In The News

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.

The Geran-2 is a deadly weapon; a drone bomb that can be launched from thousands of kilometres away and yet hit its target with precision accuracy.Low cost and easy to make, this winter it has become a key weapon in Russia's armoury as it pummels Ukraine, causing hundreds of deaths and cutting off energy supply.And a key component in the Geran-2 design is a chip manufactured years ago by Taoglas, which is headquartered in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.So how did it make its way into Russia's armament supply chain – especially given EU rules which ban the export to Russia of “high priority” dual-use technology that can have both civilian and military applications.An investigation by The Irish Times in partnership with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and others has revealed that technology from EU companies is making its way into Russia in vast quantities, where it is used in weapons such as the Geran-2.This includes various components manufactured by Taoglas and another Irish-based company, TE Connectivity.Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher was part of that investigative consortium and he explains how these drones work and why stopping their manufacture has proven difficult.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tip-off that led the Garda to begin a major search for the bodies of Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob is likely not new according to crime and security editor Conor Lally. The piece of land on the border of counties Wicklow and Kildare has been in the Garda's sights for many years but since the disappearance of the young women, missing since the 1990s, are now considered murders, ongoing reviews of the files bring new leads and new thinking on the investigation.News on Monday that gardaí had begun an extensive dig on the land was accompanied by mention of Dullard and Jacob leading to speculation that it had been determined that both young women were the victims of the same murderer.Not so, says Lally, who notes that gardaí suspect Jacob, who disappeared in broad daylight, was killed by convicted rapist Larry Murphy, while Dullard was killed by an unknown male who gave her a lift as she tried to get home.Lally analyses this new phase in the investigation.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Belfast man James O'Neill, or Jim as he was known, led an unconventional life. He was according to his family a highly intelligent man in his 40s who lived nomadically, sometimes sleeping rough, moving between cities. His body found was found in Dublin's Phoenix Park in November 2023 but his parents, Paul and Ann O'Neill were not informed of their son's death until 13 months later. That's because his body was not identified when he was found or during the postmortem despite the fact that he had nine forms of ID in the pocket of his anorak. So how were they found and why did it take so long to find them? Irish Times columnist Una Mullally talked to his parents about their son and about the questions they want answered by Fiosrú, the Office of the Garda Ombudsman, which is investigating the force's handling of the puzzling case. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ultra-processed foods are irresistible – they're made that way. The food manufacturers that dominate our supermarket shelves are constantly looking for ways to make us buy (and that means eat) more. And to find cheaper ingredients.But isn't just about everything in our diet, apart from fresh fruit and vegetables, processed in some way? So why has ultra-processed food become the focus of so much concern and debate?Nutritionist Sarah Keogh gives her view on what's happening on our plates.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Jeffrey Epstein files reveal the convicted child sex offender was fascinated by magicians, and detail a years-long relationship between Epstein and David Blaine as well as an FBI investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by David Copperfield.Since the files were released by the US department of justice two weeks ago, Irish Times journalist Naomi O'Leary has been combing through the documents.It is not, she says, an easy cache to navigate, with a clunky search function and opaque filing system.However she has been able to find multiple emails which reveal a relationship between Epstein and several famous magicians including Blaine and Copperfield – after the disgraced financier had been convicted and served prison time for soliciting sex with children.O'Leary came into studio to detail her experience of searching the consistently disturbing files – so big that only a fraction of them have been excavated by journalists worldwide. She explains how sex trafficker Epstein, collector of powerful people and expert at developing transactional relationships with them, had a weird fascination with magicians.Being mentioned in the Epstein files is not an indication of wrongdoing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Alexander Abnos, senior sports editor at the Guardian US “removing the US as World Cup host would be eminently sad – and entirely justified”.The 2026 Fifa World Cup will be hosted this summer by Mexico, Canada and the US.But the killings by Ice agents of US citizens and their intimidatory presence on city streets has been well reported globally which may make travelling fans nervous. And that's if they get in at all: the US president Donald Trump has imposed travel bans on several countries – including Senegal and Ivory Coast which have qualified to play.And then there is the stratospherically high price of stadium tickets which make going to the game prohibitively expensive.In January, former Fifa president Sepp Blatter supported calls by Swiss anti-corruption lawyer Mark Pieth for fans to boycott matches taking place in the US. But calls for boycotts of big sporting events are not unusual. They were loud before the last World Cup in Qatar but didn't make much of an impression.Abnos explains why a US boycott won't happen.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts: In The News and 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.On Monday, British prime minister Keir Starmer survived a day that could have ended his political career. The momentum against him had grown from Westminster whispers to the leader of Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar coming straight out and calling for him to step down. The release of the Epstein Files - which showed deeply damaging evidence against Starmer's ambassadorial appointment to Washington, Peter Mandelson - was the excuse for the move against the prime minister, not the cause. His party has deep divisions. But Starmer rallied his party who publicly pledged support.So he has survived – for now. But as Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul explains there are several pitfalls ahead that may prove fatal for his leadership. Coming up as key days in Starmer's diary are the release of the so-called “Mandelson Files”; the byelection on February 26th in Manchester and most dangerous for him according to Paul, the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections on May 7th when Labour is expected to get an electoral drubbing. So if by the summer Starmer is forced out, what will it mean for Ireland and its relationship with the UK? And who might succeed him?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teacher Enoch Burke has been in and out of court – and of prison – over his refusal to stay away from the school he once worked for.His legal challenges have clogged up the courts, but he is also involved in another process – an appeal against his dismissal before a disciplinary appeal panel.Last month that panel fell apart when two of its three members stood down. But the courts need the disciplinary panel to finish its work before Burke's case can be resolved.So how is this new delay being viewed by the lawyers attempting to bring this long running saga to an end?And how does the panel work? What is the holdup and why has their been two panels so far with a third one now likely?Irish Times legal affairs correspondent Mary Carolan explains this new twist in the Enoch Burke affair.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Suzanne Brennan.The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts: In The News and 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the night of his second birthday in May 1991, Seamus Daniel Howell's mother Lesley was murdered by his father, Colin Howell, and his father's lover, Hazel Stewart.The pair also killed Stewart's husband Trevor Buchanan.They left the two bodies in a garage in Castlerock, Co Derry, staging the scene to make it look as if they had taken their own lives.The pair had committed the perfect murder so they could be together. And they had got away with it.That is until 2009 when Colin Howell, a respected dentist and devout evangelical Christian, walked into a police station out of the blue and confessed to the killings. He and Stewart were convicted of the murders and jailed for a minimum of 21 years and 18 years respectively.Seamus grew up being told that his mother had killed herself, until the truth came out. By then he was a medical student in England. Now a doctor in New York he tells In the News what it was like growing up in the Howell house and how his discovered that his father was a murderer. He explains how it impacted on his life, and how it has made him acutely aware of injustice which now for him includes advocating for Palestine.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan and Suzanne Brennan.The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts: In The News and 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a rough rule of thumb when it comes to paying to dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant: stars cost around €100 each. That's according to Irish Times restaurant reviewer Corinna Hardgrave, who explains what it takes for a restaurant to win a Michelin star and what it means for them when they do.Ireland has 18 one-star and five two-star restaurants – but no three stars.For the first time the Michelin Guide is holding its awards ceremony in Dublin, on Monday, and Hardgrave gives her predictions on who might get a new star and who might be awarded an extra one. However she says nothing is predictable with the highly secretive Michelin.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts: In The News and 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US justice department has made public more than three million pages of records related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein - and the fallout has dominated global headlines.Much of the content was redacted, sparking accusations of a cover-up designed to protect US president Donald Trump, although authorities claim they were protecting victims.Just what is contained in them – and who is named or seen in the emails and videos – is slowly emerging as reporters sift through the vast data dump.What is clear is that Epstein was a trafficker and abuser of children and young women and that he maintained a transactional friendship with wealthy and influential men. The emails reveal a pattern of disgusting misogyny and depravity.Academic and political commentator Scott Lucas explains the timing of the data release and what's next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Melania', the documentary about US first lady Melania Trump, took in an estimated $7m when it hit US cinema screens at the weekend making it the highest debut by a non-music documentary or concert film in more than a decade. These are the sort of figures other documentaries can only dream of, so it's a hit? Far from it says Irish Times journalist Hugh Linehan who points out that it cost Amazon $45 million to make plus a reported $35 million in marketing costs so financially it makes no sense. And critically? Well “boring” is probably the nicest thing reviewers have said. Over nearly two hours it reveals very little about the former Slovenian model other than she wears nice clothes and even nicer shoes. For Linehan, it's a classic Trump family grift, this time with Melania making the money. She is expected to be paid $28 million for the documentary which charts the 20 days in the lead-up to her husband's 2025 inauguration. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I don't love you and I can't be with someone out of pity,” Bruna Fonseca (28), a Brazilian woman living in Cork, texted her ex-boyfriend Miller Pacheco (32) on December 18th, 2022.Two weeks later, on New Year's Day, 2023, gardaí would discover her body in Pacheco's apartment. She had been strangled.At Pacheco's trial for her murder at the Central Criminal Court in Cork, this and many other texts, voice messages and recorded conversations were read out in court.As Irish Times Southern correspondent Barry Roche who attended the trial explains, they paint a picture of an angry man, full of self-pity, who could not accept that his former girlfriend who he had followed to Ireland from their native Brazil no longer wanted to be in a relationship with him.He put forward a plea of self-defence but the evidence proved otherwise and he was found guilty of her murder. On January 23rd last he was sentenced to life in prison. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.