The Explainer

Nick Charalambous, managing director of Alpha Wealth, and our business reporter Ian Curran join us on this week's episode to talk cryptocurrencies. Why are they grabbing headlines, what's driving their prices up and down, and is it actually a good way to invest your money? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Honan, cybersecurity expert and CEO of BH Consulting, and our senior reporter Michelle Hennessy join us to discuss the impact of the cyberattack on the HSE. What is ransomware, how do you go about fixing the damage done, and how is it impacting patients on the ground? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our reporter Cónal Thomas examines what a Covid antigen test is, and why the sale of them in Lidl has sparked such debate. He explains how their results should be (cautiously) interpreted, as well as how they are already being used by the HSE in certain situations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our reporters Sean Murray, Adam Daly, and Brian Whelan join us to discuss the latest instalment of The Good Information Project, examining how the pandemic could have a lasting impact on the way we work. How soon might be people be back in the office, and what is the 'right to disconnect' for those who remain working from home? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Arlene Foster abstained in on a vote on banning gay conversion therapy. That decision snowballed this week into Foster being effectively ousted as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party following a letter of no confidence from a majority of the party's elected representatives. We're joined by BBC Radio Foyle's Dominic McGrath, who explains what led to this decision, who could take over as leader of the party, and what it all means for Northern Ireland's fragile political landscape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was impossible to escape the news of plans for a European Super League this week - plans which soon fell apart. The42's Gavin Cooney is on hand to explain the ins and outs of the brief saga, how much money is on the line, and what it means for the future of soccer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our deputy editor Christine Bohan and Ciarán O'Connor of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue join us on this week's episode to look at how the spread of misinformation has evolved in Ireland over the past year. Who is it targeting, who benefits, and how did QAnon crop up on this side of the Atlantic? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ronan Lyons, associate professor of economics at Trinity College Dublin, joins us on this week's podcast to examine what impact the pandemic is having on housing prices. Are prices being pushed up, or were they drifting up anyway? And what's the best advice for someone considering buying a home right now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our reporters Rónán Duffy and Gráinne Ní Aodha examine the possibility of - and the appetite for - a united Ireland in the next decade. How would a border poll work, and what's this Shared Ireland Unit the government set up? This episode is part of The Good Information Project - we're also joined by Brian Whelan to explain more about this new initiative from The Journal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our reporters Gráinne Ní Aodha and Michelle Hennessy join us to examine why vaccines are causing tensions to almost boil over between the European Union and the United Kingdom. The former is now weighing up plans to halt exports of jabs to countries with higher rates of vaccinations than its own member states. We look at the origins of all this (it's not Brexit again, is it?), what it has to do with the 1970s oil crisis, and why a single pharmaceutical plant in the Netherlands is in the spotlight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.