The News Agents

Before he was ever taken seriously as a politician, Donald Trump was very much taken seriously in the world of wrestling.His relationship with WWE stretches back as far as the 1980s - he went on to headline Wrestlemania and even challenged founder Vince McMahon to a match during a running feud.But what if wrestling was where Trump learned how to win the White House? Reality-defying performances, smack talk, and stunts are, after all, quintessentially Trumpian techniques.Munya Chawawa thinks that Trump's origin story in politics might start in the ring - and came into the studio to discuss why.Later, it was announced today that net migration has fallen by almost half, to its lowest level since the Covid pandemic. But will Keir Starmer be able to claim any credit for it?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

You might not know the name Thomas Massie. But you will know what he did. The Kentucky Republican congressman was one crucial part of the campaign that forced Trump to release the Epstein files last November. Last night, he lost his chance to fight his seat again - against a challenger endorsed by Trump. Is Trump still worrying about Epstein? Or does he just hate dissent? And why did he take Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth out of an actual war with Iran to make him campaign in Kentucky? This does not feel normal.Later, is democracy being killed by the rich? Lewis speaks to Jeffrey Winters.The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Andy Burnham has launched his campaign video for the Makerfield by-election. The first thing you notice is how comfortable he sounds in it. It's a level of human communication almost unfamiliar in today's politics - with a pitch not just to the constituency but to the nation. But is there more to him than the chips and gravy good vibes? And does he have an actual plan not just for Makerfield but for the country?We speak to Neal Lawson - who is inside the Burnham camp - about how he thinks about politics, and what would be different if he ran the country.The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Andy Burnham has ruled out making a Makerfield by-election contest another Brexit referendum. But will it end up being one anyway? The Greater Manchester Mayor has already had to clarify his position on rejoining the EU after a weekend where the issue has dominated the news agenda. Reform certainly hope to turn it into another Brexit campaign. They've sent Robert Jenrick out onto the mean streets of Westminster to try and convince voters it's an establishment stitch up. But who is "the establishment" now?Later, Jess Phillips on why she resigned and who knew she was going.The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In a week of endless rumours and leadership speculation, Westminster is once again in turmoil - with both everything and nothing seeming to happen at the same time.Yesterday saw the resignation of Makersfield MP Josh Simons, opening the door for Andy Burnham to pave his way back into government.It will be a tough battle for the Makersfield constituency, but Wes Streeting, who resigned as Health Secretary on Thursday, says Burnham has “the best chance of winning” the by-election.So, could the Mayor of Manchester be our next Prime Minister?The News Agents is a Global production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Gabby is joined by rugby legends Ugo Monye and Katy Daley-McLean ahead of Red Roses' Grand Slam decider this weekend - 37 games unbeaten, on the cusp of their 8th Six Nations in a row - does the sport actually need England to lose?The trio also react to a fascinating developing football story - dubbed 'Spygate 2.0' - with Southampton's Championship Play-Off final place in doubt after an analyst was spotted recording opposition training sessions!And they go head to head over World Rugby's decision to trial smaller balls in the women's game.France v England - Sunday 4:45pm (BBC)

Wes Streeting cited the unprecedented local election results and the unpopularity of the government as his reason for resigning as health secretary this lunch time. What he did NOT say was that he was directly running for the leadership - and now allies of the PM are saying he has bottled it because he doesn't have the support. Has today strengthened Keir's hand? Or just drawn out a slow death?Later - Nigel Farage managed to buy a £1.4m house in cash just weeks after receiving a £5m donation from a crypto billionaire. He told us last week it was for his personal security. Today he described it as a reward for delivering Brexit. Which was it?The News Agents is a Global production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

A key cabinet member, Hilary Benn, was asked this lunch time if Wes Streeting was still the Health Secretary. Astonishingly he said he did not know. Is Streeting about to launch a leadership campaign? is Starmer preparing to fight him? And could all this chaos somehow leave Ed Miliband in poll position as PM? Later, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner launches an investigation into Nigel Farage's undeclared 5 million pound donation from a crypto billionaire. What will they find?The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Anyone who thought Keir Starmer was about to succumb to pressure from the 80 strong list of MPs who turned against him were in for a shock this morning when they found a PM defiant and refusing to even discuss a leadership challenge. Can he hold them off? Is his position more or less perilous today? And what is Andy Burnham doing at Euston?Jess Philips has become the most senior minister to resign - leaving a devastating letter in her wake. Will the King's speech stop the political regicide for 24 hours? Or are Starmer's critics just building up steam?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's always risky when a Prime Minister's speech becomes billed as a 'reset' and 'make or break' but Keir Starmer's address this morning was exactly that.Facing a surprise possible leadership challenge from backbencher Catherine West - and a growing number of MPS in open mutiny - Starmer insisted he would prove his doubters wrong, face any contest head on, and keep Britain from ushering in "dangerous opponents".It didn't seem to win too many of his parliamentary colleagues round - indeed as soon as he'd finished the drip drip of MPs demanding he set a timetable for his departure continued. But has it been enough to stop serious contenders - like Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner - from coming forward? Or are they just waiting for the right moment?Later, Emily and Lewis speak to London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan about where Labour goes now. The News Agents is a Global Prodcution.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The morning after elections, political parties send their leaders out to areas where they outperformed expectations to try and sell a narrative about their results, even on the bruising nights.Such was the scale of Labour's defeat that for much of the night, it wasn't clear whether there was anywhere they could send Starmer. Eventually, he headed to Ealing where Labour kept control of the council. In West London, Starmer insisted he isn't "going to walk away". He acknowledged that "voters have sent a message about the pace of change". But isn't that message that they would like a Reform government? Isn't it at the very least that they do not want him to remain in Downing Street?Where does Labour go from here - and is Nigel Farage now measuring the curtains in 10 Downing Street?Later, Luke Tryl on the complete collapse of the two party system.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's polling day in elections across Great Britain. Labour is braced for a battering, at the hands of insurgent forces on every side. Birmingham is a microcosm of that picture: an unloved Labour administration dealing with complex problems and complex politics.But here it's not just the Greens and Reform the party must contend with, but the rise of the so-called Gaza independents. A new political force appealing largely to British Muslims who, like everyone else, are disatissfied with the status quo.Is this really a new sectarian politics, as the newspapers suggest? And if it is - should we be concerned about who is propelling those forces? With the control of the biggest local authority in Europe up for grabs, Lewis has gone home to England's second city to find out.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Brighton are known as one of football's best run clubs with a seemingly constant yearly profit margin above £100 million... and today they have officially announced that their 33 year old manager Fabian Hürzeler has signed a new contract.A club on the verge of a second season playing European football and that has recently announced they are the first club the world to have a purpose built women's football stadium.Their CEO Paul Barber joins Gabby and Mark to give us insight on what really happens behind the scenes to keep it so successful.Paul also tells all about his relationship with former managers Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi - followed by his history with Spurs, working under Daniel Levy.

Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing, is back asking questions of those in power. His new best-seller investigates the mysterious death of young Zac Brettler in the heart of London. What does it tell us about dark money, lies and corruption in this gilded city - now home to the world's billionaires? And why were the police either unwilling or unable to provide his family with answers? We talk about identity, reinvention and oligarchs in his latest book, London Falling.Later, Trump's Project Freedom in Hormuz ends on day one - has Trump capitulated or is a deal, finally, in sight?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Donald Trump launched "Project Freedom" over the bank holiday weekend - a "humanitarian gesture", aimed at guaranteeing the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz still stubbornly being controlled by Iran.The Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, announced today a "red white and blue dome" over the area as he insisted that the US holds all the cards in the conflict. There's just one problem: nobody seems to be buying it. Ships aren't moving through the Strait in any real volume, and there were fresh attacks from both sides over the weekend despite a ceasefire. Has Trump forgotten who started this war? And have other world leaders stopped listening to him?Later, has Zac Polanski peaked too soon ahead of the local elections on Thursday? One poll shows his approval ratings plummeting over the last week - why?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In the last weeks, the funding of the Reform party has attracted more and more attention. This is a party which tells us they are heading to Downing street, a party tipped to the top the poll in next week's English local elections.We now know that Nigel Farage's party has been given over £12m from a single donor, a Thai based British businessman, crypto billionaire, Christopher Harborne. And we also now know that just before Nigel Farage was elected an MP in 2024, Mr Harborne gave Farage a gift of £5m, never before declared.How could it be that Reform, a party we are told which is preparing to be government, is so dependent on a Thai based crypto billionaire? What does it say about the way we fund politics? And politics to come?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Report might sound like a dry and dusty economic report - and often it is - but today's made for truly shocking reading for Britain.Its analysis shows living standards are already falling and, as a result of Trump's war in Iran, inflation could go above 6%, and as many as six rises in interest rates might be needed by the end of this year. That would mean rocketing mortgages, eye-watering increases in food prices, and job layoffs with the UK economy stunned by the fallout from Trump's war with Iran. Is there any sense of a way out of this mess from the White House? Or is Trump happy to sink the global economy if it increases his chances of pummelling the regime in Tehran into submission?Later - 40 days until the world's most prohibitively expensive World Cup kicks off. Is America actually trying to keep people away?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

PSG and Bayern Munich put on one the greatest displays of football in the history of the game on Tuesday night and Vincent Kompany has coached his side of start to break records this season.But does a man who shared the pitch with him 231 times and lifted 5 trophies alongside him, even recognise his old teammate? Joe Hart joins to tell us if he could see Vincent succeeding Pep Guardiola at the Etihad when the time eventually comes.But back to the hear and now - just how has he managed to navigate and improve one of the biggest clubs in world football? The Athletic's German football correspondent Sebastien Stafford-Bloor gives us the insight into his success.

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?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/

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?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/

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.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/

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.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.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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?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

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.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.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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…The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

That's the charge from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who has called on the Prime Minister to resign today.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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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?

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?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/

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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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?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.

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?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/

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?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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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.

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.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/

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?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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

“GO GET YOUR OWN OIL!"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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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/

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.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?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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. 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.

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. 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...The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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/

"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.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/

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?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".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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.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/

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.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.