Five years ago, to the day, I woke up early to undergo a major operation at the American Medical Center in Nicosia, Cyprus. As well as my wife Claire, my eldest daughter Leila, and my brother Samir, I was surrounded…
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Little Red Riding Hood was sent by her mother with a basket of food to visit her ailing grandmother. Although her mother urged her to use a more frequented thoroughfare, Little Red Riding Hood took a short cut through the…
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‘One Thousand and One Nights’ is a classic Middle Eastern literary work of short stories and poems supposedly narrated by a young wife Scheherazade to misogynist king Shahriar who, upon discovering the infidelity of his first wife, had her executed…
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When I was about 10 years old, my father said, “one of these days, your sharp tongue will get you into trouble”. I wanted to find out more about what he meant, or perhaps I saw an opportunity to lock…
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How well do you remember the events of 2022? What stood out for you as interesting, important or memorable about the year that ends in a few hours’ time? Well, here is my take on some outstanding events and then…
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Exactly four years ago on 31 August 2018, I was wheeled to the medical operating theatre at the American Hospital in Nicosia, Cyprus. It was a Friday and, based on the best medical advice available, the decision to go ahead…
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Six months ago, on Thursday 17 February 2022 to be precise, my mother passed away with her final wish being granted: to die in her own bed while still in control of her faculties. Having reached the grand old age…
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Somewhere between present day Uganda and Rwanda in the Albertine Rift Mountains, lived a stable and orderly family of mountain gorillas; let’s call them the Smokey Family. The family consisted of the silver-backed male leader called Hokey who stood at…
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What do you think would happen if you left a child in a room with an age-appropriate new toy? CORRECT! They would just pick it up and try to work out how to play with it. Observing my own grandchildren…
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When you find yourself in a leadership position, you have a choice: be a builder or a destroyer. A builder of states, businesses, teams, dreams, lasting legacies and ways to improve on the world that hosted you for 70, 80…
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