NASHVILLE — There’s a meme about charitable giving that makes the rounds in Southern social media circles from time to time. It’s a map of United States counties color-coded by charitable giving, and it purports to demonstrate that people living in red states give a greater percentage of their income to charity than people living […]

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s largest listed bulk grain handler GrainCorp Ltd said on Monday it received an unsolicited A$2.38 billion ($1.8 billion) takeover approach from a little-known asset manager, catapulting its shares nearly a third higher. GrainCorp said privately held Long-Term Asset Partners (LTAP), made an all-cash approach of A$10.42 a share, a near-43 percent […]

Last Wednesday, during a visit to Leicester, Kate Middleton was asked if she was excited about the baby due to her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, and his new wife, Meghan. “Absolutely, it’s such a special time,” answered Kate, “and a cousin for George, Charlotte and Louis.” What more could the woman say, really? Cynically, you could […]

To the Editor: “When Will We Solve Mental Illness?” (Science Times, Nov. 20) is correct in pointing out the need for new treatments but is wrong to say that billions in research funding have given doctors “little of practical value.” Recent advances in treatment include transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression and other conditions, early diagnosis […]

The New York Police Department says it has located a couple who got engaged in Times Square on Friday and promptly dropped their engagement ring down a grate. CCTV footage published by the NYPD on Saturday shows the couple leaning over the grate in search of the ring in the moments following the butterfingered proposal. A […]

I wonder would Emma Hannigan have been surprised at the award, given to her family, in recognition of her writing, at the Irish Book Awards last week? I hope not. I hope she knew how much she meant to people; to her readers and the people who knew her and miss her and who -some […]

It’s an important matter for hundreds of thousands of people. And all of us will pay for it. First it was scheduled to cost hundreds of millions of euro. Then we learned it’s more likely it will eat up several billions. The political classes are treating rural broadband in the same way they treat everything […]

The ‘recovery’ is in full swing so, as champions of splurge, Irish people will no doubt spend money accordingly this Christmas. International studies indicate that Irish people spend more at Christmas than other Europeans or Americans. In 2015, mummypages.ie revealed that the average Irish parent spends €254 on presents per child, while 16pc spend up […]

After 35 years and a landmark vote we may have thought that the abortion debate had moved on beyond the realms of posturing and personal attacks. We were, it transpires, wrong. At least observers of the Dáil chamber this week will be forgiven for drawing that conclusion. On Tuesday a row erupted between two former […]

(Reuters) – Neiman Marcus Group Ltd, the luxury retailer facing a $2.8 billion loan coming due in two years, said on Friday it failed to reach an agreement with its noteholders and term lenders to restructure its debt. Neiman Marcus said bit.ly/2BIZNeB in a regulatory filing it was actively pursuing opportunities to improve its capital […]