The Watch Floor with Sarah Adams

Episode

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  The AI Warning Is Information. It Is Not a Conclusion. 18.09.2026 21mnt

  Artificial intelligence is moving from answering questions to taking actions. In controlled tests, advanced AI models have deceived operators, attempted blackmail, concealed information, recognized when they were being evaluated, and taken steps researchers describe as self-preservation behavior.Those findings have produced extraordinary warnings about where AI may be headed. But a warning is information. It is not a conclusion.In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams walks through four questions: What can these systems actually do? Can we reliably control them? What is driving companies and countries to move so quickly? And if there is a problem, who gets to decide what the response looks like?We look at the emerging AI threat picture, the difference between capability and intent, the race for technological advantage, the national-security competition with China, and the competing concern that AI safety could also become a justification for concentrating enormous technological power in the hands of a small number of companies and institutions.The goal is not to tell you what to think about AI. It is to separate the warning from the assessment, understand what the evidence actually shows, and ask better questions about what comes next.
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  The German Cell in Benghazi 16.09.2026 18mnt

  For fourteen years, most of the Benghazi debate has focused on what happened after the attack began. This episode looks at what happened before.In May 2026, Dave “Boon” Benton and I returned to Benghazi, where we were briefed on a completed Libyan investigation into the terrorists and networks behind the 2012 attacks. One part of that investigation followed a German terrorist cell that moved from Europe through Turkey and Egypt into eastern Libya.Twenty German citizens reached Libya as part of the network. Fourteen members of the cell ultimately participated in the attacks on the U.S. Consulate and CIA Annex. Some of the same terrorists later surfaced with ISIS. In this episode of The Watch Floor, I break down how they got there, what their movement tells us about the networks behind Benghazi, and why the story of an attack has to begin long before the first shot is fired.Read the full investigation: The Hidden History of One Benghazi Cell: The German Terrorists Who Joined the Attack at SOFREP.https://sofrep.com/news/the-hidden-history-of-one-benghazi-cell-the-german-terrorists-who-joined-the-attack/
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  Hamza bin Laden Is Alive. Why Is al-Qaeda Showing Him Now? 14.09.2026 23mnt

  Hamza bin Laden is alive. On September 10, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, al-Qaeda released A Quarter Century After the September 11 Raids, Part One, featuring Hamza in three separate scenes.But the footage was not new. Hamza recorded it on August 13, 2021, in Kandahar, as Afghanistan was falling to the Taliban. Al-Qaeda held that footage for more than five years.In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams breaks down what the video actually shows, the 2019 deception that led the U.S. to announce Hamza bin Laden was dead, how al-Qaeda concealed his survival and eventual rise to emir, and why the decision to reveal him now matters.The most important question is no longer whether Hamza survived.It is why al-Qaeda spent years hiding him, only to begin showing him now.The threat did not disappear. It evolved.
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  The 10 Warnings Buried in Congress’s New 9/11 Report 07.09.2026 26mnt

  Twenty-five years after 9/11, the House Intelligence Committee went back and reviewed what the United States fixed, what it never finished, and where new intelligence gaps may be forming.In this episode of The Watch Floor, I break down ten of the most important warnings buried in the committee’s new bipartisan report, including unfinished biometric exit screening, counterintelligence stovepipes, the debate over CIA paramilitary authorities, the growing role of OSINT and AI, the risk of losing regional expertise, and why the next strategic surprise may look nothing like 9/11.The report’s message is clear: the national-security system is stronger than it was in 2001, but some old gaps remain and new ones are emerging.
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  The Oil War Behind the Headlines 02.09.2026 14mnt

  Oil is back at the center of geopolitics, but the biggest story may not be where everyone is looking.In this episode of The Watch Floor, I look at what is happening around the Strait of Hormuz, why that narrow stretch of water still matters so much to the global economy, and how the pressure on energy markets connects to a very different development much closer to home: Venezuela and its enormous oil reserves.This isn't just a story about the price of a barrel of oil. It's about who controls supply, who controls the routes that move it, how much leverage the United States actually has, and what happens when energy becomes part of the battlefield.Because while everyone is watching the headlines, there is another fight taking place underneath them.This is the oil war behind the headlines.The Watch Floor
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  85 Americans Missing in the Himalayas 01.09.2026 14mnt

  A massive glacial collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border has left more than 900 people dead and thousands still missing. Among the unaccounted for are approximately 85 Americans.Many weren't hikers or adventure tourists. They were pilgrims traveling to or from Mount Kailash in Tibet, one of the most sacred places in several of the world's religions. Some had planned the journey for years. One was celebrating his 60th birthday. A mother was traveling with her 14-year-old daughter. Another American sent his family a video of the Himalayan valley that morning. Less than two hours later, the glacier collapsed.In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams walks through what happened, why so many Americans were concentrated near the Gyirong border crossing, and the enormous search-and-rescue operation now underway across Nepal and Tibet. The episode also looks at the nearly 1,000 hydropower workers reported missing from projects downstream, some potentially trapped inside mountain tunnels, and why reconciling the lists of missing Americans has become so difficult. As of the episode's recording, nine Americans had been evacuated and there were no confirmed U.S. citizen deaths. But approximately 85 remained unaccounted for, leaving families thousands of miles away waiting for a phone call. The search is still underway.
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  Secret Chinese Police Stations: How Beijing Polices Beyond Its Borders 28.08.2026 21mnt

  Secret Chinese police stations have been uncovered in the United States, France, Italy, Britain, and dozens of other countries. But the buildings are only part of the story.In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams looks at how Beijing extends its reach beyond China’s borders to monitor dissidents, collect information, pressure critics, and in some cases push people to return to China.From the federal prosecution of operators tied to a clandestine police station in Manhattan to recent expulsions in Italy, investigations are exposing how these networks operate. Sarah breaks down China’s overseas police service centers, “persuasion to return,” Operation Fox Hunt and Sky Net, the role of community networks and access, and why shutting down a physical police station does not necessarily dismantle the system behind it.The question is no longer simply how many secret Chinese police stations remain. It is whether the networks that made them possible are still operating. They are.
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  The Untold Story of the Abbey Gate Plot 26.08.2026 45mnt

  Five years after the Abbey Gate bombing, we know the name of the suicide bomber. But that is only part of the story.In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams reconstructs the twelve days leading to the August 26, 2021 attack at Abbey Gate, tracing how the plot moved from authorization to execution and identifying the Taliban, Haqqani Network, al-Qaeda, and ISKP figures her investigation found connected to the operation.The story begins on August 14 in Kandahar province, moves through the fall of Kabul and the release of the future bomber from prison, and follows the network that selected him, moved him, prepared him, provided the explosive vest, controlled the checkpoints around the airport, and ultimately helped him reach the Marines at Abbey Gate.It also asks the question that remains five years later: Who was actually held accountable?Thirteen American service members and nearly 170 Afghans were killed that day. This episode names the people responsible, but it ends where the story should end: with the Americans standing at Abbey Gate, trying to get others to safety.
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  70,000 People Crossed Into Spain. Here’s What Happened. 19.08.2026 23mnt

  More than 70,000 people reportedly surged toward the tiny Spanish city of Ceuta in a matter of hours, overwhelming a city with a population of roughly 85,000.So what happened?In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams breaks down the extraordinary events in Ceuta: the Spanish court ruling that was distorted online, the role of Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram in accelerating the movement, the warning signs authorities had before the surge, and the unanswered questions surrounding Morocco's role.Then something unexpected happened. Tens of thousands of people began going back.Two weeks later, another mass crossing was being discussed online. This time, Spanish and Moroccan authorities were watching, and the outcome was completely different.This isn't only a story about migration. It's a case study in how quickly information, perception, and human movement can converge, and what can happen when warning signs are recognized too late.
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  Look Past the Candidate 17.08.2026 24mnt

  Most voters know what a candidate promises. But how many know who is standing behind them?In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams looks beyond the campaign slogans to examine the political coalitions forming around candidates in the 2026 elections. What starts with very real concerns about rent, housing, healthcare, wages, and affordability leads to a larger question: who else sees an opportunity in the political coalition those issues create?Following the trail from candidate endorsements to political organizing, Sarah examines the overlap between Democratic Socialists of America and CAIR Action in several races, then goes another layer down into federal court records, the Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing case, and the documented history involving CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas.The point isn't to tell you who to vote for. It's to remind you to look past the candidate, understand the coalition helping put them in power, and ask what everyone in that coalition hopes to gain when they win.
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  Back to Benghazi | Episode 4: The Libyans Who Came for Us 26.06.2026 34mnt

  In today's episode of our series, Back to Benghazi, we'll be discussing the Libyans who came for us. Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com. Glacier: Join the waitlist http://theglacierapp.com/waitlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  This Watch Was Really Used In The CIA... 24.06.2026 15mnt

  One of the questions I get asked all the time is surprisingly simple: "Sarah, what watch did you wear at the CIA?" Today, I'm answering that question. Ground News: Go to https://ground.news/watch for a better way to stay informed. Subscribe through my link for 40% off unlimited access to world-wide coverage. Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  The Real Story Behind the U.S.-Iran Negotiations 23.06.2026 25mnt

  Over the past week, media reports have suggested that the U.S. and Iran have reached a peace deal, but in reality officials from both countries are meeting at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland to negotiate a lasting agreement and turn a fragile ceasefire into a more permanent settlement. Dose: New customers can save 35% on your first month of subscription by going to dosedaily.co/WATCHFLOOR or entering WATCHFLOOR at checkout Ultra Pouches: Don’t sleep on @ultrapouches. New customers get 15% Off with code WATCH at takeultra.com! #UltraPouches #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Back to Benghazi | Episode 3: The Ambassador 19.06.2026 33mnt

  In today's episode of our series, Back to Benghazi, we'll be discussing what happened to Ambassador Chris Stevens. Go to https://ground.news/watch for a better way to stay informed. Subscribe through my link for 40% off unlimited access to world-wide coverage. Shopify: Start your business today with the industry’s best business partner, Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/watch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  The Extremist Candidate Endorsed By Bernie Sanders 17.06.2026 23mnt

  Today we’re talking about Adam Hamawy, the Democratic nominee for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, and this is not going to be a fluffy political episode. Ground News: Go to https://ground.news/watch for a better way to stay informed. Subscribe through my link for 40% off unlimited access to world-wide coverage. Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  What No One Realizes About The Northern Border 17.06.2026 27mnt

  While Chinese migrant crossings have dropped sharply since their 2021–2024 surge, the smuggling routes, facilitators, and infrastructure built during that period remain in place—making the network itself the more important story in 2026. Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com. Bubs Naturals: Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with code WATCH at Bubsnaturals.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Back to Benghazi | Episode 2: The Annex 12.06.2026 52mnt

  In today's episode of our series, Back to Benghazi, we'll be discussing what happened at the CIA Annex. Fatty15: Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/FLOOR and using code FLOOR at checkout. Bubs Natural: Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with code WATCH at Bubsnaturals.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  The CIA Scandal That Doesn't Sound Real 10.06.2026 28mnt

  A former senior CIA official's arrest over hundreds of gold bars, millions in cash, and allegedly fabricated credentials reveals a deeper story about trust, accountability, and why every organization has a small percentage of people who believe the rules don't apply to them. Pocket Hose: Text WATCH to 64000 for your 2 free gifts with the purchase of any Pocket Hose Ballistic hose. By Texting 64000, you agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages from Pocket Hose. Message frequency varies and data rates may apply. Text STOP at any time to opt out. Text HELP for additional Information. No purchase required. Terms apply, available at PocketHose.com/terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  The Truth About the Current Ebola Outbreak 10.06.2026 24mnt

  Ebola is back in the headlines, and anytime Americans hear that word, the reaction is often fear. But this episode is about facts: what's happening right now in Africa, what the numbers actually show, how this compares to the last time Ebola reached U.S. soil, and what has changed since 2014. OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WATCH at https://www.oneskin.co/WATCH #oneskinpod Dose: New customers can save 35% on your first month of subscription by going to dosedaily.co/WATCHFLOOR or entering WATCHFLOOR at checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Back to Benghazi | Episode 1: The Consulate 05.06.2026 54mnt

  In May 2026, Dave “Boon” Benton and I returned to Benghazi. Fourteen years after the attacks on the U.S. Consulate and CIA Annex, we went back to the city where history, politics, terrorism, and war collided in one of the most consequential attacks on Americans since 9/11. Here is Episode 1 of our 13-part series. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WATCH at https://www.oneskin.co/WATCH #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices