↓ This Delingpod is very kindly sponsored by https://sinacrisps.com The crisp you can eat without the guilt. No seed oils and just 3 ingredients. Use code: JAMES with your purchase for 15% off. ↓ ↓ How environmentalists are killing the planet, destroying the economy and stealing your children's future. In Watermelons, an updated edition of his ground-breaking 2011 book, James tells the shocking true story of how a handful of political activists, green campaigners, voodoo scientists and psychopathic billionaires teamed up to invent a fake crisis called ‘global warming'. This updated edition includes two new chapters which, like a geo-engineered flood, pour cold water on some of the original's sunny optimism and provide new insights into the diabolical nature of the climate alarmists' sinister master plan. Purchase Watermelons by James Delingpole here: https://jamesdelingpole.co.uk/Shop/ ↓ ↓ ↓ Buy James a Coffee at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jamesdelingpole To support independent, no-holds-barred journalism and gain first and full access to all James's content, subscribe directly at https://www.jamesdelingpole.co.uk x
Charles Cumming talks to Paul Burke about his new novel Icarus 17, latest in the Box 88 series, The Day of the Jackal, A Spy by Nature, Thomas Kell, Geopolitics in the novel, post-Cold War spy fiction dip, touring Eastern Europe before The Wall fell, Plane and not meeting Jason Statham. Icarus 17: As director of covert intelligence agency Box 88, Lachlan Kite is at the apex of his espionage career. But when Martha Raine – a woman he hasn't seen in twenty years – begs for his help, Kite finds himself back in the game, racing to avert disaster. Kite must find Martha's son, Max, who vanished in Athens with his girlfriend, Yasmine. But the couple aren't just missing, they're running for their lives. Two rival agencies are hunting them, both with orders to kill on sight. Max and Yasmine are carrying a dizzying secret, one which could pull apart the foundations of the Middle East for a generation. If Kite fails to save them, the costs – both personal and professional – will be catastrophic. Charles Cumming is a British writer of spy fiction. Educated at Eton and the University of Edinburgh where he graduatednwith 1st Class Honours in English Literature. The Observer has described him as "the best of the new generation of British spy writers who are taking over where John le Carré and Len Deighton left off". In 1995, Charles Cumming was approached for recruitment by the United Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). A Spy By Nature, a novel partly based on his experiences with MI6, was published in 2001. The novel's hero, Alec Milius, is a flawed loner in his early 20s who is recruited by MI6 to sell doctored research data on oil exploration in the Caspian Sea to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 2001, Charles Cumming moved to Madrid. His second novel, The Hidden Man, came out in 2003. The Spanish Game, 2006, Typhoon, 2008, The Trinity Six, 2011. A Foreign Country, 2012, was named the first Scottish Crime Book of the Year at the inaugural Bloody Scotland Festival in Stirling in September 2012. It also won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller of 2012. A Colder War, 2014. A Divided Spy, 2016. The Man Between (published in the US as 'The Moroccan Girl') was published in 2018. In 2020 Cumming released BOX 88, followed by JUDAS 62 (2021), KENNEDY 35 (2023) and ICARUS 17 (2026). Charles Cumming was also the screenwriter of the Gerard Butler action movie 'Plane' and was part of the writing team responsible for the first season of the hit TV series 'The Day of the Jackal. Recommended: Bruce Chatwin, Martin Amis, John Cheever, Philip Roth, Henry Porter, David McCloskey. Ian Fleming and Frame 37 both by Nicholas Shakespeare, The Peacock and the Sparrow IS Berry, The Bureau, The Agency. Paul Burke is the editor of Aspects of Crime and the presenter of Spymasters. His first book Spies on Screen will be published this year. Icarus 17: Lachlan Kite should have left fieldwork behind by now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Waar de gevolgen van klimaatverandering voor de Britten tot dusver vooral een probleem elders waren, zet deze zomer de boel op scherp. Bosbranden, hittegolven en een dreigend drinkwatertekort, de Britten hebben het over weinig anders. Tegelijkertijd wil de nieuwe Labour-regering van Andy Burnham gaan boren naar fossiele brandstoffen in de Noordzee. En dat is minder tegenstrijdig dan het klinkt, vindt hij. Ook in deze aflevering Na een - uiteraard geheime - peiling onder spionnen in Europa, van de CIA en de Mossad komt de Britse geheime dienst MI6 als beste ter wereld uit de bus. Zijn ze daar blij mee? Ze zeggen er niets over. Wat maakt de Britse spionnendienst zo goed? Over Van Bekhovens Britten In van Bekhovens Britten praten Lia van Bekhoven en Connor Clerx elke week over de grootste nieuwsonderwerpen en de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Van Brexit naar binnenlandse politiek, van de Royals tot de tabloids. Waarom fascineert het VK Nederlanders meer dan zo veel andere Europese landen? Welke rol speelt het vooralsnog Verenigd Koninkrijk in Europa, nu het woord Brexit uit het Britse leven lijkt verbannen, maar de gevolgen van de beslissing om uit de EU te stappen iedere dag duidelijker worden? De Britse monarchie, en daarmee de staat, staat voor grote veranderingen na de dood van Queen Elisabeth en de kroning van haar zoon Charles. De populariteit van het Koningshuis staat op een dieptepunt. Hoe verandert de Britse monarchie onder koning Charles, en welke gevolgen heeft dat voor de Gemenebest? In Van Bekhovens Britten analyseren Lia en Connor een Koninkrijk met tanende welvaart, invloed en macht. De Conservatieve Partij leverde veertien jaar op rij de premier, maar nu heeft Labour onder Keir Starmer de teugels in handen. Hoe ziet het VK er onder Keir Starmer uit? En hoe gaan de ‘gewone’ Britten, voor zover die bestaan, daar mee om? Al deze vragen en meer komen aan bod in Van Bekhovens Britten. Een kritische blik op het Verenigd Koninkrijk, waar het een race tussen Noord-Ierland en Schotland lijkt te worden wie zich het eerst af kan scheiden van het VK. Hoe lang blijft het Koninkrijk verenigd? Na ruim 45 jaar onder de Britten heeft Lia van Bekhoven een unieke kijk op het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Als inwoner, maar zeker geen anglofiel, heeft ze een scherpe blik op het nieuws, de politiek, de monarchie en het dagelijkse leven aan de overkant van de Noordzee. Elke woensdag krijg je een nieuwe podcast over het leven van Van Bekhovens Britten in je podcastapp. Scherpe analyses, diepgang waar op de radio geen tijd voor is en een flinke portie humor. Abonneer en mis geen aflevering. Over Lia Lia van Bekhoven is correspondent Verenigd Koninkrijk voor onder andere BNR Nieuwsradio, VRT, Knack en Elsevier en is regelmatig in talkshows te zien als duider van het nieuws uit het VK. Ze woont sinds 1976 in Londen, en is naast correspondent voor radio, televisie en geschreven media ook auteur van de boeken Mama gaat uit dansen, het erfgoed van Diana, prinses van Wales (1997), Land van de gespleten God, Noord-Ierland en de troubles (2000), In Londen, 9 wandelingen door de Britse hoofdstad (2009) en Klein-Brittannië (2022). Over Connor Connor Clerx is presentator en podcastmaker bij BNR Nieuwsradio. Hij werkt sinds 2017 voor BNR en was voorheen regelmatig te horen in De Ochtendspits, Boekestijn en de Wijk en BNR Breekt. Als podcastmaker werkte hij de afgelopen tijd aan onder andere De Taxi-oorlog, Kuipers en de Kosmos, Splijtstof, Baan door het Brein en Welkom in de AI-Fabriek.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
John Maytham speaks to Patrick Radden Keefe, author of London Falling, about the mysterious death of 19-year-old Zac Brettler, his secret life and the criminal underworld he became entangled in. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Depois de pressão de Janja, agência nacional suspende lives no Discord. Steam sofre vazamento de dados após ciberataque a empresa terceirizada. Zoom: falha permitia controle de celulares e PCs em videochamada. Câmeras com IA: como funcionam as tecnologias que detectam infrações nas rodovias? Ex-chefe do MI6 alerta CEOs sobre riscos já conhecidos pelos líderes atuais. Nvidia trabalha em Nemotron 4, modelo de IA aberto com 1 trilhão de parâmetros. OpenAI lança GPT-5.6-Cyber para hackers éticos.
Hey Podtimists,This week David plays both Gamecube AND Pico 8 games. Meanwhile, Chase plays the origin story of everyone's favorite Mi6 spy.Then we took a deeper look at 1995's Bug! This was suggested to us by listener Gatzby, thanks for suggesting Bug!---Timestamps:(0:00) - Intro(8:24) - What David has been playing(8:30) - Mario Kart Double Dash(17:20) - Soul Calibur 2(24:24) - Spider-Man 2(29:21) - Just One Boss(33:39) - What Chase has been playing(34:25) - 007 First Light(55:35) - Scrap Mechanic(1:05:37) - Chase's Podtimistic thing of the week(1:08:30) - David's Podtimistic thing of the week(1:09:49) - Good Games! Featuring Bug!(1:26:09) - Outro---Games mentioned:Mario Kart Double DashSoulCalibur 2Spiderman 2Just One Boss007 First LightScrap MechanicBug!
In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas welcomes back Dr. Chris Smith — historian at Coventry University, author of The Hidden History of Bletchley Park and The Last Cambridge Spy, and a returning friend of the podcast for his third appearance — to explore one of the most remarkable and troubling stories in modern British history: the Cambridge Five. Five young men, recruited at Cambridge in the 1930s, rose to the very heart of the British establishment — the Foreign Office, MI5, MI6, and Bletchley Park — and spent decades passing its secrets to Moscow. Dr. Smith takes Jonathan through the full arc: the political radicalization of the 1930s that made Soviet recruitment possible, the individual stories of Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, and Anthony Blunt, and — above all — the fascinating, overlooked figure of John Cairncross, the ironmonger's son from a Scottish mining town who was never quite let into the fold, mocked for his accent, made to fetch the tea, and who nonetheless walked out of Bletchley Park with raw decrypts stuffed in his trousers and fed them to Moscow. The episode covers the Battle of Kursk and what Cairncross's intelligence really contributed, the extraordinary Venona Project that began unravelling the ring, why MI5 couldn't prosecute the men they knew were guilty, how Anthony Blunt accidentally revealed himself by threatening to sue Private Eye, and why the story of the Cambridge Five — class, betrayal, embarrassment, and the establishment protecting its own — still grips Britain seventy years on. Links The Last Cambridge Spy by Dr. Chris Smith The Hidden History of Bletchley Park by Dr. Chris Smith My Silent War by Kim Philby My Five Cambridge Friends by Yuri Modin (better than any spy novel — though not entirely true) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy — John le Carré Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 78 - Did Churchill Know? Unraveling the Myths of the Coventry Blitz and Wartime Espionage Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 86: Codebreakers, Spies, and Secrets - The Truth About Bletchley Park and Alan Turing Friends of Anglotopia Club Takeaways The Cambridge Five were not recruited because they were ideological fanatics — they were recruited because the 1930s presented them with a genuine political crisis: mass unemployment, fascism rising across Europe, a British establishment incapable of responding, and the Labour Party wiped out in 1931. Soviet communism appeared to be the only organized force willing to fight the Nazis. Kim Philby did not seek out the NKVD — he fell into their hands almost by accident when he went to work with the Viennese underground and met Litzy Friedmann, whose contacts led straight to Soviet intelligence. His recruitment was as much luck as design. John Cairncross was the only one of the five who did not come from the upper-middle or upper class. Born in 1913 in Lesmahagow, a mining town south of Glasgow, the son of an ironmonger and one of eight children, he arrived at Cambridge already primed with a chip on his shoulder — and was immediately reminded by Anthony Blunt and others that he was not quite one of them. Guy Burgess was literally the last person the Soviets wanted to recruit — their own list had him at the bottom. He was a prolific drunk who couldn't keep secrets and would tell people he was a spy when intoxicated. They eventually let him in because he'd worked it out and it was better to have him inside the tent. Cairncross's route into Bletchley Park came through losing his job in Lord Hankey's office when Churchill became Prime Minister and cleared out Chamberlain's people. He simply asked the right person to write the right letter, and was hired to work in Hut Three. Nobody ran adequate background checks — being a Cambridge man was effectively sufficient. Stealing secrets from Bletchley was almost embarrassingly easy. Cairncross would take raw decrypts from the room where they were waiting to be incinerated, stuff them in his trousers, walk out unchecked, get on the train to London, and hand them to his handler. Getting in without a pass was dangerous; leaving was essentially unmonitored. Cairncross's contribution to the Battle of Kursk — providing intelligence that allowed the Red Army Air Force to locate and destroy several hundred Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground — was real, but its precise importance is genuinely contested. The volume and quality of intelligence over years, not any single document, is what made the Cambridge Five so valuable. The reason none of the five were prosecuted comes down to evidence — specifically the Venona Project. The Americans were never going to allow their top-secret ongoing cryptanalytic operation to be exposed in a British criminal court, and without that evidence, MI5 had nothing admissible. The deal offered to Blunt and Cairncross: tell us everything and we guarantee you'll never be prosecuted. Anthony Blunt accidentally exposed himself by attempting to sue Private Eye for insinuating he was the fourth man. To bring a case you have to go public — which immediately told everyone in the journalistic world exactly who he was, and forced Margaret Thatcher to make a statement in the House of Commons using qualified parliamentary immunity. The Cambridge Five story endures because it is simultaneously a great spy thriller, a story about British class and the establishment's habit of protecting its own, and a genuinely embarrassing episode that helped bring down governments. John le Carré based the villain of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy directly on Kim Philby, and the story has never quite gone away. Soundbites "Cairncross was mocked for his accent, made to fetch the tea, passed over — and went on to smuggle raw decrypts out of Bletchley Park stuffed in his trousers, feeding Moscow intelligence that shaped the greatest tank battle in history." — Jonathan's introduction. "In nineteen thirty-one, the Labour party basically gets annihilated in the general election. And for a lot of these quite radical individuals, it seems now that the establishment doesn't have the moral fortitude to address any of these issues with any kind of clarity or energy." — Chris on why Cambridge radicals turned to communism. "Philby literally walks up to a communist lecturer at Cambridge and says, what can I do for the movement? And this guy dispatches him off to Vienna, where he joins the Viennese underground and meets Litzy." — Chris on how Kim Philby's recruitment happened almost by accident. "Guy Burgess is literally the bottom of the list. He couldn't keep a secret, liked to get drunk all the time, and when drunk would literally tell people he was a spy. He would actually do that. And everyone would be like, he's drunk, talking rubbish." — Chris on the spy ring's most problematic recruit. "He just stuffs raw decrypts down his trousers and walks out of the park. Gets on the train to London. That's all it took. Getting in without a pass, you might get shot. But leaving — no one ever checked him." — Chris on how Cairncross stole secrets from Bletchley Park. "It's not the one James Bond, Jason Bourne style moment that we kind of imagine from TV. It's the volume, quantity, and quality over years which makes them so important to the Soviet Union." — Chris on why the Cambridge Five mattered. "The United States are not going to allow you to have their top-secret project come out in a British criminal court case. They haven't got admissible evidence. And everybody involved probably knows it." — Chris on why none of the five were ever prosecuted. "In the act of threatening to bring a case to court, you have to go public. So why would Anthony Blunt be suing Private Eye over Andrew Boyle's book? He basically revealed himself as a spy. And that meant Thatcher had to make a statement in the House of Commons." — Chris on how Blunt accidentally exposed himself. "Novels like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy are literally written about Kim Philby. John le Carré had been an MI6 officer in the sixties and knew full well what had happened. It's not only better than fiction — it's also inspired the best fiction." — Chris on why the story endures. "It's about the establishment being untrustworthy. It brings down governments. It literally dogs them for decades. Every time there's a new generation of politicians, this story comes back again. It's the gift that keeps on giving." — Chris on why Britain can't let go of the Cambridge Five. Chapters 00:21 Introduction — Jonathan sets the scene: five Cambridge men, decades of treachery, and the one nobody remembers 02:05 Welcome Back, Chris — His third appearance; previous episodes on Bletchley Park and the Churchill/Coventry myth 02:09 How Chris Came to Cairncross — A PhD on Bletchley Park, a memoir, and a biography waiting to be written 03:03 Who Were the Cambridge Five? — Setting the scene for anyone who half knows the story 03:18 Meet the Five — Philby, Maclean, Burgess, Blunt, and the outsider Cairncross 05:00 Cambridge in the 1930s — The Devil's Decade, the Great Depression, 20% unemployment, and the 1931 election wipeout 07:55 The Soviet Union as the Only Alternative — Why young radicals looked to Moscow when everything else failed 09:43 How Kim Philby Was Recruited — Vienna, Litzy Friedmann, the NKVD, and an accident of love 11:33 Philby Recruits the Others — Arnold Deutsch, picking the fruit from the tree, and why the Soviets got very lucky 13:41 What Motivated Them? — Anti-fascism, anti-appeasement, class guilt, and the case that holds up vs. the one that doesn't 15:39 Enter John Cairncross — Lesmahagow, Glasgow, the Sorbonne, and an extraordinary family 16:20 Cairncross's Background — An ironmonger's father, eight children, five university degrees, and the brother who became chief economic advisor 19:55 Glasgow University — Bursary exams, near-perfect scores in French and German, and the city that films as New York 23:46 Two Years in Paris — Wine, Molière, Nazi refugees, and cycling holidays through Berlin 25:35 Cairncross Arrives at Cambridge — 1934, his brother Alec, and the year he finally becomes political 29:54 How Cairncross Was Recruited — Blunt spots him, Guy Burgess pursues him, Klugmann closes the deal 33:21 Rejected from Academia, Tops the Civil Service Exam — The establishment he hated becomes the one he joins 34:16 Into the Foreign Office — Top marks, third secretary, and Donald Maclean as his boss 38:02 Transferred to the Treasury — Why it turns out to be a goldmine for Soviet intelligence 39:04 Lord Hankey's Office — The MAUD Committee, nuclear weapons, and Cairncross as the first atomic spy 43:11 Cairncross Loses His Job and Gets to Bletchley — Churchill sacks Hankey's people; a letter to the right person; Hut Three 44:11 Background Checks in Wartime — Cambridge, Trinity, a bit of a communist at university — childish stuff, let him in 45:35 Stealing Secrets from Bletchley Park — Decrypts in his trousers, unmonitored exits, the train to London 46:00 Hut Six and Hut Three Explained — The mathematicians vs. the translators, Enigma and Lorenz 48:09 The Battle of Kursk — What Cairncross passed to Moscow, how many aircraft were destroyed, and how much it actually mattered 50:29 Six Thousand Documents and the Order of the Red Banner — Volume and quality over years 50:39 Did Cairncross Harm Britain? — His argument, Chris's verdict, and why the post-war evidence collapses his defence 53:08 Fast Forward: The Cold War Begins — Ally to enemy, and the ring starts to unravel 53:36 The Venona Project — How the Americans cracked the Soviet one-time pad and why it took decades 55:16 Narrowing Down to Maclean — The wife in New York, seven years of analysis, and Kim Philby tipping him off 59:09 Cairncross Confesses in 1963/64 — The MI5 deal, why prosecution was legally impossible, and what he revealed 01:00:47 Why They Couldn't Prosecute — Venona, admissible evidence, and the lawyers' verdict 01:03:53 The Deal Offered to Blunt and Cairncross — Tell us everything; we guarantee you'll never be prosecuted 01:04:46 How Blunt Was Finally Exposed — Andrew Boyle's book, Private Eye, a threatened lawsuit, and Thatcher's statement 01:07:04 Cairncross Publicly Named — Jock Colville, the handwritten note, and Oleg Gordievsky's defection 01:08:09 Cairncross's Final Years — France, TV interviews, memoirs, and death in 1995 01:10:07 Why the Story Still Grips Britain — Class, the establishment, le Carré, Private Eye, Yes Prime Minister 01:12:21 Wrap-Up — The Last Cambridge Spy, Yuri Modin's memoir, and a fourth episode already being planned Video Version
durée : 00:11:11 - Le 6/9 de l'été - par : Alexis Morel - Elsa Trujillo, journaliste défense et renseignement pour L'Express, présente le classement des meilleurs espions de l'Europe, publié fin juillet dans un dossier très complet dans son magazine. Le MI6 britannique se hisse en tête, suivi de la DGSE française et des services secrets des Pays-Bas. - équipe : Clémentine Sabrié Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France
durée : 00:11:11 - Les interviews d'Inter - par : Alexis Morel - Elsa Trujillo, journaliste défense et renseignement pour L'Express, présente le classement des meilleurs espions de l'Europe, publié fin juillet dans un dossier très complet dans son magazine. Le MI6 britannique se hisse en tête, suivi de la DGSE française et des services secrets des Pays-Bas. - équipe : Clémentine Sabrié Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France
This episode we are back from a summer break with part two of our discussion of John le Carré's 1979 novel Smiley's People with returning guest Charles Beaumont, a former undercover MI6 operative and author of A Spy Alone and A Spy at War. We debate Connie Sachs repetitive return, talk Smiley and sex-clubs and […]
Matthew Ehret takes the Fauci hearings and asks the question nobody in the room seems to want answered: what if the Wuhan lab leak story, however true, is still only half the picture? This episode digs into the sprawling network of over 300 opaque, largely unregulated Pentagon run biolabs scattered across the globe, from Ukraine to Georgia to South Korea, and traces how figures like former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove keep showing up at the center of Britain's most consequential intelligence scandals. Expect leaked admissions from Victoria Nuland, Russian and Chinese accusations about biolabs near their borders, drones rigged for aerosol dispersal, and a hard look at the policy documents that openly discussed genetically targeted bioweapons decades before COVID. Ehret connects dots most coverage leaves scattered, building toward a bigger, uncomfortable question about who actually benefits from the chaos. Bring your skepticism either way.
Damian Lewis is one of Britain's most acclaimed and sought-after actors, with an extraordinary career spanning both the UK and America. A multiple award winner and nominee, Damian has captivated audiences in some of television's most iconic dramas. Among many things, Damian talks about how Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks chose him to play Major Richard "Dick" Winters in Band of Brothers, how he landed the role of Nicholas Brody in Homeland, how he created the character of Bobby Axelrod in Billions, and his role as an MI6 agent in the miniseries A Spy Among Friends. Along the way, he also reflects on his approach to acting, bringing complex characters to life, and working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Funny, humble and refreshingly honest, Damian is every bit as engaging off-screen as he is on-screen. An unmissable episode. REPLAY | Originally released in 2023 Related Links: Band of Brothers Trailer Homeland Season 1 Trailer BILLIONS Season 1 Trailer A SPY AMONG FRIENDS Trailer Wolf Hall Trailer Bandwidth Conversations is proudly sponsored by Klira. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.
James Bond didn't just survive the 1980s—he evolved. The decade began with the familiar charm of Roger Moore, who somehow managed to save the world while delivering one-liners smoother than a shaken martini. But by the end of the '80s, the tuxedo belonged to Timothy Dalton, whose darker, more serious interpretation helped pave the way for the modern Bond audiences know today. On this week's Stuck in the '80s, hosts Steve Spears and Sean Daly welcome former St. Petersburg Times film critic Steve Persall for a mission worthy of MI6: revisiting every James Bond film released during the decade. From space lasers and exploding Lotus Esprits to ski chases, killer theme songs and unforgettable villains, the trio debates which films still hold up—and which ones are best left in Q Branch storage. Is The Spy Who Loved Me era impossible to top? Did Licence to Kill deserve more love? Which Bond girl stole the show? And just how many times can Roger Moore raise one eyebrow before it becomes a special effect? Along the way, they also discuss how the Bond franchise adapted to changing audiences, shifting action-movie trends and the arrival of a grittier leading man just as the decade came to a close. Whether you're Team Moore, Team Dalton or simply here for the Aston Martins and gadgets, there's plenty to debate. So pour yourself a martini (your choice of preparation), cue up the unmistakable Bond theme, and join us for a deep dive into one of the biggest movie franchises of the 1980s. Join Us on The 80s Cruise! Love talking '80s movies, music and pop culture? Come experience it in person aboard The 80s Cruise, where Steve and the Stuck in the '80s crew host live podcasts, trivia, interviews with legendary artists and plenty of unforgettable fan events at sea. If you're booking your cabin, don't forget to use promo code STUCK to receive up to a $250 cabin credit. We'll see you onboard! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Japan is launching its first foreign intelligence agency since World War Two, backed by a massive US$400 million budget. Driven by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the move aims to counter escalating threats from China, North Korea, and Russia - placing Japan alongside global espionage powers like the CIA and MI6. But will this historic shift successfully deter regional aggression, or will it risk making relations worse?
James Bond has been in the pop culture sphere longer than video games. He's gone through many creators, portrayers, and mediums. It can be difficult to feel like you're playing as the secret agent. Whether it's a first-person shooter, a driving game, or a text adventure, it's a tricky needle to thread. His latest foray in games is IO Interactive's 007 FIrst Light. Matt & Gen are joined by Josh from Still Loading Podcast to discuss the history of 007 in games, what defines a Bond game vs other spy games, and how well First Light represents MI6's most famous agent We have a Patreon! Gain access to episode shout outs, bonus content, early downloads of regular episodes, an exclusive rss feed and more! Click here! You can find the show on Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube! Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts! Rate us on Pocket Casts! Wanna join the Certain POV Discord? Click here! Episode Art by Case Aiken Episode Music by Gen Moonen
Jason Statham is back as a retired elite operative with a violent past—and somehow nobody leaves him alone.This week, Clay reviews Shelter (2026), the Jason Statham action thriller now streaming on Prime Video. Is it worth watching, or is it just The Beekeeper with a lighthouse?Clay breaks down the remote-island opening, Statham's one-man war against MI6, the car chase, nightclub fight, familiar action-movie formula and the strange comfort of knowing exactly what a Jason Statham film will deliver. There's also the discovery that Love Island might simply be Jason Statham for women.Elsewhere: Adelaide finally leaves the house, Clay gets mistaken for Taylor “Tex” Walker, pickup artists remain unbearable, Apple's Magic Mouse remains unusable, fatherhood makes seeing your mates nearly impossible, and salt-and-vinegar chips prove themselves to be the perfect island-survival snack.Clay's rating: 6.5/10.Watch or listen to the complete Shelter movie review, then subscribe to Welcome to the Poddy for weekly comedy, film reviews, personal stories and increasingly questionable snack pairings.Bung Bung Coffee: https://bungbungcoffee.comTell a friend to tell a friend. Bung bung.
New reports revisit sealed French files, MI6 conspiracy claims, Diana's landmine work, spiritual rituals at Kensington Palace, and newly surfaced letters from the young princess.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/palace-intrigue-king-charles-meghan-markle-and-all-the-royal-family-gossip--4522904/support.Palace Intrigue is a daily British royal family podcast covering King Charles, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and the House of Windsor. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.
On June 6th 2004, Frank Gardner was in Riyadh filming what was meant to be a routine piece of background footage when an Al-Qaeda cell opened fire. His cameraman, Simon Cumbers, was killed. Frank was shot six times and left for dead. One surgeon later told him he'd arrived at hospital the colour of a lab coat, bleeding from every wound faster than they could pour the plasma in. It was, in the truest sense, the day Frank should have died.That day split his life in two. Before it, he was a restless Arabist who'd hitchhiked across the Middle East with nothing in his pocket, spent a decade in banking, turned down MI6, and talked his way into the BBC in his mid-30s to become its first ever security correspondent. After it, he was partially paralysed and in daily pain – yet back at work within ten months, and has spent the twenty years since reporting from the very places that nearly killed him. He describes crossing an invisible bridge to a new version of himself, this conversation is about what that crossing actually cost.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEYI know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing a crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.FOUR LESSONS FROM FRANKDon't waste your energy mourning what you can no longer change. Pour it into what you still can. When crisis hits, there's a fork in the road. One path is self-pity – and it's entirely justifiable. The other is deciding to make the most of what you've got left. Choosing the second is a daily struggle.Look outwards, not inwards. Fill your life with the things that make you feel useful and alive. Fixating on your own troubles is a trap – curiosity about the world around you is the way out.Volunteer for the work no one else wants – the weekends, the bank holidays, the night shifts. It's how you make yourself indispensable, and how you get your shot when it finally comes.CHAPTERS 05:18 – The daily indignities most people never see 08:57 – Why he refuses to let it define him 11:33 – Where his grit really came from: two extraordinary parents 14:19 – The bold early decisions that shaped a life 20:38 – Turning down MI6 – and the self-awareness to know why 27:45 – How to break into a career when there's no job at the end of it 30:27 – The attack: what actually happened that day 31:02 – Seven months in hospital, and living with the what-ifs 39:45 – The one thing he's still bitter about 42:15 – Losing Simon, and finding a way through the grief 44:37 – "You'll never walk again" – the second hammer blow 48:05 – The letter from the BBC that gave him something to aim for 50:42 – Going back to Saudi Arabia to face it down 53:52 – Why he doesn't spend his life grievingBUY FRANK'S BOOKBallistic – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178763549X?tag=prhmarketing2552-21FOLLOW FRANK GARDNERInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/frank.gardner/?hl=en X – https://x.com/FrankRGardnerFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispodThis was a Crisis What Crisis Production – Rex Fisher (producer), Ioana Barbu (studio manager), Fred Sharp (research), Johnny Seifert (audio), Jasper Cullen (video)
When a brilliant intelligence officer from MI6 is discovered dead inside a padlocked duffel bag in his London flat, investigators face an impossible crime scene—no signs of forced entry, no fingerprints, and theories ranging from suicide to espionage—as the shadow of secrecy around his work at GCHQ breeds one of the most perplexing mysteries in British intelligence history. Sources for this episode include:“Spy last seen alive eight days before body was found in bag” (The Guardian) “MI6 officer Gareth Williams and the ‘missing hours' before his death” (BBC)“MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams' death ‘perfect crime,' expert says” (CNN)“Police claim to have solved London ‘spy in the bag' mystery” (The Independent)“The Death of The Spy In the Bag is Linked to Russia By Secret Intelligence Files” (BuzzFeed News) Keep up with Killer Stories! Instagram: @killerstoriespodTikTok: @killerstoriespodX: @killerstorieshq Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Gabby enlists the help of Agent Coniston Kate Grosvenor to track down the rogue assassin. Kate is one of MI6's deadliest snipers from the elite C9 Branch.Keep up with the latest Gabby Lane news on her website www.gabbylanespy.com
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day
Desde os anos 1990, fatores como a atividade humana, a poluição e as mudanças do clima amputaram o planeta de 40% dos seus estoques naturais. No começo do ano, um relatório do IPBES, a plataforma intergovernamental da ONU para a biodiversidade, alertou sobre os riscos desse declínio de seres vivos para a economia mundial e a estabilidade financeira. O desaparecimento progressivo de plantas, animais, insetos, moluscos e micróbios gera um efeito dominó na agricultura e nas cadeias de valor que, para muitos países, representam a maior parte do PIB. Ao mesmo tempo, essa erosão em curso eleva os custos de produção – em outras palavras, riqueza que deixa de ser gerada, à altura de US$ 2,7 trilhões por ano até 2030, avaliou o Banco Mundial em 2021. Novos estudos apontam que os dois efeitos combinados já teriam resultado em um prejuízo de 20% do PIB mundial, adverte o biólogo Marc-André Selosse, professor e pesquisador do Museu de História Natural de Paris. Autor de diversas obras, ele acaba de publicar De la biodiversité comme un humanisme ("A biodiversidade como humanismo", em tradução livre), no qual detalha o alto custo da degradação da natureza e defende que preservar a natureza significa proteger o ser humano. “Na produção de groselha na Borgonha, por exemplo, a polinização é crucial. Só que as populações de insetos nessas áreas caíram 98% nos últimos 40 anos, então os produtores criam pequenas abelhas solitárias altamente eficazes, nos arbustos da groselha. Desta forma, eles conseguem impulsionar a produção, dobrando ou até quadruplicando, mas precisam manter essas colônias de abelhas, que custam caro”, cita o professor francês. “O que quero dizer é que, às vezes, conseguimos aplicar 'soluções rápidas', mas estamos começando a sobrecarregar o sistema com encargos secundários, simplesmente porque não podemos mais contar com as funções que a biodiversidade naturalmente proporcionaria.” Dependência da natureza que os homens destroem Selosse evoca um recente relatório das agências de segurança interna e externa britânicas, no qual o MI5 e o MI6 constatam que os danos aos ecossistemas considerados essenciais para o equilíbrio do planeta – da Amazônia às florestas boreais, dos manguezais aos recifes de corais – são uma ameaça direta à segurança alimentar no Reino Unido, que importa 40% do que consome. Alimentos, água, fertilidade dos solos, qualidade do ar são serviços ambientais proporcionados pela natureza, mas que a interferência humana está colocando em risco. Em abril, um estudo realizado pela seguradora Swiss Re apontou que 55% do PIB mundial depende de uma biodiversidade “saudável”. “Existem espécies de grupos de seres vivos que são bem catalogados, como plantas ou animais, nos quais vemos a diversidade despencar. Já perdemos 5% das espécies de vertebrados, 7% das espécies de moluscos. Estamos vendo o processo acontecer”, afirma, em entrevista ao programa C'est pas du Vent, da RFI. “Perdemos um pouco menos de plantas, mas estima-se que desde que o homem apareceu na Terra, a velocidade de extinção dos animais aumentou em pelo menos 5 mil vezes. A de plantas, 500 vezes. Estes são dados que temos.” Perda de diversidade genética ameaça a sobrevivência Selosse chama a atenção para alguns casos: 80% dos insetos desapareceram em 30 anos, o número de pássaros na Europa caiu 30% em 15 anos e o de morcegos, em igual proporção, em ainda menos tempo, apenas uma década. O pesquisador salienta os riscos dessa perda de populações para a sobrevivência dos seres vivos. O desaparecimento de indivíduos leva à redução progressiva da diversidade genética de cada espécie, que hoje já é de pelo menos 10%. “Isso é preocupante porque é nesta diversidade genética que se encontram os indivíduos que possivelmente estarão adaptados às condições de amanhã: quando um novo agrotóxico começar a ser usado, quando o clima estiver um grau mais quente ou quando a concentração de microplásticos subir, quem vai conseguir sobreviver?”, salienta. “É a adaptabilidade das espécies que está em jogo. A perda de diversidade genética representa um enfraquecimento das espécies. Ela anuncia a ampliação do mecanismo de extinção, que por enquanto ainda é limitado a entre 5 e 10%”, indica o cientista. A entrevista completa de Marc-André Selosse à RFI pode ser ouvida aqui, em francês.
The girls are back with an episode that starts with a viral “haunted building” video and somehow ends with one of the most suspicious spy deaths in modern true crime. First, Monique digs into Montreal's Grey Nuns Building, where the ghost story exists, not in the flickering lights, but in the 60 children killed in a 1918 fire, the crypt full of bodies under student housing and the deeply complicated legacy behind the building itself. Then Amy takes on the death of Gareth Williams, the MI6 codebreaker found inside a padlocked red North Face bag in his bathtub. The official story says “accident”. The crime scene says absolutely fucking not. Between the sweltering apartment, wiped-down evidence, missing fingerprints, delayed reporting and a coroner who called the death suspicious, this one lands somewhere between “professional hit” and “how dumb do you think we are?”
The Israeli art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon is as real as George Smiley or Hercule Poirot. He even has his own Wikipedia page. The CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel describes herself on X as a friend of Gabriel Allon before she gets around to mentioning her husband, the best-selling thriller writer Daniel Silva who, of course, is the creator of Allon. As with all successful literary inventions, of course, Silva is as much Allon as Allon is Silva. Silva-Allon. Amongst the most lucrative partnerships in contemporary fiction. Unsurprisingly, Silva still hasn't managed to kill off Allon. Twenty-six books into the series, the retired Mossad legend turned Venice art restorer is the truest fake spy in the business — a character so real that Silva, who seems to revel in his insularity, has to lock himself away from imagining how readers receive him. Or perhaps he's locking himself away from Allon. In Ransom, out today, a billionaire real estate baron asks Allon to find his vanished wife, the dazzling socialite Alice Winter — who has, of course, a darker life. Behind Silva's latest summer best-seller looms Russia's shadow war on Europe. That's the post-cold war cold war politics of Ransom. Unit 29155, the GRU's sabotage specialists, are hitting pipelines and flying drones over Copenhagen, an MI6 officer describes the Russians as feral animals, and Ransom's climax unfolds at an emergency Downing Street summit with Zelensky without the United States in the room. It's a terrifying narrative as real as Gabriel Allon. Five Takeaways • An Art Restorer Who Used to Be a Spy. Gabriel Allon was invented for one book — a 1999 novel inspired by the Camp David peace process, written like a demon in a cottage near Land's End — and was never meant to continue. Twenty-six books later, Silva has flipped the character's formula: once an operative whose cover was art restoration, Allon is now an art restorer who used to be a spy, formally retired and living in Venice. As for his age, Silva freezes time the way Christie froze Poirot: Allon is aging in reverse, quite intentionally, and Silva will write him for as long as people want to read him. • Russia's Shadow War on Europe. The serious spine of Ransom is the campaign of sabotage and subversion that Russia is waging against all of Western Europe — the GRU's Unit 29155 hitting pipelines, running hacking operations, and flying the drones that shut down Copenhagen Airport and pushed Denmark toward its highest state of alert. One MI6 officer tells Silva the Russians are acting like feral animals, and the worse the battlefield goes, the more aggressive the sabotage becomes. Silva has been here before: Moscow Rules put him ahead of the curve on Putin in 2008, and Allon's personal war with Putinism enters its latest round. • Writing an Israeli Hero After October 7. Allon is the old Israeli liberal establishment made flesh — secular, social-democratic, the Ashkenazi security elite whose surviving members now oppose the conduct of the war. Silva, an avowed two-stater, saw the change coming years before October 7: quoting his friend Richard Haass, this is not your parents' or grandparents' Israel. Allon, he insists, would never serve in a cabinet alongside far-right extremists like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich — and they wouldn't have him. What happened on October 7 was barbaric, Silva says, but this war has gone on far too long. • The Super Rich, With a Judgmental Eye. It's fun to write about the rich — the jets, the expensive toys, the glamour of Venice, Knightsbridge, and Ibiza — but Silva does it for a specific reason: to draw the contrast between how they live and how the rest of us live. A new global super elite is checking out from everyone else, he argues — unwilling to pay taxes, to educate the young, or to care for the sick — so Ransom balances the socialite's world against an encampment of homeless seasonal workers on Ibiza. Britain itself gets the same treatment: austerity, seven prime ministers in a decade, and shires where nobody is doing very well. • Pencils on the Floor. Silva calls himself a literary novelist masquerading as a thriller writer, and his working methods match the self-description: he lies on the floor and writes with pencils, keeping technology as far from the work as possible. AI appears in Ransom only because the plot demanded it — a proof-of-life photograph that has to be checked for deepfakery, in a world where even presidents fake pictures. The thought of asking AI to write for him prompts a simple question: what would be the point? A book a year since 1997, and book 27 began the day after this one was finished. About the Guest Daniel Silva is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-six Gabriel Allon novels, including The Kill Artist, Moscow Rules, Portrait of an Unknown Woman, A Death in Cornwall, and An Inside Job. His books are published in more than thirty countries. He lives in Florida with his wife, CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel — who describes herself on X as a friend of Gabriel Allon before mentioning her husband. His new novel is Ransom (HarperCollins, July 14, 2026). References: • Ransom by Daniel Silva (HarperCollins, July 14, 2026) — book 26 of the Gabriel Allon series. James Patterson: “Silva can really write, the bastard.” • Moscow Rules (2008) — the novel Silva is proudest of, which put him ahead of the curve on Putin and began Allon's personal war with the Russian secret services. • The Kill Artist (2001) — Allon's first appearance, inspired by the Camp David peace process and written in a rented cottage near Land's End. • Unit 29155 — the real GRU sabotage unit behind the pipeline attacks, hacking operations, and drone incursions that drive the novel's plot, including the 2025 shutdown of Copenhagen Airport. • John le Carré — whose George Smiley, Silva concedes, needs no advice from Gabriel Allon, though the two would have got on had they met on Bywater Street. • Richard Haass — the foreign policy analyst and friend of Silva's whose line frames the Israel discussion: this is not your parents' or your grandparents' Israel any longer. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 3,000 episodes since the show launched on...
On the Saturday July 11, 2026 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Linus O’Brien, director of “Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror,” a documentary celebrating the 50th anniversary of “The Rocky Horror Show” and its creator, and Linus’s father, Richard O’Brien. The documentary, which is available now on Digital HD including Apple TV and Prime Video, tracks Rocky Horror’s humble beginnings as a 1973 London fringe theatre play, its subsequent flop on Broadway, its adaptation into the 1975 feature film, and its eventual resurrection via the midnight movie circuit. With interviews with creator Richard O'Brien and original cast members like Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick, alongside commentary from high-profile celebrity fans like Jack Black and Trixie Mattel, it is the most complete look at the Rocky Horror phenomenon to date. Then, we’ll meet longtime staff writer at The New Yorker, Patrick Radden Keefe. He’s earned a reputation for transforming complex, high-stakes stories of power, secrecy, crime, and corruption into gripping, cinematic page-turners that read like thrillers while maintaining rigorous factual depth. Today we’ll talk about his new book, “London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth,” the gripping true story of 19-year-old Zac Brettler, who in November 2019 jumped (or fell) to his death from a luxury Thames-side apartment directly across from MI6 headquarters.
Judge Dredd meets Biker Mice from Mars, Midnight Island channels mystery-box island energy, Rocketeer: Infiltrator punches Nazis, and then we dive into Catwoman: Lonely City — one of the smartest future-Gotham heist comics around. RSS Feed Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at http://patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure the Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) Thanks for listening to the Major Spoilers Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. REVIEWS ROCKETEER: INFILTRATOR #1 Writer: Gabriel Hardman Artist: Dean Kotz Publisher: IDW Publishing Cover Price: $4.99 Release Date: July 08, 2026 It's the height of World War II, and Betty is a Nazi collaborator! Or so we're led to believe. As Allied planes mysteriously explode in midair across Europe, rumors of a Nazi superweapon compel the U.S. to send its fastest asset undercover: the Rocketeer! With Betty posing as a defecting American actress in a German motion picture, Cliff Secord, a.k.a. the Rocketeer, accompanies as her brother and manager. And since neither has experience in deep-cover work, the Allies send a handler to support them—a debonair MI6 agent who assumes the role of Betty's co-star. The Rocketeer will need to maintain his cover, destroy a superweapon no Allied agent has actually seen, and keep Betty away from the handsome British secret agent with a penchant for beautiful women. It's a lot for a reckless stunt pilot to handle! MIDNIGHT ISLAND #1 Writer: Lylian Artist: Nicolas Grebil Publisher: Papercutz Cover Price: $9.99 (digital $5.99, Hardcover $14.99) Release Date: July 28, 2026 Mysteries unfold in this adventurous series set on an enigmatic island full of secrets and wonders—it's Lost for a younger generation. Four children wake up on a deserted island. After taking refuge in an abandoned boarding school, they find an automaton who, every night at midnight, gives them a mission. If they fail or refuse to take up the challenge, the consequences could be terrible. From mission to mission, the children explore their surroundings, encounter other participants, and try to discover the reasons behind their presence on this island… TRADE DISCUSSION CATWOMAN: LONELY CITY Writer: Cliff Chiang Artist: Cliff Chiang Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $29.99 Ten years ago, the massacre known as Fools' Night claimed the lives of Batman, the Joker, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon…and sent Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, to prison. A decade later, Gotham has grown up—it's put away costumed heroism and villainy as childish things. The new Gotham is cleaner, safer…and a lot less free, under the watchful eye of Mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. It's into this new city that Selina Kyle returns, a changed woman…with her mind on that one last big score: the secrets hidden inside the Batcave! She doesn't need the money—she just needs to know…who is "Orpheus"? Looking for more? This week's pre-show IS FREE as part of our anniversary celebration, so if you want to hear the full conversation about Supergirl, movie theaters, and more, head over to Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. Join the conversation We'd love to hear your thoughts on any of this week's topics. At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching require significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep Major Spoilers strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today. If you know someone who loves comics, share this post and episode with them!
Was Aleister Crowley merely an eccentric occultist—or was he operating as something far more dangerous?In this episode, Joel continues the "Agent Crowley" series by following Crowley through one of the most fascinating periods of his life. As World War I intensifies, Crowley finds himself caught between British Intelligence, German propagandists, and powerful figures operating behind the scenes. While publicly writing for The Fatherland, evidence suggests he was simultaneously serving British interests in a dangerous counterintelligence game. But the political story is only half of the mystery.During this same season of physical illness, spiritual collapse, and personal loss, Crowley claimed to receive guidance from Aiwass—the mysterious intelligence that dictated Liber AL vel Legis (The Book of the Law). We examine Crowley's own writings, his descriptions of Aiwass, his relationship with the so-called Secret Chiefs, and how these experiences shaped Thelema for generations to come. Was Aiwass simply a product of Crowley's imagination... or was something else speaking?Merchandise: https://freetherabbits.myshopify.comBuy Me A Coffee: DonateFollow: Website | Instagram | X | FacebookWatch: YouTube | RumbleMusic: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music Films: https://merkelfilms.com Email: freetherabbitspodcast@gmail.comDistributed by: merkel.mediaIntro Music:Joel Thomas – Free The RabbitsYouTube | Spotify | Apple MusicOutro Music:Joel Thomas – GreyYouTube | Spotify | Apple MusicTopics Discussed:Aleister Crowley, Aiwass, Liber AL vel Legis, The Book of the Law, Thelema, Agent Crowley, British Intelligence, MI5, MI6, Sir William Wiseman, Everard Feilding, George Sylvester Viereck, The Fatherland, World War I, German Propaganda, O.T.O., Secret Chiefs, Holy Guardian Angel, Liber 73, Confessions of Aleister Crowley, Leon Engers, Gnostic Mass, Cake of Light, World War I Espionage, Occult Intelligence, Esoteric Orders, Biblical Worldview
¿Cómo es posible que el imperio más sofisticado del mundo se dejara engañar durante décadas por un puñado de universitarios refinados? En este nuevo episodio de Antena Historia, nos adentramos en las brumosas calles de Cambridge, en los salones de té victorianos de Whitehall y en los pasillos de las cancillerías de la Guerra Fría para desentrañar la conspiración de espionaje más elegante, devastadora y fascinante del siglo XX: Los Cinco de Cambridge. Para el oyente español, educado en una tradición histórica donde las traiciones y los pronunciamientos solían ser ruidosos y de uniforme militar (como analizamos en su día en La Sanjurjada y el ruido de sables (1932)_8), el caso de esta red de agentes soviéticos nos resulta asombroso por su sutilidad de salón. No eran mercenarios ni vulgares delincuentes; eran la aristocracia intelectual de Gran Bretaña. Jóvenes privilegiados que, horrorizados por el colapso del capitalismo durante la Gran Depresión y la inacción de Occidente ante el auge del fascismo, decidieron entregar sus vidas y su patria a la mística del ideal comunista de Stalin. De la mano de Antonio Cruz Medina, analizamos la psicología, los triunfos estratégicos y el trágico ocaso de cinco personajes inolvidables: Harold "Kim" Philby: El cerebro imperturbable, el hombre que llegó a dirigir la sección antisoviética del propio MI6 mientras reportaba directamente al Kremlin. Donald Maclean: El diplomático brillante del Foreign Office, torturado por el peso de su doble vida y el alcohol. Guy Burgess: El torbellino caótico e impredecible que utilizó la indiscreción y la bohemia como el camuflaje perfecto. Anthony Blunt: El distinguido historiador del arte, primo de la reina madre, que guardó los secretos del Palacio de Buckingham. John Cairncross: El "quinto hombre", el brillante matemático de origen humilde cuyo resentimiento de clase lo convirtió en el espía más productivo de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🎧 Antena Historia te regala 30 días PREMIUM Disfruta de todo el contenido sin interrupciones y con ventajas exclusivas en iVoox: 👉 https://www.ivoox.com/premium?affiliate-code=b4688a50868967db9ca413741a54cea5 📻 Producción y realización: Antonio Cruz 🎙️ Edición: Antena Historia 📡 Antena Historia forma parte del sello iVoox Originals 🌐 Visita nuestra web: https://antenahistoria.com 📺 YouTube: Podcast Antena Historia 📧 Correo: antenahistoria@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Antena Historia Podcast 🐦 Twitter: @AntenaHistoria 💬 Telegram: https://t.me/foroantenahistoria 💰 Apoya el proyecto: Donaciones en PayPal 📢 ¿Quieres anunciarte en Antena Historia? Ofrecemos menciones, cuñas personalizadas y programas a medida. Más información en 👉 Antena Historia – AdVoices Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals
Apocalypse Video Bond-Cast Mission Dossier:The Target:1983's OctopussyYour Contacts:Apocalypse Video (M)anager - DaveAgents - Mike and JackieMission Objectives: Stop Bond from using Company property to creep on MI6 employees and their cleavage. Don an increasingly ridiculous lineup of disguises, including Clown and Gorilla Suit. Try to restore Bond's dignity after he gets ditched by teens on the highway. Additional Objectives:Rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can Follow us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook, or shoot us an email at apocalypsevideopod@gmail.com. The Apocalypse Video Bond Cast (and the “Battle of the Bonds”) will be back as we look to the red corner to see the fighter out of Scotland, Sir Sean Connery, return to don the tux one last time in Never Say Never Again.
FULL VIDEOPT 1 (INTRO) : https://open.spotify.com/episode/0H3iMXuxlTwVTJJHTyqmOu?si=zFMjJ4qGR96t881Mf0zjdQPT 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kqJRhEyupWCawp6UHn8go?si=ujWJG0UuT5y2LvVUpu08EAPT 3 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vM7LIR03rNX8S45LWJ1T5?si=hIBhurPhTDixlTpzEXZNFgPT 4 : https://open.spotify.com/episode/1HpsefdZxn13gQcMpYCRA2?si=LaQavpH0Sk2YeabzU-n3DwPT 5 (ENDING) : https://open.spotify.com/episode/1nEC7WPDV0dUAWugddQnWG?si=s00LEZeKTSCZxi3A4O7vugLinktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticJoin The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0KWatch Analytic Dreamz go live with 007 First Light, the brand new James Bond video game from IO Interactive, the studio behind Hitman. In this highly anticipated title, players step into the shoes of a young, reckless MI6 recruit James Bond on his first standalone mission, earning his licence to kill against a dangerous rogue agent. Blending Ian Fleming's classic spy novels with modern cinematic flair, 007 First Light delivers a gripping origin story packed with global locations, high-stakes espionage, and thrilling set pieces.Analytic Dreamz brings his signature energetic style and deep gameplay analysis to this launch-day livestream. Experience third-person action-adventure with stealth, intense unarmed and weapon combat, creative gadget usage, vehicle chases, and Hitman-inspired mechanics fused with authentic Bond flair. Releasing May 27, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Nintendo Switch 2 version coming Q3 2026), this narrative-driven single-player experience is already generating strong pre-release buzz. Join Analytic Dreamz for raw reactions, expert breakdowns, and full immersion as we explore whether 007 First Light lives up to the legacy of classics like GoldenEye 007. Pre-order perks are available now — don't miss this fresh spy thriller!Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Keir Starmer's Britain is facing yet another law-and-order meltdown — and Julia Hartley-Brewer is not letting ministers off the hook.Rochdale grooming gang ringleader Shabbir Ahmed, known sickeningly as “Daddy”, is due to be released from prison despite being convicted of 30 rape and sexual offences against girls, including a child as young as 12. Stripped of British citizenship but unable to be deported to Pakistan thanks to an immigration loophole, his victims say they were promised justice — and betrayed again.Former military intelligence officer Philip Ingram joins Julia to ask why Parliament can pass emergency laws for British Steel, but not to protect British girls.Also: a BBC investigation tracks down convicted people smuggler Twanna Jamal, once branded the “godfather” of the French migrant camps, allegedly living under a false name in Leicester, driving a BMW and running businesses — while immigration authorities appear powerless or unwilling to act.Julia and Philip also take aim at Shabana Mahmood's immigration crackdown, warning that its “disproportionate impact” loophole could leave foreign offenders free to remain in Britain.There's also fury over a growing £5 billion defence black hole, with questions over whether Starmer's promised military uplift exists at all — while Russian drones, spy ships and sanctioned tankers probe Britain's nuclear sites and NATO defences.Plus: claims from a former MI6 officer that Peter Mandelson was viewed by Russian intelligence as a “privileged contact”, and what that really means in the world of espionage.Then Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg joins Julia from College Green to argue that Britain must change primary legislation, override human rights obstacles and leave the ECHR if it wants to deport foreign criminals and protect the public.And finally: Starmer issues a formal apology to victims of forced adoption — but Rees-Mogg questions whether today's maternity scandals should be the Government's real priority.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Philippa opens with a genuinely unbelievable true story — how a friend trapped in a locked Barcelona hotel toilet used her Kindle to prise the door open and escape. Reading saves lives, people.Then it's three book reviews and a brilliant listener Q&A with crime fiction favourite M.W. Craven, talking about book eight in the Washington Poe series, The Killer's Mark, out 13th August.
On this episode of Bad Dads Film Review, the team reviews The Brothers Grimsby — also released as Grimsby — Louis Leterrier's 2016 spy-action gross-out comedy starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Mark Strong.In this episodeEngland week, recorded in the heat with the dads trying to finish before England kick offPete's return to the podcast, Dan's absence, and Reegs charging the show with bringing the game into disreputeTop 5 England, interpreted very loosely and therefore correctlyEnglish stereotypes in film: bad teeth, bad food, villains, tea, class, accents, and mayonnaise in every supermarket sandwichFawlty Towers, Basil Fawlty, “Don't mention the war”, John Cleese, Connie Booth, and only needing 12 episodes to become immortalSidey's childhood Morris dancing, complete with bells, sticks, pagan energy, and possible darknessCris's first memory of England via Italia '90, Gary Lineker, black-and-white TV, Romania after the revolution, and the schoolboy joy of Lineker's unfortunate bowel incidentDave England from Jackass, yellow snow cones, giant hands, Bam Margera, and whether Jackass has run its courseReegs on Chris Morris as a great English exponent of absurd, shocking satire with moral integrity: The Day Today, Brass Eye, Jam, Nathan Barley, Four Lions, and The Day Shall ComeFilms and figures with England / Englishness attached: This Is England, The English Patient, Hugh Grant, Sting, Guy Ritchie, Lock, Stock, Snatch, Sherlock Holmes, Blackadder, London black cabs, fake taxis, and World Cup songsCris nominating James Bond as the foreigner's English archetype: classy, gadget-heavy, car-driving, womanising, and very stereotypicalReegs choosing The Impossible Job, Graham Taylor, Ronald Koeman, “Do I not like that?”, and English football's appetite for destroying managersPete inflicting Grimsby / The Brothers Grimsby on the groupThe dads' expectations going in, Sidey deliberately avoiding it, and the reputation of the film after the Rebel Wilson allegations around Sacha Baron CohenLouis Leterrier's action credentials: The Transporter, Now You See Me, The Incredible Hulk, and the surprisingly strong action staging hereScott Adkins appreciation, the “Ukrainian Ben Affleck” / Boyka chat, and calls to do an Undisputed movieThe opening sex-in-a-bed-shop gag and the film immediately declaring its level of subtletyNobby's Grimsby life: 11 children, one grandchild called Django Unchained, a son called Skeletor, and the “Luke because he's got leukemia” jokeMark Strong as Sebastian, MI6's most lethal agent, and the very good first-person action sequence influenced by Hardcore Henry director Ilya NaishullerIsla Fisher, Ian McShane, Penélope Cruz, Rebel Wilson, Gabourey Sidibe, Johnny Vegas, Ricky Tomlinson, and Daniel Radcliffe / Donald Trump legal-disclaimer jokesThe brothers' backstory: orphaned, separated in childhood, and Nobby sacrificing his own future so Sebastian can be adoptedThe movie's attempt at sincerity, and why it is mostly undercut by everything else being relentlessly stupidThe poisoned dart sequence, the “left testicle” escalation, and Mark Strong playing total nonsense completely straightThe pre-ejaculate callback and the point at which Pete's wife apparently started laughing properlyThe South Africa section, heroin detour, seduction misunderstanding, and blocked toilet gagThe elephant sequence: foreshadowed by National Geographic, then pushed to an absolutely filthy breaking pointPenélope Cruz's villain plot: a “World Cure” scheme that is actually a eugenics / population-control virus targeting the poor via the World Cup finalThe dads questioning the film's attempted class satire when so much of the movie has already made working-class Grimsby the punchlineThe pitch invasion climax, fireworks, the virus in the rockets, and the brothers taking one for the teamThe hospital ending, elephant semen as accidental antidote / skin-elasticity miracle, and the pan-pipe gagWhether the film is actually good, or just so committed to its stupidity that it becomes funnyBad Dads consensusSidey: Expected to hate it, laughed much more than expected, and lands on a strong recommend despite admitting the film probably is awful in many obvious ways.Pete: Also gives a strong recommend, arguing that while lots of it is preposterous and eye-rollingly stupid, the bits that hit deliver proper belly laughs.Reegs: Notes that it is not nearly as sharp satirically as Borat or Brüno, and that the class satire is muddled, but agrees the extremity and straight-faced delivery make it work more often than expected.Cris: Enjoys the ridiculousness and joins in the disbelief at just how far the film pushes each gross-out set piece.Final takeThe Brothers Grimsby is not elegant, subtle, or especially coherent as satire. It is, however, a film with surprisingly solid action, Mark Strong treating absolute filth like a serious spy thriller, and Sacha Baron Cohen pushing every joke past the point of taste and into a kind of horrible inevitability. The dads feared the worst, laughed anyway, and somehow ended up recommending it.You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com. Until next time, we remain... Bad Dads
Girls-Only Non-Rev Lounge: Summer Travel Plans, Italy Tips, and Airline StoriesMonique and Lara host a girls-only Nun Riv Lounge episode while Tyler is busy moving, thanking production Dave and Tawny. They discuss Lara's packed summer travel—Hawaii (including the Road to Hana and seeing Lahaina after the fires), then a quick turnaround to Italy with Zachary, plus a St. George girls' trip and Dorkfest plans involving a train ride to San Diego. Lara shares Italy recommendations like grappa, Aperol Spritz, pizza differences, and buffalo mozzarella caprese. Monique talks about working London flights, the UK “luxury tax,” bonded liquor rules, and a humorous first-class passenger she jokes might be MI6, plus federal air marshal logistics and a military upgrade story that led to an emotional challenge coin. They also swap flight attendant stories, including “Booker T” being arrested at a Raiders game, and mention Monique's potential move to Richmond when Drew gets a flying job.00:00 Tipsy Soap Moment00:36 Girls Episode Kickoff02:14 Hawaii Plans Maui Return05:53 Italy Trip Prep08:41 Italy Food Drink Picks11:49 Nonrev Strategy Summer Travel14:06 London Luxury Tax Story16:09 Upgrading Military Passenger20:15 Parents Senior Mission Talk24:52 Summer Work London Chaos27:18 New Hotel In London28:40 First Class Shakeup29:31 MI6 Guy In 4A33:02 Air Marshals And CBP37:02 Bonded Liquor Rules38:08 Carding On Flights39:07 Booker T Flight Friend41:04 Raiders Fan Arrested43:48 Moving To Richmond47:43 Shoutouts And Wrap Up48:36 Dorkfest Train Plans52:06 Sponsor And Cabana BoyCheck out Route Explore from StaffTraveler https://route-explorer.com/StaffTraveler wants our feedback to help build Route Explore before it is officially released. Send any feedback to support@stafftraveler.comStaffTraveler is offering a 10% code for any of our listeners who buy their eSIM.Use the Promo code ST10NONREVLOUNGE https://share.stafftraveler.com/nrl-esim✈StaffTraveler is a great app that can assist your non-rev travels! Use it to find the loads for your non-rev travel! Use this to sign up:https://stafftraveler.com/nonrevlounge
This episode we discuss John le Carré's 1979 novel Smiley's People with guest Charles Beaumont, a former undercover MI6 operative and author of A Spy Alone and A Spy at War. Beaumont describes first discovering le Carré at university through The Honorable Schoolboy and argues the Cold War novels still illuminate modern Russia's state cruelty […]
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Hero Abergele girl rescues friend from drowning at beach Russian opposition artist Robert Kuzovkov shot dead in exile in Poland Woman left traumatised by swinging says website facilitated abuse Man bailed over woman allegedly pushed into path of bus in Putney Putin trying to intimidate with activities in UK, former MI6 chief says Thames Water moves step closer to nationalisation after government objects to rescue deal Prince George to attend Eton College from September Five big questions about the UKs under 16s social media ban Woman in court over fatal Wimbledon school crash Daylight robbery but worth it what fans are spending on World Cup
FULL VIDEOPT 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0H3iMXuxlTwVTJJHTyqmOu?si=zFMjJ4qGR96t881Mf0zjdQPT 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kqJRhEyupWCawp6UHn8go?si=ujWJG0UuT5y2LvVUpu08EAPT 3 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vM7LIR03rNX8S45LWJ1T5?si=hIBhurPhTDixlTpzEXZNFgLinktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticJoin The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0KWatch Analytic Dreamz go live with 007 First Light, the brand new James Bond video game from IO Interactive, the studio behind Hitman. In this highly anticipated title, players step into the shoes of a young, reckless MI6 recruit James Bond on his first standalone mission, earning his licence to kill against a dangerous rogue agent. Blending Ian Fleming's classic spy novels with modern cinematic flair, 007 First Light delivers a gripping origin story packed with global locations, high-stakes espionage, and thrilling set pieces.Analytic Dreamz brings his signature energetic style and deep gameplay analysis to this launch-day livestream. Experience third-person action-adventure with stealth, intense unarmed and weapon combat, creative gadget usage, vehicle chases, and Hitman-inspired mechanics fused with authentic Bond flair. Releasing May 27, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Nintendo Switch 2 version coming Q3 2026), this narrative-driven single-player experience is already generating strong pre-release buzz. Join Analytic Dreamz for raw reactions, expert breakdowns, and full immersion as we explore whether 007 First Light lives up to the legacy of classics like GoldenEye 007. Pre-order perks are available now — don't miss this fresh spy thriller!Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Silicon Bites Ep350 | 2026-06-11 | BRITAIN UNDEFENDED: John Healey Just Resigned as Defence Secretary Because Starmer and Reeves Refused to Fund the Defence of the United Kingdom — and the Most Dangerous Threat Environment Since the 1930s Has Just Lost Its Most Senior British Champion.Breaking: 11 June 2026 — Healey Quits Over the Defence Investment Plan, the £13 Billion Gap Between What Defence Officials Said the Country Needs and What the Treasury Was Willing to Offer, and the Question Every Allied Capital Is Now Asking — Who, in London, Is Now in Charge of Defending Britain?John Healey — Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom since 5 July 2024, Member of Parliament for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough since 1997, former shadow defence secretary, and the man Keir Starmer brought into government to anchor Britain's defence policy in the most dangerous decade since the 1930s — resigned.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SOURCES:CNN — "John Healey: UK defense secretary resigns over military spending, in fresh blow to Keir Starmer" (11 June 2026) The National — "Defence Secretary John Healey resigns over investment plan that makes UK 'less safe'" (11 June 2026) Wikipedia — "John Healey" — Defence Secretary since 5 July 2024; MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough since 1997 (previously Wentworth/Wentworth and Dearne); Christ's College Cambridge; born 13 February 1960 in Wakefield; junior ministerial positions under Blair and Brown 2001-2010; shadow defence secretary 2020-2024BBC News Live coverage — "Defence Secretary John Healey delivers SDR statement" (2 June 2025) CBS News — "Citing Russia threat, U.K. leader announces military spending boost, including new nuclear-powered submarines" (2 June 2025)NPR — "Why the U.K. prime minister is calling for a bigger military to face Russia" (4 June 2025)The Independent (US/AOL syndication) — "Starmer warned UK faces '1936 moment' as ex-defence chiefs urge spending boost" — Telegraph open letter from three former defence secretaries, retired senior military chiefs, former MI6 head Sir Richard Dearlove; "hollowed out by years of chronic underfunding"; call for 5% of GDP defence spending; "1936 moment" framing of global conflict likelihood; "Our actions fall dangerously short of matching this rhetoric and of meeting our treaty obligations" verbatimIISS Military Balance 2025 (via Bloomberg/Yahoo) — "UK Unable to Defend Against Ballistic Missile Attack, IISS Warns" (February 2025) AP via Yahoo — "UK to raise defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, Starmer says 2 days before Trump meeting" (February 2025) Reuters — "Britain needs to step up defence spending faster, PM Starmer says" (February 2026)Fox News — "'Trump effect' on display as UK's Starmer boosts defense spending on eve of US visit" (February 2025) ----------
In August 2010, Gareth Williams, a brilliant Welsh mathematician working for GCHQ and on secondment to MI6, was found dead inside a padlocked sports bag in a London flat linked to the security services. His death quickly became one of Britain's most perplexing unsolved mysteries.An inquest concluded that Gareth's death was unnatural and likely involved a criminal act. Yet a later Metropolitan Police review suggested it was probably a tragic accident. The conflicting conclusions only deepened the mystery.As investigators examined Gareth's final days, reports emerged that his highly sensitive work involved tracking international money laundering networks and monitoring Russian organised crime interests.In this episode of Blood Ties, Geoffrey and Molly Wansell explore the life, secret work and unexplained death of a gifted codebreaker. Was Gareth Williams murdered, or is there another explanation behind this enduring mystery?CREDITS: Presenters: Geoffrey and Molly WansellProducer: Peter Shevlin https://pod60.com/Artwork: George LeighMusic: Dan WansellCONTACT: Twitter: @BloodTies_PodInstagram:@bloodtiespodcastEmail: bloodties.podcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloodtiespodcastSupport: patreon.com/bloodtiespodcastPlease complete our survey if you have time: http://bit.ly/bloodtiespodcast-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Francis and Konstantin are joined by bestselling national security journalist Richard Miniter and Middle East expert Thomas Small. We use Ground News to stay fully informed. Go to https://ground.news/triggernometry to save 40% on the Ground News unlimited access Vantage plan.Go to https://Sheath.com. Use code TRIGGERNOMETRY for 20% off ABOUT OUR GUESTSRichard Miniter is a New York Times bestselling investigative journalist and author of Losing Bin Laden, Shadow War, and Mastermind. Former Wall Street Journal and Sunday Times (London) reporter.Thomas Small is an author, filmmaker and podcaster specialising in Middle Eastern politics, history and Islamism. A former novice monk turned Arabic expert and journalist, he is the co-host and producer of the Conflicted podcast alongside former MI6 spy Aimen Dean.
Jonathan Agnew speaks to former Chief of MI6 Richard Moore. They discuss some of the secrets and myths around MI6, his substitute appearance for Oxford University, and some of the decisions he had to make whilst Chief at MI6.
Today's guest is Dr. Stephen Long. Stephen earned a PhD in US foreign policy and intelligence from the University of Birmingham and is an assistant professor of international relations at Shan Xiaotong Liverpool University. He's published articles in many professional journals, including Intelligence and National Security, International History Review, Cold War History, H-Diplo, and American History. He was also a lead contributor to the BBC Radio 4 program, "The Albania Operation," for the BBC's Document series. He's here today discuss the story of one of the CIA's first covert action operations performed jointly with MI6 in the late 1940s and the lessons they learned from it, often at great cost to the operatives themselves. Connect with Steven: steve.long@xjtl.edu.cn Check out the book, A Rich Harvest of Bitter Fruit, here. https://amzn.eu/d/01R8Udo1 Connect with Spycraft 101: Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here. spycraft101.com IG: @spycraft101 Shop: shop.spycraft101.com Substack: spycraft101.substack.com Patreon: Spycraft 101 Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here. Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here. Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Who were the women who worked with Jeffrey Epstein? In Part I of this series, we look at Ghislaine Maxwell, transnational crime royalty as the daughter of MI6/Mossad double-agent and disgraced British media mogul Robert Maxwell, whose dying wish was to connect Maxwell with a young upstart in New York named Epstein. Joining this discussion are investigative filmmaker Dave Pederson, the producer of the anti-corruption documentaries Americonned and Super Size Me, and OSINT expert Patrick Duggan who created a searchable database of the Epstein files before the DOJ could delete them. We also discuss the analysis by investigative journalist Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez that Maxwell was Epstein's handler in an intelligence long-game going back to the O.S.S., predecessor to the C.I.A. Important historical context to our discussion: In 2011, then FBI Director Robert Mueller gave the "Iron Triangles" speech, revealing that transnational crime today works like an industry: fancy Western institutions like banks, law firms, and PR firms launder the money and reputations of shadowy crime and rogue intelligence syndicates, who are further served by their paid-off political operatives and politicians. In the speech, Mueller promised to crack down on the head of the Russian mafia, Semion Mogilevich, nicknamed the "boss of all bosses." Instead, Mogilevich was mysteriously taken off of the FBI's Most Wanted List in 2015, at a time the FBI was busting Russian spy rings in New York City, including Kremlin recruitment of college girls, including one Andrea may have encountered at a foreign policy event. A year later, Donald Trump, after decades of financial dealings with dirty Russian money, would be elected president with the Kremlin's illegal help. The 2016 election was a transnational coup decades in the making. In 1999, a high-level U.S. source leaked to the New York Times, undermining a sensitive intelligence operation between the FBI and MI6 to close-in on Russian mafia infiltration in the West, especially Mogilevich. In reporting from that time, The Guardian wrote: "Author Jeffrey Robinson - whose latest book, The Merger, was published by Simon and Schuster last week - says that organised criminals such as Mogilevich are enjoying massive success using Harvard Business School techniques. 'Mogilevich typifies the new global criminal,' says Robinson. 'These men don't rob banks, they buy them. They take full advantage of globalisation, ill-equipped law enforcement and lax money-laundering laws - especially in Britain - using the City of London as their onshore gateway to the offshore world. 'This case is the tip of the iceberg. The City is an absolute cesspool and it will remain a cesspool because the people in charge don't care. Mogilevich is not the only one, the Bank of New York is not the only place." Russian oligarchs are the Russian military industrial complex. Mogilevich oversees "weapons trafficking, contract murders, extortion, drug trafficking, and prostitution on an international scale," according to the FBI. It would be easy to buy-off U.S. officials, like the FBI's Charles McGonigal who was paid with our tax dollars to fight the Russian mafia, but was instead on their payroll. Intelligence agencies in the U.S. – the FBI and the CIA – have faced virtually no oversight and accountability for most of their existence, leading to the explosive Church Committee Congressional hearings, exposing that the CIA and FBI were involved in covert mind control experiments, illegal coups and science fiction-style assassination programs, and violent infiltration of political opposition groups on U.S. soil. You can learn more about that in our recent episode on the Church Committee Report – in the show notes. Listen to Part I now. Part II will be out this Thursday as Gaslit Nation's Bonus Show, with a continued discussion of the women who worked with Epstein, and what they may reveal about the Iron Triangles that illegally helped bring a Russian asset/traitor to power. To listen to this week's bonus show, be sure to subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit at the Truth-teller ($5/month) or higher – discounted annual subscriptions are available, and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you. Show Notes: Opening song: Unreal by Jizzy Cream. Check out Jizzy Cream's music here: https://babyfantasyclub.bandcamp.com/track/unreal Have a song for Gaslit Nation? Submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628 Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez: The Terrifying Real Reason For Jeffrey Epstein's Remote Zorro Ranch Emerges When You Examine the Ranch Next Door https://substack.com/home/post/p-193590181 Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez: Epstein Likely Wasn't the Boss. So Who Was? https://alisav.substack.com/p/epstein-likely-wasnt-the-boss-so February 5, 2026 from The Times: "Jeffrey Epstein was introduced to Ghislaine Maxwell by her brother Kevin as part of a plan for the paedophile financier to help the Maxwell family "move money", according to a previously undisclosed account of the origins of the scandal. Kevin Maxwell, once Britain's biggest bankrupt, was "instructed to meet Epstein by his father", Robert Maxwell, according to FBI records of conversations with a former business associate of the Maxwells that have been released by the US Department of Justice. Kevin later introduced Ghislaine to Epstein and was responsible for placing her office in New York near Epstein after Robert Maxwell's death in 1991, the business associate is said to have claimed. Kevin allegedly negotiated an "understanding" with Epstein and Ghislaine whereby Epstein "would become involved in the Maxwell financial affairs". https://www.thetimes.com/article/0b5bfceb-3c2a-4ffa-aa2f-74e38a395a1e US charges Russian 'spies' suspected of trying to recruit New Yorkers https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/26/us-charges-alleged-russian-spies-new-york Traitors in the FBI https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/traitors-in-the-fbi/ "Donald Barr's 26-page O.S.S. file, obtained from the National Archives, gives a detailed account of his transition from the military to intelligence work. In 1944, he shipped off to Europe. He suffered from hay fever and 20/200 vision; much of his time overseas was spent hospitalized with allergies. The next year, he was assigned to the O.S.S. His interviewer found him to be "a quiet, unassuming person ... matured beyond his age." In late 1945, he moved to Washington to begin work at the Interim Research and Intelligence Service, which would become the State Department's in-house intelligence bureau." https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110938/documents/HHRG-116-JU00-20200728-SD051.pdf Epstein's Transnational Torture Syndicate: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-torture-syndicate/ Ex-FBI counterintelligence chief Charles McGonigal sentenced to 50 months in prison for working with Russian oligarch https://abcnews.com/US/fbi-counterintelligence-chief-charles-mcgonigal-sentencing-begin/story?id=105642391 Watchdog reveals new misconduct by jailed former FBI official and Chinese firm https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/watchdog-reveals-new-misconduct-jailed-former-fbi-official-chinese-fir-rcna216856 Russian mafia target the City https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/aug/22/paulfarrelly.tonythompson The Playbook for Defeating MAGA: The Church Committee Report https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-playbook-for-defeating-maga-the-church-committee-report/ FBI Archive: FBI Most Wanted Semion Mogilevich https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2009/october/mogilevich_102109 2013: Russian mafia boss still at large after FBI wiretap at Trump Tower https://abcnews.com/US/story-fbi-wiretap-russians-trump-tower/story?id=46266198 2013: Feds: Russian Mob Ran Celebrity Poker Games https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/feds-russian-mob-ran-celebrity-poker-games/ 2015: Reputed Philly mobster Semion Mogilevich bumped from FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted' list https://www.phillyvoice.com/reputed-philly-mobster-bumped-fbis-ten-most-wanted-list/ A guide to Russia's wartime oligarchs https://www.proekt.media/en/guide-en/russian-war-oligarchs-en/ Maxwell buried on Mount of Olives https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/11/10/Maxwell-buried-on-Mount-of-Olives/4340689749200/ New docs say Jeffrey Epstein collaborated with the Russian mob to loot the New York Daily News, then tried to help Mort Zuckerman discard it when reporting became inconvenient. https://prospect.org/2026/02/26/newspapers-did-not-kill-themselves-jeffrey-epstein-mort-zuckerman-daily-news/ The State of the Union is Sadistic Elites on a Crime Spree https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-state-of-the-union-is-sadistic-elites-on-a-crime-spree/ The Military-Industrial Complex Speech (1961) https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/the-military-industrial-complex-speech-1961 Robert Mueller's 2011 Iron Triangles Speech discussed on Gaslit Nation: https://www.damemagazine.com/2018/08/07/robert-mueller-saw-trump-coming-in-2011/ "Charles McGonigal, who oversaw counterintelligence at the FBI, was sentenced to over two years in prison for money laundering and sanctions evasion related to his dealings with Deripaska and others." https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-shestakov-mcgonigal-deripaska-fbi-crime/33563333.html The Church Committee Report https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes/the-playbook-for-defeating-maga-the-church-committee-report/
2. HEADLINE: Historical Alienation: From the 1953 Coup to the 1979 Revolution GUEST AUTHOR: Nilo Tabrizy SUMMARY: Nilo Tabrizy explores the deep historical grievances that paved the way for modern Iranianunrest. The discussion centers on the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, orchestrated by the CIA and MI6 to counter his popular push to nationalize oil. This foreign interference, combined with the Pahlavidynasty's disconnect from starving citizens—symbolized by the Shah's lavish party at Persepolis—fueled long-term alienation. These wounds provided the momentum for the 1979 Revolution. Tabrizy explains that the current regime's brutality is an extension of this historical struggle for autonomy and the people's rejection of autocratic rule. 21585