The Irish Times' unrivalled foreign affairs coverage, now brought to you in weekly podcast form. Hosted by Chris Dooley with regular contributors Patrick Smyth, Denis Staunton, Lara Marlowe, Suzanne Lynch, Derek Scally, Tom Hennigan, Clifford Coonan and Ruadhan Mac Cormaic.
Latest episodes
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24 min ↗
A ceasefire in the Middle East?
Mark Weiss reports from Jerusalem where there is a possibility of a ceasefire between Hamas militants in Gaza and Israel. What needs to happen to make a ceasefire work, and how do…
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33 min ↗
UK election: can things get better for Labour?
Are the UK's Labour Party facing an existential crisis? Is there a way back to power for the party - for example, by following the advice of its last successful leader Tony Blair?…
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29 min ↗
Looking back at Biden’s first 100 days
Joe Biden has spent his first 100 days as US president powering through an ambitious agenda and tackling issues on the economy, coronavirus and climate policy. What are the key act…
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26 min ↗
India's covid catastrophe
In the Indian capital of New Delhi, one person is reportedly dying of Covid-19 every four minutes. With a population of 1.3 billion, the surge in new infections has pushed the coun…
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26 min ↗
Could Welsh Independence actually happen?
Recent polls of Welsh voters show growing support for the idea. To find out what's behind the trend and what it would take for it to become a reality, we talk to Denis Staunton.
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20 min ↗
Merkel succession battle threatens CDU/CSU alliance
Angela Merkel is on her last lap as German Chancellor and will stand down when September’s federal election ends her fourth and final term in office. Meanwhile her party, the rulin…
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19 min ↗
Why is Russia sending troops to the border with Ukraine?
Dan McLaughlin explains the background to a new flare-up in the war in eastern Ukraine between the government in Kiev and Russian-backed separatists, and the news that Russia has s…
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27 min ↗
Brazil's health and democracy are both on the brink
Brazil's Covid-19 case numbers and deaths have hit staggering new highs in the past month: over 60,000 died in March alone. Now it is facing a political crisis to match its health…
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18 min ↗
Israel's election leaves Netanyahu needing unlikely allies
Voters in Israel went to the polls this week in a bid to free the country of the political stalemate that has seen it hold four elections in two years. But after another cliffhange…
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32 min ↗
Will Lula's return to Brazilian politics end Bolsonaro's reign?
Brazil's often chaotic political scene got even more complex recently when former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's conviction for corruption was suddenly overturned. Will Lula…
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21 min ↗
How Andrew Cuomo went from Covid hero to pariah
Suzanne Lynch on the fall from grace of New York State governor Andrew Cuomo, whose early handling of the pandemic won him praise but is now subject to increasing scrutiny, and who…
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32 min ↗
Life after Merkel, Sturgeon survives but scandal may leave scars
When voters elect a new government in Germany this year, it will bring the curtain down on the 16 year chancellorship of Angela Merkel. In parliament since 2005, Merkel has been on…
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27 min ↗
Can Mario Draghi turn Italy around?
Italy's new prime minister Mario Draghi, a compromise choice asked to lead a national unity government after the collapse of the previous coalition, has several tough challenges on…
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34 min ↗
The path to Scottish independence, Spain's free speech problem
The issue of Brexit and the popularity of SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have put the idea of Scottish independence back on the agenda. Public opinion polls show a m…
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37 min ↗
Donald Trump's impeachment trial
Suzanne Lynch reports from former president Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial. Under attack from a well-organised prosecution, Trump's own legal team have not impressed. But…
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33 min ↗
Who is Alexei Navalny?
A few months ago Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was lying in hospital in Berlin, recovering from being poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok. This week he was imprisoned…
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24 min ↗
Corruption, dysfunction and scarce oxygen: Brazil's response to Covid-19
Today on the podcast: Tom Hennigan on the dire Covid-19 situation in Brazil, where the second-highest number of people have died of the disease. A more spreadable variant of the di…
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32 min ↗
Biden's inauguration, and the meaning of January 6th
Our Washington correspondent Suzanne Lynch was one of the lucky few to attend President Joe Biden's inauguration yesterday. She talks to foreign editor Chris Dooley about the messa…
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22 min ↗
EU Vaccine Rollout: Who is doing well and who is lagging behind?
The race is on to roll out the coronavirus vaccine across the European Union. Denmark is sitting proudly in first place, with 2% of their population already vaccinated. All EU coun…
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26 min ↗
Pro-Trump rioters storm the US Capitol
Yesterday the world watched on in disbelief as a group of pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol, in a violent display of loyalty to the president. While Congress gathered to…