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Russell Brand was today convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy has said today that Brand is a "danger to women", the Met Police have said that two further rape allegations are being investigated, and the judge presiding over Brand's case has said his sentence - on Monday - will be "significant". The Met says the comedian turned MAGA Christian podcaster "used his influence, status and fame to sexually offend against women." Jon and Emily talk to Andy Hughes, co-host of The Crime Agents, about how the conviction was secured and how Brand tried to get his own trial thrown out. Later, how the battle to replace Trump has already begun - and why the Democrats are tempering their messaging in the first few days following that stunning election night. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

After a night of electoral disaster, Trump has finally appeared before the world media to offer up his thoughts on...you’ve guessed it...the ballroom. Is he just going to pretend last night didn’t happen? Who’s going to get the blame in his inner circle? And will democrats resist the urge to sound punchably smug after their blue wave? The News Agents USA is Global production. The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As we come off air at 1am the Democrats have just taken the house and the senate - flipping seats in the unlikeliest of places - Texas, South Carolina, Iowa and even Maine. It’s an absolute blue blow out, and a repudiation of Trump which even he is finding hard to ignore. So what will happen to MAGA now - and to Trump himself? Lewis is with the crowds celebrating in Texas, whilst Jon and Emily are watching the door of the White House slowly open and close in the darkness. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

59 million Americans have already gone to the polls ahead of election day - but tonight we find out if those predictions of a Blue Democrat wave are actually right. We’re joined by Piers Morgan to analyse where the MAGA movement is now. And we get his predictions for the races ahead. The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

"If we lose Texas, we lose America." Those are the words of Ken Paxton, Trump's scandal-plagued candidate for the Texas Senate seat. He shouldn't be having to issue that warning. Texas has always been Trump county - there is no clear path to the White House for the Republicans without it. And yet, if the polls are right, the Democrats could be on course for an historic victory. James Talarico has electrified voters with his brand of Christian populism, and even he seems more interested in criticising Elon Musk than Donald Trump. Is this the last stand for MAGA? And why are so many Texan Republicans starting to think about life after Trump? Lewis has a special report from Texas. The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The News Agents are in Washington DC to begin their week of midterms coverage - and there's a huge story out of Michigan - as Democrat Haley Stevens switched sides this weekend to support the Republicans instead of fellow dem Abdul El-Sayed in the race for the Senate. Stevens has long had a problem with El-Sayed - the man who defeated her in the Michigan primary for Senate. But her move yesterday left Democrats spitting blood. Does Stevens have a point when she talks about the anti-semitic rhetoric that surrounds parts of his campaign? Or has she just blown her moral high ground by siding with a Trump puppet who has peddled in Islamophobia? And how much does this Michigan row reflect what’s happening more widely in the Democratic Party? Later, the latest New York Times polls are looking a little too good for the Democrats. Will this make it harder to get out the vote? And how much leeway should we allow pollsters for their much vaunted “margin of error“? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Trump's popularity is at record lows. What impact will this have on Americans going to vote in the midterm elections next week? Today we lay out the races to watch on Tuesday night, and ask whether Congress could really go Democrat. What will that mean for American foreign policy, for us, and for the presidential race of 2028? We’re joined by Miles Taylor - Trump's former state department Chief of Staff - now wanted for treason by the president. The News Agents is a Global prodcution. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

At just 11 years old, James McClean was making petrol bombs on the streets of Derry. Years later, he would be playing in the Premier League. Growing up in the shadow of the Troubles, McClean's journey from the streets of Creggan to 103 caps for the Republic of Ireland and captaining Wrexham during their Hollywood rise has been anything but conventional. In this special episode of The Sports Agents, McClean joins Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman to reflect on a remarkable life in football — from his Premier League career to the poppy controversy, the years of abuse from opposition supporters and his refusal to compromise on his beliefs. Drawing on his autobiography The Walls, he opens up about his childhood, the pressures of professional football, his struggles with anger, the importance of family and the experiences that have shaped the man behind the headlines. An honest and sometimes uncomfortable conversation about football, identity, loyalty and the price of standing by your convictions. James McClean's autobiography The Walls, published by Sandycove is out now. 📩 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/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: [email protected] 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Sam Trudgill Digital Content Producer: Jasmine Wissart Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global You 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

The turn out of Arab voters in Israel’s election this week was unprecedented - 800 thousand, or 15 percent, of the country went to the polls. Many were driven there to oust Benjamin Netanyahu from power - the man they blame for security failures, inhumane policies, and rising crime. Today, Netanyahu accused them of “stealing the election” and ordered the intelligence agencies to investigate whether Qatari money was boosting the Arab parties. Has he stolen straight from the Trump playbook? Will he disenfranchise the Arab vote? And will he tarnish any party that tries to work with them? It’s all part of a plan to stay in power. Later, how the chancellor ended up in his own Thick of It moment. The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

If the Chancellor wanted to deliver a quiet budget then this was probably it. Even the opposition couldn’t find that many big ticket items to criticise, leaving Kemi Badenoch plaintively asking: "is that it?". Big decisions were delayed through taskforces and spending reviews into next year. Small measures will help small businesses, families with skyrocketing energy bills, the high street, and dads on paternity leave. But broadly this Budget contained tonnes of little things - small measures that won’t make much of a fiscal ripple. Is the Chancellor too hemmed in by Labour's red lines and the reverberations of Trump and Netanyahu's wars to really make a difference? And why is his PM still pushing on the Europe door? We ask Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. Later - Israel has voted, so why don't we know whether Netanyahu is finished or not? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Andy Burnham clearly likes talking about Brexit. This weekend, he said he would welcome an "honest discussion" about the prospect of returning to freedom of movement with the EU. Yesterday, he was reiterating that he'd like to see us rejoining in his lifetime - though insisted that "the public are the bosses". But despite the warm words, it's not actually clear what he's proposing. And, indeed, Downing Street had to come forward to clarify that the PM isn't 'proposing' a return to freedom of movement - or indeed any other particular option - at this stage. Should Burnham be a bit clearer about what outcome he actually wants? Would moving closer to the EU be the easiest way to get some more growth into the economy? Or is there method in the vague position he currently occupies? Later, on the eve of the Budget, Darren Jones - intensely involved in the Budgets of Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves - speaks to Jon and Emily about the challenges ahead for the Treasury, and how Labour can "meet the moment" in a perilous political climate. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It has been a busy weekend of election watching with some stupendous results. In Belgrade, the Russian friendly Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat when a grass roots student movement on an anti corruption platform ended his 12 year hold over Serbia. In Brazil, "Lula's Army" - a ten million strong WhatsApp group - helped the 80-year-old defeat the son of Trump's mate Jair Bolsonaro. What does this mobilisation of the youth vote presage for elections in Israel tomorrow and for the American midterms next week? Is Trump a help or a hindrance to those leaders he vocally supports? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

On January 20 2025 Donald Trump marked the first day of his second term as president by signing an executive order creating a new taskforce: the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Led by Musk, who had spent more than $250m on Trump’s presidential campaign, DOGE was charged with slashing federal spending, cutting government waste and reducing the size of the workforce. This Friday, Lewis is joined by Michael Lewis, bestselling author of The Big Short, Moneyball and The Blind Side, to discuss his latest book, Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State. It takes us inside Elon Musk’s DOGE through the stories of the civil servants who found themselves labelled as “blockers” as they tried to navigate Musk's leadership. So, what happens when the people responsible for keeping government running become the very people standing in the way of those in power? Was DOGE ever really about efficiency? And who protects the Constitution when those sworn to uphold it are pushed aside? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Next week some 7 million Israelis will go to the polls to decide the future of their country and whether to boot out Benjamin Netanyahu - a man who has dominated their country for nearly three decades. It’s the first election since the massacre of October 7th and his destruction of Gaza. Will voters blame him for the terrorism on home soil? Or will they believe him best placed to defend their interests and security? Voters outside of Israel must all return home to vote - we speak to one, Ayala Panievsky, who is leaving tonight, about her hopes for the future. Later, thousands of young protestors on the streets and a hard line response from the police in Tirana. Why is it all kicking off again in Albania? And can it really be traced back to Donald Trump again? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

For more than two decades, Christian Horner was at the heart of Formula 1 — building Red Bull Racing into one of the most dominant teams in the sport, managing world champions and navigating the ruthless politics of the F1 paddock. But behind the victories, rivalries and extraordinary success lies a story far more complicated than the trophies suggest. The former Red Bull Racing team principal joins Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman for an in-depth interview on The Sports Agents ahead of the release of his autobiography Drive. Horner reflects on his remarkable rise through Formula 1, his relationships with the sport’s biggest personalities, the battles fought behind closed doors and the extraordinary events that brought his time at Red Bull to an abrupt and controversial end. From the pressures of leading an F1 powerhouse to the personal cost of life at the very top, this is a rare insight into the power, politics and personalities that shape Formula 1 — from a man who spent 20 years at the centre of it all. Drive by Christian Horner is out now and available to buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1911754785 Christian will be sharing stories from the book at the Cambridge Theatre in London on Monday 26th October. Tickets are available from the venue here: https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/christian-horner/ 📩 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/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: [email protected] 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Sam Trudgill Digital Content Producer: Jasmine Wissart Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global You 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