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Has antisemitism become a national emergency?
29 april 2026 · 46 min
Two men stabbed in broad daylight in Golders Green this morning became the latest victims of what Kemi Badenoch has called a national emergency of antisemitism. The last month has seen multiple attacks on the Jewish community of North London. Is this an orchestrated attack underwritten by Iran? Or is it further proof of the escalation of antisemitism in our country since the war in Gaza and Israel? Lees meer
Later, has the King nailed it in Washington? Or did that fine speech change absolutely nothing?
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Will Starmer's body count prove fatal for his premiership?
28 april 2026 · 48 min
Morgan McSweeney was called before MPs to explain HIS version of how Mandelson was hired: was he just finding a great job for a mate? Why hadn’t he responded to all the red flag warnings? Was due process really followed? And had he put Starmer in a position where the PM wasn’t told the whole truth? Lees meer
Later, Tom Baldwin - Starmer’s friend and biographer- on how, and whether, the PM can survive, and whether the high body count of sacked staff speaks to a wider malaise in his Downing Street.
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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What will the King's visit really achieve with Trump?
27 april 2026 · 39 min
Trump has praised King Charles for pressing on with his US state visit in the wake of Saturday night's shooting, calling him ‘brave’. The President’s comments have thrust the King back into the diplomatic spotlight. Lees meer
With tensions between the UK and the US compounding, it seems that Keir Starmer has deployed the King as a literal trump card. So can the King make any difference for the ‘special relationship’?
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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How liberals lost the fight
24 april 2026 · 59 min
In a world of increasing extremes, Liberalism itself has come to be an insult. From 'metropolitan liberal elites' to 'bleeding heart liberals' the liberal establishment seems bewildered and fresh out of devoid of new ideas in the face of populist extremes. Labour, Tories, Liberal Democrats – all now struggling to hold their own against Reform UK and The Green Party, both of which have taken populism from opposite ends of the spectrum to the heart of British politics. Lees meer
This week, Lewis is joined by Adrian Wooldridge to discuss the complexities of the liberal argument in a fractured world, and what a renewed liberalism might look like.
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Seb Coe | Door open for Russia's return, 'Enhanced Games' threat & Man Utd's new stadium - The Sports Agents
23 april 2026 · 48 min
After Liam Rosenior was sacked just 106 days into his 6-year-deal, life-long Chelsea fan & President of World Athletics, Lord Seb Coe joins Gabby and Mark to talk about Russia's return to the Olympics, his views on The 'Enhanced Games' and why the world is running out of host cities for major tournaments? Lees meer
Will British athletics be able to capitalise on their new 'golden generation' and when will Manchester United's new stadium be ready?
Plus Gabby & Mark reflect on the prospect of a classic Premier League title run-in after Man City leapfrogged Arsenal last night - with the top two now only separated by goals scored...
Timestamps: 00:05 Trailer 00:41 Intro 6:52 Liam Rosenior sacked from Chelsea 14:54 Lord Seb Coe 25:14 Climate change affects World Championships 26:04 The Ultimate Championship 30:12 Keely Hodgkinson on West Ham 35:45 Russia in the Olympics 2029? 43:26 Manchester United's new stadium
📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7
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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney & George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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Has the cabinet given up on Keir Starmer?
23 april 2026 · 40 min
Is Keir Starmer a passenger and not a driver in his own government? At the end of a week of crisis management - with a sacked official spilling the beans on the grubby business of the Mandelson appointment - the charge against the Prime Minister that's really stuck is that somehow he’s never in control of anything within his own government. Lees meer
Can Starmer weather this out? Or are his cabinet colleagues just playing a waiting game until after the local elections two weeks today? We talk to Sam Coates from Sky News who’s had his ear to the ground.
Later - what did royal protection officers around Prince Andrew actually see? Is it possible they guarded Andrew whilst he was with Epstein without asking any questions? The Crime Agents' Andy Hughes has an exclusive interview.
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Has Starmer become the problem he promised to fix?
22 april 2026 · 32 min
Keir Starmer came to power promising to clean up politics and end the games at the top of Westminster. Yet this week has brought another sacking, linked to the handling of Peter Mandelson’s appointment, alongside reports of efforts to secure an ambassadorial role for the Prime Minister’s former communications chief, Matthew Doyle. Lees meer
As more details emerge, the picture looks increasingly complicated. So is Starmer creating the very problem he wanted to eradicate? And can he keep putting the blame on everyone else?
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How does Keir Starmer recover from the Olly Robbins bombshell?
21 april 2026 · 44 min
Olly Robbins - the foreign office top civil servant fired by Keir Starmer on Thursday - gave his version of events today. He described an atmosphere of immense pressure over the Peter Mandelson appointment and suggested Downing Street weren’t that interested in the vetting process at all. Lees meer
Was he bullied into giving Mandelson the job? Was Starmer right to sack Robbins? And why was he hunting for another ambassadorial role for another friend of another paedophile? It’s all getting silly.
We talk to the chair of the committee Emily Thornberry about what she just heard.
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Starmer was told to vet Mandelson first. So why didn’t he?
20 april 2026 · 35 min
Keir Starmer is still pleading his case before MPs. Should he have been told about the failed Mandelson vetting by Olly Robbins? Should he have asked? Who’s fault was it really that he didn’t find out until last Tuesday. And why, critically, did he ignore a letter of advice from then cabinet secretary Simon Case explicitly telling him to vet Mandelson BEFORE appointing him. We still have no clear answer… Lees meer
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Did Keir Starmer “lie, lie and lie again" over Mandelson?
17 april 2026 · 37 min
That's the charge from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who has called on the Prime Minister to resign today. Lees meer
The Guardian reported last night that Starmer appointed Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington even though he had failed government security vetting. The PM has said today he is "absolutely furious" he was not told about this - and has sacked Olly Robbins, the top civil servant at the Foreign Office.
Starmer had previously insisted that “full due process” was followed in the appointment, and that Mandelson had cleared the vetting. Could it really be the case that Starmer was never alerted to the vetting issues? And if he was never told - should it have been his job to know? Why does he keep coming across as a passenger, rather than the driver, of government?
And does the latest revelation in the Mandelson affair put the PM in fresh peril - just as it looked like the leadership speculation was beginning to dim?
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Did the Pope just call Trump a tyrant?
16 april 2026 · 33 min
The Pope didn’t mention Trump by name. But speaking to a large congregation on his trip to Cameroon he warned that the world was being "ravaged by tyrants". Has he upped the ante in his war with the president? And as a man of God is he allowed to warn about unjust war - or is that a political intervention? And is this a beed Trump can't win? JD Vance has conveniently told him to stop pontificating on theology too. Lees meer
Later - three weeks out from the May elections is Reform on the wane? Is Plaid on the march in Wales? And is Starmer experiencing an 'Iran bounce'? We’re with More in Common's Luke Tryl.
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Have PSG exposed the Premier League? - The Sports Agents
16 april 2026 · 35 min
After Liverpool became the SIXTH English club to fall victim to Luis Enrique's all-conquering PSG in the Champions League - does their unique blend of intensity & swagger feel more and more like an indictment of Premier League pragmatism. Lees meer
So how do they keep peaking at just the right time in the season, why wasn't there more of a battle to sign the likes of Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and which PSG star was deemed 'not ready' for England's top-flight!
Plus, on the news Andoni Iraola will be leaving Bournemouth at the end of the season - would Gabby & Mark swap Eddie Howe or Michael Carrick for him now?
📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7
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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney & George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Martin Croser
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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Social media ban for kids: Why is Starmer stalling?
15 april 2026 · 35 min
MPs are voting again on a social media ban for U16s today - but the government has only committed to a consultation on the move so as it stands it's unlikely to become law. The clamour for the move is growing, and public opinion is strongly in favour of restricting social media use to adults only. So why is Keir Starmer dragging his feet and losing any capital he could gain from moving on it? Would a ban even work? And what impact is big tech having on our teenagers and children? Lees meer
Later, after his historic ousting of Viktor Orban, Peter Magyar has wasted no time in trying to deconstruct his populist hold on the country. He's lashed out at state TV channels who'd banned him from their networks in opposition - and visited the country's president, telling him he was unfit to serve. Will his attempts to start a new chapter in Hungary work?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Will the US and China go to war over Iran?
14 april 2026 · 42 min
Today, the United States has imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, with JD Vance describing Iran’s earlier actions in the war as "economic terrorism". As global fuel markets remain volatile amid the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, the stakes are rising well beyond the region. China has condemned the US naval blockade of Iranian ports as "irresponsible and dangerous". So, with tensions escalating and risks of spillover growing, could China be drawn into the US war in Iran? Lees meer
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Did Trump just kill off Europe's most powerful populist?
13 april 2026 · 40 min
Victor Orban has held Hungary in his iron grip for the best part of two decades. He became known as the godfather of populism, overseeing democratic backsliding, media control, and the erosion of rights and laws. Lees meer
Last night, that came to an end. An old, angry, Putin-adjacent man was defeated in a landslide. What does this mean for hard-right EU populism? For Ukraine? And for the Trump touch? Are there wider lessons for how to win elections in 2026?
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Everything Trump doesn't understand about Iran
10 april 2026 · 41 min
The US/Iran war is now 45 or so days old. There has been much analysis, counter analysis, fire and brimstone about its causes, its effects and its aims. Iran has long been a security menace, but this war at the moment it began was a war of choice. Lees meer
Today Lewis speaks with Ali Vaez, an Iranian analyst, one of the few people in the West who can truly claim to know about Iran, its people and its bewildering politics. He tells us the many ways Trump completely misunderstood the country he has just waged war on, with disastrous consequences.
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Why Golf NEEDS Rory McIlroy to go back-to-back? | The Masters - The Sports Agents
9 april 2026 · 39 min
Rory McIlroy returns to Augusta looking to be the 4th man in history to retain the green jacket. His Masters dinner was reportedly the 'most expensive' ever but it was without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson... will he be able to join them both as back-to-back winners instead? Lees meer
Bryson De Chambeau is making his own clubs, Scottie Scheffler has arrived with a newborn son and Justin Rose is hoping to win and readdress 'cosmic justice'.
Netflix's Full Swing's Dan Rapaport joins Mark in Augusta and Gabby in London as we look at golf's most prestigious weekend.
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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney & George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Charlee Avis
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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Is Israel already sabotaging the ceasefire?
9 april 2026 · 39 min
Did Israel ever sign up to Trump's ceasefire? Did Trump ever ask Netanyahu about Lebanon? The relentless bombing of the south of the country - strikes on bridges, cities, and civilian infrastructure - has left nearly a thousand injured or dead. So can anyone really claim that there even is a ceasefire in place? Today there are more problems with peace as the Iranian side retracts confirmation that they'll be attending Islamabad talks tomorrow night. And has Pakistan's PM even been brokering a peace or simply following instructions from the US? Lees meer
Later - could Hungary's Viktor Orban be about to lose the election on Sunday? The EU's longest serving leader is facing a challenge like never before. And why are Irish farmers blockading the streets? Does all roads lead to Hormuz?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Has Trump just capitulated to Iran?
8 april 2026 · 42 min
We start with the good news - Iran wasn’t obliterated last night as Trump had threatened this time yesterday. So that’s positive. And an 11th hour temporary ceasefire is now in place. Iran has come to the table with a ten point peace plan. Will America accept any of it? Lees meer
Meanwhile Trump’s cronies are pretending he's won a war he may actually have lost.
What has the world learnt about Trump, his whims and how to deal with him? Will anything change?
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Trump: “A whole civilisation will die tonight“
7 april 2026 · 46 min
It’s becoming increasingly hard to distinguish between mad rant and nuclear threat these days. Trump has gone off again and whilst this time he was expletive free and managed not to mock Islam, he did threaten to destroy an entire country. Lees meer
Why is no one stopping him? And - dare we ask - what comes next?
Later, Kanye is blocked from coming to the UK. Are we happy with the state getting involved ? And what is JD Vance doing in Hungary talking about election interference.
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Aden Durde | How a Londoner cracked the NFL - The Sports Agents
3 april 2026 · 31 min
Aden Durde became the first British-born coach to win a Super Bowl when the Seattle Seahawks masterminded a dominant display in California in February. Lees meer
His story is almost unheard of in sport - from coaching grassroots level here in UK - to the very top of the NFL.
But what has made him so successful? How did a chance advert in a North London shop spark his career? And as the Premier League's managerial 'merry-go-round' starts to feel more like a circus - does our beautiful game still have a lot to learn?
Gabby and Mark are joined by Aden for all that and more.
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📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com
Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producers: Sophie Penney & George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Sam Trudgill
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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Q&A: Trump's tantrum, the Midterms and Lewis getting the sh*t kicked out of him
2 april 2026 · 46 min
It's been another dizzying week of news and, as we head into Easter, Jon and Lewis stocked up on chocolate and headed into the studio for a special Q&A episode - answering your questions and dissecting some of the biggest stories in the headlines. Lees meer
Could Trump's antagonism pull Keir Starmer and Britain back into Europe? Is Tucker Carlson harbouring presidential ambitions? Would losing Congress have any impact on Trump's remaining time in office? And why Lewis has been getting the sh*t kicked out of him for 'punching down' on the Prime Minister...
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Don’t mourn for NATO, it’s already dead
1 april 2026 · 32 min
Trump warned his EU allies yesterday he wouldn’t forget their cowardice and refusal to help his Iran war. Today he went full throttle and said he was considering taking America out of NATO altogether. It’s not a new thought for him. But is there enough anger in him now to push it through? Would Congress allow it? And what will the rest of us do if we lose Americas defence? Lees meer
Later the appalling investigation into illegal care homes where vulnerable children are being abused by former convicts whilst unscrupulous owners get rich on our council tax money. Why have so many local authorities seemingly turned a blind eye?
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Should the King tell Trump to P*ss Off?
31 maart 2026 · 37 min
“GO GET YOUR OWN OIL!" Lees meer
Just as Donald Trump woke up to begin his latest Truth Social assault on his European allies, berating UK and France for not helping him out of the Hormuz Strait, the King announced the state visit next month WOULD go ahead.
Are we right to look past Trump to protect the wider relationship? Or does it look pathetic to pay homage to a warmonger? And is King Charles merely following the wishes of his own PM?
Later, the Israeli parliament has just passed a law bringing back a discriminatory death penalty measure “for convicted terrorists of Judea and Samaria through the military courts".
What this means in practice is it would only apply to Palestinians. It’s the cause celebre of hard right security minister Ben Gvir - who toasted the vote with champagne. It has horrified western allies and many within Israel too. Is this a law Israel really wants to see enacted? And why has the PM stayed so quiet?
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Is Trump about to put boots on the ground in Iran?
30 maart 2026 · 40 min
A week ago President Trump was promising peace with Iran. This week he looks set to land marines on Kharg island - with a threat to obliterate it and seize Iranian oil. Even Israel, which has been aggressive in striking targets in Iran, has warned against a ground invasion. And Keir Starmer has restated today that this is not Britain's war. Lees meer
Is Trump finishing a project he first thought about back in 1988? Are we really about to see an amphibious landing and the ratcheting up of casualties? Or is Trump just buffeting around like a man without a plan?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Special Report: Why MAGA hates Britain
27 maart 2026 · 48 min
CPAC is the biggest event in the MAGA calendar. Last year, it was a triumphant celebration of the total victory of the America First project. Donald Trump basked in the adulation. Elon Musk wielded a chainsaw and laughed maniacally. Lees meer
This year, something feels different. The President, who has spoken at each conference for the past decade, is suggesting he's staying away this time. The war in Iran has got attendees feeling uneasy, even confused - what happened to the man who promised no more foreign intervention?
And there's a wider malaise. Trump is polling at an all-time low. The Republicans look like they're heading for a hammering in the midterm elections. Their grip on cultural and political domination - which just 12 months ago looked complete - is now weakening. You won't hear much talk of a Trump third term in Dallas any more.
The sunny optimism of MAGA has been replaced by something darker. There is increasing focus on a new enemy - Islam and Islamism. It's helping the base reframe and justify the attack on Iran; one event is literally titled 'MAGA vs. Mullah Madness'. It's helping them sustain an argument about the decline of Europe and the threat of the Democrats. And it's helping a very strange mix of characters stay relevant and keep the bookings coming in.
Liz Truss was at the Gaylord Convention Center telling a packed out crowd about the horrors of 'Europestan'. Is it any wonder that MAGA hates Britain?
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Are football's new 'Ultras' a force for good? - The Sports Agents
27 maart 2026 · 28 min
The fan phenomenon of ‘Ultras’ has taken Scotland by storm… TIFO’s, flares and drums - like we’re used to seeing in Europe - popping up everywhere from the Old Firm right down to the 4th division. Lees meer
So can this sub-culture be a force for good in an online sphere dominated by the ‘manosphere’ or is it actually just another mask for something more sinister?
Gabby & Mark are joined by Andy Hughes, host of The Crime Agents - who has spent time undercover reporting on football hooliganism in England, and Blair McNally - who has amassed millions of views online documenting Scottish ultras.
📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7
💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6
🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod
📱Follow us on socials:
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents
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📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com
Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producers: Sophie Penney & George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Sam Trudgill
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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How Trump lost control of the Iran war
26 maart 2026 · 35 min
Donald Trump has urged Iran to “get serious” about reaching an agreement before it is “too late”. It’s nice having a world leader who takes peace so seriously. It’s just a shame Iran no longer believes a word he says. They’ve laughed at his fifteen point plan and insisted the Straits of Hormuz remain operational only to friendly traffic. Lees meer
NATO’s general secretary is trying to encourage member countries to get behind Trump’s plan to smooth the wheels. We talk to an Iranian activist about why this conflict has made regime change much harder for protestors and ordinary Iranians.
Later, the government is changing the rules on politicalDonations to stop foreign interference. And we dig a little deeper with one government minister into those missing McSweeney messages...
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McSweeney's missing Mandelson messages
25 maart 2026 · 46 min
The Met police took the unusual step of publishing a full transcript of a phone call that took place last October between Keir starmers chief of staff Morgan Mcsweeny and the 999 emergency services. In the call Morgan says his phone has been stolen out of his hand by a young man on a bike. He tells them it is a government device but doesn’t explain what his own role is or whether the material on it maybe confidential. Lees meer
Why does any of this matter? Because the phone in question contained key messages between McSweeney and Peter Mandelson in the lead up to his appointment as ambassador to the United States.
Will we ever get to the truth of what happened between them? Will the public get past the “convenience“ of an apparently stolen phone? And were ministers sent out to fudge the truth on Morgan’s behalf as recently as this weekend?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Are Trump's friends getting filthy rich on his “peace deal“?
24 maart 2026 · 32 min
"Unusual activity" was observed on the main US stock market just fifteen minutes before Donald Trump went public with the sudden and unexpected news that he would stop striking Iranian energy sites and talks with Tehran were apparently going well. Trading volumes were up to six times higher than normal - with oil futures seeing a sudden flurry of activity in the moments before Trump broke that news. Lees meer
More than half a billion dollars was netted in that brief window, but it's not clear how. Experts and analysts are sounding the alarm about the activity - could some people close to Trump have known what was coming and gone straight to the market to place their bets? Why are Trump allies blocking investigators from looking into the Trump family and their allies? And what does this mean for the much bigger question of where the plans for peace actually stand ?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Has Trump invented his peace deal with Iran?
23 maart 2026 · 44 min
It's a funny old world when you have to check with Iran’s state TV before you know if the US president is telling the truth. In a post early this morning - just as the markets opened - Trump declared he’d had productive discussions to end with war with Iran. An hour later Tehran flatly contradicted him. But by then there had already been a market rally putting two trillion dollars back into the system. So what’s going on: Has Trump had enough of war? Has he had stern words from his Gulf allies? Or is he just trying to manipulate the price of oil? Lees meer
Later, Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle on how to do business with America in the age of Trump and whether he’d call his actions "erratic".
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The case for Trump's war in Iran
20 maart 2026 · 40 min
It can be hard to decipher the reasons behind the US-Israeli decision to strike Iran. With a flurry of hyperbolic - often contradictory - statements from the American leadership, the objectives, the progress, and the endgame of this war are not much clearer three weeks into it. Lees meer
But Donald Trump has turned to one man to make the case for this war in a way he could never enunciate. Dr Muhanad Seloom has cut a somewhat isolated figure in the defence world outside of MAGA. An international security academic, he has been arguing that Trump's war is succeeding. Trump obviously likes what he is saying. The President posted Seloon's argument on Truth Social, with the caption: 'The US-Israeli strategy against Iran is working. Here is why'.
Lewis spoke to Dr Seloom from Doha to try and understand what the thinking might just be in the White House and what success would look like for America - with more and more voices sounding the alarm about the consequences of its failure.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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How Morocco snatched Senegal's AFCON crown - The Sports Agents
20 maart 2026 · 22 min
It has been like the longest VAR ruling in history… the match finished two months ago, the Africa Cup of Nations trophy was presented, the considerable celebrations and recriminations were complete. Lees meer
And then, just as some last-16 Champions League fixtures were finishing on Tuesday night, a communication dropped from CAF.
Senegal had actually forfeited the match by staging their now infamous walk-off and Morocco are AFCON champions via a technicality.
But why has this taken so long? Can you really strip a country of a title? And what happens next?
Former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker and Co Host of the ‘On The Whistle’ podcast, Zayn Naabi both join Gabby and Mark.
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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney
Producer: George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Sam Trudgill
Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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Is Iran winning the war?
19 maart 2026 · 43 min
Looking and sounding rather like a frat boy emerging from a hazing, Pete Hegseth arrived blinking, bombastic and victorious into his press conference this morning to declare complete success in his Epic Fury military campaign in Iran. Lees meer
He was quick to castigate America's ungrateful allies - telling the world that they should be thanking President Trump - and cracked a few jokes about Iranian ships being at the bottom of the ocean.
Outside the Pentagon's echo chamber, the world looks rather different. Iran's regime holds many of the cards in this conflict. And it’s making Trump sweat. Control of the shipping lanes gives Iran control of the price of oil and thus much of the world economy. And they’re acting like an army of insurgents - pounding energy infrastructure across the Middle East, sending gas prices rocketing. So how does America find a way out? Or is Trump's only play now to go all in and send in the troops?
Later - anyone remember the 70s? Ted Heath's dire warning to the nation that life would no longer be as we know it has some uncomfortable parallels for the current occupant of No 10. Should we prepare for everything we’ve taken for granted to change? And should Keir Starmer be rethinking his entire premiership as a result of this war?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Why do the Conservatives have a problem with Muslims praying in public?
18 maart 2026 · 41 min
Nick Timothy is the Conservative shadow justice secretary. This week, he took issue with Muslims gathering in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the last week of Ramadan and the breaking of the Iftar fast with prayer. He called the gathering an "act of dominance" in a Christian country - right beside a church. Does Kemi Badenoch agree with him? Tommy Robinson certainly does... Lees meer
Later - why has Ofcom got no teeth when it comes to GB News? A major investigation by The New World puts the question to the media regulator. And gets little response. Sir Ed Davey raised it with the Prime Minister today. Has GB News simply become 'Reform TV'? We speak to Alan Rusbridger.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Has Trump lost it?
17 maart 2026 · 44 min
Donald Trump's Oval Office ramblings are nothing new. But last night was off the scale. He thrashed out at allies. Castigated his friends. Contradicted himself. Lied about former presidents in a way that was painfully easy to disprove and sounded like a man who’d missed his meds. Lees meer
More significant than any of this is how the rest of the world received it: with a shrug - and very little anxiety or action. Has Trump lost the room? And the war?
And, as the first resignation comes in from his director of counter terrorism centre, could we be reaching a turning point where Trump is no longer scaring people in the way he once did?
Update: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has clarified that Ed Miliband has not suggested that pubs should serve warm beer. The 'carbon reduction tool' for pubs and restaurants identifies where hospitality vendors can save energy with suggestions such as turning extractor fans off overnight.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Is Starmer ending his abusive relationship with Trump?
16 maart 2026 · 36 min
Last night, President Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he was "demanding" allies provided back up in the Strait of Hormuz and send ships to keep the supply of oil flowing. Lees meer
“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response", he warned, "I think it will be very bad for the future of Nato."
Keir Starmer’s response this morning was clear - the PM insisting that the UK would not be dragged into a wider war. Instead, he’s working with European allies on a "viable plan" to ease the crisis. Others have used even stronger language. The Germans have said the war has "nothing to do with NATO". Luxembourg's deputy PM has warned his country won't listen to "blackmail". Italy has rejected Trump's request. Others too, are deciding that they no longer need to pander to the man in the White House.
Has Europe reached a fundamental turning point now when it comes to America? Does it see Trump - and his war -as a toxic asset? And how do we navigate lower oil prices in the midst of this geopolitical chaos?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Keir Starmer: Britain’s passive Prime Minister?
13 maart 2026 · 56 min
Just over a year ago, Lewis spoke to Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire, co-authors of the authoritative account of Keir Starmer's rise to power 'Get In: The Inside Story of Labour under Starmer'. Lees meer
Their book shone a light on the weird political inertia at the heart of the Starmer project, often lacking in instinct, allies, and any particular ideological belief. Morgan McSweeney was the driving force behind the operation that thrust him into Downing Street - his authority draining the second he picked his cabinet.
McSweeney is now gone. The Mandelson scandal still poses a potentially existential threat to Starmer's premiership. The UK has been sucked into a conflict Starmer did not want to fight. The local elections in two months' time look like they will be brutal.
Gabriel and Patrick have just released the updated paperback edition of their book. Does it take us any closer to understanding who is the real Keir Starmer?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Crowdfunding your way to a World Cup final - The Sports Agents
13 maart 2026 · 24 min
Playing in front of a record 80,000 fans at Twickenham, captaining your country in a World Cup final and winning World Rugby’s Player of the Year… all in a day's work for Sophie De Goede. Lees meer
All that despite returning from a huge ACL injury just one month before the World Cup, Canada crowdfunding to get there, and training against teammates' partners to make up the numbers. Sophie joins Gabby and Mark to talk about where women's rugby goes next.
Plus we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - was it right for Tottenham to sub their goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after a 17-minute nightmare? And how can Welsh rugby build back to its former glory?
📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7
💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6
🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod
📱Follow us on socials:
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents
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📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com
Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney
Producer: George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Sam Trudgill
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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How bad are the Mandelson files for Keir Starmer?
12 maart 2026 · 33 min
The release of the Mandelson files revealed that Keir Starmer pushed on with appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite warnings over his links to Epstein. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, called the appointment 'weirdly rushed' and said that Mandelson was ‘always a disaster’. The Prime Minister 'it was me that made the mistake'. Lees meer
So, was due diligence really followed in the appointment of Mandelson? And how much have we actually learnt from the files?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Is Iran beating Trump in his own war?
11 maart 2026 · 38 min
Trump has made it clear he thinks it’s time to end the war with Iran. There’s only one problem: Iran is not so sure it wants to. By using cheap, fairly low tech drones it’s managed to strike cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The message it’s sending out is clear: we can disrupt the flow and the price of oil from our waters. The regime today has told the world to brace for the price of a barrel of oil to rocket to $200. It’s the last thing Trump wants to hear. So has Iran got Trump over a barrel (of oil)? And what, if anything, can he do about it? Lees meer
Later, why Starmer has had his best fortnight in the job - and why Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch seem to have forgotten about the sovereignty they claimed was so important it made Brexit necessary.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Is Trump running scared of his own war?
10 maart 2026 · 39 min
In a zig-zagging, confused and at times weirdly low energy press conference from President Donald Trump last night, a remarkably new tone was struck on the conflict in Iran. Just hours earlier, his defence secretary Pete Hegseth had announced that this stage of the war was "just the beginning". But yesterday evening. Trump declared that the conflict was, in fact, "very complete"; at one point even downplaying the US attacks as "an excursion" rather than a war. Lees meer
It doesn't take a genius to work out what's behind the volte-face - following his intervention, the price of oil plummeted. Welcome respite for the markets, but where does it leave Trump's war objectives? What does it mean for the Iranian people, who'd been promised regime change? Has Trump bottled it? And does that risk emboldening the regime in Tehran?
Later - why is white genocide being casually discussed on GB News? And why have Kwasi Kwarteng and Nigel Farage teamed up in a crypto venture?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Is Trump blowing up the world economy - as well as Iran?
9 maart 2026 · 34 min
For a Prime Minister obsessed with driving down the cost of living, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is shaping up to be something of a nightmare. Oil prices have surged, the Bank of England is now expected to raise, rather than cut, interest rates, and the AA is telling drivers to consider cutting down on non-essential journeys due to the price of the pumps. Lees meer
The war has shown no sign of winding up - indeed over the weekend Donald Trump seemed to leave open the idea that it could last more than six weeks. Remarkably, his press secretary failed to rule out a return of the draft, not seen in America since the Vietnam war. Why? Because the desired endgame for the Trump administration is still very difficult to see. A new Supreme Leader has been installed and appears to be as hardline as his predecessor father. Iranian missiles are still raining down on the region. And if gas prices continue to squeeze Americans, could Trump find himself blinking first?
Later, Tony Blair's off the record remarks about Keir Starmer became very much on the record after his criticisms of the current Prime Minister's resistance to joining the US efforts in Iran made their way into the press. Jon and Lewis discuss why Downing Street is unlikely to be losing any sleep from the advice being dished out by its former occupant.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Live Q&A: Iran, Trump, and 'no d*ck energy'
6 maart 2026 · 50 min
Jon and Lewis are back to mark the end of a momentous week in geopolitics with a special live Q&A taking your questions. Lees meer
When will we know if the conflict in the Middle East has morphed into World War 3? Why has American politics embraced 'toxic masculinity' and 'big d*ck energy'? And how badly do the local elections need to be for Labour in order for Keir Starmer to be toppled?
Plus, a bit of trivia about the 1924 Winter Olympics thrown in for good measure.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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18 months to live to Winter Paralympic history - The Sports Agents
6 maart 2026 · 22 min
When the Winter Paralympics get underway this weekend in Italy history will be made. Davy Zyw was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 30 and given 18 months to live… but he’s now 38 and he’s going to be the first person to compete at a Winter Paralympics with MND. Lees meer
Defying his degenerating body, Davy will compete on the board for ParalympicsGB, with his five-year-old son watching on. He joins Gabby to tell his inspiring story.
Plus, we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - will the US-Iran conflict derail President Trump's World Cup? Have England pushed the Six Nations panic button and will it pay off? And what's it like to start a new football team from scratch in America's top league?
📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7
💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6
🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod
📱Follow us on socials:
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/
X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod
📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com
Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney
Producer: George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Sam Trudgill
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents
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Has Starmer lost control of his cabinet over Trump and Iran?
5 maart 2026 · 41 min
Much of the coverage of the Iran conflict this week has been trying to understand the British government’s position on America’s strikes. On Friday, Keir Starmer said that the UK would not allow American fighter jets headed for Iran to use British bases. And yet by Sunday, that position had changed. Why? Lees meer
New reporting today may shed some light on that. Tim Shipman at the Spectator claims that Keir Starmer faced resistance, particularly from Ed Miliband and Yvette Cooper, when the National Security Council met late last week.
Was Keir Starmer effectively strong-armed into a diplomatic spat with Donald Trump by his own cabinet ministers? What does that say about his authority in the face of a major national - and international - crisis? And with criticism from allies including Cyprus about the sluggish reaction and deployment of British forces in the wake of Iranian aggression, has the past week been embarrassing for Britain on the world stage?
Plus, nearly a week on from Trump’s decision to strike at the heart of Iran and decapitate the regime in Tehran, are we actually any clearer on what his objectives are? We speak to Virginia Senator and vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Is Starmer ready to take on Trump?
4 maart 2026 · 38 min
Trump is furious with Starmer over his delay in granting the US access to UK bases as part of their military operation against Iran . He's called the UK "very uncooperative" and says Starmer has ruined relationships, even going so far as to say "this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with." Lees meer
So where does this leave Starmer now? Is it really a fatal blow to the 'special relationship' or could it actually be advantageous to the Prime Minister?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Has Trump just ended the 'Special Relationship'?
3 maart 2026 · 35 min
You might think, just days into a major conflict in the Middle East, that Donald Trump and Keir Starmer would be speaking regularly, supporting each other, and coordinating among allies. That's how it normally works in the 'Special Relationship' right? Lees meer
Instead, Trump has taken to The Sun to blast the Prime Minister as "not helpful", accusing him of imperilling the transatlantic alliance, and suggesting that his decision not to join US strikes may have been because he is worried about losing Muslim votes. Keir Starmer, for his part, has also issued veiled criticism of the US approach - telling the Commons that the UK does not believe in regime change "from the skies". It's a remarkable breakdown in relations - does it mark the end of the 'Special Relationship'?
Later, a new poll following the Gorton and Denton by-election puts the Greens in second place with Labour languishing on 16%. Why is Starmer so quick to label the Greens extremist when he wouldn't say the same about Reform? And how does Labour address a dual populist threat from the Left and the Right?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Is the UK at war with Iran or not?
2 maart 2026 · 38 min
Keir Starmer has agreed to a US request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites. But the Prime Minister said the UK has learned lessons from the "mistakes of Iraq", and was not involved in the strikes on Iran. So why are we letting the US bomb Iran from our bases if we can’t say whether we support the war or not? Lees meer
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
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Special Episode: Trump kills Iran's leader - what happens next?
1 maart 2026 · 37 min
Iranian state television confirmed this morning that the country's supreme leader had been killed by joint US-Israeli strikes. President Trump addressed the world from his beach resort Mar-a-Lago to declare that "freedom is at hand" for Iran, urging citizens there to rise up against their repressive government. Lees meer
It’s potentially a pivotal moment in the Middle East as we wait to see if a brutal regime, that has slaughtered so many of its own people, falls. But it’s also a moment of high tension - Iran has already hit back across the region with strikes of its own. And, without taking out the entire regime - including the revolutionary guards that support it - it is possible that nothing in Iran changes but the rest of the world is dragged into major conflict.
Is this Trump's biggest gamble yet? Does international law matter any more? And how many casualties will ensue from a president who promised an end to "forever wars"?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/