In The News

Nearly thirty years ago, in August 1996, 25-year-old Fiona Pender disappeared and was never seen again. Detectives have always believed Ms Pender, who was seven months pregnant when she vanished, was murdered on the day she was last seen alive. However, her remains have never been found.Earlier this week, gardaí announced the case had formally been upgraded to a murder investigation and began a search and excavation operation at Graigue near Killeigh village in Co Offaly.Gardaí are now carrying out a second search operation in Co Laois.What does the upgrade to murder inquiry mean for the investigation and why are gardaí suddenly conducting new searches?And what do we know about the primary suspect in the case?Crime and security editor Conor Lally discusses the latest developments in the case.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published its latest projections for the 2030 climate targets and it’s bad news for Ireland.The Irish State has the worst emissions per capita in Europe – projections show our greenhouse gas emissions will fall by just 23 per cent by 2030, compared to our original national target of 51 per cent, according to EPA data published on Wednesday.The latest figures indicate none of the State’s biggest emitting sectors – transport, agriculture and electricity – will meet their climate commitments. In most sectors, emissions continue to rise or are going down only marginally.The cost of missing these targets is obvious – extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and disruptive. And countries who fail to meet these commitments must pay huge fines.What can Ireland do between now and 2030 to reduce emissions? And how much will Ireland pay if it fails to meet these legally-binding targets?Irish Times environment and science correspondent Kevin O’Sullivan discusses the implications of Ireland’s failure to meet climate targets. Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five years ago, and three months into the 2020 global pandemic, the Leaving Cert was cancelled.The Department of Education announced in May 2020 that students due to sit their final school exams would instead receive predicted or ‘calculated’ grades from their teachers.These much more generous results led to grade inflation which has seen tens of thousands of students receive bumper Leaving Cert results in recent years. The rise in grades also forced universities to use lotteries for entry to some high points courts, especially highly competitive courses such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and others.The Government is now moving to reduce this grade inflation, meaning Leaving Certificate results will be lower this year.What does this mean for the class of 2025 and what price will they pay for the reversing of grade inflation?Irish Times Education editor Carl O’Brien discusses the plans to bring grades back down to pre-pandemic levels.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Butter is becoming a luxury item. Rents have reached an all time high – just two examples of prices that seem to be constantly on the move upwards. Good news for the hard-pressed consumer is in short supply – even as inflation has reduced to around 2 per cent. And to add to the uncertainty, US president Donald Trump on Friday said he will impose a 50 per cent tariff on goods from the EU starting on June 1st. In previous years, the government has sought to help households with a range of one-off payments and double allowances, but the mood music coming from Leinster House is that those days are over as the chill winds of changing US tax and tariff policies start to bite. Two years ago, it seemed that every second headline and radio discussion was about the “cost-of-living crisis” but we don’t hear that expression much any more. Are we worn down with ever-rising prices? Or could it be that those price rises might reverse? Irish Times consumer correspondent Conor Pope explains why prices are staying stubbornly high and suggests ways people can help themselves. Cliff Taylor looks at the potential impact of tariffs. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former US president Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer paused the avalanche of damning stories about his mental acuity and cognitive fitness for office during his presidency.The leaks and pre-publicity around a new book Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper have been going on for weeks.The authors contend that Biden’s decline was obvious during his tenure as president and accelerated while he was campaigning for a second term. They say the facts of the 82-year-old’s health were kept secret from the wider Democratic party and the American public by a small inner circle, led by his wife, Jill.Then last weekend audio surfaced of his interview with former special counsel Robert Hur in 2023 in which Biden sounded confused, rambling and with a notably weak voice.There were public messages of support and sympathy for Biden and his family from his supporters and political rivals - even president Donald Trump - when he announced the news.But as the week has gone on, commentary has turned to speculation around the timeline of his diagnosis, reviving questions about what health issues he was dealing with while in the White House.Irish Times Washington correspondent Keith Duggan looks back a monumental week for Biden and the Democrative party.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon and John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new investigation drawing on thousands of internal emails and documents reveals the activities of Pravfond, a Russian organisation established in 2012 with the stated goal of protecting the rights of Russians living abroad, primarily by offering assistance in legal matters.However, the EU and European intelligence agencies say that in some countries Pravfond acts as a safety net for Russian intelligence assets – agents or spies – who get into legal trouble. In some countries, it also provides cover stories for these spies.Two lawyers operating in Ireland, Elizaveta Donnery and Olga Shajaku, are mentioned in the documents.There is nothing to suggest that Donnery, Shajaku or other Russians in Ireland supported by Pravfond engaged in intelligence gathering, influence operations or illegal activity.But the connection shows that Russia has an interest in Ireland.Conor Gallagher tells In the News about the investigation, Pravfond’s activities and its significance.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trial of Richard Satchwell, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife Tina at their home in Youghal, Co Cork in March 2017, has now entered its fourth week. The first three weeks of this high-profile trial featured testimony from gardaí, crime scene managers, the family doctor, a forensic archaeologist and friends regarding the disappearance of Tina Satchwell in 2017 and the discovery of her body six years later. On Tuesday, the Central Criminal Court heard a cause of death for Tina Satchwell, whose skeletal remains were found buried under her Co Cork home in 2023, could not be determined due to the level of decomposition. After more than three weeks of testimonies, what else have we learned from the Richard Satchwell murder trial about the death of his wife in 2017?Today, on In The News, courts reporter with Ireland International news agency Alison O’Riordan discusses the Satchwell trial. Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday morning, Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu posted a video on his Telegram account pledging to take control of all of Gaza.“We are going to take control of all areas of the Strip, that’s what we’re going to do,” said Mr Netanyahu in the video.He also addressed Israel’s humanitarian aid blockade into the besieged area, saying “minimal” food aid would be allowed into the strip, “just enough to prevent hunger”. Preventing famine among Palestinians is necessary both from “a practical and a diplomatic standpoint”, said the Israeli prime minister.This latest announcement comes one day after the Israel military launched Operation Gideon’s chariot – a major new ground offensive across the Gaza Strip.Aid agencies have continued to warn that the 2.1 million Palestinians in the besieged area are at “critical risk” of famine, while Unicef says the “entire child population” is at risk of malnutrition.Today, on In The News, Israel says it plans to “take control” of all of Gaza. But what does that mean for Palestinians in the strip?Sky news Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall discusses the intensifying violence in Gaza and the implications of Israel’s latest ground offensive.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerry farmer Michael Gaine disappeared in March. In April Gardaí upgraded the search to a murder inquiry, despite not finding a body. Now, following a macabre discovery, a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Irish Times southern correspondent Barry Roche explains what we know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten years ago this week, on May 23rd, 2015, the people of Ireland voted to legalise same-sex marriage.Writing in The Irish Times the day after the referendum, columnist Fintan O’Toole noted the overwhelming victory for the Yes side “looks extraordinary” but was actually “about the ordinary”.“Ireland has redefined what it means to be an ordinary human being,” wrote O’Toole.“Everybody gains from equality – even those who didn’t think they wanted it. Over time, those who are in a minority on this issue will come to appreciate the value of living in a pluralist democracy in which minorities are respected.”Ten years on, is Ireland a pluralist democracy in which minorities are accepted and equal? Or has the rise of far right groups and the fear-driven, macho-infused culture of Trump and Tate, impacted how gay and lesbian people in this country are perceived and treated?Buzz O’Neill Maxwell, a nightclub promoter and freelance events manager who campaigned for a Yes vote in the 2015 referendum, is one of many LGBTQ people who feel acceptance has declined and homophobia has increased over the past five years.Today, on In The News, ten years on from Ireland’s referendum to legalise same-sex marriage, have old prejudices returned?Social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland and Buzz O’Neill Maxwell reflect on whether Ireland has become a better or worse place for gay people to live their lives.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.