The News Agents
Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall host an award-winning daily news podcast that provides astute analysis and explanation of the day's news, with a healthy dose of scepticism and humor. Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast.
Episodes
Is John Healey’s resignation a fatal blow for Keir Starmer?
Around lunch time today, as The News Agents were battling their own excitement in the shape of a fire drill, the Defence Secretary suddenly resigned without warning. He left with a devastating critique of the Starmer government failures in his wake. The loyal and highly regarded Healey resigned out of frustration that promises made on defence spending weren’t being kept. And that the Prime Ministe
Special Report: Belfast riots - how Elon Musk is stoking a new wave of British violence
Belfast was ablaze last night, 24 hours after the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. Houses, cars and buses were set on fire during riots across the city. It has since been announced that Ogilvie has lost an eye in the attack and 30-year-old Hadi Alodid has been charged with his attempted murder.The British government are laying at least some of the blame at the door of X owner Elon Musk, accusi
Is Britain really the least racist country on earth?
This morning Kemi Badenoch put equality laws at the centre of a new political dividing line, pledging that a future Conservative government would scrap the Public Sector Equality Duty. She says that “modern Britain is the least racist country on earth” and warned that fears of being accused of racism are leading authorities to not intervene to prevent crime.What is Badenoch’s evidence that equalit
Is Trump impotent?
President Trump told the FTs' Edward Luce that he "called all the shots" over the Iran ceasefire. Shortly before he spoke, Iran had launched missiles at Israel."He [Netanyahu] won’t have any choice... He doesn’t call the shots", the President insisted. He told Fox that he was going to instruct Israel's PM not to retaliate. Netanyahu pointedly ignored those comments and started bombing Iran back. S
Wes Streeting on why Keir Starmer cannot save himself or his country
It is now hard to imagine that just three weeks ago, Wes Streeting was still serving in Keir Starmer's cabinet. As Health Secretary, Streeting gave the PM one of his biggest success stories from Labour's so far deeply troubled time in government - getting waiting lists down, and dragging the NHS into the 21st century.In the short time since he left role, he has become one of Starmer's biggest prob
Why has Musk set the mob on innocent random British police officers?
Two police officers - both nominated for bravery awards - have been doxxed on the internet through a Musk disinformation campaign, where he called one a "scumbag" who should be in prison. One former officer is now in hiding, fearing for her safety after death threats. Neither was anywhere near Henry Nowak on the night he died.Musk famously supports Rupert Lowe over Nigel Farage. Is the Right of Br
Who's lying in Madrid's Presidential race, Iraola & the Premier League's Basque Revolution - The Sports Agents
On Sunday the first contested Presidential elections at Real Madrid for 20 years will take place, so Gabby, Mark & Nedum are joined by Spanish football writer Guillem Balague to discuss some of the false promises being made on the campaign trail...Will any of Erling Haaland, Rodri, Jose Mourinho or Jurgen Klopp head to the Bernabeu this summer?And as Liverpool edge closer to appointing Andoni
Did Farage incite violence with his call for 'pure cold rage'?
Nigel Farage was accused by many in the Commons today of inciting violence with his call for people to respond to a young man’s murder with "pure cold rage". The Reform UK leader explicitly ignored the wishes of Henry Nowak's family - who had urged politicians not to use Henry's death to ramp up tensions - to suggest that the anger seen in Southampton last night could even get worse. As he spoke,
How did the police let Henry Nowak die?
The footage is almost unbearable to watch. 18 year old Henry Nowak, stabbed and bleeding to death on the floor - telling officers he couldn't breathe - being handcuffed by police responders rather than treated. Bodycam footage, released with the consent of Henry's family, shows that as Henry shouts out that he has been stabbed, one officer responds: "You’ve been stabbed? I don’t think you have, ma
Is Trump’s America scaring fans off the World Cup?
America is the only major country where visitor numbers fell last year. In fact it had its worst year for international tourism since 2008- barring the pandemic. Are tourists scared? Or has Trump put them off? Is this why Trump's Ambassador for Tourism is on a whistle stop tour of Europe drumming up business before the World Cup? We speak to the US Special Envoy.Later why was a Facebook whistleblo
How the tech bros of AI are breaking our democracy
In his essay this week on the way forward for Britain, Tony Blair posits that "governing in the age of AI will be the principal challenge. And opportunity" for our political class.Karen Hao certainly agrees that it will be one of the defining challenges of our lives. An MIT grad, she started off in Silicon Valley, before turning to journalism and becoming one of the most authoritative reporters on
Has Blair just brought the Labour party together - against him?
The day after Tony Blair spoke to The News Agents we ask whether his comments have started a healthy debate, changed the leadership race, or galvanised the whole party against him. The only man to win three elections for Labour speaks from experience and confidence. But is his diagnosis right for today? Will he ever be trusted on foreign affairs? And is efficacy more important than Democracy in 20
Who's to blame for West Ham's relegation? | Michail Antonio on Bowen's future & England's 'Egos' - The Sports Agents
Mark & Nedum are joined by West Ham's all-time Premier League goalscorer Michail Antonio, days after the club's relegation - ending a 14-year stay in the top flight.Michail lifts the lid on major decisions which he feels contributed to the club's decline in recent years; the controversial move to the London stadium, club training facilities, the appointment of Graham Potter as manager and how
Tony Blair on why Britain and Labour are in crisis
Since Keir Starmer took office almost two years ago - the first Labour Prime Minister in 14 years - Tony Blair has been holding his tongue.But that has all changed in a dramatic fashion. Blair is profoundly concerned, about the UK's future, the leadership of his party, and of the wider political conversation taking place.In a 5,700 word essay, he lays out a brutal assessment of the lack of serious
Why is Reform standing by a 'sexist' candidate in Makerfield?
Robert Kenyon, Reform's candidate in Makerfield, was a week on from defending his Facebook Nazi friend when things got ugly. Over the sunny bank holiday weekend old tweets resurfaced showing not only his utterly creepy views about women but also his original anti-Brexit stance. And yes, you can guess which one is the real headache for Reform. Polls suggest they are currently in second place behind
How billionaires get away with paying less tax than you
As billionaire wealth soars to unprecedented heights, calls to “tax the rich” are getting louder across the world. But while politicians on the left often champion wealth taxes, governments have repeatedly struggled to make them work in practice. So why have they failed? And could that finally be changing?This Friday, Lewis is joined by French economist Gabriel Zucman, the architect of the so-call
What Hulk Hogan taught Trump about politics
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, s
Spygate 2.0: Should Play-Off Final be CANCELLED? - The Sports Agents
Southampton's failed attempt to appeal their expulsion from the final for spying means that it will be Middlesbrough heading to Wembley to take on Hull in football’s richest game.Espionage that could ‘cost’ upwards of £200 million… normally a story for Ian Fleming but in an end of the season that keeps on giving, this is the tale of the Championship play offs.But what is the legality surrounding t
Is Trump still running scared of the Epstein files?
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 Defen
Is there more to Andy Burnham than just the vibes?
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 f
Has Labour reignited the Brexit debate by mistake?
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
Is Andy Burnham about to become Prime Minister?
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 Se
Spygate 2.0 vs Bloodgate & The 'small ball' debate - The Sports Agents
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 wa
Wes Streeting resigns: Is the challenge over - or just beginning?
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?Lat
Could Labour's leadership chaos make Ed Miliband PM?
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 Fara
Starmer refuses to go: Crazy? Or courageous?
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
Starmer's make or break speech: Will it save him?
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 "danger
Election Special: Is it change or die for Labour?
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.
SPECIAL REPORT: An election like no other in Birmingham
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
How to beat the 'Big 6' | Inside Premier League's 'best-run' club with Brighton CEO Paul Barber - The Sports Agents
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
Money, lies and death: London's criminal underworld with Patrick Radden Keefe
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
Does Donald Trump remember who started the war in Iran?
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:
Why has Nigel Farage taken £5m from a crypto billionaire?
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 al
How Trump's failed war in Iran screwed Britain
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 rocket
Would Kompany want to replace Guardiola at Man City? - The Sports Agents
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 Eti
Has antisemitism become a national emergency?
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
Will Starmer's body count prove fatal for his premiership?
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 wh
What will the King's visit really achieve with Trump?
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 relat
How liberals lost the fight
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 populi
Seb Coe | Door open for Russia's return, 'Enhanced Games' threat & Man Utd's new stadium - The Sports Agents
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 wil
Has the cabinet given up on Keir Starmer?
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 colleague
Has Starmer become the problem he promised to fix?
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.
How does Keir Starmer recover from the Olly Robbins bombshell?
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 ano
Starmer was told to vet Mandelson first. So why didn’t he?
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
Did Keir Starmer “lie, lie and lie again" over Mandelson?
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 Fo
Did the Pope just call Trump a tyrant?
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
Have PSG exposed the Premier League? - The Sports Agents
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 st
Social media ban for kids: Why is Starmer stalling?
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? Woul
Will the US and China go to war over Iran?
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
Did Trump just kill off Europe's most powerful populist?
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 th
Everything Trump doesn't understand about Iran
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 bewild
Why Golf NEEDS Rory McIlroy to go back-to-back? | The Masters - The Sports Agents
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 wi
Is Israel already sabotaging the ceasefire?
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
Has Trump just capitulated to Iran?
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
Trump: “A whole civilisation will die tonight“
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
Aden Durde | How a Londoner cracked the NFL - The Sports Agents
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 manage
Q&A: Trump's tantrum, the Midterms and Lewis getting the sh*t kicked out of him
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 h
Don’t mourn for NATO, it’s already dead
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 inves
Should the King tell Trump to P*ss Off?
“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 follo
Is Trump about to put boots on the ground in Iran?
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 i
Special Report: Why MAGA hates Britain
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 h
Are football's new 'Ultras' a force for good? - The Sports Agents
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, ho
How Trump lost control of the Iran war
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 count
McSweeney's missing Mandelson messages
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 i
Are Trump's friends getting filthy rich on his “peace deal“?
"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 new
Has Trump invented his peace deal with Iran?
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 sy
The case for Trump's war in Iran
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
How Morocco snatched Senegal's AFCON crown - The Sports Agents
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
Is Iran winning the war?
Looking and sounding rather like a frat boy emerging from a hazing, Pete Hegseth arrived blinking, bombastic and victorious into his press conference this morning to declare complete success in his Epic Fury military campaign in Iran.He was quick to castigate America's ungrateful allies - telling the world that they should be thanking President Trump - and cracked a few jokes about Iranian ships b
Why do the Conservatives have a problem with Muslims praying in public?
Nick Timothy is the Conservative shadow justice secretary. This week, he took issue with Muslims gathering in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the last week of Ramadan and the breaking of the Iftar fast with prayer. He called the gathering an "act of dominance" in a Christian country - right beside a church. Does Kemi Badenoch agree with him? Tommy Robinson certainly does...Later - why has Ofcom got
Has Trump lost it?
Donald Trump's Oval Office ramblings are nothing new. But last night was off the scale. He thrashed out at allies. Castigated his friends. Contradicted himself. Lied about former presidents in a way that was painfully easy to disprove and sounded like a man who’d missed his meds.More significant than any of this is how the rest of the world received it: with a shrug - and very little anxiety or ac
Is Starmer ending his abusive relationship with Trump?
Last night, President Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he was "demanding" allies provided back up in the Strait of Hormuz and send ships to keep the supply of oil flowing.“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response", he warned, "I think it will be very bad for the future of Nato."Keir Starmer’s response this morning was clear - the PM insisting that the UK would not be dragged
Keir Starmer: Britain’s passive Prime Minister?
Just over a year ago, Lewis spoke to Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire, co-authors of the authoritative account of Keir Starmer's rise to power 'Get In: The Inside Story of Labour under Starmer'.Their book shone a light on the weird political inertia at the heart of the Starmer project, often lacking in instinct, allies, and any particular ideological belief. Morgan McSweeney was the driving for
Crowdfunding your way to a World Cup final - The Sports Agents
Playing in front of a record 80,000 fans at Twickenham, captaining your country in a World Cup final and winning World Rugby’s Player of the Year… all in a day's work for Sophie De Goede.All that despite returning from a huge ACL injury just one month before the World Cup, Canada crowdfunding to get there, and training against teammates' partners to make up the numbers. Sophie joins Gabby and Mark
How bad are the Mandelson files for Keir Starmer?
The release of the Mandelson files revealed that Keir Starmer pushed on with appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite warnings over his links to Epstein. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, called the appointment 'weirdly rushed' and said that Mandelson was ‘always a disaster’. The Prime Minister 'it was me that made the mistake'.So, was due diligence really followed in the
Is Iran beating Trump in his own war?
Trump has made it clear he thinks it’s time to end the war with Iran. There’s only one problem: Iran is not so sure it wants to. By using cheap, fairly low tech drones it’s managed to strike cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The message it’s sending out is clear: we can disrupt the flow and the price of oil from our waters. The regime today has told the world to brace for the price of a barrel
Is Trump running scared of his own war?
In a zig-zagging, confused and at times weirdly low energy press conference from President Donald Trump last night, a remarkably new tone was struck on the conflict in Iran. Just hours earlier, his defence secretary Pete Hegseth had announced that this stage of the war was "just the beginning". But yesterday evening. Trump declared that the conflict was, in fact, "very complete"; at one point even
Is Trump blowing up the world economy - as well as Iran?
For a Prime Minister obsessed with driving down the cost of living, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is shaping up to be something of a nightmare. Oil prices have surged, the Bank of England is now expected to raise, rather than cut, interest rates, and the AA is telling drivers to consider cutting down on non-essential journeys due to the price of the pumps.The war has shown no sign of win
Live Q&A: Iran, Trump, and 'no d*ck energy'
Jon and Lewis are back to mark the end of a momentous week in geopolitics with a special live Q&A taking your questions.When will we know if the conflict in the Middle East has morphed into World War 3? Why has American politics embraced 'toxic masculinity' and 'big d*ck energy'? And how badly do the local elections need to be for Labour in order for Keir Starmer to be toppled?Plus, a bit of t
18 months to live to Winter Paralympic history - The Sports Agents
When the Winter Paralympics get underway this weekend in Italy history will be made. Davy Zyw was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 30 and given 18 months to live… but he’s now 38 and he’s going to be the first person to compete at a Winter Paralympics with MND.Defying his degenerating body, Davy will compete on the board for ParalympicsGB, with his five-year-old son watching on.
