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Day of disappointment 21 Nov 2012 | 05:14 pm
Through a tunnel darkly: where the disappointment began GRAVESEND // It all started well enough. Up, out of bed in good time at 6.30am. Dogs let out into the garden then fed - all without turning the...
Cameron take note: UAE arms deals are no joke 9 Nov 2012 | 07:36 pm
ABU DHABI // As David Cameron landed on Monday 5 November 2012 to start the first leg of his controversial mission to sell Typhoon fighter jets to the Gulf States, he may well have heard a joke that’s...
Inside the Circumlocution Office 5 Nov 2012 | 07:52 pm
I knew I knew where I was - in The Circumlocution Office! This is a place of endless confusion. Forms need to be filled in to request permission to fill in more forms. It's never ending and it means ...
Interesting times... 11 Oct 2012 | 06:08 pm
This should help explain how things work here as far as business is concerned. Dubai is a trading collar serving two financial purposes: a call option on the oil wealth of the Gulf and put option on ...
Find your cave 30 Sep 2012 | 02:17 pm
I've been in Abu Dhabi for 17 days. What have I discovered? That the place is wrapped up in knots of bureaucracy that are at once unnecessary, counterproductive, inconsistent and energy sapping. Ther...
Another day, another dirham 18 Sep 2012 | 04:57 pm
Tuesday 18 September 2012: I started work on Sunday. The day before I had explored the town walking into the centre despite the 99F heatwave. What I discovered was a place where the tarmac is perfect,...
Distant prospect, immediate challenge 14 Sep 2012 | 12:00 pm
13 September 2012: Blank page. Far from blank prospect as I finally face the seismic change of moving to Abu Dhabi to reignite my journalistic career in this period of revolutionary change, but what t...
The road winds uphill all the way 4 Aug 2012 | 09:13 pm
What is the most frustrating thing when pushing a boulder up hill? When other. People's suppor runs out, taking away your options and meaning you cannot push any further. I have been pushing a life-ch...
Even snow melts 5 Dec 2010 | 11:05 pm
all ignorance toboggans into know and trudges up to ignorance again: but winter's not forever, even snow melts; and if spring should spoil the game, what then? all history's a winter sport or three: ...
The New Age of Austerity: more than 182 years wasted on unnecessary parking fines 21 Nov 2010 | 11:27 pm
PARKING fines, it is reported, could nearly double under plans being considered by the Government. Local authorities outside London have written to the transport authorities demanding to be allowed to...
