The BelTel

t’s fight week, and Conor McGregor has come out swinging.
‘The Notorious’ finally steps back into a UFC octagon this weekend for a main event match-up, and while some are questioning his physical prowess, his microphone game remains as brash as ever.
Sat in front of the media once more, McGregor espoused his divine beliefs, proclaimed his innocence and once again weighed in on Ireland’s immigration debate.
This weekend’s event will have plenty of eyes on it, but should Conor McGregor be allowed fight at all? Or granted a platform of this size to spread his views, for that matter?
And why are American fans and fixtures so happy to assist in his rehabilitation tour?
On this episode host Dave Hanratty is joined by sports and entertainment journalist Andy McCarroll to look at a much-criticised return to the octagon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer has begun, and once again, controversies continue to surround bonfire season.
A man has been arrested over the erection of a replica of a mosque on top of a bonfire in Moygashel with a loyalist source in the area warning that any attempt to move in on the bonfire will result in a ‘stand-off’.

Paramilitary flags remain flying on streets and other bonfires across Northern Ireland just weeks after the PSNI were legally given powers to remove them, including banners in Antrim and Dungannon eulogising Loyalist Terror Chief Billy Wright.

Olivia Peden is joined by Belfast telegraph reporter Abdullah Sabri.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeffrey Donaldson looks set to be investigated again after a further allegation of sexual assault on a woman in the DUP offices at Westminster. The young woman at the heart of the allegations says that the former DUP leader tried to get her to drink vodka shots in his office, that she refused to do, before he allegedly tried to kiss her on the mouth and put his hand up her skirt.

The DUP has commissioned an investigation into who knew what and when, and if members failed to act, or turned a blind eye to Donaldson’s behaviour.

Olivia Peden is joined by Allison Morris.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trial for the murder of father-of-two John George is expected to begin in January 2027. The remaining suspect in the case, Newtownabbey man Johnny Smyth, is in a Spanish jail awaiting trial. A man who was occupying the villa where John George was last seen was stabbed in Lisburn City Centre last week - after previously suffering a knife attack in spain last year.
Meanwhile, footage has emerged of wife of Johnny Smyth, Madison Allen , receiving multiple lacerations to her face from a man she is seen kissing just moments before.

Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris joins Olivia Peden.

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The Noah Donohoe inquest has been adjourned until later in the year following an “unprecedented” late-night sitting. Jurors were sent out on Tuesday to begin discussions about their verdict and had been deliberating for almost 25 hours.

The jury of eight men and two women were asked to deliver a verdict on teen’s death, and were asked to cover “what police knew, when they knew it and what they did in response”.
Court was adjourned until at least August or September.

Gareth Hanna joins Belfast Telegraph Journalist Liam Tunney.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.