Sophie Toscan du Plantier: Could a new DNA technique finally identify her killer?

As Pope Leo XIV turns 70 we look back at his first months in office, the messages he has been giving to his flock of 1.4 billion Catholics and what they reveal about the direction of his papacy.Since May the Pope has used his Wednesday audience to condemn the actions of Isreal in Gaza and to call for peace in Ukraine. What he has chosen to wear and where to live has signalled a return to tradition – but as Irish Times Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary explains he’s also spoken about the dangers and the promise of AI.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In June 2024 French President Emmanuel Macron took a political gamble – and lost heavily.Hoping to strengthen his centrist alliance he dissolved the National Assembly triggering an election. The result has been chaos – a legislature with no dominant political bloc in power and leading this week to France naming its fourth prime minister in 12 months and riots on the streets of Paris.At the centre of the political chaos is the threat of austerity budgets. France is deep in debt and a succession of Macron-appointment prime ministers have proposed budgets with tax hikes and deep cuts.On Monday, prime minister François Bayrou was ousted by a decisive vote after he proposed a tough budget. By Wednesday, Macron had appointed a replacement, Sébastien Lecornu.The problem for the next government, Lecornu’s, is that a budget still needs to be passed and securing the backing of a very divided parliament will be difficult.The world’s stage does see not much of French prime ministers because the president, Macron, holds substantial powers over foreign policy and European affairs.So does this open the door to a snap election? And how damaging is this for Macron that his own country is in chaos while he bestrides the stage, positioning himself as a powerful European leader.Naomi O’Leary, Irish Times European correspondent, explains a bleak week in French politics.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At just 18 committed Christian and college drop out Charlie Kirk established Turning Point USA, an organisation with a mission to spread conservative ideals at liberal-leaning US universities.On Wednesday, now aged 31 and a father of two young children, Kirk was once again at a university campus to debate and spread his socially conservative viewpoint.A roof-top sniper shot him dead in what is being viewed as a politically motivated assassination.In those 13 years, the young man had become one of the most influential voices in US politics and well-known media personality.Kirk’s ability to galvanise young people to vote Republican, through his rallies, prolific social media posts, daily podcast, TV appearances and website led to Donald Trump crediting him with being one of a handful of people who helped secure his 2024 election win.His murder, captured on camera, has shocked the United States and the reaction from the president and his supporters has been quick and heartfelt.But who was he and how did he become one of Trump’s most avid supporters and trusted confidants?Irish Times Washington correspondent Keith Duggan explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An escalating series of threats made to Tánaiste Simon Harris in recent weeks went from an online threat to kidnap his children to co-ordinated bomb warnings on his Wicklow home.Politicians say online trolling and verbal abuse now goes with the territory; dealing with it is part of the job.Some have also had to face threats to their families with those against Harris being the latest.It has prompted a debate about the growing security risks faced by our politicians.But what can the Garda do, and typically who makes these threats and why?Irish Times crime and security correspondent Conor Lally explains.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, US president Donald Trump sent shock waves across America’s medical and scientific community by appointing Robert F Kennedy jnr, one of America’s most prominent vaccine-sceptics, as secretary of health and human services.Since then, the controversial health secretary has caused large upheaval within America’s public health system, making appointments and changing vaccine policies which impact the lives of millions of Americans.RFK Jnr has also been widely criticised for firing Susan Monarez, the director of the Centre for Disease Control, the federal agency in charge of protecting the health of Americans.Kennedy claims his new appointments to oversee disease control are committed to “evidence-based medicine” and “gold standard science”.But, scientists and doctors across the US say he is putting Americans’ health in danger and undermining public trust in highly safe and effective vaccines.What has been the impact, so far, of a prominent vaccine-sceptic, with no medical background, leading America’s health agenda? How far will Trump back him?And what does Kennedy’s anti-vaccine approach mean for the future of scientific research in the United States?Today, on In The News, RFK Jnr has vowed to upend American healthcare. But how far will he go?UCD Clinton Institute professor of American Studies Scott Lucas discusses Robert F Kennedy Jr’s tightening grip on America’s public health system.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by John Casey and Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Phillips, a fugitive father who spent four years hiding in New Zealand’s remote wilderness with his three children was shot dead on Monday by police probing an armed burglary. The children were found unharmed. But why did Phillips disappear in the first place, and how did he manage to evade capture for so long? New Zealand journalist Tony Wall tells the story to Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could new technology help to finally reveal who killed Sophie Toscan du Plantier?  After prime suspect Ian Bailey’s death last year, Sophie's uncle Jean-Pierre Gazeau said their family would never get the truth.  But now a Garda cold case team has used new technology, called M-Vac, to harvest DNA from items recovered at the West Cork crime scene. We talk to Jared Bradley, the man behind M-Vac, about how it has helped US investigators to crack decades-old cases.  But first, Southern correspondent Barry Roche shares what we know about progress in the du Plantier case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly half of everyone watching Irish TV on Sunday evening tuned in for the scheming, lying and game-playing on The Traitors Ireland. It’s a hit.RTÉ has joined more than 30 broadcasters worldwide in making a version of the Dutch format which sees players strategising, “killing”, banishing and lying – all to win a cash prize.It is hosted brilliantly with more than hint of theatricality by Cork actor Siobhán McSweeney, who changes her elaborate costumes more often than the contestants change their minds about each other.Just three episodes in and favourite players are emerging but it is impossible to accurately predict the winner.The rules are complicated but the appeal is easy to understand.For Irish Times features writer Patrick Freyne “it’s a game of skill and strategy and not just the random weaponisation of groupthink and paranoid pattern recognition that you get in any office, school or newsroom”.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gardaí are attempting to unravel several conflicting witness accounts of what happened to a boy who went missing four years ago and is feared dead.Searches for the child’s remains in an area of ground in north Dublin are expected to continue for several more days.The boy spent about a year in state care before returning to his family in 2020, with Tusla confirming it had no contact with the child between 2020 and last week. The case comes one year after it emerged another boy, Kyran Durnin, had not been seen for several years and is now feared dead. Conor Lally and Kitty Holland report on the search for the Dublin boy and the questions that must be answered about how a child once in the care of the State could vanish for years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Britain’s Labour Party returned to Westminster from a summer recess defined by anti-migrant protests, and during which, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK dominated the news agenda.British prime minister Keir Starmer resumed business in parliament by announcing a small reshuffle of his Downing Street team. However, the Labour leader is still facing an array of domestic and foreign policy conundrums, most notably Farage’s rapidly rising popularity.His right-wing Reform UK party has led Labour in about 90 successive opinion polls, while recent polls show 71 per cent of British voters believe the prime minister is handling the asylum hotel issue badly. Nearly four in ten British voters now cite immigration and asylum as the most important issue facing the country.With Starmer facing calls from Labour Party heavyweights to take a more radical approach to the small boats crisis, and calls led by Farage for Britain to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, the Labour Party is undoubtedly facing a rocky autumn season.What are the main challenges facing Starmer’s Government in the coming weeks and how does he propose to overcome them?And how much have Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party benefited from Labour’s plummeting support?Today, on In The News, can Keir Starmer claw back control as Nigel Farage soars ahead?Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul discusses the political perils facing Keir Starmer as the summer recess ends.Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Andrew McNair.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.