How your sense of smell may affect your politics

HUMANS, like other animals, have evolved to notice and avoid sources of infection, whether that be rotten food or sickly members of their own species. This “behavioural immune system” can have unexpected consequences. Studies...

Theda Skocpol’s new work on anti-Trump activists

THEDA SKOCPOL produces consistently interesting work that makes many other political scientists (and most journalists, for that matter) look shallow by comparison. In 2011 she co-wrote a book about the Tea Party in which...

Pakistan’s army is getting serious about defeating domestic terrorism

A TRIP around Miranshah with an escort of heavily armed soldiers is a surreal experience. The town is the administrative centre of North Waziristan, a lawless region once controlled by jihadists that Barack Obama called...

A dispute over real estate roils Jerusalem

A SMALL wooden ladder stands on a ledge above the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the spot where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. The ladder serves no purpose, but...

Barometer shows that manufacturers must improve productivity to meet expected sales

SMALL to medium-sized manufacturers must improve productivity by unlocking ‘their own hidden potential’ if sales and profits growth are to meet expectations – according to the latest National Manufacturing Barometer. Source:...

What can investment companies do for a stocks and shares ISA?

With the end of the tax year drawing near, time is running out for investors to make the most of this year’s £20,000 ISA allowance. Investment companies offering strong, long-term performance and income benefits could...

Nico Colchester journalism fellowships

The Nico Colchester fellowships were established in memory of Nico Colchester, who died in 1996 after an outstanding career at the Financial Times, The Economist and the Economist Intelligence Unit. Nico had a passion for...

Gas prices surge by more than a THIRD as Beast from the East snowstorm batters Britain

GAS PRICES are set to hit record levels this week as Britain turns up the central heating to full in the face of days of bitter snowstorms. Astonishingly, as the UK and Europe shiver in some of the lowest temperatures...

Making a call while driving could be your most expensive mistake

USING your mobile phone while driving could be the most expensive call your ever make, with the total bill nearing four figures. As well as a fixed penalty and points on your licence, you will face higher motor insurance...

Pound Live: Sterling SINKS as Barnier confirms EU's plan for Custom's Union in NI

THE POUND is suffering as fears of a Brexit "no deal" scenario were heightened after the EU's draft legal text states that Northern Ireland, "shall be considered to be part of the customs territory of the Union”. Source:...

Invest to beat inflation: Why you need to make your money work for you

THE £10 note featuring Charles Darwin will cease to be legal tender from tomorrow, but its value has been eroding for years. Thanks to inflation it is worth a third less than when originally printed almost 18 years ago...

Pension: New rules to target great annuity rip-off

RETIREES have been throwing money away for years by purchasing annuities without first comparing rates, but a new scheme aims to reduce the number making this costly error. Source: Daily Express :: Finance Feed http:...

Pound V euro: GBP exchange rate steady as Eurozone inflation cools

THE pound is holding steady against the euro this morning as Eurozone inflation was shown to have fallen this month. The pound euro exchange rate is currently at around €1.136, holding close to its opening levels this...

Rail companies are profiting from commuter misery – EXPRESS COMMENT

ARE there any circumstances in which the rail companies in this country will not take advantage of their hard-pressed passengers to feather their own nests? Hardly had the forecast of snow been aired before services were...

BREAKING: Maplin goes into administration – 2,500 jobs at risk

ELECTRICAL retailer Maplin has collapsed into administration, putting 2,500 jobs at risk. The firm said that the capital needed to prop up the business – and shield against the tough trading conditions on the high street...

BREAKING: Prezzo to close 100 restaurants – HUNDREDS of jobs at risk

PREZZO is reportedly braced to close up to one-third of its 300 outlets across Britain, putting hundreds of jobs at risk. The popular Italian-themed chain is planning to launch a Company Voluntary Arrangement in the coming...

Buying your first home? Parental loan scare for first-time property buyers

PARENTS and grandparents who help younger family members to buy their first home are risking their own money by failing to put a proper agreement in place. Source: Daily Express :: Finance Feed http://ift.tt/2CN0i...

Beachcomber: 101 years old and still having serious ideas...

RECENT events have caused me to come up with a serious thought: why are our singers and musicians so much better at what they do than our politicians? Source: Daily Express :: Comment Feed http://ift.tt/2F19G...

BREAKING: Toys R Us goes into administration – 3,200 jobs at risk

TOY giant Toys R Us has gone into administration but will continue trading for the moment. The firm which has been on the brink recently has entered administration putting 3,200 jobs across 105 shops at risk. The company...

Are YOU a pension millionaire? Almost a million couples enjoying golden retirement

A GOLDEN age of generous final salary pensions and above inflation pension rises have turned almost a million couples into 'pension millionaires'. The richest 20 per cent of pensioners, equivalent to 840,000 couples, now...

Pound v US dollar: GBP exchange rate stumbles as UK consumer confidence dips

THE pound to US dollar exchange rate has fallen slightly today, following the news that UK consumer confidence levels have dropped in February. Source: Daily Express :: Finance Feed http://ift.tt/2EZ0n...

Shameless Jeremy Corbyn has betrayed the working classes, says STEPHEN POLLARD

ONE of the great myths of the modern Labour Party is that it is somehow the political arm of the working class. And of all the mistakes that are made about Jeremy Corbyn, the most bizarre is that he is somehow a tribune...

Bitcoin price LIVE: BTC at $10,000 as Las Vegas dancers adopt QR tattoos for crypto tips

BITCOIN has dropped around $300 from its Wednesday high but wallet holders will be relatively happy with the steady gains so far this week. Ripple is at $1.04 with Ethereum at $877. Source: Daily Express :: Finance Feed...

'Bitcoin is DEADLY' Billionaire Bill Gates BLASTS cryptocurrency for DRUG trade

BILL Gates has railed against cryptocurrencies for anonymous payments because they make it difficult for law enforcement and help propagate the deadly drug trade, it has been revealed. Source: Daily Express :: Finance...

Italain election storm prompts surge in sales of Government bonds

THE upcoming Italian election has lead to a surge in investors buying the country’s bonds, with the total sale of Italian bonds sold so far this year comes to £117million . Source: Daily Express :: Finance Feed http:...

Greece’s economy minister QUITS job hours after his wife amid benefit row

GREECE’S economy and development minister has resigned just a day after his wife, a deputy labour minister, stepped down following a row over a housing allowance. Source: Daily Express :: Finance Feed http://ift.tt/2...

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, will be allowed to reign forever

  THE decision announced on February 25th to scrap term limits for China’s president, Xi Jinping, pierces the veil of Chinese politics. It reveals that, at a time when the ruling Communist Party is presenting China...

Lessons from China’s rust belt

MAO ZEDONG called China’s three north-eastern provinces—Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning—the country’s “eldest son”. In the Chinese tradition the family’s future rests on that child’s shoulders. But this one is failing...

China portrays racism as a Western problem

THE annual “Spring Festival Gala”, broadcast on the eve of the lunar new year, is the most-watched television programme on Earth. It is also one of the most vetted by the authorities, for it is intended not merely to entertain...