In The News

Jeffrey Donaldson is in Maghaberry prison outside Belfast awaiting sentencing for 18 child sex offences, including rape. If the disgraced politician thought that the blanket media coverage of his trial in June would stop once the jury gave its verdict, he was wrong. He is still making daily headlines in Northern Ireland as shocking stories of his past behaviour emerge; – ones that throw further light on the vast gulf between his carefully curated public persona as a pious, teetotal Christian and family man, and the reality. Four inquiries are being conducted into his actions while in the workplace, one by the NI Civil Service and one by the Assembly. Two have been commissioned by his former political parties, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Since his arrest in 2024, both have tried hard to distance themselves from their one-time star member. Ahead of his sentencing in September, he has now launched an appeal against his conviction. Irish Times Northern Editor Freya McClements explains why the Donaldson story has left politics across the Border in turmoil. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Israel is on an election footing. Last week with his government having reached the end of its four-year term, prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu dissolved parliament. Polls show that a new and credible challenger has emerged in Israel’s complex multiparty political landscape. Career soldier Gadi Eisenkot (66), a former head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) left the army to join Netanyahu‘s post-October 7th military council to plan and execute the brutal response in Gaza.Last year he went out on his own forming the centrist Yashar party, and he has now emerged as the most serious challenger to prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.But how much change does Israel really want. Why is Palestine and Gaza not an election issue? And what are Eisenkot’s views on one of the most contentious issues in Israel: why ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from military service at a time when Israel is fighting wars on many fronts and is running out soldiers. Mark Weiss reports on the mood in Jerusalem as campaigning gets under way. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

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?

In recent weeks, the Irish Government has come under pressure to introduce a ban on e-scooters following a steep increase in the number of serious e-scooter accidents involving children. One of those supporting the ban is Seana Brennan, a mother of two from Cavan whose son, Mason, was involved in a serious e-scooter accident last year.Brennan joins Bernice Harrison on today’s episode to share her family’s experience and to highlight the dangers e-scooters pose to children. Later, Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones discusses the political response to the rise in e-scooter related accidents and examines how a ban might work in practice.Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker.

For his hosting duties on America 2026, the Irish Times podcast, Paul Howard watched every World Cup single match, even it was on at 4am and featured a no-hoper team in the tournament to make up the numbers.What did he make of England’s loss to Argentina?Why does he think the bloated half-time show featuring Shakira and Justin Bieber, planned for Sunday’s final, highlights just how much Fifa is enthralled to the US; and who will lift the World Cup when the final whistle blows on Sunday, Argentina or Spain?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. 

The body of Jamey Carney, a 43-year-old mother-of-one, was found by her teenage daughter at their home in Killarney last week. The American woman had suffered head injuries and a postmortem confirmed she had died a violent death by suffocation. Gardai traced her partner, Ahmed Al Saqar’s, movements immediately after the killing and found that he left Ireland hours after she was killed, flying to Turkey having taken the night bus from Kerry. He then travelled on to Jordan where he was arrested and is in custody. It is thought the 28-year-old had been in Ireland for two years and had sought asylum before fleeing back to Jordan after the murder. The investigation is a full-scale murder inquiry. Gardaí did not seek Al Saqar’s arrest in his home country, so why was he detained? How long can he be held by Jordanian authorities before he must be released? Ireland and Jordan do not have an extradition treaty so how can Al Saqar be brought back to Ireland? And when?Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally explains the complex road ahead in this investigation. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Former British government minister Ann Widdecombe (78) was found dead at her home in rural southwest England last Thursday with what police described as “serious injuries”. On Friday, local police gave a press conference laying out what they knew noting they did not suspect a political motive for her death. By Monday all that had changed. British counter-terrorism police officers are now leading the investigation. Late on Saturday they arrested a white British man in Rotherham, northern England, on suspicion of her murder. He was then rearrested under anti-terrorism legislation although how a terrorism link was established has yet to be revealed. Widdecombe, as well has being a politician was a British celebrity having appeared on blockbuster TV shows including Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. She was a prominent and active member of Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK, having left the Conservatives after she stood down from ​parliament in 2010.As a socially conservative, devout Catholic, what were her political beliefs and why she was a divisive figure? And with her violent death now being treated as politically motivated, security for UK politicians is under increased scrutiny.Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul reports.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.

After three days of deliberations, the jury in the inquest into the death of Belfast teenager Noah Donohoe could not reach a verdict. They had sat in court hearing evidence for six months.His death six years ago has been one of the most high-profile cases in Northern Ireland in recent years, with conspiracy theories swirling on social media driving controversy and speculation. How did Noah die? What were the jurors tasked with deciding? How did the PSNI describe their search for the teenager, whose body was found six days after he went missing? And what happens now in an inquest many have repeatedly called “unprecedented”?Seanín Graham, Irish Times Northern correspondent, was at Belfast Coroner’s Court for the verdict.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker.

Online gambling on black-market betting sites is big business. One company, Soft2Bet, which has been licensed in Ireland since 2022, and its related entities received €600 million from dozens of offshore casinos that regulators in Europe had blacklisted or fined.For gamblers using some of these sites, it means few rules apply. Unauthorised betting sites deliberately target people with gambling addictions and ignore local gambling regulations, including age limits to protect young people.While working on an investigation with cross-border journalism group Investigate Europe, Irish Times investigative reporter with The Irish Times, Mark Tighe discovered that Irish authorities granted gambling licences to six companies at the heart of this global network of black-market betting and casino websites.One of the scheme’s newest websites, OnlySpins, a bookmaker and casino with pornographic content targeting Europeans, does not verify whether Irish users are over the age of 18 or provide checks on a customer’s identity.He also discovered that two Irish companies were processing payments for Soft2Bet-linked unlicensed gambling sites operating in Europe.Soft2Bet is led by Ukrainian-Israeli millionaire Uri Poliavich.He joins In the News to explain how this investigation unfolded, what the activities of black market sites mean for vulnerable users and what the Irish authorities had to say.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.