It started as a ripple and quickly became a wave. Hundreds of people, who were gathered outside Westminster Abbey, reacted to the sight of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin passing the place where she married Prince Philip in 1947.
For many, witnessing the final chapters of the queen’s story was an important chapter of their own family history as well as that of the nation.
Nusrat Mahmud made the trip from Bath, south-west England, with her husband, children and parents, including her mother Farida Khanam Saki, an MP in the Bangladeshi Parliament.
“It’s something for them to remember,” she said, pointing to her sons aged 6 and 9 months. “When they grow up, they can say we were part of this moment in British history.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Sullivan, from Essex, said he held a special link to the queen’s reign as it began the year he was born ―1952.
“There’s a solemn atmosphere here today,” he said, as he stood back from the crowds to have a breather. “It’s quite emotional.
"The queen did a marvellous job and I’m sure [King] Charles will also."
The queen's coffin had been transported along a slow march from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, where in the Great Hall it will now lay in state for four days. The royal family in uniform and formal dress, accompanied by the mass ranks of the leading military regiments, had followed the coffin along the route where the late monarch had performed her decades-long official duties.
For most of those in the crowd, Wednesday had started early as throngs of mourners jostled for front-row positions along The Mall.
While there was stiff competition for space, with many dedicated royalists having camped out overnight, there was also a sense of camaraderie and fellowship in the crowds. Strangers bonded over their shared love and celebration of the late monarch after her 70 years on the throne.
Young and old wrapped in warm coats, blankets and flags, sat on foldable chairs. They sipped warm drinks as they waited patiently to witness the queen’s final journey.
The Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers were on top of the queen’s coffin as it left the palace for the procession at 2.22pm. This was followed by King Charles III, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Princess Anne, the queen’s daughter, also joined the procession on foot, while other royal ladies ― including Queen Consort Camilla, the Princess of Wales, Prince Harry's wife Meghan and Sophie Wessex ― travelled the 1.9-kilometre route by car.
The lying-in-state period will begin at 5pm on Wednesday. It will continue around the clock until 6.30am on Monday, before the queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey at 11am.
With six hours to go before the historic procession started, the crowds along The Mall were already six deep.
“It’s unbelievable,” Derek Derdivanis, an American tourist holidaying in London, told The National as he observed the rows of people. "I admire them, I’m truly surprised that people will sit and wait just to get a glimpse, to be part of history.”
The 68-year-old flew in from California on Tuesday night and is en route to Scotland for a golfing holiday. His scheduled tour of Buckingham Palace was cancelled due to the queen’s death. However, Mr Derdivanis said he was glad he had the chance to witness history unfolding in London.
“It’s an expression of love that the people of England and around the world have for the queen. I love tradition, it’s awesome,” he said.
Chantelle Cahill, 38, woke her six children up at 5am to travel to The Mall and secure a good viewing position. Her youngsters were eagerly awaiting the procession with their home-made condolence cards and bunches of flowers.
The Londoner remembers watching Princess Diana’s funeral procession as a teenager in 1997. She was determined to ensure her four sons and two daughters, aged from 5 to 15, could witness Wednesday's historic event.
“It’s something that they will tell their children and grandchildren about,” she said. “For them to be a part of today is absolutely amazing. They are also seeing King Charles and the future king, William. I said: 'you’ll thank me for years to come'.
“We’ve got ponchos, we’ve got picnics, I’ve even got a bucket in case they need to wee.”
The queen's coffin arrived at the palace on Tuesday evening, having been transported from Scotland on a flight to RAF Northolt. The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence travelled with the casket on the RAF Globemaster C-17 flight from Edinburgh. The coffin remained at the palace overnight, giving royal family members and royal household staff the opportunity to pay their respects.
Security was tight around the palace on Wednesday morning, with police conducting mounted and on-foot patrols. The thousands of bouquets of flowers and other tributes left at the palace walls after the queen's death last Thursday appeared to have been moved to nearby Green Park.
Esther Ravenor, 55, a native of Kenya, said the queen held a special place in her heart due to her connection to her homeland. The late monarch was on holiday in the East African country in 1952 when she heard that her father King George VI had died, making her the new sovereign.
“We love the queen; as Kenyans, we celebrate her,” Ms Ravenor told The National as she unfurled a Kenyan flag. “She taught us kindness, respect and just to be there for each other.
“She was a queen of love. It’s like losing a mum for me. It’s a mix of emotions for me, coming from a migrant background.
“I had some issues with migration and fear of persecution. Later to be given British citizenship was an honour and I am really humbled to be here.”
A special memory ingrained in Ms Ravenor’s mind is her 2005 meeting with the queen at Moorfields Eye Hospital in Islington, London. Her daughter, Zee, and her classmates sang for the monarch.
“It was a proud moment for me,” she said. “I shook her hand. It was amazing. She said the kids were great. It was a special moment I will always remember.”
Royal fan Lewis, 23, travelled to London from Newcastle with his mother Chris, 58, on Tuesday evening. The pair had a few hours’ sleep overnight on foldable chairs, before waking up to a huge influx of fellow mourners.
Dressed in a suit for the sombre occasion, Lewis said he wanted to witness a “momentous moment” in British history. He said he was eager to honour the queen's memory and also show support for the royal family, who are grieving the loss of their matriarch.
“We got here at 8pm last night as people were leaving after seeing her coffin arrive at the palace,” he said. “There were other people on chairs and some people were in tents. There is camaraderie here, people are sharing umbrellas and chatting and they were giving out free hot drinks. It was not too cold but it was damp."
Valerie Garnerone, 53, flew in from the southern French city of Nice on Tuesday. She headed straight to The Mall, where she camped out overnight.
A long-time admirer of the queen, the Frenchwoman hailed the late British monarch for having a strong influence across the globe. “It’s my way to say my last goodbye,” she told The National. “She had a really incredible life and for me it was a priority to be here.”
Sharon Chlouk, in her 50s, arrived with her 17-year-old daughter Riya after taking a train from Brighton. She printed photos of the queen at home and brought them along to hold up as her coffin passed.
“I think it’s nice to have this memory of her,” she told The National as she held up the picture. “She was charming.”
“It’s interesting to see the celebration of her life,” her daughter added.
People queue to see the queen's coffin lying in state - in pictures
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
ATP RANKINGS (NOVEMBER 4)
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts ( 1)
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 ( 1)
9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 ( 1)
10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 ( 3)
11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 ( 3)
12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290
13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)
14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 ( 1)
15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 ( 13)
16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000
17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)
18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775
19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)
20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 ( 7)
Scoreline
Bournemouth 2
Wilson 70', Ibe 74'
Arsenal 1
Bellerin 52'
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
WIDE%20VIEW
%3Cp%3EThe%20benefits%20of%20HoloLens%202%2C%20according%20to%20Microsoft%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EManufacturing%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Reduces%20downtime%20and%20speeds%20up%20onboarding%20and%20upskilling%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngineering%20and%20construction%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Accelerates%20the%20pace%20of%20construction%20and%20mitigates%20risks%20earlier%20in%20the%20construction%20cycle%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHealth%20care%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Enhances%20the%20delivery%20of%20patient%20treatment%20at%20the%20point%20of%20care%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEducation%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Improves%20student%20outcomes%20and%20teaches%20from%20anywhere%20with%20experiential%20learning%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ovasave%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Majd%20Abu%20Zant%20and%20Torkia%20Mahloul%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Healthtech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Three%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24400%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The%20Kitchen
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Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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Results:
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
Winner: AF Al Sajanjle, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
8.15pm: Meydan Trophy Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m
Winner: Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Poetic Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Lava Spin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
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
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
