In The News

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.