The News Agents

Latest Episodes:

The Brits trapped in Sudan's warzone Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

Stay indoors!

We continue to advise all British nationals in Sudan to stay indoors wherever possible. We recognise circumstances will vary in different locations. You should exercise your own judgement about your circumstances, including whether to relocate at your own risk.

This is the current advice from the Foreign Office - who have managed to evacuate UK diplomatic staff, but are struggling to help up to 3,000 UK citizens stuck in the warzone that is Sudan - many now fearing for their lives.

Should the government be telling people to sit tight? Or get out.

And as Dominic Raab exits stage left, his parting shot is at an 'activist' civil service. Was Whitehall really out to get him? We discuss.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Raab Resigns Apr 21, 2023

Show notes

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has resigned.

The inquiry into whether he bullied staff has finally been published. Its conclusion? Raab is a bully.

Lewis explores the reports findings and asks what it means for one of his closest allies — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Queen Camilla's son on The News Agents Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

Tom Parker Bowles is a food writer and critic with strong views on coronation chicken, UK farming and... of course, quiche. His mum is about to be crowned Queen - so today we chat about the monarchy, the dos and don'ts of royal food, protest and a certain Harry.

And we chat through the political ramifications of Rishi Sunak's response to the bullying inquiry into Dominic Raab.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Fox News Lies - and Murdoch pays millions Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

This is your midweek episode of Succession. Because Rupert Murdoch - aka Logan Roy - has shelled out nearly 800 million dollars to settle a defamation suit brought by Dominion - a company that makes voting machines.

Fox News had tried to claim the voting machines manipulated the result of the 2020 presidential election to make Trump lose. Which was clearly bollocks.

Late last night, Fox settled out of court - to make the trial of the century go away. Today we get inside the Murdoch mind with former Sun Newspaper editor David Yelland.

We also ask why food is getting ever more expensive with the latest inflation figures.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

SNP - it's getting worse Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Another high profile arrest in the SNP. This time, Party Treasurer Colin Beattie - who was called in for questioning in the inquiry into party finances - specifically the concerns over £600,000 raised by supporters to fund a second independence referendum.

It's been a rocky few weeks since Sturgeon announced her resignation in February. The arrest of her husband and Chief Executive of the SNP, the blue evidence tent in their garden, the removal of a camper van from the in-laws in Dunfermline, leaked conversations that surfaced two years ago and now the second arrest.

What is this doing to the party, to independence and to Scottish voters?

And we ask what power Russia has in Africa and how it's channeled through the many tentacles of the Wagner group.

These Russian mercenaries are thought to be behind the violence in Sudan, and wield huge power all over the continent - fighting that is paid for in gold and diamonds. How close are they to Putin?

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Is horse racing becoming the new bullfighting? Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

Animal Rights Protestors are being blamed for the death of a racehorse at the Grand National this weekend after they forced a delay which - trainers say - agitated the animals.

Animal Rising - the protestors - say: Don't blame us - horses are dying on racecourses; with or without the delays.

But they're delighted we're now having a conversation about animal cruelty, sport and what happens to thoroughbred horses if racing stops.

We speak to Ed Chamberlin who saw it all unfold with his own eyes - as the head of ITV's horse racing presenting team.

And to Claudia Penna-Rojas from Animal Rising. We also discuss Rishi Sunak's finances - he's under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner.

And we ask if we should all be better at maths - with maths lover and teacher Bobby Seagull.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Abortion in America: Illegal by stealth? Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

If you thought the overturning of Roe v Wade- the constitutional right to an abortion in the United States was the end of it in 2022, then 2023 has other ideas. Or rather the radical, anti-abortion groups in the United States have other ideas.

Just this week, Florida’s Governor (and presidential hopeful) Republican Ron DeSantis introduced a six week abortion ban in the third biggest state in the country.

And in Texas, a Trump-appointed judge ruled that a drug used in over 50% of abortions in America, should never have been legal in the first place. Chaos reigns and once again, the Supreme Court will decide.

On a special deep dive of The News Agents we explore both of these cases and ask whether, as part of a culmination of a five decade political strategy and movement, abortion in America will be abolished, by stealth.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Liz Truss, the deep state and China Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

China's President Xi Jinping has told his troops they should be ready for real combat.

So now we are wondering if Taiwan will be the next Ukraine.

It comes after a week of China sabre-rattling in the Taiwan straits - surrounding the island on all sides with a blockade.

France's President Macron is just back from Beijing where he's set the cat amongst the pigeon's with some ill-judged comments about Taiwan.

In fact, the Elysee Palace thought them so ill-judged they ordered their removal from the interview he gave. We discuss the damage done, and we hear from Liz Truss in Washington who goes off on one.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

"I’m Joe Biden and I’m Irish" Apr 12, 2023

Show notes

We've been told off-record that Joe Biden might be Irish.

Obviously, unattributable. So keep it under your hat.

He's the latest in a long line of US Presidents who feels the pull of the Emerald Isle very strongly and traces his ancestry back there by 180 years. But he begins the day in Belfast - reflecting on the Good Friday peace accord 25 years ago.

But can he get power-sharing back on track? Or is he too scared to even mention it?

And we look at the delights and dangers of a world exclusive interview.

Who has the power when Elon Musk is in the seat?

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Are Labour's attack ads 'gutter politics'? Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

Labour’s Easter weekend attack ads about the Conservatives and Rishi Sunak specifically have been called 'politics of the gutter' by, awkwardly, Labour’s former Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Lewis is joined by Steve Reed, the party’s Shadow Justice Secretary, who was behind the campaign. He, as you’ll hear is entirely unapologetic.

Is this the start of a new period of a more vicious politics?

And NHS surgeons may be about to face their own #MeToo moment, with female surgeons coming forward to say that sexual assault and misogyny within surgery is commonplace.

Lewis talks to Rachel Sylvester, who has written for The Times on the subject and Roshana Mehdian-Staffel, an orthopaedic surgeon who has spoken out about her experiences.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://global-player.onelink.me/Br0x/Videos

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

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