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Qatar Declares Four-Day National Mourning Period Following Demise of the Father Emir
12 Jul. 14:30The Amiri Diwan has formally declared a four-day period of nationwide mourning following the passing of the former Emir of the State. The administrative directive, issued by the executive court of the current monarch, initiates immediate structural adjustments across the public sector and temporary revisions to the operational schedules of all state institutions, highlighting the historical loss felt across the Middle East.
Throughout the designated mourning window, the national flags will be flown at half-mast on all administrative buildings and sovereign installations. Furthermore, all government ministries, public authorities, and state-backed corporations will temporarily suspend regular operational activities, allowing public servants to observe the national period of respect before resuming their official duties early next week.
The official funeral prayers for the late ruler are scheduled to be conducted at the state mosque in Doha, with the subsequent burial taking place within the historical royal cemetery grounds in Lusail. The reigning Emir is slated to receive official condolences from members of the ruling family, visiting foreign dignitaries, and citizens over a designated three-day diplomatic framework.
The late statesman guided the nation as its supreme authority from 1995 until 2013, overseeing an unprecedented era of economic expansion and structural modernization. He voluntarily abdicated the throne in 2013 to hand executive power to his son, subsequently assuming the formal designation of Father Emir while remaining a foundational architect of the country's modern geopolitical status.
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Under the updated policy, every Singaporean child up to the age of 17 will be eligible to receive up to 70,000 Singapore dollars (approximately $55,000 USD) in total support, which includes cash payouts, educational grants, and related benefits. The government is also expanding paid parental leave and capping monthly out-of-pocket costs for government-subsidized childcare at 150 Singapore dollars.
These interventions aim to reverse a severe demographic decline, marked by last year's fertility rate drop to 0.87 children per woman, while over 20% of the country's population is currently aged 65 or older.