-News From the Arab World-

[MetSudaisTwice]

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Dubai's ruler Maktoum is buried

Sheikh Maktoum died on Wednesday at the age of 62, while visiting Australia.
Thousands of mourners, including Arab leaders, gathered at the Zabeel mosque in Dubai, for funeral prayers. He was then interred at the city's cemetery.
Sheikh Maktoum was perhaps best known internationally for his involvement in horse-racing, was also PM and vice- president of the United Arab Emirates.
He had been Dubai's ruler since 1990 but had largely handed over day-to-day control of the emirate to his brother, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who succeeds him as emir of Dubai.
Sheikh Mohammed has been the UAE defence minister since 1971 and heir apparent to the throne of Dubai since 1995. He has also been confirmed as prime minister and vice-president of the UAE.

Graveside
Correspondents say the normally bustling city was eerily quiet as about 4,500 white-robed Emiratis participated in the funeral prayer. In accordance with Islamic custom, Sheikh Maktoum's body was wrapped in white cloth on a plain wooden stretcher.

The mourners included King Abdullah II of Jordan, the crown princes of Qatar and Morocco, Kuwait's deputy prime minister, Sheik Nawwaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah, and the Duke of Gloucester, who represented Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.
At the graveside, Sheik Mohammed supervised relatives as they lowered the body into the grave and covered it with sand. A small plain headstone was erected.


New Amir The new Emir, Sheikh Mohammed has been largely responsible for the phenomenal growth and development of the city in recent years, but with Sheikh Maktoum's blessing.

The BBC's Julia Wheeler in Dubai says Sheikh Mohammed is one of the most formidable and impressive sheikhs within the UAE, something which has sparked envy as well as admiration by some in other emirates.
The UAE's supreme council must approve a successor to Sheikh Maktoum as vice-president and prime minister of the federation of seven emirates. This may happen as early as Thursday. There has been a long term understanding that both posts are held by Dubai, although officials say the constitution does not specify this, our correspondent says.

'Historic leader'
Sheikh Maktoum was staying at a luxury hotel on Queensland's Gold Coast when he died.
"The United Arab Emirates [has] lost a historic leader who devoted his life to establishing the United Arab Emirates and enhancing its structure and the welfare of its people," a statement from the UAE's presidency said on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs from the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi said Sheikh Maktoum had "placed his country's interest over any other considerations".
"He was a model of good behaviour," the statement added. Forty days of national mourning were declared on Wednesday.
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[MetSudaisTwice]

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The death toll from a hostel that collapsed in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia has risen to 53.

A Saudi official confirmed the number of deaths after rescuers searched through the night hoping to find trapped survivors.
Rescuers have been using heavy-lifting equipment and sound-detecting gear.
The hostel, just outside Mecca's Great Mosque, fell down on Thursday as people prayed in the nearby streets. At least 64 people were wounded, officials said.
"We may find some more people under the rubble, but we are looking to finish our work today and reopen the road," pilgrimage civil defence force chief Maj Gen Alwani Jeddawi said at the scene.
An interior ministry spokesman said the number of dead could rise even higher. However, rescuers are still hopeful of finding survivors.
"I believe that people are trapped and I still hope to find some survivors," said Brigadier Hamad al-Ahmadi, who oversaw operations through the night.
More than three million Muslims are in the city for the Hajj.
Saudi Red Crescent officials said the dead included pilgrims from Tunisia and Algeria.
The building - on al-Ghazal Street - is only 60m from the walls of the Great Mosque - and was said to have been used by pilgrims from Egypt, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and India.
Prayers The hotel is surrounded by markets and pilgrims had been praying when the incident happened. Reports said at least 30 people were staying there.
Eyewitnesses say they heard a huge cracking sound before the four-storey building toppled onto worshippers streaming out of the eastern gates of the mosque.

The area is still cordoned off as pilgrims continue to flock to the city. Reports said an unnamed official had said the foundations of the hotel had been cracked and weak.

May Allah grant them all the highest status in jannah
wasalam