Qatar's former ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani dies at 74

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Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who transformed Qatar from a small Gulf state into a global energy powerhouse, has died at 74. He ruled the country from 1995 to 2013, taking power in a bloodless coup against his own father before stepping down a decade later. Funeral prayers were held at Qatar's national mosque in Doha, followed by a simple Islamic burial ceremony. Thousands gathered in the capital to pay their respects to the man who oversaw Qatar's rise as a major gas exporter and positioned it as a regional diplomatic hub. His reign fundamentally reshaped the nation's economy and international standing, though he had been out of office for over a decade when he died.