Flags lowered, vox pops after emir of Dubai dies

(4 Jan 2006)
AP TELEVISION
Dubai, 4 January 2006
1. Close-up shot of lowered flag
2. Wide shot of city
3. Still of late Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
4. Various of lowered flags
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vox pop, Khalfan Al Jasmi:
"Of course it is very sad. We have lost one of the most important persons in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and the world. He developed Dubai, he was one of the best people who developed Dubai beside Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid and their father, His Highness Sheik Rashid."
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vox pop, Mubarak Al Kubaisi:
"Really I feel it is something unbelievable. We are losing one of those that built the foundations for this country. Really, we are so sad and sorry and hope he will go to the biggest paradise."
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Vox pop, Mansour Al Falasi:
"Sheik Maktoum, we consider him as our father not as our ruler for Dubai. You see he really worked hard in building the way, like pointing the way on the map of the world. Who knew Dubai before that? Nobody. But now, everybody knows Dubai very well. So really, we are going to miss him."
8. Wide shot of city
AP FILE - Location and date not available
9. Various of the late emir of Dubai, Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum with flowers in foreground
10. Close-up of the late emir of Dubai
11. Various of the crown prince, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
STORYLINE
Flags were lowered in Dubai on Wednesday following the death of the emir, Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
People on the streets of Dubai expressed their sadness at the emir's passing.
"We have lost one of the most important persons in the UAE," one man said.
Another man said the emir had put Dubai on the map.
"Who knew Dubai before that? Nobody. But now, everybody knows Dubai very well," he said.
The 62-year-old emir was a vice president and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai.
He died while on a visit to Australia where he was staying at the Palazzo Versace hotel in the east Australian resort of Gold Coast.
The Dubai royal court gave no word of the cause of death and police in Queensland, Australia said it was not regarded as suspicious.
He was immediately succeeded by his younger brother, the crown prince, Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the UAE's Defence Minister.
The succession was automatic under the constitution.
Dubai declared 40 days of official mourning, with government offices shutting down for seven days beginning on Wednesday.
The stock exchanges in Dubai and Abu Dhabi ceased trading and many shops and businesses closed.
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