In The News

On Thursday, a judge in a Belfast court lifted an injunction that would have prevented Michael Flatley's involvement in the Lord of the Dance show, due to begin in Dublin next week before a multi-date international tour.The Chicago-born dancer was lead performer and choreographer of Riverdance, the 1994 Eurovision interval show that introduced a new, high octane, modern form of Irish dancing to the world.It brought him fame and fortune and in 1996 he developed a global touring show called Lord of the Dance. Critically acclaimed it was for many years wildly successful.With the 30-year anniversary of Lord of the Dance coming up, Flately who is based in Monaco, signed a contract with Newry firm Switzer Consulting to run the shows. And it's the details of that contract that were in contention.During the civil case taken by Switzer, the court heard claims about Flatley's lifestyle that will come as a surprise to his many fans.His former financial adviser Des Walshe claimed that his ex-client was “all about image”, and living a millionaire's lifestyle funded by borrowing. “He was faking it on a multimillion euro scale,” Walshe submitted to the court.So how did Flatley react to this damning characterisation? And what was his reaction when the judge lifted the injunction.Belfast-based reporter Paul Colgan explains the complex case and why it has come to this for the world's most famous Irish dancer.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people who heard the weather forecasts at the weekend that mentioned Storm Chandra will not have expected the devastation it was to bring on Monday and Tuesday. The east coast was hit hardest. Homes were flooded that had never flooded before, rivers burst their banks, road and rail closures caused traffic chaos and businesses were forced to close. Some of the areas worst hit by the floods received almost half their average rainfall for January in one 24-hour period.But shouldn't there have been stronger warnings of what was likely to come and what are people supposed to do when they are told flooding is likely? Climate change is altering weather patterns with potentially devastating results, so how prepared is the Government for what is to come?Irish Times climate and science correspondent Caroline O'Doherty explains why Storm Chandra hit so hard and why some areas were impacted more than others. And we hear from Rathfarnham resident Ciaran Kirwan whose home was flooded.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When news emerged at the weekend that one of China's most decorated generals had been purged, rumours swirled around Beijing. The official line was that Zhang Youxia, and later another top general, had been ousted from their jobs due to “serious violations of discipline and law”. That is widely understood as code for corruption but no more details were forthcoming. This led to speculation that the reason Chinese president Xi Jinping took the action against Zhang, a man believed to be untouchable because of his military background and his long, personal relationship with the president, was because he was no longer loyal and was plotting against him. For Irish Times Beijing based-correspondent Denis Staunton, talk of a coup by military generals is wide of the mark. Instead it appears that Xi, who has been on an anti-corruption sweep of government at all levels since he took office, began looking at the military and the top brass came into his sights.So is Xi simply – and ruthlessly – consolidating his power? And what does this sudden and dramatic change in military leadership structure mean for the country's long-stated ambition of taking control of Taiwan?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the three weeks since Donald Trump sent thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, to the state of Minnesota, and its capital city, Minneapolis, over 3000 people have been detained suspected of being illegal immigrants.But there's strong local opposition in this liberal city. When agents appear in a neighbourhood, protests begin and that's putting ordinary people into contact with the armed and masked officers.Two citizens have been shot and killed. Renee Good earlier this month and, at the weekend, Alex Pretti.Can the Trump administration ignore the growing calls for deescalation and accountability?Declan Conlon speaks to The Irish Times US Correspondent Keith Duggan.Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is the most zealous supporter of the MAGA agenda. That much is expected from a Trump administration insider, but Miller is much more that a suit in the background.He is the aide tasked with turning even the most vaguely thought-through policy announced by the US president into action – and he relishes the job.To understand just why ICE is so brutally on the ground in American cities, its necessary to know Miller's own tough stance on immigration.Miller's aggressive style has served up some of the administration's most startling soundbites whether that's on Greenland, tariffs, Europe or immigration.He is not afraid to upset people as he ruthlessly implements Trump's agenda.But who is Stephen Miller and how did he rise, as Trump says: “to the top of the White House totem pole”.Today's guest is Ashley Parker, a journalist with The Atlantic Magazine who has been following Miller's career from Washington intern to hard-right Oval Office enforcer.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ADHD is commonly characterised by traits like impulsivity, difficulty regulating emotions, and difficulty maintaining focus.But mounting research suggests adults and adolescents with the condition are far more likely to develop substance addiction. Rates of diagnoses for ADHD have been soaring in recent years and addiction programmes in Ireland report high numbers of people with ADHD seeking help for substance misuse.On today's In The News podcast, Eric, Oonagh and Shane, three adults with ADHD, share their journey navigating addiction.And the head of the charity ADHD Ireland Ken Kilbride calls for addiction services to be better equipped to help people with ADHD who come to them.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump's address at the World Economic Forum made the headlines yesterday as the US president appeared to rule out using force to take over Greenland. But It was Tuesday's speech by Canadian prime minister Mark Carney that may be remembered in the long run.Carney's used his address to tell allies that the "rules-based international order" is over and that "middle powers" like Canada and the EU needed to band together to resist great powers like China and the US.Carney's message came after recent overtures to China, resetting relations with the superpower as he seeks a less reliant relationship with Trump's erratic US next door.But what exactly does Carney's message imply, and would the leaders he was addressing have the wherewithal to follow through on such a course of action?Irish Times China correspondent Denis Staunton explains what Carney's new vision for the world means and how Beijing views this growing distance between once close allies.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If anyone thinks that the rioters who caused mayhem and destruction on the streets of Dublin in November 23rd, 2023 were a well-organised group motivated by strongly-held ideology, think again.Of the 99 people arrested in connection with the Dublin riots, 82 have been charged with offences which range from attacking a garda and setting fire to a bus to stealing cigarettes and trainers.The unprecedented scenes of mayhem, damage and looting in and around O'Connell Street, was sparked by an attack earlier in the day of three young children and a care worker by Riad Bouchaker, an Algerian who has lived in Ireland for many years.At the time, the riots were characterised as being anti-immigrant in motivation. But as Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher explains, the picture that emerges from court reports reveals that the majority of the guilty rioters had very different reasons to be there.He also examines the sentencing of the rioters, and what it says about the attitude of the courts to the crimes committed on that night.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump is not giving up on Greenland.On Saturday he announced tariffs on France, Germany, the UK and others, after those nations sent ⁠military personnel to the island at Denmark's request.On Monday UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to the threat, describing it as “completely wrong”.And how is the EU responding? Potentially, with tariffs of its own - and that could endanger the US-EU trade deal that was agreed last August.But some countries are calling for caution. Like Ireland, which has a lot to lose from a trade war between Europe and the United States.On today's In the News, host John Casey speaks to Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times about the implications for Ireland if there is a tariff escalation and the US-EU trade deal is abandoned.Produced by Declan Conlon.As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you! The amount of cannabis being smuggled into Ireland has risen significantly in recent years, with most the product for sale now coming from the United States.So why have drug gangs here turned to overseas product aand why from the US?In today's episode by Irish Times Crime and Security correspondent Conor Lally explains how drug gangs attempt to get cannabis into the country - and how they are caught. Presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eddie Hobbs, once a fixture on RTÉ, says, “The mainstream media is the North Korea of Europe”.He was speaking on Steve Bannon's popular War Room podcast and it was a meeting of minds between one of the architects of Maga and the financial adviser-turned podcaster and campaigner.Bannon recently said he has been helping to form an Irish “national party”, working “behind the scenes” on “the Irish situation”.But has he? Where is the evidence for that? And how receptive would an Irish audience be to the former White House strategist's vision for the country?Meanwhile Hobbs told a conference in Athlone this month that those who want to see a new government in Ireland that would cut immigration and break ties with globalist elites need to “reach across the Atlantic” and seek help from the Irish diaspora in the US Maga movement.So could Hobbs be an Irish Trump? What are the other likely candidates?And why is Bannon so out of touch with the political system in Ireland.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher, an expert in the Irish far-right, explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The devastating cruelty endured by four-year-old Mason O'Connell-Conway, who was murdered at his home in Limerick in 2021, was laid bare during the trial of his father's girlfriend, Tegan McGhee (32).Doctors reported that the child's injuries were similar to those suffered by car crash victims.McGhee and the child's father, John Paul O'Connell, had told paramedics that the little boy had fallen from a bunk bed in their Limerick home. He died three days later in hospital in his mother's arms.McGhee pleaded guilty to his murder at the trial in November and on Wednesday she was jailed for life. The boy's father has already been jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to neglect and impeding the prosecution of McGhee, knowing or believing she had murdered his son.Mason's mother Elizabeth Conway gave a powerful and heartbreaking victim impact statement in the Central Criminal Court which court reporter Eoin Reynolds describes here.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The installation of traffic cameras at junctions in Dublin city to catch motorists who break red lights has been shelved.It's a puzzling decision given that cameras were proven to work in a 2025 trial. And what about congestion charges? They've been talked about, but would they work and are they fair?As work on new elements of the Dublin City Transport Plan is set to begin – including one of the bus corridors that promise to make sense of the BusConnects route changes – Olivia Kelly, Dublin Correspondent, explains what is and isn't getting the city moving.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than two weeks, anti-government protests have taken over the streets of Iran. The regime has responded to the demonstrations with a heavy hand. According to various human rights agencies, more than 650 people are believed to have been killed by security forces. The violence towards protestors has only intensified in recent days, with the regime shutting down access to the country's internet and phone lines - leaving the people of Iran cut off from eachother and the rest of the world. In today's episode Irish Times producer Suzanne Brennan talks to Bel Trew, chief international correspondent with the Independent about the background to the unrest and whether this latest uprising could signal the fall of the regime Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An app that allows millions of users to create sexualised images of children has brought the dangers of Artificial Intelligence into sharp focus – and shown how ineffective governments are in implementing safeguards on digital behemoths.A new feature of Elon's Musk's AI tool, Grok – available to users of his X platform – allows people to create intimate photographs of people without their consent and create child sex abuse imagery.Women have reported that their photos had been taken from the internet and digitally altered by strangers on X, to “nudify” them so they appeared naked or in a bikini.As Irish Times political correspondent Ellen Coyne explains there are few consequences for those who use the AI model to create illegal sexual images of women and children.Meanwhile Musk initially responded to the avalanche of international criticism of his AI tool with crying face emojis but since then the platform has reportedly moved to restrict access to the feature.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The killing of Renee Nicole Good (37) in her car on the streets of Minneapolis by an immigration officer has been witnessed by millions of people around the world.Countless bystanders took videos on their phones from all angles on the snowy suburban street as the mother and US citizen drove by, was surrounded by armed Ice (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents and was shot dead.So it should be possible to quickly reach a definitive conclusion as to what happened.But as Rachel Leingang, Midwest political correspondent for Guardian US, explains the killing instantly became politicised in a city where tensions were already on a knife-edge, with armed Ice officers swarming neighbourhoods as part of the Trump administration immigration crackdown.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday US president Donald Trump said he needed Greenland “very badly”. It's a sentiment he expressed during his first term, but what then sounded like something of a fantasy wishlist has now hardened into policy.Reaction to Trump's intentions has taken on some urgency following his removal by military force of Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro, last weekend,Quite how he might move to take over the vast Arctic territory is unclear.This week the White House said the use ‍of the US military is “always an option”; it also said it might seek to buy the island from Denmark.Greenland is part of the Danish kingdom. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, has said an attack by the US on a Nato ally – Greenland as part of Denmark – would mean the end of the alliance.But in a week that saw the Trump administration doubling down on its intention to take over the mineral rich island, the EU is scrabbling to respond to the threats from Washington in a way Trump might take seriously, as Brussels-based Irish Times reporter Jack Power explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since he took over as head coach at Manchester United Ruben Amorim has been outspoken, dishing up post-match commentary that frequently centred on how poor he felt his players had performed.On January 4th, after a desultory 1-1 draw with Leeds, he took aim, not at his players but at United's top brass – his bosses. He was, he said, the manager, not the coach; the heavy implication being that he wanted to make his own decisions and that management were getting in his way.On Monday it was announced that Amorim would be leaving the club with immediate effect.Once again Manchester United is on the hunt for a manager – or to be more accurate in the modern game – a coach.Irish Times columnist Ken Early explains why Amorim was never a good fit for United and why coaches at top-flight clubs have an increasingly short sell-by date.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in a court in New York City on charges including drug-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. The pair pleaded not guilty to all charges, with Maduro telling the court, “I'm innocent. I am not guilty … I am a decent man. I am still president of my country”. But if Maduro is in New York, who is in charge in Venezuela? US President Donald Trump says, “we are” – but what does that really mean? In today's episode, Tom Hennigan who reports on South America for The Irish Times explains what Maduro's arrest means for the country and its people. Presented by Declan Conlon, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Hyrox came to Dublin's RDS last November, it was a completely sold out event. The tickets for the fitness race were snapped up in minutes of going on sale, with organisers adding extra dates just to meet demand. But one person who was able to get their hands on a ticket was Irish Times sports writer Gordon Manning. The only problem? He'd never tried Hyrox before and hadn't done any training for the event. Manning - who isn't even a member of a gym - decided to take on the gruelling challenge to find out why this fitness craze has become so popular in Ireland and around the world. But with so little preparation, did he survive the race? And what does it involve anyway? In today's episode, we'll hear all about Manning's Hyrox experience, whether he'd do it again and whether you should do it too.Presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was first published in August.In the space of a few short years, generative AI has exploded into our daily lives, impacting the way we learn, work and understand the world around us.Open AI, the American artificial intelligence company cofounded by Sam Altman and Elon Musk in 2015 which runs ChatGPT, claims its non-profit “mission” is to ensure these systems “benefit all of humanity”.And while the launch of ChatGPT has undoubtedly lightened the workload of many, engineer, journalist and AI expert Karen Hao says the AI race for world domination carries a huge human and environmental cost.In 2019, Hao spent three days embedded in the offices of OpenAI and discovered this company, which claims to be transparent and operating “for the good of humanity”, was in fact highly secretive.In her bestselling book ‘Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination', Hao warns that the world has entered a new and ominous age of empire, where a small handful of companies are writing the future of humanity.Today, on the In The News podcast, how the race for total AI domination is repeating the worst of human history.Karen Hao discusses the severe cost of the seemingly unstoppable growth of OpenAI.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan. 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.

This episode was first published in June 2025. In the early hours of May 8th, two masked men in a stolen Audi staged a drive-by shooting, firing nine shots indiscriminately at houses on Limerick's Hyde Road, including at April Collins's home. More shots were fired at a Collins-owned home on the Hyde Road in November 2024, and in two separate attacks in January 2025. Since then, there have been a dozen violent incidents, including pipe and petrol bomb attacks.The Garda Emergency Response Unit now conducts nightly armed checkpoints in flashpoint areas. The gangs appear undeterred.Between February and April, the Cork-based bomb disposal unit was deployed on multiple occasions to deal with pipe bombs seized in Limerick's criminal strongholds.In 2012 there was hope that the violent territorial feud between the city's key drug suppliers, the McCarthy-Dundon gang and the Keane-Collopy gang had been calmed, particularly with the jailing of key members of the Dundon family. April Collins's evidence sealed the case for the State. She moved away from Hyde Road following the court case but in late 2023 she moved back and tit-for-tat attacks ensued.And what of the new generation street criminals? Some are so young they were not even born when the original feud was in at its peak, but their actions show those gang lines that were drawn still exist: that the feud has never gone away.Brian Carroll tells In the News about the resurgence in drug-related gang violence in Limerick.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was first published in May 2025. From the moment he reported her missing in 2017, Richard Satchwell stuck to his story that his wife Tina had run off.His many media appeals begged her to come home. But as the jury heard during his five-week trial in the Central Criminal Court for her murder, she was indeed home and she had been all along.Richard had killed her in 2017, dug a hole under the stairs of their terraced Youghal home and buried her.The Garda did look for her – as a missing person – but “red flags” emerged soon after her disappearance were “simply ignored” by gardaí, the court was told.What were they? And why did it take until six years after her disappearance for a thorough search of the Satchwell house to take place?Irish Times legal affairs correspondent Mary Carolan tells In the News how the court case unfolded and what happens next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was first published in August 2025. For years the Irish Republican Brotherhood – the IRB – was remembered annually in a curious ceremony at Dublin's Mansion House when its self-styled president Billy McGuire conducted a ritual that involved turning a golden harp to reaffirm the sovereignty of Ireland.The existence of an IRB will come as a surprise to historians who consider that the secret-oath-bound society of the same name was disbanded more than 100 years ago.But in recent years, a new cohort has taken over the IRB name, turning it into a growing organisation steeped in the pseudo-legal language of the sovereign citizen movement, which believes citizens are not subject to State laws.This has caused officials in Dublin and nationally to become increasingly nervous about the group's intentions.The leaders of the modern IRB are in large part veterans of the Covid-19 anti-mask and anti-lockdown campaigns, along with property owners who turned to conspiracy theories after losing vast sums during the crash. Its leaders include a prominent Clare businessman, a teacher, a healthcare worker and a life coach.This version of the IRB has a shadow government, a nascent court system and a network of local government bodies. It has also adopted a new time zone, Irish Rising Time, which is 25 minutes slower and based on the time zone used in Dublin until the 1916 rising. It even claims control over Óglaigh na hÉireann.So is this fringe group like those harmless re-enactors who cosplay historical events or does it have the potential to go the way of some sovereign citizen groups in the US and Germany who have escalated their actions to include violence?Irish Times Crime and Security Correspondent Conor Gallagher explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Christmas Eve and so much about this time of year is about the things we do and eat – not because we particularly want to do them or even enjoy eating them – but it's traditional.So what are the traditions we've clung to and what are the new ones that have crept up on us?Who sends Christmas cards anymore? And why have Poinsettias, once such an exotic seasonal plant, fallen out of favour?Irish Times feature writer Laura Slattery has been teasing out the traditions that make an Irish Christmas.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At a time when there are media think pieces galore about how atomised entertainment is, how people don't talk about TV like they used to; how the music industry is fractured beyond repair; and how young people are too stuck to their screens to engage in real-life politics, 2025 proved all that wrong.RTÉ's smash hit reality TV show Traitors Ireland was a ratings juggernaut that dished up endless water-cooler moments. Oasis played two triumphant Croke Park gigs, with all talk about eye-watering ticket prices forgotten in the blazing sunshine and general euphoria. And Kneecap's frontman Liam Óg hAnnaidh aka Mo Chara's London court appearances became mini-festivals with music mixing with politics.And then where was Lily Allen's tell-all album, West End Girl and presidential hopeful Maria Steen and her handbag.These and other much-talked about highlights are picked over by Aideen Finnegan from the Irish Times podcast team and journalist Niamh Browne.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson is the UK's most notorious anti-Muslim activist.At 43, he is the street leader of the radical right-wing nationalist upsurge gripping Britain.An estimated 150,000 like-minded protesters turned out in London in September for his “Unite the Kingdom” march and for months Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul has tried to get an interview with him.And then the call came out of the blue on a cold December evening.Robinson was planning a stunt in an hour's time – to announce the date of his next protest – and would the Irish Times like to come?In the end the stunt failed for technical reasons but Paul got to see how the avowed right-wing radical works and got to shadow him the following day.At a choral service – to “bring the Christ back into Christmas” he got to see how Robinson is mixing his newfound conversion to evangelical Christianity with his anti-immigrant message.Paul tells In the News how Robinson's new style of campaigning echoes the Maga movement that got Donald Trump elected.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 was a year of global upheaval, from the activities of the Trump Administration to instability in the Middle East and the reshaping of power politics as China continues its rise. But what will it be remembered for in the long run? Irish Times foreign correspondents Denis Staunton, who is based in Beijing, and Europe correspondent Naomi O'Leary, each picked two events whose impact will be felt into the future. They include the meeting between Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, a trilateral power meeting in China that said much about the relationship between the US and the rest of the world; the October 10th ceasefire in Gaza, which is broadly holding in a way other ceasefires haven't; the record S&P stock surge in the US and why it loudly hints at an AI bubble and what that could mean for Ireland; and Europe's growing willingness to break a taboo, to reconsider the terms of the UN 1951 Refugee Convention which gave immigrants and refugees rights and imposed obligations on European countries.And amid all the gloom there were some lighter moments that struck our two correspondents.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 25 years the Mercosur deal is reaching crunch time. The trade deal which would permit free trade between the EU and the South American countries that make up the Mercosur bloc has a deadline of December 20th.It allows the EU to export more cars, wines and spirits to South America, with goods including meat coming the other way – and that's what worries Iris, but also French, farmers.There are hopes it will be signed off at this week's two-day EU summit in Brussels; hopes at least on the part of the European Commission and Germany.France and Italy are still holding out on signing up – urging a push-back to January on any decision – while Ireland appears stuck in the middle.Mercosur countries form the world's sixth largest economy with a total population of 270 million people. It's a vast market for EU producers.So how will the Mercosur talks play out this week and what pressure will Ireland be put under to sign up to a deal that Irish farmers say would greatly injure not just them, but the economy as a whole.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2025 roll call of Irish sporting heroes is long and notable for the variety of sports that saw stunning feats of excellence.Golfing great Rory McIlroy made history at The Masters; a new athletics star was born in Kate O'Connor; and Troy Parrott made football fans of us all with his stellar performance against Hungary to keep our World Cup dreams alive.And there were so many more sporting moments – including surprise retirements – throughout the year that set records and pulses racing.Irish Times sports writers Malachy Clerkin and Muireann Duffy give their sporting highlights from 2025.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What were the big political stories of 2025? Were there issues we were obsessed with at the time and now can't quite remember why? And were there any laughs to be had around Leinster House?For a look back on the year in Irish politics, Irish Times political correspondents Ellen Coyne and Jack Horgan-Jones came into the studio with their standout stories – from the fretting about the threat of US tariffs to the highs and lows of the presidential election; and from Paschal Donohoe's exit for a more glamorous job to the Government's new housing manifesto.Then there was Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry's unparliamentary sign language.And what exactly are “country pursuits” and why did they emerge as a talking point during the presidential election.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan with Andrew McNair on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most shocking stories of the year was the disappearance of Kerry farmer Michael Gaine, whose dismembered body was found on his farm almost two months after he went missing. This murder remains unsolved.In June, Evan Fitzgerald (22) walked into a busy shopping centre in Carlow and opened fire. He then turned his weapon on himself and ended his own life.The year also saw some high-profile court cases, including the trial of Richard Satchwell, who was found guilty of murdering his wife, Tina. And there was the case of former superstar hurler DJ Carey, who was given five and a half years in prison for deception and fraud.For Crime and Security Editor Conor Lally, three stories stood out – for the events themselves but also for what they tell us about crime and policing in Ireland in 2025: the missing toddler Daniel Aruebose, whose absence went unnoticed for years and whose death is now a homicide inquiry; the discovery in Portlaoise of a far-right group who were allegedly planning an attack on Galway Mosque and the extradition of Sean McGovern from Dubai. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Australia became the first country in the world to impose a social media ban for children aged 16 and under.Welcomed by parents there but criticised by big tech and some free-speech advocates, the ban will see companies such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok face massive fines if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the social media accounts of Australian children. And to stop children getting such accounts in the first place.Ireland is also taking steps to make children safer online, with a Government push to design a digital wallet linked to social security numbers as proof of age. And the Department of Health's online safety taskforce will also lay out its proposals today.Irish Times Political Correspondent Ellen Coyne explains the Government's advanced plans to protect children from accessing harmful material online.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The M in M50 stands for motorway – multiple lanes, fast speed limits and easy access to a network of national roads. More than 30 years ago it was designed as a modern piece of infrastructure to get the country moving.Now for many motorists for long stretches of the day - it's a car park.So are there any quick fixes? Are more roads the answer, more tolls? Better public transport certainly is the key, but why is our infrastructure so dire that people who live in the ever expanding Dublin commuter belt have no other option but to get in their cars and drive?The road that partially circles Dublin is congested and that's the problem. There's too much traffic on it. So what can be done to get it moving?Brian Caulfield, professor in transportation at Trinity College Dublin, explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Department of Housing is an unexpected source of top tips for young adults on how to behave. “Help out around the house”, it advises, “Set house rules” and “Communicate with your family”.All generally sound advice but widely perceived as tone deaf as it is in an information campaign aimed at young people forced to move back into their family homes, to once again sleep in their childhood bedrooms.The housing crisis with its high rents and lack of choice has meant many young people stay living with their parents for far longer than they want. The average age for Irish people to leave the family home is 28.The video, created by youth group SpunOut for the Housing Agency, has sparked negative responses from online commentators and Opposition politicians.Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones explains why the messaging fell so flat and how the controversy is playing out in Leinster House.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gardaí have opened a double murder investigation after a young boy, Tadhg Farrell (4) and his great-aunt Mary Holt (60) were killed in a suspected petrol bomb attack on a house in Co Offaly.Tadhg's grandmother, who was also in the house on Saturday evening, is in critical condition in hospital having suffered extensive burns in the blaze at Castleview Park, Edenderry.The house has been attacked before, in one incident all its windows were broken in what is believed to be an ongoing drug debt feud.Gardaí suspect a criminal gang involved in the drugs trade in the Midlands were behind the firebombing.Garda sources said the incident was probably intended as an intimidatory attack and they did not believe the people at the property were the intended targets.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher reports from the scene.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A leak of documents, including photographs, from the regime of Bashir al Assad has laid bare the bloody inner workings of his regime.More than 33,000 photographs of detainees, mostly believed to have been taken in 2015-2024, show the extent of the degradation and torture inflicted on them by Assad's regime.For some families, the leak to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), finally gives the tragic answer to what happened to their loved ones.Assad presided over Syria during the country's 13-year civil war during which about half a million people were killed including more than 200,00 civilians at the hands of the regime and more than 160,000 were forcibly “disappeared”.Many of the bodies in the leaked photographs bear clear signs of torture. Nearly half are naked and most show signs of starvation.Irish Times Beirut-based reporter Sally Hayden worked with the ICIJ on the leak and she explains the importance of this evidence.She notes that as soon as the Irish Times became aware of the existence of the leaked photographs in October, it has advocated for consulting victims' families regarding their release.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest round of Ukraine-Russia peace talks have been the most complex and lengthy since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia began in February 2022.The latest round of talks started two weeks ago with a leaked 28-point draft peace proposal which alarmed Ukrainian and European officials who said that it was weighted too much in Moscow's favour. The proposal would have seen Ukraine cede territory to Russia, Russia readmitted to the G8 and Ukraine banned from joining Nato.There followed a 20-point plan, and then a 27-point plan. The talks – with the US represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner – moved from Geneva to Moscow where, on Tuesday, five hours of talks with Russian president Vladimer Putin around the table yielded no agreement. Talks are currently taking place in Miami.Putin has been clear, Russia is winning the war and while he is willing to come to the table to negotiate, there is no urgency. Ukraine has indicated it too is keen for a deal – but not on any terms. While in Washington, the US president has been making hopeful noises, reflecting the widespread belief that he just wants to get a peace deal done.Meanwhile at home Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been rocked by a corruption scandal that has seen his chief of staff, who had led the Ukrainian delegation at peace talks, resigning on Friday.Irish Times Europe Correspondent based in Kyiv, Dan McLaughlin, explains how the talks evolved and what next for the war.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uniformed gardaí are being issued with Taser guns as part of a six-month trial.It has long been a point of pride in Ireland that the police force are not armed unlike their European counterparts. And while these guns fire electric shocks and not bullets, this is change in how the gardaí police the streets.So does this move bring closer the day when the Garda will be an armed force? How will it change the way the gardaí interact with the public? And why now?Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a major military operation that began in September, the US administration continues to put pressure on Venezuela with navy warships massing in the Caribbean Sea.US president Donald Trump claims the air strikes on boats in the region are not acts of aggression but enforcement operations to prevent alleged drug trafficking.To date it is estimated that 83 people have been killed but it has not been made clear by the administration the intelligence that led up the attacks proving the boats were indeed carrying drugs.So is this a “war on drugs” or is it part of a broader plan to oust Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro?And with Trump now saying the country's air space should be shut down, is a ground offensive on the horizon?I speak to professor of Latin American history and migration studies at Vassar College, Daniel Mendiola.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New figures from the Residential Tenancies Board are stark: the number of eviction notices issued by landlords in the third quarter of this year increased by 35 per cent on the same period last year.This at a time when rents have never been higher.The reason given most frequently by landlords is that they are selling up. Why?New rent regulations which improve the rights of long-term tenants are set be introduced in March 2026. Could this be the reason landlords are getting out of the market?And why are small landlords more likely to want to exit the market than big institutional investors who dominate the private rental sector?Irish Times housing reporter Niamh Towey has talked to landlords and estate agents to get a clearer picture.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.