{"podcast":{"title":"Belfast News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!","slug":"belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384","podcast_index_feed_id":7598384,"rss_url":"https://feeds.fastcast.ai/bridgeport-daily-news-now.xml","website_url":"https://thednn.ai/","image_url":"https://image.fastcast.ai/podcasts/bridgeport-daily-news-now.jpg","author":"The Daily News Now!","episode_count":342,"summary":"Hosted by Corey with the Story, Belfast News Today delivers fast, focused daily updates on the stories shaping Belfast—from local news and business to politics, culture, and community developments. Designed for quick, on-the-go listening, each episode brings you up to speed in minutes. Produced by AI for speed, consistency, and global scale, the show is part of The Daily News Now network—bringing local news to every city in the world and keeping communities connected. Belfast News Today is your daily snapshot of what’s happening across the city. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai","last_synced_at":"2026-06-15T14:19:41.933023+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384"},"episode":{"title":"Labour Demands State Apology for Thalidomide Survivors","slug":"labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors","published_at":"2026-05-27T01:38:29+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384","url":"https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/a4c422c3-a8a8-432a-b820-a9b388c1de77.mp3","audio_url":"https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/a4c422c3-a8a8-432a-b820-a9b388c1de77.mp3","summary":"Labour leader Ivana Bacik is demanding a formal State apology for thalidomide survivors, urging the government to act now—there’s no legal barrier stopping them. The drug, once prescribed for morning sickness, caused devastating birth defects and remained on sale in Ireland until 1962. Survivors like Sharon Clarken, whose 96-year-old mother still bears guilt, are pleading for an apology while their loved ones are still alive. The government says Taoiseach and Tánaiste are working toward resolution, with an apology expected this year. Bacik praises survivors’ resilience and calls for three urgent steps: a public apology, a compensation and support package for growing medical needs, and a clear timeline. Many survivors, now in their 60s and 70s, face worsening pain and increasing dependence on assistive tech—no one should wait 60 years for justice. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/6aaccff69cd87125","meta_description":"Labour leader Ivana Bacik is demanding a formal State apology for thalidomide survivors, urging the government to act now—there’s no legal barrier stoppin…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":112,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/episodes/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}