29th September 2011
What is the healthiest place in Kyiv? At a recent reception at the residence, I began to suspect it might be my lounge. The reason was that the room was crammed with over 80 guests representing the cream of the Ukrainian medical profession and, in particular, many of the country’s top interventional cardiologists. Other medical […]
28th September 2011
What is a “Chicken Chernobyl”? How about “the Order of the Golden Toecap” or “buckets of sunshine”? I’ve blogged before the constant evolution of the English language (see “Brainiacs, dwarf planets, podcasts and tweets in Kyiv“). For another take on this, setting out the contribution made by the British Royal Navy with what is known […]
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8th August 2011 Toronto, Canada
This is John Preece guestblogging about a recent trip to the University of Western Ontario for the official opening of the Centre for Brain and Mind (see also Lara Kaute’s post from July 29th). The Centre boasts some 20 principal investigators, including Dr. Adrian Owen (Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging and […]
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29th July 2011 Ottawa, Canada
This is the SIN intern Lara Kaute sharing her impressions of the official opening of the Centre for Brain and Mind at the University of Western Ontario in London. Read on for an overview of the Centre, the work that goes on there and the staff. On Monday July 25th, John and I attended the […]
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28th June 2011 Islamabad, Pakistan
On Thursday, I visited the Police Lines headquarters in Islamabad. I was accompanying the UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, who wanted to pay his respects to the fallen martyrs of the Pakistani police service and to publicly recognise their sacrifices in serving Pakistan and its citizens. Mr Hague laid a wreath at the police monument […]
22nd June 2011
The “Bards of Wales” project came to fruition last night with a performance of the world premier of Karl Jenkins’ cantata at the Palace of Arts. Almost all 1800 seats were full and the audience (including President Schmitt) gave the work a rapturous reception. British Minister David Jones of the Welsh Office visited Hungary for […]
15th June 2011
Many years ago there was a television show with two well-loved comedians. Half-way through the programme one would ask “What do you think of the show so far?” The other would shout “Rubbish!” You had to be there to appreciate the joke, but it is a catch-phrase that has stuck in popular banter. So after […]
9th June 2011
…is the slogan of the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) now taking place in Godolo Royal Palace. Minister of State Jeremy Browne is representing the UK and has spoken about live foreign policy issues (the Arab Spring, Iran, Afghanistan, Burma and North Korea) and global economic developments (the rising significance of Asian economies to global prosperity, reform […]
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8th June 2011
Yesterday Ferenc Madl was buried in a moving ceremony with military honours in the Fiume Street Public Cemetery and a mass was held in the Basilica in his honour. President of Hungary between 2000 and 2005, he was respected for his propriety, knowledge and personal humility. As a judicial and non-partisan expert, he sent legislation […]
4th June 2011
On 31 May the British Embassy’s conference hall was (not for the first time) turned into a cinema. I co-hosted the evening screening of the film “Call of Life: Facing Mass Extinction” with the Hungarian State Secretary for the Environment, Zoltan Illes. This was far from the first time we worked together. The history of […]