James Brennan

1 week ago | theliberal.ie | James Brennan

Ireland woke to a stark new reality as U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 20% tariff on imports from the European Union, including the Republic, during his “Liberation Day” address from the White House. Effective immediately, the measure—part of a broader U.S. trade offensive—has thrust Ireland’s export-dependent economy into uncharted waters, raising a very real fear among economists, businesses, and policymakers: the spectre of a recession.

1 week ago | theliberal.ie | James Brennan

In a dramatic escalation of the U.S.-China trade war, Beijing announced on April 11, 2025, that it would impose 125% tariffs on all American goods entering its market, a direct countermeasure to President Donald Trump’s recent tariff hikes on Chinese imports. The move, confirmed by China’s Ministry of Finance, came hours after Trump raised U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, up from 125% announced earlier in the week, with an additional 20% levy tied to fentanyl and immigration issues.

1 week ago | theliberal.ie | James Brennan

Tributes are being paid to Spanish businessman Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce, their three small children and the pilot of the helicopter that crashed on Thursday afternoon into the Hudson River in New York. The helicopter carrying six people plummeted into the Hudson River, Thursday evening Irish time leaving no survivors. The crash, which occurred near Pier 40 off Lower Manhattan, claimed the lives of a family of five tourists from Spain—two adults and three children—and the pilot.

1 week ago | theliberal.ie | James Brennan

A helicopter carrying six people plummeted into the Hudson River, this evening Irish time leaving no survivors. The crash, which occurred near Pier 40 off Lower Manhattan, claimed the lives of a family of five tourists from Spain—two adults and three children—and the pilot. The incident, marked by a sudden and catastrophic failure, has left the city grappling with grief and renewed questions about aviation safety over one of the nation’s busiest waterways. Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene.

2 weeks ago | theliberal.ie | James Brennan

The term “toxic masculinity” gets thrown around like a buzzword grenade, exploding into every conversation about men, gender, or power. It’s a staple of progressive rhetoric, meant to signal virtue while dodging any real scrutiny. But let’s cut through the noise: the whole concept is a sloppy, politically correct mess that collapses under its own contradictions. First off, what even is “toxic masculinity”?