In The News The Irish Times

On Sunday afternoon, a helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and several of his delegates, including the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, crash-landed in a remote part of northwest Iran. 
President Raisi was returning from Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, where he had officiated the opening of two dams, alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. 
Three helicopters were in the Iranian President’s convoy, but only two landed safely. On Monday morning, following an extensive search and rescue effort, Iranian officials confirmed that no one had survived the crash. It is believed adverse weather conditions were to blame. 
President Raisi was elected to power in 2021, in a presidential election that had the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history. He was seen as a conservative, hardline cleric who was tipped to replace Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei later this year. 
As Iran begins five days of official mourning and the interim President Mohammad Mokhber steps forward, what will the death of Raisi mean for the future of Iran? 
Will this sudden loss of leadership have ripple effects across the wider Middle East? 
And what impact, if any, will it have on the rising tensions between Iran and Israel?
In the News presenter Sorcha Pollak talks to Sky News Middle East Correspondent Alistair Bunkhall about the death of the man nicknamed “the butcher of Tehran”.
Produced by Suzanne Brennan and John Casey.


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Later this year, UK citizens will cast their votes in a general election. And, with polls showing Labour well ahead of the Tories, it appears Keir Starmer is set to become the next prime minister.
This week, Mr Starmer pledged to “rebuild Britain” and set out what he called his first steps in government if his party wins the election, making it clear that Labour is ready to govern Britain.
To most people in Ireland, Starmer remains relatively unknown. But after a period of decline in UK-Irish relations, could the Dublin-London relationship be heading towards brighter days under a Labour leader?
Today, on In the News, who is Keir Starmer and what would his leadership mean for Ireland? London correspondent Mark Paul on the man leading the Labour party towards victory in the next UK general election.

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New Yorkers have been given a window into how some Dubliners behave in front of a camera. The portal is the city's newest public art installation; a two-way, real-time live stream between North Earl Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan's Flat Iron district. Except some lewd behaviour on the northside has got it shut down... twice! In The News producer, Declan Conlon, spoke to observers enjoying the atmosphere around the portal when it was still operating this week. Bernice Harrison chats to art critic, Tom Lordan, about the interactive sculpture that's got everyone talking.
Produced by Declan Conlon and Aideen Finnegan.

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The Government this week flagged its intention to further reduce the financial supports available to Ukrainian refugees. There will also be a review of supports for those seeking asylum under the international protection system. But after months of cuts, how much further can the Government go? Is Ireland's welcome for refugees over, and how much of this is about signalling to voters ahead of local and European elections? Harry McGee talks to Bernice Harrison about the details and the politics of Ireland's evolving attitude to refugees and asylum seekers.
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A major new investigation by The Irish Times has uncovered details of the Kinahan cartel's property empire being secretly sold off in Dubai. Most of the real estate had been purchased in the name of Caoimhe Robinson, the wife of Daniel Kinahan, who is not accused of any criminality. The organised crime group has been put under pressure by sanctions imposed by US authorities two years ago, resulting in the disposal of several luxury assets in the Middle Eastern city. Among them is a property in a gated community where residents have included infamous podcaster Andrew Tate and the family of former Zimbabwean dictator, Robert Mugabe. Crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher outlines the results of the investigation known as Dubai Unlocked.
Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.


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On today's podcast, In the News producer Aideen Finnegan explains what we know about a proposal from Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21. The move comes as Ireland's efforts to curtail smoking have plateaued, with smoking even increasing among male teenagers. But will such a new law be workable in practice?
Then we hear from Averil Power of the Irish Cancer Society, who welcomes the move. But she says the Government must urgently tackle the growing use of vapes among young people. Her warning comes as new research predicts some chemicals released by vaping may cause unknown damage to human health in the long term.
Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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