Hundreds brave the rain and watch on big screens to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth

Determined to say "goodbye to our amazing queen", hundreds braved the rain 200 miles away as the state funeral in London was broadcast live in the northern English county of Yorkshire in honour of the late monarch.

As the rain poured, a sea of umbrellas covered Millennium Square in Leeds as Yorkshire united to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, whom many attending on Monday referred to as ‘the boss’.

Like other cities, such as Birmingham, Coventry, Exeter, Lincoln, Ipswich and Manchester, the funeral service was broadcast on a big screen and former military officers came to hold the Royal Standard with their heads bowed in solemn remembrance of the lady they had served for decades.

Paul Bradford, 80, joined the British Army’s Parachute Regiment in 1962 and had travelled from the neighbouring town of Morley, proudly displaying his medals.

“I wanted to come to pay my respects to the boss,” he told The National.

“I served her for years, she was an amazing woman.”

Strangers huddled together sharing umbrellas, watching as the queen’s coffin entered Westminster Abbey in London.

Tom Barr and Paul Bradford, 80, were in Leeds to watch a broadcast of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. Nicky Harley / The National

It was a poignant moment for George Barrett, 75, when during the service one bishop said "we have all lost loved ones".

“My sister died two days after the queen,” he said.

“I’ve travelled here from Kent on holiday and I couldn’t miss it. I feel like I’m laying both of them to rest.

“The queen was just a one off, the way she led this nation was purely and utterly amazing.”

People watch the funeral in the rain in Leeds. Nicky Harley / The National

Lorraine Skelton has just returned to Yorkshire from paying her respects to the queen laying in state in Westminster Hall.

“I watched them carry her coffin through London,” she said.

“I had to come today to watch the funeral, it didn’t seem right staying at home and watching it on the television.”

Floral tributes in Leeds. Nicky Harley / The National

Michelle Harrison, from Leeds, who came with her daughter, arrived early to get a seat.

“We’ve been queuing for hours and were the second to get a seat here to watch it,” she said.

“We brought a picnic. It’s a moment of history and we wanted to say goodbye to her surrounded by other people. We brought tissues as I knew it would be emotional.”

Retired teacher Nicholas Hewitt travelled from Bradford for the big screen gathering.

“I watched Winston Churchill’s funeral when I was young in 1965 on a black and white television,” he said. “I didn’t want to view the queen’s in the same way. It didn’t feel right sitting at home. She was the best of the best.”

David Malone and his partner Vanessa Appleyard watched Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on a big screen in Leeds. Nicky Harley / The National

Hospital employee David Malone said he had his partner Vanessa Appleyard were still in shock and felt they want to attend the funeral with others.

"We didn't care that it was raining," he said. "We wouldn't have missed it. The queen meant so much to us and she will be sadly missed. I couldn't get to Edinburgh but my family did. We couldn't get the time off to see her lying in state, so today was our chance to say goodbye."

Former RAF serviceman Matthew Ramsey came to hold the Standard outside Leeds Civic Hall and bowed his head as her coffin left the abbey in London.

“I came here because she was my boss, she was the chief,” he said. “We wanted to unite the local military here and give her a good send off.”

Final unseen portrait of the queen revealed before funeral - in pictures

Fighter jets flew overhead and gun salutes echoed through the city and as the national anthem played, the hundreds of people in the square standing in unity to honour the queen in silence.

“This is the most emotional part,” Thomas Smith, from Sheffield, said as The Last Post sounded.

When the coffin began its final journey to Windsor, the skies in Yorkshire cleared and the umbrellas were shaken dry, as everyone rose for a second time as the hearse drove away.

“I did shed a tear,” Catherine Arnold said. “I think most of us did. It was great to see such a turnout for her.

“It’s been emotional. We will never forget today, the day we said goodbye to our amazing queen.”

Queen Elizabeth II's 70-year reign - in pictures

Tips to keep your car cool

Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
Park in shaded or covered areas
Add tint to windows
Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat

Leap of Faith

Michael J Mazarr

Public Affairs

Dh67

How it works

Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.

Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.

As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.

A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.

Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.

SPECS

Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.	United States
2.	China
3.	UAE
4.	Japan
5	Norway
6.	Canada
7.	Singapore
8.	Australia
9.	Saudi Arabia
10.	South Korea

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While you're here

Con Coughlin: Grandstanding in Turkey leads to terrorism in France

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Sholto Byrnes: After Charlie Hebdo, is religion dividing the world?

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

FIXTURES

Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)

Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)

Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)

Cultural fiesta

What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport

Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial

Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

Business Insights

As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.

Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage

Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

Rating: 4/5

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Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt

F1 2020 calendar

March 15 - Australia, Melbourne; March 22 - Bahrain, Sakhir; April 5 - Vietnam, Hanoi; April 19 - China, Shanghai; May 3 - Netherlands, Zandvoort; May 20 - Spain, Barcelona; May 24 - Monaco, Monaco; June 7 - Azerbaijan, Baku; June 14 - Canada, Montreal; June 28 - France, Le Castellet; July 5 - Austria, Spielberg; July 19 - Great Britain, Silverstone; August 2 - Hungary, Budapest; August 30 - Belgium, Spa; September 6 - Italy, Monza; September 20 - Singapore, Singapore; September 27 - Russia, Sochi; October 11 - Japan, Suzuka; October 25 - United States, Austin; November 1 - Mexico City, Mexico City; November 15 - Brazil, Sao Paulo; November 29 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.

Teams in the EHL

White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Key findings of Jenkins report

Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."

Company%20profile

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