In Greek mythology, Pandora had a box she had been warned to never open. With no understanding of the consequences, and despite the warning, she opened the box, irreversibly releasing the plagues that would affect all of humanity forever. The American threat to withdraw from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, which prohibits possession of missiles […]

People struggling to qualify for a mortgage will be bemused that so many buyers can sidle up to an estate agent and offer to buy a property with cash. Almost half of the residential properties bought last year were purchased with cash or savings. Surging price rises and Central Bank mortgage restrictions have meant many […]

Hanging on a wall behind the omelette bar at US President Donald Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida is an old, framed poster. It is from an ad campaign Walgreens once ran featuring the president, back when he was the sorcerer of ‘The Apprentice’. In white block letters on the poster, next to […]

Throughout the Brexit and backstop debate, the tactic, now nearly ubiquitous in all debates about anything, is to label those with a different opinion as racist, sexist and/or ignorant. No true Scotsman would be for Brexit, and they are obviously ignorant says the courtier. If you can acknowledge that the other side may not be […]

Rural Ireland firmly believes the Government has forgotten about it. While just 12 months ago, the Taoiseach said farmers were the heartbeat of rural Ireland and the lifeblood of the recovered economy, he seems to have forgotten a couple of important things, so it is little wonder he is far from popular among farmers at […]

To the Editor: Re “No Winner in a New Arms Race” (editorial, Feb. 11): With the Trump administration’s suspension of the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the New Cold War has officially begun. Climate science predicts catastrophic global effects from even a limited nuclear war, resulting in a nuclear famine killing up to a quarter […]

This article is part of David Leonhardt’s newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. The initial reactions to Amazon’s abandonment of New York tended to involve fairly narrow questions, like how it would affect New York or affect Amazon. And I understand why. Those are important issues. But they’re not the […]

An emotional reunion between a U.S. soldier and his wife — who had recently given birth to twins — was captured on video that has since gone viral. Staff Sgt. Skylar Cooper wasn’t expected home until the spring, according to KSNT.com, but he surprised his wife by showing up at her hospital room in Topeka, Kan., […]

There’s a confusing side story to the confusing story of the new children’s hospital. It involves the popular burger clown, Ronald McDonald. Last Tuesday it was reported that the State was facing a further €10m bill for family accommodation at the National Children’s Hospital because they were refusing naming rights to Ronald McDonald. Lots of […]

The first word I had that Amazon was about to scrap an agreement to bring 25,000 new jobs to New York City came an hour before it broke in the news on Thursday. The call was brief and there was little explanation for the company’s reversal. Just days before, I had counseled a senior Amazon […]