Princess Amira is the wife of Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. She is vice-chairman of the board of trustees of the Al-Waleed bin Talal Foundation, an international non-profit organization supporting programs and projects to combat poverty, disaster relief, women's rights and interfaith dialogue. The princess is also on the board of trustees of Silatech, an international organization for youth employment.
Princess Amira is a graduate of the University of New Haven (USA) with a degree in business administration.
She defends women's rights, incl. and the right to drive, obtain education, and obtain employment without having to seek permission from a male relative. Amira herself has an international driver's license and drives herself on all trips abroad.
Known for her impeccable dress sense, Amira is the first Saudi princess to refuse to wear the traditional abaya in public like other women in the kingdom.
2. Rania Al-Abdullah (Queen of Jordan)
Rania showed herself to be very ambitious when she was rejected for a senior position at Apple Jordan (she was 22 years old at the time), slammed the door and headed to Citibank Amman, owned by King Abdullah's sister and brother-in-law. It was in the bank office in the spring of 1993 that the girl and the prince exchanged glances for the first time. It didn't take them long to fall madly in love with each other, and the couple celebrated their wedding on June 10, 1993.
The girl received her education in foreign educational institutions: she studied at the New English School in Kuwait, then received a degree in business administration at the American University in Cairo in Egypt. She never wore a headscarf. And he is unlikely to wear it in the future.
By the way, she was born in 1970.
www.queenrania.jo is her website, where she independently responds to visitors every day.
Her Royal Highness Haya bint Al Hussein, Princess of Jordan and Sheikha of the Emirate of Dubai. Younger wife of the Emir of Dubai, loving mother of a 4-year-old daughter, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), patroness of the World Sports Academy, UN Ambassador of Peace, charming woman, President of the Dubai Health Service.
Princess Haya bint Al Hussein was born on May 3, 1974, to King Hussein I of Jordan. Her mother, Queen Alia, tragically died in a helicopter crash in February 1977, leaving three young children orphaned.
Haya received an excellent European education: she studied in England, where she attended Badminton School for Girls in Bristol, Bryanston School in Dorset, and then St Hilda's College at the University of Oxford, from which she graduated with an honors degree in philosophy, politics and economics.
On April 10, 2004, Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, whose fortune is estimated at $20 billion.
4. Princess Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned (Qatar)
Sheikha Moza Nasser breaks all stereotypes about eastern wives, she is the second of the three wives of the Sheikh Emir of the State of Qatar and the daughter of the famous Nasser Abdullah All-Misned.
In 1986, Sheikha entered the National University of Qatar and after some time successfully graduated with a degree in Sociology.
Sheikha holds some international and Qatari posts:
- Chairman of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development;
- President of the Supreme Council of Family Issues;
- Vice President of the Supreme Council for Education;
- UNESCO Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education.
Besides!!! She has seven children: five sons and two daughters.
And again besides that!!! She topped Vanity Fair's "best dressed women" list for the second time.
5. Princess Akishino Mako (Japan)
On October 23, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akishino Mako, eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, celebrated her 20th birthday. According to Japanese law, the princess becomes an adult.
Princess Mako is currently a 3rd grade student at Gakushuin Girls' Senior High School in Tokyo.
Princess Mako has been something of an internet idol since 2004, when she was shown on television wearing a Japanese school uniform as a sailor suit. An image bank was established and a video featuring Princess Mako fanart (with music by IOSYS) was uploaded to the popular video archive website Nico_Nico_Douga, attracting over 340,000 views and 86,000 comments. The Imperial Household Affairs Office, responding to a request for comment, said it was not sure how to handle the matter as it saw no evidence of slander or insults against the Imperial Family.
6. Crown Princess of Brunei - Sarah
Sarah Saleh is a commoner. Before meeting the heir, the girl studied mathematics, biology and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. The smart and charming wife of Crown Prince Al-Muhtadi Bill and mother of Prince Abdul Muntaqim. The Crown Princess is an excellent role model for Brunei youth and is the most popular member of the Sultan of Brunei's family.
By the way, at the wedding she had a bouquet made of gold and diamonds:
7. Lalla Salma (Morocco). Princess engineer :)
She attended a private school in Rabat and then graduated from the Hassan II Lyceum with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. For two years the girl attended preparatory courses at the Lyceum. Moulay Yossefa, and in 2000 she graduated from the Higher School of Informatics and Systems Analysis, after which she interned at the largest private corporation in Morocco - Omnium North Africa (in which the royal family has a 20 percent stake). Six months later, Lalla received the position of information systems engineer.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI became the first monarch in his country's history to break with long-standing tradition and publicly announce his desire to marry twenty-four-year-old Lalla Salma Bennani, a computer engineer. For centuries, Moroccan kings, including the father of the groom, King Hassan II, hid the fact of their marriage and
often even the name of his chosen one. This information was considered a state secret, and queens never played a significant role in governing the country.
From the very beginning, Lalla Salma established certain rules and, making sure that the king was ready to accept them, agreed to his advances. One of the main conditions was monogamous marriage.
Bennani, like Queen Rania of Jordan and Prince William's fiancée Kate Middleton, has quickly become a trendsetter in her country. As soon as the engagement was announced, Moroccan women began to dye their hair red.
In a survey of readers of Hola! Princess Lalla Salma took first place as "the most elegant guest at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge" thanks to her national dress - the kaftan.
8. Princess Sirivannavari (Thailand)
Sirivannavari, the granddaughter of the current ninth king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, appears more often than any other member of the royal family at social events and meetings at the highest level, thereby performing representative functions for all of her many relatives.
The main passion of the 24-year-old Thai princess is fashion design. Collections under the Princess Sirivannavari brand are now successfully traded not only in Bangkok, but also in Paris, Milan and New York.
The modest personal fortune of the heir to the throne of Thailand is almost $35 billion.
9. Princess Ashi Jetsun Pema (since October 13, 2011 Queen of Bhutan)
The new queen is the daughter of a civil aviation pilot. Her mother is a distant relative of the Bhutanese royal family. The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, married a girl from a simple family, 21-year-old student Jetsun Pema.
She was educated in India and is now studying at a university in the UK. Obviously, the girl will be a diplomat, since she is receiving a profession as an international relations specialist.
Officially, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.
In fact, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, the President of the UAE.
Third son of Sheikh Zayed. An interesting point is that she and Khalifa are half-brothers. Khalifa was born to his first wife, Hassa bint Mohammed ibn Khalifa. Sheikh Mohammed ibn Zayed was born to his third wife, Fatima bint Mubarak Al-Ketbi.
Sheikhin Fatima bint-Mubarak Al-Ketbi had only 6 sons: Muhammad, Hamdan, Hazza, Tanun, Mansur and Abdula. They are called “Bani Fatima” or “sons of Fatima”, they form the most influential bloc in the Al-Nahyan family.
Fatima's sons have always been influential; some political scientists even assign them a leading role in the changes in Abu Dhabi that have occurred since 2004. They received full power only in 2014, when Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke. Now it is difficult to say whether the vector of their domestic and foreign policies will change. Wait and see.
Mohammed ibn Zayed studied at school in Al Ain, then in Abu Dhabi. Entered Sandhurst Academy (UK) in 1979. Trained in military skills of helicopter piloting, driving armored vehicles, and parachute jumping. After returning from England, he underwent military training in Sharjah and became an officer in the UAE Armed Forces.
He was an officer in the Amiri Guards (an elite unit), a pilot in the UAE Air Force, and eventually became the Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.
In 2003, he was proclaimed the second Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. After his father's death on November 2, 2004, he became crown prince. Since December 2004, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, member of the Supreme Petroleum Council.
For now, world leaders and political scientists are keeping an eye on Sheikh Mohammed. He is known to believe that the UAE should play a much larger role in world politics. He loves falconry, like his father. He is interested in poetry and writes poetry himself in the Nabati style.
Sheikhin Fatima bint Mubarak Al-Ketbi
Sheikh Zayed's third wife, mother of six of his sons, including Crown Prince Mohammed (de facto ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE).
This woman played a large role in UAE politics during the reign of her husband Sheikh Zayed, and remains very influential to this day. She is called “Mother of the Nation”.
The exact date of her birth is unknown. She was probably born in the mid-40s in . In the 60s she married Zaid Al-Nahyan, becoming his third wife.
In 1973, she founded the Abu Dhabi Women's Awakening Society, the first women's social organization in the UAE. In 1975, she created and headed the UAE Women's Main Union. The main area of interest of these organizations was education, because at that time girls in the UAE did not study at all. In 2004, Fatima facilitated the appointment of the first female minister.
Now she still heads the Main Women's Union, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the Family Development Foundation and several other organizations. And this despite his advanced age! Naturally, Fatima has a gigantic influence on the policies of Sheikh Mohammed and the affairs of Bani Fatima.
Dubai
The Emirate of Dubai is ruled by the Al Muktoum family.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Muktum
Ruling Emir (officially since January 4, 2006, actually since January 3, 1995), Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE since February 11, 2006.
Sheikh Mohammed is called “The Architect of Modern Dubai”. He is a very well-rounded man and is now the most famous leader in the UAE.
Mohammed became the third son of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Saeed Al-Muktum. His mother Lafita was the daughter of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hamadan ibn Zayed Al Nahyan. As a child, Muhammad received both secular and traditional Islamic education. In 1966 (at the age of 18) he studied in the UK at the Mons Cadet Corps and in Italy to become a pilot.
In 1968, Mohammed attended his father's meeting with Sheikh Zayed at Argub al-Sedira, where the rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi agreed on the imminent creation of the UAE. After the formation of the UAE, he was Minister of Defense and head of the Dubai Police.
On October 7, 1990, Muhammad's father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Said, died. Power passed to the eldest son, Sheikh Muktum ibn Rashid, who was very fond of equestrian sports and was an excellent athlete, but was not drawn to politics and management.
On January 4, 1995, Muktum ibn Rashid appoints Mohammed as crown prince and, in fact, transfers power to him in the emirate of Dubai. On January 4, 2006, Muktum ibn Rashid died of a heart attack, Mohammed ibn Rashid became the official ruler of Dubai.
The list of achievements of Muhammad ibn Rashid is enormous. He diversified the economy of Dubai, now oil revenues account for only 4% of the emirate’s GDP, Dubai has become a shopping “mecca”, second only to London, the largest trading and financial center.
With his support or on his initiative, the following were created: Emirates airline, the artificial islands of Palm and World, the world's largest artificial harbor of Jebel Ali, the Dubai Internet City zone and hundreds of other projects.
He became famous for his raids on enterprises, where he personally checked whether employees were in their places and fired those who were absent. Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid is famous for his intolerance of corruption; during his rule, hundreds of officials caught in bribes and using their positions for personal gain were sent to prison.
Now (note: the article was updated in the fall of 2019) he is already 70 years old, but he is full of energy and is successfully implementing his Dubai development plan until 2021. He recently took part in the Arab Strategic Forum, and you can't tell he's 70.
Hundreds of people die every day in hot spots in the Middle East, but it so happens that the recent death of just one person from the region has attracted the attention of the world's media. One of the richest Arab noble families is experiencing grief - Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed al-Maktoum died untimely. He was the eldest in the family of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the second most important and influential person in the political hierarchy of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum serves as the Emir of Dubai and is also the Prime Minister, Vice President and Minister of Defense of the UAE. His eldest son Rashid was only 33 years old - he did not live to see his 34th birthday for a month and a half. Rashid’s younger brother Hamdan al-Maktoum wrote on his social media page: “Today I lost my best friend and childhood companion, dear brother Rashid. We will miss you." World media reported that Rashid died of a heart attack. Of course, thirty-four is not the age to die. But, no matter how sad it is, all people are mortal and it happens suddenly and prematurely. But the death of Sheikh Rashid attracted the attention of the world community not by chance. However, first things first.
Lords of Dubai
The al-Maktoum dynasty is one of the most influential noble Bedouin families on the Persian Gulf coast. The Maktoums come from the powerful Arab clan al-Abu Falah (al-Falahi), which, in turn, belongs to the Beni Yas tribal federation, which has dominated the territory of the modern United Arab Emirates since the mid-18th century. In the 19th century, the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf increasingly attracted the attention of Great Britain, which sought to strengthen its military and trading positions in the southern seas. The growing British presence in the Persian Gulf hampered Arab maritime trade, but local sheikhdoms and emirates were not able to interfere with the largest maritime power. Back in 1820, the British East India Company forced the rulers of seven Arab emirates to sign the “General Treaty”, as a result of which the territory of Oman was divided into the Imamate of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat and the Pirate Coast. British military bases were located here, and the emirs were made dependent on the British political agent. In 1833, the al-Abu Falah clan migrated from the territory of modern Saudi Arabia to the coast, to which the Maktoum family seized power in the city of Dubai and proclaimed the creation of the independent emirate of Dubai. Access to the sea ensured the economic development of Dubai, which became one of the important ports on the Persian Gulf coast. At the end of the 19th century, British diplomats managed to achieve the conclusion of an “Exceptional Agreement” between the sheikhs of Treaty Oman, as the territory of the modern UAE was previously called, with Great Britain. It was signed in March 1892. Among the sheikhs who signed the agreement was the then ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Maktoum (1886-1894). From the moment the “Exceptional Agreement” was signed, a British protectorate was established over Trucial Oman. Sheikhs, including representatives of the al-Maktoum dynasty, were deprived of the right to conduct international negotiations and enter into agreements with other states, to cede, sell or lease parts of the territories under their control to other states or foreign companies.
First half of the twentieth century. became a turning point for the Persian Gulf emirates, which predetermined the fundamental changes that subsequently occurred in their lives. The once backward desert lands, with a small population loyal to the traditional way of life and customs, received a tremendous impetus for development - huge oil reserves were discovered in the Persian Gulf. Naturally, this immediately attracted the attention of the British authorities, who established control over the granting of permits by the sheikhs for exploration and exploitation of oil fields in the region. However, until the 1950s. There was virtually no oil production in the region, and the Arab Emirates continued to receive most of its income from the pearl trade. But after the oil fields began to be exploited, the standard of living in the emirates began to rise rapidly. The well-being of the sheikhs themselves, who gradually turned into some of the richest inhabitants of the planet, also increased many times over. Unlike many other states of the Arab East, there was practically no national liberation struggle in the emirates of the Persian Gulf. The sheikhs were already pleased with their growing prosperity, especially since they had the opportunity to educate their offspring in Great Britain and purchase real estate there. In 1968, Great Britain, however, decided to gradually withdraw British military units from the Persian Gulf countries. The sheikhs and emirs decided to create the Federation of Arab Emirates of the Persian Gulf. On February 18, 1968, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and the Sheikh of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum, met and agreed to create the federation of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On December 2, 1971, the emirs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were joined by the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al-Quwain, who signed the constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai became the second most important emirate, and therefore its rulers secured the second most important positions in the country. From 1971 to 1990 The emirate was ruled by Rashid ibn Said, under whom the rapid development of Dubai's economy took place. The city began to be built up with modern skyscrapers, the World Trade Center was founded, and work began on clearing coastal waters and developing a seaport. Dubai has transformed from an archaic Arab town into an ultra-modern city, the infrastructure of which was beyond the ability of its indigenous residents to maintain. Therefore, Dubai was flooded with foreign labor migrants - people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the countries of North and North-East Africa. They are currently the main “working link” of the population of both Dubai and other parts of the UAE. After Sheikh Rashid ibn Said died in October 1990, his eldest son Maktoum ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (1943-2006) was proclaimed the new emir of Dubai, who ruled for 16 years.
Currently, the Emir of Dubai is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was born in 1949, educated in London, and after the declaration of independence of Dubai, he was appointed chief of police of the emirate and commander of the defense forces. In 1995, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid appointed his younger brother Mohammed bin Rashid as Crown Prince of Dubai. At the same time, Mohammed began to exercise actual leadership of the city of Dubai itself, making a great contribution to its economic development. One of the merits of Mohammed ibn Rashid is the development of air traffic in Dubai. In the 1970s Sheikh Mohammed, who then headed the Dubai Defense Forces and the UAE Ministry of Defense, was also responsible for the development of the country's civil aviation. It was with his direct participation that Dubai airlines were created, including FlyDubai. Mohammed also came up with the idea of building the world's largest hotel, Burj Al Arab, which is part of the Jumeirah tourism group, which in turn is a component of the Emirati holding Dubai Holding. Currently, Emirati civil aviation provides air transportation all over the world, but primarily to Arab countries and South Asian countries. Under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed, in 1999, the creation of Dubai Internet City was carried out - a free economic zone on the territory of the emirate. That is, the contribution of the current ruler to the development of his country is very significant, although the emir also never forgot about his own well-being. After Sheikh Maktoum ibn Rashid died during a visit to Australia in 2006, Mohammed inherited the emir's throne of Dubai. He accordingly proclaimed his eldest son Rashid as heir to the throne.
Sheikh Rashid - from succession to the throne to disgrace
Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum was born on November 12, 1981 to Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum and his first wife Hind bint Maktoum bin Yuma al-Maktoum, with whom Mohammed ibn Rashid married in 1979. Childhood Rashid took place in the rich emir's palace, then at the elite school for boys named after Sheikh Rashid in Dubai. In this school, education is based on British standards - after all, the elite of the Emirates then send their offspring to receive higher education in the UK. As a rule, the children of sheikhs receive military education, since for a real Bedouin only military service is considered worthy. The hero of our article was no exception. Prince Rashid was sent to study at the renowned Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where the sons of many high-ranking persons from Asian and African states that were once British colonies and protectorates study. In particular, the current Emir of Qatar, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain and the Sultan of Brunei studied at Sandhurst.
After returning to his homeland, Rashid gradually learned the duties of the emir, as his father groomed him for the role of heir and intended to eventually transfer to him the responsibilities of the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister of the UAE. It seemed that the future of young Rashid was predetermined - it was he who would succeed his father Mohammed on the throne of the ruler of Dubai. Naturally, the attention of the world secular press was also focused on one of the richest and most famous young people on the planet. But just over seven years ago, the situation changed dramatically for Rashid. On February 1, 2008, Sheikh Mohammed appointed his second son, Hamdan bin Mohammed, as Crown Prince of Dubai. Another son, Maktoum ibn Mohammed, was appointed to the post of deputy ruler of Dubai. The eldest son, Rashid ibn Mohammed, officially announced his abdication of the throne. Moreover, he did not receive a single important post in the management system of the emirate of Dubai - neither in the army, nor in the police, nor in civilian structures. Moreover, Rashid practically stopped appearing with his father in front of television cameras, but his brother Hamdan increasingly became the hero of television stories and newspaper publications. This indicated real disgrace, into which, for some reason, yesterday’s heir to the emir’s throne, Rashid, fell. Journalists around the world began to wonder what caused Sheikh Mohammed's sudden decision to remove his eldest son from the role of heir to the throne.
When the WikiLeaks documents were published, among them was a telegram from the US Consul General in Dubai, David Williams, in which he informed his leadership about the changes that had occurred in the order of succession to the emir's throne. According to Williams, the reason for Sheikh Rashid's disgrace was the crime he committed - the emir's eldest son allegedly killed one of the servants in the emir's palace. Father Sheikh Mohammed for this reason became very angry with his son and removed him from inheriting the throne. Of course, criminal prosecution of Sheikh Rashid never came, but he was removed from leadership positions in the emirate. Let us note once again that this is unconfirmed information, so there is no reason to unconditionally believe it, but we cannot exclude the fact that the everyday behavior of the heir to the throne could serve as one of the reasons for the deterioration of his relationship with his father and, as a result, disgrace and exclusion from inheriting the throne . 
The media did a lot of work to promote his younger brother Hamdan. Hamdan was reported to be a very athletic person, a diver and a lover of skydiving. In addition, Hamdan loves animals and keeps lions and white tigers in his personal zoo, and loves falconry. He is a rider and an excellent driver, a yachtsman and even a poet who writes his poems under the pseudonym Fazza. Hamdan is positioned as a philanthropist who organizes donations to the disabled, sick children and the poor. Naturally, the secular press immediately dubbed Hamdan one of the most eligible bachelors of the modern world. However, there were very good reasons for this - Hamdan is truly a fabulously rich man, his fortune reaches 18 billion dollars (this is 9 times more than the fortune of his late older brother Rashid). Apparently, Hamdan has a calmer disposition than his older brother - at least, no scandals involving him are known. Obviously, this circumstance influenced Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to make Hamdan heir.
What happened to Sheikh Rashid?
After disgrace, Sheikh Rashid ibn Mohammed completely entered the world of sports and other entertainment. We must give him his due - as a rider he was really quite good. The Al Maktoum family has traditionally had a keen interest in equestrian sports, and Rashid owned the Zabeel Racing International corporation. But he acted not only as the organizer of the races, but also as their direct participant. Rashid had 428 medals won in various competitions in the emirates and other countries. He received two gold medals at the Asian Games, held in 2006 in Doha - while Rashid was heir to the throne. In 2008-2010 Rashid headed the Olympic Committee of the United Arab Emirates, but then left this position. He explained his resignation from the post of president of the committee by the lack of free time and the associated impossibility of fully fulfilling the duties of the head of this structure. In 2011, public attention was focused on another scandal related to the behavior of members of the emir's family. As you know, sheikhs have real estate not only in the emirates, but also abroad, including in the UK. This property is serviced by hired personnel, among whom are not only UAE citizens, but also workers from other countries. One of the UK courts received a lawsuit from an African named Olantunji Faleye. Mr. Faleye, an Anglican by religion, worked for some time at the British residence of the al-Maktoum family. He told the court that family members called him "al-abd al-aswad" - "black slave", made contemptuous comments about Faleye's race, also made insulting comments about Christianity and tried to persuade the worker to convert to Islam. Faleye considered this to be racial and religious discrimination, and therefore appealed to the UK judicial authorities. Another former employee of the emir's residence named Ejil Mohammed Ali testified as a witness at the court hearings, who, under oath, told the court that Sheikh Rashid allegedly suffered from drug addiction and had recently (at the time of the trial) undergone a rehabilitation course for the consequences of drug abuse. It is likely that Rashid's dependence, if it existed, could also be one of the reasons why Sheikh Mohammed excluded his eldest son from inheritance.
If the rumors about addiction are true, then death at 33 from a heart attack can be easily explained. Indeed, under the wording “heart attack” in this case, either an ordinary overdose or an actual failure of the heart as a result of many years of drug use could be hidden. But everything turned out to be even more confusing. Almost immediately after the death of Sheikh Rashid, the Iranian media (and Iran, as you know, is the main opponent of Saudi Arabia and its ally the UAE in the Islamic world and the Middle East) reported that the prince did not die of a heart attack. He died in Yemen - in the province of Marib, in the central part of the country. Allegedly, Rashid and the officers and soldiers of the United Arab Emirates army accompanying him came under fire from the rocket artillery of the Houthis - Yemeni rebels fighting against supporters of the ousted President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some others acting on their side states of the region. After the news of Rashid’s death, the UAE authorities chose to hide this fact from the country’s population. Apparently, the report of death from a heart attack, which caused a lot of misinterpretation and speculation, including attributing the death to the consequences of drug use, still seemed more acceptable to the Dubai authorities than the statement about Rashid’s death in battle. It would seem that the heroic death of the young sheikh would only raise the authority of the emir's family, but in reality everything is not so simple. The UAE authorities, like other Gulf states, are very wary of popular unrest.
The Emirates is a country of rich natives and poor migrants
The socio-economic situation of these states, despite the untold oil wealth, is gradually deteriorating, which is associated, among other things, with the formation of an extremely polarized and explosive society. The prosperity of the UAE, like other oil-producing monarchies in the Persian Gulf, is based not only on oil production, but also on the brutal exploitation of foreign migrant workers who work in almost all sectors of the country's economy. Migrants make up at least 85-90% of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, without having any rights. All social benefits and economic wealth of the UAE are concentrated in the hands of the ruling family of sheikhs al-Maktoum and the indigenous inhabitants of the country - representatives of Arab Bedouin tribes. The indigenous population makes up only 10-15% of the total population of the UAE. It turns out that the emirates can only very conditionally be called Arab, since the vast majority of their inhabitants, albeit temporary, are not Arabs. The bulk of migrants arrive in the UAE from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. These people, coming from overpopulated countries with very high unemployment rates, are willing to work for 150-300 US dollars a month, living in poverty and subject to total police control. The majority of construction and port workers in the UAE are migrant men. Among immigrants from India, residents of the southern states predominate - primarily representatives of the Dravidian peoples of Telugu and Tamil. As for the militant Punjabis and Sikhs from Northern India, the UAE government prefers not to get involved with them, so it is extremely reluctant to grant them work permits. Among Pakistanis, the bulk of migrants are Baluchis - this ethnicity inhabits the southwest of Pakistan, which is geographically closest to the Persian Gulf. Women work in the service and healthcare sectors. Thus, 90% of nurses in UAE healthcare institutions are Filipino citizens.
Compared to Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos, people from other, poorer Arab states are very few in the UAE. It would seem that it is much easier to accept Arabs, with whom there are no linguistic and cultural barriers, than Indians or Filipinos, but the UAE government has been doing so since the 1980s. took a conscious course to limit immigration from Arab countries as much as possible. Note that the UAE does not accept Syrian refugees. This is explained by the fact that the UAE authorities, like other monarchies in the Persian Gulf, suspect the Arabs of political disloyalty. Many Arabs from poor countries are carriers of radical ideologies - from fundamentalism to revolutionary socialism, which the Emirati authorities do not like very much. After all, “foreign” Arabs are capable of influencing the political views and behavior of the local Arab population. In addition, Arabs will be more confident in defending their labor rights and may demand citizenship. The authorities of the Persian Gulf countries finally decided to put an end to the issue of placing Arab immigrants after the events of 1990, when Iraq tried to annex the territory of neighboring Kuwait. Kuwait was home to a sizeable community of Palestinians who were encouraged by Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to cooperate with the Iraqi army. In addition, Saddam Hussein's policies were also supported by Arabs from other states who sympathized with the national socialist views of the Baath Party. The Kuwaiti events caused the mass deportation from the Gulf countries of more than 800 thousand people from Yemen, 350 thousand Palestinian Arabs, and many thousands of citizens of Iraq, Syria and Sudan. Note that all of the listed Arab communities are represented by people from those countries where nationalist and socialist ideas have traditionally spread, which are considered by the monarchs of the Gulf countries as dangerous threats to the political stability of the region.
Naturally, foreign migrants who do not have labor rights do not have any political rights. There are no political parties or trade unions in the UAE, and worker protests are prohibited. As the American writer and publicist Michael Davis writes, “Dubai is a huge gated community, a green zone. It is the apotheosis of the neoliberal values of late capitalism, more than Singapore or Texas; this society seems to be written within the walls of the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. And indeed, Dubai has achieved what American reactionaries can only dream of - an oasis of “free enterprise” without taxes, trade unions and political opposition” (Quoted from: The life of guest workers in the neoliberal-feudal UAE // http://ttolk.ru/ ?p=273). In fact, foreign workers are in a bonded position in the UAE, since upon arrival in the country their passports and visas are taken away, after which they are settled in guarded camps on the outskirts of Dubai and are not allowed to visit public places in the city. The labor organization system in the UAE was inherited from the colonial era - then the British colonialists also imported Indian coolies who worked for next to nothing and were in bondage to their employers. Any attempts by foreign workers to speak out in defense of their rights and interests are brutally suppressed by the emirate authorities. But even under these conditions, mass unrest periodically occurs in the country, initiated by crowds of exploited Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi workers. In 2007, a mass strike of Indian and Pakistani construction workers took place in the UAE, in which about 40 thousand migrants took part. The reason for the strike was workers' dissatisfaction with wages, working and living conditions, as well as the standard of two liters of free water per person per day. As a result of the strike, 45 Indian workers were sentenced to 6 months in prison and subsequent deportation from the UAE for endangering public safety and destroying property. However, labor conflicts are not always the cause of the unrest that is increasingly occurring in Dubai. The presence in the UAE of a huge number of young men who do not have families here and do not have regular contact with the female sex, in itself turns out to be a serious factor provoking an increase in all kinds of crimes. Thus, in October 2014, riots in Dubai were caused by clashes between Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers who fought after watching a broadcast of a football match between teams of the two countries. On March 11, 2015, construction workers working on the construction of Fountain Views, an elite residential area, protested in Dubai. They demanded higher wages. However, much more than unrest organized by migrants, the UAE authorities are afraid of discontent among the indigenous population.
After oil development began and the UAE economy began to grow at a rapid pace, the Emirati authorities sought in every possible way to improve the life of the indigenous population of the country, including in order to eliminate the possibility of anti-government protests on the part of Bedouin tribes. For citizens of the country of indigenous origin, numerous benefits were established, benefits and all kinds of cash payments were introduced. By doing this, the UAE government sought to protect the country from the spread of radical views popular in other Arab countries. However, at present, the stability gained through the ongoing social policy to support the indigenous population is under threat. And the reason for this is the country’s involvement in hostilities in Yemen.
The war in Yemen is claiming more lives of UAE citizens
Like other Gulf states, the UAE, including the emirate of Dubai, spends huge sums on defense and security. The militarization of the country especially intensified after the events of the Arab Spring in 2011 and the civil wars caused by its consequences in a number of states in the Middle East and North Africa. It was the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, that made the main contribution to provoking and inciting armed conflicts in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Media owned by Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia played a major role in the “information war” against the regimes of Assad, Mubarak, Gaddafi, and Saleh. With direct financial, organizational and even personnel support from the Gulf countries, radical religious and political organizations operate in almost all countries and regions of the Islamic world - from West Africa to Central Asia, from the North Caucasus to Indonesia. However, by directly supporting radical forces, the Gulf countries also jeopardized their own security. Radical fundamentalist groups, supported by Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, have long accused the monarchical elites of the Gulf countries of betraying religious ideals and adopting a Western way of life. Then, in 2011, the Arab Spring miraculously did not overwhelm the Gulf monarchies. Today, the situation has been seriously aggravated by the fact that the monarchies of the region are mired in the civil war in Yemen.
Let us recall that back in 2004, contradictions intensified in Yemen between the government and the Shiites - the Zaydis, whose movement was called “Houthis” - named after Hussein al-Houthi, the first leader of the Zaydi uprising, who was killed in September 2004. In 2011, the Houthis took part in the revolution that overthrew the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Houthis intensified their fighting in 2014 and captured the capital Sanaa in early 2015, forcing President Mansour Hadi to flee to neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis created the Revolutionary Council to govern Yemen. The President of the Revolutionary Council is Muhammad Ali al-Houthi. According to Western and Saudi politicians, the Yemeni Houthis are actively supported by Iran, as well as Lebanese Shiites from Hezbollah and the Syrian government. Fearing the transformation of populous Yemen into an outpost of Iranian influence on the Arabian Peninsula, the Arab monarchies decided to take part in the civil war in the country, supporting the ousted President Mansour Hadi. Operation Storm of Determination began on March 25, 2015 with an attack by the Saudi Arabian Air Force on Houthi positions in a number of cities in Yemen. For a long time, Saudi Arabia, which acted as the leader of the anti-Houthi coalition, and its allies did not dare to conduct a ground operation against the Houthis, limiting themselves to constant air raids on Yemeni cities and military bases. However, in the end, direct clashes could not be avoided and they immediately revealed the entire weakness of the anti-Houthi coalition. Moreover, the Houthis managed to transfer hostilities to the border areas of Saudi Arabia. On June 10, 2015, Saudi soldiers voluntarily abandoned their defensive positions in the city of Najran. This was explained not so much by the cowardice of the Saudi military, but by their reluctance to fight with the Yemenis. The fact is that the majority of privates, sergeants and junior officers of the Saudi army units are themselves Yemenis by origin and do not see the need to fight with their fellow countrymen and even fellow tribesmen. It is known that in the Gulf countries the bulk of the employed population is represented by foreign migrants. The armed forces and police are no exception, in which there are also a lot of people from other countries, including Yemen. On June 21, 2015, the Ahrar al-Najran movement - "Free Citizens of Najran" - announced the accession of the tribes of the Saudi province of Najran to the Houthis and opposed the policies of the Saudi government. Thus, the civil war spread to the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The United Arab Emirates also became involved in the standoff in Yemen, siding with Saudi Arabia. Soon, the participation of UAE troops in ground operations entailed serious casualties. Thus, several dozen UAE military personnel were killed as a result of missile attacks by the Yemeni army on Saudi positions at the base in Wadi al-Najran, where units of the UAE contingent were stationed. On September 4, 2015, there was a new missile attack by the Yemeni army on the location of anti-Houthi coalition troops in Marib province. An explosion occurred as a result of the strike, which hit an ammunition depot. 52 soldiers of the UAE army, 10 soldiers of the Saudi Arabian army, 5 soldiers of the Bahrain army and about 30 militants of the Yemeni anti-Houthi forces were killed. The destruction of the UAE armed forces camp was the largest Houthi military action against the Saudi coalition in Yemen to date. In addition to soldiers and officers, a large amount of ammunition, armored vehicles, and Apache helicopters in service with the UAE army were destroyed during the missile attack. Among those wounded in the shelling of the UAE army camp was the son of the ruler of the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi. It seems that his injury has opened the list of high-ranking Emirati figures who have been injured as a result of participating in hostilities in Yemen. Later, in the Al-Safer area, the Houthis managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter belonging to the UAE armed forces with a surface-to-air missile. The UAE military personnel on board the helicopter were killed. On September 5, the UAE declared national mourning for the soldiers killed in the Wadi al-Najran camp.
Meanwhile, for the United Arab Emirates itself, getting involved in conflicts in neighboring countries is increasingly costly and affects the internal life of the state. Thus, in 2014, the UAE introduced compulsory conscription for military service for male citizens aged 18-30 years. It is provided that citizens who have a high school diploma serve 9 months, and citizens who do not have a secondary education serve 24 months. Until 2014, the UAE army was recruited exclusively on a contract basis. To serve in the UAE armed forces, Balochis from Pakistan were hired for private and sergeant positions, and Jordanian Circassians and Arabs for officer positions. In addition, the UAE army formed a battalion of 800 foreign mercenaries who had previously served in the Colombian, South African and French armies. Calling on the citizens of the Emirates who are spoiled and pampered with free education, benefits and payments is, apparently, an extreme measure. The UAE leadership does not trust foreign migrant contract workers and prefers to use representatives of the country's indigenous population. However, the latter have to fight outside the UAE - to realize the political ambitions of their leaders and within the framework of allied relations with Saudi Arabia. Naturally, the population of the UAE likes the current situation less and less. Especially after the news of the mass death of Emirati soldiers and officers in the Wadi al-Najran camp. In this situation, any informational occasion can provoke massive discontent among the country's population. Therefore, the reluctance of the UAE leadership to disclose the true causes of the death of Prince Rashid bin Mohammed al-Maktoum, if he really died in Yemen as a result of a Houthi attack, and did not die of a heart attack, is understandable.
The leadership of the Emirates fears that the death of the young prince will be perceived painfully by the indigenous population of the country - after all, many young men - citizens of the UAE - will subconsciously put themselves in the place of the deceased prince. Wealthy residents of the UAE do not at all want to die in Yemen, so it is likely that a response to the death of the prince could be mass anti-war protests and a boycott of military conscription. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that information about the death of Sheikh Rashid in Yemen, which first appeared in the Iranian media, may be a component of the information confrontation between Iran and the coalition of Gulf countries. But, whatever the true reasons for the death of the former heir to the Dubai throne, the UAE, by getting involved in large-scale hostilities in Yemen, jeopardized its own political and social stability. The monarchies of the Persian Gulf, being an instrument of the United States in realizing its own interests in the Middle East, have long functioned in the mode of “waiting for a social explosion.” Whether it will be, what it will be like and what will cause it - time will tell.
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33-year-old Sheikh Hamdan is the son of the famous Arab Sheikh Mohamed Al Maktoum, who is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE. The eminent heir was born in November 1982 and, what is most interesting, he is not the only one. His family includes six brothers and nine sisters.
Sheikh Hamdan received an excellent education in England, where he spent his youth. He graduated with honors from the Military School and the College of Economics in London. Already in the UAE, Hamdan entered the school of administrative management, which helped him in his further government activities.
Sheikh Hamdan took the throne in 2008 after his older brother abdicated. This news was not new to the parents, as they expected such an outcome of events. The Prince of Dubai has lived up to the expectations placed on him and has ruled the principality for 10 years. It is noted that he actively participates in the political life of the country, not missing a single meeting.
The usual appearance of eminent heirs does not apply to the prince of the UAE. Naturally, he lives in comfortable apartments, he has a car and a yacht, but at the same time, Prince Hamdan is one of the most responsible rulers. The Prince successfully runs the Young Entrepreneurs Institute and holds a leadership position in the Emirate Sports Council.
In addition, the Prince of the UAE finances several programs that are aimed at raising funds to help children and animals. He is the head of one of the charitable foundations that deals with autistic children.
Mutilation of Prince Hamdan
However, in his life there is not only politics. The prince also finds time for entertainment. Despite his position in society, the sheikh has a lot of hobbies. The heir's favorite pastimes are diving, water skiing and parachute jumping. Once he had the opportunity to test a modern aircraft that was capable of rising into the air, spewing huge jets of water.
As is clear from the above, the prince is attracted to extreme sports. His achievements also include photo hunting on the African continent. The heir is the winner of the Olympic Games in equestrian sports.
Personal life of Prince Hamdan
The young man is currently an eligible bachelor. And if you consider that he is handsome and smart, and not without a sense of humor and modesty, then a whole line of beautiful ladies will line up in an attempt to win his heart.
The media have repeatedly said that the prince’s heart is not occupied by anyone and he is in search of the one and only. However, more than once information was found that the prince’s engagement took place in infancy and the chosen one had long been found. It recently became known that Sheikha Hamdan’s wife should be Sheikha bint Said Thani al-Maktoum. The tabloid press has repeatedly published photographs of the prince with a stranger whose face is hidden by fabric.
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the 35-year-old heir to the throne of the Emirate of Dubai. Sheikh Hamdan is a true eastern prince: he is fabulously handsome, owns a huge fortune and enjoys such typical royal things as falconry, equestrianism and Formula 1 racing. His fortune is estimated at over $18 billion.
Let's tell you about the life of a young billionaire.
1. Arab Sheikh Hamdan has lived in incredible luxury since birth. He was born into the family of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. He also has 6 brothers and 9 sisters. In the United Arab Emirates, Hamdan is a very popular person due to his versatile image and apparent “closeness to the people.”
2. In fact, Hamdan spent most of his life not in his native United Arab Emirates, but in Great Britain, where he received an excellent education. First, he studied at the elite military school of the ground forces at Sandhurst, which is often chosen by English aristocrats for their beloved children. Then the sheikh moved to London, where he studied economics. After several years spent in Foggy Albion, Hamdan still had to return to his homeland - matters of national importance were already awaiting him there.
4. In ordinary life, Sheikh Hamdan looks a little different - he loves baseball caps with Formula 1 symbols, sports T-shirts and shorts. And the prince is to some extent far from politics - he is quite romantic in nature, loves travel, falconry and horse riding.
5. The prince is an excellent rider, he is very interested in equestrian sports, has his own stable and once won the Arab Olympic Games thanks to his skill in the saddle.
6. The Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates is not at all like the British princes Harry or William, although he lived in England for several years. Very little is known about Hamdan’s personal life, unlike his famous “colleagues,” and what is known is only rumors and guesses. One thing we know for sure is that the image makers of the royal court are constantly working to ensure that the image of the sheikh is impeccable.
7. Judge for yourself - Sheikh Hamdan is constantly photographed with children, his many nephews and nieces and at the same time looks like an absolutely charming and kind uncle. At the same time, the sheikh does not let anyone forget that he lives in luxury - on the Internet you can find a lot of photographs of Hamdan with tiger cubs (he can afford to have a pet tiger instead of a modest cat!), falcons, Arabian horses, luxury cars, in interiors a magnificent palace... In a word, the sheikh is constantly in an aura of power and wealth.
8. Of course, one of the richest people in the world cannot help but engage in charity work - Hamdan oversees several foundations, and sometimes he himself comes to visit people in need of help.
9. His personal life and relationships with women in the UAE are talked about only in whispers. Answering a question about his possible marriage, the prince said that he had been engaged to a maternal relative since birth, so there were no problems with choosing a bride - everything was decided long before he even entered conscious age. Several times his photo with an unknown woman appeared in the media, but we will never see her face - Hamdan's alleged bride (or wife?) wears a black burqa, showing the world only her eyes. Everything else is for the husband.
10. However, the sheikh has the right to have as many wives as he wants, so it is quite difficult to talk about the prince’s romantic attachments. By comparison, Hamdan's father, Sheikh Mohammed, is rumored to have around five wives. We say “about” because the exact number is really unknown - there are only eyewitness accounts and guesses.
In a word, even girls from aristocratic families have no opportunity to get closer to the mysterious eastern prince, since everything connected with his personality is confidential information, and the influential Hamdan clan is unlikely to leave the choice of wives to his own discretion. This does not prevent the sheikh from having a lot of fans of his attractive appearance and various talents - after all, no one forbade him to watch and believe!
11. Nowadays, the 32-year-old sheikh works as chairman of the Dubai City Council and president of the Dubai Sports Committee.
12. Like his father, Sheikh Hamdan writes poetry. The main motives of poetry are family, homeland, romantic relationships.
13. The prince is a skilled horseman. He received a gold medal in horse riding at the Asian Games.
14. His Highness is also interested in breeding camels, which requires considerable expenses.
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