RAS AL KHAIMAH // Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Ras al Khaimah, was laid to rest yesterday afternoon in his family’s cemetery in Al Oraibi.
Sheikh Saqr, who had ruled since 1948, was the world’s second-longest serving head of state – after the King of Thailand – and its oldest. He was said officially to have been born in 1920, but Sheikh Saqr came from an era when accurate records were not kept.
He was also the last survivor of the seven rulers who together founded the UAE. The federation was established in December 1971, and RAK joined early the following year.
Sheikh Saqr's death was announced early yesterday morning. He had been ill for some time and had not been seen in public since February last year, when he was chauffeured in his trademark white Rolls-Royce Phantom past a celebration to mark his 61 years of rule.
There will be 40 days of official mourning in RAK, and a week in the rest of the UAE.
Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, was joined by the other five rulers yesterday in sending their condolences. “Throughout his life, the late Sheikh Saqr dedicated himself to serve his people and work faithfully with fellow rulers,” Sheikh Khalifa said in a statement released by the state news agency WAM.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took part in the funeral prayers at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in RAK.
Sheikh Saqr’s 62-year rule will be particularly remembered for his commitment to the cause of education, which he had championed since the early 1950s.
Sheikh Faisal bin Saqr, chairman of the RAK free-trade zone and one of Sheikh Saqr’s seven sons, said yesterday: “We are not just burying my father, but the father of Ras al Khaimah. We have a lot to learn from him, a true legacy. The two things he cared about were education and religion, and that made RAK what it is today.”
Sheikh Saqr is succeeded as Ruler, and on the Supreme Council, by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr, who has been Crown Prince since 2003 and performed many of his father’s duties during the Ruler’s illness.
Sheikh Khalifa described the new Ruler as “the best successor to the best predecessor”.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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
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World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Specs
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
