The News Agents

In a dramatic statement to MPs this morning, Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle revealed that he had felt "duty-bound" to report to the police what he had heard on a recent trip to the British Virgin Islands - that Peter Mandelson was due to head to the island. It was that tip off which led to Mandelson being arrested and questioned by the Met on Monday, and an allegation that has been called "baseless" by our former ambassador to the Washington.Why did Mandelson point the finger at a different parliamentarian for his arrest? Why did ugly scenes at PMQs follow? And is it undermining Labour's campaign in the Gorton and Denton by-election?Later, we speak to justice minister Sarah Sackman about the "courts blitz" announced by the government, that by-election, and Peter Mandelson.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Late yesterday afternoon Peter Mandelson was led from his London house by two plain clothes police officers with very visible body cameras into an unmarked police car. In the bland euphemism that followed a Met statement told us a 72 year old man had been arrested in Camden. Today we discuss what this move does to Starmer, his party, and the wider reputation of New Labour. And we have insight into Mandelson's own state of mind at 4 am this morning. He has denied all criminal wrong doing. Later, we speak to education secretary Bridget Philipson about the last 24 hours, the last 12 months and her own reforms to special educational needs.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Trump is not a happy bunny. It all started on Friday when the Supreme Court declared his tariffs - the backbone of his economic policy - illegal. By this morning it was worse. He's stomping around threatening the Supreme Court with a lower-case, no caps name (seriously) and warning his tariffs policy is about to get "more obnoxious".Has the ruling delivered a fatal blow to his authority? Can leaders around the world see that? And will they respond by toughening up their own stance on trade?Later, Australia confirms it's ready to drop Andrew from the line of Royal succession. The first of 14 commonwealth countries that need to give sign off to the act of parliament. Is this a help or a hindrance to Keir Starmer ?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The tentacles of Epstein's billionaire paedophile ring crossed continents, age, political persuasion and profession. That much is all clear from the files. But what we are still piecing together is how Epstein made his millions in the first place. Was it endowed? Stolen? Invested? Or blackmail?This Friday, Jon and Emily speak to American journalist, Anand Giridharadas, about the 'Epstein class' and how it was allowed to flourish. And ask whether it still exists?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to represent their countries at the upcoming Winter Paralympics. For the first time since 2014, since Russia's state-sponsored doping programme and the war with Ukraine, we will see the Russian flag and potentially hear the anthem.Ukrainian officials are boycotting, but FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has also recently said he wants to lift football's ban on Russia.This all comes after Ukrainian skeleton athlete, Vladyslav Heraskevych, was disqualified from the Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet showing Ukrainians killed in the war.So, is this the beginning of something? Could we see Russia compete at the LA Summer Olympics in 2028? Or even the World Cup? Mark and Gabby speak to The Athletic's Matt Slater. Plus, we look back at the best bits on The Sports Agents this week, from welcoming double Winter Olympic gold medallist Matt Weston, to discussing abuse in football with former England striker Emile Heskey.

A man in his sixties has been arrested in Norfolk. The mundanity of the police statement belies the monumental significance of what just happened. The eighth in line to the crown, the former Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.The arrest centres around the alleged exchange of confidential emails between him and Epstein in his role as trade envoy. What happens now to the former royal, and to the family that's trying so hard to distance themselves from him?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

News Agents listeners, we've got a new podcast we think you'll love.Step inside sport's greatest soap opera, Formula One, with a brand-new podcast Up To Speed. Hosted by Drive to Survive star Will Buxton, racing driver-turned-broadcaster Naomi Schiff, 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, and F1 content creator Jolie Sharpe.Expect razor-sharp reaction, behind-the-scenes insight, blockbuster interviews and answers to the questions you've always wanted to ask! With their deep knowledge, expert analysis and infectious love for racing, Will, Naomi, DC & Jolie dive into the stories that matter - on and off the track.It's fast-paced, unfiltered and full of the gossip that keeps the paddock buzzing.They'll react to the weekend's race drama every Monday. On Thursday they'll deep dive into the biggest stories of the week. Watch and listen to episode 1 now on Global Player, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Prince William gave an interview to BBC Radio 1 to talk about men's mental health and the importance of speaking out. It's a vital topic - and it affects millions of people.What was noticeable, however, was that in the course of the hour long discussion there was not a single mention of the man at the centre of our national discourse - and of his own family - Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.Is it still sustainable to protect the royals from awkward questions? Or does something need to change in the dialogue between press and monarchy? Is it all over if we treat them like politicians, door stepping them on the issue of the day?The BBC told us that the programme was "a panel discussion - not a news interview", and that "as is the case with any of our programmes, the BBC had full editorial control and to suggest the presenter was told what he could - or could not ask - is incorrect.”Later - why has a lesser known Texas state representative garnered five million YouTube views overnight? Does he have Trump to thank for trying to cancel him?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Today we have an exclusive investigation into the relationship between the Metropolitan Police Royal Protection officers and the royals they served. Did things become too cosy? Were they encouraged to ignore wrong doing? And why did none of them want to work for Prince Andrew?LBC crime correspondent and The Crime Agents host, Andy Hughes, has a story from inside the force.And later, we speak to Virginia Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts about why he thinks the Met needs to move faster and call Andrew in for questioning.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Prime Minister has called for an investigation by the Cabinet Office into the campaign group Labour Together which helped get him into power. The think tank is accused of having dug up dirt on journalists investigating its use of political donations. Who signed off the dark arts smear campaign? And why are we just hearing about it now? Later, is Trump's attorney General part of that Epstein cover up? Why is she so resistant to getting to the bottom of the crimes it reveals? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It has been a dizzying week in UK politics since the publication of the latest of the Epstein files, and the revelations of his links to Westminster. But as the politics took over, it is the voice of survivors that is the centre of this story.This Friday Lewis is joined by Natalie Fleet, Labour MP for Bolsover, to discuss the politics of the last week, finding a voice for the women and victims of grooming, and whether she trusts the Prime Minister to deliver.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

What a week we've had here on The Sports Agents, from penis-gate, to Winter Olympics heartbreak and Premier League managers getting sacked.This weekend sees Scotland host the Auld enemy at Murrayfield as they take on England for the Calcutta Cup.Love might not be in the air north of the border, but there were remnants in the studio - as Gabby welcomed her husband and former Scottish winger Kenny Logan onto the show.England's Six Nations title charge, mounting pressure on Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, and what does Valentine's Day look like in the Logan household?

Jim Ratcliffe, the part owner of Manchester United, multi-billionaire and Monaco based non dom, has taken the government to task for allowing immigrants to “colonise“ the U.K. Does he realise he's using a far right trope? Have we become immune to racism in the immigration debate? And why did a successful businessman not even check his facts on the numbers?Later - why has a foreign office civil servant lashed out at the woman primed to become Keir Starmer's cabinet secretary? Does he know something we don't or is this the “boys club” mentality in action?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Keir Starmer came away from a bruising Prime Minister's Questions encounter having to explain why he appeared to make the same mistake twice. No sooner had the fallout from the Mandelson appointment settled (briefly) than the question of why he'd sent another friend of a paedo to the House of Lords.This time it's his former comms director Matthew Doyle who admitted his error of judgment in campaigning for a sex offender after he was charged by police. What does it tell us about Downing Street, vetting and the House of Lords?Later, is the story of the Murdoch dynasty essentially one of emotional abuse? We're with author and insider Gabriel Sherman.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

What was the moment of maximum jeopardy for the Prime Minister on Monday? And how did he turn it around? Was there more than one plotter? And what brought the party back from the brink?We dissect what we know about the coup that went wrong.Later, why is Congress talking about the perilous state of our monarchy? And is the King doing enough to set the Andrew Mountbatten record straight?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Another head spinning day in Westminster. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called on Starmer to stand down as Prime Minister, saying "the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change."Many Cabinet Ministers were quick to jump to Starmer's defence. Some were notably slow to back the Prime Minister. With the drama coming just a day after Starmer lost his right-hand-man, Morgan McSweeney, the question today is whether this is the beginning of the end for Keir Starmer?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Imagine a loan where the Government sets the terms. It can change the terms at any time, and you have no recourse to alter them yourself.A loan designed so most people never clear it, but pay for it anyway. Not because they failed, but because that's how it was built.This is the system successive British governments have built. In this episode of The News Agents, we examine the relations of our student loan system and ask how can it be that the UK government has built a system that you might say would make a loan shark blush? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Winter Olympics are here! What sport are we all going to pretend to be an expert at? Curling maybe? Today Gabby and Mark are joined by one of Great Britain's biggest medal hopes, freestyle skier Kirsty Muir.She started skiing at 3 years old on the dry slopes of Scotland - imagine the carpet burn doing flips on that surface! Her nan can't even watch when she does the huge tricks. This year she's already won gold at the X Games and her third World Cup title. So can she win gold in Italy?Plus, we catch you up on the best bits from The Sports Agents this week, from Carlos Alcaraz's historic victory in Australia, to Gabby being pranked by Roger Federer at Wimbledon, and a big look at the Super Bowl this weekend.

Keir Starmer apologised this morning for appointing Peter Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the US. He said he should never have believed "the lies" of Mandelson.He says he understands the "anger and frustration" of Labour MPs. But is he in a position to win back the support of his own party? How close is he to the brink? And - if Mandelson's relationship with Epstein was widely known at the time of his appointment - what is the PM actually apologising for?One of those concerned Labour MPs, Brian Leishman, tells us that Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney needs to leave Downing Street, and serious changes need to take place if Starmer is to stay on as Prime Minister.Later, Emily discusses the infamous Andrew Mountbatten Windsor photo with Virginia Giuffre. It was real after all and the former Prince lied to her when he said he'd never seen it. So what next for Andrew?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Keir Starmer says Peter Mandelson "lied repeatedly" about the extent of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and said that he regrets appointing the Labour Peer as US ambassador in 2024. But with the relationship between the men well known, questions about the Prime Minister's political judgement are looming. Could this be the moment that brings down the Prime Minister?Later, Sir Brian Leveson on why the courts system faces potential collapse without major reform - and the calls to resurrect his investigations into phone hacking and the media.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Things are moving at quite a pace these days, but at the time of writing Peter Mandelson has relinquished his peerage and the Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Office to hand over Mandelson's emails to the police. The Republican campaign group has also called on the police to investigate Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Will any of this lead anywhere? Or is it all just noise? And why have the Clinton's now decided to testify before Congress on what they knew about Jefrey Epstein?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Peter Mandelson has resigned from the Labour party and insists he "doesn't recall" receiving tens of thousands of pounds from Jeffrey Epstein but has now called for "an investigation...by me“ to check.What was he doing lobbying for the paedophile billionaire from the heart of government? And what retribution if any should he now face? Keir Starmer has called for his peerage to be removed. But is Keir the only person who can actually make it happen?Later we hear from tax expert Dan Neidle on whether criminal charges could be brought. And what do the 3 million strong Epstein files tell us more widely about who was at the heart of this global power network - where corruption, paedophilia , and cover-up flourished?Since recording, the SNP and Reform have reported Peter Mandelson to the police over allegations he released confidential government documents to Epstein whilst in public office. The Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru have also demanded the police investigate.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Keir Starmer is historically unpopular. When he entered Downing Street, his approval rating stood around +10%. Now? The Prime Minister languishes around -50%. It's the steepest drop in support for any governing party still in its infancy. 8 out of 10 people say that Britain is getting worse as a place to live under Labour's watch. One poll conducted towards the end of last year suggested that even Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had more public confidence than Keir Starmer's government. What on earth is going on? What explains such an instant - and decisive - turn in public mood away from a party and a Prime Minister elected in a landslide? As the Andy Burnham saga has illustrated this week, questions around Keir Starmer's authority seem a permanent feature of the news agenda. Was it always this way? Or is there something new, something unique, to Britain and British politics in 2026? David Runciman is a professor, an author, and host of the Past Present Future podcast. He is one of Britain's leading thinkers on democracy, power and the state. His book, 'How Democracy Ends', observed the new threats to our political model and honed in on the very modern rot inside the representative democracy of the twenty first century. Lewis paid him a visit - at his home in Cambridge - for a conversation about whether politics here is now ungovernable, whether political authority is now impossible to maintain, and whether democracy itself is indeed coming to an end.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

You've likely seen the viral video of Coco Gauff smashing her racket in a corridor at the Australian Open. She tried to go somewhere without cameras and failed. Now she's complaining the only private place is the locker room, Novak Djokovic says it's like "big brother", Iga Swiatek thinks they're "animals in a zoo". Content is king but at what cost to player privacy? Isn't this the kind of access we all wanted to drive sports broadcasting forward and grow the sport? The bigger the sport - the more financial reward for players, so why complain? Or are we in danger of forgetting they're only human? Jamie Murray, former world number one doubles player, and Molly McElwee, tennis journalist and author of "Building Champions", join Gabby and Mark. Plus, we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents from Manchester United to a very English embarrassment at Champions League success to two-time World Cup winner Tobin Heath.

The election offices of Fulton County were raided by FBI agents yesterday morning. Fulton, in the state of Georgia, was at the heart of Donald Trump's claims six years ago that he'd won the 2020 election (he didn't). Why are ballot boxes of archived votes now being removed from the premises? Is this still about a six years ago old grudge? Or does it presage Trump's plan for the November midterm elections? We speak to the Commissioner on the premises who watched the action unfold before her eyes.Later - offensive language warning - the Reform councillor on the Redcar ballot - who got through Nigel Farage's self-admittedly “piss poor“ vetting system.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Kemi Badenoch has told her party not to get in her way as she steers it further to the Right. Is this the correct assessment of what the Conservatives needs to attract voters back? Or is she way off?Later, Trump has threatened Iran with his big beautiful armada. Does he have any concern for the protestors getting killed in their tens of thousands thousands? Or is this all about US interests?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Donald Trump's tone on Minneapolis has changed in the last 24 hours. He's now having conciliatory meetings and phone calls with State Governor Tim Walz and the city's Mayor Jacob Frey.And it looks like he's removed his Border Commander Gregory Bovino and put him out to pasture in California. What's behind the change of heart? Was it the polls? The murder of American citizens? Or the fact that his administration's account of the killings has been flatly caught out by camera evidence. Is his ICE policy in meltdown? Or just on hold?Later - how extremism is climbing in the UK pushed by social media algorithms - Andy Hughes from The Crime Agents joins us.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has renounced the party that gave her power, and defected to Reform. She's telling us today that Britain is broken and “she” (Britain, not Suella) was “suffering”.Are Reform better off with her? Are the Tories better off without her? And has it been enough of a distraction from the Andy Burnham saga to give Keir Starmer a lucky break?Later, is Trump panicking about his ICE strategy after the latest murder of a US citizen on the streets of Minneapolis?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In Minneapolis right now, there are more ICE and border patrol agents than there are police officers. The national guard - the army - is on standby to deploy to the city.Everybody in the city has a story about being targeted by ICE. Many now carry passports on them when they leave the house. If they are fortunate enough not to have been stopped themselves, they will know a neighbour, a friend, a colleague or a relative. Some Minnesotans literally do not know where their family have been taken.State senators have told The News Agents there is "a war against the State" being waged by the federal government.And in this new kind of authoritarianism, there has been a remarkable reaction. Citizens taking to the streets on patrols, huge community mobilisation, delivering food and goods to those too afraid to leave their homes. Plane spotters, monitoring ICE deportation flights that the administration no longer publicly records.If that all sounds like a democratic breakdown - there is a good case to be made that this is exactly what is happening, what Donald Trump is intent on unleashing on a Democratic stronghold that is home to America's largest Somali community.Lewis has this special report from Minneapolis and St Paul in Minnesota.

Everyone's been talking about the Beckhams and Naomi Osaka this week. Hard to believe a family feud and a jellyfish outfit at the Australian Open have anything in common - but where Sir Alex Ferguson used to fight to keep David Beckham's focus on the pitch, sport is now embracing fashion like never before...Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams pictured at the Met Gala, Stella McCartney designing Arsenal kits, and the famous NBA Tunnel Walks.Have we all grown up enough to appreciate that athletes having other interests doesn't mean they aren't distracted from getting the win? How much money does Naomi Osaka going viral as a jellyfish make for brands and athletes? And should more sports be using fashion to grow the game?Gabby is joined by The Athletic's Tennis Correspondent, Charlie Eccleshare, and Mayowa Quadri, Football Culture Writer and Head of Brand at Versus.Plus, we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents this week: should managers like Oliver Glasner and clubs like Crystal Palace should accept their place in the football food chain? And is a female coach in the Premier League really the holy grail or not?

Originally intended to be a small group overseeing a ceasefire in Gaza, Trump's Board of Peace has evolved into something much bigger. Apparently "a lot of great people" want to join, but who's going to pay the billion dollars to sit on it? And what are Trump's real aspirations for the Board of Peace? On today's show we try and break down what he's hoping to achieve, whether the UN should feel threatened and why there's no mention of Gaza in the draft text. Later, we are joined by Peter Frankopan - did Trump “get" Greenland or has NATO just found a way to make him think so?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Donald Trump took to the stage at Davos to take the military invasion of Greenland off the table, cue sighs of relief from European leaders and NATO.But his ambitions for the US to own the territory have gone nowhere. He still wants to acquire it, and demanded immediate negotiations to begin that process. Increasingly. it seems that America's one-time allies have grown impatient with Trump's belligerent approach. What happens if he doesn't get what wants? And is Europe actually growing a bit of a spine?It was a rambling speech from Donald Trump, in which he appeared to forget names, and frequently referred to Greenland as Iceland. Is it any surprise that his critics are starting to hone in on his mental acuity?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

We bring you a special report today of the 'dark flights' that are deporting hundreds of people - the vast majority of them here legally - in shackles from Minnesota to Texas detention centres.There is no official record these flights exists, so one man - an aviation specialist - has made it his life's work to document each flight that leaves and count the number of people who are being "disappeared" without trace.But - on this inauguration anniversary - we start with the latest conundrum for the world's leaders: who is Trump threatening to invade now? And can any of their words make a difference to what comes out of his mouth next?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Emily and Lewis report from Minneapolis which has become the dark heart of President Trump's ICE agent immigration crackdown. We patrol the streets with ICE watchers - witnessing a raid alongside the patrollers literally sounding the alarm. We are at a far right rally - watching a January 6th insurrectionist get chased out of town. And we are with people from Somali and Latino communities who describe to us how their lives have been turned upside down by Trump's random and often lawless deportation plans.Why Minneapolis? Why now? And could Trump really send the army to the streets of the city?Later - Trump suggests he wants Greenland because he didn't get given the Nobel peace prize. Yes, really. How will this work out for Europe and NATO?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Just a few months ago, historian and author Rutger Bregman found himself at the centre of a very British controversy. He had been asked to deliver a BBC Reith lecture. His theme was the decadence of the political elite and in his lecture, he made a throw away line about President Trump. But when the lecture was broadcast, that critical line had been taken out. What followed was a row about censorship, media power and truth.This Friday, Rutger Bregman joins Lewis in the studio to talk about that controversy, why broadcasters must stand up to Trump, and our moral obligations in a divisive political society.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Hosts Morocco face Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on Sunday. At this AFCON almost 40% of players were born outside Africa, like the face of the tournament Ashraf Hakimi.So where should teams be putting their money - improving recruitment from the diaspora or investing more at home? What needs to change to attract these players? And can Sadio Mane and Senegal stop the powerhouse of Morocco from winning their first AFCON in 50 years?Gabby and Mark are joined by former Premier League defender and Sierra Leone captain, Steven Caulker, and The Athletic's Jay Harris.Plus, we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from the civil war in golf after Brooks Koepka's departure, to the unbelievable story of Macclesfield's rise from the ashes to pull off the greatest FA Cup upset ever against holders Crystal Palace.

The politician who once complained of not seeing enough "white faces" in Birmingham probably had a very white one himself this morning.Robert Jenrick's apparent imminent plot to defect to Reform was left in tatters when his party leader Kemi Badenoch uncovered the plan, sacked him and booted him out of the party, and announced it to the world on a polished video clip.What happens now to the shadow justice secretary - as was - and to both the Tory party and Reform?Emily and Lewis speak to theTory party anthropologist Paul Goodman.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The images coming out of Minneapolis since the killing of Renee Good are nothing short of dystopian. Day after day, Minnesotans dragged from their vehicles, off the streets, and out of their houses. Often, seemingly, for the crime of nothing other than their ethnicity.Donald Trump took to Truth Social yesterday to tell Minnesota: "THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!". ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are flooding the streets with personnel. Joe Rogan has compared their tactics to the Gestapo - questioning whether this is the country America wants to become. Where does this all end?Later, Lewis and Jon speak to Gabriel Pogrund, the Sunday Times Whitehall editor, who exposed the flaws in West Midlands Police decisions to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from their match with Aston Villa last November. The home secretary today has today called for the chief constable of the force to go.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

"Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! ... HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!"It was a characteristically Trumpian post from the American president on Truth Social (where else?) today which led to more fevered speculation that the US might be about to step in to topple the Iranian regime.Protests across Iran are into their third week, and evidence of the slaughter of Iranian civilians is becoming clearer and clearer. One Iranian official told Reuters that some 2,000 protestors and security forces have now died in street clashes. Iranian media more critical of the regime says that police there have killed more than 12,000 demonstrators.Donald Trump has already threatened to step in if the bloodshed doesn't stop - has he now made his mind up? And could America intervene without very messy, and unpredictable, consequences?Jon and Lewis speak to Ali Hamedani, a British-Iranian journalist who is speaking to Iranians inside the country and was himself detained by the security forces in Iran, about the mood of the Iranian people and what happens next.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Is the government about to stand up to Elon Musk? That now seems possible. Downing Street said today that they would support action from Ofcom - the media regulator - against his platforms if they deemed it necessary.Ofcom has announced that it has launched an investigation into Musk's X platform over its AI tool Grok being used to create non-consensual sexualised images of women and children. Ministers have said they expect action within days.After unveiling the lowest homicide figures in more than a decade, Jon and Lewis speak to Sir Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor - about how to confront the hard right claims that London is a 'hellhole', and what can be done about the misinformation on Musk's platforms.Later, one-time Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi was unveiled today as the latest Reform defector. He's the biggest name to move over to Nigel Farage's party so far but, having pledged he would remain a Conservative for life, why has he done it?

We are barely a week into 2026, and already Donald Trump has toppled the president of Venezuela, threatened a NATO ally, labelled a protestor killed by ICE as a "professional agitator", and insisted his own morality is the only check on his otherwise total power.It appears that America's president is entering the second year of his term more aggressively, more defiantly, and more viciously. What does that mean for the US, and the wider world? And when Trump dismisses legal constraints, threatens to tear up the constitution, and brands entire ethnic groups as suspicious and "garbage", at what point does his administration become fascistic?That question has been on the mind of Mehdi Hasan longer than most. The British former MSNBC host has launched his own media company, Zeteo, and from Washington has become a leading voice on the Left of American politics.He speaks to Lewis about why he started using the F word last year, about the dark path down which America is heading, and what happens after Trump.He speaks to Lewis about why he started using the F word last year, about the dark path down which America is heading, and what happens after Trump.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

What does a strong succession plan look like? Before Darren Fletcher took over as Man United's interim manager he felt he needed Sir Alex Ferguson's blessing. But when everyone's still harping back to Ferguson, who left the club over 12 years ago, you know the succession plan has gone wrong.Man City will be taking note, as their own legendary manager Pep Guardiola isn't staying forever. While Chelsea have used their multi-club system to take Liam Rosenior from Strasbourg - primed and ready to play in that system but leaving Strasbourg distraught.Mark catches up with football journalist Guillem Balague. Plus we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from the Ashes aftermath to Ruben Amorim getting sacked, and the weird and wonderful things managers are asked to do.

The killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota has exposed just how fragmented American society is in 2026. The mother of three was shot repeatedly in her car by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, reportedly there as an observer of a protest against the immigration raids in the city.The shooting - and the administration's response - have been condemned by Kamala Harris, Governor Tim Walz, the Mayor of Minneapolis, and many other politicians. Mayor Frey urged ICE to "get the f*** out" of the city and said they were endangering residents.Footage appears to show Good attempting to drive away from the ICE agents when the shots were fired. But Kristi Noem, head of the US department of homeland security, has accused her of attempting to run the officer over and labelled it an act of "domestic terrorism". Donald Trump described Good as a "professional agitator". Tom Homan, the border czar, initially called for people to avoid speculating before the investigation was complete - before falling into line with Trump and labelling ICE agents "heroes".Another brutal death in the city where George Floyd was killed five years ago. Could the reaction to the killing be just as explosive and significant this time? And is Donald Trump deliberately whipping up the tensions for his own political ends?Later, the protests in Iran have got bigger and they have got bolder. Is this the moment the regime in Tehran falls? We speak to British-Iranian comic, actor and writer Omid Djalili.

In dramatic scenes in the Atlantic this afternoon, American forces seized an oil tanker, 'the Marinera', flying the Russian flag. The British military was involved - supporting the US operation with air surveillance and a navy ship.The Kremlin has only said that it has been "following the abnormal situation with alarm" - but the maritime confrontation draws Russia and the US closer to direct conflict.It comes the day after the US, the UK, France, Germany and other allies reiterated their supported for security guarantees in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. But is the British army in any fit state to police a 2,000km frontline?Later, why hasn't the government come off Elon Musk's X when his AI software Grok is being used to virtually undress women and children?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Less than 3 days after kidnapping the Venezuelan leader, Trump has doubled down on his ambitions to make Greenland the 51st state - despite warnings that coming for the Danish territory would be the end of NATO.With one of Trump's top aides, Stephen Miller, declaring "nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland" is there anything that world leaders can do to stop Trump now?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Not content with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One and appeared to spell out the countries now in his line of sight.Colombia is "very sick", according to President Trump. Iran will get "hit very hard" if it kills anti-government protestors. Cuba is "ready to fall", he declared. And, in words that have sparked concern across Europe, he repeatedly declared that America "needs Greenland" from a national security perspective, and that Denmark is incapable of defending it properly.It seems something of a damascene conversion from Trump, who was elected on the promise of no more foreign wars. And, given the intervention in Caracas went smoothly, what's to think he will stop there?Does this mark a profound shift in the international order? Could America seriously annexe territory from a fellow NATO member? And how should Keir Starmer and other European allies react to such a remarkable change in approach?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In the dead of night, President Trump sent US forces into the Venezuelan capital Caracas and - after bombs and explosions - emerged with its kidnapped head of state, Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Trump claims they are extradited narco traffickers.In a press conference to mark the operation, Trump revealed that America is "going to run" the Latin American petro state, and oil does appear to be at the centre of his motivations for striking. US oil companies, he announced, will be sent into Venezuela to fix its broken infrastructure and start making the county money - and presumably make America money too. He cited the Monroe Doctrine - now the 'Donroe Doctrine' - that sees America seizing assets of states it chooses and intervening where it pleases in the western hemisphere.What will the world do now? Will Russia and China feel newly emboldened? Will the UK and the EU tell Trump what they really think? What about that promise of America First - "no more foreign wars" - is that now dead as a dodo? And how will that impact Trump's political fortunes at home?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Who is the most unlikely comeback of 2026? Will the Far Right continue to rise this year? And are things really starting to crumble in MAGA-land?In this special Q&A we look ahead to the year of 2026 and all that it could bring.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It was a year of White House stand-offs, viral kiss cams, shock resignations, and the rise of the far right.From rising stars to jaw dropping moments, we look back at the defining stories of 2025 and hand out awards to the moments that shaped the year.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's the final Q&A edition of 2025 and Jon and Lewis answer your questions - including the elections to look out for next year, whether algorithms are making the UK impossible to lead, plus - is there actually a decent case to be made in the defence of Keir Starmer? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix was supposed to be a tribute to the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative influencer who was assassinated in September. But it turned into something very different.Over the course of the weekend, it emerged that a struggle for very the heart and soul of the MAGA movement was playing out. Ben Shapiro took to the stage to warn of the "danger from charlatans who "traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty", slamming Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, and Tucker Carlson. Carlson hit back, claiming it was "hilarious" that there were attempts to deplatform speakers at an event in Kirk's name. Others followed suit. Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's one-time presidential rival, felt obliged to remind the audience that fans of Hitler or Stalin should not have a place in their movement.Enter JD Vance. Proudly declaring that "You don't have to apologise for being white anymore" in the USA, the vice president derided "endless, self-defeating purity tests" and suggesting the movement was, in fact, open to all. And he was given a boost by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, who endorsed him for the 2028 race.So can JD Vance hold this movement together? Why won't he move to condemn the racism and conspiracy within his party? And what does it mean for MAGA ahead of a big election year?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/