The News Agents

Eddie Hearn sits down with Gabby & Mark to talk about the evolution of Matchroom from a £100 sports promotion company, formed under under the staircase of the Romford Snooker Club, to a billion pound global behemoth.Eddie speaks openly about still trying to impress his Dad, Matchroom founder Barry Hearn, planning for life after Anthony Joshua and his pain at how much more profitable the darts is than the boxing! And in the week we lost ‘The Hitman’ Ricky Hatton - Eddie also pays tribute to one of the most loved boxers this country has ever produced. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday & Friday.

Overnight, the late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was literally cancelled - taken off air and his show suspended, for what his ABC network bosses called "insensitivity" over Charlie Kirk’s death. The firing came after comments from the broadcast regulator suggesting he would revoke licences if the show wasn’t stopped. Are media companies now complicit in Trump's plan to silence them? And why isn’t anyone in MAGA calling out this version of cancel culture now? Later, we are with Trump and Starmer in the Chequers press conference as they face questions on Epstein, Mandelson, Putin and Gaza.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

POTUS has landed in the UK - where he's been so effectively directing public conversation and with increasing noise on the Right about the need for Britain's own MAGA movement. What do the British public really think about Trump? Do they welcome or resent this "unprecedented" state visit? And will it make Keir Starmer’s own position stronger or weaker? We speak to More in Common's Luke Tryl.Later, why are British MPs getting barred from Israel? And what do they want the PM to say to Donald Trump on Gaza? We speak to Dr Simon Opher, one Labour MP recently turned away at Israel's border.Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Last night, JD Vance appeared as guest host on Charlie Kirk's podcast. He took the opportunity to use the platform and vow to "dismantle institutions on the left that promote violence and terrorism." He used the death of his good friend, Charlie Kirk, to warn that “an incredibly destructive movement of left wing extremism“ contributed to his killing. Is the Trump administration genuinely blind to the violence also coming from the right? Or are they using this high profile tragedy as a way to justify a crack down that was always part of their plan? Later, what did the Prime Minister know about the Mandelson-Epstein friendship before he was appointed? As an emergency debate takes place in the commons today, what does this all spell for Starmer? Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Elon Musk popped up at Tommy Robinson's march in London on Saturday, calling for parliament to be dissolved, overthrown and for people to fight or die. So, that’s all normal. UK Politicians by and large seemed to think that was all fine. So is the far right now normalised to such a degree even the government won’t properly call it out? And who are all these people lining up alongside Tommy Robinson - a man once considered a racist and a thug by many? Later, the MP for Wiltshire Devizes has just switched parties without a by-election. Conservative Danny Kruger, formerly a mate of both Boris Johnson and Robert Jenrick, declared his party dead. And has joined Reform. How will his constituents feel about that? And how can you blame "successive government failure" when you have been part of it?You can listen to Andy Hughes report from Tommy Robinson's rally here: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/episodes/7DrtP74/Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Nicola Sturgeon has a message for Keir Starmer. Stop legitimising Nigel Farage - or you’ll make him the next PM.Scotland’s former first minister has done a lot of reflecting since she left office. In an extended interview we talk about her fractious relationship with Alex Salmond, her conclusions on her gender ID policy, the police investigation that saw a blue “murder tent“ erected in her garden, and whether she could have won Scottish independence if she’d led the campaign.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

A special interview today with a sprinter - who ironically - is living proof that it’s NEVER too late to start! Eugene Amo-Dadzie has shot to stardom as ‘The World’s Fastest Accountant’, literally balancing spreadsheets with sport until he was 26 years old! Last month he tied his hero Linford Christie’s 100M time and became the joint second-fastest British man over 100m (9.87). It’s an amazing story that has led all the way to the start line at this weekend’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and you’re gonna love him! Plus we'll look back on another star-studded week on the show as Gabby hit the trading floors of the City at a charity event to catch up with the likes of John Terry, Michael MacIntyre, Maro Itoje, Keira Walsh and many more. Earlier in the week we reflected on Daniel Levy's legacy in North London after he was 'removed' as Spurs' Chairman after 24 years! 📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill, Sam Folayan and Rory Simon Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

American flags are flying at half mast today to honour the memory of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and MAGA influencer shot dead at a university event in Utah. It is hard to state how influential Kirk was in attracting younger voters towards the Republicans. Donald Trump has said he was influential to his 2024 election campaign. In a White House video, Trump said the “radical left” were "directly responsible" for the "terrorism" now present in America, by comparing “wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers”. He pledged that it would be put to a stop. Other MAGA commentators have gone further, claiming that the US is at war and that American conservatives cannot co-exist with liberals. What does Kirk's death mean for American politics now? And why are some British politicians claiming that Kirk spoke "common sense", when his views were so out of kilter with public opinion?Later, how damaged is Keir Starmer by Peter Mandelson's resignation as our man in DC - less than a week out from Trump's state visit?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Lord Mandelson has admitted there may be more embarrassing emails and correspondence between himself and the notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The US ambassador was speaking to The Sun the day after a birthday message emerged calling Epstein his “best pal“, and just as the Telegraph revealed details of a business deal that Mandelson worked on with Epstein AFTER he had been convicted. Keir Starmer has stood by his ambassador but failed to answer Kemi’s PMQs question - did he know about these dealings when he originally signed off the job? Can Mandelson stay in his role? And why is Starmer determined to defend him.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

A US congressional committee has made public the 'birthday book' allegedly given to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 to mark his fiftieth birthday. In it, messages, photos and drawings from his friends - including Donald Trump. The White House is furiously denying that the American President ever submitted a drawing to Epstein, insisting that the signature is not his. Democrats have called it "revolting" and "sick". After spending so long shouting about an Epstein cover up, how wounded are Trump and the Republicans by the latest revelations?Later, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, on the "addictive" algorithms he thinks are making the world a more dangerous place - and his proposals to reclaim the internet.And, the Labour deputy leadership race heats up. Why it might have Keir Starmer sweating.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Labour's new home secretary Shabana Mahmood has barely got her feet under the desk, but already the rhetoric out of the home office has changed. Countries that don't "play ball" on migrant returns could lose visas - Mahmood stressing she will do "whatever it takes" to secure Britain's borders and stop the boats. Her appointment appears to be a tacit admission that Labour's first year has failed on migration - and in response, it looks like Keir Starmer has tacked right in the hope of beating off Reform. On welfare, suggestions too that Labour could be set to reattempt their botched reforms of last term - more pain for Labour's left. If Starmer's reshuffle pushes this Labour government to the right - how does that fit with Labour's deputy leadership contest? Already senior Labour figures like Andy Burnham have been out of the traps to criticise the shake up and suggest an alternative prospectus for government. And with a contest set to drag on for weeks and weeks, will the race to succeed Angela Rayner risk unpicking Starmer's attempt to show his government has turned a page?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Keir Starmer announced 'Phase 2' of his government on Monday - a reset of his Downing St operation supposed to get Labour gripping the agenda and on the front foot for the year ahead. Just four days on, the PM faces his biggest test yet. Angela Rayner, the deputy PM, housing secretary, and deputy Labour leader resigning after a breach of the ministerial code for not paying the correct tax on the purchase of a flat in Hove. In response, Starmer is undergoing a sweeping reshuffle - only the chancellor Rachel Reeves was told her job was safe ahead of time. What happens now? Could a left-wing candidate cause Starmer a major political headache if they run to replace Rayner as deputy leader? Will Rayner become a lightning rod on the backbenches? Does Starmer risk creating yet more enemies in sacking cabinet ministers?Can Starmer use this moment to bolster his authority - or is it his most destabilising day in office?

Former Super Bowl champion Jason Bell joins Gabby and Mark to talk about the NFL's biggest transfer drama of the summer, which puts the Alexander Isak saga to shame. We're talking about a huge standoff, the highest paid non-quarterback in history and a new Super Bowl favourite. (05:30)Plus we look back at this week on The Sports Agents. Former Premier League striker, Troy Deeney, joined us after deadline day as we asked, should Marc Guehi should have thrown a transfer tantrum like Isak? And with Olympic medallists still owed millions of dollars from Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track - what went wrong? That's with The Athletic's Adam Crafton and agent Paul Doyle. (01:00)📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill, Sam Folayan and Rory Simon Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

The morning after Nigel Farage appeared in Washington DC to berate his own country before Congress, the News Agents decamped to a Farage-free zone; his own constituency of Clacton-on-Sea. On Capitol Hill, Farage warned that the UK was turning into "North Korea" due to the restrictions on free speech laws. He urged the US not to follow Britain down this path - even urging Donald Trump to slap sanctions on his own country if it forces big tech companies to follow UK law rather than America's. We’ve been asking people here how they feel about their MP slagging of his - and their - country in America? Does they think he has a point? Or is Reform's leader simply being deeply unpatriotic? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Angela Rayner broke cover today - just before PMQs - to give an interview to Sky News in which she admitted she may have made a mistake on the tax she paid for her seaside property. The details are complicated - and involved both her special needs son and her divorce - but was it tax evasion (illegal) or tax avoidance (not illegal)?And will her political future rest on the answer? Later, we’re discussing Graham Linehan , Lucy Connolly, JD Vance and freedom of speech in the UK.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Nick Clegg worked intimately alongside Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook/Meta for seven years. He departed Silicon Valley in January and has written a new book - How to Save the Internet - and given his first broadcast interview to The News Agents. Is the world wide web as we know it being dismantled? Does he still see social media as a force for good? Could it impact an election? And how much did Zuckerberg care about the impact the product has on children’s health? We chat AI, British politics, and why he suspended Trump from the platform...The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Keir Starmer has shaken up his core team in Downing Street today. It's an attempt to grip the agenda, improve the government's messaging and take on Nigel Farage after a difficult first year in office. "Delivery, delivery, delivery" was what the Prime Minister said was the government's priority for the year ahead - but deliver what? There is a debate taking place in the Labour party between those who believe a more progressive case is needed, that you don't beat Farage by apeing his talking points. Others are convinced that it is only by addressing these concerns that you can stop them from splintering off to Reform. Will today's reset get us any closer to revealing which side of that divide the PM is on?Later, what the fevered online speculation about Donald Trump's health this weekend tells us about the White House - has there been a cover up or was it just a campaign by an army of trolls?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This is the first part of two special Friday episodes on the way AI promises to transform our politics, economies and societies. Lewis has been in San Francisco, where trillions of dollars of investment in AI is fuelling the 21st century equivalent of the space race. Around half a dozen firms are powering this revolution, largely out of sight or scrutiny. While the political and economic implications are profound, politicians seem unwilling or unable to even conceptualise what might be about to happen to their own voters. In the first of these special episodes, Lewis has been speaking to Jack Clark, one of the founders of Anthropic - one of the big AI firms. These companies don’t speak out that often, but Clark has a sober message for politicians. If politics doesn’t wake up- there could be an economic bloodbath within the next 18 months.Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Our guest today, Alice Cooper, fought to set up the first ever Women's Rugby World Cup in 1991, along with three other trailblazing women. It took players selling Russian dolls and vodka to pay their way, organising everything over fax, and Alice losing her job - but they did it. Alice tells Gabby and Mark the story of how they paved the way for this year's World Cup. Plus, we look back at the best bits from this week's shows: former Nottingham Forest player David Prutton asked, could Mourinho replace Nuno at Forest?! After dream debuts for 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha and 15-year-old Max Dowman, Max's former coach at Arsenal, Temisan Williams, and The Telegraph's Sam Wallace joined us. And comedian and Grimsby fan, Lloyd Griffith, took the mickey out of Mark after their shock Carabao Cup win over Man United. 📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

There's news today of a Downing Street shakeup and speculation too about a ministerial reshuffle next week. Parliament returns on Monday, with Labour MPs hoping that the new term will bring with it a chance to rejuvenate a government that has plummeted in the polls and a party that seems almost mutinous. This summer, Nigel Farage has planted himself at the centre of the news agenda - with regular press conference, media stunts and interventions. Labour ministers have been doing the round too - but they seem to have less to say in recent weeks than the Reform leader, Amidst all the talk of a reset, Jon and Lewis break down where Labour's media strategy is going wrong - and what Keir Starmer needs to do to win the messaging war. Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's a story that reads like it's jumped out of a thriller novel. Denmark has today summoned America's top diplomat in the country, after reports emerged that figures connected to the Trump administration had infiltrated Greenland to conduct “covert influence operations”.Denmark's national broadcaster has today come out with a jaw-dropping story alleging that three US citizens are suspected of recruiting Greenlanders for a US-sponsored “separatist” movement. Are they rogue operatives - or are they working on behalf of the US State? Jon and Lewis speak to the journalist who broke the story,Later, Labour are on the attack over Nigel Farage's mass deportation plan. The minister in charge of UK-EU relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has today been slamming Reform and the Tories for their aversion to closer ties with Europe - as well as branding Farage's migration proposals unrealistic and unworkable. He came in to the News Agents studio. Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In an airport hangar in Oxfordshire, Nigel Farage unveiled Reform UK's mass deportation plan. Farage pledged to tear up international treaties, build new removal centres, and strike deals with foreign countries in an effort to drive up returns at pace should he become PM. There was a dark message in his speech - that without his radical programme, Britain faces rising anger, even civil disorder.Speaking at length about a political class and a legal class pitted against this action, Farage asked: "Whose side are you on?". It follows a weekend in which Tory politicians have been condemning the British judicial system for convicting Lucy Connolly, who was jailed after calling on people to "set fire" to asylum hotels in the wake of the Southport attack. When did the British Right turn on the British State? How did the conservative movement become so set on tearing down institutions rather than preserving them? Jon and Lewis discuss.Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Does Putin have something on Trump? Is Trump deliberately deflecting attention from the Epstein saga? Is Starmer's advisor, Morgan McSweeney, overestimated by the media? And what response has Lewis had to his 100% inheritance tax theory...?This Friday, Lewis and Jon answer your questions. Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As part of a special weekend edition of The Sports Agents - Gabby's been at Twickenham - the home of England rugby - to speak to key members of England's Red Roses squad ahead of the start of the Women's Rugby World Cup! Over 375,000 tickets have already sold for a 32-match home tournament which kicks off on Friday as England bid to avenge their narrow World Cup final defeat to New Zealand back in 2021.  Gabby sits down with Mo Hunt and Emily Scarratt, two of England's most decorated players, as well as, former captain-turned-coach Sarah Hunter, for an insight into the mood in the camp, the pressures of hosting the tournament as favourites and the chance to inspire a whole new generation of rugby fans.📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

Palestinians have started to flee Gaza City after the IDF commenced its offensive on the largest city in the Strip.The incursion has been condemned by aid agencies, international allies and hostage families. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the move is necessary to "shortening the timelines" to seize "the last terror strongholds" in Gaza from Hamas. What happens now? We speak to Leila Molana-Allen, special correspondent for PBS Newshour.Later, Jon interviews the historian Andrew Lownie about his bombshell new book 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York'.Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Anti-migrant protesters are celebrating today, with The Bell Hotel in Epping set to close its doors to asylum seekers after becoming a battleground over the summer on the issue.A High Court ruling ordered The Bell to stop housing migrants on a planning technicality. It did not receive the proper permission to switch its use from short-term stays to people living there for more than 30-day stretches, despite having run as such without incident for more than five years.A failed last-minute attempt by the Home Office to get the case dismissed laid out the department's concerns. The government barrister warned that any injunction could lead to other councils following suit, a development "that would aggravate the pressures on the asylum estate."He also warned that granting the injunction would “"run the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests".Those appeals were unsuccessful. And now the government is having to work out where those asylum seekers will now live. If other councils follow suit - and succeed - it could become a major political crisis. Despite all the noise around this issue, are politicians giving any serious thought to alternatives?Later, more gloomy news on the economy for Labour - is there any way for Rachel Reeves to wriggle out of the fiscal straightjacket she now finds herself in?Get the latest news and analysis on our website: https://thenewsagents.co.ukThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

There is a growing chorus of opinion - both inside the Labour party and out - which is increasingly uneasy about the recent mass arrests of demonstrators who have been showing their support for the now proscribed group Palestine Action.Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, banned the direct action group under terrorism legislation in July - but since then hundreds of people have been detained for expressing solidarity with the body and its aims. But that decision has been questioned, with Labour members opposed to the move, Labour MPs critical, and even the author Sally Rooney pledging to fund the organisation. Could the government rethink its strategy? Or does it need to do more to explain why it took the action it did?We speak to Lib Dem leader, Sir Ed Davey, about why he is now calling for a review of the terrorism legislation following the Palestine Action arrests. Later, as Donald Trump floats security guarantees "by air" for Ukraine on Fox News (where else?), Jon and Lewis take stock on where we are now the morning after the night before that dramatic evening in the White House.You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In a tone entirely different from Zelenksyy’s last visit to Washington in February, this evening saw Trump praising the Ukrainian president. Zelenksyy was on the charm offensive. And it seemed to work. Trump bestowed his other European guests with compliments and promised that America would play a key part in the security guarantees if there is a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. It was in some ways a remarkable event, with European leaders sat around the roundtable kissing the ring of President Trump. But will it amount to anything? Can the US really guarantee the security of Ukraine? Will it? And where does this leave peace talks now?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

There's plenty about the build up to this Trump-Zelenskyy summit which tells you that it is no normal meeting. The questions over whether President Zelenskyy will wear a suit and tie. The video from the plane where Keir Starmer pleads with Trump to secure a "just peace". And the Truth Social posts from President Trump, just hours ahead of their talks, where he pre-emptively told the world that NATO membership was off the cards for Ukraine, as was the prospect of Crimea being returned.Why is Trump seemingly setting pre-conditions for Ukraine which look very much like Kremlin objectives? Can European leaders convince Trump to stand by Ukraine if the conflict continues? Or could we be set for a repeat of the ugly scenes we saw in the White House in February - where Trump and JD Vance openly berated their guest, accused him of disrespect, and told him he held none of the cards?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

President Zelenksyy is on his way to Washington to meet with President Trump. He's followed by several European leaders, including Keir Starmer. Rarely is international diplomacy carried out under these circumstances. So, what would a deal look like? Why are those European leaders choosing to go to with Zelenkyy? And is this Europe's final stand against Putin?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

From coast to coast, America’s towns and cities have been besieged by an opioid epidemic, a crisis which has wrought misery and wielded political consequence.Deep in the Nevada desert, Las Vegas - a city renowned for its seedy underbelly, has some 1,500 people living in its 600 miles of flash flood tunnels - many addicted to fentanyl. Lewis meets some of the tunnels’ residents to find out how this years-long epidemic is still wreaking havoc and claiming lives. Despite being insulated from the crisis for so long, British treatment services are sounding the alarm bell. Nitazenes, a family of extremely powerful synthetic opioids, are spiking the drug market with dealers carrying out dangerous experiments on their clients causing overdose after overdose on the streets of Britain. Has the opioid epidemic, once thought of as a uniquely American problem, now landed in the UK?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Gabby and Mark answer your Premier League questions ahead of the new season! Which Match of the Day pundit is most fun to watch a match with? Best Premier League game we've ever watched live? And what's our wildest hot take for the season? (09:15)Plus we look back at a big week on the podcast featuring Alan Shearer's Premier League predictions, Chris Wilder's survival guide for promoted sides, and David Ornstein's updates on the biggest transfers. (03:00)📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

Barely a day goes by without a right-wing influencer proclaiming that London has fallen. Crime in the capital, it is said, is rampant, police nowhere to be seen - it's a grim picture painted by those who decry 'Sadiq Khan's London'.But is any of this actually borne out in reality? Do the facts back up this portrait of the city? And if not, why are there so many on the hard right so determined to trash London's image?Later, a report from Vegas about a jaw-dropping new AI product, which raises questions about life, death, and the commercialisation of grief.You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

While the Vice President holidays in the Cotswolds, Donald Trump's administration has accused the British government of “repeatedly” imposing “serious restrictions” on free speech - and accuses the UK of backsliding on human rights. The US State Department cites the Online Safety Act and abortion buffer zones, in its rationale for sounding the alarm about Britain's recent record - does it have a leg to stand on? LBC's political editor Natasha Clark joins Jon to explore that report.Later, with European leaders meeting with President Zelenskyy today, capitals across the continent are bracing for impact ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on Friday. Jon and Mark Galeotti, the historian and Russia-watcher, look ahead to that meeting and where it might leave Ukraine.You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

“Violent gangs", "bloodthirsty criminals", "roving gangs of wild youths", "drugged out maniacs". These may sounds like scenes from a Charles Dickens novel, but they are the words used by Donald Trump to describe Washington DC, as he announced he was sending the National Guard in to the capital.As recently as May, President Trump was proclaiming a sharp drop in crime in the city. Indeed, the official statistics suggest DC has made significant improvements in safety in the past couple of years. So why is he declaring a war on crime, and taking such drastic action, when the evidence doesn't back him up?Later, a dispatch from Lewis in Las Vegas - already hit by a drop in tourism, and now seeing the effects of AI, which has already started to transform the town. Is it a sign of things to come for us all? And, if so, should we be scared?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In just a few days time, Vladimir Putin is set to set foot on American soil for the first time in a decade. He's been invited to Alaska by Donald Trump, a man desperate to claim that he has brought the conflict in Ukraine to an end. There is just one problem with that. Putin hasn't offered any significant concessions, and Ukraine and its allies are demanding that no Ukrainian territory seized by Russian soldiers during the war is given up - a red line it looks like Trump is set to ignore. Ukraine's President Zelenksyy, as it stands, isn't even invited to take part in the talks. It all lends itself to the perception that Putin is going to play Trump - and then paint Zelenskyy as the obstacle to peace. Will Trump buy it?Later, Jon speaks to a man who knows Putin well. Mikhail Kasyanov was Russia's Prime Minister under President Putin in the early 2000s. He tried to run against Putin, became a target of the regime, and has become an outspoken critic of the Kremlin in exile. He explains why he believes that Alaska summit is destined for failure - and Trump should cancel it. You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This Friday, Jon and Lewis are back with more of your questions. Would the markets take fright at a Jeremy Corbyn or Nigel Farage premiership like they did with Liz Truss? Is the media biased towards Reform over the Lib Dems? And could we ever see Benjamin Netanyahu arrested?Later - it may feel like we are living in a uniquely settled world, but was there ever a time in the past century where things actually felt any calmer? You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Championship kicks off this weekend but Sheffield Wednesday players and staff are still waiting to be paid. For the inside story of how the club fell apart, Mark is joined by Chris Powell, the assistant coach who left a few weeks ago. And it's not just Sheffield who are struggling - so who's next and how do we keep finding ourselves here? (02:00)Plus, we look back at this week's shows where we asked... Is Isak to Liverpool the last transfer saga? And should cricket ditch The Hundred? (18:30)📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

Labour's homelessness minister is facing fury from her own side and calls to resign - not for her track record in government but her track record as a landlord. Rushnara Ali, the MP for Bethnal Green and Stepney, rented out a four-bedroom townhouse in east London, and the tenants have gone to the press to complain about their treatment. One told the I newspaper that they received an email saying that the lease on their tenancy would not be renewed as Ms Ali was looking to sell the property - and yet just weeks after they left, they found that the house back on the rental market at nearly £700 a month more.To make matters worse, this practice is set to be banned under legislation being introduced by this government. The Tories are suggesting that she exploited her tenants and are accusing her of staggering hypocrisy. Can she survive? And how damaging is this for the government? Lewis speaks to the I's housing correspondent Vicky Spratt, who broke the story, and LBC's political correspondent Aggie Chambre.Later - will the much-anticipated meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin actually happen? And what would it mean for Ukraine? Mark Urban, host of the Crisis Room podcast, reads the runes. You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Thousands of people have gathered in Hiroshima - including representatives from 120 countries - to come together with a renewed call for nuclear disarmament. America's use of the atom bomb on the Japanese city, followed by Nagasaki a few days later, remains the only time in human history that nuclear weapons have been deployed in armed conflict. To some, it was a decisive turning point in WW2 - the moment where the Axis powers realised they were destined for defeat. But to others, including Jeremy Corbyn, the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were crimes against humanity. Could both things be true?And why has the long shadow of the second world war made it so difficult for nations to look at their own histories objectively?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

“The die has been cast. We’re going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip – and defeating Hamas." That was the quote from the Israeli Prime Minister's office given to media last night in Jerusalem. Despite mounting criticism of the plan, including from former military officials, politicians and the families of the hostages still in Hamas captivity, Benjamin Netanyahu appears determined to occupy the entirety of Gaza. Why is he ignoring the pleas, both domestically and internationally, not to escalate the conflict? Would it help or hinder his efforts to free the hostages and eliminate Hamas? And what would it mean for the dire humanitarian situation in the Strip, where famine has taken hold?Jon and Lewis speak to Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK. You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

More protests at migrant hotels took place this weekend - with people trying to break into a hotel in Canary Wharf on Sunday. As things escalated, rumours started to swirl. Former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi posted that police had banned all protest outside the hotel- only for the Met to point out that no such ban existed. Another Conservative MP quoted a video claiming (incorrectly) to show an illegal Deliveroo worker getting a police escort. So why are some Tories spreading misinformation? And why are they talking about 'revolts' against the 'regime'? And, as Lewis returns from Japan we take a look at the rise of the far right in the recent Japanese election. Who is behind the party founded on YouTube and taking notes straight from Donald Trump?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Why are more and more young people turning to God? A recent YouGov poll suggests the number has doubled in the past six years from 22% to 45% saying they now actively have faith.It's being called the “Quiet Revival“. It may be happening under the radar but the numbers suggest a revolution. Is it a response to covid, smart phones, or perhaps a crisis in masculinity? Or has atheism just had its day?We are at the Wildfires Christian festival to find out what’s going on. You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/

We bring you a UK exclusive interview with a genuine WWE icon - Triple H! Mark Pougatch sits down with 'Hunter' to discuss what makes President Trump a 'genius', why wrestling is more real than you might think behind the scenes, and to pay tribute to the late Hulk Hogan. (5:30)Plus, a taste of this week's special interview with Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl winner who rewrote American sporting history, and is now a minority owner of Birmingham City FC. And we reacted to the Lionesses winning the Euros again (is this the new normal?!) with ex-England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley (a huge Hannah Hampton fan!) and The Guardian's Suzy Wrack. (1:00) Watch our full episodes on YouTube at @sportsagentspodTikTok: @thesportsagentsInstagram: @thesportsagentsX: @sportsagentspodExecutive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now here!

Exclusively on The News Agents, we speak to top democrat Jamie Raskin. He's here on a mission to find out if free speech is under threat in Europe. It’s a big talking point in the MAGASphere - he’s visiting with the judiciary committee. So why did he find himself shouted down at a public event by one Nigel Farage?Later, we talk to Bafta winning actor Adeel Akhtar - famed for Four Lions- about his latest play about money, family, and politics - The Estate. You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

After a ninety minute crisis cabinet meeting - driven by the appalling scenes of starvation in Gaza - Keir Starmer emerged with a plan: the UK would recognise Palestine by September. If Israel hadn’t changed its behaviour before then. So, is statehood for Palestine an end goal for UK foreign policy? Or just a punishment for Israel? And what happens if there ARE moves towards peace in the next six weeks - is that rewarded by the UK stepping back from its pledge? We talk to global historian Peter Frankopan about what “recognition“ really means. And ask Emily Thornberry where it leaves her party.You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Nigel Farage is no stranger to harsh criticism from his political rivals, but never before has he been linked to prolific paedophile Jimmy Savile.That is, until now.Cabinet minister Peter Kyle has accused the Reform UK leader of being “on the side” of Savile after Farage said he would repeal the government’s online safety act. Farage has now demanded an apology - but Kyle’s doubled down. Are Labour brushing over the genuine unease that many people have about the online safety act? And is their rhetoric making Farage look like the grown up in the room? Later, did Starmer do enough to defend his friend Sadiq Khan after Trump called him a “nasty person?”The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

A wave of anti-migrant protests and counter-protests took place at migrant hotels around the country this weekend, with police being drafted in from all around. So, how close are we to another summer of riots? We sent The Crime Agent's Andy Hughes down to the protests in Epping as tensions in the community have been escalating for weeks. Later, how safe are the new online age verification measures brought in for the Online Safety Act? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This Friday, Jon is joined by Tina Brown - former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker - to discuss her run ins with Jeffrey Epstein, the fallout from the Epstein files, and what this could all spell for President Trump. You can read Tina's substack 'Fresh Hell' here: https://tinabrown.substack.com/ The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

England are into the Euros final again! Last time, as soon as they won the Lionesses sent a letter to Downing Street demanding equal access to PE for girls. If they wrote again this time, what should they ask for to make football more inclusive for women? Gabby figures it out with Vice Chair of Kick It Out, Chris Paouros, and author of "Get Your Tits Out For The Lads", Sally Freedman. (06:30)Plus we share our favourite bits from this week's episodes - how will Marcus Rashford fit in at Barcelona? Can we start comparing Scottie Scheffler to Tiger Woods? And will teenage sensation Michelle Agyemang fire the Lionesses to Euros glory? (01:00)Watch our full episodes on YouTube at @sportsagentspodTikTok: @thesportsagentsInstagram: @thesportsagentsX: @sportsagentspodExecutive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandGuest Booker: Kirsty GiddingsTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now here!