Usain Bolt is back –though the world’s fastest man is adamant he never went away. Last season was one to forget, Bolt no longer the centre of attention to the extent that his rivals sharpened the knives, the critics suggesting he was past his prime.
Next week's election could hit your holiday plans. Why? The pound's recent strength against the euro could be hit by economic uncertainty under a new government. But buy euros now and you could lock in near record-high rates.
Motorists planning to drive abroad after 8 June will need to take a special code with them if they want to hire a car. From that date, the paper counterpart of British driving licences – which records endorsements and fines – is being computerised.
Are the rewards that credit card companies hand out to consumers simply a way to confuse people about how much they're actually paying to use plastic? That's the view of reader Peter Jackson of Stockport, who got in touch after reading our credit card article last week. It pointed out that credit card companies are cutting back on rewards and cashbacks because a new EU clampdown on charges is hitting their profits. But Peter asks: aren't the perks received by customers just transferred to higher prices in shops? Читать дальше...
Shocking new figures published yesterday revealed that an estimated 15,000 people died unnecessarily between December and March because they were living in homes they couldn't afford to heat. Fuel poverty campaigners reckon the number of excess winter deaths surged last winter to 49,260, of which around 14,780 were due to people living in cold homes.
I had a long chat with reader Paul Norbert this week. The 44-year-old, from Notting Hill, west London, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his mid-20s and, ever since, he has had difficulty working. "I became vulnerable and am always feeling suicidal, not knowing how to untangle from the messes of life. I feel the stigma, and being called 'mad' by all sorts of people," he told me. "It can affect every aspect of your life and your relationships and I wasn't in an environment where I could escape... Читать дальше...
Two very different hospitality companies have joined the No Pain, No Gain portfolio. They are Peel Hotels, a traditional provincial hotel group, and Safestay, a relative newcomer intent on creating a chain of what are called "boutique hostels".
A few weeks ago, I wondered rather plaintively whether any political party would "do something" about pensions. After all, the most revolutionary reform since the invention of the personal (formerly "portable") pension has just been promulgated, it affects the second-biggest financial asset most people have after their home – and there's a general election on.
Q. The Independent reported the story of a Frenchman with a legal claim against Aviva over a fixed-price arbitrage life contract that could potentially send the insurer to the wall. I have more than £50,000 with Aviva. Should I consider moving my pension fund to another provider? NK, by email.
Nick Kirrage and Kevin Murphy took over management of the Schroder Recovery Fund almost nine years ago, from their successful predecessor Ben Whitmore.
This week Nationwide Building Society announced three positive changes for its credit card customers, making its terms and conditions less costly for some. I wonder what the wider implications may be if other card providers decide to follow its lead?
Artistic director of the innovative Cornwall-based Kneehigh theatre company has landed the top job at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
It is often considered the most amorous nation on the planet, but France doesn't even feature in a new list of the most sexually satisfied countries.
Jonathan Munby’s clear-headed production of The Merchant of Venice treads a fine line between solid and sparkling: there’s no flashy concept, but there are flashes of directorial insight.
Jessica Ennis-Hill concedes that the cheeky exploits of Peppa Pig don’t quite compare to the lure of competition. Much as the London Olympic heptathlon gold medallist loves her new role as a parent – complete with the hours of watching Peppa flummox her intellectually challenged father on television – she misses the buzz of stepping on to the track.
