In The News

Later today Taoiseach Micheal Martin will meet US president Donald Trump in Washington, against a backdrop of Trump’s tariff threats and huge economic uncertainty.The economic relationship between Ireland and the United States is likely to feature when both leaders face the press.The recent torrid experience at the White House of Ukrainain president Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggests its possible Mr Martin could be in for a difficult day.So how should the Taoiseach handle Mr Trump?Political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones explains where and how problems may arise.Then neuropsychologist Ian Robertson suggests some strategies for dealing with Trump’s singular personality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number of babies being born is falling globally, with profound effects in store for societies and economies should the trend continue long term. The phenomenon has preoccupied pro-natalist politicians like JD Vance and Viktor Orban; as well as father-of-12 Elon Musk who has previously claimed "a collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces by far". But while it’s long been acknowledged the decline is down to couples deciding to have smaller families, Financial Times data reporter John Burn-Murdoch believes the trend in recent decades is actually down to a ‘relationship recession’; a collapse in the number of couples of child-bearing age. This is happening in countries as disparate as Finland and South Korea. Burn-Murdoch reveals the reason for the global decline is surprising and is not, as frequently posited, driven by the financially independent "girl-boss". Irish Times sex and relationships columnist, Roe McDermott, also joins the podcast to examine the factors contributing to the relationship recession in Ireland.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

High profile Kerry businessman Nathan McDonnell was “committed to and invested in” a €32 million crystal meth operation by an organised crime group with links to the notorious Mexican Sinaloa Cartel.For his role in the scheme he has been jailed for 12 years.McDonnell, who had encountered “fierce financial difficulties” and racked up debts of €4 million, was to be paid €150,000 to store a machine containing the drugs on his premises and arrange for its export to Australia.He was known locally for his flash lifestyle and his prominent business. But what do people in Tralee think now?Barry Roche, Irish Times Southern Correspondent reports. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Vial (39) and Nikita Burns (23) have been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old ‘Robin’ Wilkin whose body was thrown over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in Co Donegal almost three years ago.The trial lasted two-months. It was, the court heard, a grisly murder carried out by two people living a chaotic, alcohol fuelled life.It was eight days after the murder that Wilkin’s body was found, a delay that caused significant challenges in establishing a cause of death.The jury agreed that on June 25th, 2023 the pair had attacked their housemate, Wilkin, as the trio were on yet another of their drinking sprees. They dumped his body over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag, which ranks among Europe’s tallest sea cliffs.The couple were caught 24 hours later when their car went into a ditch. Gardaí noted blood spatter and cleaning products in the car and the foundation of the case was a confession Burns made to her friends, which they recorded and then reported to the Garda.In court, Vial attempted to blame Burns much to the troubled woman’s obvious distress.Court reporter Eoin Reynolds explains how the case unfolded.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The newly formed Gambling Regulatory Authority has, since Wednesday, taken control of the industry.The regulator will decide who in the areas of gaming, betting and lottery will get operating licences, and oversee the new regulations now in force under the long delayed Gambling Regulation Act.The underlying goal of the legislation is to protect children and problem gamblers.Measures include advertising and sponsorship restrictions as well as banning industry-wide marketing practices such as free bets, free credit and hospitality.And those child-sized football jerseys that feature gambling sponsors? They are banned too.The authority’s remit encompasses all types of gambling so, for example, it will have oversight on draws run by local charities and sports clubs.With problem gambling a growing phenomenon in Ireland and online betting easier than ever to access, it is astonishing that this new legislation – which also establishes a single regulatory authority over the rich and powerful industry – took nearly two decades to be enacted.Irish Times reporter Mark Hilliard explains the delay; how lobbying from vested interests slowed the whole thing down, and what powers the new authority has.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Tánaiste Simon Harris it was a priority of the Trump administration to address the “trade imbalance” between Ireland and the US when they spoke by phone on Tuesday.By now it’s known what that means: tariffs.US president Donald Trump has already talked about a 25 per cent import tax on Europe so that phone call won’t have been a surprise.Nothing, as yet, is certain; not least the level of import taxes that might be imposed and whether it will be a blanket rate on all goods across the EU.But what would drastically increased tariffs mean for Ireland?And is there anything Taoiseach Micheál Martin can say over the bowl of shamrock when he meets Trump in the Oval Office next week that might influence the president?Irish Times economics columnist Cliff Taylor explains the business of tariffs and why, if Trump carries through on his promise, chaos is coming.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.You can read Cliff's latest column on US tariffs here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Stephen Mooney pleaded guilty to murdering his wife, Anna Mooney, at their home in Kilbarrack, Dublin in June 2023.Mooney had been due to stand trial for the murder but circumstances changed last month following a “significant development” in the case.After two years of being unable to access the contents of Mooney’s phone, gardaí were finally able to extract video and audio footage of the murder using controversial Israeli-made decryption technology.What is this decryption technology, how does it work and why did it take two years to work?And what else do we know about this decryption technology which is widely used by Israeli military?Crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher, who reported on this Israeli-made technology for The Irish Times, joins the podcast.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Friday's showdown between Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Donald Trump in the Oval Office will have Irish officials on tenterhooks. Just hours after the Taoiseach accepted an invitation to the St. Patrick's Day shamrock ceremony at The White House, the Ukrainian leader's press conference with the US president turned into a shouting match. While Micheál Martin's visit is unlikely to be as eventful, there remains a number of landmines he will have to avoid on March 12th. They include our trading relationship with the US, Ireland's support for Ukraine and its recognition of Palestine as well as the EU's diverging view on tech regulation. But with a partisan press corps of fringe media outlets and the American culture wars dominating political discourse, journalist, tech entrpreneur and former RTE Washington Correspondent Mark Little says the Taoiseach will have to either "throw red meat to the president, or be the red meat" himself.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Backpacker Danielle McLaughlin knew that her mother Andrea worried about her when she was away on her travels, so every day she’d text home to Donegal.Then one day in March 2017 there was no text and Andrea soon learned, from one of Danielle’s friends in Buncrana, that her 28-year-old daughter had been murdered in Goa.The friend had seen the news on Facebook and it was up to Andrea to go to her local Garda station to seek help.Last month, Vikat Bhagat, 24 at the time of the killing, was found guilty of the rape and murder of the young Donegal woman. He was handed two life sentences with additional time for concealing evidence.The case took eight years to conclude (Bhagat has 90 days to lodge an appeal) and was before the court more than 250 times.Andrea, her second daughter Jolene McLaughlin-Brannigan and Danielle’s best friend, Louise McMenamin, travelled to India for the verdict.Irish Times reporter Kitty Holland travelled to Buncrana to talk to Andrea about her daughter, the slow-moving Indian legal system, the scenes in court as Bhagat was sentenced and what they hope will happen now.They still don’t know exactly how Danielle died.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The run up to this year’s Oscars in Ireland has been quiet; for the first time in years there are no Irish contenders in the major categories.The movies named across several categories include Sean Baker’s Anora, Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance as well as Conclave and Wicked.It’s been a year when awards talk around movies and performances ebbed and flowed particularly since Cannes, as some gained momentum while others lost it.In one movie’s case, Emilia Pérez, that can largely be explained by the self-inflicted controversy around Karla Sofía Gascón, the film’s Oscar-nominated lead. For others, its more about timing and public reaction.Irish Times chief film correspondent Donald Clarke has a solid track record picking the winners and he tells In the News who he thinks will win in the main categories and why.And he predicts there is going to be one Irish winner on stage being handed the famous statuette.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk seems particularly taken with the opinions of three Irish men active on X: far-right activist Michael O’Keeffe; Barry O’Driscoll, whose idea of calling the US’s new cost-cutting agency DOGE was seized on by president Donald Trump’s right-hand man, and Keith O’Brien, a white nationalist who goes by the name Keith Woods on X. Musk interacts with these men and often amplifies their posts to his millions of followers. So what image of Ireland is the billionaire being fed by these men and why does it matter that so much of what he sees, and endorses from his “awesome” Irish friends, is often simply factually wrong? Crime and security editor Conor Gallagher profiles the men, including the Cork-based O'Driscoll who goes by 'Sir Doge of the Coin' on X, and explains what happened when he wrote about them in The Irish Times.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She’s been described as the politician of contradictions.Alice Weidel is the leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party but is married to a Sri-Lankan born woman.A gay woman, she has two children with her partner, but is part of a political party which defines family as a father and mother raising children.She’s a German nationalist who spends most of her time living in a small town in central Switzerland.She has been described as the “respectable” and more moderate face of party that has been linked to neo-Nazis and plots to overthrow the German state.While the AfD didn’t win Germany’s federal election last weekend, the party is now the second largest in the country, having doubled its vote share in just four years.How did Weidel break the AfD into Germany’s mainstream political area and rally the support needed to secure more than 20 per cent of the vote in last weekend’s election?And what is it about this Swiss-based ex-banker that appeals to the German people?New York Times reporter Christopher Schuetze, who covers politics from Berlin, joins the podcast.Presented by Sorcha Pollak, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One in every three births in Ireland is by Caesarean section. In the case of first time mothers, that figure rises to 41%. These are some of the highest rates in the EU and OECD. It’s prompted concerns that some people may be unnecessarily undergoing the abdominal surgery; perhaps even suiting the hospital and the health system above themselves. But because there has historically been much handwringing about how women give birth – from church-led interference to the offensive ‘too posh to push’ label - it can be hard to ascertain what rate is appropriate. What are the factors influencing our high numbers? How much does fear of litigation play a part? And why is the Scandinavian rate so low by comparison? Dr. Deirdre Daly, professor of midwifery at Trinity College Dublin, outlines how Ireland came to have such a high number of Caesarean births, the obstacles to reducing the rate, and why we have a way to go before we truly have a woman-centred system.Further information about TCD's MAMMI study is available herePresented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2013 a Bitcoin hard drive – now worth more than half a billion euro – was mistakenly dumped in the council rubbish tip in Wales.Since then its owner, James Howells, has been fighting to get it back.For the past 10 years he has petitioned to search the site; gone to court to get compensation; and appealed for help through the media but to no avail.The council now says it is selling the dump in Newport and Howells wants to buy it.The 39-year-old engineer tells In the News how he became an early investor in cryptocurrency and where his attempts to find his lost millions will go next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a head-spinning week for Ukraine, with US president Donald Trump publicly turning on the war-torn country’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy.It is three years since Russia invaded Ukraine and the world is now seeing what the US president meant with his election promise of ending the war.As evidenced by his actions this week, that apparently involves the US dealing directly with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and cutting Ukraine and Europe out of any peace talks; undermining Zelenskiy and questioning his motives and authority; proposing a payback for US aid from Ukraine; broadly acceding to Russia’s war aims, and claiming Ukraine started the war.Zelenskiy responded to some of the statements, a move which provoked further attacks from the White House.So how is this being viewed from Kyiv – officially and among war-weary citizens?Irish Times Eastern Europe correspondent Dan McLaughlin takes us through this most extraordinary week in international relations, and explains how Ukrainians view their leader in light of the critical blasts from the US.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darling Duran, a 38-year-old digital marketing graduate from Bolivia was looking for a place to rent in Dublin when an ad for a one-bedroom apartment for €700 a month came up on her Facebook feed.When she met the man advertising the space, it turned out he lived in the apartment and she would have to share a bed with him.This offer of sex in exchange for rent is something she and her friends have come across frequently in their search for accommodation in Ireland.Their experience is reflected in the Irish Council for International Students survey which found that 5 per cent of female respondents had either received an offer to rent a room in Ireland in exchange for sex or had seen a room advertised in exchange for sex. The research also revealed severe overcrowding experienced by students who felt they had no other option.Housing reporter Niamh Towey explains the difficulties international students face in finding accommodation; and Darling Duran tells of her personal experience.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An 80 year alliance between the US and Europe has been upended in just one week. Donald Trump and other American officials have long felt Europe should not rely on US tax dollars for its defence. Now the US president and his administration has explicitly stated Europe needs to take responsibility for its own security, while simultaneously moving to end the war in Ukraine on Russia's terms. Excluding Europe in a discussion about its borders and threatening to pull military support begs the question - if America can no longer be relied upon to help defend us against Russian aggression, just how capable is the bloc of doing the job? Europe correspondent Jack Power joins us from Brussels, while crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher lays bare the stark reality Ireland and its neighbours might face.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last four weeks, the Omagh bombing inquiry has heard from the families of those who died, survivors, and the emergency service personnel who attended the scene.As the inquiry moves into the next phase, it will attempt to answer questions that have remained unanswered for more than 26 years - what happened on that day, and could this atrocity have been prevented?Irish Times Northern Editor Freya McClements reflects on the testimonies of the survivors of the single worst atrocity of the Northern Ireland Troubles.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Groups of Irish parents dotted around the country have unwittingly started a large-scale social experiment – they’re joining together and aiming, as a group, to delay giving their preteen a smartphone. These parents of soon-to-be first year students in secondary schools in Dublin, Cork and Galway hope they can hold out in the face of their children’s smartphone requests, social media’s addictive algorithms and what many see as a failure by successive governments to regulate the dangers of the internet. Mary Lovegrove is one such parent who has spoken to Irish Times education correspondent Carl O'Brien.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Garda investigation into the disappearance of Elizabeth Clarke, a mother of two from Co Meath, has been upgraded to a murder inquiry.She was officially reported missing in January 2015, though there have been no confirmed sightings of her since November 2013. She had previously lived in Portrane, Co Dublin, and Bettystown, Co Meath, as well as at another address in Co Meath.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Lally explains why her disappearance never gained the sort of media attention given to other cases of missing Irish women, and where the investigation is at now.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dublin will host Ireland’s first NFL regular-season game at Croke Park later this year. No date has been given but one side is known: the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be the designated ‘home team’.It is believed the Government and Dublin City Council will contribute almost €10 million to stage the event. Sports Minister Charlie McConalogue says the American football game will attract 30,000 international visitors with an expected economic boost north of €60 million, plus €20 million to the exchequer.Other figures predict a far greater economic bump. And that’s not counting the massive US TV audience with the potential for tourism growth that that level of exposure brings.Ireland has become the latest pin in the map for the behemoth that is the NFL because the Dublin date is one of several outside the US this year signalling the global growth of the game.And with annual revenue of over $20 billion, the NFL is the richest and most profitable sports league in the world.Irish Times sports columnist Dave Hannigan, who is based in the US, explains just how massive the NFL is; the extraordinary amount of money swirling around the sport, and how the NFL has so successfully managed to monetise the appeal of the game.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luis Rubiales' infamous kiss on Jenni Hermoso during the Women’s World Cup celebrations in August 2023 provoked a global reaction. He swore it was consensual. She did not. But the subsequent behaviour of the former football association president, and three other officials, has since escalated into a full-blown criminal trial. If convicted on charges of sexual aggression, he could face two and a half years of jail time. But how realistic is a custodial sentence? And why is he also accused of coercion? As the trial concludes this week, Dermot Corrigan from The Athletic and The New York Times in Madrid, breaks down the legal battle surrounding Rubiales, outlines the testimony of Hermoso and explains the cultural fallout which led to #SeAcabó - Spain's #MeToo movement, and its subsequent backlash.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consumer affairs correspondent Conor Pope joins In the News to discuss the rise in online romance scams, while Dublin woman Stacey* shares her own experience of losing more than €20,000 to an online fraudster, who pretended to be Coldplay's Chris Martin. Presented by Sorcha Pollak, produced by Suzanne Brennan.*Pseudonym used to protect interviewee’s identity  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last November, in one of the most surprising stories of the general election, Gerard Hutch, the head of the Hutch organised crime gang, came close to securing the final seat in the Dublin Central constituency. The veteran criminal, better known as the Monk, had returned to take part in the election while on bail from Spanish authorities who were investigating money laundering. His surprise run for the Dáil was made while Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher was working on a new RTÉ documentary called AKA The Monk. Gallagher joins the podcast to discuss the two-part documentary into the life, and career, of Gerard Hutch. AKA The Monk is available now on the RTÉ Player.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take a five-minute walk in any direction in Dublin city centre and you’ll come across boarded-up, even cemented-over shopfronts, upper floors supported by steel struts and foliage growing through the roof.Properties in prime locations left to rot in the capital city, in the middle of a housing crises. It doesn’t make any kind of sense.In theory it should be easy to find out who owns these decaying properties but it’s not. Nor is it straightforward to discover exactly why valuable properties have been left, sometimes for decades, as eyesores.For a new Irish Times series, Derelict Dublin, Olivia Kelly, along with colleagues Ronan McGreevy and Jack White investigated why the city is blighted by decay and what the council is doing about it.Kelly came into studio to explain.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to the political pecking order, Minister for Arts is way down the list. It’s been called the last seat on the bus.The newly-appointed arts minister is Patrick O’Donovan and quite how much interest or experience the Fine Gael TD has in the arts – or culture, also part of the job- is not clear.And his portfolio is massive – it includes communications, media and sport.Two tricky and pressing issues for O’Donovan are RTE’s ongoing funding problems and the soon-to-end basic income for artists programme. And there’s so much more.Hugh Linehan, who wrote a no-holds-barred column questioning O’Donovan’s suitability for the job, explains why in a country that prides itself on its arts and culture, the arts ministry is, in political terms, a low prestige role.And following the new Minister’s visit to Montrose to talk to RTE chief Kevin Bakhurst, Laura Slattery explores his peculiar obsession with the station’s programming - and why he’s got it wrong.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised he would end the war in Ukraine  in just 24 hours. Despite missing his own deadline, Trump has threatened Russia with high tariffs and further sanctions if Putin fails to end the war. But this week, Donald Trump announced he was “looking to do a deal with Ukraine”. In return for further US military aid, Trump wants access to Ukraines rare earths, critical elements used in electronics, such as  titanium, lithium, graphite and uranium. So what will this development mean for the future of peace talks? And does Trump really have an interest in ending the war in Ukraine? Sorcha Pollak speaks to Irish Times Eastern Europe correspondent Dan McLaughlin from Kyiv. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the White House on Tuesday US President Donald Trump announced an outrageous idea to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The US would seize control of the strip and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East”. Trump suggested Palestinians who had been living through "hell" could live in neighbouring Arabic nations like Egypt and Jordan, funded by wealthy countries. The declaration was made at a joint press conference at the White House with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu; who welcomed the idea without explicitly backing it. The suggestion was roundly condemned in the Middle East and criticised by the international community. Sky's Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkal says it raises more questions than Trump’s bizarre answer to an entrenched geopolitical problem. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During his last presidency Donald Trump slapped a tariff on Kerrygold butter; costing its parent company, Ornua, €50m in one year. A fortnight into his second presidency and it’s clear sweeping tariffs are now a core part of the agenda for his second stint in the White House. He's hit China with a 10% tax, while Canada and Mexico have been given a month before their US exports are levied with 25% duties. And the 78 year-old has been explicit about his plans to impose tariffs on goods coming from the European Union, saying the EU bloc’s approach to trade is an “atrocity”. So, what exactly is a tariff and why is Donald Trump so focused on imposing them? And what does this all mean for Ireland’s main exports and our country’s foreign direct investment? Irish Times economics correspondent Eoin Burke Kennedy outlines how the 'Americanisation' of our economy has left us vulnerable to Trump's tariffs and tax plans, and what may be offered by Brussels to appease Washington's whims.Presented by Sorcha Pollak, produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the parents of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs stopped giving her the insulin she needed to control her diabetes, they thought God would cure her.And when the little girl slowly died in their home in the Australian city of Toowoomba they and other members of the Saints, a religious sect stood by waiting for her to rise from the dead.The details that emerged at the trial in Queensland of the 14 members of the cult were harrowing. The court heard that the child’s father Jason Struhs finally called emergency services 36 hours after his daughter’s death, saying “though God would still raise Elizabeth, they could not leave a corpse in the house”.Both Jason and her mother Kerrie Struhs were found guilty of manslaughter. The sect’s leader, Brendan Stevens was found guilty of manslaughter for encouraging the father to withhold insulin from his daughter in January 2022.The Saints are a conservative Christian sect made up mostly of three families who believe in speaking in tongues and who reject modern medicine as “witchcraft”.The 14 will be sentenced on February 11th.Andrew Messenger from the Guardian Australia details this tragic case.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was first published in November 2024. Veteran republican Marian Price initiated legal action against streaming giant Disney+ after the release of TV drama Say Nothing, based on a book of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe, which her lawyers say depicted her as being involved in the murder of Belfast woman Jean McConville.Lawyers for Price, who was jailed for her part in the IRA’s London bombing campaign of 1973, said the allegation was “not based on a single iota of evidence”.In this episode we replay an interview with Patrick Radden Keefe, recorded when Say Nothing was published in 2018.Radden Keefe explains how he reached his conclusion that Marian Price was centrally involved in McConville's killing, along with her sister Dolours Price.The Disney dramatisation of Say Nothing has brought the stories of the Price sisters and Jean McConville to a new global audience."Such allegations published on an international scale are not only unjustified, but they are odious insofar as they seek to cause our client immeasurable harm in exchange for greater streaming success. Our client has now been forced to initiate legal proceedings to hold Disney to account for their actions", Prices lawyers said.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht was one of the hundreds of prisoners who walked free thanks to a pardon from US president Donald Trump.His online marketplace facilitated the sale of everything from illegal drugs to weapons, hacking equipment to stolen passports, all delivered to your door at the push of a button. He had more than a million customers worldwide.The campaign for his release began as soon as his double life sentence was handed down in 2015. They came from his family; his mother Lyn was tireless in her lobbying and also from the Libertarian Movement whose the support Trump sought in the run up to the presidential election.New York Times technology reporter David Yaffe Bellany explains the background.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

***Please note some listeners may find this episode distressing*** Seven babies, delivered since January last year at Portiuncula University Hospital in Galway, suffered a brain injury as a result of oxygen deprivation (HIE). Six were immediately referred to Dublin for a treatment known as neonatal cooling. The numbers are far in excess of what might statistically be expected which raises questions about the provision of maternity services at the hospital. The HSE has announced an inquiry into the delivery of these babies as well as two stillbirths in 2023. But this is the second time in a decade that concerns about maternity provision at the Ballinasloe hospital have been raised. In 2015, an inquiry - the Walker review - found staffing issues, a lack of training and poor communication among maternity staff, which contributed to the death of three babies. Warren Reilly and his wife Lorraine lost two baby girls, Amber and Asha, at Portiuncula hospital within two years of each other, and they took part in the 2015 Walker review. He tells In the News how this week’s revelations have been devastating. Irish Times journalist Sarah Burns reports on this unfolding story.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wealth of the world’s billionaires grew at roughly $5.7 billion (€5.5 billion) per day last year, according to Oxfam’s annual report on the financial affairs of the richest people on earth.Meanwhile, the number of people living in poverty has barely changed since 1990, according to the World Bank.Oxfam’s latest research reveals the number of Irish billionaires has risen from nine to 11 in the past year, and that their combined wealth has increased by more than a third to just over €50 billion.Oxfam is using the report, issued to coincide with the annual Davos gathering of the super wealthy, to argue for new taxes on the rich. But, while better-off people generally pay more tax on their incomes, the world’s billionaires pay extremely low levels of income tax and, on some occasions, none at all.How does a system exist where the super wealthy pay a lower tax rate than a teacher or a retail worker?And will a tax for the super-rich ever happen or are things only going to get worse with Donald Trump sitting in the White House, surrounded by billionaires?Irish Times writer specialising in economics and finance Cliff Taylor explains why the richest people on earth are able to avoid paying tax.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brenna  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The worst storm to hit Ireland in decades, Storm Éowyn left over a million homes and businesses across the island without power. A new humanitarian group has been established as part of the National Emergency Coordination Group to help deal with the immediate hardship caused by the storm. But what measures need to be taken immediately to avoid similar large scale power outages as these extreme weather events happen with greater frequency? And why was Ireland’s infrastructure, particularly our energy network, so vulnerable to Storm Éowyn? Dr Julie Clarke, assistant professor in engineering in climate action in Trinity College Dublin, joins the podcast to discuss how Ireland needs to prepare for future storms of this magnitude. We're also joined by journalist Arlene Harris who's home in Co. Clare is without power, and who has been seeking food, warmth - and a plug socket to charge her phone - in an 'humanitarian hub' in Ennis.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump campaigned on immigration. He promised mass deportations, zero tolerance and border security. His first acts in office included several executive orders related to immigration, focused on the US’s southern border and giving officials the power to quickly deport migrants who came in under Biden-era programme.Deportations in his first week included rounding up migrants with criminal records.Undocumented Irish in America typically don’t come in across the southern border. Instead they travel from Ireland under the 90-day ESTA visa waiver programme and simply stay on. Many of them acquire social security numbers and driving licences and work and live illegally in the US, sometimes for decades.But immigration lawyer John Foley tells In the News that 'Irish illegals' are now “low-hanging fruit”, in part because the ESTA process includes waiving any legal rights to appeal if the recipient is caught having overstayed the 90 days.For “Lorcan” (not his real name) an Irish man who has lived in the US illegally for five years, it’s about staying under the radar and building a life – with the acceptance that the price includes not being able to come home to Ireland for key family events including weddings and funerals.He is not worried about Trump’s promises to expel illegal aliens, saying the first to go will be those who have committed crimes and who do not contribute to US society.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 15 months of warfare, humanitarian aid is finally getting through to Gaza.By Wednesday, 2,400 trucks had crossed the border and aid agencies are ramping up delivery of essential supplies following the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that began on Sunday.The need is enormous as are the logistical difficulties in delivering food and medical supplies in a region where there are no longer roads and where vast tracts of demolished buildings dot the landscape.Families, like the Badr family, father, mother and three of their 10 children, who have been living in refugee camps for safety from unrelenting Israeli air attacks, are returning to their homes to find nothing left expect piles of rubble. For some families, the return means searching through the rubble for the bodies of their loved ones.Unicef’s Rosalia Bollen is on the ground in Gaza and she explains the challenges in delivering aid in war-torn Gaza, the very real threat of famine and the impact 15 months of war has had on children.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last summer a teenager walked into a children's Taylor Swift-themed dance class in a quiet Liverpool suburb, and murdered three girls under the age of ten. Axel Rudakubana also stabbed eight other young girls and two adults that tried to help them. This week the 18 year old pleaded guilty to the murderous rampage, as well as attempted murder and possession of terrorist materials and the bioweapon ricin. Following his admission, many troubling details have emerged about the teenager and the missed opportunities that might have prevented the atrocity. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised an inquiry into the failings of the UK terror-monitoring system. Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul explains how this tragic case goes beyond the crime itself, to collide with politics, immigration, race, extreme online violence and social media.Presented by Bernice Harrison and produced by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, Donald Trump stood before a packed Rotunda room in the US Capitol building and announced the beginning of a new “golden age” for Americans standing on “the verge of the four greatest years” in the nation’s history.Speaking after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, Trump outlined his plans for a new era where the United States would “reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth”.The US will expand its territory and carry its flag “into new and beautiful horizons,” he said in his inauguration speech, adding that the nation would “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars”.The US president then issued a flurry of executive orders, ranging from a pardon for the people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th 2021 to the declaration of a national emergency on the nation’s southern border where he said “all illegal entry” would be immediately halted.What else will these executive orders change about the way people live their lives in the US and around the world?Irish Times Washington correspondent Keith Duggan discusses the first 24 hours of the new Trump administration.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TikTok users across the United States breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday when US president Donald Trump pledged he would issue an executive order to allow the app to continue operating. The Chinese-owned video app temporarily went dark late on Saturday but has been given additional time to find a buyer before facing total shutdown. If the ban holds, business and technology journalist Ciara O'Brien says it could precipitate the platform's decline in countries including Ireland. In 2020, President Trump tried to ban TikTok over concerns it was sharing Americans’ personal information with the Chinese government. So, why has he taken this U-turn? Meanwhile, a day before taking office, the 78 year-old has launched his own meme-coin called $Trump.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While walking through Dublin city, journalist Quentin Fottrell was scammed.A pleasant sounding, nicely dressed man stopped him and started chatting. Didn’t Quentin remember him? After all, the man said, he had worked on his house some years ago. Not wanting to be rude and a little embarrassed at forgetting a face, Quentin continued the chat which slowly turned to the fact that the man had forgotten his wallet and needed some help to get home. It was only when he had walked away, €40 lighter, that Quentin realised he had been scammed.He wrote about the experience in The Irish Times and his article elicited multiple replies from men who had also been scammed by the same man in Dublin city centre.Donal Cronin was one such reader. Although he is a communications expert and deeply knowledgable in the psychology behind persuasion, he too fell victim to the smooth-talking scammer. He took a photograph of the man while they were chatting and Quentin was able to confirm it was the same confidence trickster.Quentin and Donal came into studio to explain how the scam worked and how they feel now having being duped.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 15 months of bloodshed, a ceasefire will commence in Gaza on Sunday. The pause in hostilities for an initial six week period will allow food and medical aid in to desperate Palestinians. They will also be allowed to return to what is left of their homes. But with previous ceasefire agreements failing, the peace is precarious. The release of hostages held by Hamas is among the conditions on which the long-awaited deal is based. The first of 33 hostages to be released in the first stage of the deal, among the near 100 still held captive by Hamas, will be released on Sunday. The names of those to be released have been given to Israeli authorities, but families do not know if they will be receiving their loved ones alive or dead.Journalist Mark Weiss says despite the ceasefire being supported by 70% of Israelis, many feel it is a bad deal. So why is it happening now? What has changed for Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a deal with Hamas at this stage? Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by Declan Conlon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years ago, climate scientist and activist Dr Peter Kalmus moved his family away from Los Angeles because as California’s climate kept growing drier and hotter, he was afraid that his much loved, indeed idyllic sounding, neighbourhood would burn. He had lived in Altadena for 14 years.Now, from his new home in North Carolina, he has had the deeply upsetting experience of watching Altadena razed, as climate-driven wildfires caused death, destroyed homes and ruined livelihoods.Kalmus tells In the News that even he – who has spent his career warning about the deadly impact of our fossil fuel dependence – didn’t expect fires of this scale. It is he says proof that climate models which consistently predict the sort of temperatures that will alter life on earth, have tended to err on the side of optimism.Our inability – in a world shaped by the interests of big business, billionaires and the fossil fuel industry – to grasp the threat caused by carbon emissions, means he says that nowhere is safe from unpredictable, and even devastating weather events. The LA fires won’t be the last.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next government of Ireland is taking shape. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and nine Independents will go into coalition and we now have a blueprint for the next five years with the Programme for Government. The Healy Rae brothers are in, with Michael also negotiating a junior ministry. But what other concessions might they have brokered in exchange for their support? What is a super-junior ministry and does Ireland really need an extra one? Which pre-election promises have made the cut and which have been left out? Political editor Pat Leahy joins us to explain everything we know so far about the 34th Dáil.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consumer journalist Conor Pope says he loves a good bandwagon and it was in that spirit that three years ago he – and his wife – thought they’d give Dry January a go.The idea – to give up alcohol for the first month of the year, as a post Christmas detox – has gained traction over the years and for most who try it, and who make it through to the end of the dreariest month, February 1st signals the opening of a favourite tipple and a return to drinking as usual. Not so for Conor.The February 1st target gave way to staying off alcohol until the summer and then he stopped counting.Not drinking had become a habit and he found that he was having a good time. He’s still, very happily, off alcohol. It did bring its challenges. In an alcohol-soaked culture, not drinking can prompt a range of reactions from suspicion to derision, but the benefits he says far outweigh any awkward questions.The three years has also given him time to reflect on his drinking habits, which began as it does for many, as a teenager raiding his parents’ drinks cabinet.The rewards, he says, are a clear head, more energy and, theoretically, a healthier bank balance. He estimates that the Pope household has saved €10,000 in the three dry years.Conor came into studio to tell In the News about his new alcohol-free life and with a huge response from readers to his Irish Times article on his Dry January that has gone on forever, why it’s touched a nerve.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Healy-Rae may be offered a junior ministerial role in the next government. The Kerry TD is in talks with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on entering a coalition with other independents. The deal would likely involve favourable terms for his constituency in exchange for his support, and that of his brother Danny. The horse trading is one element of the government formation talks that are proceeding faster than expected. Political correspondent Jack Horgan Jones says we could see a deal struck by tomorrow and a government in place as early as next week. But who would be Taoiseach first in a new arrangement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, which Independents could land a ministerial portfolio and why is controversial Tipperary TD Michael Lowry playing such a central role in the deal-making?Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News that the Garda is to send a file to the DPP following its investigation into the findings of the Moriarty tribunal will test the memory of even the most avid news watcher.The tribunal, which lasted 14 years and cost the taxpayer millions, explored in jaw-dropping detail the relationship between prominent business people and politicians. It filed its report in 2011.One politician featured prominently: Michael Lowry, and the tribunal found that he “secured the winning” of the State’s second mobile phone licence for Denis O’Brien’s company, Esat Digifone. It also found that Lowry, a former Fine Gael minister, was given money by O’Brien, with the payments “demonstrably referable” to his winning of the licence. Both men have disputed the findings.It is not known if there is any recommendations in relation to Lowry in the file submitted to the DPP.Lowry is a vote topper in his native Tipperary as an Independent TD and he has been in the news since the recent election, labelled a kingmaker because he is leading negotiations on behalf of the nine-strong Regional Independents group, with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.So, will this latest development in the Moriarty tribunal saga impact on his role in government formation?Colm Keena reported on the Moriarty tribunal from its inception in 1997 to 2011. He explains what it did and why, and who exactly is Michael Lowry.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, was ending its fact-checking programme and going back to its roots – promoting free expression.And the reason? That fact-checking had led to “too much censorship” and “too many mistakes”.He positioned himself as a supporter of free speech, an American virtue that’s a world away from Europe, a tech backwater with ever-creeping censorship.But critics say the move is a cynical ploy to curry favour with incoming US president Donald Trump – and with millions of people using these social media platforms every day it risks ushering in “an age without facts”.Irish Times tech journalist Ciara O’Brien goes through Zuckerberg’s five-point plan for Meta and explains why the newly bullish Meta boss is changing the way his business operates.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amber (not her real name) is among the first people to use Ireland's long-awaited Supervised Injection Facility in Dublin. Speaking to Irish Times social affairs correspondent, Kitty Holland, Amber says up until now her day has been taken up by procuring heroin and crystal meth and then strategising about where she can consume them. Suffering from substance abuse since her teens, she says the new centre at Merchants Quay Ireland will change her life. "I am so tense when I am injecting I have had a needle break in my arm. Being able to relax, there is no price on the peace that would come with that.” The SIF was first proposed in 2015 and hasn't been without controversy. Objections to the centre came from stakeholders like the local primary school, where parents fear it will increase dealing and dangerous behaviour in the area. But those behind the pilot project say it will take intravenous drug use off the streets, encourage addicts to link in with local services and prevent deaths by overdose. Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week, tech billionaire Elon Musk publicly withdrew his support for the Reform UK party, posting on his social media platform that Nigel Farage “doesn’t have what it takes”.Musk’s decision not to back, or financially support, Britain’s right-wing reform party came as he continues a barrage of online attacks against prime minister Keir Starmer, who he has accused of being complicit in “the rape of Britain”.His interest in European politics extends to Germany where Musk has backed the far-right Alternative for Germany party and labelled outgoing German chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool”.And back in the United States, the world’s richest man will take up his position as co-leader of the newly created department of government efficiency, when Donald Trump re-enters the White House later this month.In recent years, Musk has met presidents, prime ministers, lawmakers and political candidates from all around the world.So, what is his end game and how much political influence does he really have?Inside Politics presenter Hugh Linehan joins the podcast.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.