The News Agents

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 trivia about the 1924 Winter Olympics thrown in for good measure.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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. He joins Gabby to tell his inspiring story.
Plus, we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - will the US-Iran conflict derail President Trump's World Cup? Have England pushed the Six Nations panic button and will it pay off? And what's it like to start a new football team from scratch in America's top league?
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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: Sophie Penney
Producer: George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Sam Trudgill
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
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Much of the coverage of the Iran conflict this week has been trying to understand the British government’s position on America’s strikes. On Friday, Keir Starmer said that the UK would not allow American fighter jets headed for Iran to use British bases. And yet by Sunday, that position had changed. Why?
New reporting today may shed some light on that. Tim Shipman at the Spectator claims that Keir Starmer faced resistance, particularly from Ed Miliband and Yvette Cooper, when the National Security Council met late last week.
Was Keir Starmer effectively strong-armed into a diplomatic spat with Donald Trump by his own cabinet ministers? What does that say about his authority in the face of a major national - and international - crisis? And with criticism from allies including Cyprus about the sluggish reaction and deployment of British forces in the wake of Iranian aggression, has the past week been embarrassing for Britain on the world stage?
Plus, nearly a week on from Trump’s decision to strike at the heart of Iran and decapitate the regime in Tehran, are we actually any clearer on what his objectives are? We speak to Virginia Senator and vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Trump is furious with Starmer over his delay in granting the US access to UK bases as part of their military operation against Iran . He's called the UK "very uncooperative" and says Starmer has ruined relationships, even going so far as to say "this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with."
So where does this leave Starmer now? Is it really a fatal blow to the 'special relationship' or could it actually be advantageous to the Prime Minister?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

You might think, just days into a major conflict in the Middle East, that Donald Trump and Keir Starmer would be speaking regularly, supporting each other, and coordinating among allies. That's how it normally works in the 'Special Relationship' right?
Instead, Trump has taken to The Sun to blast the Prime Minister as "not helpful", accusing him of imperilling the transatlantic alliance, and suggesting that his decision not to join US strikes may have been because he is worried about losing Muslim votes. Keir Starmer, for his part, has also issued veiled criticism of the US approach - telling the Commons that the UK does not believe in regime change "from the skies". It's a remarkable breakdown in relations - does it mark the end of the 'Special Relationship'?
Later, a new poll following the Gorton and Denton by-election puts the Greens in second place with Labour languishing on 16%. Why is Starmer so quick to label the Greens extremist when he wouldn't say the same about Reform? And how does Labour address a dual populist threat from the Left and the Right?
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/