The death of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid marks the end of a lifetime of service to Dubai and the UAE.
Appointed as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet under Founding President Sheikh Zayed after the formation of the country in December 1971, Sheikh Hamdan held the post until his death, which was announced on Wednesday. He was in his mid-70s.
Like his brothers, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid, the late Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan was prepared for the responsibilities of office from an early age.
The second of four sons of Sheikh Rashid, Sheikh Hamdan was part of a rising generation of young Emiratis from the ruling families whose duties required them to articulate the vision and ambition of their new country on a global stage.
Even as a teenager, he was always at his father’s side, as Sheikh Rashid pursued his goal of turning Dubai into a world centre of trade and business.
A photograph from 1959 shows Sheikh Hamdan, not yet 15, standing by his father's side at London's Heathrow Airport as they arrived for an official visit to the UK.
His formal education began in Dubai, studying mathematics and science as well as Islamic and Arabic studies at a school in the city.
In his early 20s, he spent a year at language school in Cambridge to further develop his proficiency in English.
I feel extremely happy and comfortable when I help fill the heart of a deprived individual with joy and happiness in building a school for those who couldn't get education or construct a Masjid to the faithful who couldn't raise enough funds to build their own house of worship
It was during his time in this ancient university city that Sheikh Hamdan was likely to have developed one of his lifelong passions, for nearby was the town of Newmarket, arguably the world centre of thoroughbred horse breeding.
The popularity of racing in the UAE is widely attributed to Sheikh Hamdan. In 1981, he founded Shadwell Racing, with a breeding and racing operation that eventually expanded to eight stud farms and hundreds of Arabian and thoroughbred horses across the UK, Ireland and the US.
British Flat Racing Champion Owner five times between 1990 and 2005, his triumphs included the English and Irish derbies, the 2,000 Guineas, the Ascot Gold Cup and the Dubai World Cup in 1999 and 2007.
But his love of racing never distracted him from the duties of government, as a minister, and Deputy Ruler of Dubai from 1995.
From the start of public life, he followed Sheikh Rashid’s vision of developing Dubai as a diverse economy that would become a world city.
He was placed in charge of key institutions by Sheikh Rashid, including Dubai Aluminium (now EGA), Dubai Natural Gas (Dugas), Dubai Cable and the Dubai World Trade Centre.
His responsibilities would expand to encompass the Dubai Municipality, president of the Dubai Ports Authority and the information and health departments.
As a minister, Sheikh Hamdan had the responsibility of making sure the UAE’s new oil wealth was used to develop an infrastructure that would benefit all its people, funding roads, hospitals, electricity and water.
On the world stage, he was the UAE’s chief representative to the International Monetary Fund and the Opec Fund for International Development.
Sheikh Hamdan will also be remembered for his contribution to education, science and philanthropy, giving generously throughout his life.
In partnership with Unesco, the United Nations' cultural organisation, he created the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance, to improve the quality of education and teaching.
His involvement in science included the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, rewarding medical research that serves all humanity.
His support for medicine resulted in honorary fellowships from the Royal British College in London and Edinburgh, and an honorary fellowship for internal medicine and surgery from the Royal British College in Glasgow.
Sheikh Hamdan was also the patron of Al Maktoum College of Education in Dundee, Scotland, created to promote cross-cultural understanding, and including a Dh6 million ($1.6m) grant to serve the local Muslim community.
The year 1996 marked the opening of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland, the first project of Sheikh Hamdan's Al Maktoum Foundation, which now supports dozens of charitable and philanthropic projects worldwide, building schools, providing scholarships and offering financial and material aid from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Americas.
Of its work, Sheikh Hamdan said: "I feel extremely happy and comfortable when I help fill the heart of a deprived individual with joy and happiness in building a school for those who couldn’t get education or construct a masjid to the faithful who couldn’t raise enough funds to build their own house of worship.”
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Usain Bolt's World Championships record
2007 Osaka
200m Silver
4x100m relay Silver
2009 Berlin
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2011 Daegu
100m Disqualified in final for false start
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2013 Moscow
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2015 Beijing
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
Result
Arsenal 4
Monreal (51'), Ramsey (82'), Lacazette 85', 89')
West Ham United 1
Arnautovic (64')
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
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Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
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'Gehraiyaan'
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