In The News

Just over a week ago, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern put the country into lockdown after the first coronavirus case in six months was reported in the city of Auckland. Until now, New Zealand's 'Covid Zero' response to the pandemic had been lauded as the best in the world. Is the country with the pandemic success story now struggling? Can a policy of total elimination of the vi...

As birth rates continue to drop and people live longer, the world’s population is set to change dramatically over the coming decades. What will this demographic shift mean for society, the economy, and the climate? Presented by Sorcha Pollak Guests: Stephanie Hegarty and Arthur Beesley Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan Opening Music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted...

Was the death of a woman in Dundalk in 2019 suspicious and was it investigated properly? And will her family ever find the answers they are searching for? Hosted by Conor Pope Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan Opening music by Hugh Rodgers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When US forces began to withdraw from Afghanistan earlier this year, it didn’t take long for the Taliban to begin their takeover. One by one, cities around the country began to fall to the militant group and by last weekend, the Afghan capital of Kabul had been taken. What will the return of the Taliban mean for the people of Afghanistan, for the region and for the rest of the world? Hosted by Con...

It’s a quintessentially American institution, where kids battle it out to correctly spell ten-dollar words like 'querimonious' and 'solidungulate'. This year, the long dominance of Indian-American competitors was broken by the first ever black American winner, 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde. Documentary filmmaker Sam Rega tells us the story of the National Spelling Bee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

When a restaurant complies with the law and asks indoor diners to show a Covid vaccine certificate, are they breaching the diner's human rights, or even betraying the Irish constitution? There are some who believe so. And some of those are willing to go to extreme lengths to make life difficult for anyone applying the rule. Crime correspondent Conor Gallagher on the increasingly dirty tactics bein...

At a time when TDs and ministers are usually winding down after the end of the Dáil term, the Government is facing a political crisis. It started last Tuesday August 27th, when journalist Daniel McConnell tweeted that the Cabinet had agreed to appoint Katherine Zappone, the former minister for children, to a newly-created role of UN Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. The move spar...

For weeks now, thousands of protestors have been taking to the streets of Brazil demanding that their country's far-right president Jair Bolsonaro step down for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, more than half a million Brazilians have lost their lives to the virus. Bolsonaro has played down the severity of the virus since the start of the pandemic and is now facing allegations...

Olympic silver medalist Sonia O'Sullivan and sports writer Malachy Clerkin talk to our producer Jennifer Ryan about the decision by US superstar gymnast Simone Biles not to compete in the team event this week. Biles explained she decided to drop out because of incapacitating anxiety that she said could jeopardise her own health while attempting difficult moves, and also her teammates's chance of w...

Only two months ago America's fast-moving vaccine rollout was the envy of billions across the globe. But with infections now rising across the country, and only half of Americans fully vaccinated, anger is building towards the many millions of adults who refuse to get the jab, and towards news media that lends credence to vaccine sceptics. Will the fear of a return to social distancing, mask weari...

This month the European Commission launched their new ‘Fit for 55’ package, the latest instalment of the European Green Deal, which sets out a plan to reduce carbon emissions by 55% over the next nine years.  The package was announced just days before widespread flooding wreaked havoc across parts of central Europe, leaving more than 200 dead and thousands unable to return to their homes. Ext...

Last month, an infamous Eritrean human trafficker was sentenced to life in prison without parole in absentia in Ethiopia. Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, known as Kidane, who absconded from custody in February, oversaw an extensive smuggling operation in Libya where he is alleged to have extorted money from thousands of victims as they attempted to make their way to Europe. Sally Hayden has reported...

By removing practically all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has gambled that the resulting wave of infection will be bearable and that voters will find the end result was worth it. But pitfalls on his short cut out of the pandemic are already appearing. Denis Staunton explains what's going on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lot of us have experienced it at least once by now: a fraudulent call from someone claiming to work for the Gardaí or the Department of Social Protection, looking for personal details. But how do these scams work? We hear a conversation with one of the scammers that takes an unexpected turn. A victim of phone fraud tells a story that shows why the tech-savvy among us aren't immune. And...

Earlier this month, former European Council president Donald Tusk was elected head of Poland's Civic Platform, the opposition party he co-founded 20 years ago. Mr Tusk said he was returning to politics in his home country, where he was prime minister from 2007-2014, in order to help fight the “evil” of the ruling right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party. Since it took power in 2015, PiS has introduc...

Rachel, a young student nurse from Dublin, was just twenty years old, when her mother Sam began to notice the first signs of an eating disorder. Six years on, after multiple hospitalisations and ten months spent in a specialised unit in London, Sam is still struggling to get Rachel the help she needs. The mother of five, shares her story and the impact the lack of specialist services in Ireland is...

Irish MEPs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly were recently formally sanctioned by the European Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group for what were deemed to be unofficial election observation trips in Venezuela and Ecuador. In a statement, Daly and Wallace rejected the rebuke and said they will be challenging it.  But their censure by the European Parliament comes amid...

In April, US president Joe Biden announced all remaining troops in Afghanistan would be withdrawn, ending what he described as “America's longest war”. However, what will the US departure mean for the people of Afghanistan and the future of their country? With Taliban insurgents stepping up attacks on the Afghan government, a new wave of violence is leading to concerns of civil war. In this episod...

Amazon, the company founded by Jeff Bezos in a Seattle garage more than a quarter of a century ago, is building one of its massive fulfilment centres in Ireland. While that will mean faster deliveries, easier returns and greater choice for Irish customers, the arrival of an  amazon.ie  is not without its dark sides.  In this episode, Conor Pope talks to US journalist and author Alec...

Next Thursday, on July 8th, voters in Dublin Bay South will cast their votes in a byelection widely seen as the first major electoral test for the coalition Government. Fine Gael's James Geoghegan is currently in the lead based on Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll results. But the survey, carried out over the weekend, also shows Labour's Ivana Bacik may still be in with a chance of taking the seat.&nbsp...

Last week Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was confronted by other EU leaders about a new law that prohibits the promotion of homosexuality to under-18s, with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte going as far as to tell Orban that Hungary should leave the EU. But what can the EU actually do about this discriminatory law? Naomi O'Leary is Europe correspondent for The Irish Times. Produced by Declan...

Who is Jeffrey Donaldson, the new leader of Northern Ireland's troubled Democratic Unionist Party? What are the challenges he faces? How did former leader Edwin Poots get it so badly wrong, losing power after just 21 days in the job, and why is the Irish language such a thorny issue in the politics of the North? Conor Pope talks to Northern Correspondent Freya McClements, who says the DUP faces an...

Public health officials in Ireland appear optimistic about the progress of the Covid-19 pandemic, with indicators moving in the right direction and the dangerous Delta variant seemingly under control. But just how much of a “black cloud” does the variant represent? Conor Pope talks to The Irish Times health editor Paul Cullen. Presented by Conor Pope Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Su...

Is Donald Trump's relevance fading? At this week's summit between US president Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin, his presence was felt and his name was mentioned more than once. Back home, he is less and less a part of the national conversation. Yet his influence in the Republican Party remains extremely strong. Is there any sign of that changing? Suzanne Lynch is our Washington Corr...

On Tuesday, busloads of people travelled from Donegal and Mayo to protest outside Dublin’s Convention Centre calling for increased financial supports for homeowners affected by mica. Estimates vary, but up to 5,000 homes are thought to be affected by cracking and crumbling due to the defective concrete blocks. Mica Action Group campaigner, Eileen Doherty, whose own house in Donegal will have to be...