In The News

Rob Heneghan is one of Ireland's most popular online gambling tipsters. His social media accounts show his more than one million followers a glamorous lifestyle of private jets, yachts and wads of cash.In recent videos he's placing large cash bets at Cheltenham with darts players Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.His company, Pro Sports Advice, charges between €19 to €149 a month for his tipping services, but customers can also pay €3,999 for a “platinum lifetime”. membership.As Irish Times senior investigative reporter Mark Tighe has discovered. Heneghan has also promoted Gambana, a Belize-registered gambling website that operates using a fraudulent licence.So what are the possible dangers for gamblers using this site? And what did a High Court action, settled in Dublin on Friday, reveal about the lucrative online tipster world?Tighe, whose investigation into Heneghan and Gambana continues, explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a pilot scheme was announced in 2022 to provide artists with a guaranteed weekly income of €325 a week for three years, there were more than 8,000 applications for the 2,000 places.The Basic Income for the Arts pilot programme ended in February and a review of it was conducted by the Department of Culture before the decision was taken to create a new, permanent scheme. It is now open for applications.It will once again be open to 2,000 artists, chosen by lottery with no qualitative assessment. The weekly payment remains the same.There are some key changes; notably in oversight. Recipients will be audited regularly to ensure they are producing art. Also, their names will be publicly available.While the scheme, thought to be a world first, is widely seen as a positive, a freedom-of-information request by Irish Times journalist Órla Ryan reveals that not everyone is happy. She explains why the pilot scheme was so popular and explores the changes as it transitions from pilot to permanent.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As US president Donald Trump threatens to wipe out Iran and attacks the pope, even some former allies are questioning whether he has grown increasingly unbalanced.His social media post of an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus gave even more ammunition to his detractors.All of this has meant that Trump's political opponents have become louder in invoking the US constitution's 25th amendment, a mechanism for ousting a medically unfit president.With no clear end to the war in Iran and no plan from the White House for what should be next, the president's frustration is palpable. Is his erratic behaviour a manifestation of that frustration or is there something else going on with the near 80-year-old?Irish Times Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For almost a week there were blockades and go-slows which severely disrupted the country's road network and Dublin city centre was at a standstill for several days. By the weekend a third of the country's service stations were out of petrol and diesel because fuel depots were under siege. Gardaí were out in force from the start; on the streets, beside fuel depots, on motorways – watching. So what changed on Thursday? Why did the policing response notch up several gears? Did gardaí expect the Defence Forces to join them on the streets and what did the army know Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan's was about to call on it to act? While it was called a fuel protest – about rising prices – it became clear that anger at the Government motivated many who took to the streets. Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally assesses the policing response to the largest protest in the State.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There have been 45 deaths on Irish roads so far this year – that's six more people than this time last year. Tragically, 2025 ended as the deadliest on Irish roads in more than a decade with 190 fatalities. Why?What makes Ireland so different from our European neighbours who are successfully tackling this devastating problem?Business economist Sinead O'Sullivan, skilled in collating and analysing data, was prompted by the high level of road deaths to explore the figures to see if she could see a pattern and, by assessing what happens in other countries, suggest five proven solutions.Her findings led her to conclude that this is a public health crisis and needs to be treated as such.On this podcast she explains what those five actions are and why a lack of accountability at official level is costing young lives by ignoring the clear pattern of preventable harm.O'Sullivan runs a road safety accountability campaign at stoproaddeaths.ie.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

On Wednesday, as fuel protests over the Government's response to rising petrol and diesel prices entered their third day it became clear the demands of the protesters showed no signs of being met.Taoiseach Micheál Martin said fuel protesters blocking cities and towns around Ireland are “wrong” and those breaking the law will be penalised.Several distinct but co-ordinated protests took place over the past three days, involving slow-moving convoys on motorways, such as the M1 and M50, as well as the blocking of main roads in Dublin.Those taking part include hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors to disrupt traffic.Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy analyses the political reaction to the protesters and Colm Keena explains who the protesters are and what they want.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US, Israel and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday barely an hour before US president Donald Trump's deadline to obliterate Iran was set to expire, with Tehran agreeing to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The ceasefire is based on a 10-point proposal from Iran which Trump said was a “workable basis on which to negotiate”.So what is in the proposal and why was Pakistan key to the negotiations?The proposal requires Israel to stop its bombardment of Lebanon, something it has not done with the Israeli ‌military saying ​on Wednesday it has ​carried out ⁠the largest ‌strikes ‌against Lebanon's ​Hizbullah ⁠since ​this ​war ‌began.So how will that impact on the negotiations which are set to begin on Friday?And what role did China play in the ceasefire negotiations?Beijing-based Irish Times correspondent Denis Staunton analyses the proposal and its chance of delivering lasting peace in the region.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More details have emerged about the Minister for Finance's new savings and investment idea which aims to unlock some of the €170bn Irish people are estimated to have on deposit and encourage them to become stock market investors instead.Simon Harris first floated the idea of a Government-endorsed savings plan in February but the details were sparse.The idea is now clearer, though the fine print has yet to be thought through and is likely to be announced around budget time in the autumn.The new Irish scheme will follow the popular Swedish one which sees people putting their savings into an ISK and paying a flat tax – currently about 1 per cent monthly – on their investment over a certain tax-free threshold.Investment products currently available in Ireland have a complex tax system based on capital gains.So is it a good idea? And will risk-averse Irish consumers who prefer to keep their cash at the ready be prepared to become investors?Irish Times economics columnist Cliff Taylor explains – and gives his view on the idea's likely success.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is not surprising that the army's spy wing is a highly secretive organisation, but lately it's becoming a little less so, with one of its top bosses giving an interview to The Irish Times. Its job is to protect the State and the Defence Forces from military threats, counter hybrid activity and protect Irish interests overseas. Its expertise is wide, from on-the-ground surveillance to advising the government on strategic threats to our interests.One of its tasks is to monitor the activities of ageing Russian tankers that appear with increased regularity off the west coast.The service is undergoing a transformation: the name change from J2 to the Irish Military Intelligence Service (Imis) is a small part of that.Irish Times investigations reporter Conor Gallagher was invited to the Imis HQ at McKee Barracks to meet one of the top intelligence operatives, to talk spycraft, threats, secrecy and a new phase of recruitment.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gardaí have identified a person of interest in the disappearance of Icelandic man Jon Jonsson. The suspect, who's from Liverpool, is a veteran criminal with a history of large scale drug dealing.Jonsson, who'd come to Ireland for a poker tournament, vanished on February the 9th 2019. He was caught on CCTV leaving the Bonnington Hotel on the Swords Road in north Dublin.Beyond those images, Gardaí have no information about where he went and no trace of him has since been uncovered. One line of enquiry is that this man from Liverpool travelled to Ireland to attack another Icelandic man on the orders of a criminal gang and mistakenly targeted Jonsson.As investigations continue into this new lead, listen back to a podcast originally broadcast in February 2024 that explains the puzzling details of the case.Hosted by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the entire country there are just 26 places for vulnerable children in need of the highest level of specialist care and supervision that Tusla is charged with providing.And only 15 of these beds are currently available.What this means is that when the child and family agency petitions the courts to have a vulnerable and in-danger child taken into its special care, it then has to admit to the judge that it has no beds available.Judges are increasingly expressing their frustration and exasperation at this situation – and at the patchwork of care arrangements facing these children. These typically involve special emergency arrangements (SEAs), often in B&Bs, hotel rooms or private apartments. This is provided by private companies, charging the State nearly €60 million in 2024 alone.Social Affairs Correspondent Kitty Holland explains the background to this ongoing failure and why the increasingly loud comments from the bench just might effect change.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is in oil shock. Since the US and Israel launched its war on Iran one month ago, the impact on the rest of the world has been felt in ever-rising energy prices.Iran controls – and has mostly closed – the Strait of Hormuz through which one-fifth of the world's oil supply usually passes.There is no guarantee in this uncertain war when oil supplies will start flowing again as normal.History shows that oil shocks are followed by recessions says economist, writer and Irish Times columnist David McWilliams. But will that happen this time? And is there enough understanding in Ireland how this war could impact on all our lives in the coming weeks.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.Last Thursday, a Spanish woman called Noelia Castillo, died by euthanasia at the age of 25. The case made headlines in Spain and beyond, because the young woman had spent the previous two years fighting a legal battle against her father, over her right to end her life. The case went all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, but last week, the court eventually rejected her father's request for the euthanasia to be put on hold.The day after the ruling, Castillo died under medical supervision in a hospital north of Barcelona, where crowds gathered outside - some to mourn, others to protest.In today's episode, Irish Times contributor Guy Hedgecoe unpacks the complexities of the case, why it has divided public opinion in Spain, and the circumstances that led Castillo to make this deeply contested decision.Presented by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dublin City Council is keeping up the pressure on the Government to legislate for a tourist tax administered by local authorities.The level of the tax, also called a bed levy, city tax or accommodation tax, has not been pinned down but €5 per room, per night has been mooted. There could be a sliding scale depending on the standard of accommodation.With 21 out of 27 EU member states having such a tax, why is Ireland stubbornly resistant to what would be a boost to local authority coffers?Dublin editor Olivia Kelly explains the background to the tax.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The scale of the fake medicines in Ireland has been made worryingly clear with the latest figures from the State's drugs watchdog.The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) seized more than 750,000 units of illegal and fake medicines over the course of 2025.As has been in the case in previous years, anabolic steroids top the list of fake imported drugs, with erectile dysfunction medication next.But what has alarmed the watchdog is the 180 per cent rise in individual consignments year on year – people going online and ordering these bogus products – with a “significant proportion” being presented as GLP-1 products, also known as weight-loss drugs.So why do people seek out these particular medicines online; are they aware they may be fake despite their apparently authentic packaging and appearance; and is there an understanding of the health risks involved?Irish Times health correspondent Shauna Bowers explains the ever-increasing rise in fake medicines reaching Ireland.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

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.

A new investigation has shown the supply chain link between Russian missiles – ones used to deadly effect in Ukraine – and a factory in Limerick.Aughinish Alumina was built near the Shannon Estuary in the 1980s to make alumina using raw bauxite from Guinea and Brazil.A major employer in the area, it changed hands in 2006 when it was bought by a company called Rusal which at the time was controlled by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaskaa.It has become one of the Europe's biggest sources of the vital raw material. Alumina is a key part of the car and aircraft industry. It is also the bedrock of much of the weapons industry.As part of an in-depth investigation, Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Gallagher traced the exports from the Limerick factory and explains why when the EU looked to sanction any industry which might be helpful to the Russian war machine, Aughinish Alumina was given a pass.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The newly-formed Women's Coalition on Immigration is calling on the Government to publish crime statistics broken down by country of origin and ethnicity. It argues – without supporting evidence – that there is a link between the increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against women in Ireland and immigration. The coalition was established in December by The Countess, a campaigning group led by barrister Laoise de Brún. It was initially set up in 2020 to campaign against “gender identity politics”. But why has it pivoted from trans issues to immigration? What data has it put forward to support its claims? And who are the political representatives giving this small anti-immigration group their support? Irish Times political correspondent Ellen Coyne explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three victims of the IRA's bombing campaign in Britain have spent the past four years building a legal case in an attempt to prove that Gerry Adams was a leading member of the IRA during the Troubles.The former Sinn Féin leader spent two days in the witness box in London, maintaining he was never a member of the republican paramilitary organisation responsible for the injuries of John Clark in the Old Bailey explosion in 1973, Jonathan Ganesh at Canary Wharf in 1996 and Barry Laycock a few months later in Manchester.The 77-year-old appeared, according to Irish Times Ireland and Britain editor Mark Hennessy, frail but he was robust in his denial of the claims.So what happens next? Why might the judge rule that the case should never have been brought? And why did Adams wear a bulletproof vest on the first day of the hearing?As the court prepares to sit for its final day, Hennessy explains the background to the case and the evidence presented.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Michael and Rose Murray were refused planning permission for a substantial dormer bungalow in 2006 on land they owned in Co Meath, they went ahead with more ambitious plans anyway. They built a detached house that was twice the size of the one denied permission at scenic Faughan Hill. Shortly after they moved in, a complaint to Meath Co Council kick-started an epic legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court as the couple sought, to no avail over two decades, to be granted retrospective planning permission for their house. The process culminated this week with the council seizing the property. Irish Times science correspondent Caroline O'Doherty, who has been following the case over the decades, gives the background; while Irish Times legal affairs correspondent Mary Carolan explains what happened in court this week – and why it might not be the last the courts have seen of this saga.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

To keep Irish alive as a language for the modern world, new words are added all the time.Bingewatch (craosfhéachaint), cryptocurrency (criptea-airgeadra), influencer (tionchairí ar líne) and mansplaining (fearmhíniú) are among the relatively recent English words that now have Irish translations.It's great for communication, but who decides on these new translations – and how?Irish Language Editor Éanna Ó Caollaí, writer Alan Titley and Cormac Breathnach from Focloir.ie are here to explain how new Irish words are born. This podcast is available in English and Irish. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

De réir mar a thagann coincheapa agus téarmaí nua chun cinn sa saol, tagann focail nua chun cinn sa chaint mar chur síos orthu. Ar nós gach pobal teanga eile, forbraíonn focail, nathanna agus téarmaíocht go nádúrtha i bpobal labhartha na Gaeilge. Uaireanta eile, nuair a thagann téarmaí iasachta isteach sa ghnáthchaint, cumtar focail nua Gaeilge mar chur síos orthu le cur le stór na bhfocal in focloir.ie.Is samplaí iad Bingewatch, cryptocurrency, influencer agus mansplaining de fhocail nua a tháinig chun cinn sa Bhéarla le blianta beaga anuas. Ach cá as a dtagann na focail Gaeilge ar na coincheapa sin? Agus cén chaoi a gcuirtear le stór na bhfocal Gaeilge iad?Labhair Eagarthóir Gaeilge an Irish Times, Éanna Ó Caollaí, leis an scríbhneoir Alan Titley agus le Cormac Breathnach, bainisteoir tionscadail foclóireachta le foclóir.ie, faoin gcur chuige. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year, day-to-day life has become wearyingly normal.Having endured one of the coldest winters on record – mostly without electricity because of Russia's bombing of power plants – the grinding misery of trying to survive for Ukranians goes on.The devastation in the cities targeted by Russia is clear to see and cost in lives immense. Civilians are paying a massive price: official figures note that 55,000 Ukranians have been killed on the battlefield and the total death toll could be as high as 200,000 people. It is thought that 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed – though the Kremlin has not released figures.Inna Sovsun, a Ukrainian MP from the opposition Holos party, explains what life is like for her in the war, how successive peace talks have been weighted in Russia's favour, and how her job as a legislator still goes on with, for her, the added worry that her partner is fighting on the front line.Her resilience and determination that Russia cannot win, is she says, shared by her compatriots.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israeli air strikes on Lebanon have been relentless and growing in ferocity since the US and Israel launched its war against Iran on February 28th.Saying it is targeting Hizbullah, the Iran-backed militia that essentially functions as a state-within-a state in Lebanon, Israel issues evacuation orders to residents in advance of its missile attacks. That has prompted a mass displacement of people seeking safety.On Wednesday night, air strikes hit the Beirut seafront killing eight people and injuring more than 30 displaced people; families who had fled their homes on Israeli instructions and who were living in tents near the beach.Sally Hayden, who reports from the region for The Irish Times, lives in Beirut.To understand how the attacks are impacting Beirut residents, she visited churches, halls and even a football stadium where displaced people, including thousands of children, are seeking safety in very basic conditions.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News that Kinahan cartel founder Christy Kinahan snr and his sons, Daniel and Christopher jnr, have not left the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for four years offers real insight into how small their world has become.Garda sources say that finding the Kinahans has never been the problem for the teams of detectives investigating them. What has proved difficult is building a case against the men who are the reported leaders of one of the biggest drugs cartels in the world.According to crime and security editor Conor Lally they are literally too scared to leave the UAE for fear of losing control of their lives and their liberty. Why? And why have they not been brought to justice given that a Garda file on the Kinahan leadership was submitted to the DPP in 2023.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first wave of attacks on Iran, a primary school was hit, with a reported death toll of 175, most of them young girls.It is the deadliest known episode of civilian casualties since the US and Israel launched its war in the region on February 28th.In the immediate aftermath, no side took responsibility and who is to blame has become a question that the Trump administration is being called upon to answer.And its answers are confusing and evasive, including the president's claim that the school was hit by Iran.While both Israel and the US say they are investigating, and with outside reporters unable to reach the scene, Malachy Browne and the Visual Investigations Team at the New York Times began to piece together what happened. So how did the team do it and what does this mean for the US strategy of “precision strikes”? Browne explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the conflict in Iran continues and spreads, global markets are down and oil prices are soaring. So what impact could the conflict have on the global economy and on energy costs here in Ireland? Irish Times economics columnist Cliff Taylor explains what we know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new documentary Amplified: The Exportation of the Culture Wars, director Mike Sheridan explores the profound influence of toxic discourse in the United States on the rest of the world – and in particular, Ireland.Through interviews and examples he shows how, with the amplification of social media, legitimate grievance can bloom into conspiracist, and how easily performance, paranoia, and power intertwine.As Irish Times reviewer Tara Brady notes, the film which “begins as a study of toxic discourse in the United States expands into a sobering excavation of recent unrest in Dublin. The riots of November 2023, along with the persistence of aggressive anti-immigrant demonstrations, are presented as symptoms of a transnational malaise”.Sheridan explains to In the News how he made the documentary, how imported misinformation can gain such a powerful hold, and why high-profile US commentators including Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes became so invested in the Dublin riots without any apparent factual knowledge of what occurred.Amplified: The Exportation of the Culture Wars is available to rent on Apple TV and other digital platformsPresented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is turning the recruitment process upside down and leading to a jobs market which can be frustrating and difficult to navigate.So while it is easy to apply for a job online – multiple jobs even, in one go – it's a harsh reality particularly for business or tech graduates looking for their first job that their achievement-filled CV won't be read by a person.Instead it will be put through an AI-powered predictive hiring tool designed to evaluate CVs.In a blink it will find keywords related to many categories such as education and experience, and weight them according to the company's requirements.And there is a strong possibility it won't just be looking at the CV; it will also scrape the web for a candidate's social media posts and any other web mention.And then if the candidate does get through that process, a video interview, with AI, might follow. Meeting an actual human is a long way off.So how does it all work and why are recent graduates having such a hard time finding suitable employment?Peter Cosgrove, managing director of Futurewise explains what AI does in the recruitment process, and why not getting the job might not be entirely the algorithm's fault.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Within minutes of the war beginning on Saturday, allies Israel and the US had achieved a stated goal: Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed alongside his powerful inner circle. His death would, according to both US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, pave the way for regime change, allowing opposition forces in Tehran to rise up and take control. Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel, while Iranian drones have also hit countries across the Middle East. Hizbullah, an Iranian-backed militia, fired missiles into Israel in the early days of the war, and by Wednesday Israeli forces entered Lebanon. The death toll – notably in Iran – is mounting. And the rest of the world is feeling the impact with threats of economic instability, oil shortages and travel and trade chaos. But are the US and Israel on the same page when it comes to the war's objectives? And are they equal partners in this or is this Israel's war with the US providing military support? Irish Times contributor Mark Weiss in Jerusalem explains how the US and Israel are looking for different outcomes from this war. And Shashank Joshi, defence editor with The Economist Magazine, explores how the war might end – and when – and why the Kurds might be drawn in to war. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late January, the Spanish government announced a mass legalisation scheme which will provide migrants with a one-year, renewable residency permit, allowing them to be hired legally.Opening for applications next month, it will benefit about half a million people.For socialist prime minister Pedro Sánchez, the move is about the Spanish values of dignity, community and justice. It also makes the country an outlier in Europe.So who are the migrants likely to benefit from the amnesty and why, at a time when its European neighbours are tightening the rules around undocumented arrivals, has Spain offered such a sweeping amnesty. How will it work and how have Sanchez's political opponents reacted? And will any other country in the bloc be encouraged to copy the Sanchez plan.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Dublin man who admitted killing a young American nurse in Budapest in November 2024 will face trial in April. He has pleaded not guilty to murder, insisting her death was the result of an accident during consensual sex.The 38-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously admitted to killing Mackenzie Michalski (31) during a sexual encounter and hiding her body.At a preliminary hearing in February, the man's lawyer made an application to have his client released with an electronic tag until the end of his trial. The court heard that his parents had purchased a flat in the Hungarian capital for this purpose and were willing to put up more than €50,000 for bail. The application was rejected.Hungarian journalist Bálint Dömötör details the case.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US president Donald Trump came to power promising an end to foreign entanglements. Instead he has ramped up American aggression against its enemies. The weekend's attack that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei along with regime leaders and hundreds of others, including civilians, was his most extreme move yet. But it was done without the constitutionally required approval of Congress, and with polls showing little public support. Washington correspondent Keith Duggan reports on what was behind US president Donald Trump's decision, how it is being received in the US and what happens next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland is to buy hundreds of new armoured vehicles and artillery pieces from France, a move that will significantly expand the capabilities of the Irish Army to conduct on-island defence.The deal is expected to be worth €600 million and is the biggest investment in Army equipment in the history of the State. It is one of several deals with French suppliers to provide a range of equipment and services with an estimated €2billion spend.The coming years will see Ireland work in closer co-operation with our European neighbours on security matters.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher explains why Ireland has chosen France as its supplier of choice for the modernisation of our defence capabilities.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When gardaí raided the homes of 11 senior members of the Black Axe crime organisation this week they found more than they expected.As well as data-crammed mobile phones and laptops, they found merchandise emblazoned with the logo of the international fraud and money laundering gang.The caps and bags – the sort of memorabilia a golf club might offer – feature “Ireland” and also slogans such as “Ireland Zone, Stay Safe”.The gang has a significant operation in Ireland, having been linked to the theft and laundering of €94 million since 2020. Gardaí have arrested 636 people in relation to Black Axe activities, with 1,400 potential suspects. The gang originates in Nigeria.Also seized was something that will be of interest to law enforcement agencies around the world: a copy of the gang's constitution. Security sources believe it is the first time the document has ever been found by a police force in a western country.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Lally explains how the Black Axe gang operates in Ireland and the threat its growing membership poses.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday, authorities in Mexico attempted to capture the notorious cartel boss known as “El Mencho”.They tracked Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes down to a cabin in the western state of Jalisco – his stronghold – and he was fatally wounded in the raid. The firefight also killed several of his heavily-armed accomplices, including his likely successor.He was head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), known for trafficking vast quantities of fentanyl and cocaine into the US.In 2025 it was designated a foreign terrorist organisation by Donald Trump‘s administration.His death prompted waves of violent retaliation as the cartel put on a show of strength in areas far beyond Jalisco and into tourist hotspots.The authorities have calmed the situation – for now – but fears are mounting that more violence will erupt as the cartel seeks to regroup after the death of its leader.And that has brought the soccer World Cup – just months away – into sharp focus with questions about the ability of the Mexican authorities to keep soccer fans safe.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona, home on January 31st when her son-in-law dropped her off there after an evening at her daughter's house nearby. She lived alone.Just hours later it is believed she was abducted from her home, her disappearance reported by friends the following day when she failed to show up for a church service.As the daughter of Savannah Guthrie, presenter of NBC's Today show, she is well-known to audiences having appeared several times on screen.Every step of the investigation by local police and the FBI has been poured over by US media and true crime amateur sleuths.But the mystery remains. More than three weeks later, Nancy Guthrie is still missing.Richard Ruelas reporter from Arizona Republic has been covering the case from the beginning, visiting the scene many times and following every development.He explains why this case has gripped the US.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former British prince Andrew's fall from grace continued last week with his arrest as part of an investigation into whether he abused power by sharing confidential information with his friend Jeffrey Epstein. Up to now the scrutiny of Andrew's relationship with the notorious Epstein has focussed on allegations of sexual exploitation. But this affair has shifted the focus onto Andrew's conduct while working as a trade envoy for Britain. In that time he travelled the world at British taxpayers expense, promoting British business but also making plenty of connections that he would use to his own advantage. So what did Andrew get up to in those years? And how much did his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, and his brother King Charles know about the way he was behaving and the people he was associating with? The answers could determine the future of the Royal Family. On today's In the News podcast we talk to Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled, a biography of Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What started as a one-man play about the life and times of Gerry Hutch became a two-hander this week when, in a curtain-raising surprise, Hutch himself appears on stage to deliver a prologue.Rex Ryan premiered his play The Monk – called after the widely used nick-name of his subject – last summer but for its second outing it moved to a much larger Dublin venue, The Ambassador, for a weeklong run.Ryan, who produces, stars and directs The Monk is, says Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally, a powerful presence on stage.Hutch, adds little says Lally – except audience pulling power. He went along to a performance to see how Hutch, whose career he has followed closely, is portrayed. He gives his plain-speaking review here.Lally found the section on the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin deeply distasteful and the extent to which RTÉ journalist Paul Reynolds lives rent-free in Hutch's head simply bizarre.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.