We’re joined by several members of The Journal’s newsroom to examine how Thursday unfolded, and to discuss the political and social fallout of the events.

We’re joined on this week’s episode by Dominic McGrath, PA Media political correspondent, to dissect the former UK prime minister’s unexpected comeback. What is Cameron’s background, what could he achieve in the role – and what exactly is the end goal here?

This week on The Explainer, we’re joined by Dr Austin O Carroll, a GP who specialises in addiction services, to look closer at what happened and find out more about these synthetic opioids. We also examine where all of this fits into the concerns around fentanyl and the possibility of its arrival in Ireland.

We’re joined by our Assistant News Editor Stephen McDermott to give you a clear overview of the basics of what we’re seeing today – from who Hamas are to how Israel came to be a state.

Arts and culture journalist Louise Bruton explores how Taylor Swift became the powerful force in the music industry that she is today. We look at why the billionaire pop star is re-recording her albums, her many feuds, and the history of how she rose from a country music singer to the most streamed artist in the world.

We’re joined by Dr Mary Bourke, a flood risk management expert and assistant professor of Geography at Trinity College Dublin. She delves into the reasons why flooding – just like strong winds or extreme temperatures – can never be fully stopped, but outlines the solutions Ireland could consider in order to mitigate against the worst impacts on people’s homes and livelihoods.

The Israeli Defence Forces look to be gearing up for a ground offensive in The Gaza Strip. We speak to our News Correspondent Niall O’Connor to discuss what this might look like.

In Budget 2024 this week, we saw the biggest change to the USC in years, with the 4.5% rate cut to 4%. We spoke to Barra Roantree, assistant professor of economics at Trinity College Dublin about the history of the USC, the importance of it and why economists like it so much?

Teachers say the new Social, Personal, and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum for secondary schools is long overdue, but some elements of the course have sparked controversy and misinformation. So what will children really be taught? Eoghan Cleary – a secondary school teacher, assistant principal and SPHE & Wellbeing Coordinator – joins us on this week’s episode to explain all.

The algae has left wildlife dead and led to questions over the safety of drinking water at Lough Neagh. Shauna Corr, environment correspondent and columnist with news outlets including The Irish Mirror and Belfast Live joins us to look at the history of the lake, the real-life impacts of the algal bloom, and what the local response has been.

This week on The Explainer, we speak to Dog Behaviourist Nanci Creedon who tells us more these headline-grabbing dogs and looks at what evidence there is on whether some breeds are more aggressive than others.

Editor Maria Delaney and researcher Soma Gregory tell Susan Daly about the many obstacles facing women who would prefer this option.

This week on The Explainer, we speak to Emma Duffy, sports journalist with The42, to discuss Luis Rubiales and the scandal that has engulfed Spanish football since their women’s team won the World Cup Final last month.

Art O’Leary, chief executive officer of the Electoral Commission joins us explain how the changes were decided on and what factors were taken into consideration. We’re also joined by our Political Reporter Jane Matthews, Deputy Editor Christine Bohan, and Assistant News Editor Rónán Duffy to dissect the results and take a look at the political ramifications.

Joining us this week is our own Carl Kinsella, who was at the festival earlier this week, and the Irish Independent’s Kirsty Blake Knox. They explore the history of the festival and changes over the years, its relevance in today’s world, and look at what’s next for this year’s winner. Also – if they were a Rose, what would their talent be?

This week on we’re joined by journalist and organic beef and dairy farmer Hannah Quinn Mulligan to look at the growing talk of a farmers’ party in Ireland. What are the types of policies they would implement? And what are their chances of success?

We delve into the prosecution faced by the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, and the treacherous journey many make across the Andaman Sea in search of asylum and a better life. We speak with Michelle Cicic, head of the regional office for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) in south-southeast Asia Pacific, as well as Lilianne Fan and Hassan bin Roshid from the Geutanyoë Foundation.

This week on The Explainer, we speak with US correspondent with the Business Post Marion McKeone to delve into Kennedy Jr’s campaign so far. What are his rallies like, and what is he like as a person? Is he in with a chance of becoming US president, or are we simply looking at Trump vs Biden in 2024?

Sinéad O’Carroll is joined by The 42′s Gavin Cooney for a wide-ranging discussion on women in football. What does Ireland’s performance at the World Cup say about the future of the team? And did they catch the public’s imagination enough to keep the fanbase growing from here? More widely, is enough being done by sports organisations to support women in sport?

This week, presenter Laura Byrne is joined by journalist and author Aoife Barry, who takes us through the hype machine behind Barbie and how this rubbed off on Oppenheimer. Did it translate into box office success? Also, how will the strike by actors and writers in the US impact film and television over the coming months?

This week on The Explainer, we’re joined by Lauren Boland, climate reporter with The Journal, to examine what precisely this legislation is all about and why it sparked so much anger. Do environmentalists think the now-watered-down law will have any impact? And how does Ireland fit into the picture?

Presenter Laura Byrne is joined this week by Gavan Reilly, political correspondent with Virgin Media News, to look behind the scenes at Oireachtas committees, from the grandstanding to the selection process, as well as to analyse previous appearances by John Delaney, Angela Kerins, and – of course – Ryan Tubridy.

Presenter Laura Byrne is joined on this week’s episode by Lauren Boland, reporter with The Journal, and Maynooth University’s Dr Gerard McCarthy They examine the impact of the heatwave, what it means for marine life, and look at wider oceanic climate trends impacting Ireland, such as an increasingly unstable Gulf Stream.

Presenter Laura Byrne is joined by The Journal’s Rónán Duffy and Dr Eileen Culloty of DCU School of Communications.

James Carton, assistant professor in Sustainable Energy with DCU and an academic advisor to the United Nations on hydrogen, joins us on this week’s podcast to discuss this lesser spotted form of energy. How do you make it? Where could it be used instead of fossil fuels? Could it be part of a clean energy future, or does it amount to simply greenwashing?

The world of golf has been upended in recent days. The story of why is one that involves a lot of money, antitrust concerns, and a new – but perhaps murky – future for the world of golf, one in which Saudi Arabian soft power has come to the fore. Gavin Cooney, sports writer with The42, joins us to explain all.

Luke Saunders, co-founder and CEO of Studyclix, joins us on this week’s episode to give the lie of the land for anyone whose own memory of sitting the exams might be fading. We look at the lasting impact of the Covid pandemic on the exams, and share advice for students and parents alike.

Joining us on this week’s episode is journalist Robbyn Swan, author of Looking for Madeleine and who featured in the Netflix series The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, to look over the history of the investigation. Are police making progress? Who is the suspect who has been linked to the case?

Mark O’Brien, head of DCU’s School of Communications and associate professor in journalism history, and Kirsty Blake Knox, writer with the Irish Independent, delve into the show’s history, examine its enduring popularity, and ask what its new presenter must do to keep it going strong.

The professor said if the show returned to the unpredictable format, it would bring back the energy of the show and “make it lively”.

We sit down with Dr Sulafa Salama, a Sudanese doctor working in St James’s in Dublin, who was trapped in Khartoum when the fighting broke out. We’re also joined by Dr Aia Mohamed, assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, who speaks to us about how her father was visiting Sudan when the fighting broke out.

“Some people were praying, some people were crying.”

We’re joined by Caitríona Morrissey, news editor with the Irish Farmers Journal. She gives us the background to these recent price drops and explains how cuts to ‘loss leaders’ might have little impact on your overall shopping basket.

Marcin Pater, an emergency response officer at DG ECHO’s Emergency Response Coordinate Centre, and Pádraic Fogarty, campaigns officer with the Irish Wildlife Trust explore the issue of wildfires from both an Irish and European perspective. What is being done to help country’s battle these fires, and what type of impact have we seen on the ground in Ireland?

Journalists Mick Clifford of The Examiner and Alice Chambers of Noteworthy tell Susan Daly about the Garda watchdog’s severe and ongoing problems.

Joining us this week is Daragh Cassidy of Bonkers.ie to look what’s next for Revolut – is it on track to dominate Irish banking, or will it remain nothing more than a handy app for splitting a bill? Should we start viewing it as a traditional bank? And what do the latest changes mean for its customers?

Joining us on this week’s episode to explain more is Jehanne Henry, a human rights lawyer based in East Africa. She was an advisor to the transitional government in 2020-21, and previously held the role of associate director in Human Rights Watch’s Africa division.

Frank Greaney, courts correspondent with Newstalk and Today FM, joins us on this week’s episode to delve into the case. We examine the origins of the feud, explain who exactly The Monk is, look at key moments from the trial, and explore the origins of the Special Criminal Court.

This week on The Explainer, Laura Byrne is joined by The Journal columnist and University of Galway law lecture Larry Donnelly to delve into the case.

Chris Stokel-Walker, author of a definitive book on TikTok, joins us this week to explain what the controversies around the Chinese-run app are.