UAE president appears in video over 3 years after stroke

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The president of the United Arab Emirates has made a rare public appearance on state media to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan suffered a stroke on Jan. 24, 2014, and underwent emergency surgery. He has rarely been seen in public since, fueling speculation about the state of his health.

The state-run WAM news agency released a video Sunday showing Sheikh Khalifa seated in an ornate room at Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Palace alongside ruling family members gathered to mark the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

On his left was Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the federation’s vice-president and prime minister.

The video carried no sound but showed the president speaking at one point.