The Explainer

The warnings are getting louder, and we're hearing more and more often that Europe is in the grips of a hybrid war. But is the rhetoric matching the reality and the actions being taken by EU countries in the face of this? News Correspondent Niall O'Connor joins us to share insights from his recent sit-down interview with Sean Clancy, an Irish general who is heading up the bloc's defence strat...

We’ve all seen the headlines about "celebrity family feuds" before, but Brooklyn Beckham’s unprecedented six-page Instagram statement attacking his parents, David and Victoria, feels different. Kate Demolder, arts and culture journalist and co-host of the Culture Pigs podcast, examines this calculated demolition of one of the world's most carefully curated family brands. Hosted on Acast. See...

It began with anger over soaring prices, but it has spiralled into what may be the most serious challenge to the Iranian regime since the 1979 revolution. Crucially, this uprising began not with students or dissidents, but with the bazaari, Tehran's merchants and shopkeepers, long considered pillars of the Islamic Republic. We're joined by DCU's Paola Rivetti to ask: is the Islamic Republic finall...

The events of Saturday night in Caracas saw Donald Trump rip up the international rulebook again, if there even was any of it left to begin with. With a new national security strategy dubbed the "Don-roe Doctrine", the US is aggressively reasserting dominance over the Western Hemisphere and beyond. Threats have already been levelled at Colombia and Mexico, while tensions over Greenland have reigni...

This week, we look back at some of our best episodes from the past year. What did we learn about how drugs like Ozempic actually work? Why are companies so determined to get people back to the office, even if the evidence shows remote work is as productive? And what happened when unknown drones were spotted over the Irish Sea? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all been there: the forced smile as you unwrap a jumper you wouldn’t be caught dead in, or the gimmicky gadget someone already gave you last year. Instead of regifting or throwing it in the bin, could you maybe get a refund? We're joined by Jennifer Darmody, media communications manager at the CCPC to explain exactly where you stand when the gift isn't quite right. Hosted on Acast. See acast...

You've likely noticed the price of your favourite treats creeping up, but now there's a new element: look at the label, and some of the most iconic choccie bars have recently undergone recipe changes so significant they can no longer legally be called 'chocolate'. From soaring cocoa prices driven by climate change to the rise of 'skimpflation,' the confectionery industry is facing a massive shake-...

Enoch Burke is, yet again, back in Mountjoy Prison, but this time, the legal stakes for him and his family have risen dramatically. After weeks of chaotic scenes in the Four Courts, a High Court judge has not only ordered the teacher’s return to prison but has also directed the Attorney General to consider criminal contempt charges against him, his mother, and two of his siblings. The Journal's Fa...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid his first official visit to Ireland this week. As his plane was flying towards Dublin Airport late on Monday night, four unidentified military-style drones breached a no-fly zone and flew towards his flight path. But where did the drones come from? How close did they get to Zelenskyy’s plane? And what does it say about Ireland’s capacity to deal with th...

Taxi drivers have held several demonstrations in Dublin city centre over recent weeks that have caused gridlock traffic in the capital. The target of their annoyance is a new fixed rate option that was recently introduced on the Uber app. How does the fixed fare option compare with the taxi app's previous offerings or with paying by the traditional meter? And how has Uber responded to complaints a...

After two weeks of fraught negotiations in Belem, Brazil, COP30 reached a fragile agreement that triples adaptation finance but fails to chart a course for the phasing out of fossil fuels. With the United States absent and the EU finding itself increasingly isolated, the summit served as a reality check for what the future of climate cooperation might look like. We're joined this week by Diar...

New data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows a pattern of repeated disappearances from Ireland’s State-run residential centres, with some young people going missing dozens of times every year. What does it mean for a child in Tusla’s care to have gone missing? Why are these figures so high? And what does it say about Ireland’s care system? We’re joined by Patricia Devlin, investiga...

It's just the latest seismic shock to rock the BBC: the resignation of Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness. The trigger was a Panorama documentary about Donald Trump, which a leaked memo revealed had 'spliced' together two parts of his 6 January speech, making it sound like a direct call to violence. Why did this controversy explode now? And what does it say about impar...

The Journal's News Correspondent Eimer McAuley and Gaelic games writer with The 42 Declan Bogue join us to look at the rise and fall of iconic hurler DJ Carey. The sporting star was sentenced for a series of long-running frauds amounting to almost €400,000. He conned friends, fans, and even businessman Denis O'Brien using a fake cancer story and forged medical documents to maintain the deception....

A major change is underway in how local communities, gardaí, and councils discuss safety in Ireland. But you might not be allowed to hear about it just yet. The government is replacing the long-standing Joint Policing Committees with new Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs). However, new Department of Justice guidelines are advising councils to restrict press access to these meetings. What...

It was something many people noticed on Monday: the internet was slow to load, maybe your banking app was acting up, or you weren’t able to complete your daily DuoLingo. You check your WiFi, but the problem isn't in your house. It’s actually a problem with the internet itself. But how? Is it so fragile that business-as-usual is constantly one bad line of code away from collapsing? We're joined by...

After months of intense conflict, genocide, and a devastating humanitarian crisis, what seemed at times impossible has been achieved: a ceasefire in Gaza. The news is a welcome relief, but tempered by concerns over whether it will last. There are also significant questions hanging over the fine print of what the plan will actually involve. We're joined by Dr Brendan Ciarán Browne, associate profes...

It's the political paradox of Budget 2026: a multi-billion euro package that seems to have left almost everyone underwhelmed. The government has announced major spending on housing, infrastructure, and social welfare, but from farmers to homeless charities, many are calling it a 'missed opportunity' that fails to tackle Ireland's big issues. We're joined by Dr Emma Howard, economist at TU Dublin,...

The government’s Core Funding scheme was designed to keep childcare affordable by giving providers government funding in exchange for them agreeing to freeze their fees, meaning they wouldn’t increase costs for parents. However, childcare providers are abandoning the scheme in droves. A new investigation by The Journal Investigates has found that more than 50 providers around the country pulled ou...

The murder of Charlie Kirk sent shockwaves through an already deeply divided America, and the fallout has become emblematic of the country's dangerously high tensions. As the US heads towards midterm elections, could this killing become a rallying cry to galvanise the Republican base? What does this moment reveal about the deep, at times seemingly irreconcilable, fractures in American society? We'...

Israel's involvement in the Eurovision Song Contest has been the subject of protests for years, with calls for a boycott gaining significant momentum since 2023. Activists have called for Israel to be excluded completely, and now, state broadcasters are listening. RTÉ said that if Israel continues to be part of the competition, Ireland will not send an entry in 2026. Other countries are threatenin...

The presidential election is just weeks away, but before candidates face the public, they must first find a way to get themselves on the ballot paper. How does the process of currying favour with local councils or members of the Oireachtas actually work, how have previous candidates navigated it, and what should the public be aware of on the day itself? We're joined by Dr Theresa Reidy, a pol...

We’re joined by Elaine Burke, tech journalist and host of the For Tech’s Sake podcast to ask: are these new controls a meaningful step towards safety, or just a sticking plaster on a much deeper problem? We’re all grappling with how to use new AI tools, or whether to attempt to stay away from them completely. For some people, they've become a source of support. But what happens when a chatbot beco...

The hugely successful reality competition series The Traitors is about to land in Ireland, following much loved versions in the UK, US, Australia and beyond. It’s the latest in a long line of television programmes to go from concept to global franchise - think Big Brother, Love Island, MasterChef. This trend seems to be taking up more and more airtime on our screens. But how does a show actua...

Pope Leo XIV took charge of the Catholic Church in May this year and already opinions are sharply divided between conservative and progressive Catholics. He has been painted by some as a cautious and unifying figure taking a more 'middle of the road' approach compared to his predecessor Francis, but other reviews are not so glowing: former president Mary McAleese pulled no punches and labelle...