In The News

This episode was originally published in March 2026. Stephen McCullagh (36) thought he had created a cast iron alibi for himself when he planned the murder of his pregnant girlfriend Natalie McNally (32) in December 2022.An avid gamer he was, he claimed, at home playing a video game live at the time she was killed. But as the PSNI was able to prove, he had in fact pre-recorded hours of himself playing the game. Police found that when he hit “play”, he set off to his girlfriend's house in Armagh where he savagely murdered her.The case against McCullagh was built on circumstantial evidence, so for Natalie's devastated family, conviction was not certain.Seanín Graham is Northern Correspondent of The Irish Times and she was in court in Belfast for the trial.She tells In the News she has never before witnessed such emotional scenes in court as when the guilty verdict was handed down on Monday.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in March 2026. If you got an invoice you'd been waiting for from your builder for work done, you'd get ready to pay it, wouldn't you?And if, a couple minutes after that, you got another invoice from the builder saying that actually he'd made a mistake and he'd given you the wrong bank details, you'd think nothing of it and proceed to pay.Well that's exactly what the reader who contacts our consumer affairs correspondent Conor Pope did. She sent the requested €30,000 to her builder and thought nothing more of it – until a week later when her builder contacted her politely wondering if where the payments was.She is tech savvy, has been made aware through her work about all kinds of fraud, and is cautious by nature yet she had been the victim of payment redirection fraud – also known as invoice fraud.Conor Pope came into the studio to explain how this scam worked and why this particular case should be a lesson to everyone who believes invoice scams are only targeted at big business.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Staff at Oberstown Children Detention Campus are set to strike again on Tuesday the 25th of August.It will be their fourth work stoppage this summer over plans to expand the capacity of the north Dublin facility for young offenders.Members of the Fórsa trade union have already taken to the picket line this week in a protest relating to staffing levels, saying they're “running on fumes.”While acknowledging that management have made progress in hiring 11 new staff, they believe recent high profile events, such as wrong-way motorway driving, will further heap pressure to find beds for teenagers in trouble with the law.Workers are concerned that inadequate staff ratios will undermine their safety, particularly in light of a spate of serious assaults on the campus last summer.One social care worker told Irish Times work correspondent Emmet Malone these “young people often present with challenging and difficult behaviour; they're only in Oberstown as a last resort and we regularly find ourselves in difficult, sometimes dangerous situations ... If we don't have enough staff to operate the unit safely, properly and adequately, the young people we work with on a daily basis are suffering too.”But if management are engaging with the union, why are staff still planning to strike on Tuesday? What are the sticking points and what might draw this dispute to a close? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday evening, thousands of people took to the streets of central London to attend a vigil in memory of Jason Arday. The former Cambridge professor was found dead in his home just days earlier - at the age of 41. In his final days Arday - who was Black and autistic - was at the centre of a global media storm. Initially over allegations of plagiarism in his previous academic work and claims relating to his personal life, it morphed into a controversy relating to racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employment practices, and press harassment. As a result, he resigned from his role as professor of sociology at the prestigious university. In his resignation letter, he told colleagues he no longer wished to feel like he was living “under a constant spotlight, where every aspect of his life was subject to public examination and judgement”. But the media frenzy didn't end there. Coverage about Cambridge's youngest ever Black professor continued.Now public figures and friends of Arday are demanding a public inquiry into the press attention he received before his death. A petition has already secured more than 90,000 signatures. In today's episode, Aideen Finnegan is joined by Irish Times writer and columnist Hugh Linehan to talk about the media storm surrounding Arday and the public outcry following his death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have signed a mutual defence pact that "echoes Nato's article 5 in saying they will treat an attack on one as an attack on all". But will they? What does the pact mean for US leadership in the region, for the Iran war and for global security? We ask Denis Staunton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five people are dead and four people - including a seven year old boy are seriously injured - after a stolen BMW was driven the wrong way on the M9 motorway in County Kildare. Five teenage boys in the stolen BMW were killed instantly in the head on collision, in the early hours of Sunday morning. Three sisters and a seven year old boy were in the other car. They are all in a serious condition in a number of hospitals across Dublin. Alma and Niamh Kinsella were in the front. Their little sister Ellie Hendricken and her nephew were in the back. In today's episode, crime and security reporter Hugh Dooley talks to Aideen Finnegan about the details of last weekend's fatal crash and why 'wrong way' motorway driving has become a worrying trend among thrill seeking teenagers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than a year, Fergie Chambers, an American multi-millionaire and self-described communist, has called Ireland home. The 41-year-old who is heir to one of the richest families in America had been living in South Dublin, until a trip to Ibiza with his family last month ended in his arrest. While on the Spanish Island, police arrested Chambers on foot of an extradition request by US authorities. He's been in prison in Madrid ever since. If the extradition goes ahead, he faces charges of money laundering with the intent of supporting terror organisations; riot; and conspiracy to riot. Friends of Chambers say he's being targeted because of his support for Palestinian activism. They point to donations to humanitarian organisations working in Gaza and his funding of legal fees for protesters associated with Palestine Action in the UK. But who is Fergie Chambers, what does he stand for and why has he become a target of the MAGA movement? And could his case further strain relations between the US, Spain and Ireland over Palestine? Aideen Finnegan is joined by Irish Times journalists Rachel Lavin and Naomi O'Leary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in April 2026.John O'Brien's scam was simple. Arriving in the US on a tourist visa in 2021, he set himself up as a building contractor in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. By the time the authorities caught up with the 28 year-old, he had conned more than 100 victims out of an estimated $2.5 million.Many of the homeowners who handed him their life savings for promised building work were charmed by his Irish accent and friendly demeanour.Sentencing him to four years and eight months in prison, the judge talked about “the extent and breadth of the harm” done to victims who opened their doors to O'Brien out of kindness and trust. He had pleaded guilty.Many of his victims gave statements in court including Candace Gauvin, a retired school crossing guard, who emptied a life insurance account, eventually paying him more than $90,000 for shoddy work.One of the more than a dozen people who provided character references for O'Brien included fellow Traveller Senator Eileen Flynn who advocated for his early release for the “benefit of his young family”.Local reporter Susan Zalkind was in court in Rhode Island for O'Brien's case and she explains how the scam worked, how it funded his lavish lifestyle and the impact on the victims.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The city of Ceuta - the Spanish territory on the north African coast – is preparing for another potential wave of migrants hoping to cross the border from Morocco. Images of some 72-thousand people reaching Ceuta went around the world almost a fortnight ago, on the 30th and 31st of July, after they climbed or swum around the border fence separating it from European territory. 83 people died during the rush, with a Moroccan human rights organisation putting the number higher at 141. Of the tens of thousands of people who made it, many of them are children who are still in Ceuta, sleeping rough on beaches. There were protests on Sunday with people voicing concerns and demanding support saying Ceutans alone cannot handle a situation like this. Now social media activity suggests another mass crossing in the coming days. Aideen Finnegan is joined by Madrid-based journalist Guy Hedgecoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, Fifa's President Gianni Infantino shocked football fans around the world when he announced plans to sell a slice of the World Cup's business to private investors. Unsurprisingly, the proposal went down like a lead balloon, with critics pointing out how Infantino had orchestrated the deal in secret. But one man - who not only knew about the plan but spent months working on it behind the scenes - was FIFA's chief of staff, an Irish Man called Daniel O'Toole. The Dublin man was handpicked by the Fifa president to work alongside him on the potential sale before it was eventually shelved - but who is he? And how did he ascend to the inner sanctum of power at the organisation? Irish Times sports correspondent Gavin Cooney has the details on today's episode. Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten years after the Regency Hotel attack, and four years after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the leaders of the Kinahan cartel, Daniel Kinahan is back on Irish soil following his extradition from the United Arab Emirates.A major security operation was put in place to transport the 49-year-old from Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnell, County Dublin, to the Special Criminal Court, where he was charged with one count of directing the activities of a criminal organisation between October 18, 2015, and April 6, 2017.Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally was in court as Kinahan was charged.Presented by Aideen Finnegan, produced by Suzanne Brennan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in June 2026. 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.

This episode was originally published in May 2026.Michael, the biopic tracking the early years of Michael Jackson, opened to dire reviews and criticism over its silence on the child sex abuse allegations levelled at the music superstar.The fans, though, don't care; they made Michael a box office smash. Its first weekend broke records, with the film scoring the biggest opening of all time for any musical biopic.It stars Jaafar Jackson, who does a good job channelling his late uncle Michael, and the music is wall-to-wall with brief detours into some aspects of Jackson's odd life, including his obsession with Peter Pan, his first nose job and his acquisition of Bubbles the chimpanzee. Originally the script included the case of one of the boys who alleged sex abuse, but that was cut.So without the truth of Jackson's life, what is the point of this biopic? And why is Hollywood so fixated on musical biopics?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in June 2026. 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.

This episode was originally published in June 2026.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.

This episode was originally published in June 2026. 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.

This episode was originally published in September 2024. In July 2026 Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested in Florida. They are currently detained in prison, awaiting extradition to the UK on charges of rape, human trafficking and sexual exploitation.In the summer of 2022, journalists Matt Shea and Jamie Tahsin were in Romania filming a documentary about Andrew Tate and his social media influence. Tate, who had made a name for himself spouting misogynistic content online appeared invincible, but his empire was about to crumble. As concern about his content began to mount, the controversial influencer was banned from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for violating community guidelines on dangerous individuals and hate speech. But a social media ban was the least of his problems. Back home in London, as Shea and Tahsin continued their investigation into Tate and his business operations, the sinister truth about his webcam industry and his ‘War Room' began to reveal itself. In June 2023, Tate and his brother Tristan, along with two Romanian women were formally charged with rape, sex trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He is currently under house arrest in his compound in Bucharest. In this episode, (part two), Shea tells Bernice Harrison about the women from Tate's past who decided to speak out against him and how his fans have reacted to his latest string of charges. Clown World: Four Years Inside Andrew Tate's Manosphere is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in September 2024. In July 2026 Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested in Florida and are currently detained, awaiting extradition to the UK on charges of rape, human trafficking and sexual exploitation. In 2019, before Andrew Tate became the household name he is today, documentary makers Matt Shea and Jamie Tahsin decided to tell Tate's story and investigate his social media influence and cultural impact. Much to their surprise, the 'king of toxic masculinity' allowed them into his world. But as they delved deeper into his empire and uncovered the sources of his income, their investigation soon turned into a criminal one and something much bigger than Shea and Tahsin could ever have imagined.In their new book, Clown World: Four Years Inside Andrew Tate's Manosphere, they recount their investigation into the former kickboxer, the shocking allegations made against him, and the backlash they faced from Tate and his followers when their documentaries aired.In the first of two episodes on Andrew Tate's toxic world, co-author Matt Shea talks to Bernice Harrison about Tate's background and the influence of his narcissistic father, American chess player Emory Tate. He also examines Tate's mass appeal and the space he occupies within the ‘manosphere'. Shea details his visit to Tate's compound in Romania and explains what happened inside the private ‘War Room' event, which followers of Tate paid five thousand pounds to attend. Though they were granted access to film the exclusive gathering, their relationship with Tate didn't last long. Clown World: Four Years Inside Andrew Tate's Manosphere is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Siad's thousands of emails and messages found in the Epstein Files show in grim detail both the depravity of the US fraudster and paedophile and how his sex-trafficking ring operated.Jeffrey Epstein would tell the Paris based “model scout” the type of girl he wanted and Siad would go hunting. Spying a “suitable” victim he would promise the young woman a modelling career in New York.Once there, Epstein would introduce himself and the grooming and sexual exploitation would begin.By examining the Epstein Files, Irish Times Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary built up a profile of Siad and was able to contact one of his victims to hear how Siad's operation worked.Siad, who was 69, died from undetermined causes at his home in Paris on July 20th. At the time of his death he was under investigation for a rape charge.How was this related to the Epstein Files? Why were French officials so slow to act against him despite mounting evidence? And will his death, like that of Epstein and another French model scout Jean-Luc Brunel - both by suicide - mean that thousands of victims will never see justice.Paris-based Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary explores the details.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dates for the arrival of Dublin's MetroLink have changed wildly since the project was first suggested in 1975. So has the budget.The latest figure to emerge – from an unattributed Government source – is €19bn. That's quite a jump from the estimate released four years ago, calculated at €9.5bn as the midpoint of a “credible” cost range of between €7.16bn and €12.25bn.Why such a significant increase? And with plans already approved and with property already purchased for the project by Transport Infrastructure Ireland how much has already been spent on the transport solution that promises to transform commuting in the capital. Also when will building actually begin?Dublin Editor Olivia Kelly dives into the details and controversies of the MetroLink project.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glen Hansard died in the early hours of Wednesday morning in a motorcycle crash in the Strawberry Beds area of Dublin. He was 56. He was one of Ireland's most well-known musicians who leaves behind an incredible musical legacy from a career that took him from being a teenage busker on Grafton Street to winning an Oscar for the song Falling Slowly. A lifelong activist, he was also a husband to Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa and a father to three-year-old Christy.Irish Times writer Patrick Freyne once played in a band and they supported Hansard's first band The Frames in the early 1990s.Freyne traces Hansard's career; talks about his ability to bring musicians together, his deep well of charisma and why he thinks the Dublin man had become the unofficial national bard.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lorcan Tadgh Murphy, who was earlier this month jailed for murdering US nurse Mackenzie Michalski in 2024 in Hungary, had obsessively tried to pick up women across various European cities. Police in Budapest discovered that he had used a “spy pen” to covertly record his attempts, just as he had done previously in Dublin, where 16 women were recorded without their knowledge.The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has been concerned for some time at the increasing use of hidden cameras, smart glasses, pen cameras and other covert recording devices to secretly film women and girls without their knowledge or consent.And as smart glasses are becoming more mainstream – Meta has already sold an estimated 10 million pairs of their its stylish Ray-Ban camera-enabled glasses – concerns are growing.So if Murphy had been caught in Dublin in 2020 secretly filming women, would he have broken any law? Why do advocacy groups say these type of secret recordings are “often minimised as harmless”, but could in fact be “part of a path to future crime”? And what role do the makers of these devices, that could easily be used to secretly record, have in ensuring the public is protected?News reporter Ellen O'Riordan explores this fast-evolving debate.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2019, Maura Higgins first arrived on our screens as a contestant on the reality show Love Island. She was a fan favourite from the get-go, with her longford accent, quick wit and love of bad language. Not everyone who leaves the Love Island villa can turn their five minutes of fame into a successful career, let alone, break America - but that's exactly what Higgins has done in the years since her Love Island debut. Through high profile appearances on American TV, the 35-year-old is almost a bigger star there than she is here at home and she's just been added to Time Magazine's top 100 creators list. So how has she done it? What is it about the Longford woman that continues to win over audiences? And could a recent move into acting signal where her career might go next? In today's episode, journalist Kate Demolder takes a look back through Higgins' career and how she has reinvented herself along the way.Presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the days leading up to Taoiseach Micheál Martin's visit to Ukraine, tensions were running high on the streets of Kyiv. Protesters marched over president Volodymyr Zelenskiy's decision to sack his defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Young and forward-thinking, he was seen as the main mover behind the country's drone strategy. The marchers called for the sacking of the country's army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Zelenskiy eventually capitulated to the demands and the Russian-trained career soldier was ousted. So how damaged is Zelenskiy after this political misstep? Meanwhile, the war continues, with Russia launching its most sustained attack on the capital, and Ukraine responding with an attack on a vast goods depot inside the Russian border. And what was on the agenda when Taoiseach Micheál Martin met Zelenskiy in Kyiv last Thursday? Irish Times Europe correspondent Jack Power was in Kyiv and he reports for us on a turbulent week for Ukraine's president. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan with research by John O'Connor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a defendant in a court case is granted legal aid, the State pays. Before a reform of the payment system introduced on July 1st, solicitors could bill the Department of Justice €239.38 for their first appearance in court for their client and €59.86 for each subsequent one. The invoice is called a legal aid certificate.Defendants frequently face multiple charges that are heard together in the same sitting. Before July 1st, the solicitor could invoice for each charge, meaning multiple payments for each client. In the past 18 months more than 100 cases involved at least 10 invoices being sent to the Department concerning individual clients whose charges were dealt with together or in quick succession before the District Court.In the reform of the payment system, solicitors will now receive a flat fee of €520 per criminal legal aid client.Many solicitors on the legal aid panel have rejected this new payment model, and withdrew their services for two days this week.The Minister says he will meet the Law Society to discuss its concerns about payment reforms, but as he has previously said the reforms will stay, is there any hope of resolution?Irish Times political correspondent Cormac McQuinn explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeffrey Donaldson is in Maghaberry prison outside Belfast awaiting sentencing for 18 child sex offences, including rape. If the disgraced politician thought that the blanket media coverage of his trial in June would stop once the jury gave its verdict, he was wrong. He is still making daily headlines in Northern Ireland as shocking stories of his past behaviour emerge; – ones that throw further light on the vast gulf between his carefully curated public persona as a pious, teetotal Christian and family man, and the reality. Four inquiries are being conducted into his actions while in the workplace, one by the NI Civil Service and one by the Assembly. Two have been commissioned by his former political parties, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Since his arrest in 2024, both have tried hard to distance themselves from their one-time star member. Ahead of his sentencing in September, he has now launched an appeal against his conviction. Irish Times Northern Editor Freya McClements explains why the Donaldson story has left politics across the Border in turmoil. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel is on an election footing. Last week with his government having reached the end of its four-year term, prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu dissolved parliament. Polls show that a new and credible challenger has emerged in Israel's complex multiparty political landscape. Career soldier Gadi Eisenkot (66), a former head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) left the army to join Netanyahu‘s post-October 7th military council to plan and execute the brutal response in Gaza.Last year he went out on his own forming the centrist Yashar party, and he has now emerged as the most serious challenger to prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.But how much change does Israel really want. Why is Palestine and Gaza not an election issue? And what are Eisenkot's views on one of the most contentious issues in Israel: why ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from military service at a time when Israel is fighting wars on many fronts and is running out soldiers. Mark Weiss reports on the mood in Jerusalem as campaigning gets under way. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Employees of three key State agencies use a computer programme called Passwork to generate and protect their passwords. It's a cybersecurity measure.But what they didn't know, before it was revealed by The Irish Times, is that Passwork, which purports to be EU-based, has extensive links to a Russian company licensed by Russia's security service.The agencies using Passwork are the Office of Public Works, the State Laboratory, which provides chemical testing and scientific advice to Government departments, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the agency tasked with, among other things, helping consumers stay cyber safe. It is unclear how many other Irish State agencies use Passwork.So what does it mean for State security? Who has access to these passwords? And what does the Russian owner of the Spanish-based company that sold the Passwork programme to the State agencies say? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent weeks, the Irish Government has come under pressure to introduce a ban on e-scooters following a steep increase in the number of serious e-scooter accidents involving children. One of those supporting the ban is Seana Brennan, a mother of two from Cavan whose son, Mason, was involved in a serious e-scooter accident last year.Brennan joins Bernice Harrison on today's episode to share her family's experience and to highlight the dangers e-scooters pose to children. Later, Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones discusses the political response to the rise in e-scooter related accidents and examines how a ban might work in practice.Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.