In the novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - written by the doyen of espionage novelists, John le Carré - the owlish English spymaster George Smiley is asked: “Who can spy on the spies? Who can smell out the fox without running with him?”

There can be few people capable of putting up with the stress of life as a double agent. But Agent ‘M’, the subject of this long read by researchers Eleni Braat and Ben de Jong at Utrecht, did just that for 22 years. ‘M’ operated for the Dutch security service and the CIA against the East German Stasi at the height of the cold war. At one terrifying point in 1985, he thought his cover had been blown, as he was tied naked to a chair while guards screamed ‘traitor’ at him. But this bleak episode was not quite what it seemed.

In the end, ‘M’ was abandoned by the masters he had served for so long. His account is an attempt to make sense of a life spent in the shadows. You can also listen to the podcast.

In other international stories Tharaphi Than provides the background to Myanmar’s execution of democracy activists while Joseph Siegle explains why Russia’s foreign minister has been on a charm offensive to four African countries this week.

Paul Keaveny

Investigations Editor

Revealed: untold story of the CIA/Stasi double agent abandoned after 22 years of service

Eleni Braat, Utrecht University; Ben de Jong, Leiden University

A double agent who operated for the CIA and the Dutch security service against the Stasi tells his story for the first time.

Why Russia is on a charm offensive in Africa. The reasons aren’t pretty

Joseph Siegle, University of Maryland

Russia is trying to normalise an international order where might makes right. And democracy and respect for human rights are optional.

Top democracy activists were executed in Myanmar – 4 key things to know

Tharaphi Than, Northern Illinois University

Myanmar’s military junta is losing some control over the country, but its execution of four high-profile leaders and prisoners sends a warning to Myanmar citizens and the rest of the world.