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Shinya Yamanaka: Unlocking the Potential of Cells
Professor Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University is in the business of time travel. He discovered that fully mature cells can be induced to revert to their earlier pluripotent state. Such a pluripotent cell has yet to develop into one of
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Frans Timmermans: A Knowledgeable Pragmatist
He is rather unassuming and speaks softly without carrying a big stick. Dutch foreign affairs minister Frans Timmermans, however, has put his small country back on the world map after his predecessors beat a retreat to behind the dikes and
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Graça Machel: The Only First Lady of Two Countries
She is the only known woman to have been the first lady of two countries. Graça Machel (68) is, however, best known for her dedication to the plight of refugee children around the world. She gained wide respect as an
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Angela Merkel: Managing Europe’s Manifest Destiny
The job of German chancellor is not one for the faint of heart. It all boils down to leading one of the world’s greatest powers, and safeguarding its many interests, without ever giving in to the temptation to actually flex
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Dr Rachid Yazami: A Battery-Powered Future
Dr Rachid Yazami almost single-handedly invented a global business now worth some $15bn annually. But, he’s not in it for the money. Rather, this Morocco-born scientist is motivated by the thrill of discovery. Dr Yazami has some seventy patents to
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Noam Chomsky: Unravelling Established Truths
It is hard, if not downright impossible, to gain the upper hand in a debate with a logician who is a walking, and talking, encyclopaedia to boot. Noam Chomsky, a self-styled anarcho-syndicalist and a linguist of great distinction, is not
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Professor Mary Beard: Every Inch a Fascinating Woman
Mary Beard, professor of Classics at Newham College, Cambridge, is quite unusual. She is one of very few academics to be highly regarded by their peers despite having taken a stroll down media lane. Her latest publication is entitled Laughter
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Elon Musk: A Man on a Mission
Philanthropist, self-made multibillionaire, technological genius and indeed a dreamer: The list goes on. These are some of the marks and traits that best describe Elon Musk. According to Forbes Magazine, the 39-year Mr Musk has a net worth of $9.3bn.
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From Haiti to Canada – Michaëlle Jean: A Viceroy from the Caribbean
The world over, Canada enjoys a reputation as a country most welcoming to immigrants. Newcomers are not just welcomed with open arms; they are also cordially invited to actively participate in the life of the nation. Canadians thoroughly enjoy welcoming
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From Lebanon to Brazil – Joseph Safra
A Global Presence The Safra family fortune – today expressed in billions of dollars – originated on the dusty tracks of the well-trodden camel route between Aleppo, Syria and Istanbul. At the dawn of the 20th century, Jacob E. Safra,
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