Putin's war. Drones in Irish skies. The threat of cyber-attacks.




As Ireland takes the helm of the EU, Micheál Martin faces six months of added pressure.




Is this moment a golden opportunity, or a poisoned chalice? 

Putin's war. Drones in Irish skies. The threat of cyber-attacks.
 
As Ireland takes the helm of the EU, Micheál Martin faces six months of added pressure.
 
Is this moment a golden opportunity, or a poisoned chalice?&nbsp;

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Drones, cyber-attacks and Putin's war: Is Micheál Martin's EU Presidency a poisoned chalice?

Last week, 38-year-old convicted rapist Nicholas Rossi died in a Utah hospital while under police custody.

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Rossi (born Nicholas Alahverdian) operated under several aliases, including Arthur Knight, purportedly an orphan from Ireland.

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He was first reported dead six years ago, with a Boston Globe obituary among the write-ups. But he wasn’t actually deceased. He was alive and very much aware that he was on the FBI’s radar.

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Having fled to Scotland, Rossi became the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and increased media attention, with interviews and identities colliding as his web of lies was exposed.

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“Nicholas Rossi was clever, but then he was very stupid in other ways,” says investigative journalist and podcaster Jane MacSorley, who has worked on the story since the beginning of 2022.

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On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by MacSorley, who details her own encounter with Nicholas Rossi and explores the numerous complications and contradictions of his life.

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The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

Last week, 38-year-old convicted rapist Nicholas Rossi died in a Utah hospital while under police custody.
­
Rossi (born Nicholas Alahverdian) operated under several aliases, including Arthur Knight, purportedly an orphan from Ireland.
­
He was first reported dead six years ago, with a Boston Globe obituary among the write-ups. But he wasn’t actually deceased. He was alive and very much aware that he was on the FBI’s radar.
­
Having fled to Scotland, Rossi became the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and increased media attention, with interviews and identities colliding as his web of lies was exposed.
­
“Nicholas Rossi was clever, but then he was very stupid in other ways,” says investigative journalist and podcaster Jane MacSorley, who has worked on the story since the beginning of 2022.
­
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by MacSorley, who details her own encounter with Nicholas Rossi and explores the numerous complications and contradictions of his life.
­
The Indo Daily is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/why-you-can-trust-the-irish-independent/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

‘Irish orphan’ Nicholas Rossi – his fake death, his real death and his web of lies

What do you get when you gather tech billionaires, political insiders and some of the world's most powerful people behind closed doors?

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The answer is Dialog,  an invitation-only network so secretive that, if you've never heard of it, that's probably by design. Co-founded by billionaire investor Peter Thiel, the man behind PayPal and the controversial data company Palantir, Dialog is bringing its annual gathering to a plush Wicklow resort in August. The agenda includes preparing for World War III, building a cult, and a session simply titled, "How's Your Sex Life?" So what exactly is Dialog, who is Peter Thiel, and why has this event caused so much controversy?

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Host: Fionnán Sheahan, Guests: Darragh Nolan and Kim Bielenberg

We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

What do you get when you gather tech billionaires, political insiders and some of the world's most powerful people behind closed doors?
­
The answer is Dialog, &nbsp;an invitation-only network so secretive that, if you've never heard of it, that's probably by design. Co-founded by billionaire investor Peter Thiel, the man behind PayPal and the controversial data company Palantir, Dialog is bringing its annual gathering to a plush Wicklow resort in August. The agenda includes preparing for World War III, building a cult, and a session simply titled, "How's Your Sex Life?" So what exactly is Dialog, who is Peter Thiel, and why has this event caused so much controversy?
­
Host: Fionnán Sheahan, Guests: Darragh Nolan and Kim Bielenberg
We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at <a href="https://www.independent.ie/service/our-journalism/a/98708550.html">independent.ie/ourjournalism</a>

Dialog: Inside Peter Thiel's secret Irish gathering

Jeffrey Donaldson has begun his new life in Maghaberry Prison. Donaldson and his wife, Eleanor, are set to be stripped of their honours. The former MP and DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sex offences on Monday - including one count of rape. The 63-year-old had pleaded not guilty, but the jury of seven men and five considered its verdicts for ten hours over three days, believing his victims. His wife Eleanor Donaldson was found to have committed the acts relating to offences of aiding and abetting following a trial of the facts. This episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast The BelTel, as Allison Morris joined Ciarán Dunbar to talk about what she couldn’t report while the trial was ongoing. 


This podcast was originally published on Tuesday July 23rd 2026.

Jeffrey Donaldson has begun his new life in Maghaberry Prison. Donaldson and his wife, Eleanor, are set to be stripped of their honours. The former MP and DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sex offences on Monday - including one count of rape. The 63-year-old had pleaded not guilty, but the jury of seven men and five considered its verdicts for ten hours over three days, believing his victims. His wife Eleanor Donaldson was found to have committed the acts relating to offences of aiding and abetting following a trial of the facts. This episode of The Indo Daily is brought to you by our sister podcast The BelTel, as Allison Morris joined Ciarán Dunbar to talk about what she couldn’t report while the trial was ongoing. 
 
This podcast was originally published on Tuesday July 23rd 2026.

Drones, cyber-attacks and Putin's war: Is Micheál Martin's EU Presidency a poisoned chalice?

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