When Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced her abdication on New Year’s Eve, she also reshuffled the unofficial ranking of the world’s longest-serving rulers.
For the UAE, it means Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, becomes the second longest-serving ruler out of the world's royal families – behind the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, who has ruled the Asian nation since 1967.
It also means the top two ruler for longevity are both from Muslim countries.
Sheikh Dr Sultan, now 84, became ruler of the emirate on January 25, 1972, following the death of his brother, Sheikh Khalid.
Equally remarkable is the presence of two other UAE Rulers in the top five.
In fourth place, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, is now 74 and has ruled since 1974. In fifth place, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, is now 92 and has ruled since 1981.
Their longevity is a testimony not just to their personal strengths, but to the stability of the UAE.
Third on the list, behind Sheikh Dr Sultan, is King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. The 77-year-old has ruled his country since 1973.
Queen Margrethe will step down from the throne of Denmark on January 14, making way for her eldest son, the Crown Prince Frederik.
Her decision to abdicate at the age of 83 is unusual.
Longest-serving monarchs in history
Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1952 and held it until her death at 96 in September 2022, when she was the second-longest ruler in modern history at 70 years and 214 days.
Only Louis XIV of France had a longer reign than Elizabeth II, coming to the throne at the age of four, with a coronation at the age of sixteen. Known as the “Sun King”, he passed away in September 1715, having ruled for a record 72 years and 110 days.
More recently, Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, was King of Thailand from 1946 to 2016, making him the third longest-ruler in modern times, with 70 years and 126 days on the throne. He was succeeded by his only son, King Vajiralongkorn.
Extravagant claims for longevity have been made for monarchs from the ancient world, though.
Min Hti, a king of what is now part of Myanmar (Burma), is said to have ruled for 106 years in the 13th and 14th centuries CE.
And over 4,000 years ago, the Pharaoh Pepi II Neferkare is said to have ruled Egypt’s Old Kingdom for 94 years after ascending the throne at the age of six.
When it comes to the shortest reigning monarch, the story of a baby girl who was Chinese emperor stands out.
She was the unnamed daughter of Emperor Xiaoming, who ruled northern China in the 6th Century.
At her birth, the emperor’s mother is said to have declared her to be a boy. When the emperor died shortly after, the infant was briefly announced as the new ruler.
However, within a day had been dethroned after her grandmother revealed her true sex.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
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Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Read more about the coronavirus
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
