In The News

Irish MEPs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly were recently formally sanctioned by the European Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group for what were deemed to be unofficial election observation trips in Venezuela and Ecuador. In a statement, Daly and Wallace rejected the rebuke and said they will be challenging it. But their censure by the European Parliament comes amid increasing discomfort with the pair’s foreign policy positions including within their own Left group, where they were recently accused by a Dutch MEP of echoing pro-Putin talking points.The Irish Times Europe correspondent Naomi O’Reilly talks to Conor Pope about the background to this story.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Music by Hugh Rodgers.www.irishtimes.com/podcasts  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In April, US president Joe Biden announced all remaining troops in Afghanistan would be withdrawn, ending what he described as “America's longest war”. However, what will the US departure mean for the people of Afghanistan and the future of their country? With Taliban insurgents stepping up attacks on the Afghan government, a new wave of violence is leading to concerns of civil war. In this episode, Sorcha Pollak speaks to historian and former military advisor Dr Carter Malkasian and Afghan human rights activist Horia Mosadiq.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amazon, the company founded by Jeff Bezos in a Seattle garage more than a quarter of a century ago, is building one of its massive fulfilment centres in Ireland. While that will mean faster deliveries, easier returns and greater choice for Irish customers, the arrival of an amazon.ie is not without its dark sides. In this episode, Conor Pope talks to US journalist and author Alec MacGillis, who has been documenting the growth of Amazon, about what it takes – or what it costs – to work in one of the online retail giant’s warehouses.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Presented by Conor Pope.Music by Hugh Rodgers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Thursday, on July 8th, voters in Dublin Bay South will cast their votes in a byelection widely seen as the first major electoral test for the coalition Government. Fine Gael's James Geoghegan is currently in the lead based on Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll results. But the survey, carried out over the weekend, also shows Labour's Ivana Bacik may still be in with a chance of taking the seat. Sorcha Pollak talks to The Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy about the race for the Dublin Bay South seat, the main issues dominating the debate and the national significance of next week's vote. Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Presented by Sorcha Pollak.Music by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was confronted by other EU leaders about a new law that prohibits the promotion of homosexuality to under-18s, with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte going as far as to tell Orban that Hungary should leave the EU. But what can the EU actually do about this discriminatory law? Naomi O'Leary is Europe correspondent for The Irish Times.Produced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne Brennan.Presented by Conor PopeMusic by Hugh Rodgers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is Jeffrey Donaldson, the new leader of Northern Ireland's troubled Democratic Unionist Party? What are the challenges he faces? How did former leader Edwin Poots get it so badly wrong, losing power after just 21 days in the job, and why is the Irish language such a thorny issue in the politics of the North? Conor Pope talks to Northern Correspondent Freya McClements, who says the DUP faces an uphill battle to remain Northern Ireland's most powerful political party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public health officials in Ireland appear optimistic about the progress of the Covid-19 pandemic, with indicators moving in the right direction and the dangerous Delta variant seemingly under control. But just how much of a “black cloud” does the variant represent? Conor Pope talks to The Irish Times health editor Paul Cullen.Presented by Conor PopeProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Donald Trump's relevance fading? At this week's summit between US president Joe Biden and Russian president Vladimir Putin, his presence was felt and his name was mentioned more than once. Back home, he is less and less a part of the national conversation. Yet his influence in the Republican Party remains extremely strong. Is there any sign of that changing? Suzanne Lynch is our Washington Correspondent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, busloads of people travelled from Donegal and Mayo to protest outside Dublin’s Convention Centre calling for increased financial supports for homeowners affected by mica.Estimates vary, but up to 5,000 homes are thought to be affected by cracking and crumbling due to the defective concrete blocks.Mica Action Group campaigner, Eileen Doherty, whose own house in Donegal will have to be demolished as a result of mica, talks to Conor Pope about why people are protesting and what they want from the Government.Also in this episode, Irish Times political correspondent Jennifer Bray on the political reaction to the demands of the mica protestors. Presented by Conor PopeProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last June, thousands of young Irish people took to the streets of Dublin calling for an end to racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd in the US city of Minneapolis on May 25th 2020.Amanda Adé is the co-presenter of the Black and Irish podcast. After the death of George Floyd, she spoke out publicly about racism in Ireland. On today's podcast, she talks to Sorcha Pollak about how the conversation about race in Ireland has changed in the past year. Also in this episode, assistant professor of law at Dublin City University, Bashir Otukoya, on why more needs to be done at a policy level to tackle racism in this country.Presented by Sorcha PollakProduced by Declan Conlon, Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanTheme music by Hugh Rodgerswww.irishtimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.