Yemen's councillor Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Alkaff kneels before Queen Elizabeth II to be knighted during her visit to Aden. AFP
Yemen's councillor Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Alkaff kneels before Queen Elizabeth II to be knighted during her visit to Aden. AFP
Yemen's councillor Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Alkaff kneels before Queen Elizabeth II to be knighted during her visit to Aden. AFP
Yemen's councillor Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Alkaff kneels before Queen Elizabeth II to be knighted during her visit to Aden. AFP

Platinum Jubilee: Yemen remembers Queen Elizabeth's visit and a lost era of hope


Ali Mahmood
  • English
  • Arabic

Just two years into her reign, a young Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh left the UK for her first and longest Commonwealth tour as monarch. It lasted from November 1953 until May 1954, covering 44,000 miles and stopping in the West Indies, Australasia, Asia and Africa.

Towards the end of her epic trip, the royal ship S.S. Gothic docked in Aden for a brief visit.

South Yemen was a British protectorate at the time, with the northern part being an Imamate. By 1968, Yemen was free of colonial shackles and later formed into one republic.

Queen Elizabeth’s April 1954 visit saw the royal couple alight at Prince of Wales Pier where they were greeted by the Governor of Aden, Sir Tom Hickinbotham, and other British dignitaries.

The pair travelled in an open-top car from the pier to an enclosure nearby where they watched a military parade featuring the RAF, Aden Protectorate Levies, Armed Police, Government Guards, Hadhrami Bedouin Legion, and Somaliland Scouts.

Speeches were made in Arabic and English, and the queen knighted Air Marshal Sir Claude Pelly Commander-in-Chief of the RAF in the Middle East, and Abu Bakr bin Sheikh Al Kaff for services to peace in Hadramaut.

Sayyid Abu Bakr reportedly leant on a chair as his Muslim faith ruled out kneeling in front of the monarch.

Thousands turned out to see Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stand together in the back of a Land Rover as they inspect a guard of Camel and Armored Units of the Aden Protectorate Levies at the Crescent Gardens in Aden, in 1954. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stand together in the back of a Land Rover as they inspect a guard of Camel and Armored Units of the Aden Protectorate Levies at the Crescent Gardens in Aden, in 1954. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

“A vast crowd congregated along the royal route from the harbour to the parade ground, while, despite the intense heat, many others occupied all the vantage points for the witnessing of the ceremony,” London’s Sphere newspaper wrote of the visit.

Sultan Ghalib Al Qu'aiti, 74, remembers the day well. His grandfather, Sir Sultan Saleh bin Ghalib Al Qu’aiti, attended the welcome ceremony,

“She was received by large crowds of Adeni people who greeted her everywhere she went. She listened to a speech of welcome in Arabic made on behalf of the Protectorate chiefs by my grandfather … who presented Her Majesty with 100 tins of the best Hadhrami honey from Wadi Duan,” Mr Al Qu'aiti told The National, reflecting on a key moment in the Queen's 70 years as British head of state, being celebrated this weekend in the UK.

Abdullah Khalil, 82, says he remembers the buzz of the visit as he took up a position among the crowds of spectators.

“She was warmly received by huge crowds of people gathered near the pier and the clock tower in Attawahi city. The area surrounding the hotel was decorated with flags and banners hailing the queen and the prince,” Mr Khalil said.

“It was such a historical day. I still remember how excited I was that day because of the good life we were living at that time.”

A small bronze plaque still marks the spot of the Al Jumhuriyah hospital where the queen laid the foundation stone in 1954. The clinic remains open, albeit with a change of name in 1967, despite a huge bombardment by the Houthi rebel group in 2015.

The hospital was reopened after a UAE-funded restoration project, but has struggled to treat patients amid a six-year civil war.

A battered bronze plaque in Arabic and English marking the year 1954 - when Queen Elizabeth laid the founding stone - is fixed on a wall at Al Joumhouria hospital in Aden. AFP
A battered bronze plaque in Arabic and English marking the year 1954 - when Queen Elizabeth laid the founding stone - is fixed on a wall at Al Joumhouria hospital in Aden. AFP

“The hospital isn’t maintained or air-conditioned,” nurse Zubeida Said told AFP in March. “There are leaks in the bathrooms. The building is old and dilapidated.”

The hospital is a microcosm for Yemen itself.

Despite the clear negatives of colonialism in the country, Yemen’s current destruction and devastation has left some longing for the era of British control.

“The Aden which Queen Elizabeth visited in 1954 doesn't exist today,” Mr Khalil said.

Historian Nagmi Abdulmajid said during British control of Aden, the region was cosmopolitan and contained the second busiest harbour in the world. The queen’s visit even sparked a construction boom.

“This is why people miss the British not just in Aden but in the other countries colonised by them in the East " he said.

As a fragile truce holds between the Houthi rebels and the internationally-recognised government, Yemenis will be hoping to celebrate their future once more.

Queen Elizabeth's visits to the Region: in pictures

  • Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Abu Dhabi during a state visit to the Gulf on February 25, 1979. Getty
    Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Abu Dhabi during a state visit to the Gulf on February 25, 1979. Getty
  • The UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the queen arrive for the inauguration of Le Meridien Abu Dhabi in 1979. Photo: Le Meridien Abu Dhabi
    The UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the queen arrive for the inauguration of Le Meridien Abu Dhabi in 1979. Photo: Le Meridien Abu Dhabi
  • The queen during her visit to the UAE in 1979. Photo: Ramesh Shukla
    The queen during her visit to the UAE in 1979. Photo: Ramesh Shukla
  • The queen appoints Sheikh Rashid, then Ruler of Dubai, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, during her tour of the Gulf states, in Abu Dhabi in February 1979. Getty
    The queen appoints Sheikh Rashid, then Ruler of Dubai, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, during her tour of the Gulf states, in Abu Dhabi in February 1979. Getty
  • The queen sits with Sheikh Rashid on the Dubai Ruler's new dhow, as they are taken on a sightseeing tour of the emirate on February 26, 1979. AP
    The queen sits with Sheikh Rashid on the Dubai Ruler's new dhow, as they are taken on a sightseeing tour of the emirate on February 26, 1979. AP
  • The queen, Sheikh Zayed and Prince Philip sit before lunch at the Hilton Hotel in Abu Dhabi, during the UK royals' tour of the Gulf states in February 1979. Getty
    The queen, Sheikh Zayed and Prince Philip sit before lunch at the Hilton Hotel in Abu Dhabi, during the UK royals' tour of the Gulf states in February 1979. Getty
  • Yemeni councillor Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Alkaff kneels before Queen Elizabeth to be knighted during her visit to Aden on April 29, 1954. AFP
    Yemeni councillor Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Alkaff kneels before Queen Elizabeth to be knighted during her visit to Aden on April 29, 1954. AFP
  • The queen with Sheikh Khalifa, who was then the UAE's President, at Mushrif Palace on November 25, 2010 in Abu Dhabi. Getty
    The queen with Sheikh Khalifa, who was then the UAE's President, at Mushrif Palace on November 25, 2010 in Abu Dhabi. Getty
  • The queen was welcomed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, during her visit to Abu Dhabi in 2010. Getty
    The queen was welcomed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, during her visit to Abu Dhabi in 2010. Getty
  • The queen and Prince Philip with President Sheikh Mohamed, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, at Abu Dhabi airport on November 24, 2010. Getty
    The queen and Prince Philip with President Sheikh Mohamed, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, at Abu Dhabi airport on November 24, 2010. Getty
  • The queen with the emir of Bahrain at a horse and camel race meeting in 1979. Getty
    The queen with the emir of Bahrain at a horse and camel race meeting in 1979. Getty
  • Queen Elizabeth eats with her hands in the desert with King Hassan during her visit to Morocco on October 27, 1980. Getty
    Queen Elizabeth eats with her hands in the desert with King Hassan during her visit to Morocco on October 27, 1980. Getty
  • The queen attends the races during her visit to Saudi Arabia in February 1979. Getty
    The queen attends the races during her visit to Saudi Arabia in February 1979. Getty
  • King Faisal II of Iraq and the queen leave Victoria Station in London for Buckingham Palace, in July 1956. Getty
    King Faisal II of Iraq and the queen leave Victoria Station in London for Buckingham Palace, in July 1956. Getty
  • The queen in Kuwait during her tour of the Gulf in 1979. Getty
    The queen in Kuwait during her tour of the Gulf in 1979. Getty
  • The queen drives through Tunis with Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba during a state visit in October 1980. Getty
    The queen drives through Tunis with Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba during a state visit in October 1980. Getty
  • The queen walks towards her plane with Sultan Qaboos of Oman, before she and Prince Philip leave Muscat after a five-day state visit to the Gulf region. Getty
    The queen walks towards her plane with Sultan Qaboos of Oman, before she and Prince Philip leave Muscat after a five-day state visit to the Gulf region. Getty
  • The queen walks in Muscat. Getty
    The queen walks in Muscat. Getty
  • The queen and Prince Philip during a visit to Qatar in February 1979. Getty
    The queen and Prince Philip during a visit to Qatar in February 1979. Getty
  • The queen with the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi of Iran during a banquet in Tehran on March 2, 1961. AP
    The queen with the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi of Iran during a banquet in Tehran on March 2, 1961. AP
  • Queen Noor of Jordan, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and King Hussein of Jordan after the British royals' arrival in the country in 1984. Getty
    Queen Noor of Jordan, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and King Hussein of Jordan after the British royals' arrival in the country in 1984. Getty
  • The queen alongside former Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid, inspect a guard of honour on her arrival in Algiers for a three-day state visit in October 1980. Getty
    The queen alongside former Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid, inspect a guard of honour on her arrival in Algiers for a three-day state visit in October 1980. Getty
  • The queen and Prince Philip with King Idris of Libya at the Royal Palace in Tobruk in May 1954. AP
    The queen and Prince Philip with King Idris of Libya at the Royal Palace in Tobruk in May 1954. AP
JERSEY INFO

Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.

The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

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

The specs

Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm

Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km

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.

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.

Rainbow

Kesha

(Kemosabe)

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
%3Cp%3EVara%20will%20cater%20to%20three%20categories%20of%20companies%20in%20Dubai%20(except%20the%20DIFC)%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECategory%20A%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Minimum%20viable%20product%20(MVP)%20applicants%20that%20are%20currently%20in%20the%20process%20of%20securing%20an%20MVP%20licence%3A%20This%20is%20a%20three-stage%20process%20starting%20with%20%5B1%5D%20a%20provisional%20permit%2C%20graduating%20to%20%5B2%5D%20preparatory%20licence%20and%20concluding%20with%20%5B3%5D%20operational%20licence.%20Applicants%20that%20are%20already%20in%20the%20MVP%20process%20will%20be%20advised%20by%20Vara%20to%20either%20continue%20within%20the%20MVP%20framework%20or%20be%20transitioned%20to%20the%20full%20market%20product%20licensing%20process.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECategory%20B%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Existing%20legacy%20virtual%20asset%20service%20providers%20prior%20to%20February%207%2C%202023%2C%20which%20are%20required%20to%20come%20under%20Vara%20supervision.%20All%20operating%20service%20proviers%20in%20Dubai%20(excluding%20the%20DIFC)%20fall%20under%20Vara%E2%80%99s%20supervision.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECategory%20C%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20New%20applicants%20seeking%20a%20Vara%20licence%20or%20existing%20applicants%20adding%20new%20activities.%20All%20applicants%20that%20do%20not%20fall%20under%20Category%20A%20or%20B%20can%20begin%20the%20application%20process%20through%20their%20current%20or%20prospective%20commercial%20licensor%20%E2%80%94%20the%20DET%20or%20Free%20Zone%20Authority%20%E2%80%94%20or%20directly%20through%20Vara%20in%20the%20instance%20that%20they%20have%20yet%20to%20determine%20the%20commercial%20operating%20zone%20in%20Dubai.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A

SPECS

Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR

Engine: 5.7-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 362hp

Torque: 530Nm

Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EDate%20started%3A%20January%202022%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Omar%20Abu%20Innab%2C%20Silvia%20Eldawi%2C%20Walid%20Shihabi%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20PropTech%20%2F%20investment%3Cbr%3EEmployees%3A%2040%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Multiple%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

War and the virus
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 
THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

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

Match info

Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')

West Ham United 0

The biog

Birthday: February 22, 1956

Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh

Arrived in UAE: 1978

Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.

Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”

UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised

General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.

"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.

He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.

Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

TOURNAMENT INFO

Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri

Profile Periscope Media

Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)

Launch year: 2020

Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021

Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year

Investors: Co-founders

New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15

New Zealand 15
Tries: Laumape, J Barrett
Conversions: B Barrett
Penalties: B Barrett

British & Irish Lions 15
Penalties: Farrell (4), Daly

Who is Tim-Berners Lee?

Sir Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in a household of mathematicians and computer scientists. Both his mother, Mary Lee, and father, Conway, were early computer scientists who worked on the Ferranti 1 - the world's first commercially-available, general purpose digital computer. Sir Tim studied Physics at the University of Oxford and held a series of roles developing code and building software before moving to Switzerland to work for Cern, the European Particle Physics laboratory. He developed the worldwide web code as a side project in 1989 as a global information-sharing system. After releasing the first web code in 1991, Cern made it open and free for all to use. Sir Tim now campaigns for initiatives to make sure the web remains open and accessible to all.

Updated: June 02, 2022, 7:10 PM