How I managed to be nearly unaware of this book (and not read it) for 15 years is something of a mystery. I should have heard of it, made note of it, bought it and read it in 1999, when it was published. The Miracle of Castel di Sangro, by Joe McGinniss. McGinniss died earlier […]

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This week, The National celebrated the five-year anniversary of the Dubai Metro with a package of stories on the history and development of the system. In retrospect, it is hard to imagine what road traffic in that city would be like, without the rail lines that run parallel to major highways. Dubai already is nightmarish […]

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This has to be one of the most difficult rules in sports to enforce. Cricket’s 15-degree rule. The world’s top-ranked one-day international (ODI) bowler (pitcher) was suspended indefinitely today because studies of his bowling “action” find him breaking the 15-degree rule. Which is … ?

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This seemed a little bold when it was announced today. The 2014/15 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, the nine-month, round-the-world exercise by the most intrepid and hardiest of sailors, plans to have all seven entrants sail the entire distance. As opposed to the previous Volvo race, three years ago, when the prevalence of piracy […]

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On the surface, it seemed about as conventional as a major final could be. Serena Williams vs. Caroline Wozniacki in the U.S. Open women’s final. The world No. 1 and winner of 17 major championships, against the former world No. 1. Both of them regular subjects of tennis chat. In fact, the final had at […]

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In journalism, we have a concept known as the “toe touch”. In brief, it means a reporter/writer making an appearance at the city/country he or she is writing about. It almost literally can be a toe touch. Off a plane, through passport control and customs, and right back to a waiting lounge for the next […]

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Flying to and from Europe, with Abu Dhabi at the start and finish, makes for some interesting evasive actions. On the way over last month, to Rome, we went mostly due east from the AUH, skirted Israel, then made a sudden move to the northwest, straight for Rome. Airlines that are flag carriers for the […]

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It had been more than 14 months since I had been in Paris, and the city continues to change, of course. Some good changes, some bad, some neutral/just different. Let’s look at 10, in list form.

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It was in August of 1944 that Paris was liberated by the Allies. In particular, by the 2nd Armored Division of the Free French government in exile, based in London. That was 70 years ago, and the event is being reexamined at the Carnavalet Museum, the official museum of the city of Paris, here in […]

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Already noted: We are in an unusual apartment, here on the edge of the Marais. Angels on the wall; a bathing area where a person cannot stand; low, skull-threatening beams throughout the washroom, a tiny toilet room. And perhaps the smallest elevator in Paris. Or in France.

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