HEADLINE: Clodia, Cicero, and the End of the Roman Republic GUEST NAME: Douglas Boin SUMMARY: The conversation focuses on Clodia, the richest woman in Caesar's time, who was attacked by the lawyer Cicero. Cicero held a strong grudge against Clodia, hintin

#OZWATCH: JEREMY ZAKIS, NEW SOUTH WALES. #FRIENDSOFHISTORYDEBATINGSOCIETY. SUMMARY: Dallas the spoodle encountered a teenage magpie that rolled onto its back, initiating play as magpies do among themselves. Confused, Dallas sat and wagged his tail. Cockatoos are currently preoccupied stripping bark off pine trees due to the wind. Smaller birds (noisy miners, rosellas) have moved to the front garden to feed on small insects. 1963

#OZWATCH: JEREMY ZAKIS, NEW SOUTH WALES. #FRIENDSOFHISTORYDEBATINGSOCIETY.  SUMMARY: Pat Cummins, an experienced paceman and batter, is expected to play all five Ashes games starting in November despite shoulder concerns. Cummins, known for technical bowling like the yorker, will wind back commitments to prepare. Cameron Green, a technical bowler and strong batter, is a high contender. Winning the series is expected to hinge on bowling strategy.. 1940

#OZWATCH: JEREMY ZAKIS, NEW SOUTH WALES. #FRIENDSOFHISTORYDEBATINGSOCIETY. SUMMARY: Brisbane faces an unprecedented snake "siege" with two to three times the normal population, prompting public warnings regarding watering holes. In Katherine, NT, a 41-year-old woman died within an hour from a suspected King Brown neurotoxin bite. The venom caused respiratory failure and collapse within 20 minutes. 1890

#OZWATCH: JEREMY ZAKIS, NEW SOUTH WALES. #FRIENDSOFHISTORYDEBATINGSOCIETY.  SUMMARY: Meteorologists rely on experience as models fail, citing oceans being one degree warmer. The eastern seaboard faced high winds (60 mph), heavy rain, and "mega hail" up to 2 inches in Brisbane. Perth is sodden from unseasonable rain and high winds. Spring brings hay fever, plus increased sightings of kangaroos, snakes, and lizards.1896 1867 MELBOURNE

FILE 8 PREVIEW: HEADLINE: October Surprise Fits Pattern of Republican Assaults on Democracy AUTHOR:Craig Unger SUMMARY: Craig Unger views the October Surprise as part of a consistent Republican pattern of relying on adversarial foreign countries, spanning from 1968's Nixon maneuvers to Donald Trump. Retry

FILE 7 PREVIEW: HEADLINE: Vast Archives and New Confirming Information Support October Surprise ClaimsAUTHOR: Craig Unger SUMMARY: Craig Unger received new confirming information from Portugal and noted that massive archives, including Bob Parry's 23 gigabytes of data, remain largely unexamined by investigators.

HEADLINE: Inside the Den of Spies: Iran Visit and Confessions of an Arms Procurement ChiefAUTHOR: Craig Unger SUMMARY: While investigating in Iran, Craig Unger visited the former US Embassy, known as the Den of Spies, now a spy museum. He secured a brief meeting with Mohsen Rafighdoost, former head of arms procurement for Ayatollah Khomeini, who accidentally referenced meeting with Republicans—a statement Unger captured on video, lending credence to the secret deal. Retry JB

HEADLINE: Confirmed Meetings: Casey in Madrid and the Question of Bush in Paris AUTHOR: Craig UngerSUMMARY: Craig Unger reports strong evidence that Bill Casey met with Iranian cleric Karoubi in Madrid in late July 1980 to set the parameters of the October Surprise deal, specifically demanding the delay of hostage release. While George H.W. Bush's alleged 1980 Paris meeting to "seal the deal" remains unproved, his alibis have been punctured.

HEADLINE: Uncovering the October Surprise: From Rogue Sources to Documents in an Abandoned RestroomAUTHOR: Craig Unger SUMMARY: Investigative reporter Craig Unger pursued the October Surprise story, initially utilizing controversial sources like rogue Israeli operative Ari Ben-Menashe. Although establishment reports largely dismissed the claims, colleague Bob Parry discovered a massive archive of abandoned documents in a Congressional office building restroom, containing secrets supporting the October Surprise narrative.

HEADLINE: Bill Casey's Secret Intelligence Network and the Safari Club's Off-the-Books Operations AUTHOR:Craig Unger SUMMARY: Craig Unger characterizes Bill Casey as a "dazzlingly brilliant" spy and Reagan campaign manager who built a secret intelligence network, meeting with Israeli agents and South African arms dealers. Casey utilized associates like John Shaheen and relied on the Safari Club, an off-the-books intelligence group formed after CIA crackdowns, to run covert operations outside of government oversight.