
Manchester United's Greenwood U-Turn: The inside story
Mason Greenwood won't play for Manchester United again. Greenwood was one of the most exciting talents in world football two years ago, before he was arrested and charged for attempted rape, coercive control and assault. The charges were dropped by the CPS in February this year.The final decision on Greenwood's place at the club was announced yesterday, with a "mutual deicison" that he will be leaving. But just last week, there were rumours of a plan to bring the player back. So what happened? And what changed?Jon and Lewis talk to The Athletic's Adam Crafton, who has the inside story of what went on at Manchester United last week and we hear from TV presenter and fan of the club, Rachel Riley.Later, we take a look at the government's stance on small boats crossing the channel. Sunak said months ago that stopping the boats would be attainable. It seems he's now changed his tune.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettVideo Producer: Will Gibson-SmithThe News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.
22 Elo 202342min

This week on The News Agents: USA - the big debate, coming soon
It's debate night in Milwaukee tonight. The big hitters of the Republican Party will all be there, fighting it out in the first chance to be on the same stage together. That is, all bar one, notable frontrunner; former President Donald Trump.Emily and Jon will be in your The News Agents: USA feeds tomorrow morning (Thursday) digesting the overnight debate. See you then!
22 Elo 202357s

Should Lucy Letby have been made to go to court?
Lucy Letby has been given a whole life order for her crimes. She joins only a small group of prisoners to be given a sentence so severe that they can never be considered for parole. But she wasn't in court today to hear it for herself. She chose not to appear, much to the victims' families fury. The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition want the law to be changed to force criminals to face their days of reckoning in person. It sounds simple - but is it? Lewis discusses with a former Old Bailey judge and a victim of the Manchester Arena Attacks whose own cowardly perpetrator also refused to confront the court.And after the Lionesses' near miss in Sydney we ask why politicians always sound so weird when talking about football. We talk to the politico's politico and genuine football obsessive, Lord Danny Finkelstein.Editor: Tom HughesProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Producer: Will Gibson-Smith
21 Elo 202333min

Did Covid-19 leak from a lab?
Covid is back in the news - there is a new mutation of Omicron which is potentially more infectious than the last. Some are sounding the alarm. We talk about whether you should be worried (spoiler -probably not). But while it's in the news we thought we'd examine a question long lurking at the sidelines of the Covid news story - where did it come from? Is the lab leak theory increasingly credible? Plenty in Washington, including big elements of the Biden administration think so. And if it is - why are we not talking about it? What might be the biggest story of our time? Lewis talks to a leading expert who sits on SAGE and a journalist who has done the running on the story from the very beginning.Editor: Tom HughesProducers: Rory Symon and Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Producer: Will Gibson-Smith
18 Elo 202325min

Are ministers right to say: don't worry too much about exam results?
It's A-level results day and the message from the Education Secretary is to urge students not to worry too much about the results, that no-one will ask about them in 10 years' time.The PM has also said that there are plenty of other options available to those who didn't get the grades they need. But is this really the message for ministers to send to kids who have been studying for these things for years? And would they be saying the same to their own kids? We also analyse whether this was the year to revert to a 2019 marking system, with a generation still deeply affected by the pandemic.Jon and Lewis also discuss the life and broadcasting legacy of chat show king Michael Parkinson who has died at the age of 88. He invented the chat show format for UK television. We talk through the changes in TV which have taken place over the last half century and why we won't see Parky's like again.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Will Gibson-Smith & Rory Symon
17 Elo 202342min

A financial turning point for women's football? The Lionesses reach the WC final
England's women's football team reach the World Cup final, beating the hosts Australia. But with the highest paid footballer in the equivalent of the Premier League paid less in a year than some male players get in a week, will this prove a watershed moment in attempts by many to push for greater financial parity? We speak to Kieran Maguire, football economist.And back in the world of Westminster - what does falling inflation mean? A governmental success in one of their key targets, or is this the calm before the storm with wages and public sector - both inherently inflationary - rising. We speak to editor of Red Box, Lara Spirit.commentary courtesy of BBC Sport.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettVideo Producer: Will Gibson-SmithThe News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.
16 Elo 202329min

This week on The News Agents: USA - Why is Donald Trump being charged like a mafia boss?
Emily and Jon host a new weekly podcast; giving you everything you need to know about the world of US politics and how it affects you.Episodes are available every Tuesday exclusively on Global Player and all other platforms every Wednesday.Find the latest episode of News Agents USA here on Global Player.
16 Elo 20232min

How many suspected spies are there in the UK?
What were three spies living in Great Yarmouth and Harrow doing in the UK? Today it was revealed that three Bulgarian nationals were arrested in February and they've been in custody since - they were apparently working for Russian security services. They're awaiting trial but yet to enter any pleas.They'd been in the country for years, even baking cakes for their neighbours. So what were they up to? And how common is it for Russian spies to be hanging around in Britain? Jon asks former head of the MI6 Russia desk, Christopher Steele.And exactly two years on from the Taliban taking back power in Afghanistan, we talk to journalist Yalda Hakim about the conflict and discuss her work to get Afghan women back into education.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettVideo Producer: Rory SymonThe News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.
15 Elo 202330min





















