Shows / In The News

In The News
In The News is a daily podcast from The Irish Times that takes a close look at the stories that matter, in Ireland and around the world. Presented by Bernice Harrison and Aideen Finnegan.
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Episodes
In The NewsWhat's behind Eamon Ryan's shock resignation?
The Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, is stepping down after 13 years at the helm. However, the Transport Minister is staying on as a member of the Cabinet, as…
In The NewsThe cover-up: Jonathan Creswell's crimes are laid bare - Part 2
Last April, Jonathan Creswell’s trial for the rape and murder of 21-year-old Katie Simpson opened in Derry’s Crown Court. But as we heard in yesterday’s…
In The NewsThe cover-up: How Jonathan Creswell tried to get away with murder - Part 1
In August 2020, in a small housing estate in Derry, 21-year-old Katie Simpson was found in a critical condition. According to the man who discovered her, her…
In The NewsDeadly dogs - the case for banning XL bullies
When the UK banned ownership of XL Bully dogs – with certain exemptions – on February 1st, In The News explored whether Ireland should also consider a similar…
In The NewsShein: How the Chinese fashion giant's low prices come at a cost
As the fast fashion behemoth, Shein, prepares to float on the London Stock Exchange, there's renewed focus on the company's sustainability credentials and…
In The NewsFive key takeaways from the local and European elections
It's all over bar the shouting in the local elections while in the European elections, counting is continuing in centres around the country. Sinn Féin has been…
In The NewsHow Israel saved four hostages at a terrible cost
Israeli forces rescued four hostages captured by Hamas and held since October in a raid in Gaza on Saturday that Palestinian officials said resulted in the…
In The NewsWill Simon Harris call an early election after a good weekend for the Government?
What happened on day two of the local and European election count? Yesterday evening on The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast, host Hugh Linehan talked to…
In The NewsHow Ireland's far-right campaigned
Today and tomorrow voters will find out who will fill council seats up and down the country and who Ireland will send to Europe to represent its interests. In…
In The NewsHeatstroke and hallucinations: A mother’s record-breaking run from Malin to Mizen Head
Sophie Power has just done something extraordinary – she ran 563km from Malin Head to Mizen Head in record time. It took her a record-breaking three days, 12…
In The NewsWhat is Nigel Farage's endgame?
With a landslide victory for Keir Starmer’s Labour Party predicted, the UK general election looks to be all over bar the shouting. But then this week the…
In The NewsAre you sharing too much of your children's lives online?
Have you ever shared a photo of your child wearing her Halloween costume on Instagram? Or, perhaps you’ve uploaded a video of your nephew dancing to TikTok. We…
In The NewsWhat exactly does an MEP do and why does your vote count?
On Friday 7th June, the country will go to the polls to decide who should represent us at a local and European level. Voters will elect 14 MEPs to the European…
In The NewsRelease day for convicted killers Tom and Molly Martens
This week, father and daughter Tom and Molly Martens will be released from prison after serving just over six months for killing Jason Corbett in 2015. The…
In The NewsHow countries make national service an accepted part of life
A plan to reintroduce National Service in Britain has been roundly criticised by former military personnel and opposition parties alike. But serving your…
In The News'Googlepocalypse' - the way you search the internet is about to change forever
Earlier this month, Google launched AI Overviews – software which uses artificial intelligence to answer people’s questions quickly, skipping the step of…
In The NewsIs flying more dangerous due to worsening turbulence?
In the past week, two incidences of severe air turbulence have made international headlines. More than 100 people were injured and one man died last week when…
In The NewsThe Limerick man investigating some of the world's worst crimes
Malachy Browne heads up the New York Times’s visual investigations unit where he and his team investigate key events, from breaking news at home to war…
In The NewsWhy did Rishi Sunak call an election?
On Wednesday, British prime minister Rishi Sunak stood in the rain outside 10 Downing Street and called a general election. But why? The Tories are performing…
In The NewsThe trouble with Temu, the cut-price Chinese competitor to Amazon
A pair of trainers for the price of a sandwich; a Dyson-dupe hair straightener for a fraction of the real thing – just about everything you can think of…
In The NewsWhat a leaked report tells us about Ireland's housing crisis
On Tuesday, a leaked report revealed the Housing Commission’s criticism that the Government has not resolved the “fundamentally systemic” failures in the…
In The NewsWhat will the death of Iran's President mean for tensions in the Middle East?
On Sunday afternoon, a helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and several of his delegates, including the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir…
In The NewsWould prime minister Keir Starmer be good for Ireland?
Later this year, UK citizens will cast their votes in a general election. And, with polls showing Labour well ahead of the Tories, it appears Keir Starmer is…
In The NewsThe Portal: Are we overreacting to a bit of 'bad' behaviour?
New Yorkers have been given a window into how some Dubliners behave in front of a camera. The portal is the city's newest public art installation; a two-way…
In The NewsIs Ireland's welcome for refugees over?
The Government this week flagged its intention to further reduce the financial supports available to Ukrainian refugees. There will also be a review of…
In The NewsGangster's Paradise: How the Kinahans secretly make millions on property in Dubai
A major new investigation by The Irish Times has uncovered details of the Kinahan cartel's property empire being secretly sold off in Dubai. Most of the real…
In The NewsIreland is getting stricter on cigarettes. But is vaping the real threat?
On today's podcast, In the News producer Aideen Finnegan explains what we know about a proposal from Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to raise the legal…
In The News‘It’s hard to stop scrolling’: What Irish teens are watching on TikTok
From cute dance videos to antifeminist and racist ones, the social media app is a growing part of young people’s lives. There are concerns, though, about sleep…
In The NewsA stormy week for Donald Trump but Daniels fails to land a blow
Donald Trump had to sit in front of Stormy Daniels in a New York courtroom this week, as the former adult film star spoke in excruciating and very frank detail…
In The NewsWhat will it take for Israel to cease fire in Gaza?
On Monday spirits were lifted in Gaza when Hamas issued a statement declaring it would accept the terms of a ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar. But…
In The NewsDrimnagh murder - a new generation of rival drug gangs emerges
The murder of a 20 year-old man in a chaotic gun attack on Dublin's southside may be a harbinger of a new gangland feud. Ballyfermot man, Josh Itseli, was…
In The NewsHow the culture of gangland funerals provides crucial intel
Over the last twenty years or so, the funerals of significant criminal figures in Ireland have tended towards the extravagant. Last week's sober church service…
In The NewsWhy are Chinese millionaires buying up South Dublin homes?
When "Niamh" began house-hunting in Dublin's suburbs, she soon noticed that viewings were often attended by agents who were using phones to live-stream the…
In The NewsHas Simon Harris's Mount Street clearance backfired?
On Wednesday, a multi-agency operation got to work, moving up to 290 migrants who had been sleeping in tents outside the International Protection Office (IPO)…
In The NewsThe incredible story of Narendra Modi's rise to power in India
Nearly one billion Indian citizens are eligible to vote in a lengthy election that began on April 19th and runs until June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks…
In The NewsIs the cost of living crisis over?
Grocery inflation over the past 12 weeks was running at just under 3 per cent. During the same period last year it was almost 13 per cent. So our shopping…
In The NewsThe major row between Ireland and the UK over migration, explained
A major diplomatic spat has erupted between the Irish and British governments over migration. It began when Minister for Justice Helen McEntee stated that more…
In The NewsHousing, immigration, Gaza: Which issues are Irish voters really paying attention to?
Snapshot, an Irish Times poll with Ipsos B&A, captures the issues that citizens are taking notice of. Every month, 1,000 people, over the age of 15 and from…
In The NewsShould Ireland boycott Eurovision over Israel?
A group of 400 Irish artists have signed an online petition calling on singer Bambie Thug to boycott the Eurovision. The Macroom performer was chosen to…
In The NewsAre the lessons of the Rwandan genocide being ignored 30 years on?
Three decades ago, on April 7th 1994, the genocide and State-sponsored extermination of Rwanda’s minority Tutsi minority began. The country was gripped by a…
In The NewsThe low-profile gang leader whose lavish lifestyle was laid bare by Cab
Convicted drug dealer, David Waldron, played a senior role in the Finglas-Cabra crime gang following the deaths of Martin 'Marlo' Hyland in 2006 and Eamon 'The…
In The NewsAre we in a new, dangerous climate era? Our weird weather suggests it is possible
2024 had the hottest March ever recorded. And it was the 10th month in a row to break its record. On one day in March, the Antarctic was 38.5 degrees warmer…
In The NewsFrom Amy Winehouse to Queen: Why we love musical biopics
Last weekend, the Amy Winehouse biopic ‘Back to Black’ jumped straight to the top of the Irish and UK box office. The release of the movie’s trailer earlier…
In The NewsWhy did justice for Stardust victims take so long?
The jury in the Stardust inquests has returned a verdict of unlawful killing in the cases of each of the 48 young people who died in the fire at the Artane…
In The News'He seemed pretty smug and arrogant' - Inside the secret online dating groups where women review men
In 2022 Paola Sanchez, wanting to check out men she met online, created a Facebook group called “Are We Dating the Same Guy”. Its sisterhood-fuelled goal was…
In The NewsRising road deaths: What will it take to make Irish roads safer?
On Monday, Taoiseach Simon Harris called a meeting the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to discuss the rising number of deaths on Irish roads. Mr Harris said road…
In The News'A terrible thing' - why Eir's mistreatment of customers was more than just irritating
A training manual provided to eir employees by parent company Eircom warned them that they would face disciplinary proceedings if they obeyed Irish laws…
In The NewsHavana Syndrome - all in their heads or a Russian spy attack?
In 2016 US diplomats in Cuba’s capital reported a range of mysterious symptoms that were soon experienced by colleagues in other parts of the world. Staff…
In The NewsHow cannabis-induced psychosis can cause deadly harm
In the most recent murder case where cannabis use was judged to be a factor, the court ruled that Diego Costa Silva killed his wife while in a state of…
In The NewsWhat Dublin's new 'bus gates' will mean for your journey through town
In August two more sections of the quays in Dublin will become no-go areas for private cars. When the “bus gates” open on Aston Quay on the southside of the…
In The NewsWho is the Kennedy running for US president?
Robert F Kennedy jnr is on the campaign trail, attempting to get on the ballot for the US presidential election. A scion of the Kennedy political dynasty, he…
In The NewsA new Taoiseach, new Ministers and a new policy on Palestine
Today on In the News we bring you an excerpt from another episode of our sister podcast, Inside Politics. Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray joined host Hugh Linehan…
In The NewsThe challenges facing Ireland's youngest, most untested Taoiseach
On Tuesday, Simon Harris will be officially voted into office by TDs in Dáil Éireann and become the new Taoiseach. Harris, who is the youngest ever Taoiseach…
In The NewsWhat is behind the rise in ‘school phobia’?
Nearly three years have passed since Irish schools started reopening in March 2021 and children began returning to the educational environment that was…
In The NewsCountry lane to fashion destination: the history of Grafton Street
From stately townhouses to cinema screens and Turkish baths, Grafton Street has had a fascinating and varied history. But how did it evolve to become the…
In The NewsHow ex-Irish soldiers are training a rogue Libyan militia
In Libya, former members of the Irish Defence Forces, including men who served in the elite Army Rangers Wing have been providing training for a militia headed…
In The NewsThe Israel-Iran proxy war has escalated - now what?
On Monday, suspected Israeli war planes bombed the Iranian consulate in Syria’s capital city of Damascus, marking a major escalation in Israel’s war in the…
In The NewsHow controversial president Javier Milei is changing Argentina
When he was elected president last November, Javier Milei promised to fix Argentina's ailing economy and divided society with radical reforms. How is that…
In The NewsThe crisis at Boeing has cost its management their jobs. But are the planes safe to fly?
This episode was first published in January 2024. A door that blew off a Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off was not properly secured after maintenance to…
In The NewsAs the clocks go forward, here's how to get a better night's sleep
How much is enough sleep? What is the best time to go to bed? What counts as a good night’s sleep? Is there any point in taking a nap and how long should it…