The News Agents

Less than 24 hours after the Defence Secretary stood up in the Commons to unveil the government's strategic defence review, months in the making, and it looks like NATO are forcing the MOD to go back to the drawing board.The PM couldn't completely commit to 3% of GDP going on defence spending, despite that being an essential part of the review. And now, according to briefings in the newspapers, NATO is forcing Britain (and all members) to commit to a new 3.5% target within a decade. The aim? Convince Trump that NATO is worth standing by - with Russia feeling emboldened, there are heightened warnings that a NATO country could be his next target. But the timing could hardly be more awkward for the Labour government. Just a week out from what could be a brutal spending review, the additional demands on defence will force tens of billions of more to be found to fund our army. Are taxes rises and harsh spending cuts now inevitable to placate the US president?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Prime Minister has warned the nation that it needs to be ready for war - in an era of new threats including the “immediate” danger posed by Russia. Is more spending on defence going to alarm or reassure people? And how should he answer those in his own party who insist welfare spending should come before warfare? Later, award-winning actor Eddie Marsan sits down with Emily and Jon, talking about the power in community, growing up in the East End in the age of the National Front, and his message to Tommy Robinson.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In the Spring on 2018, a man and a young woman were found slipping in and out of consciousness on a public bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire. What would follow was an incredible story of espionage, poisoning, and political vendettas. As the world was gripped by the botched assassination of Sergei Skripal, news rooms and crisis rooms here in the UK were reeling with the implications of the Russian attack on British soil. The attempted killing of the double agent who'd turned to work for UK intelligence led to the death of a British woman Dawn Sturgess, the poisoning of two police officers, international condemnation, and the largest expulsion of Russian diplomats in history. This Friday, Lewis is joined by Amber Rudd, who was Home Secretary at the time, and journalist Mark Urban, who had interviewed Skripal in the weeks before the attack. They share their unique insight of what it was like working behind the scenes during one of biggest stories of the last decade. You can listen to the first episode of The Crisis Room here: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/episodes/7DrrwtQ/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This week on The Sports Agents...Gabby and Mark get a rare access all areas pass to go behind the scenes at Sale Sharks rugby club, from training to the team meeting to interviews with Lions and England players Tom Curry, Ben Curry and George Ford. (02:45)Four-time Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson has launched a new league to make athletics popular outside the Olympics, he tells us how it's going so far. (08:15)Britain's most decorated Paralympian, Sarah Storey, joins Professor Kirsty Elliot-Sale from Manchester Metropolitan University, to explain their mission to extend the careers of female athletes through menopause support. (13:15)Ahead of the Champions League final, Italian football writer James Horncastle, explains why this match isn't the end of the road for Inter Milan. (19:30)Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

A trade court has smacked down Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" sweeping tariff plans. Three judges ruled that the US president had pushed the boundaries of his own executive authority beyond its limits when implementing broad tariffs. Members of Trump's camp have already labelled it a "judicial coup" and insisted the decision will be overturned quickly. But this is another hammer blow to his economic plan - can he restore his credibility with the markets after months of relentless uncertainty?Later, Keir Starmer has used an impromptu speech in the north-west to paint Nigel Farage as Liz Truss 2.0 - warning that he would "crash the economy" and trying to focus voters' minds on the choice between Labour and Reform. The next election is four years away - so why is the PM holding a campaign style stump speech to attack a political rival? And will it work?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The age old "should we decriminalise cannibis?" conversation has reared it's head again, this time with the London Mayor Sadiq Khan backing the calls to decriminalise for possession of small amounts. How are drug laws in the UK damaging police relations with ethnic communities? What would decriminalisation it mean for stop and search? And, with so many countries around the world having already legalised cannibis, how will it change things here in the UK? Former head of Counter Terrorism for the UK, Neil Basu, joins us in the studio. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It took Merseyside police less than two hours to release information about the suspect who'd been arrested in the Liverpool parade crash which injured close to 50 people. The force told the public that it was a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area who had been detained. Right wing commentators and conspiracy theorists had already started speculating about the potential ethnicity and the motives behind the man alleged to have been involved. So was it sensible policing aimed at quelling the misinformation? Or did the decision reveal just how close we are to unrest - like we saw in Southport - spook the police into revealing more than they normally would? LBC's crime correspondent Andy Hughes assesses the mood within the police.Later, what if that much heralded "unprecedented" second state visit for Donald Trump never happened? Jon has heard that in Palace circles, there's an increasing suspicion that the carpet might not be rolled out for POTUS after all....The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Jake Tapper of CNN is one of America's most famous newsmen, someone who knows Washington inside and out. He - quite literally - had a ringside seat at the most consequential presidential debate in American history, as the presenter in charge as President Joe Biden melted down before the eyes of the world; his frailties and diminishment on display for all to see. Along with Alex Thompson of Axios, he has written a new book 'Original Sin' which, through conversations with over 200 White House and Democratic Party officials, tells the story of the tragic decline of Joe Biden. A history so many lived through but could not bring themselves to see, up to and including the President and his inner circle themselves. Jake joins Lewis to discuss the book, the remarkable 2024 campaign and whether the Democrats can find a future until, and unless, they reckon with their most recent past.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This week on The Sports Agents...England captain Leah Williamson, who lifted the Euros trophy at Wembley, talks to us about her 19-year Arsenal career culminating in the Champions League final this weekend. (03:00)We have a laugh with the man responsible for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney taking over Wrexham, Humphrey Ker. (07:30)As Netflix launch a new Drive to Survive series for the F1 Academy, where 18 women compete to make a name for themselves in motorsport, we speak to Susie Wolff, former F1 development driver and now Managing Director of the F1 Academy. (14:30)Tottenham ended their 17-year wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League, rewriting the worst season in 120 years, so we caught up with The Athletic's Spurs reporter, Jay Harris. (19:45)Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead outside the Jewish museum in Washington DC. The suspect chanted "Free Palestine" as he was taken into custody. World leaders - including the PM - have condemned the killings. He said in a statement: "Antisemitism is an evil we must stamp out wherever it appears." Earlier this week, the UK, France and Canada issued a statement about the "intolerable" humanitarian situation in Gaza, and threatened sanctions against Israel. That response has led to some Israeli ministers blaming Keir Starmer, Emanuel Macron and Mark Carney of emboldening the forces of terror, and of making "false accusations" which paved the way for the violence. Why?Later, Emily speaks to the chair of the independent sentencing review. David Gauke is proposing radical changes to the way we treat offenders in an attempt to stop our prisons from bursting and to get reoffending rates down. Will it work?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

At PMQs, Kemi Badenoch asked Keir Starmer when “the inevitable U-turn on winter fuel" would come. Unfortunately for her, he'd already announced it. Admittedly, it was quietly done. With a bit of hedging and fudging. But if you were following closely, you'd have heard him commit to a rethink at "the next fiscal statement" to a Labour MP who stood up before the Tory leader. When will the backtrack come into force? And does this alleviate pressure on the Treasury on benefits - or just ramp it up? We speak to the Labour backbencher Brian Leishman, who wants to see his leader go further and faster. And ahead of a major shakeup in our prisons and justice system - does the government want to reduce prisoner numbers out or principle, or is it just a result of a system on its knees? Aggie Chambre has the exclusive.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The frustration in Keir Starmer's voice was palpable. He's joined forces with France and Canada to pressure Israel to stop the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza. How far are these leaders prepared to go? And will Trump support them? Later, what is the political fallout from the EU trade deal? And what would the Lib Dem's do differently? We hear from Ed Davey on Brexit, Nick Clegg and his new book “Why I care“.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Late on Friday, the Newsagents learnt that Gary Lineker could part ways with the BBC as soon as Monday. On today's episode we piece together the conversations that explain the timing, and ask where it leaves both parties. More widely, do the BBC rules work when it comes to talent tweeting? And was this relationship already over? Later, the big EU - UK reset has provoked a lot of white flag rhetoric of surrender and defeat. But 8 years on from Brexit, might the problem really be that the government hasn't been braver in terms of jump starting our economy?And we look at the rumours of a cover up as Joe Biden announces his cancer diagnosis.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Jon and Lewis are back for a second News Agents live Q&A taking your questions. In the week of the PM's "island of strangers" speech, they discuss why some voters feel "hoodwinked" by Keir Starmer's government, who in Labour ranks is in prime position to succeed him when the moment arrives, and whether the media is responsible for the spike in Reform's poll numbers - or if liberals need to figure out a better way to take the fight to the populist right. They also reveal the weirdest places they have been sent on assignment...The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Two big exclusive interviews this week on The Sports Agents...The new face of rugby, Henry Pollock, joined us in the studio. With two tries from one England cap, and now a Lions call up - this 20-year-old is on a rapid rise, and he's using that fame to make rugby cool again with his try celebrations. (03:45)Gabby and Mark also sat down with Bournemouth manager, Andoni Iraola. Under his guidance the club could qualify for Europe for the first time ever, and he and his players, like Dean Huijsen, are catching the eyes of Real Madrid! (12:15) Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

MP Rupert Lowe was kicked out of the Reform party earlier this year after a very public spat with Nigel Farage. He claims “lawfare“ and says Farage was trying to jail a political opponent. Reform say he was dropped for his behaviour after bullying allegations came to light. Yesterday the CPS announced no further action would be taken against Lowe, concluding that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. We speak to him on today's episode about bullying, grooming, and the accusation that Farage was trying to get him locked up.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Sean Combs, P Diddy and Puff Daddy - the names are as numerous as the allegations. The hip hop star is standing trial for sex trafficking and racketeering in a legal suit that's captured America. On today's show we bring you everything you need to know about the biggest trial since Weinstein.Later, we ask whether Keir Starmer is now treating Reform as the main party of opposition.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In the 24 hours since giving his hard hitting speech on immigration, Keir Starmer and his cabinet have faced accusations his language was channeling that of the far right 1960s politician Enoch Powell. He of the 'River of Blood' speech, in 1968. We talk to Lord Alf Dubs, the child refugee and moral conscience of the nation, about how he sees the Prime Minister's language. And why the words matter. Later, Christiane Amanpour launches her new global podcast 'The Ex Files' with her Ex Husband, Jamie Rubin, a former State department diplomatic. You can listen to The Ex Files here: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42L2sj/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Keir Starmer, sounding in tone closer to Nigel Farage than previous Labour prime ministers, has called immigration a failed lab experiment and decreed it's time to take back control. Introducing the government's immigration white paper, the PM says that high net migration has done "incalculable damage" to the country. It's language that suggests he has been spooked by Reform's recent successes. But language, he presumes, voters now want to hear from their leader. Is he right? And what happens to our most vulnerable if we don't have NHS staff and care home workers to fill the job gaps no one here is taking? But we start with an extraordinary interview with Victor Orban's right hand man. In the week where Zelesnkyy and Putin could meet in Istanbul for a potentially crucial moment in attempts to bring the Ukraine war to an end, why is Hungary at odds with the rest of the EU over Russia? Why have Hungary and Ukraine accused each other of spying over the weekend? And is Starmer's language on immigration now mirroring Orban's a decade earlier?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

For half a century, Tina Brown has been a titan of journalism both here in the UK and in America. Editor of Tatler at just 25, she continued to take on Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, moving now into the digital age of journalism. Through the Reagan era to Trump, Tina Brown has seen it all. This Friday, Lewis is joined by Tina in the studio to talk about her vast career, Trump's drive for payback, and the future of journalism in the digital age. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This week on The Sports Agents...After two dramatic Champions League semi-finals we caught up with European Football Journalist Guillem Balagué (03:45).World number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner, returned from a three-month doping ban this week. His lawyer Jamie Singer came into the studio (12:15).With young superstars lighting up sport recently like Lamine Yamal and Luke Littler, we spoke to skateboarder Sky Brown, who became Britain's youngest Olympic medallist aged 13 (16:15). The new snooker world champion Zhao Xintong just came back from a 20-month ban for being party to match fixing. To find out more Jeremy Wilson, Chief Sports Reporter for The Telegraph, joined us (20:45). Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Keir Starmer could only dial in to Donald Trump's press conference, hailing the new US-UK trade deal, but that didn't stop an Oval Office love in between the two leaders.Starmer praised a "historic" day for both countries, as Trump thanked Starmer, speaking warmly of the special “external and internal bond” between the two countries.The timing could hardly be better for the Prime Minister, some much needed good economic news after a brutal set of local election results and growing unease on his backbenches about welfare cuts. But is there actually that much to get excited about in this trade deal? Or does it still leave us in a worse place with the US than just a few months ago?Later, Jon and Emily speak to Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of the Atlantic, and the man who was added to that infamous 'Houthi PC Small Group' Signal chat that ended up with the firing of America's National Security Advisor. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

For nearly a decade, Harvey Weinstein's former assistant, Zelda Perkins, has been exposing the way NDAs are abused by people of power, and trying to bring about change in how they are used in the workplace. Later in today's episode we ask her why employers are still using NDAs to gag employees and why the government STILL hasn't banned this practice. But we start on the border of India and Pakistan where shots have been fired between two nuclear powers. We're going back to the start with Tim Marshall. Why do these countries hate each other so much? And how did it all begin? We have the explainer for those trying to make sense of the big geopolitical row in the subcontinent.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In the latest round of “did I hear that correctly?“, the Prime Minister's spokesman has refused to rule out housing asylum seekers in tents. It's a policy that's been touted by Reform's new mayor for Greater Lincolnshire, and, you'd think, should be an easy one for Labour to knock down. The fact they can't - or won't - speaks to a larger issue about how Labour deals with the Reform party in Britain and how progressive parties more generally should approach populist ideas. Should mainstream parties shun them or embrace them? Later, Netanyahu's latest plan for political survival is to occupy and annexe Gaza in its entirety - right as food supplies in the Gaza strip are so low that civillians are just days away from starvation. Why isn't there enough political momentum at home to stop him? We speak to Dahlia Scheindlin, an expert in Israeli public opinion. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

For the last decade, the spectre of Nigel Farage has been haunting British politics. From UKIP to the Brexit Party, he has loomed in the background of Westminster, threatening but never quite managing to pose a real threat to the two major parties. All that changed today. With just six votes in it, Reform took their first seat from Labour, in Runcorn - which had been one of the safest seats in the country. The party has secured other big council and mayoral wins too. Farage now claims that he, not Kemi Badenoch, is the leader of the opposition. Is he right? How will Labour respond to this Reform victory in the by-elections? What does it mean for Keir Starmer's government? And does it mark the end of the two party system as we know it?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This week on The Sports Agents...Gabby and Mark were live from Lords Cricket Ground this week for the launch of the 2026 Women's T20 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. They spoke to World Rugby Player of the Year, Ellie Kildunne, about their own home World Cup this summer, the new trend for celebrations, and the cowboy craze (01:15). At Lords we also caught up with the new Head Coach of the England women's cricket team, Charlotte Edwards. Her task is to take the team from an Ashes whitewash to a home World Cup victory - so how's she going to pull that off? (20:30)After Liverpool won the Premier League (sorry Mark!) we marvelled at the smooth handover from talisman Juergen Klopp to Premier League newbie Arne Slot with Football Correspondent for the Sunday Times, Jonathan Northcroft, and John Gibbons from the Anfield Wrap (09:30). Tennis players are suing the governing bodies over prize money, "invasive" phone searches and more. So we caught up with the man behind the lawsuit, Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the Professional Tennis Players Association (15:30). Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Trump has sent 50 million dollars of military aid to Ukraine - the first shipment of aid since he took power. The money started flowing after Ukraine signed that much discussed minerals deal: in it, America recognised Russia's “full scale invasion of Ukraine". So has the minerals deal finally made peace possible? Or is it little more than a shakedown of the Ukrainians?Later, the Labour MP who says he wouldn't be disappointed if more UK universities closed. Do we have too many universities? And are some Labour figures now starting to parrot the language and talking points of Reform?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Today, America's GDP figures show the economy is dramatically contracting, and recession continues to loom. It's not an ideal backdrop for Trumps 100 day celebration. Jon has been in Detroit, where Trump has been addressing autoworkers terrified by Trump's tariffs. So, with 100 days of Trump 2.0 under our belts, we answer your most pressing questions about how it's gone so far, and whether things are only going to get crazier. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Mark Carney's election win in Canada has shown what a potent political force Trump can be - to those campaigning against his economic bullying. But could it have wider implications at home for Keir Starmer? Will the PM now feel more comfortable prioritising a trade deal with the EU over the US? And what does having an ally on America's border mean for the way the UK Government now deals with Trump? Jon's been at an election watch party and is now headed to Detroit across the border - as Donald Trump marks his 100 days in office. Later, Amazon vs Trump: why, according to the White House, it's a "hostile act" for the consumer giant to tell its customers the truth about tariffs.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Polls have narrowed as Canadians head to the ballot box. Mark Carney has led a remarkable fightback for the Liberal party, driven in no small part by a newfound sense of Canadian nationalism - determined not to be cowed by Donald Trump, disgusted by his overtures to turn the country into America's 51 state.But with the election looking tightly contested, Jon's been on the Conservative party campaign trail in Oakville, Ontario, where "Maple Leaf MAGA" is also coming out in force - could Donald Trump have killed their chance of returning to government?Later, Emily speaks to Sacha Lord - the chair of The Night Time Industries Association and former advisor to Andy Burnham - on what's going wrong with the British economy, and why Keir Starmer unfollowed him on X.And, as Virginia Giuffre's family describe the ongoing pain and trauma she endured until she ended her life, Emily asks why it took her suicide for people to believe her account.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

A special edition of The News Agents this weekend as Canadians head to the polls for an election which may be decided by anti American antipathy for Donald Trump. But we begin in Rome after that meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. Big questions for both leaders. Has Trump now recognised he's been played by Putin? And will Zelenskyy have any choice but to agree to concede sovereign Ukrainian territory to bring the war to an end?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Over ten years ago, Black Mirror burst onto our screens, bringing with it dystopian futures and exploring themes of how humanity would deal with rapidly evolving technology. Now in its seventh series, how much of this is a far-off future? And in 2025, are we now closer to the world of Black Mirror than ever before? Charlie Brooker joins Emily and Lewis in the studio to talk about how his own anxieties shape Black Mirror, the future of TV in a world of AI, and why he believes humanity will triumph in the end. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

It was marathon week on The Sports Agents, inspired by the London Marathon...First up is Eilish McColgan, the four-time Olympian who's making her marathon debut in London. Her mum won the race just under 30 years ago, and now Eilish is hoping to break her record. (02:30)Former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss says he'll be chasing ex-England team mate Alastair Cook around the course as they run for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, in honour of Andrew's late wife. (08:30)Gabby and Mark look at how far the marathon has come with Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon. She was attacked by the race director but finished the race to lay the path for millions of women around the world. (13:15)And we had a special bonus Q&A, answering all of your questions. What's your biggest sporting ick? What interview has stuck with you after all these years? And what's your worst sporting FOMO? (20:30)Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Overnight Ukraine's capital suffered one of its worst bombardments for nearly a year. Scores were injured by ballistic missiles. Since recording, the death toll has risen to twelve. Putin's attack came just hours after Trump had berated Zelensky for being “the obstacle to peace". It's hard not to see how Putin has been emboldened by Trump's words. Which may be why as America woke up, Trump issued an edict to Putin - sorry, Vladimir - saying STOP. Is Trump anywhere close to criticising his Russian pal? We speak to Ukraine-based journalist Conall Kearney. Later, Keir Starmer is facing pressure from sixty of his back benchers to open up a route for Britains young to work and travel in Europe. Is a new visa scheme imminent?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

London was expecting to host key players today for a Ukraine peace summit. Late last night the US Secretary of State pulled out - leaving many to assume there was no plan to sign off. All eyes are now on the Pope's funeral on Saturday, which may be one the de facto European summit, bringing President Trump and President Zelensky face to face. Is Trump serious when he says the plan has to be wrapped up by April 30th or else he walks away? Later, what does Robert Jenrick mean when he talks about a “coalition with Reform"? And what should Kemi Badenoch do about it?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

The IMF has just released a dire forecast for every major economy - predicting a sharp slowdown in growth on the back of Trump's tariffs plan. It comes as Trump is found trying to fire his central banker - the Federal Reserve Chairman ,Jerome Powell, whose job is completely independent of government. What happens if he goes? And why hasn't Trump learnt from history? We speak to former senior advisor to Mark Carney at the Bank of England, Huw Van Steenis. Later, could the culture wars affect what happens now at the Vatican, as Conservatives and progressives vie for dominance of the Catholic Church?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Matthew Freud rarely gives interviews. He's normally behind the curtain, on the end of the phone - helping A listers, politicians, and businesses navigate their way through a hostile and unrelenting media environment. But now, on the fortieth anniversary of his company, which has served many of the world's biggest brands and most famous faces - he sits down with Jon and Emily to discuss scandal, power, Succession and what it's like to be part of both the Freud and Murdoch dynasties.Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

This week on The Sports Agents...What a moment it was... after an 11-year wait for the final major, Rory McIlroy finally achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters. Actor James Nesbitt explained what it means to Northern Ireland, we relived the rollercoaster with co-host of The Chipping Forecast Podcast, Andrew Cotter, and spoke to Ciaran Lavery the Head Pro at McIlroy's golf club, Holywood. (02:15)Who needs Messi, Neymar and Mbappe anyway? The new look PSG are into the Champions League semi-finals and flying. So how has such a young team become one of the best teams in Europe to watch with their free-flowing wing-wizadry? French football journalist Julien Laurens gives Gabby the lowdown. (09:15)And ahead of the NFL draft next week - what's it like to get that phone call? How intense are the background checks?And how many thousands of plays do you have to learn when you get there? Mark caught up with Chicago Bears Running Back Roschon Johnson.(16:15) Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

After years of culture war debate over trans women and their rights, today the Supreme Court ruled that the word “woman” in the 2010 Equality Act refers only to “biological” women.So was this a victory for the women who brought the legal challenge? Does this change anything in real terms for trans-people going forward? And does it just give greater ammunition to those stoking the culture war debate?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

The night after one of the deadliest attacks on Ukrainian civilians since Putin's invasion, the American President has gone all block caps, tweeting: 'I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WAR'. He's clearly a bit rattled. He'd been briefed over the weekend - following talks between his own envoy and Putin - that a ceasefire was significantly nearer. Things, he told us on Saturday, were heading in the right direction. That was before Putin dropped his missiles on Sumy, a bustling city going to church on Palm Sunday. So does Donald Trump have no idea of Putin's mindset or moves? And should this tell us he has no way to bring about a ceasefire? We speak to the Ukrainian MP and youngest governor of Odessa Solomiia Bobrovska.Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Is China trying to sabotage British industry? That's the warning from a group in parliament. Some ministers may quietly agree. But they can't say it out loud. So what should our strategy be? As the UK Government takes over the running of a Chinese owned company called British Steel, where does that leave our trade relationship with Beijing? Are we embracing China or running a mile? And what exactly is China planning to build now in the heart of the city of London?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

In a dramatic turn of events, parliament has been recalled for MPs to discuss the future of British Steel. In Scunthorpe, some 2,700 jobs hang in the balance after the Chinese owner of the steel works said its blast furnaces are "no longer financially sustainable".Thousands more jobs in the supply chain are also at risk - steel runs through the heart of Scunthorpe. Earlier this week, Keir Starmer declared that we have entered a "changing and completely new world" and promised to "rewire the state completely".Does this mark the end of the era of globalisation? Could we see a more active state, stepping in to take control of vital national industries? And if so, how does that tally with the PM's remarks to The News Agents, just last month, that he wanted to see a smaller and more agile state?Lewis has been in Scunthorpe for this special report of a town on the brink, a strategy, perhaps, turned on its head, and what it all means for Britain's industry, its people and its politics.This special report was produced by Louis Degenhardt and Rory Symon.Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

This week on The Sports Agents... From watching his uncle commit one of the biggest robberies in British history, to a police chase and a double life sentence. John McAvoy tells us his story of turning his life around to break world records and become a sponsored Ironman triathlete. (03:30)Former Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe was set to be England's next big thing but after a broken promise from Jurgen Klopp and being robbed at gunpoint, his mental health spiralled. Now he's in the 7th tier trying to rekindle his love of football, raising questions about what success really looks like in football. (10:30)Angel Cabrera is competing at The Masters after 30 months in jail for assault, theft and illegal intimidation against former girlfriends. Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, takes us behind the curtain and discusses whether a convicted criminal should have lost his green jacket? (19:00)Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

At the precise moment Donald Trump was “pausing” his tariffs policy, his own trade negotiator was trying to explain to Congress who knew what when. Did those around Trump have prior knowledge, and take the opportunity to invest? Or did he leave his own team in the dark? Trump has tried to style his climb down as a win. But the soaring response of the stock markets suggest they think the tariffs trauma is now done. Has Trump boxed himself in? And will anyone believe him next time? Later, Trump's revengeathon is alive and kicking. He's now investigating two former officials for 'treason'. Because they dared criticise him and tell the truth about the 2020 election. And Lewis is in Scunthorpe ahead of that decision on British steel.Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Trump's tariffs, combined with China's retaliation, are doing terrible things to stock markets around the world. People are selling off equity and assets in this increasingly uncertain time. But now something even more strange is happening - the bond market is tanking. And that's a sign that confidence in the US government itself has hit the rocks. When Greece starts looking like a safer bet than America you know things are bad. Is Trump going to follow Liz Truss down the road to self immolation? And what happens next? Later, why the Birmingham bin strikes are about something much bigger than rubbish - and why they might soon hit the rest of England.Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

As Trump threatens to double the tariffs on China the trade war between two of the world's biggest economies is escalating. China has said it will "fight to the end". Trump says he will not back down. As each side raises the stakes, will Trump have to concede that he's made mistakes? Who will back down first? And how will this trade war affect the rest of the world? Later, we speak to pollster Luke Tryl from More in Common about how all of this is going down with the voters in the UK - and how Starmer is coming out of all this mayhem. Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Hong Kong's stock exchange has just closed down 13% - to put this in context it's the worst day of trading since the Asian market crash of 1997. The FTSE 100 has plummeted here, Goldman Sachs has upgraded its probability of a US recession, and members of the US government are now taking to the airwaves to squabble about the plan ahead. Is this genuinely what Trump wanted? Is he still pretending it's going well? And is the plan to make the world come to the negotiating table? It can't - coherently - be both. What will Keir Starmer's plan for growth involve now? Who should we be trading with? And are those fiscal rules still ironclad?And later, why did Israel stop two UK MPs from entering the country?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Trump's tariffs have caused chaos on the stock markets with a looming threat of recession. Rumours are swirling that the midterm elections could get cancelled. And tourists are re-thinking their travel to America. How worried should we really be? This Friday, Lewis and Jon answer your questions about Trump, the economy, and what the global impact will be. Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This week on The Sports Agents...It's Grand National weekend! ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin was among our guests, as Gabby & Mark explored how viable a more 'ethically-conscious' version of the sport is, when it relies so heavily on gambling? (02:04)Former World Champion sprinter Darren Campbell is involved in the development a new 'Super Track' that promises to help athletes break Usain Bolt's 9:58-second 100m record. Darren joined us in the studio to explain. (06:00)After Chelsea sold their own women's team - to themselves - to avoid punishment for breaching the Premier League's financial fair play rules, Miguel Delaney (The Independent) helped explain why the loophole was just the tip of the iceberg. (11:00) Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Declaring 'Liberation Day' for the USA, Donald Trump accused other countries of having "looted, pillaged, raped and plundered" America's economy. What he announced has sent tremors around the global economy and his own - Trump has set the stage for a global trade war. His tariffs start at 10% and go up to as high as 74% for an unlucky few states like Bangladesh and Serbia. It's mathematical spaghetti. The UK has avoided the higher EU rate of 20% - so do Leavers have a point when they tell us that Brexit saved us? Or is it all a bit more complicated than that? Later, why are Elon and Donald consciously uncoupling. Is Trump starting to see Musk as a loser?Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Has Trump just started to work out he's being played by Putin? A light bulb moment is going on in the White House - Washington officials are privately admitting that the Ukraine peace deal is not going to plan. Whilst fifty senators have combined forces to seek new sanctions on Russia, we ask whether Trump has lost patience with Putin and whether this will make him double down or walk away? We hear what the Kremlin makes of this - with the BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg. Later, Senator Cory Booker breaks TikTok with his 25 HOURS long speech on the senate floor.Don't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/