In The News

This month the European Commission launched their new ‘Fit for 55’ package, the latest instalment of the European Green Deal, which sets out a plan to reduce carbon emissions by 55% over the next nine years. The package was announced just days before widespread flooding wreaked havoc across parts of central Europe, leaving more than 200 dead and thousands unable to return to their homes. Extreme weather events linked to climate change are increasing in frequency and the pressure is on political leaders to take action. If the new plan is successful, the EU will reach climate neutrality by the middle of the century. But is it realistic for Europe to believe it can reach these targets in less than a decade and how difficult will it be for individual member states to agree on the measures? Guests: Derek Scally, Naomi O'Leary and Lara Marlowe. Hosted by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan. Opening music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, an infamous Eritrean human trafficker was sentenced to life in prison without parole in absentia in Ethiopia. Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, known as Kidane, who absconded from custody in February, oversaw an extensive smuggling operation in Libya where he is alleged to have extorted money from thousands of victims as they attempted to make their way to Europe. Sally Hayden has reported on the 21st century slave trade on Europe’s doorstep for The Irish Times for a number of years, interviewing victims of Kidane and his associate knows as “Walid”. She talks to Conor Pope about the horrors of the North African smuggling trade and why she felt it was important to report on this story.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Opening music by Hugh Rodgers.www.irishtimes.com/podcasts   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By removing practically all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has gambled that the resulting wave of infection will be bearable and that voters will find the end result was worth it. But pitfalls on his short cut out of the pandemic are already appearing. Denis Staunton explains what's going on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lot of us have experienced it at least once by now: a fraudulent call from someone claiming to work for the Gardaí or the Department of Social Protection, looking for personal details. But how do these scams work? We hear a conversation with one of the scammers that takes an unexpected turn. A victim of phone fraud tells a story that shows why the tech-savvy among us aren't immune. And an expert explains what the scammers are up to and how we might someday bring an end to them.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this month, former European Council president Donald Tusk was elected head of Poland's Civic Platform, the opposition party he co-founded 20 years ago. Mr Tusk said he was returning to politics in his home country, where he was prime minister from 2007-2014, in order to help fight the “evil” of the ruling right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party. Since it took power in 2015, PiS has introduced controversial reforms to the judiciary, clamped down on LGBTQ+ rights and essentially outlawed abortion. Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally, who regularly writes about Poland, talks to Sorcha Pollak about these reforms and how they are reshaping Polish society.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Opening music by Hugh Rodgers.www.irishtimes.com/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel, a young student nurse from Dublin, was just twenty years old, when her mother Sam began to notice the first signs of an eating disorder. Six years on, after multiple hospitalisations and ten months spent in a specialised unit in London, Sam is still struggling to get Rachel the help she needs. The mother of five, shares her story and the impact the lack of specialist services in Ireland is having on patients and their families. Also, Social Affairs correspondent Kitty Holland tells her personal experience of living with an eating disorder.Cared Ireland can be reached at [email protected] can be contacted at 01-2107906 or [email protected] by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Opening music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish MEPs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly were recently formally sanctioned by the European Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group for what were deemed to be unofficial election observation trips in Venezuela and Ecuador. In a statement, Daly and Wallace rejected the rebuke and said they will be challenging it. But their censure by the European Parliament comes amid increasing discomfort with the pair’s foreign policy positions including within their own Left group, where they were recently accused by a Dutch MEP of echoing pro-Putin talking points.The Irish Times Europe correspondent Naomi O’Reilly talks to Conor Pope about the background to this story.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Music by Hugh Rodgers.www.irishtimes.com/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In April, US president Joe Biden announced all remaining troops in Afghanistan would be withdrawn, ending what he described as “America's longest war”. However, what will the US departure mean for the people of Afghanistan and the future of their country? With Taliban insurgents stepping up attacks on the Afghan government, a new wave of violence is leading to concerns of civil war. In this episode, Sorcha Pollak speaks to historian and former military advisor Dr Carter Malkasian and Afghan human rights activist Horia Mosadiq.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amazon, the company founded by Jeff Bezos in a Seattle garage more than a quarter of a century ago, is building one of its massive fulfilment centres in Ireland. While that will mean faster deliveries, easier returns and greater choice for Irish customers, the arrival of an amazon.ie is not without its dark sides. In this episode, Conor Pope talks to US journalist and author Alec MacGillis, who has been documenting the growth of Amazon, about what it takes – or what it costs – to work in one of the online retail giant’s warehouses.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Presented by Conor Pope.Music by Hugh Rodgers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Thursday, on July 8th, voters in Dublin Bay South will cast their votes in a byelection widely seen as the first major electoral test for the coalition Government. Fine Gael's James Geoghegan is currently in the lead based on Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll results. But the survey, carried out over the weekend, also shows Labour's Ivana Bacik may still be in with a chance of taking the seat. Sorcha Pollak talks to The Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy about the race for the Dublin Bay South seat, the main issues dominating the debate and the national significance of next week's vote. Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Presented by Sorcha Pollak.Music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was confronted by other EU leaders about a new law that prohibits the promotion of homosexuality to under-18s, with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte going as far as to tell Orban that Hungary should leave the EU. But what can the EU actually do about this discriminatory law? Naomi O'Leary is Europe correspondent for The Irish Times.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Presented by Conor PopeMusic by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is Jeffrey Donaldson, the new leader of Northern Ireland's troubled Democratic Unionist Party? What are the challenges he faces? How did former leader Edwin Poots get it so badly wrong, losing power after just 21 days in the job, and why is the Irish language such a thorny issue in the politics of the North? Conor Pope talks to Northern Correspondent Freya McClements, who says the DUP faces an uphill battle to remain Northern Ireland's most powerful political party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public health officials in Ireland appear optimistic about the progress of the Covid-19 pandemic, with indicators moving in the right direction and the dangerous Delta variant seemingly under control. But just how much of a “black cloud” does the variant represent? Conor Pope talks to The Irish Times health editor Paul Cullen.Presented by Conor PopeProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Donald Trump's relevance fading? At this week's summit between US president Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin, his presence was felt and his name was mentioned more than once. Back home, he is less and less a part of the national conversation. Yet his influence in the Republican Party remains extremely strong. Is there any sign of that changing? Suzanne Lynch is our Washington Correspondent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, busloads of people travelled from Donegal and Mayo to protest outside Dublin’s Convention Centre calling for increased financial supports for homeowners affected by mica.Estimates vary, but up to 5,000 homes are thought to be affected by cracking and crumbling due to the defective concrete blocks.Mica Action Group campaigner, Eileen Doherty, whose own house in Donegal will have to be demolished as a result of mica, talks to Conor Pope about why people are protesting and what they want from the Government.Also in this episode, Irish Times political correspondent Jennifer Bray on the political reaction to the demands of the mica protestors. Presented by Conor PopeProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last June, thousands of young Irish people took to the streets of Dublin calling for an end to racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd in the US city of Minneapolis on May 25th 2020.Amanda Adé is the co-presenter of the Black and Irish podcast. After the death of George Floyd, she spoke out publicly about racism in Ireland. On today's podcast, she talks to Sorcha Pollak about how the conversation about race in Ireland has changed in the past year. Also in this episode, assistant professor of law at Dublin City University, Bashir Otukoya, on why more needs to be done at a policy level to tackle racism in this country.Presented by Sorcha PollakProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Football writer and broadcaster Ken Early speaks to Sorcha Pollak about why football players are "taking the knee", why some fans are choosing to boo them for doing so, what the dynamic means for the European Championships and whether it will continue beyond the Euros. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Northern Ireland, Unionism has been in an unhappy place since the turn of the year, when the Northern Ireland protocol, the part of the the Brexit deal that creates a customs border in the Irish Sea, was implemented. Now Unionism's main party, the Democratic Unionist Party, is in political turmoil after a change in leadership left many of its membership angry and alienated. With an election less than a year away, and with a real possibility of Sinn Féin becoming the largest party at that election, can the DUP under new leader Edwin Poots come together to save the Union - or do its problems run too deep? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In early 2018 things started to unravel for Ireland’s scouting movement. For decades it had stood as a paragon of honour and wholesome positivity but then sex abuse scandals and grave concerns about the management of the organisation saw it facing an existential threat like never before.First there was a stark report written by child protection expert Ian Elliott which pulled no punches in making it clear that Scouting Ireland’s dysfunctional approach to child protection had put the organisation at risk of “extinction”.The approach to safeguarding policy from some senior figures was “reckless and inappropriate” and its handling of a rape allegation involving two adult volunteers, was described as “deeply flawed”.Irish Times reporter Jack Power broke the story in late February 2018, after which leading figures stepped aside before, ultimately, being expelled.This initial controversy would eventually lead to revelations of major historical child sexual abuse involving Scouting Ireland’s two predecessor bodies: the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI) and Scout Association of Ireland.Most recently Power reported that an organised “clique” of child abusers operated at high levels in the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI), sharing knowledge with each other and in some cases providing children for others in the group to molest.On today's podcast, Power talks to Conor Pope about the abuse scandal at Scouting Ireland and where the organisation can go now, as it seeks to unshackle itself from a troubled and troubling past and look towards a brighter future.In the News is presented by reporters Sorcha Pollak and Conor Pope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A steady stream of false information has been a part of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many conspiracy theories emerging around the existence of the virus, whether it poses a real risk to health, and the safety of vaccines. But where are these false claims about the virus and vaccines coming from and why do people believe them? Is there a large, coordinated network behind the spread of this false information or are these just individuals acting on their own? And as the pandemic subsides, what comes next? Irish Times crime correspondent Conor Gallagher, who has been tracking the spread of false information over the past year, explains on today's podcast how people are no longer “falling down rabbit holes” of fake news online, but are sometimes being dragged into these spirals of disinformation by high profile figures.“It's very hard to accept that the world is so random and unpredictable that this pandemic can kill millions and there's not really much we can do about it. It's much easier to blame a government or pretend the pandemic doesn't exist", says Gallagher. “Almost inevitably it's starts to drive a wedge between you and your loved ones and you're even more alone which reinforces your belief that you're the only one that has cottoned on to the truth.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week the former advisor to the UK prime minister, Dominic Cummings, spoke before a parliamentary committee about the early days of UK's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.His dramatic testimony highlighted the gravity of the decisions that politicians around the world have had to make during this pandemic – decisions that have quite simply meant life or death for thousands of people.Is it time for Ireland to hold its own public inquiry into how the State has handled the pandemic to date, or is it too early for an in-depth examination of how this country has coped? Is our Government ready for such detailed scrutiny of their handling of the crisis?Meanwhile, Irish society is only starting to emerge from months of restrictions. Don't we deserve some respite before the State dives into an exhaustive analysis of this extraordinary, and frequently painful, period in our lives?On today's In the News podcast, Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole argues that the Government should launch a cross-party public inquiry straight away so that Ireland can start to learn from its mistakes.He also asks what the Irish people have learned about the most vulnerable and disenfranchised during times of crises. Nursing home residents, meat plant workers, direct provision residents – what does our treatment of these groups during the pandemic tell us about Irish values?The ability to reflect on what we've done wrong during Covid-19 will be the real “test of the maturity of our democracy”, O'Toole told presenter Sorcha Pollak. “If we can't do this, then we're in real trouble.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In June 1981, a US medical journal published the first sketchy details of a disease which came to be known as Aids.In the 40 years since then, 33 million people have died as a result of Aids-related illnesses.The Irish Times's London editor Denis Staunton describes the fear and uncertainty of the early days of the Aids crisis and draws parallels with the coronavirus pandemic today.  Dr Kim Roberts, a virologist at Trinity College Dublin, explains the origins of HIV/Aids, the scientific advancements that mean it is no longer a death sentence for those who can access the right drugs and why there is still much work to be done to end the epidemic.Presented by Conor PopeProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Belarus's audacious snatching of Roman Protasevich from a Ryanair flight forced to land as it passed through Belarusian airspace has raised fears for the young journalist's safety and created a crisis for the European Union.The bloc has responded to the unprecedented move with anger, condemnation and sanctions. But is Belarus under President Alexander Lukashenko, who stayed in power last year only with support from Russia, beyond European influence? And is there any hope for Protasevich's release?Guests: Dan McLaughlin and Naomi O'Leary.Presented by Sorcha PollakProduced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will data stolen in the HSE ransomware attack appear online today? And if so, what will it mean for Irish citizens? Conor Lally explains.Plus: Karlin Lillington on why we should have been better prepared for the ransomware attack - but weren't.Presented by Conor PopeProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COMING SOON: In The News, a podcast from The Irish Times that takes a close look at stories that matter, in Ireland and around the world. Hosted by Sorcha Pollak and Conor Pope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.