The UAE flag at Abu Dhabi Corniche is flown at half-mast to mark the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, the Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
The UAE flag at Abu Dhabi Corniche is flown at half-mast to mark the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, the Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
The UAE flag at Abu Dhabi Corniche is flown at half-mast to mark the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, the Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
The UAE flag at Abu Dhabi Corniche is flown at half-mast to mark the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, the Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

What does the UAE's official mourning period mean?


  • English
  • Arabic

When the death of a member of a ruling family occurs, the UAE enters a mourning period.

The death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and brother of President Sheikh Mohamed, has led to three days of mourning.

Three days of official mourning were declared for the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Photo: Ryan Carter / Presidential Court
Three days of official mourning were declared for the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Photo: Ryan Carter / Presidential Court

The death of a UAE ruling family member is generally marked with a mourning period, which can last between three and 40 days.

Following the death of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in November 2004, and on the death of President Sheikh Khalifa in 2022, the official mourning period was 40 days.

Flags typically fly at half-mast during official periods of mourning. Work in ministries, departments, federal and local government organisations and the private sector is often suspended for three days.

The mourning period is intended as a mark of respect and life across the UAE takes on a more sombre tone.

Radio stations play classical music and state-owned TV stations typically follow suit. Most live entertainment is usually cancelled and official events are often postponed.

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Top 5 concerns globally:

1. Unemployment

2. Spread of infectious diseases

3. Fiscal crises

4. Cyber attacks

5. Profound social instability

Top 5 concerns in the Mena region

1. Energy price shock

2. Fiscal crises

3. Spread of infectious diseases

4. Unmanageable inflation

5. Cyber attacks

Source: World Economic Foundation

While you're here

W.
Wael Kfoury
(Rotana)

Gully Boy

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi​​​​​​​
Rating: 4/5 stars

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
Sanju

Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani

Rating: 3.5 stars

CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
While you're here

Michael Young: Where is Lebanon headed?

Kareem Shaheen: I owe everything to Beirut

Raghida Dergham: We have to bounce back