In The News

When Isak Andic, who created the Mango clothes brand, died from a fall while our hiking with his only son, Jonathan, in the mountains outside Barcelona, it was treated as a tragic accident.

But for the Spanish police, something about events on that hiking trail in December 2024 just didn’t add up.

First there were inconsistencies in Jonathan’s police statements. Then forensics found evidence that suggested something more sinister may have happened to the 71-year-old billionaire.

In May, in a move that created shock and headlines in Spain, Jonathan was arrested in connection with his 71-year-old father’s death.

He has been released from custody having posted €1 million in bail. But what happens now? Will the case go to trial to decide if the fashion mogul’s death was an accident or murder?

Madrid-based reporter Guy Hedgecoe has been following the story.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.
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Is there such a thing as “summer on a plate”? What makes a great seasonal dish? And where is the best restaurant in Ireland for a memorable staycation night out?

These were some of the factors Irish Times restaurant reviewer Corinna Hardgrave and food writer Joanne Cronin had to consider when they come up with their annual must-keep list: “100 great restaurants, cafes and places to eat around Ireland for summer 2026″.

It appeared in The Irish Times Saturday magazine and is available now online.

They came into studio to give the run down on the list and how restaurants are navigating a challenging time to do business.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair.

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The trial of Jeffrey Donaldson began on Wednesday with the jury warned they would hear about “difficult and traumatic incidents” the two alleged victims claim they experienced as children.

By the end of the second day, Thursday, they had heard more of the substance of those alleged incidents, including watching a video of a police interview with the witness known as Complainant A.

She and the other witness, Complainant B, allege sexual abuse by Donaldson when they were children.

The jury heard how Donaldson wrote to Complainant A, saying he regretted “all the hurt, pain and distress” he had caused.

The former DUP leader, one of Northern Ireland’s most high-profile politicians, is accused of 18 offences – one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 counts of indecent assault – between 1987 and 2008. The 63-year-old denies all charges.

Eleanor Donaldson (60), who has been judged medically unfit to stand trial, is charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the charges. She denies the charges.

Irish Times Northern Editor Freya McClements is reporting from Newry Crown Court. She tells Bernice Harrison about what the jury has heard so far, how Donaldson's defence lawyer questioned Complainant A, and what comes next.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.
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Aggressive driver behaviour, speeding, poor cycling infrastructure and the increased size of vehicles are deterring women from getting on their bikes, research by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has found.

Most women in Ireland can cycle and have access to a bike, but are only half as likely as men to choose cycling as a mode of travel, according to the Empowering Women to Cycle report.

And all those jibes about women being worried about “helmet hair”? They don’t hold up in the research.

Half those surveyed said unsafe roads were a barrier to cycling. And then there was the fear of being on the receiving end of verbal abuse from drivers.

So what has to change to encourage women to cycle?

Irish Times Dublin editor and daily cyclist Olivia Kelly explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Andrew McNair with additional research by Ellen Clusker.
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Just a few years ago Meta’s workforce in Ireland was about 3,000. When the newly announced round of job cuts are complete, the tech giant’s headcount at its Irish bases will be halved.

The reasons for the job losses – the cuts are part of a global redundancy programme – have not been made public but AI is widely acknowledged as a driver. But how?

And Meta isn’t the only company shedding jobs. The Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp owner joins a list that incudes Amazon, Oracle and Covalen with several tech giants with major footprints in Ireland expected to follow.

In a country which depends so much on global tech giants to prop up the economy, it's a worrying prospect.

But is the IMF right in its pessimism about how AI is going to impact the Irish economy?

Irish Times economics columnist Cliff Taylor explains the AI effect.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.