In The News

Liberty Recycling is a well-known Irish charity associated with second-hand clothes and the bulk export of rags, not luxury goods. But all that changed last week when the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau revealed that it had carried out raids on several premises associated with people involved with the charity and seized Rolex watches, jewellery, luxury cars and Louis Vuitton handbags. It emerged that the raids were part of an extensive investigation into allegations of money laundering at the Dublin-headquartered charity. The long-established social enterprise, founded to help former addicts enter employment, is big business. In 2024, the last year for which figures are available, its income from charity shop sales and the bulk export sale of textiles was €3.6 million. With its accounts now frozen, the High Court on Tuesday appointed a provisional liquidator in an effort to keep the business going and secure the jobs, at least in the short term, of its more than 60 employees. Now, as Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains, a criminal investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds held by the charity is expected to involve arrests. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a week of dramatic electoral upsets that show that right-wing waves moving across Latin America and Europe can be stopped. Lula’s dramatic comeback to win Sunday’s presidential election in Brazil has put a halt to the right-wing advance across Latin America. At the same time in Serbia, what started as a student protest against corruption, became a political force capable of toppling Aleksandar Vucic in a parliamentary election. Both wins offer lessons to progressive movements around the world, changing a growing narrative that a tilt to the right is inevitable. But what are those lessons? How did Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva come from behind in the first round of Brazil’s elections to put paid to Jair Bolsonaro’s ambitions and how did student protesters in Serbia manage in a few years to turn angry street protests into a cool and effective political machine capable of toppling the long-time incumbent? Denis Staunton, author of The Irish Times Global Briefing newsletter, explains. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the morning of Monday, March 31st, 2003, a woman answered the door of her house in south Dublin. A man purporting to work as a TV technician was standing on the doorstep. The attack that followed shocked the city and prompted a lengthy Garda investigation. But it has remained unsolved. Earlier this month, a man was arrested and charged with rape, aggravated burglary and false imprisonment. Conor Lally covered the story in 2003. He tells Aideen Finnegan about what was reported about these events at the time and what we know about the new case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world’s most recognisable faces in entertainment, Russell Brand, is on trial in a London court. He has pleaded not guilty to seven charges. Three of rape, three of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The cases are historical, dating as far back as 1999, when Brand was 24 years old. Who has the trial heard from, how is Brand conducting himself on the way into court each day, and will he eventually take the stand? To find out what the court has heard so far, Aideen Finnegan is joined by Sachelle Connor, journalist and presenter of Four the Record: Russell Brand on Trial, a daily podcast from Channel 4 News. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘You hack her phone then you kill her – that’s what one Israeli intelligence officer told Naza director Yuval Abraham about their tactics in Gaza. The shocking and disturbing film, comprising interviews with 24 Israeli military-intelligence officers and soldiers, reveals the systems behind the mass slaughter of civilians by Israel during the continuing assault on Gaza. Made by Abraham and Rachel Szor, Naza deals in horror throughout. We learn about the tapping of civilians’ phones and the AI tools that help determine targets. “Naza” is an acronym, in Hebrew, for “collateral damage”, and the whistleblowers explain a military strategy that allows for a percentage of collateral damage when targeting Hamas terrorists: it could be 10 people in the family killed in their beds at night; or 500 people in a village being levelled. Irish Times film critic Donald Clarke talks about Naza and explores the backlash. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The four-month dispute between criminal defence solicitors in the free legal aid system and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan took a turn for the worse this week, with an escalation in both action and rhetoric. Solicitors have now withdrawn their services to include people held in custody and cases involving children. As the backlog in the courts grows, the Minister accused protesting solicitors of deliberately targeting rape trials. When that was indignantly denied, O’Callaghan doubled-down on his accusation. The cost to the State of the free criminal legal aid system has risen from under €50 million in 2014 to a projected €120 million last year; the new flat fee payment structure aims to keep costs in check. Solicitors say it is not enough to cover lengthy and complex cases and will reduce the number of solicitors making themselves available for the free scheme. With acrimony intensifying, the Minister has written to the Law Society asking for a meeting. But according to Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones it’s too early to see that as the beginning of the end to this apparently intractable row. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent months, a disturbing social media trend has emerged online in Ireland. Groups of masked teenage boys are stealing cars, taunting Gardaí, driving at high speeds and in some cases, against oncoming traffic. Recently Irish Times social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland spoke to the father of a young teenage boy, who has become part of a group stealing cars and sharing the footage online. His father is calling on the state to step in and detain his son or place him in special care, before he harms himself or anyone else. In today’s episode, Kitty explores how this case is representative of the wider crisis in the state care system. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Paris and beyond last weekend, half a million people took to the streets in protest. Those highlighting the cost-of-living crisis joined the ongoing student protest over the state of the French public education system. But the anti-Government sentiment turned violent on Saturday, with historic public buildings set alight, shops destroyed and looted, and over two thousand arrests being made. With police on streets quickly overwhelmed as events escalated, the blame game and political points scoring began in earnest. What sparked Saturday’s violence and will French President Emmanuel Macron be able to restore some order with more protests planned? Irish Times Paris-based Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary has been following the protests closely and she joined host Aideen Finnegan to explain the backdrop to last Saturday’s eruption of violence. Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Texas last week, Elon Musk told an invited audience they were about to “see some crazy stuff tonight”. It turned out to be a new version of Tesla’s Roadster sports car, this one equipped with thrusters to make the electric car fly. As the audience gasped, the Roadster sped up a steep ramp, took off, did a spin and then fell to the ground aided by air jets. There was no driver at the wheel. His SpaceX company helped develop the model. China already has several flying car models at advanced test stage. However a key difference is that they look like a cross between a large drone and a helicopter, while the Roadster looks like a car. But will his vision of a car flying over highways come to fruition, and when? Motoring journalist Neil Briscoe explains. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Aideen Finnegan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A man once regarded as one of the most feared loyalist paramilitary commanders of the Troubles now lives a largely quiet life in Scotland. But the legacy of Johnny Adair remains one of violence and intimidation. At the height of his power in the 1990s, Adair was blamed for dozens of killings and viewed by both the British and Irish governments as a serious threat to peace. Feared by republicans, nationalists and even rivals within loyalism, he cultivated a reputation that made him one of the most notorious figures of the conflict. Yet his influence collapsed as bitter feuds engulfed loyalism in the early 2000s, forcing him to flee Northern Ireland and begin a new life in Britain. So who was, and who is, Johnny Adair? What shaped him, and how should his role in the Troubles be understood today? On this episode, we hear from historian and author Aaron Edwards about his new book, Enemies Within: The Explosive True Story of Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair. Presented by Mark Hennessy. Produced by Andrew McNair and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ammi Burke, a young solicitor from Castlebar, Co Mayo, was dismissed by Arthur Cox Solicitors in November 2019 and is now on her third legal challenge to her dismissal. In the Labour Court in Dublin this week, her former employers laid out its reasons for the dismissal and the events that led up to it that action. Burke rejected Arthur Cox’s assertions, and more will be heard from her when the court resumes in early 2027. She joined the prestigious firm as a trainee in 2016, qualified as a solicitor two years later and in January 2019, a key event, as detailed in the court, took place. Since her dismissal, she says she has been unable to get another job in her chosen profession and she wants her position back. Two long days in the Labour Court were not enough to finish the case, and both sides will be back before the court in January. Burke, a member of the well-known evangelical Christian Burke family, is representing herself; Peter Ward SC is representing Arthur Cox. Irish Times reporter Ronan McGreevy was in court to hear both sides, and he reports on the proceedings. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling author Sally Rooney has announced that her publisher will no longer supply her books to the UK market. Why? Books editor Martin Doyle explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday morning, the country awoke to news that a house fire in Waterford had claimed the lives of four members of the same family. Within hours of the blaze, Gardaí ruled out an accidental cause and upgraded the investigation to a murder inquiry. Though the investigation is at an early stage, detectives believe the attack was related to a drug debt. It’s thought a petrol bomb was thrown at the front door of the house, in an effort to intimidate the family. In recent years, the number of petrol bomb attacks on Irish homes has risen sharply. It's been described as 'the new epidemic'. So who’s carrying out these attacks? How difficult are they to investigate and why are drug gangs turning to petrol bombs to intimidate and extort? Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally has the latest. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US president Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed an “energy ceasefire” effective immediately, warning either side against breaking the deal. The only problem was that the warring neighbours, who have made attacking each other’s energy plants a key plank of their attack strategy, appeared not to have even heard of the agreement. The statement came after another torrid 48 hours in relations between the White House and Kyiv, during which Trump ordered the suspension of sanctions on Russian diesel exports, again blamed Ukraine for failing to end the war, and said it was time for the embattled country to “get a new president”. Do this latest round of comments from the White House indicate a fall-off in US support for Ukraine? And what might that mean for the eastern European country as it enters a winter that promises to be so challenging that analysts have suggested a humanitarian crisis could follow? Dan McLaughlin in Lviv reports. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday Ireland is facing the biggest coordinated public sector strike since 2009. To find out what it is about, why it hasn't been averted despite the Government's offer to talk with unions and whether it still could be called off, we talk to Irish Times work correspondent Emmet Malone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before the summer court recess George Gibney (77), former Irish Olympic swimming coach, was found guilty of sexually abusing four girls in the 1970s and 1980s. The jury found him guilty of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape of children. One of Ireland’s most notorious paedophiles, he was extradited from Florida last year where he had escaped justice for decades. Due to reporting restrictions he was referred to as “sports coach” but as soon as the guilty verdict was announced, he could be named. Sentencing Gibney on Monday, Judge Mícheál O’Higgins handed down an aggregate sentence of 16 years and eight months, with 14 months suspended. This results in a sentence of 15 years and six months in prison. More than 30 years after he first broke the story about Gibney’s crimes, sports writer Johnny Watterson was in court this week as the disgraced swimming coach learned his fate. In today's episode, he joins Bernice Harrison to discuss three decades of writing about Gibney and the long road to justice for the victims. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years Victor Spaggiari was a familiar sight on the streets of Galway. A homeless man, he lived in the Cope Hostel and spent his days sitting on a bench in the city. He spoke little, caused no trouble and seemed content. When he died in 2024 aged 65, his funeral was small and he was buried in the city, far from his Italian birthplace. Then, when his will went to probate it emerged that Victor was a millionaire and he had left his fortune to a cousin in Milan. So who was Victor? How did he come by the money? Why didn’t he spend it? And why did he spend his adult life in Ireland? Intrigued by the story Irish Times senior feature writer Rosita Boland went to Galway to find out more about how Victor lived and Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary – who joins me on the podcast – tracked down his cousin in Milan to discover about Victor’s childhood. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a story that could have come straight out a John le Carré thriller. The retired German spy chief accused of selling classified information amounting to thousands of secret documents; an alleged act of treason that continued for years and was only uncovered during a kidnapping investigation involving a steakhouse heiress and ex-Israeli spies. August Hanning, head of the BND foreign intelligence agency for seven years until 2005, faces charges of treasonous espionage after the 80-year-old was arrested during a dawn raid on his home on Tuesday. The focus now for investigators is his post-retirement consultancy, which he set up in 2010 – the same year he is accused of buying and using classified information. It is Germany’s biggest espionage scandal as Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally reports. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Horgan-Jones has the latest on a row that has blown up in the aftermath of Tuesday's Budget, reopening RTÉ's rolling funding crisis and leaving questions unanswered about why Minister for Media Patrick O'Donovan "reneged" on a funding commitment to the broadcaster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past two weeks, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Spain to protest the country’s worsening housing crisis. The demonstrations were triggered by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, Maria del Carmen Abascal, from her home in Madrid. Known in Spain simply as Maricarmen, she had lived in the same apartment for more than seven decades and was evicted after it was sold to a private investment company. She died in a hospital in Madrid two weeks later. In response to the public outcry following her eviction, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez put forward several emergency housing measures. However, when the proposals were rejected by Parliament, he called a snap general election for November 29th. But will the Prime Minister’s gamble pay off? Is it likely his party will lead the next government and could this surprise election pave the way for parties on the right to seize power? Irish Times contributor Guy Hedgecoe speaks to Bernice Harrison from Madrid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christa Pike spent 30 years in jail in Tennessee on death row, waiting for the day the state would kill her. When that day finally came, last week, she was first given a lethal injection, then a second one when the first dose failed. She survived that too and the 50-year-old convicted murderer was taken to hospital where she was placed on life support. So who was Colleen Slemmer, her teenage victim? What evidence convicted Pike and will this botched execution change attitudes to the death penalty in the US. Keith Duggan, Washington correspondent has been following the case. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ministers Simon Harris and Jack Chambers have been explaining how the Government will tax and spend in the year ahead. They have promised to deliver changes we will feel in our daily lives. But will you really feel a difference in your daily life? Consumer affairs correspondent Conor Pope has been listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wicklow businessman Brendan Kavanagh (61) has an entrepreneurial skill for building connections and seeing gaps in the market. That has led him to set up multiple businesses including the successful education-technology focused Olive Group. But what happens when some of his high profile business relationships turn sour? TV sports pundit and psychotherapist Richie Sadlier has a tale to tell; so too has fitness influencer Mr Motivator (Derrick Evans). And it has been a turbulent time in the boardroom of Grinds 360. He cofounded the successful online grinds company in 2024 with investors that include former rugby player Brian O’Driscoll, who spoke in a video promoting its services, and Caelan Doris, who helped garner media attention. Irish Times investigations editor Mark Tighe has been following Kavanagh’s career for two years. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the Labour Party conference last week, British prime minister Andy Burnham surprised delegates by putting the prospect of rejoining the EU firmly on the political agenda. In a rousing speech he said the Brexit vote in 2016 had left the country weaker and failed to allow Britain to “take back control” of its borders and rules, as promised by the Leave campaign. “Brexit has done more harm than good,” said Burnham. Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul, who was at the conference, explains how Burnham’s speech landed and what happens next. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Premier League football club Manchester City has been found guilty of boosting its coffers by more than €1bn by arranging “sham contracts” with big name commercial partners. The infringements to the league’s funding rules were found by an independent commission to have taken place between 2009 and 2018 – a time when the club experienced unprecedented success. So what did the club do with the money? And did this extraordinary level of funding drive its success? The club is owned by sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the vice president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. Since taking over the club in 2008 his funds have helped turn it into a global brand. The scandal was first uncovered by Rui Pinto, a Portuguese computer hacker and founder of the Football Leaks website. He passed the information to Der Spiegel and the German newspaper developed the story to the point that the Premier League took Manchester City to the independent commission to adjudicate on the allegations. It’s a scandal that has rocked football. So what happens now? The club denies all wrongdoing and an appeals process is open to it. Other clubs are demanding a stiff penalty for City though it is unclear what that might look like. The Guardian’s investigations correspondent David Conn explains this turbulent week in the Premier League. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish citizen David Anderson (45) is charged with the premeditated murder of his ex-wife, Megumi Anderson, who died in January 2025 aged 43. Megumi died in a fire in her apartment in Budapest. The Japanese woman was found on the sofa with a cigarette nearby, surrounded by candles and empty wine bottles. Police initially believed the fire was a tragic accident, but five days later they arrested Anderson on suspicion of murder. So what happened? How did Anderson go from a grieving ex-husband to the police's chief suspect? Budapest-based reporter Bálint Dömötör was in court this week for the pretrial hearing and he outlines the prosecution’s case. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since early Sunday morning, 35 members of the Orange Order have been waiting at Drumcree Church to parade down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown. It is a march that, in the 1990s, sparked tension and violence in Drumcree, and with the result that the Protestant loyalist organisation has been refused permission to march through the Catholic area for nearly 30 years. So why was it given permission now? As of Tuesday, the Orangemen remain determined to march, saying they now have the legal right to do so. The local nationalist community is equally intent on preventing them. And the repercussions are being felt at Stormont. The DUP and the Orange Order have made complaints to the PSNI about the presence of Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, at the protest. With tensions running high on the streets of Drumcree, and the DUP-Sinn Féin political partnership fraying, could this standoff bring down Stormont? Mark Hennessy, The Irish Times Ireland and Britain Editor, reports from the Garvaghy Road. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When property developer Paddy Shanahan built Buckingham Village, a scheme of 125 apartments in north inner-city Dublin in 1991, hopes were high that it would help rejuvenate this socially deprived part of the north inner city. But by 1994, Shanahan was dead; he had been fatally shot as he left a gym in Crumlin and the development’s connection to the Dublin underworld was cemented. It regularly featured in crime stories and court reports, including the infamous Regency Hotel attack that kicked off the Hutch-Kinahan feud. By 2018, Dublin City Council’s inspections revealed slum-like conditions being endured by the renters. Using planning documents, enforcement data, property folios and company records, along with interviews with residents, activists, elected representatives and gardaí, Irish Times investigative reporter Conor Gallagher pieced together a history of Buckingham Village over its 36-year existence. He talks to In the News. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A comprehensive 3-0 away victory for the Republic of Ireland should have cause for celebration. Instead, it has been overshadowed by unprecedented crisis within Irish football. In the days before Ireland's Uefa Nations League fixture against Israel, players faced mounting calls from politicians, celebrities and activists to boycott the match over Israel's genocide in Gaza and its continued expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank. Behind the scenes divisions emerged within the squad, culminating in the withdrawal of second goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and a rancorous team meeting on Saturday. In the end an anonymous vote amongst the players resulted in the decision to proceed. But the damage had been done. Sports correspondent Gavin Cooney speaks to In the News from Debrecen, Hungary. He explains the day as it unfolded, how the controversy escalated and what the fallout could mean for the future of the Rep. of Ireland team. Presented by Aideen Finnegan. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than a decade living openly in Dubai, Christy Kinahan snr’s visa has been cancelled and he has been told to leave the United Arab Emirates before September 29th. The founder of the Kinahan drugs cartel moved to Dubai when it was considered a safe haven for criminals, insulated from extradition treaties and where it was possible to live a life of considerable luxury with no questions asked as to where the funds were coming from. In recent years however that has changed as the UAE seeks to burnish its image on the world stage. For Kinahan and two of his sons, Christopher jr and Daniel, there has also been the complication of being sanctioned by the United States in 2022 as key figures in the transnational organised crime group. This brought further attention to their presence in Dubai. So where will Christy go now? He is facing no criminal charges at home or anywhere in the world but the long reach of US sanctions mean his world is considerably smaller and his options, even as a wealthy man, are limited. And with the US having put a $5m bounty on his head, is there a chance that once he moves from the safety of the UAE, some former associate will look to cash in? Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains this latest chapter in the life of the most significant organised crime figure ever to emerge from Ireland. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the fixtures were announced earlier this year, the voices calling for the Republic of Ireland to boycott its Nations League games against Israel have grown progressively louder. They come from all quarters: from former Ireland players to diehard green jersey fans and from politicians to big names in other sports. The two soccer games are going ahead, behind closed doors and with minimum coverage; Israel’s “home” game in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday, with the return fixture also in a neutral venue of Backa Topola, Serbia on October 4th. The FAI says Ireland has too much to lose; the penalties for boycotting the fixtures would be huge. But would they? A war of words has now broken out between Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson and the Israel FA. “We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide,” he said. Israel responded calling Hallgrímsson’s use of the word genocide as the embodiment of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy”. According to Irish Times sports writer Gavin Cooney, who will be covering the games, the days ahead are likely to bring more tension and acrimony - but no boycott. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally published in July 2026. Employees of three key State agencies use a computer programme called Passwork to generate and protect their passwords. It’s a cybersecurity measure. But what they didn’t know, before it was revealed by The Irish Times, is that Passwork, which purports to be EU-based, has extensive links to a Russian company licensed by Russia’s security service. The agencies using Passwork are the Office of Public Works, the State Laboratory, which provides chemical testing and scientific advice to Government departments, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the agency tasked with, among other things, helping consumers stay cyber safe. It is unclear how many other Irish State agencies use Passwork. So what does it mean for State security? Who has access to these passwords? And what does the Russian owner of the Spanish-based company that sold the Passwork programme to the State agencies say? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The scenes of violence and rampant destruction on the streets of Belfast on June 9th were reminiscent of disorder we’ve seen before. But these were not sectarian-motivated attacks, instead they were race riots, with mobs of young men attacking migrants. When calm was restored, at least 88 migrant families had been made homeless, either because their home had been attacked or burned out, or because the threats were so terrifying they are too fearful to return. The riots had been sparked by a brutal knife attack earlier that day; a Sudanese national has since been charged with the crime. Why has there been a resurgence of anti-immigration sentiment in Northern Ireland? Who were the rioters on June 9th? And what does it mean for future peace and stability that anti-immigrant violence has replaced sectarian attacks in Northern Ireland? Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're sharing the opening episode of a three-part series by Róisín Ingle that tells the untold origin story of U2. We hope you enjoy it. The full series can be found on irishtimes.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2. It is 50 years this month since 14-year-old drummer Larry Mullen stuck a note on a school noticeboard looking for fellow musicians to form a band. That note led to U2. In this three-part podcast series to mark the 50th anniversary, Róisín Ingle traces the formation of the band in a school on the northside of Dublin through interviews with their classmates, teachers, friends, family and band members. Why did U2 happen in Mount Temple? And how are Bono, Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton still friends and still making music together fifty years later? Drummer Seeks Musicians is a remarkable origin story, told by the people who were there from the very beginning. From Mount Temple Comprehensive to the world stage, this is the story of how U2 began. Episode one goes back to the radical experiment that was Mount Temple Comprehensive School on Dublin’s northside in 1976, where fifty years ago 14-year-old Larry Mullen pinned a note on the school bulletin board. That note brought together Larry, Adam Clayton, Dave ‘The Edge’ Evans and Paul ‘Bono’ Hewson of U2, four teenagers who were destined to become one of the world's biggest bands. Róisín talks to the people who were there - the ones who nearly made the band, the teachers who supported them and the classmates who watched it happen. We hear about the architect of a remarkable school and discover the back stories of Paul 'Bono' Hewson and Larry Mullen Jr. Drummer Seeks Musicians: The Making of U2 is presented, written, researched and produced by Róisín Ingle. Editing by Rob Sutton. Additional production by Suzanne Brennan. The podcast is dedicated to Donald Moxham. Thanks to the staff at Mount Temple, to U2 and to everyone who took part in the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Staying ahead of organised drug gangs is the daily challenge facing the scientists and analysts at Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). And with criminal organisations having their own sophisticated labs to make new drugs, genetically engineer existing ones and disguise drugs in all manner of inventive ways to avoid customs detection, it requires considerable expertise. “Camouflaged cocaine” blended with coal or soaked in plywood are increasingly common. In labs across FSI’s new 13,000sqm base near Celbridge, Co Kildare scientists analyse fingerprints, bodily fluids, chemicals and exhibits, including murder weapons and victims’ clothing. It is their evidence that is used in court. Irish Times security and crime editor Conor Lally speaks to the In The News podcast about his wide-ranging interview with FSI boss Ciarán Seoighe. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In her speech to MEPs on Wednesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen spoke about Canada becoming an “associate” member of the EU in future, a concept that does not exist in the union’s governing treaties. The following day Canadian prime minister Mark Carney spoke to the same group of MEPs about wanting to be closer to the bloc during the “ferocious” storm that had ruptured alliances underpinning the previous world order. Carney sketched out the possible parameters of a new “alliance”, but what does “associate” membership mean? Is it all about trade? And what might the implications be for Ireland? Jack Power, Irish Times Brussels-based Europe correspondent explains. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It seems incredible that no one knows how many data centres there are in Ireland. It could be as many as 100, it could be more. Whatever the number there are several others in the planning stages. What we do know is that energy consumed by these vast buildings accounted for almost a quarter of the electricity consumed in Ireland last year, up from 5 per cent in 2015. And, during the long hot summer when domestic water restrictions were imposed, it appeared to be water usage as usual for data centres. Questions about how they operate are growing. Do they pay less than households for electricity? With the national grid creaking from decades of underinvestment do they even pay enough to cover their costs? And why is the Government so keen to have them? Irish Times climate and science correspondent Caroline O’Doherty explains the many questions around data centres while political correspondent Jack Horgan Jones looks at how Government defends the explosion of these vast resource-sapping structures against mounting criticism. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced Aideen Finnegan and Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has long been known that AI poses risks to humanity, but the scale of them is only starting to become clear. And those risks are terrifying. This month Evan Hubinger, a top scientist at Anthropic, said AI is advancing so quickly he believes there is a greater than 10 per cent chance it “could kill all humans” within the next decade. Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher who has just quit Anthropic and previously worked at OpenAI, has warned of “superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionise any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources”. AI is a multibillion business that’s moving at a speed no one could have predicted. But can it be regulated – and who would actually carry out that function effectively? Are these dire predictions realistic? Seán Ó hÉigeartaigh, director of the AI: Futures and Responsibility Programme at the Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge, explains the current thinking on AI threats. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thieves who broke into the Renoir Museum in the south of France escaped with two paintings, having dropped two others as they fled the building. The value of the works has been estimated at €9 million, but what are they worth now? Were the thieves stealing to order? And if not, what are they going to do with them? In a world where provenance dictates price, who would buy a stolen piece of art by one of the most famous and collectible painters? The theft is just the latest in a series of high-profile art thefts. In March 2026, an organised crime gang stole a Renoir, Matisse and Cézanne from a private museum in Italy, while last year thieves broke into the Louvre in Paris and took jewels worth an estimated €100 million. Art crime investigator and historian Arthur Brand explains the planning, execution and aftermath of the Renoir thefts. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late summer, a criminal using the name “SpongeJob” posted a wanted ad on Telegram, an the encrypted messaging service. He was looking for a hitman to travel to Cyprus to kill two men, twins from the UK. Everything would be supplied, including a gun, for a fee of about €60,000. His ad was answered, but unbeknown to SpongeJob, the willing gun for hire was the Danish police, who then sent an undercover officer to Cyprus to pose as the hitman and to foil the murders. That Danish officer was able to tip off the Cypriot police, who arrested three men, two Norwegians and an Irish man who had travelled from Limerick. It is now believed that the hit on the twins was commissioned by veteran criminals with close links to the Kinahan cartel. For Europol, the Cyprus contract is a prime example of the growing underworld phenomenon of international “violence as a service” (VAAS). Irish Times investigative reporter Conor Gallagher explains how the hit was planned – and how it then fell apart. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty five years ago al-Qaeda militants hijacked four commercial planes in the US and flew two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon, while the fourth crash-landed in a Pennsylvania field. Almost 3,000 people were killed on that day and the world was changed forever. How the US responded to that attack on home soil reverberates still - through everything from airport security to geopolitics – and above all, America’s place in the world. The attack also prompted a rise in Islamophobia. Denis Staunton, Irish Times correspondent and author of the daily Global Briefing newsletter, explores how the world changed after 9/11 and what might have happened if the US had responded to the attacks in a different way. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No one doubts that it is the Irish Open at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel at Doonbeg that is bringing US president Donald Trump back to Ireland. It has attracted some of golf’s biggest stars to Trump’s golf course in Co Clare and the sold-out event promises spectacular golf – with the chance that the president will present the trophy to the winner on Sunday. But before that on his overnight stay in Ireland he has some house calls to make in Dublin, all conveniently located in Phoenix Park. On Saturday he will visit his ambassador Edward Walsh; drop in on President Catherine Connolly in Aras an Uachtarain and meet Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Farmleigh the official State guest house. All the while the press pack will be hoping for impromptu comments. Irish Times journalists political correspondent Jack Horgan Jones and sportswriter Gavin Cooney tell us what to expect. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not just the win, but the landslide scale of the win that has shocked Germany – and sent ripples throughout Europe. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been growing in popularity but no one anticipated the election result in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt where the far-right party won 44 per cent of the vote on a record turnout of 76 per cent. The party’s manifesto promises several anti-immigration measures including mass deportations and separate schools for refugees; its education plan emphasises a new curriculum based on traditional German values, while it proudly proclaims itself pro-Russian. German chancellor Friedrich Merz took office a year ago promising to “halve” AfD support. Instead he has watched that fate befall his own party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). So how compromised is he by this result? The AfD vote signals a clear direction of travel in German politics but as Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally reports, it is also a country that understands its history and the task of defeating extremism. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee said that a “significant security operation” has been been put in place for Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union. She didn’t elaborate on exaclty who would be providing that security but since long before the presidency began in July, military analsyts were able to easily predict security wouldn’t come soley from the State’s underfunded Defence Forces. The Government would need help - but from where? The meetings last week in Druid’s Glen in Wicklow of all the EU’s defence ministers showed the extent of that help as Irish Times investigative journalist Conor Gallagher has been reporting. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As autumn arrives and the supersized El Niño develops, global temperatures will rise, rainfall patterns will radically change and the number of extreme weather events will increase. But what does that mean for Ireland? After the hottest summer on record, predictions of an unusually mild and wet autumn might sound benign, but persistent rain prompts fears of a repeat of last winter’s flooding in the east and southeast. Ireland wasn’t alone in feeling the heat from unusual summer heat patterns driven by climate change. As an island that imports 80 per cent of its food, there are warnings of higher food prices. And what did the UN’s warning last week about Earth surpassing 1.5 degrees mean? Caroline O’Doherty The Irish Times, climate and science correspondent, explains. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.