In The News

Now in its 70th day Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine was supposed to dismantle the country. But across Ukraine, the invasion has only strengthened ties: between the citizens of Odesa, between east and west and between Russian and Ukrainian speakers. That's what reporter Dan McLaughlin has found on his return to the country. As the Russian military holiday of May 9th draw near, Russian losses are staggering and successes are few. Will Putin escalate? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actor Johnny Depp this week concluded his testimony in the defamation case he has filed against his ex-wife Amber Heard, over an article she wrote for the Washington Post newspaper in 2018.Journalist Nick Wallis has been attending the trial each day since proceedings began on 11th April.He talks to Conor Pope about why Depp has taken this defamation case, what has been said in court so far and what's at stake for both parties.Produced by Jennifer Ryan and Suzanne BrennanFollow Nick Wallis's daily updates on his website and on Twitter.If you are affected by the issues raised in this report, helplines are available at:Women’s Aid – 1800 341 900Safe Ireland – 1800 341 900Men’s Aid – 01 554 3811 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week the UK government announced a scheme to send asylum seekers arriving on its shores to the central African nation of Rwanda, 10,000 kilometers away. The plan has plenty of opposition in the UK, but even if it never happens, it serves a political purpose,says London editor Denis Staunon. Plus: is Rwanda ready to be a safe haven for the UK's asylum seekers? On several trips there, Sally Hayden learned about how similar schemes operated by the EU and Israel operated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Surging gun crime in the United States has put the issue of gun control back on the agenda. But why is it happening - and can anything be done? Washington correspondent Martin Wall reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk says he wants to buy Twitter, but the board of the company doesn’t seem too hot on the idea. Musk has, nevertheless, filed papers to the Securities and Exchange Commission outlining a $46bn financing package to fund his takeover bid. If it succeeds, it will be just the latest in a long list of controversies surrounding the company.  Irish Times media columnist Laura Slattery talks to Conor Pope about the three eras of Twitter and what, if anything, might change with the world's richest man at the helm. Produced by Jennifer Ryan and Declan Conlon. www.irishtimes.com/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The Kinahan family's rise to the top of the Irish drug trade was helped by the low profile and overseas life of Christy Kinhan snr. But a violent feud brought growing attention, as did his son Daniel's ambition to be a player in the world of boxing. Then this week, the United States announced it would sanction the family and offer a $5 million reward for evidence leading to their prosecution. Will this unprecedented move bring down the Kinahans? Conor Lally reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

European countries are welcoming Ukrainian refugees with open arms. But migrants from other parts of the world get much different treatment, as reporter Sally Hayden reveals in her new book. 'My Fourth Time, we Drowned" tells the story of how EU policy has helped create an inhumane system that ends in imprisonment in Libyan detention centres for thousands of migrants. Sally talked to Sorcha Pollak about how she communicated with migrants trapped in Libya and the unseen consequences of Europe's determination to keep migration numbers down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moldova is a small country sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. It was once part of the Soviet Union. It's not an EU member or a member of the Nato alliance. And it is home to a small breakaway region where Russian is spoken. For all those reasons, many Moldovans are worried that Moscow has its eye on them, and will see the invasion of Ukraine as the best opportunity it will ever get to bring Moldova too back under its control. Simon Carswell visited the capital Chisinau to learn how realistic an invasion is and whether Moldova, like Ukraine, could fight back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than three decades in the limelight, action star Bruce Willis has retired from acting. Taking to social media, his family revealed the actor has recently been diagnosed with Aphasia, a cognitive disorder which affects a person's ability to communicate. Chief film correspondent Donald Clarke speaks to Sorcha Pollak about Willis’ path to fame, from his days on 80s comedy drama Moonlighting, to becoming one of the world’s biggest film stars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.