The Explainer

The US midterm elections are still months away, but attention is already turning to the 2028 presidential race. Speculation about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has grown after the New York congresswoman said she was not ruling out a run and topped an early poll of Democratic voters in New Hampshire. Could AOC win the Democratic nomination, would she stand a chance in a general election, or would a run for the Senate make more sense? University of Galway law lecturer and The Journal political columnist Larry Donnelly joins us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 70,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta last week, overwhelming the small Spanish territory on the North African coast. Dozens died, while thousands remain, and questions are mounting about the online rumours that fuelled the rush and Morocco’s role in the breakdown of border controls.

How did it happen, why does Spain have territory in Africa, and what does the crisis mean for Europe’s borders? We're joined by Eoghan Gilmartin a freelance journalist based in Madrid.
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This summer, The Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht areas. This week, we look at why so many people in Ireland still can't use the síneadh fada in their own names, from banking systems to booking forms, and whether a new bill could change that.

Cé go bhfuil cosaint ann don síneadh fada in Éirinn faoin Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 agus 2021, cloistear scéalta go minic faoi chomhlachtaí príobháideacha agus eagraíochtaí poiblí sa stát nach bhfuil in ann sínte fada a úsáid in a gcuid córais teicniúla.

Ní haon ionadh é go mbíonn frustrachas ar dhaoine in Éirinn a bhfuil síneadh fada acu ina n-ainm féin nuair nach féidir leo an fada sin a úsáid i gcóras áirithintí éagsúla. Ach cén fáth go bhfuil caidreamh aisteach againn leis an síneadh fada in Éirinn? Agus cén fáth go bhfuil drogall ar chomhlachtaí Éireannacha cosúil le Banc na hÉireann agus Aer Lingus a gcuid bogearraí a uasdhathú chun déileáil leis an síneadh fada? Agus an ndéanfaidh bille nua atá á mholadh ag an Teachta Dála Shinn Féin Aengus Ó Snódaigh aon difríocht don scéal seo?

Tá Gráinne Ní Aodha ón Press Association linn ar The Explainer chun an scéal seo a mhíniú dúinn.
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Wildfires have burned across Tipperary, Wicklow, Cork and Kerry over the past fortnight, during one of the driest spells in years. Almost none start naturally. But how far a fire spreads depends on what's growing on the land, and how wet or dry the ground is. More than half the land burned here over the past decade overlapped protected nature sites, according to analysis by The Journal Investigates. So why is our landscape so flammable, and would native woodland and rewetted peatland reduce the risk? Ecologist and environmental campaigner Pádraic Fogarty joins us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This summer, The Journal is releasing a six-part series of The Explainer podcast through Irish, focusing on some of the biggest stories affecting the language and the Gaeltacht areas. This week, we are examining the issue of housing in Gaeltacht areas.

An tseachtain seo, táimid ag déanamh imscudú ar cheist na tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta.

Is cearta daonna í an tithíocht, ach tá gearchéim tithíocht ag réabadh in Éirinn le blianta fada anuas. Ar mionléibheal, cloistear go minic conas nach féidir le daoine sna ceantair Ghaeltachta in Éirinn teach a cheannach nó a chur ar cíos, toisc go bhfuil ganntanas tithíochta sna Gaeltachtaí. Tá rud éigin b’fhéidir níos práinní ag tarlú áfach: mura bhfuil tithíocht sa Ghaeltacht, an mhairfidh an teanga do na glúnta atá le teacht?

I Meán Fomhair seo caite, chuaigh breis is 20,000 duine chun sráide i mBÁC chun airde a tharraignt ar fhadhb na tithíochta agus cearta teanga. An bhfuil mórán athraithe ó shin ar aghaidh? Céard iad na fadhbanna is mó a bhaineann leis an tithíocht sna ceantair ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar theanga phobail fós?

Chun an scéal sin a phlé linn, tá Áine Ní Bhreisleáin, iriseoir le Seachtain san Irish Independent ar The Explainer.
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