As I stand at its base, straining my neck to take in its towering, wooded slopes, it’s easy to understand why Le Morne mountain is such an emotive cultural symbol for Mauritians. In the island’s south-west, and with a striking geological profile, the Unesco World Heritage Site was once a sanctuary for runaway slaves, known as maroons, who sought refuge in its rugged folds.
Legend has it that when slavery was abolished in Mauritius in 1835, officials approached Le Morne to inform the maroons of their freedom. Suspecting it might be a ploy by their colonial masters to recapture them, many of the runaways leapt from the cliffs – into what became known as the Valley of Bones – rather than face being enslaved again.
Today, the site has become a powerful symbol of the slaves’ resistance and freedom in a country with a compelling story of colonial domination. Once part of the complex and widespread international slave trade, Mauritius was colonised in 1628 by the Dutch, who brought in hundreds of slaves from Madagascar to work on its sugar cane plantations.
Soon the country was teeming with slaves brought in from Mozambique, Madagascar, India, China, Malaysia, Haiti, Reunion island, France and Senegal. In 1710, the Dutch left, leaving Mauritius under French control. Following the Franco-British wars, the island came under British rule in 1810, which continued until independence in 1968.
Commendably, rather than bury its past, Mauritius officially commemorates its abolition of slavery. Each year, on August 23, it celebrates Unesco's International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade to generate greater awareness about this part of its history. Historical sites – visually stunning and symbolically rich – associated with its slave history have become bustling venues for official ceremonies attended by heads of state, human rights advocates and international media.
Witnessing many such ceremonies across the island on a recent trip turned out to be a deeply immersive experience. The celebrations helped me to look at Mauritius with new eyes, as much more than a holiday haven with stunning beaches and crystalline waters.
At the foot of Le Morne is another symbol of slavery, the Slave Route Monument. The group of 10 sculptures pays tribute to the maroons and their struggle for freedom. A central sculpture is surrounded by a constellation of smaller ones with engravings representing countries where slaves were taken from and to. Established in 2009, the monument is also officially a part of Unesco's international Slave Route Project, which links countries with a legacy of slavery.
I ambled around the monument, soaking up its exquisite craftsmanship spotlighting painful yet inspiring stories of the enslaved. The monument’s beauty, the fresh sea breeze blowing through the surrounding foliage, as well as the tranquillity that envelops the site, make it a perfect escape from the whirligig of everyday life.
The next day I visited Aapravasi Ghat, another Unesco World Heritage Site, and a landmark symbol of Mauritian history. The former immigration depot in the bay of Trou Fanfaron, in the bustling capital Port Louis, is where close to half a million Indian indentured labourers landed in 1829. They had signed a contract with the colonists, in pursuit of land offshore from India, but were instead sent to work in the sugar cane farms of Mauritius. The in-house Slavery Museum showcases their lives on the island, including records of their arrivals and some of their belongings.
The last place I went on the Slave Heritage Trail was Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, built with the labour of slaves, who toiled on the property for months to give it shape. Probably the earliest botanical garden in the tropics, the sprawling 18th-century property is filled with exotic flora, including an abundance of grapefruit trees (pamplemousses in French). The adjoining village of Pamplemousses has many other traces of slavery such as the Bassin des Esclaves (where the slaves were bathed before being auctioned); the Cimetiere Noir (a slave cemetery) and the Marche aux Esclaves (the slave market).
As I left the historic garden, I reflected on how learning about the history of Mauritius had helped change my perception of the country. I had a greater appreciation for its blend of cultures and ethnicities, its ethos of acceptance of different people and their ancestries, as well as its multicultural heritage that makes it a truly inclusive nation in a world roiled by strife and racial bias.
Brief scores:
Kashima Antlers 0
River Plate 4
Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)
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Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
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Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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BMW M5 specs
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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
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UAE players with central contracts
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Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
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The biog
Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children
She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career
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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.
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HAJJAN
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England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
