In The News

On May 22nd, 2019 Oisín Osborn was shot dead in Hamburg in his own home by German police, 10 days after he had become a father.On that fateful morning, his schoolteacher wife Nicole had called the police saying her husband had a knife, and within minutes armed police officers in protective gear burst into their home, raced up the stairs and shot the 34-year-old man dead on the landing. Osborn, who was an engineer at Airbus, was clearly in mental distress – he was standing at the top of the stairs, wearing only a loincloth, with a saucepan on his head. He was shot six times.Did the police use excessive force? The police investigation has judged the event as self-defence. The family say they still have so many unanswered questions. Irish Times journalist Derek Scally has been following the story since that day, and following Osborn’s parents as they try to find answers. He explains the background and the questions it poses for policing in Germany. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The upgrading of the Annie McCarrick case from a missing persons inquiry to a murder investigation has occurred at the same time two men are being examined as suspects. The focus on those men is part of the Garda inquiry shifting from sites in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, and Glencullen, Co Dublin, back to Sandymount in Dublin 4. Conor Lally reports on what we know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a jury in a civil trial in New York found that Donald Trump sexually abused and defaming writer E Jean Carroll. It ordered that the former US president should pay a total of $5 million in damages to the woman – the bulk of the money in compensation for calling her a liar.The assault took place in the 1990s in the changing room of a department store. The jury found that he did not rape Carroll who bravely withstood three days’ of cross examination in the Manhattan courtroom.Reporter Molly Crane-Newman was in court for the entire trial – she explains why it took nearly 30 years for Carroll to get justice, how the jury responded to the evidence put before them, including that infamous “grab ‘em by the pussy” 2005 tape. And what happens next.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Consumer Affairs Correspondent Conor Pope explains why there has been so much controversy about how much we're paying for food in supermarkets recently and which way prices are headed after 18 months of inflation. He also looks at two other areas where consumers have been hammered: mortgage interest rates and energy bills. Is there any relief on the horizon? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 1950s, a hidden agreement between the Republic of Ireland and Britain has allowed the RAF to enter Irish airspace in the event of security threats that the Irish Air Corp, lacking advanced aircraft, is unable to deal with. It's a deal that has benefits for both sides - but raises questions about sovereignty, transparency and neutrality. Irish Times Crime and Security Correspondent Conor Gallagher explains the history and significance of the secret agreement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish Times media columnist – and diehard Eurovision fan – Laura Slattery is heading to Liverpool this week for the annual song contest. It’s hard not to feel upbeat in the face of all the positivity, giddiness and glittery glamour that comes with Eurovision but if the past several years are anything to go by, the odds are not in Ireland's favour.Our entry this year, We Are One by Wild Youth, will be doing well to make it past the the semi-finals. And to think we once ruled Eurovision!With our glory days firmly behind us, Laura teases out why our success rate is now so dire – but why it’s important that we still try. And as a seasoned fan, who has actually listened to all the entries, she gives her predictions on who will win, and who should. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump was on his best behaviour as he visited his property in County Clare. Political reporter Jack Horgan-Jones was there to report on local attitudes to the former president. But then Mr Trump decided to drop the diplomacy. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stakes are high for Ed Sheeran this week in a Manhattan courtroom. The family of the late Ed Townsend claim that the singer’s 2014 hit song Thinking Out Loud infringes the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s 1973 hit Let’s Get it On – which Townsend co-wrote. Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge reject the claim in its entirety. Music journalist Zara Hedderman teases out the prosecution’s case, the defence, and the major implications for other songwriters. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Ukraine, Russia's invading army has been on the offensive for months - but with little to show for it. Meanwhile, Ukraine is preparing a counter-attack that must succeed if international support for its armed forces is to continue. That's why it will do so only when the perfect opportunity arises, says military strategy expert Phillips O'Brien. Phillips talks to Bernice Harrison about the state of the war today, what a Ukrainian attack could look like and the toll of stress on military leaders and decision-makers. Phillips P. O’Brien is Professor of Strategic Studies at The University of Saint Andrews. He is the author of two books about military history and is the current Editor-in-Chief of War in History magazine. He is a regular contributor to Atlantic Magazine, and he writes a Substack blog about the war in Ukraine.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

King Charles III's Coronation will take place this Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London. The one-day event is estimated to cost the taxpayer between £50 and £100 million. An eye-watering bill, but one that probably won't make too much of an impact on the monarchy's finances. The finances of the British monarchy remain, in part, a mystery. Royal wills are never made public, so it’s not quite clear what wealth is passed down to the next generation. So, where does the money come from and how is it managed?In this episode, Laura Clancy, author of ‘'Running the Family Firm: how the monarchy manages it's image and our money’ tells Conor Pope how the royals operate more like a corporation than a family unit. She also examines what the future of the ‘firm’ might hold after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. This episode was originally published in September 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.