The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Donald Trump delivered a record-length State of the Union address this week, in a marathon rant that has become the new normal. Plus, we explore the looming special educational needs reforms in the UK and check in on Kim Jong Un. And also, the weird story of an army of robot vacuum cleaners… Jacob Jarvis is joined by The Guardian’s Rafael Behr to comb over another wild week. 

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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Rafael Behr.  Producer: Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Production Assistant: Jake Preston.  Audio production: Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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We read the columns and the pundits so you don’t have to… On this month’s round-up of the weirdest, worst and occasionally best opinion columns: Brutal takes on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from Camilla Long (Sunday Times) and Sophie Money-Coutts (Telegraph) while Brendan O’Neill (who else?). Plus: The Telegraph defends child labour, the Mail rages against fare-dodgers, and why the I’s Kate Lister is the best sex columnist on the planet. Paper Cuts alumni Jonn Elledge and Miranda Sawyer join Andrew Harrison to dismantle February’s punditry. 

• Got a column we should be talking about next month? Send it to [email protected] 

THE COLUMNS:

• Camilla Long on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in the Sunday Times.

• Brendan O’Neill on “The hunting of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor”

• Sophia Money-Coutts – “I know how high society works – and why the Epstein scandal could easily happen again”

• Angus Colwell in defence of child labour in the Telegraph

• Gaby Hinsliff in the Guardian – “Do you remember your first crappy job? Today’s young people would wish for half your luck”

• Kate Lister in the i – Pushing for an open marriage? Check your market worth first 

• Dominic Lawson in the Mail – Why on earth would a wealthy banker dodge £5,900 in train fares?

Keep The Bunker proudly independent by backling us at www.patreon.com/bunkercast 

Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait with Sophie Clark. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Barack Obama set the internet alight when he declared on a podcast that aliens are “real”. However, the former US president later insisted that, while in office, he saw no evidence of this and that he was just answering a speed round question.

Once the preserve of late-night radio and fringe forums, UFOs are now discussed in Congress, scrutinised by the Pentagon and casually referenced by presidential hopefuls. Alex von Tunzelmann separates fact from fantasy with Andy McGrillen, author of Atlas of Unidentified Flying Objects and host of That UFO Podcast to find out what’s the difference between serious scientific inquiry and full-blown conspiracy culture?

• Buy Andy’s book Atlas of Unidentified Flying Objects and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll be helping the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

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

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The sudden ousting of two of China’s top military leaders has sparked intense speculation about what it says about Xi Jinping’s grip on power. From Mao to today, the Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly removed senior figures accused of corruption, incompetence, or simply becoming inconvenient. What’s going on this time? Today on The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Daria Impiombato, Senior Analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, joins us to unpack it all.

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Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Trump is causing chaos again with a tariff tantrum while Starmer’s Labour faces a major test at the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection. Gavin Esler joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the news to look out for in the week ahead. 

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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.   

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