Share
In The News
Iran war: How will it end?
•
Within minutes of the war beginning on Saturday, allies Israel and the US had achieved a stated goal: Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed alongside his powerful inner circle.
His death would, according to both US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, pave the way for regime change, allowing opposition forces in Tehran to rise up and take control.
Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel, while Iranian drones have also hit countries across the Middle East. Hizbullah, an Iranian-backed militia, fired missiles into Israel in the early days of the war, and by Wednesday Israeli forces entered Lebanon.
The death toll – notably in Iran – is mounting.
And the rest of the world is feeling the impact with threats of economic instability, oil shortages and travel and trade chaos.
But are the US and Israel on the same page when it comes to the war’s objectives? And are they equal partners in this or is this Israel’s war with the US providing military support?
Irish Times contributor Mark Weiss in Jerusalem explains how the US and Israel are looking for different outcomes from this war.
And Shashank Joshi, defence editor with The Economist Magazine, explores how the war might end – and when – and why the Kurds might be drawn in to war.
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.
As we head into the New Year, The Irish Times wants to hear listener feedback on our two news podcasts; In The News and our more recently released sister podcast Early Edition.
This survey is open to anyone who has listened to either In The News or Early Edition- whether you listen regularly, occasionally, or have listened in the past.
This survey should take around 3-5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous.
More episodes
View all episodes
Europe is bracing for another heatwave in July, what about Ireland?
26:23|Ireland was on the fringe of the heat dome that seared much of Europe for several days late last month.In some parts of the country temperatures exceeded an uncomfortable 32 degrees and the hot spell ended with unseasonable thunderstorms and hail showers.Why is this happening?Climate scientists have recently warned that El Niño would impact temperatures in Europe this year, so is that why two heatwaves arrived in June, one delivering record-breaking temperatures?The June event was called a “heat dome” but what is that and what causes it?Another intense heatwave is forecast for Europe, beginning on July 5th.Recording-breaking temperatures are produced by climate change and they are something scientists have warned about for decades. So why is Ireland so behind in implementing policies that would help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.Caroline O’Doherty, the climate and science correspondent with The Irish Times, explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.Riad Bouchaker found guilty: what the jury heard
21:38|Riad Bouchaker (52), an Algerian native, has been found guilty of the attempted murder of two girls and a boy, as well as a further charge of assault causing serious harm to a childcare worker and three charges of assault causing harm. During the trial Eoin Reynolds talked to Bernice Harrison about evidence the jury heard.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and Andrew McNair.Modern slavery in Donegal: how gardaí saved seven victims
29:46|For the six men and one woman trafficked to Donegal by Georgijs Poniza and Armen Pogosyan, life was unimaginably harsh.They worked long, gruelling hours, lived together in dire conditions, rummaging in public bins for food and walking up to 30km to get to work. When they stepped out of line they were subject to abuse including physical violence.]In the nearly three years they spent in modern slavery in Ireland, the seven victims, all Latvians, earned about €750,000 but as their bank accounts were controlled, they saw a tiny fraction of that.This month in a first conviction of its kind in the State, Poniza and Pogosyan, who were long-time residents in Ireland, were jailed for a total of 24 years for human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.So how did the operation work? Why in a small community in Donegal did no one notice anything? And how were the traffickers caught?Chris McNulty, a journalist with Donegal Daily, has been following the case and was in court for the sentencing.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.Who is the millionaire fugitive arrested in Dublin?
20:25|American businessman Jason Cardiff has lived in Ireland with his wife and daughter since 2022.For anyone who has followed him on Facebook, he has been living a life of considerable luxury. The house is on Highfield Road, one of Dublin 6’s most expensive roads, and parked outside is a Bentley.His followers have seen posts showing him golfing in Ireland, travelling to Austria for ski trips as well as attending the local church fete in June.But last week his past came back to haunt him when at 8am he was arrested at home and brought to the High Court. The move by the Garda was on foot of extradition proceedings instigated by the US Department of Justice, which has charged him with fraud involving a homeopathic medicine company, identity theft and witness tampering. He denies all charges.So what are the charges? Why did Cardiff and his family leave the US? How did he get an Irish passport? And why does did he expect the Trump administration to come to his rescue?Mark Tighe, Irish Times senior investigative reporter, talked to Cardiff in the days before his arrest.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.Inside Iceland trial of mother charged with murder in Dublin-based family’s suicide pact
20:01|On the morning of June 14th last year, Reykjavik police were called to the luxury 5-star Edition Hotel where the bodies of Emeric Mancel and his adult daughter Catherine were found, along with a wounded Ming Ting Mancel.They had travelled from their home in Dublin for what looked like a weeklong holiday for the reclusive family, but now appears to have been a carefully planned suicide pact.She is now on trial at the Reykjavik District Court, accused of killing her daughter Catherine, in collaboration with her husband Emeric.Little was known about the family’s life in Dublin before the trial, but details presented to the court give a clearer picture of how this unusual family lived before taking that fateful trip.Reykjavik-based Irish journalist Karen McHugh explored the details of the case in a previous episode of In the News and she has been in court this week covering the trial.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.If you require support for any of the issues discussed in this episode, you can contact the Samaritans on freephone 116 123 or text HELLO to 50808. And Pieta on 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444. Or visit yourmentalhealth.ieHow child ‘skinfluencers’ became a toxic beauty trend
19:17|The beauty industry has found a new audience: children. And it is using other children online – so-called “child skinfluencers” – to promote all kinds of skincare products.Research by The Guardian’s consumer affairs reporter Sarah Marsh found teenage girls on TikTok, as well as Instagram and YouTube, showing their skincare routines, some having become “ambassadors” for major brands.Some will be using products from a new and lucrative market segment – skincare produced for children – others might be demonstrating to other 10 or 12 year-olds the anti-ageing powers of retinols and strong serums.As the phenomenon grows, dermatologists are expressing concern about harsh chemicals damaging delicate young skin, but parents and guardians are also worried that children are being convinced that their skin needs something it almost certainly does not, with all the implications for self-esteem and body image that carries.And there are concerns at official level with the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) investigating two beauty brands over the use of young influencers to market skincare to children.So where is this all going? And how damaging is this form of marketing, to the young girls who are served it daily on one their social feeds, and the children involved in its marketing?Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair, with research by Ellen Clusker.What does Andy Burnham stand for?
26:19|Newly-elected Labour MP Andy Burnham has made no secret of his ambitions to become the next UK prime minister. Now, it looks as though his time has come.Keir Starmer’s announcement on Monday morning that he is to step down as prime minister paves the way for a leadership contest in the Labour Party, with the leadership of the country the automatic prize.Starmer has said he would stay on until September but unless a strong candidate emerges to go up against Burnham, the new occupant of Number 10 Downing Street could be named as early as mid-July.Where did it go so wrong for Starmer and so right for Burnham? His nickname is the King of the North, but he’s also been called Captain Flipflop, so what does Burnham stand for?And why is Britain’s political system so unstable that the country is now facing into its seventh prime minister in just 10 years.Irish Times London editor Mark Paul was at Downing Street on Monday as Starmer stood at the much-used podium, bowed to the inevitable and made his sometimes emotional announcement.He explains what led to this moment and what will happen next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.Jeffrey Donaldson found guilty: the full story
28:12|The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of all 18 child sex abuse charges against him, including rape. His wife Eleanor was also found by the jury to have aided and abetted him, but she was not convicted due to inability to stand trial. The outcome of the trial hinged on whether the jury believed Donaldson or his two victims. Freya McClements explains how the jurors may have been convinced of Donaldson's guilt, what happened when the verdict was delivered and how religion, faith and forgiveness were major themes of the case. Plus, Mark Hennessy looks back on Donaldson's rise and fall and how his conviction could affect the DUP and unionism more broadly.