No story of the UAE would be complete without Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.
He celebrates 50 years as ruler this year, presiding over huge changes, yet also providing stability and continuity for his people.
Sheikh Dr Sultan has ruled Sharjah since January 25, 1972, the longest of all the current UAE Rulers.
Yet his passions – education, culture, and a deep appreciation of history – keep his leadership as lively and relevant today as it was half a century ago.
Here we look at some key moments in his life:
Taught in Sharjah
Sheikh Dr Sultan was born on July 2, 1939. He was one of four brothers.
After beginning his education in Sharjah, he enrolled at an English private school as a teenager to learn English and for two years, between 1961 and 1963, taught the language and maths at Sharjah Industrial School.
Passion for heritage
From an early age, Sheikh Dr Sultan's passion for culture and heritage was evident.
Studying for a degree at Cairo University’s College of Agriculture, his studies were interrupted when, in 1970, he learned Sharjah’s historic old fort was being demolished.
Sheikh Dr Sultan rushed home to save what remains of the building, sparking his passion for heritage.
The restored Al Hisn Fort is now the centrepiece of the Heart of Sharjah project.
Sheikh Dr Sultan’s vision for the emirate extends even further.
The city now boasts an impressive collection of museums, including institutions dedicated to Islamic civilisation and archaeology, art, classic cars and even the conversion of the old British RAF base at Al Mahatta into an aviation museum.
First education minister
After graduating from university, Sheikh Dr Sultan is appointed to manage the office of Sharjah's Ruler, his brother Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.
In December 1971, with the formation of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Dr Sultan is appointed the first Minister of Education.
Ruler of Sharjah
He becomes Ruler of Sharjah on January 25, 1972.
At 32, he became a member of the UAE Supreme Council.
Throughout his rule, Sheikh Dr Sultan has been an enthusiastic supporter of the UAE.
On the UAE's 40th anniversary, he said: “Decades have passed on our unity and we had what we wished, a strong and modern state, a proud people living in dignity and maintaining their identity.”
Published author
In 1985, he was awarded a doctorate by Exeter University, England, for a thesis that challenged the conventional narrative that Britain's East India Company had been forced to attack and subdue the people of the Northern Emirates on the grounds of their piracy.
This determination to defend the culture and story of his people, and the wider Arab Muslim world against western imperial powers, is a constant theme of his writing.
Later published as a book, The Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf, Sheikh Dr Sultan has also written a series of historical novels, including The White Shaikh, in 1996, set in 19th Century Dhofar and a two-part epic of the history of Sharjah, Tale of a City.
Sheikh Dr Sultan published the first part of his biography, My Early Life in 2009, recounting struggles before becoming Ruler of Sharjah.
Critically acclaimed, it was published in several languages, including English, Spanish, French and German, followed by a second volume, Taking The Reins, covering the first years as ruler.
Revitalising Sharjah
The Heart of Sharjah, an ambitious heritage project to revitalise the city’s historic centre, was announced in 2010.
Due for completion in 2025, it is the largest preservation scheme of its kind in the region and will restore old buildings and create new ones in traditional architecture to include art galleries, museums, cafes and restaurants, and the five-star Al Bait hotel.
Sheikh Dr Sultan opened the new Sharjah to Khor Fakkan motorway in April 2018, cutting the journey time to the east coast by half, to just 45 minutes.
The road is part of a multi-billion dirham initiative to improve life in the Khor Fakkan and Kalba exclaves of the emirate, with the redevelopment of Kalba’s corniche, restoration of the historic Saif bin Ghanim fishermen's mosque and conservation projects that include coastal mangroves and the pomegranate trees on Jabal Al Ruman mountain.
In 2021, he opened a 10,250-square-metre viewing area and rest house 600 metres above sea level in Khor Fakkan.
The Al Suhub Rest House includes a restaurant, cafe, children's play area, prayer rooms, bathrooms and viewing areas. About 8,700 trees were also planted.
Overseas support
The many initiatives Sheikh Dr Sultan has supported abroad include an Islamic centre in Estonia, a foundation for marginalised children in Malaysia, a library in Nairobi and a project to support theatre festivals in the Arab world.
He has been particularly generous in Egypt, supporting both a centre to train journalists and a new liver transplant wing at Mansoura University Hospital, to name but two of many projects he is involved with.
At the heart of this is Sheikh Dr Sultan’s belief in the power of arts and science to enlighten and inform society.
“Proper education is a safeguard against destructive ideas and misguided groups. A stable family background contributes effectively to nation-building,” he said.
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Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
beabadoobee
Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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