Royal Ascot returns: Here's a reminder of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at racing's great event - in pictures


Steve Luckings
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Royal Ascot, the highlight of the British horse racing season, takes place this week, starting on Tuesday.

The five-day meet is usually attended by hundreds of thousands of spectators, race enthusiasts, as well as royalty including Queen Elizabeth II and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, head of the immensely successful Godolphin stable.

The Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has been a regular visitor at the royal meeting for more than 25 years, but with British sport only now restarting following a complete shutdown in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, no spectators will be allowed this time.

Above is a photo gallery of Sheikh Mohammed's visits to Royal Ascot over nearly three decades. To move on to the next image, click on the arrows or swipe left/right on your device.

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

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  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a  month before Reaching the Last Mile.

Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.