Latest news with #Bertie
Irish Examiner
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Rosita Sweetman: I was poor when the country was — being poor in a rich Ireland must be torture
Being 'poor' is miserable. Being poor in an affluent society is torture. Ireland is now, statistically, one of the richest countries in the world - but child poverty, or children in consistent poverty, has increased by an astonishing 78% in the past year, according to a new report. And renting a house, never mind buying a house, for you and your children, has never been more difficult. This week the Government serendipitously announced its plans for the housing market where rents on Daft show new build apartments in Dublin (seemingly made mostly of MDF) are €2,300 for a single bed, €3,500 for a double. So what does our delightful new government do? Sadly, far from beating their breasts, saying, our nation's children should not be in 'consistent poverty', our lovely young people should not be beggaring themselves to rent or buy a home, our old people should definitely not be forced to sell their homes and go into so-called 'homes' where they could be neglected or even unsafe, the Government plan to bring in legislation that will enable landlords to raise rents even higher. They say it's the only way to increase supply. In a way, it's not surprising. We've been bastards to each other over property ever since the Famine, when Gombeenism, (ie taking over your dying or emigrating neighbour's gaff) signalled the birth of native capitalism. It's a tradition so ingrained that many of our politicians run side hustles as landlords. Remember the Celtic Tiger, when Bertie and Co whipped the country into a frenzy of acquisition that everyone knew was going to end in a massive crash? And when the crash hit the property boys circled the wagons, bailed out the banks, created Nama. Welfare was slashed. Supports for the vulnerable were slashed. Social and affordable builds came to a stop. Hospitals and schools had their budgets shaved to the bone. New entrants to teaching, nursing, the police, the civil service got salaries a fraction of their predecessors'. Housing regeneration projects in the most deprived areas were abandoned. To top it all the 'poor' were openly derided. Remember a plush, well fed Leo Varadkar and his 'Welfare cheats cheat us all?' schtick? A slogan that whitewashed the reality: since the crash the wealthy have been increasing their take, worldwide. A 2024 Oxfam report showed that billionaire wealth increased by €13 billion in 2024, or €35.6 million per day. It's the dodgy ground on which our current crisis is built. Poverty in the 90s Going through papers and photograph albums recently for my memoir, ' Girl with a fork in a world of soup', I was struck over and again how poor my children and I were in the 90s when my marriage crashed. We were lucky in one way, I'd managed to keep our home (despite vigorous attempts to ensure the opposite by my ex), we had a roof over our heads. But with the charmingly named 'Deserted Wives Allowance' then IR£69 a week, heating the house was not possible. Mould marched the walls. Eating right was not possible either. We went from proper hot dinners to yellow pack pizzas. All our clothes came from charity shops. I had unpaid bills in every small supermarket for miles. "Everything in this house is broken," said the son of one of the school mums who came to visit. She was mortified but he was right. You think you live in a decent society, that there will be a safety net when you fall, but no. The children and I fell and fell through a whistling void. As we went down I sold paintings, rugs, desks, cabinets, more paintings. Anything I could lay my hands on to keep us afloat. I went to the family lawyer to find he was now working for 'the other side', ie my ex. I went to Social Welfare who said they couldn't help since I was still 'technically' married. I went to a GP who said I should take a holiday, away from the children; I seemed "very stressed". Through gritted teeth I explained I didn't have enough money to get to the end of the week, never mind go on holiday, never mind getting someone to mind the children who anyway were also deeply traumatised and would have suffered more if I'd left. I went to the local priest. He almost tore his soutane in half, slamming the drawer of his desk, stuffed with cheque books and see-through envelopes bulging with rolls of notes. Once a film company used the house as a location. When their cheque for IR£1,300 was read by our local bank as IR£3,300 I whooped. Money! When the bank took me to court their representative said: "She went to DID Electrical the next day and bought a new washing machine, and a fridge!" As if I'd blown their precious loot on heroin. Thankfully that judge was just. The case was dismissed. For once, it wasn't Josephine Soap's fault. It was the bank's. For not reading the cheque properly. Hurray! The Dublin housing market When, after 17 years, the children and I were forced to leave our home for other reasons, we encountered the Wild West that is the Dublin rental market. Oh boy. The first home we got was a beauty but at €2,300 a month roared through the money my mum had left us. The next house - about one tenth the size of the first - was a former groom's habitat off South Circular Road. Then it was an old Georgian off Leinster Road with cartoonishly avaricious landlords. When we asked permission to strip out an old and stinking carpet and paint the three flights of stairs white they agreed. Then they served notice. The place looked so lovely it was going back on the market the following week at twice the price. The next landlord was an ex-garda. When he couldn't legally hike his rent he booted us on the grounds his daughter was moving in and charged us for 'cleaning' new curtains, bringing the pine table and the sofa we'd left behind to the dump. When I looked through the window a month later there were strangers, enjoying our stuff with nary a daughter to be seen. When I tried to take up the case with the PRTB - the Private Rental Tenancies Board, it went nowhere, and of course the PRTB replaces all recourse to the courts, so that was that. Happy Gombeening. Rosita Sweetman: 'When, after 17 years, the children and I were forced to leave our home for other reasons, we encountered the Wild West that is the Dublin rental market. Oh boy.' Throughout our shenanigans I had the advantage of being educated. Of having a voice, however small. Imagine the despair trying to navigate this entanglement without those advantages? Being poor is miserable. Being poor and at the mercy of landlords who've basically been given free rein is going to be terrifying for so many. Being the child of poor parents at the mercy of this system has got to be the worst of all. Come on Irish government. We're rich. We have billionaires amongst us. We can do better than this, for everyone. Can't we?
Business Wire
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
National Geographic's Fin-Favorite Summer Event Returns With Over 25 Hours of Shark-Infested Programming, Including JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY and SHARKS UP CLOSE WITH BERTIE GREGORY
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic's gill-ty pleasure of the summer, SHARKFEST, returns for its wildest season yet! With over 25 hours of jaw-dropping programming, this year's lineup dives deeper than ever into the science, power and beauty of the ocean's most misunderstood predator. Making a splash at the top of this year's lineup is the brand-new special SHARKS UP CLOSE WITH BERTIE GREGORY, which follows the Emmy- and BAFTA-winning cinematographer and National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory (@BertieGregory) on a high-stakes, cage-free mission to film great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. SHARKS UP CLOSE kicks off SHARKFEST beginning July 5 at 8/7c on National Geographic. Select series and specials will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Additionally, shark-infested content will air on Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney Jr., and DisneyXD throughout the month. A 24/7 live stream of 2024 content will also air on YouTube. The SHARKFEST slate continues with the thrilling original JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY —the only authorized documentary celebrating the blockbuster that redefined Hollywood and launched a cultural fascination with sharks. Featuring exclusive interviews with Steven Spielberg, rare archival footage, and reflections from Hollywood's top filmmakers, Peter Benchley's family, shark scientists, and conservationists, the documentary revisits the film's legacy and explores how it shifted public perception from fear to awe. This year's SHARKFEST features leading marine scientists and experts, offering critical insights into shark behavior and how we can coexist with these extraordinary creatures. From myth-busting science to cinematic underwater adventure, SHARKFEST is a global deep dive into the awe-inspiring world of sharks. From California shores to the seas down under in Australia, SHARKFEST will take viewers on an epic ocean adventure across the globe with the following: SHARKS UP CLOSE WITH BERTIE GREGORY Premieres July 5 at 8/7c on National Geographic Streams July 6 on Disney+ and Hulu Bertie heads to South Africa for his most audacious mission yet. The wild waters here are a hotspot for one of the ocean's most famous and feared predators, the great white shark. Diving in the shallows without a cage, Bertie will attempt to film these huge sharks. By entering their domain, he discovers the challenges they face on our rapidly changing planet. INVESTIGATION SHARK ATTACK Premieres nightly beginning July 5 at 9/8c on National Geographic Streams July 6 on Disney+ and Hulu Delivering an in-depth look inside the mind of these apex predators, the six-part series explores shark behavior from their unique perspective. An intense forensic investigation at the innovative Shark Headquarters by a panel of scientists analyzes key theories and ultimately dissects each encounter to determine what leads sharks to strike. SUPER SHARK HIGHWAY Premieres nightly beginning July 5 at 10/9c on National Geographic Streams July 6 on Disney+ and Hulu Sharks have ruled our oceans for over 400 million years. In comparison, humans are relatively new visitors. So, how do we keep both parties safe when our worlds collide? In the six-part series, two elite shark research teams infiltrate two of Australia's busiest shark migration routes to unlock the mysteries of these apex predators. One will follow white sharks along Australia's southern shark highway, while the other team tracks the big and elusive sharks along the tropical north. Dive in with elite scientific teams as they study their mysterious movements, witness new behaviors, and determine how humans can coexist with these incredible creatures. JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY Premieres July 10 at 9/8c on National Geographic Streams July 11 on Disney+ and Hulu JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY is the authorized documentary celebrating the film that redefined Hollywood, 50 years after its premiere. Alongside Steven Spielberg, JAWS @ 50 charts the extraordinary journey from Peter Benchley's bestselling novel to one of the most iconic films ever made. Featuring rare archival footage and interviews with acclaimed Hollywood directors, top shark scientists, and conservationists, the documentary uncovers the behind-the-scenes chaos and how the film launched the summer blockbuster, inspired a new wave of filmmakers, and paved the way for shark conservation that continues today. SHARKS OF THE NORTH Premieres July 12 at 10/9c on National Geographic Streams July 6 on Disney+ and Hulu Sightings of great white sharks have been on the rise on Canada's Atlantic coast. Alanna Canaran, a passionate science educator and dive instructor, embarks on a mission to unravel the enigmas surrounding these magnificent creatures and is determined to dispel fear of sharks in Nova Scotians. As the journey unfolds, Canaran and her team dive into the history of human-shark relationships along the coast. Facing numerous challenges, including elusive sharks and treacherous weather conditions, the team perseveres. With sheer determination and a stroke of luck, they gather invaluable knowledge of these magnificent creatures, contributing to a better understanding of white sharks in Canada. SHARK QUEST: HUNT FOR THE APEX PREDATOR Premieres July 13 at 9/8c on National Geographic Streams July 6 on Disney+ and Hulu As shark populations are declining, finding ways to share the seas is more critical than ever. In a series of jaw-dropping stories, survivors recount their harrowing encounters with massive sharks … where some emerged miraculously unscathed and others were less fortunate. By studying the key hot spots that make up the most shark-infested waters in the world, we can learn what attracts these massive predators to frequent these areas. Video evidence can show us how these incredible hunters lean on their highly evolved skills and reveal how we can minimize our risks when entering their domain. Sharks have adapted over 400 million years to become the perfect sea predators, and our survival on land is interlinked with theirs in the sea. About National Geographic Content Representing the largest brand on social media with over 780 million followers and 1.1 billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content's award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches over 532 million people worldwide in 172 countries and 33 languages as a digital, social and print publisher and across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Its diverse content includes Oscar®- and BAFTA award-winning film Free Solo, Oscar-nominated films Sugarcane, Fire of Love and Bobi Wine: The People's President, Emmy® Award-winning franchise 9/11: One Day in America and JFK: One Day in America, Emmy® Award-winning series Animals Up Close, series Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller, Life Below Zero, and Secrets of the Whales, in addition to multiple National Magazine Awards, Pulitzer Prize Finalists and Webby wins. Visit and or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit.
Scottish Sun
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Star of hit Channel 5 crime drama cast in HBO's Harry Potter TV series
The star joins a list of talented names already cast for the series Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE star of a Channel 5 crime drama has reportedly been cast in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Bosses have been assembling the ensemble for the new adaptation of JK Rowling's seven books. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 A Channel 5 crime drama star has been reportedly cast in HBO's Harry Potter TV series Credit: Channel 5 5 Bertie Carvel is said to be playing Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic Credit: PA 5 The late Robert Hardy played Fudge in the beloved films Credit: Handout According to Deadline, Bertie Carvel has been tapped to play Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. He is reportedly set for a recurring role in the highly anticipated show. The late actor Robert Hardy portrayed Fudge in four Harry Potter films. HBO declined to confirm Bertie's involvement, with a spokesperson saying "such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation" as well as "we will only confirm details as we finalise deals". He would join Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout - who have been cast as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The confirmed adult cast includes John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape and Nick Frost as Hagrid. Rounding out the announced names are Luke Thallon as Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Filch. Bertie, 47, currently plays the title role in Dalgleish, based on PD James' Adam Dalgleish novels. Set in the 1970s, the premise follows recent widower DCI Dalgleish investigating complex crimes. He is a two-time Olivier Award winner for his performance as Ms Trunchbull in Matilda: The Musical and Rupert Murdoch in Ink, respectively. Harry Potter fans spot glaring mistake in iconic movie scene 22 years after film came out No stranger to playing politicians, Bertie recently starred as Tony Blair in The Crown. Following a supporting role in season five, he became a main cast member for the sixth and final season. The casting of the Harry Potter TV show's three young leads was officially announced last month. Showrunner/executive producer Francesca Gardiner and executive producer/director Mark Mylod said: "After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione and Ron. "The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together on-screen." They added: "We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. "It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.' 5 Bertie previously played Tony Blair in The Crown Credit: © 2021 Netflix, Inc. 5 The Harry Potter TV show's three young leads were announced last month Credit: AP How to spot a rare Harry Potter book AS JK Rowling's popularity has rocketed, so has the value of the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. If you think you might have one, then first look to see if Bloomsbury is listed as the publisher on the title page at the bottom. The copy should be a first edition - which will be noted within the first few pages. The latest date listed in the copyright information must by 1997. It should be credited to "Joanne Rowling" and not "J.K Rowling" and carry a print line that reads " 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on the copyright page. There is a mistake on page 53 where '1 wand' appears twice in the list of school supplies Harry receives from Hogwarts, which was corrected in later print runs. For the other titles in the Harry Potter series, it is only the first hardback editions with the dust jacket that have any collectable value.
The Irish Sun
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Star of hit Channel 5 crime drama cast in HBO's Harry Potter TV series
THE star of a Channel 5 crime drama has reportedly been cast in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Bosses have been assembling the ensemble for the new adaptation of JK Rowling's seven books . 5 A Channel 5 crime drama star has been reportedly cast in HBO's Harry Potter TV series Credit: Channel 5 5 Bertie Carvel is said to be playing Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic Credit: PA 5 The late Robert Hardy played Fudge in the beloved films Credit: Handout According to He is reportedly set for a recurring role in the highly anticipated show. The late actor Robert Hardy portrayed Fudge in four Harry Potter films. HBO declined to confirm Bertie's involvement, with a spokesperson saying "such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation" as well as "we will only confirm details as we finalise deals". Read more on Harry Potter He would join Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout - who have been cast as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The confirmed adult cast includes John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape and Rounding out the announced names are Luke Thallon as Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Filch. Bertie, 47, currently plays the title role in Dalgleish, based on PD James' Adam Dalgleish novels. Most read in News TV Set in the 1970s, the premise follows recent widower DCI Dalgleish investigating complex crimes. He is a two-time Olivier Award winner for his performance as Ms Trunchbull in Matilda: The Musical and Rupert Murdoch in Ink, respectively. Harry Potter fans spot glaring mistake in iconic movie scene 22 years after film came out No stranger to playing politicians, Bertie recently starred as Tony Blair in The Crown. Following a supporting role in season five, he became a main cast member for the sixth and final season. The casting of the Showrunner/executive producer Francesca Gardiner and executive producer/director Mark Mylod said: "After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione and Ron. "The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together on-screen." They added: "We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. "It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.' 5 Bertie previously played Tony Blair in The Crown Credit: © 2021 Netflix, Inc. 5 The Harry Potter TV show's three young leads were announced last month Credit: AP How to spot a rare Harry Potter book AS JK Rowling's popularity has rocketed, so has the value of the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. If you think you might have one, then first look to see if Bloomsbury is listed as the publisher on the title page at the bottom. The copy should be a first edition - which will be noted within the first few pages. The latest date listed in the copyright information must by 1997. It should be credited to "Joanne Rowling" and not "J.K Rowling" and carry a print line that reads " 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on the copyright page. There is a mistake on page 53 where '1 wand' appears twice in the list of school supplies Harry receives from Hogwarts, which was corrected in later print runs. For the other titles in the Harry Potter series, it is only the first hardback editions with the dust jacket that have any collectable value.
Mint
09-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Markets with Bertie: The upsides of Liberation Day
Last week, Bertie found himself in Delhi meeting bureaucrats, journalists and politicians of all stripes. In the formal sessions, political correctness reigned, but Bertie has been doing policy trips long enough to know that the real juice starts flowing only during the cocktail hour. Unsurprisingly, President Trump's Liberation Day tariffs and how soon India could do a trade deal were the centrepiece of discussions. Bertie was told in hushed tones that the American trade negotiators were staying in the same hotel as the policy tour participants, as if physical proximity to them would also mean a faster flow of information. This, thought Bertie, was taking the concept of co-location too far, but it did make him peer at every Westerner at the hotel a few seconds longer than he normally would in the hope of guessing who the constituents of the negotiating party were. Also read: Donald Trump warns of 'economic ruination' if courts block his tariff authority In the evening, a small informal group gathered around a former senior bureaucrat, where again the topic of tariffs came up. The general tone was one of ruefulness, with some members of the group lamenting the spectre of lower export growth from India and a possible increase in unemployment. The old bureaucrat took all this in but, in his famous measured tone, countered that it was not all gloom and doom. 'There is a silver lining. Pretty big one at that." The chatter at the table died down, and an air of anticipation hung. The former mandarin did not disappoint. 'Trade barriers in India have been going up for the past few years. There is a reason why the US President calls us tariff king." Everyone agreed that tariffs had indeed been going up. The bureaucrat tilted his head slightly towards a few Americans hanging at the bar and said, 'If the deal means that tariff barriers come down, if not completely, at least in line with the rest of the world, that would be an important reform." There were thoughtful nods around the table. Also read: 'Provide your best offer…': Trump admin pushes countries to seal the trade deal as tariff deadline looms The official went on to highlight the second silver lining. 'Everyone is talking to us, and we are talking to everyone for a trade deal." He explained that these deals had been meandering through a thicket of red tape on both sides for years, but if US actions injected a sense of urgency in these negotiations, it would be a welcome change. 'We could have an agreement with EU (the European Union) within a year. Who would have thought?" he said happily. 'And finally, we might save some foreign exchange," he said with a twinkle in the eye. 'If the US President stops Ivy League colleges from taking in foreign students, we might save some dollars." Bertie, who has no kids, guffawed at this but wasn't joined by the group of his middle-aged peers whose kids' American dreams were now under a cloud. Every silver lining, Bertie thought, has a cloud. Also read: Trump says Xi agreed to restart the flow of rare earth minerals. Why are rare earths important for Chinese economy?
