Former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Passes Away at 74

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar, has died at the age of 74. The Qatari government announced his passing on Sunday morning. He served as Emir from 1995 to 2013 and is widely regarded as the architect of modern Qatar.

During his reign, Qatar experienced rapid economic growth. In 1996, he launched the Al Jazeera International Network. In 2013, he handed over power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is the current Emir of Qatar.