In The News

In January 2025 a triumphant Donald Trump asked Elon Musk and a cadre of his young followers to overhaul the United States civil service. Musk got to work setting up the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge.

Doge forced thousands of civil servants out of their jobs, cancelled government programmes and cut contracts, supposedly in the name of efficiency and rooting out corruption but with decidedly mixed results.

Blockers, the latest book by American author Michael Lewis, is about people within the US civil service who stood in Musk's way, like Kathleen Walters, an official at the lnternal Revenue Service, and Francis Collins, the renowned scientist who identified the genetic cause of Cystic Fibrosis, who fought back against the damage they felt Doge was doing.

Lewis, whose books have been adapted into movies including The Big Short and Moneyball, sits down with Aideen Finnegan to talk about this story of arrogance, power and courage under fire. What motivated Musk, his Doge operators and his opponents? Why did one woman dedicate herself to thwarting the schemes of health secretary Robert F Kennedy? And why does this story gives Lewis optimism for America's future?

They also debate who should portray those unsung heroes when the movie adaptation of Blockers is made.
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When Hunter Biden sat down with Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones in Dublin this week, there was much to discuss.

The son of former US president Joe Biden talked about Donald Trump, the US midterm elections, the addiction issues that caused so much scandal and hurt for his family, and of course, his father.

He was in Dublin to receive a gold medal from TCD’s College Historical Society for his “outstanding contribution to the public discourse”.

The surprise on the day was that he came with his family, including his father Joe, Jill Biden and his very young son Beau who dipped in and out of the informal interview.

Jack joins Bernice Harrison in studio to report on that conversation and his impression of one of the most controversial “first sons” to enter the White House.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.
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In the early hours of Wednesday morning, after days of fraught discussion, the Government and trade unions agreed a €5.2 billion deal that will deliver pay increases of at least 10.75 per cent to more than 400,000 workers by the end of March 2029.

The immediate result is that the public sector strike planned for Thursday has been called off – a relief for the Government as the timing coincides with the biggest set-piece in Ireland’s EU presidency when nearly 50 heads of state and other dignitaries arrive in Dublin for meetings.

So what happens now? When will the 400,000 workers represented by the 19 unions see an increase in their pay packets? How much will that increase be? And will workers in the private sector eye this double-digit pay rise and begin pressuring bosses to match the Government’s apparently deep pockets?

Irish Times work correspondent Emmet Malone was at the talks until they concluded at 3am and he explains.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan.
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With media speculation growing and investors getting nervous, on Sunday Jensen Huang issued a statement.

The chief executive of US tech giant Nvidia acknowledged having an extra-marital relationship with a woman suspected by US intelligence of being a Chinese spy.
Huang is close to US president Donald Trump. He is one of the billionaire tech elite frequently seen at meetings and business events with the president.

On Monday, Trump was on Huang’s side, acknowledging the admission of an affair but saying he believed Huang when he said he had no idea that the woman, Alice Huang, might be a spy.

But with the liaison viewed as having national security implications, how long has the president known?

China correspondent Denis Staunton writes in his Irish Times Global Briefing newsletter that as Xi Jinping and Trump prepare to meet next week in China, a spy scandal should be the last thing either of them need.

So can Jensen Huang weather this very public scandal? What prompted him to issue that all-staff email? And will the internal investigation in Nvidia into his actions oust him from the company he founded?

Denis Staunton explains the scandal and the view from Beijing.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.
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On Monday evening, the Defence Forces’ PC9 aircraft practised their drone interception drills over Leinster using an Air Corps helicopter as a target.

By Tuesday, road closures in the city centre hinted at a much larger no-go cordon to be put in place on Thursday and Friday.

The security operation, the largest in the history of the State, will bring parts of the city to a standstill.

The Republic took its turn at the EU presidency in July, and the final and biggest events are set to take place this week. Dublin is hosting back-to-back summits on Thursday and Friday, with up to 50 European leaders and heads of European organisations set to visit the Convention Centre Dublin and the National Gallery of Ireland.

Conor Lally, Irish Times crime and security editor, explains how the security operation will work, and what threats are feared.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon
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