The Explainer

Democrats made gains right across the United States in the midterm elections. It leaves Republicans facing a major defeat and Donald Trump facing two more years in the White House with less control. What drove the backlash, how much can Democrats now constrain his presidency, and what does the result mean for the race to succeed him in 2028? The Journal political columnist and University of Galway law lecturer Larry Donnelly joins us to examine the results. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas has delivered one of the biggest surprises of the US midterm elections. James Talarico is the first Democrat to win a Senate election in the state since 1988, while Gina Hinojosa defeated longtime Republican governor Greg Abbott. How did Democrats finally manage to turn Texas blue? And did Donald Trump's backing of Ken Paxton cost Republicans the Senate seat? Hannah McCarthy, who has been reporting from Texas for The Journal, joins us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent Revolut outages left customers struggling to access their money, raising questions for anyone thinking of making it their main bank. Digital banks offer better apps and lower fees, but what are the trade-offs when it comes to cash, customer service and getting help when something goes wrong? The Journal’s Valerie Flynn joins us to examine whether it makes sense to leave your traditional bank. Should you keep one on standby? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans vote in the midterm elections on 3 November, with every seat in the House of Representatives and about a third of the Senate up for grabs. Republicans currently control both chambers, but Democrats are mounting a big challenge to Donald Trump, with his approval ratings under pressure. What is driving the shift? Which races could decide control of Congress? And what would a Democratic victory actually mean for the final two years of Trump’s presidency? The Journal political columnist and University of Galway law lecturer Larry Donnelly joins us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers are expected to strike tomorrow in a dispute over pay. Schools will close, non-urgent hospital services will be cancelled, and courts, council offices and OPW sites will shut their doors.

Union leaders rejected the government’s offer of last-minute talks at the Workplace Relations Commission this week, so the strike looks set to go ahead. So how did we get here, who’s likely to be impacted, and will the strike action have the desired outcome in relation to pay?

Laura Byrne speaks to our reporter Sophie Finn.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.