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 NewsHow the death of Savita Halappanavar changed the course of modern Irish history
This month marks ten years since Savita Halappanavar died at Galway University Hospital. At seventeen weeks pregnant, she had presented to the hospital…
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Liz Truss resigns. Now what?
After just 45 days on the job, UK prime minister Liz Truss has resigned. The proximate cause of her political demise was her mishandling of the economy in the…
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Xi Jinping tightens his grip on China
China’s Communist Party is holding its National Congress this week. The highly choreographed event sets out the party’s plans for the country over the next…
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What happens when the fun is taken out of children’s team sports?
There are lots of reasons why team sports are a great activity for children to be involved in. They offer kids a chance to improve fitness, make new friends…
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Who is Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brückner?
***Please note this episode discusses sexual assault and violence which some listeners may find distressing*** German prosecutors have filed new sexual assault…
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Iranian women's fight for freedom
Iranian authorities are using increasingly violent force to suppress the female-led protests that are rocking the religious regime. Zahra Gholamvand is a…
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A tragedy in Donegal
Ten lives have been lost and many more irrevocably changed by the tragic events that took place last Friday in the small village of Creeslough, County Donegal…
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John Murphy: A senior Garda’s fall from grace
Last week, former garda superintendent John Murphy was jailed for six and a half years after he was caught holding cannabis worth nearly €260,000 in his home…
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Rory Mason and the fighters of Ukraine's "international legion"
Rory Mason, the young man who died in combat in Ukraine this week, was one of thousands of young men from around the world who travelled to join Ukraine's…
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Why former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall is facing life in witness protection
Convicted criminal Jonathan Dowdall is about to lose his name, his identity and his home. The former Sinn Fein councillor and successful businessman has…
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What does the Nord Stream sabotage mean for Ireland?
Last week the major pipeline bringing gas from Russia into the EU was sabotaged with explosions recorded at at least four different points along the line deep…
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Brazil election: Bolsonaro's January 6th moment?
On Sunday, Brazilians will vote in a presidential election that pits former president Lula against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is behind in the polls…
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Budget 2023: What happened and how it affects you
One off lump sums, a 25% reduction in childcare costs and an increase in welfare payments. Those are some of the notable measures announced in yesterday’s…
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Does sportswashing work?
After a controversial launch earlier this year, a breakaway professional golf league, backed by Saudi Arabia's investment fund, is still going, having survived…
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Could Russian mobilisation change the course of the war?
This week Russian president Vladimir Putin tried to reclaim the initiative in his invasion of Ukraine by announcing a "partial mobilisation" of the population…
In The NewsWhy is the cost of childcare so high?
Parents in Ireland today are facing some of the highest childcare costs in the world. What relief can be expected for parents in the upcoming budget and what…
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Murder in a Dublin Flat: the shocking death of Tony Dempsey
Last week, the body of 28-year-old Tony Dempsey was discovered at a flat in Dublin’s north inner city. It’s believed his remains lay there for up to a week…
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How wealthy is the British monarchy?
The finances of the British monarchy remain, in part, a mystery. Royal wills are never made public, so it’s not quite clear what wealth is passed down to the…
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How ready are we for another Covid winter?
While it may not be dominating the conversation like it did last year, Covid is still here and numbers are on the rise. Health Editor Paul Cullen speaks to…
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What's happening with Ukraine's counter-offensive?
Dan McLaughlin reports on the counter-offensive carried out in recent days by Ukrainian Armed Forces that has recaptured swathes of territory from the Russians…
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How climate change is bringing devastation to Somalia
Somalia is on the brink of famine. By the end of this year, the country will have gone through five failed rainy seasons, which means for over two years…
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For the love of Garth
What is it about Garth Brooks we love so much? To find out, Conor Pope talked to superfans Anna O'Donoghue and Paul McKeever and music critic Tony Clayton-Lea…
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How will the UK cope with losing Queen Elizabeth II?
London editor Denis Staunton on the death of Queen Elizabeth II: how the world learned she was dying, what happens next, and the impact her death will have on…
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How can Ireland find a way out of the energy crisis?
As the colder winter months approach, the energy crisis shows no signs of abating. So, what is being done about it and how bad will it get? Conor Pope speaks…
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How Ireland’s asylum and refugee accommodation system has reached breaking point
Sorcha Pollak speaks to Irish Times crime correspondent Conor Gallagher about a recent incident in Dublin, which saw international protection applicants forced…
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The psychology of climate denial
Climate denial can take many forms. Some refuse to accept the science, while others avoid the overwhelm by diverting their attention elsewhere. Professor John…
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Leaving Cert 2022: The points race and the housing race are harder than ever
Students now need more CAO points than ever to secure a spot in many university courses, thanks to grade inflation caused by the predicted grades system of the…
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Why it’s time to end the silence around stillbirths and baby loss
In early 2006, just days away from her due date, Cork woman Mairie Cregan was told her unborn baby, Liliana, had no heartbeat. Here, she tells Sorcha Pollak…
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Will therapy with psychadelic drugs become mainstream?
Could psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, play a role in the treatment of PTSD, OCD and eating disorders? A global series of trials…
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Can the Catholic Church in Ireland really change?
Demands by Irish Catholics for major change in the church’s attitude to women, LGBTI+ people, those who are divorced or remarried, and single parents have been…
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What kind of leader could Michael Collins have been?
The killing of Michael Collins created the greatest "what if" in Irish history. If he had lived, would Irish history have played out differently? Would the…
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What next for Afghanistan and its people?
One year on from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, what is life like for the people living under their rule? Conor pope speaks to Fatema Mohammadi, an…
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What's happening at An Bord Pleanála?
What's going on at An Bord Pleanála? The state body with final say on planning appeals and power over fast-tracked housing developments is in focus this week…
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Can Ireland's electricity grid cope with the data centre boom?
Data centres already consume 14 per cent of Ireland’s electricity supply, more than all rural housing. Now these centres are on track to consume about a third…
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The agency forcing Irish criminals to flee abroad (From November 2021)
Just over 25 years ago, the Criminal Assets Bureau was established in the wake of the killings of Detective Jerry McCabe and journalist Veronica Guerin. The…
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Inside Ireland’s largest re-wilding experiment (From January 2022)
This episode was originally published in January 2022. Just 30 kilometres north of Dublin, lies a hidden oasis in Meath called Dunsany Castle. Home to…
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The secrets to living a longer life (From January 2022)
What can we do for ourselves to ensure that we live long, fulfilling, happy and fit lives? In this episode, Conor Pope speaks to Professor of Medical…
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How the iPod changed the world (From May 2022)
In October 2001, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs debuted the original iPod, the first MP3 player that could hold 1,000 songs and had a 10-hour battery life…
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Did the EU help create a human rights disaster? (From April 2022)
European countries are welcoming Ukrainian refugees with open arms. But migrants from other parts of the world get much different treatment, as reporter Sally…
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The unpalatable truth about eating meat (From September 2021)
How much do you think about where your food comes from, how the animals used to produce it live and die, or its impact on the environment? Journalist and…
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How Ireland’s mountain rescue services are managing an alarming rise in callouts (From August 2021)
This episode was originally published in August 2021. As more and more people take to the outdoors to explore Ireland’s hiking trails and mountain paths…
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The rise in unregulated cosmetic procedures in Ireland (From December 2021)
This episode was originally published in December 2021. Demand for cosmetic procedures is on the rise across Ireland, but what are the risks involved when the…
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The forgotten history of Ireland's asylums (From January 2022)
This episode was originally published in January 2021. More than two dozen “lunatic asylums” were built throughout Ireland in the 1800s. Today some are…
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The battle to succeed Boris Johnson
The Conservative leadership contest has been underway for two weeks and the eight candidates have been whittled down to two.Now things get serious. London…
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Ukraine: rebuilding lives scarred by Russia’s war
As the war in Ukraine approaches its sixth month, many of the five million refugees who fled the country are returning. In total, more than two million…
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Will Mo Farah’s story help other victims of human trafficking?
Last week, British athlete Mo Farah revealed he was illegally trafficked into the UK at the age of nine. Flown over from Djibouti, he was given the name…
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Burning effigies overshadow Loyalism's "funday"
At Eleventh Night bonfires and 12th of July parades, the experience hits very differently depending on your background. Northern correspondent Seanín Graham…
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Why are some women still travelling overseas for abortions?
In 2019, at fourteen weeks pregnant, Emma Connors was told that her unborn baby had a fatal foetal abnormality. Just a few weeks later, she and her husband…
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Is the tide going out on crypto?
The prices of cryptocurrencies have plummeted this year. Bitcoin, the most popular one, has lost over 70 per cent of its value in the last six months and…
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48 hours that undid Boris Johnson
From the moment on Tuesday morning when a retired British civil servant went public about how Boris Johnson was covering up his involvement in yet another…
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Why is Ireland so expensive?
All of Europe is in the grip of inflation, and Ireland is no different. But here we already had some of the highest prices in Europe across a range of products…
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Will there be a second Scottish independence referendum?
Eight years after Scotland said no to independence in its 2014 referendum, Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon now wants to put the issue back at…
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"Setting us back 150 years": What now for abortion rights in America?
In the US, in places where women get abortions, but also in courtrooms and within political campaign headquarters, the decision of the Supreme Court to…
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Will we have to ration energy - and how would we do it?
The current energy crisis shows little sign of easing, and the worst may be to come. Some have warned that, with Russian gas supplies in doubt, Europe could…
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How concerned should we be about the summer Covid surge?
Just three months on from the last pandemic wave which swept across the country, Ireland is once again experiencing a surge in Covid cases. But was it expected…
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Could a tsunami hit Ireland?
Nearly 300 years ago an earthquake off the coast of Portugal caused a tsunami which hit Ireland’s coast. Records show that the Lisbon tsunami, as it was known…
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Why Ireland’s junior doctors are ready to strike
Many hospitals around the country could soon be functioning without hundreds of junior doctors. Earlier this month, they voted in favour of strike action, in a…
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Energy poverty: why are so many people struggling to power their homes?
With many Irish people now feeling the bite from the soaring cost of living, a new report has found a record number of households are experiencing energy…
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The George Bento trial: How the Brazilian Deliveroo cyclist walked free
Earlier this week, George Gonzaga Bento walked out of Dublin’s Central Criminal Court, a free man. The 36-year-old from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, had spent the…
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January 6th Committee: did Trump attempt a coup?
After 11 months, nearly 100 subpoenas and more than a thousand interviews, the congressional committee investigating the January 6th attack on the US Capitol…