Once you’ve listened to Trumps friends slag off his deal with Iran , you can’t help wondering what his critics will say. In one fell swoop, Trump has lifted sanctions on Iran, invited investment into the country to help the same old regime recover, agreed to a sixty day trial period on the reopened Strait of Hormuz, and "moved on" from his wish to help the Iranian people escape their tyrants. What has he achieved in this war? Precisely nothing. Who knows that? Practically everyone.Later, we speak to Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minster Radek Sikorski about diplomacy in the age of Trump, the "madman with a gun" in Moscow, and ten years of Brexit.The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Whatever happens in Makerfield in the next 24 hours, the outcome will be momentous. If Andy Burnham wins, we could see him challenge Keir Starmer for Prime Minister by the end of the week. If Burnham loses, then Labour are plunged into a whole new level of existential crisis. Either way, this will be one of the most significant by-elections in British electoral history - the stakes could hardly be higher.Jon, Emily and Lewis have this special report from the constituency. What do the people of Makerfield want to see change in Westminster? Are voters happy with the prospect of potentially electing the next Prime Minister? And why are the Burnham team feeling nervy just hours out from polling opening?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

10 years on from the murder of MP Jo Cox, there is a grim warning from her sister Kim Leadbeater: the atmosphere in politics now is "probably worse".Leadbeater warns of people trying to "sow division" in our country - and that's a division that Russia is seeking to exploit. One of the arsonists convicted of trying to firebomb Keir Starmer's house had also been tasked by Kremlin-linked actors with putting up far-right posters, seeking to stoke community tensions.How can it be that, after the tragic murders of Jo Cox and David Amess, our politics continues to slide towards polarisation, anger, and conspiracy?Later, Jake Richards - justice minister and lead on the government's men and boys strategy - on the crisis facing young men and the crisis facing Keir Starmer and his party.The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In what feels like one of the few genuinely radical decisions of his premiership, Keir Starmer has announced an almost complete ban on social media for the under 16s, starting next spring. Messaging apps will not be included, but YouTube (ie “television”) will.Does the ban make sense? Will it actually happen? And is Starmer now thinking about legacy projects at this febrile moment of his leadership? We speak to the AI minister Kanishka Narayan.Later Jess Asato MP found herself undressed by Grok - along with around 3 million others. She’s now suing Elon Musk to make sure X takes responsibility for sexualised image creation - including an estimated 23,000 of children.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Armed Forces minister Al Carns and a couple of junior frontbenchers followed the Defence Secretary John Healey in resigning from government last night.Healey's accusation was a stinging one - that Keir Starmer is failing to commit to keeping the nation safe from attack. That, after Starmer pledged only a few months ago to put "petty politics" to one side and be bold on British defence.He now faces a testing week like no other. His Defence Investment Plan, long delayed. is due to be launched on Monday. Can that go ahead? If the PM gets through that, he faces the prospect of Andy Burnham returning to the Commons on Friday - who could instantly make a move for the top job.How damaging have the resignations of the past 24 hours been for Starmer's already dwindling prospects of staying in the job? And how on earth does the PM navigate the next week?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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 Minister wouldn’t even set a date for the increases to happen. Has Starmer “failed to keep the country safe"? And a week out from the Makerfield by-election, is this the nail in the coffin for Starmer’s leadership?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Nedum touches down in USA and joins Gabby & Mark to discuss the opening game of the World Cup 2026; How excited are the locals, dark horses for the tournament & more...But with such a constant stream of controversy in the days leading up to the first match - fans fleeced for tickets, a Somali referee banned from entering US, national teams greeted by ICE on arrival and FIFA President Gianni Infantino's call for everyone to just "chill out" - has a World Cup ever been harder to love?The Athletic's Adam Crafton also joins to debate whether the questions will actually stop, once the football starts?📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagentsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected]💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: George Sexton-KerrVideo Producer: Samuel TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Jasmine WissartTom 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

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, accusing him of whipping up tensions online ahead of the disorder.Lewis is on the ground in Belfast with Andy Hughes from The Crime Agents with a special report on the events that unfolded last night.Later, Jon and Emily speak with journalist and broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, who discusses how Musk and the far right have whipped up rioters and encouraged violence on the streets of Northern Ireland.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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 equalities duties are pushing “divisive” agendas? When did ‘common sense’ become satisfactory guidance? And why are some parts of the Right now suggesting that white people are the most discriminated against group in Britain?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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. So is Trump becoming increasingly impotent in the Middle East crisis? And what part does the upcoming Israeli election play in Netanyahu's plans for war?And Later, we talk to Edward Luce about when the best time is to pick up the phone to Trump - and what happens when you do...The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/