In The News

For his hosting duties on America 2026, the Irish Times podcast, Paul Howard watched every World Cup single match, even it was on at 4am and featured a no-hoper team in the tournament to make up the numbers.What did he make of England’s loss to Argentina?Why does he think the bloated half-time show featuring Shakira and Justin Bieber, planned for Sunday’s final, highlights just how much Fifa is enthralled to the US; and who will lift the World Cup when the final whistle blows on Sunday, Argentina or Spain?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The body of Jamey Carney, a 43-year-old mother-of-one, was found by her teenage daughter at their home in Killarney last week. The American woman had suffered head injuries and a postmortem confirmed she had died a violent death by suffocation. Gardai traced her partner, Ahmed Al Saqar’s, movements immediately after the killing and found that he left Ireland hours after she was killed, flying to Turkey having taken the night bus from Kerry. He then travelled on to Jordan where he was arrested and is in custody. It is thought the 28-year-old had been in Ireland for two years and had sought asylum before fleeing back to Jordan after the murder. The investigation is a full-scale murder inquiry. Gardaí did not seek Al Saqar’s arrest in his home country, so why was he detained? How long can he be held by Jordanian authorities before he must be released? Ireland and Jordan do not have an extradition treaty so how can Al Saqar be brought back to Ireland? And when?Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains the complex road ahead in this investigation. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former British government minister Ann Widdecombe (78) was found dead at her home in rural southwest England last Thursday with what police described as “serious injuries”. On Friday, local police gave a press conference laying out what they knew noting they did not suspect a political motive for her death. By Monday all that had changed. British counter-terrorism police officers are now leading the investigation. Late on Saturday they arrested a white British man in Rotherham, northern England, on suspicion of her murder. He was then rearrested under anti-terrorism legislation although how a terrorism link was established has yet to be revealed. Widdecombe, as well has being a politician was a British celebrity having appeared on blockbuster TV shows including Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. She was a prominent and active member of Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK, having left the Conservatives after she stood down from ​parliament in 2010.As a socially conservative, devout Catholic, what were her political beliefs and why she was a divisive figure? And with her violent death now being treated as politically motivated, security for UK politicians is under increased scrutiny.Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul reports.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After three days of deliberations, the jury in the inquest into the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe could not reach a verdict. They had sat in court hearing evidence for six months.His death six years ago has been one of the most high-profile cases in Northern Ireland in recent years, with conspiracy theories swirling on social media driving controversy and speculation. How did Noah die? What were the jurors tasked with deciding? How did the PSNI describe their search for the teenager, whose body was found six days after he went missing? And what happens now in an inquest many have repeatedly called “unprecedented”?Seanín Graham, Irish Times Northern correspondent, was at Belfast Coroner’s Court for the verdict.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Online gambling on black-market betting sites is big business. One company, Soft2Bet, which has been licensed in Ireland since 2022, and its related entities received €600 million from dozens of offshore casinos that regulators in Europe had blacklisted or fined.For gamblers using some of these sites, it means few rules apply. Unauthorised betting sites deliberately target people with gambling addictions and ignore local gambling regulations, including age limits to protect young people.While working on an investigation with cross-border journalism group Investigate Europe, Irish Times investigative reporter with The Irish Times, Mark Tighe discovered that Irish authorities granted gambling licences to six companies at the heart of this global network of black-market betting and casino websites.One of the scheme’s newest websites, OnlySpins, a bookmaker and casino with pornographic content targeting Europeans, does not verify whether Irish users are over the age of 18 or provide checks on a customer’s identity.He also discovered that two Irish companies were processing payments for Soft2Bet-linked unlicensed gambling sites operating in Europe.Soft2Bet is led by Ukrainian-Israeli millionaire Uri Poliavich.He joins In the News to explain how this investigation unfolded, what the activities of black market sites mean for vulnerable users and what the Irish authorities had to say.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The details presented in court in the trial of a Dublin man for the killing of Mackenzie Michalski (31) were harrowing. The American nurse was travelling around Europe with friends and was on her last night in Budapest when, on November 4th, 2024, she met the 37-year-old man from Dublin in a bar. Later they went back to his apartment where he killed her. The judge rejected his defence that Mackenzie had died during consensual “rough” sex. Budapest-based journalist Bálint Dömötör has been in court for the trial and the verdict and he explains why, when the man has been found guilty, he still cannot be named.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hard-right leader Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy in France’s 2027 presidential campaign in typically dramatic fashion on French TV this week.It came after an appeal court shortened her sentence for misappropriating European Parliament funds that had previously barred her from running. The court reduced the five-year ban on holding office to 45 months with 30 suspended, meaning that the suspension has already been served.A four-year prison sentence was reduced to two years suspended and one year served outside prison with an electronic bracelet, while imposing a fine of €100,000.Le Pen also announced that she would initiate another appeal, this time to France’s higher Court of Cassation, and that her sentence would not begin until after this final appeal is heard. Pending this appeal she is free to campaign without the electronic tag.If Le Pen’s legal troubles had ruled her out of the presidential race, her party had a backup plan in 30-year-old MEP Jordan Bardella.This will be her fourth run at the presidency. With France moving to the right, has her time finally come? Or will her legal difficulties ultimately mean that the charismatic Bardella will be the National Rally Party’s candidate?Paris-based Irish Times Europe Correspondent Naomi O’Leary explains who Le Pen is and how her campaign will unfold in the coming months.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, George Gibney (77), former Irish Olympic swimming coach, was found guilty of sexually abusing four girls in the 1970s and 1980s.After a two-week trial, the jury found him guilty of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape of children. He will be sentenced at the end of the month.One of Ireland’s most notorious paedophiles, he was extradited from Florida last year where he had escaped justice for decades.Due to reporting restrictions he was referred to as “sports coach” but as soon as the guilty verdict was announced, he could be named.So why did he plead guilty to five of the charges? What defence was put forward? What has his demeanour in court? And what does this guilty verdict mean after so long for the victims.Court reporter Isabel Hayes explains how the case unfolded in court and Gibney’s reaction to the verdict.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in March 2026. Clifton Collins (55) had a thriving business growing cannabis in rented houses around the country.The Crumlin man and expert beekeeper was known for his award-winning honey but his real earner was the fortune he made from years of dealing drugs.He operated under the radar so when gardaí came across him parked in the Wicklow Mountains one night, they had no idea their search would eventually result in of the most lucrative seizures in the history of the Criminal Assets Bureau.Collins had amassed 6,000 bitcoin around 2010. The problem for the Garda was they didn’t know the code to unlock the wallets; it was, Collins said, lost.His bitcoin stash had by 2026 rocketed in value to €360 million.Seven years after gardaí seized the wallets they have finally been able to open one of them and have released €30 million. There are 11 more wallets to be opened.Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains the background to this extraordinary case.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a visit to Dublin last week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy briefly burst the upbeat mood of the EU presidency party by criticising companies based in European countries that continue to supply essential materials to Russia’s military forces. He didn’t need to name the company that was on his mind; all present in Dublin Castle, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, knew he was referring to Limerick-based Aughinish Alumina.In March, Irish Times investigative reporter Conor Gallagher revealed that the Russian-owned plant exports vast amounts of alumina, the raw material for aluminium, which ends up in a supply chain that supplies Russia’s military industry. Since then the pressure has been on the Government who make hard decisions about the alumina plant. Gallagher, who worked with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) on the investigation, explains the reaction to his report, from publication in March to Zelenskiy‘s comments.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the next 15 years an additional 400 pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists will be killed on European roads because of the increased average car size.The figure is based on projections using data from Eurostat and the UK department of transport. Research by the Transport & Environment (T & E) think tank suggests that those road death figures could be significantly higher.After 25 years of relentless growth, our roads are increasingly dominated by huge SUVs that pose a physical danger to everyone else.And bigger cars means less space on the roads and in car parks. Big vehicles, such as SUVs and pick-up strucks, simply don’t fit parking spaces that were designed for a different, smaller car, age.So why are SUVs so deadly for other road users? And why, even when they are made aware of the dangers their large vehicles pose for other road users, do drivers still choose them anyway?Irish Times motoring contributor Neil Briscoe reports.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland was on the fringe of the heat dome that seared much of Europe for several days late last month.In some parts of the country temperatures exceeded an uncomfortable 32 degrees and the hot spell ended with unseasonable thunderstorms and hail showers.Why is this happening?Climate scientists have recently warned that El Niño would impact temperatures in Europe this year, so is that why two heatwaves arrived in June, one delivering record-breaking temperatures?The June event was called a “heat dome” but what is that and what causes it?Another intense heatwave is forecast for Europe, beginning on July 5th.Recording-breaking temperatures are produced by climate change and they are something scientists have warned about for decades. So why is Ireland so behind in implementing policies that would help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.Caroline O’Doherty, the climate and science correspondent with The Irish Times, explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Riad Bouchaker (52), an Algerian native, has been found guilty of the attempted murder of two girls and a boy, as well as a further charge of assault causing serious harm to a childcare worker and three charges of assault causing harm. During the trial Eoin Reynolds talked to Bernice Harrison about evidence the jury heard.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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For the six men and one woman trafficked to Donegal by Georgijs Poniza and Armen Pogosyan, life was unimaginably harsh.They worked long, gruelling hours, lived together in dire conditions, rummaging in public bins for food and walking up to 30km to get to work. When they stepped out of line they were subject to abuse including physical violence.]In the nearly three years they spent in modern slavery in Ireland, the seven victims, all Latvians, earned about €750,000 but as their bank accounts were controlled, they saw a tiny fraction of that.This month in a first conviction of its kind in the State, Poniza and Pogosyan, who were long-time residents in Ireland, were jailed for a total of 24 years for human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.So how did the operation work? Why in a small community in Donegal did no one notice anything? And how were the traffickers caught?Chris McNulty, a journalist with Donegal Daily, has been following the case and was in court for the sentencing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American businessman Jason Cardiff has lived in Ireland with his wife and daughter since 2022.For anyone who has followed him on Facebook, he has been living a life of considerable luxury. The house is on Highfield Road, one of Dublin 6’s most expensive roads, and parked outside is a Bentley.His followers have seen posts showing him golfing in Ireland, travelling to Austria for ski trips as well as attending the local church fete in June.But last week his past came back to haunt him when at 8am he was arrested at home and brought to the High Court. The move by the Garda was on foot of extradition proceedings instigated by the US Department of Justice, which has charged him with fraud involving a homeopathic medicine company, identity theft and witness tampering. He denies all charges.So what are the charges? Why did Cardiff and his family leave the US? How did he get an Irish passport? And why does did he expect the Trump administration to come to his rescue?Mark Tighe, Irish Times senior investigative reporter, talked to Cardiff in the days before his arrest.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the morning of June 14th last year, Reykjavik police were called to the luxury 5-star Edition Hotel where the bodies of Emeric Mancel and his adult daughter Catherine were found, along with a wounded Ming Ting Mancel.They had travelled from their home in Dublin for what looked like a weeklong holiday for the reclusive family, but now appears to have been a carefully planned suicide pact.She is now on trial at the Reykjavik District Court, accused of killing her daughter Catherine, in collaboration with her husband Emeric.Little was known about the family’s life in Dublin before the trial, but details presented to the court give a clearer picture of how this unusual family lived before taking that fateful trip.Reykjavik-based Irish journalist Karen McHugh explored the details of the case in a previous episode of In the News and she has been in court this week covering the trial.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.If you require support for any of the issues discussed in this episode, you can contact the Samaritans on freephone 116 123 or text HELLO to 50808. And Pieta on 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444. Or visit yourmentalhealth.ie  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The beauty industry has found a new audience: children. And it is using other children online – so-called “child skinfluencers” – to promote all kinds of skincare products.Research by The Guardian’s consumer affairs reporter Sarah Marsh found teenage girls on TikTok, as well as Instagram and YouTube, showing their skincare routines, some having become “ambassadors” for major brands.Some will be using products from a new and lucrative market segment – skincare produced for children – others might be demonstrating to other 10 or 12 year-olds the anti-ageing powers of retinols and strong serums.As the phenomenon grows, dermatologists are expressing concern about harsh chemicals damaging delicate young skin, but parents and guardians are also worried that children are being convinced that their skin needs something it almost certainly does not, with all the implications for self-esteem and body image that carries.And there are concerns at official level with the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) investigating two beauty brands over the use of young influencers to market skincare to children.So where is this all going? And how damaging is this form of marketing, to the young girls who are served it daily on one their social feeds, and the children involved in its marketing?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair, with research by Ellen Clusker.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Newly-elected Labour MP Andy Burnham has made no secret of his ambitions to become the next UK prime minister. Now, it looks as though his time has come.Keir Starmer’s announcement on Monday morning that he is to step down as prime minister paves the way for a leadership contest in the Labour Party, with the leadership of the country the automatic prize.Starmer has said he would stay on until September but unless a strong candidate emerges to go up against Burnham, the new occupant of Number 10 Downing Street could be named as early as mid-July.Where did it go so wrong for Starmer and so right for Burnham? His nickname is the King of the North, but he’s also been called Captain Flipflop, so what does Burnham stand for?And why is Britain’s political system so unstable that the country is now facing into its seventh prime minister in just 10 years.Irish Times London editor Mark Paul was at Downing Street on Monday as Starmer stood at the much-used podium, bowed to the inevitable and made his sometimes emotional announcement.He explains what led to this moment and what will happen next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of all 18 child sex abuse charges against him, including rape. His wife Eleanor was also found by the jury to have aided and abetted him, but she was not convicted due to inability to stand trial. The outcome of the trial hinged on whether the jury believed Donaldson or his two victims. Freya McClements explains how the jurors may have been convinced of Donaldson's guilt, what happened when the verdict was delivered and how religion, faith and forgiveness were major themes of the case. Plus, Mark Hennessy looks back on Donaldson's rise and fall and how his conviction could affect the DUP and unionism more broadly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new landmark study followed 4,000 primary school children, tracking everything from their education attainment to their wellbeing as they progressed through the school system.The Children’s School Lives study tracked the children from 2019 to 2023. As it coincided with the Covid lockdown years, it revealed a wealth of data, some of it seriously troubling and challenging for policymakers.The longitudinal study was commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and conducted by the UCD School of Education.Irish Times education correspondent Niamh Towey delved into the details.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Late on a quiet Sunday night in May, gardaí in Limerick arrived on the scene of what they expected would be a routine call-out to a road traffic incident.Instead they were met with an extraordinary scene.In one of the damaged cars they found a dead man on the back seat. He was wearing a balaclava and there was a loaded pistol at his feet. The driver of the anonymous looking Seat Leon had escaped, leaving his phone behind.The Garda quickly established that the dead man was a Swedish hitman and the pair were in Limerick for a contract killing. They were just minutes from their victim.But who was the target? Has there been a resurgence in the deadly feuding that blighted Limerick for years? Where is the hitman who fled the scene and why has the manhunt for him been so muted?Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally reports on the latest in this most unusual case.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 2023, a group of primary schoolchildren were lined up by the railings outside their school in Dublin city centre, ready to be brought to after-school care. As their minder bent down to close the coat of one of the children, a man launched a vicious knife attack on the children.The alleged assailant was arrested at the scene and the trial of Riad Bouchaker (52), an Algerian native, is now under way.He is charged with attempted murder of two girls and a boy, as well as a further charge of assault causing serious harm to a childcare worker and three charges of assault causing harm. He denies all charges.Eoin Reynolds reports from the court, where the jury has heard harrowing testimony from the parents of some of the victims, witnesses and those who attempted to stop the knife attack.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Terence McKeever left his home in Ballsbridge in Dublin shortly after 6.30am on June 16th, 1986. His daily commute in his distinctive bronze-coloured BMW took him to work in his family’s electrical services firm in Armagh. But on that day, he never arrived.His body was found dumped in a river following an anonymous phone-call to the RUC in south Armagh at 10.45am.The IRA took responsibility for the murder of the young businessman, saying he had been killed because his company, McKeever Brothers, did work for the British security services. It also warned contractors doing similar work that they had 24 hours to stop if they wanted to avoid a similar fate.An investigation on both sides of the Border was launched but it was hampered by the loss of key evidence.Forty years later, Terence’s sister Karen is still searching for answers to her brother’s murder.Irish Times Ireland and Britain editor Mark Hennessy traces the story of the brutal killing. He explains the failures in the investigation and the questions police on both sides of the Border have still to answer.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Carlos Barragán discovered his mother was the victim of romance fraud, he flew to Lagos to find the con man – and found the Yahoo Boys, young men whose job it is to rip off westerners. The name comes from the old email platform, first used by the Nigerian scammers decades ago.His mother, Silvia, had fallen in love online with flirtatious, sincere, handsome Brian; she bought rings, planned a future and was convinced that they would one day live together – when he was free to travel to Spain.Her sons though, suspected something sinister was afoot, especially when “Brian” started to make financial demands.Over the course of three years Carlos, a journalist, visited Nigeria multiple times to see the Yahoo Boys in action and to try to understand why this particularly cruel, exploitative form of online fraud has become such an earner for so many young men in Lagos. He also discovered a romance scam involving an Irish woman.His compelling book, The Yahoo Boys: Real Life with the Love Scammers of Lagos by Carlos Barragán is published this week.He talks about the experience on In the News.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As World Cup 2026 kicks off, Gianni Infantino’s grip on international football is total.Infantino was brought in to clean up Fifa’s image after the murky Sepp Blatter years, to restore transparency and boost the game globally.But if Fifa thought it was getting a self-effacing, legally trained bureaucrat who would stay in the background, it was very wrong. Now after 10 years at the helm, he is Fifa.So how has he dealt with the many complex controversies surrounding the tournament? Why is it the biggest ever World Cup, spread over three countries? How can he be a friend to all, at all times, from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin? And how long will Infantino stay president of world football?Irish Times sports correspondent Gavin Cooney discusses his rise to the top of the international game.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeffrey Donaldson took the stand in Newry Crown Court on Thursday at his trial on charges of historical child sex abuse.It was the 13th day of the trial, and he was questioned by the defence barrister about the specific allegations made by the two complainants.The former DUP leader told the jury that he does not accept any allegations that he sexually abused two women while they were children. He did admit infidelity; that he had had an affair with a woman in London nearly 20 years ago. That was in the morning.Then in the afternoon the prosecution began its cross-examination, and that will continue on Friday and perhaps into next week.So what did he say when the 18 charges were put to him? And what next for this trial?Irish Times Northern eEditor Freya McClements was in court for Donaldson’s testimony.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abusers convicted of serious domestic violence will have their names included on a publicly available register under a new law designed to allow those with concerns to check whether their partner has a violent past.The proposed legislation will be known as Jennie’s Law in honour of Jennifer Poole, a 24-year-old mother of two who was murdered by her former partner Gavin Murphy in 2021. Poole did not know he had a history of abusive behaviour, including a conviction for assaulting a former partner.The Poole family believe that had Jennifer known about Murphy’s previous convictions she might still be alive. They have campaigned for the new register since her murder.So how will it work? What offences will be covered? What information will be on the register? And are there any unintended consequences for such a register – particularly for victims?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The event that sparked the racist riots in Belfast on Tuesday evening happened on Monday night in the north of the city. A Sudanese man, named in court as Hadi Alodid, is alleged to have brutally assaulted Stephen Ogilvie in a street knife attack that was filmed by a bystander. Ogilvie lost an eye and is in hospital with other serious injuries. The 30-year-old Alodid has now been charged with knife crimes and attempted murder and is remanded in custody for four weeks. So how extensive was the damage in the city? What role did anti-immigrant agitators, including from outside Ireland, play in the riots? What has been the official response? And is the city set for more nights of rioting? Irish Times audio producer Andrew McNair lives in Belfast and saw first-hand the damage caused by the rioters. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 24-year sentence handed down to Sean McGovern in the Special Criminal Court prompted gasps in the packed courtroom.It will also have sent shock waves through organised crime in Ireland and all the way to the Dubai prison where Daniel Kinahan is awaiting extradition back to Ireland and an appointment in the same court.McGovern was a senior Kinahan cartel figure, formerly based in Dubai before his extradition in 2024, and his jail term is among the longest gangland prison terms.He was convicted of directing the murder of Noel Kirwan and the attempted murder of James “Mago” Gately. The evidence against him – including incriminating conversations with other gang members on phones they believed to be deeply encrypted – prompted his guilty plea.So how did the judge explain the 24-year sentence? And what does this mean for the Kinahan cartel? Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains.Also last month, Lally came into the In the News studio and, in the episode “Nobody is Stopping Until They Are All Dead”, explained the background to this case and how the Garda built their evidence through a mixture of sophisticated data mining and old-style policing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the past 18 months, Dublin City Council has been keeping track of a worrying trend: an increase in the number of vacant council houses being targeted in racist attacks. The criminal damage, which happens just before the council moves a new tenant in, ranges from racist graffiti to making the house uninhabitable.So where is this happening? And what can be done to stop it?Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains what’s behind the recent surge in these attacks, and the reaction from local communities.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naomi James (38) was pregnant with her fourth child when, disillusioned with Ireland's maternity services, she chose to give birth at home without medical assistance.Shortly after her baby was born at home in Drogheda in June 2024, she became ill and was taken to hospital, where she died.Naomi was just one of an unknown but growing number of women in Ireland who opt for a free birth, – to have their babies without a midwife or doctor present.Such is the concern over free births that the State’s directors of midwifery have warned the HSE that such births are linked with “perinatal and maternal mortality and severe morbidity”.So what is driving this choice? How are home births different from free births? What role do online free birth influencers play in this dangerous movement? And how has Naomi’s family coped since her tragic death?Irish Times reporter Ellen Coyne investigated free births in Ireland, and the people advocating them.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A summit in Portugal last weekend laid bare the growth in a pan-European remigration movement, with speakers who ranged from an MEP to Greg Bovino, a former US border patrol official who, before retiring, became the public face of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in US cities.The term means deporting not just illegal immigrants but all people judged to be unassimilated in western society, including citizens and the children of non-white immigrants.In Ireland, the push for remigration is being led primarily by the National Party and its members Keith O’Brien (who goes by the name Keith Woods) and James Reynolds attended the event which took place behind tall gates and amid tight security.The Irish Times gained access to the summit to see activists and elected representatives from across Europe, many of whom have close links to neo-Nazi groups, being cheered by delegates.Critics say remigration is essentially a sanitised way of describing state-sanctioned ethnic cleansing. So does this represent a new phase in far-right activity in Ireland?Irish Times investigative reporter Conor Gallagher, who has been tracking far-right groups in Ireland, reports.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An assessment of need (AON) helps put children with a disability on a service pathway. But the waiting list is long and growing every year. It currently stands at 21,782 which means some children will wait years for diagnosis.To speed up the process and deal with the stubbornly long waiting list, the government has announced details of a new “autism assessment and intervention pathway protocol”.How will the new protocol work? Who will conduct the assessments?Several stakeholders say no, but who are they and what are their issues with a plan intended to shorten waiting lists?Social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland explains the new protocol, and the growing backlash against it.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair and Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has firmed up its forecast for a return of El Niño this summer, increasing the risk of record-breaking heat and extreme weather events starting in June and lasting until at least November.Such is the threatened power of this weather pattern, it’s been called a super El Niño. What happens when temperatures soar and the heat is simply too much, impacting our health and ability to go about our daily lives? And what about flooding? And wildfires?That’s the sort of temperature level promised by El Niño. So what will it mean for Ireland?Why, in a country where weather is the number one topic of conversation, are we so poorly prepared for extremes?Caroline O’Doherty is the Climate and Science Correspondent with The Irish Times and she explains why a rise in sea temperatures in the tropical Pacific this summer could have such a massive impact on Irish weather.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Isak Andic, who created the Mango clothes brand, died from a fall while our hiking with his only son, Jonathan, in the mountains outside Barcelona, it was treated as a tragic accident.But for the Spanish police, something about events on that hiking trail in December 2024 just didn’t add up.First there were inconsistencies in Jonathan’s police statements. Then forensics found evidence that suggested something more sinister may have happened to the 71-year-old billionaire.In May, in a move that created shock and headlines in Spain, Jonathan was arrested in connection with his 71-year-old father’s death.He has been released from custody having posted €1 million in bail. But what happens now? Will the case go to trial to decide if the fashion mogul’s death was an accident or murder?Madrid-based reporter Guy Hedgecoe has been following the story.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there such a thing as “summer on a plate”? What makes a great seasonal dish? And where is the best restaurant in Ireland for a memorable staycation night out?These were some of the factors Irish Times restaurant reviewer Corinna Hardgrave and food writer Joanne Cronin had to consider when they come up with their annual must-keep list: “100 great restaurants, cafes and places to eat around Ireland for summer 2026″.It appeared in The Irish Times Saturday magazine and is available now online.They came into studio to give the run down on the list and how restaurants are navigating a challenging time to do business. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trial of Jeffrey Donaldson began on Wednesday with the jury warned they would hear about “difficult and traumatic incidents” the two alleged victims claim they experienced as children.By the end of the second day, Thursday, they had heard more of the substance of those alleged incidents, including watching a video of a police interview with the witness known as Complainant A.She and the other witness, Complainant B, allege sexual abuse by Donaldson when they were children.The jury heard how Donaldson wrote to Complainant A, saying he regretted “all the hurt, pain and distress” he had caused. The former DUP leader, one of Northern Ireland’s most high-profile politicians, is accused of 18 offences – one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 counts of indecent assault – between 1987 and 2008. The 63-year-old denies all charges.Eleanor Donaldson (60), who has been judged medically unfit to stand trial, is charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the charges. She denies the charges.Irish Times Northern Editor Freya McClements is reporting from Newry Crown Court. She tells Bernice Harrison about what the jury has heard so far, how Donaldson's defence lawyer questioned Complainant A, and what comes next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aggressive driver behaviour, speeding, poor cycling infrastructure and the increased size of vehicles are deterring women from getting on their bikes, research by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has found.Most women in Ireland can cycle and have access to a bike, but are only half as likely as men to choose cycling as a mode of travel, according to the Empowering Women to Cycle report.And all those jibes about women being worried about “helmet hair”? They don’t hold up in the research.Half those surveyed said unsafe roads were a barrier to cycling. And then there was the fear of being on the receiving end of verbal abuse from drivers.So what has to change to encourage women to cycle?Irish Times Dublin editor and daily cyclist Olivia Kelly explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair with additional research by Ellen Clusker.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just a few years ago Meta’s workforce in Ireland was about 3,000. When the newly announced round of job cuts are complete, the tech giant’s headcount at its Irish bases will be halved.The reasons for the job losses – the cuts are part of a global redundancy programme – have not been made public but AI is widely acknowledged as a driver. But how?And Meta isn’t the only company shedding jobs. The Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp owner joins a list that incudes Amazon, Oracle and Covalen with several tech giants with major footprints in Ireland expected to follow.In a country which depends so much on global tech giants to prop up the economy, it's a worrying prospect. But is the IMF right in its pessimism about how AI is going to impact the Irish economy?Irish Times economics columnist Cliff Taylor explains the AI effect.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the junior infants in St Joseph’s Primary School in Dundalk, Co Louth want to know something they can ask AI.An AI voice assistant named Merlyn will tell them the answer, type it on a digital whiteboard with photos and illustrations and prompt them to delve deeper into the subject.Every class is being taught how to use AI because St Joseph’s is taking part in a Merlyn AI pilot programme alongside 48 schools across Ireland.It’s easy to see why getting its technology into Irish schools could lead to a big financial win for Merlyn Origin, the US tech company behind Merlin, if it can ultimately persuade the Department of Education to adopt its technology for all schools. But what’s in it for the students? How can pupils be prepared for an AI driven world? Do teachers have the training to guide pupils in the use of AI. And how is AI impacting on education, particularly at senior cycle?Irish Times education correspondent Niamh Towey explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeffrey Donaldson (63) was arrested and charged with sexual offences in March 2024. The former DUP leader and MP is accused of 18 offences – one count of rape, four of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 of indecent assault on a female, on dates between 1987 and 2008.His wife Eleanor Donaldson (60), is charged with aiding and abetting her husband but she has been judged to be unfit to stand trial and will instead face a trial of the facts.Why was the trial, which was originally due to begin in March 2025, postponed twice? And how will the court case unfold following jury selection in Newry on Tuesday?Freya McClements, Northern Editor of The Irish Times, explains the case and the delay.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RTÉ’s announcement that the salary of Derek Mooney, one of its most well-known on-air staffers, had been publicly misrepresented for years sparked a very public controversy.It prompted debate in the Dáil and an appearance for the broadcaster’s director general Kevin Bakhurst before the Oireachtas media committee.At issue was how pay is calculated in the organisation, with the suspicion that, once again, when it comes to how the “talent” is being remunerated, the public are not being told the full story.And with the DG before it, the committee took the chance to talk about other presenters and their pay, including Oliver Callan and the late Sean Rocks.So what did we learn from the weeklong controversy that once again put the spotlight on RTÉ.Irish Times media columnist Hugh Linehan explains what this latest controversy means and why it differs from others that have gone before.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When two TDs left for bigger gigs last year it triggered elections to fill their places.Fine Gael’s Pascal Donohoe left for a big job at the World Bank and Independent TD Catherine Connolly left for a bigger job in Áras an Uachtaráin.Voters tomorrow will be faced with long ballot papers but the Irish Times IPSOS B&A poll suggests the early emergence of a small number of clear favourites in both constituencies.But who are? How did the candidates perform in the last week of canvassing? And will the Government have a bad day at the polls?Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy gives his take on what’s happening in these two large constituencies and predicts who will win.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Friday at about 5pm, Yves Sakila(35) was pursued by security guards on Dublin’s Henry Street. He was suspected of shoplifting. As he ran down the street, it is believed he collided with an elderly man.What happened next was witnessed by several bystanders and by thousands of others because of a distressing video posted on social media. It shows the Congolese man’s last minutes as he lay face down restrained by several security men.When gardaì arrived on the scene, Sakila had been held on the ground for at least five minutes. The injured man, in his 80s, was also on the ground a few metres away.Both were taken to hospital where Sakila was pronounced dead and the older man was operated on.So what happened? The incident is being investigated by both the Garda and by Fiosrú, the police ombudsman. How will these investigations proceed? Sakila had lived in Ireland since he was a teenager, what else is known about him?Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was first published in February 2026. On the night of his second birthday in May 1991, Seamus Daniel Howell’s mother Lesley was murdered by his father, Colin Howell, and his father’s lover, Hazel Stewart.The pair also killed Stewart’s husband Trevor Buchanan.They left the two bodies in a garage in Castlerock, Co Derry, staging the scene to make it look as if they had taken their own lives.The pair had committed the perfect murder so they could be together. And they had got away with it.That is until 2009 when Colin Howell, a respected dentist and devout evangelical Christian, walked into a police station out of the blue and confessed to the killings. He and Stewart were convicted of the murders and jailed for a minimum of 21 years and 18 years respectively.Seamus grew up being told that his mother had killed herself, until the truth came out. By then he was a medical student in England. Now a doctor in New York he tells In the News what it was like growing up in the Howell house and how his discovered that his father was a murderer. He explains how it impacted on his life, and how it has made him acutely aware of injustice which now for him includes advocating for Palestine.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Betting on the results of an election is not unusual but Polymarket is not a typical bookies. It allows punters to take and then change their position on all manner of events, from when the Strait of Hormuz might open to whether Taylor Swift will be pregnant before she gets married.So when Irish Times investigative reporters Conor Gallagher and Rachel Lavin noticed almost €1 million had been wagered on the upcoming Dublin Central byelection on Polymarket, it raised enough red flags for him to delve deeper.Bets on Gerry Hutch accounted for the bulk of the spend by punters. And while the amount of money involved is significant, it was the activity of the Polymarket users once they’d placed the bets that was unusual. And where did all this money come from?Gallagher explains how Polymarket works, why the Dublin Central byelection has proved such a magnet and what experts say the activity around the bets on Hutch point to.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday night for a two-day visit that both the United States and China hope will stabilise their relationship and prolong a truce in the trade war that began over tariffs last year. The state visit – with all the pomp and ceremony that entails – had been scheduled for April but was deferred because of the war in Iran. There is a lot on the table and, in the shorthand favoured by analysts, they are: the three Ts (Taiwan and Tehran and trade) and the three Bs (beans, Boeing and beef). On day one, Trump flattered Xi Jinping but was that reciprocated? And what about the two superpower’s key interests outside trade and tariffs: Trump wants China to help open the Strait of Hormuz; Xi considers Taiwan as the most important issue in the relationship between China and the United States? Is the fact that the meeting happened at all the real win for the two countries following a period of fraught relations.Irish Times China correspondent Denis Staunton is in Beijing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Dubliners first saw the multi-tiered, gleaming white, iron and glass shopping centre on St Stephen’s Green in the late 1980s, it was quickly nicknamed “the Mississippi showboat” and “the wedding cake”. And in a city that prides itself on its Georgian heritage and its historic buildings, it was seen by some as kitsch, an architectural pastiche and a bit embarrassing. But it grew on others. Now that plans have been approved by Dublin City Council to knock the shopping centre and replace it with a new scheme, a campaign has begun to save the centre.So what is planned to replace it? Why are objectors so against it? And why do so many people have a new appreciation for this “historic” building?Dublin editor Olivia Kelly isn’t one to sit on the fence when it comes to how the city is shaping up and she explains her reservations about the plans.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British prime minister Keir Starmer is clinging to power after scores of Labour MPs – and several ministers – called on him to resign or at least plot a clear path for a change in leadership.The immediate prompt is the collapse of the Labour vote during the local elections which saw more than 1,500 councillors lose their seats.Add the party’s losses at the devolved elections in Scotland and Wales and the turnaround in Labour’s fortunes since its landslide general election win couldn’t be more stark.But do the roots of dissatisfaction with the solid, steady and uncharismatic Starmer, and the party, go much deeper than a few bad days at the polls?And while he says he is going nowhere and that he will stay and fight Reform UK for “the soul of Britain”, is his position really tenable? Is there a contender in the wings, waiting for the chance to oust him from Number 10, someone who would be more popular with Labour voters?Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul reflects on a dramatic day in Westminster.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.