Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Tue, Mar 24, 2026 09:46 PM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Matthew Flinders

Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics, University of Sheffield

Professor Flinders studied Modern European Studies at Loughborough University before coming to the University of Sheffield to complete his doctorate in public policy and governance. He was appointed to a permanent Lectureship in 2000 (Senior Lecturer 2003, Reader 2005, Professor 2009). He was Sub-Dean for Graduate Affairs during 2004-2005 and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences 2005-2006. He was a Governor on the Board of Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust between 2008-2011 and Deputy Head of the Department of Politics between 2008-2012. Professor Flinders is also on the Executive Committee of the Political Studies Association. In addition to his academic work, Professor Flinders is a writer and broadcaster and has made numerous contributions to national newspapers, including The Times and The Guardian, and in 2011 he wrote and presented a three-part series for BBC Radio 4 entitled ‘In Defence of Politics’.

His latest book, 'What Kind of Democracy is This?' is published by Policy Press, 2017.

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

Apr 25, 2024 06:12 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

Liz Truss resigns as prime minister: the five causes of her downfall explained

Oct 21, 2022 06:24 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As Liz Truss stepped away from the lectern outside No.10 Downing Street after resigning as leader of her party, it probably occurred to her that her time as prime minister will have been only as long as the leadership...

Coronavirus and the politics of crisis fatigue

Mar 26, 2020 16:02 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The new coronavirus pandemic is affecting our daily lives in many unexpected ways. We are particularly trying to understand why some people are not heeding official advice about social isolation. I believe this relates to...

How Boris Johnson's Conservatives swept to election victory in Labour heartlands

Dec 16, 2019 13:40 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Welcome to a new whole new political world. The UK general election of 2019 has delivered a seismic shift in the balance of the countrys politics, the consequences of which are very hard, if not impossible to predict. But...

Brexit impasse: where have all the political leaders gone?

Jan 27, 2019 14:41 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Adrift, rudderless, confused, chaotic. A mess. How else can anyone honestly describe the state of British politics? The UK is, if truth be known, currently a nation that resembles little more than a vast community of...

Parliament may not have what it takes to fix its crumbling house

Jan 30, 2018 12:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Real Estate Economy

Back in 2015, a detailed analysis of the Palace of Westminster concluded that the risk of catastrophic failure is increasing … a major failing of the existing service infrastructure is inevitable. As the subsequent...

Economy

Asian Currencies Weaken as Dollar Rebounds Amid Middle East Uncertainty and Japan Inflation Data

Most Asian currencies declined on Tuesday as mixed signals surrounding the Middle East conflict, a recovering U.S. dollar, and softer Japanese inflation data weighed on regional markets. Investors remained cautious as...

Japan's Private Sector Growth Slows in March Amid Rising Costs and Middle East Uncertainty

Japans private sector expansion lost steam in March 2025, with both manufacturing and services activity cooling as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East drove up business costs and dampened confidence, according to the...

Australia-EU Free Trade Deal Signed After Years of Negotiations

Australia and the European Union have officially signed a landmark free trade agreement, marking the end of years of negotiations and opening a new chapter in economic relations between the two regions. The deal gained...

Suspicious Oil Market Trades Precede Trump's Iran Peace Post by 15 Minutes

Financial markets are buzzing with controversy after a report by the Financial Times revealed that roughly $580 million in oil futures were traded just 15 minutes before President Donald Trump published a post on Truth...

U.S. Futures Slide as Iran Denies Nuclear Talks with Washington

U.S. stock index futures declined Monday evening after Iran officially denied engaging in any diplomatic discussions with Washington, contradicting earlier statements from President Donald Trump that suggested progress...

Politics

U.S. and Costa Rica Reach Deportation Transfer Agreement

The United States and Costa Rica have officially signed a preliminary agreement allowing Costa Rica to receive third-country migrants deported by the U.S. government. The announcement was made by Costa Ricas presidency on...

Bolsonaro Released from ICU After Lung Infection Battle

Brazils former President Jair Bolsonaro has been moved out of intensive care following a challenging hospitalization, local media confirmed on Monday. The 71-year-old was transferred to a standard hospital room after...

Israel Eyes Litani River as New Border Amid Escalating Lebanon Offensive

Israels Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly called for redrawing Israels northern boundary to reach the Litani River, deep within Lebanese territory marking one of the most direct statements yet from a senior...

Trump Visits Graceland, Pays Tribute to Elvis Presley During Memphis Trip

President Donald Trump made a memorable stop at Graceland, Elvis Presleys iconic Memphis estate, expressing his lifelong admiration for the King of Rock and Roll during a visit focused on federal efforts to reduce crime in...

Kim Jong Un Declares Nuclear Forces Permanent, Labels South Korea "Most Hostile State"

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his countrys commitment to expanding its nuclear arsenal, declaring the nations status as a nuclear-armed state irreversible. Speaking before the Supreme Peoples Assembly on...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Nintendo Switch 2 Production Cut as Holiday Sales Miss Targets

Nintendo has announced plans to scale back production of its Switch 2 console following disappointing holiday season sales, particularly in the United States. According to a Bloomberg report, the Japanese gaming giant will...

Elon Musk Announces Terafab: SpaceX and Tesla to Build Dual AI Chip Factories in Austin, Texas

Elon Musk revealed plans for a massive dual-chip manufacturing complex called Terafab in Austin, Texas, set to be jointly developed by SpaceX and Tesla. The announcement marks a significant step in Musks broader strategy...

NVIDIA's Feynman AI Chip May Face Redesign Amid TSMC Capacity Crunch

NVIDIA could be forced to redesign its next-generation Feynman artificial intelligence chip platform as contract manufacturing giant TSMC struggles to keep pace with surging global demand. According to a report from...

Elliott Investment Management Takes Multibillion-Dollar Stake in Synopsys

Activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has quietly built a multibillion-dollar position in Synopsys, the electronic design automation (EDA) giant, signaling a push for stronger financial performance from one of...

Palantir's Maven AI Earns Pentagon "Program of Record" Status, Reshaping Military AI Strategy

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is drawing renewed investor and industry attention after the U.S. Department of Defense officially designated its Maven Smart System as a program of record, a classification that...