Jordan’s capital Amman could seem monotonous at first glance, as it has few green spaces and beige, uniform houses staggered upon a hilly landscape. Yet, between the narrow alleyways and along building walls are vibrant bursts of colours, elaborate artworks adorning local neighbourhoods. This is the street art scene, the sign of a burgeoning youth presence fighting to brighten up the city.
Street art is relatively new to Jordan; it's part of a locally cultivated hip-hop culture that has been developing among the country's youth for the last couple of decades. For young people with limited opportunity and spaces to feel free, street art has become an accessible form of expression; all they need is cheap spray paint and the city as their canvas.
See some of Amman's street art in the photo gallery below:
“There is so much waste for the energy of young people here [in Jordan],” says Alaeddin Pasha, a hip-hop artist and founder of Underground Amman tours.
"We don’t have enough parks, we don’t have enough spaces for youth. Youth really needs something, and hip-hop or street art became one of the ways."
Pasha started Underground Amman tours about a year ago. It is a walking tour of the city during which he guides tourists and visitors through the street art scene. He starts on the hill of Jabal Amman and then weaves through stairways, hills and narrow streets, before ending up in the neighbourhood of Jabal Al Weibdeh.
I want to show them the best of my city, my people and me
A variety of art adorns the streets he walks; messages from young artists to the city’s citizens. From joyful images of flamingos and twirling dervishes, to more profound messages of equality, strength and hope, the artworks' styles and sizes vary on each wall and street.
Along a staircase lined with bookstores and coffee shops, the painted face of Mahmoud Darwish stares out at you, alongside colourful sunflowers and obscure sketches. On another, a poem, a play on the writing of Al-Mutanabbi, a famous Abassid poet that states: "Not everything you wish for you get... The wind does not blow as the vessel desires." This one turns that statement on its head: "If you want something you will get it, even if all of mankind and the spirits fight you... The wind comes in the way the ship intends."
On a busy day, one could walk past these images without even noticing them. But through the tour, Pasha transforms the city into an art gallery, rich with stories, talent and hidden messages.
"Most of my clients are foreigners. Most likely they go to Petra, Wadi Rum, but they don't really know what we have in Amman. Which is street art. They get surprised," he says.
The development of street art and the hip-hop scene was a challenge to Jordan’s traditional societal norms, as here rap music, dancing and graffiti have been considered taboo. In more conservative circles, the sight of street art was seen as a sign of devil worship.
This was not a deterrent to artists like Pasha. Driven by creative passion and the restlessness of youth, they pursued their work and, over time, it has become more accepted. “Since 2014, the street art in Amman has been booming,” says Pasha. “There were so many difficulties, but little by little people started understanding that this is a form of art, this is something beautiful.”
Pasha sees the tour as an opportunity to shine a light on the overlooked talent of Amman’s youth and the hip-hop scene in general. And while the local social stigma is being shattered, Pasha also hopes to carve out a new narrative that challenges international stereotypes surrounding Jordan and the Middle East.
“I want to show them the best of my city, my people and me,” he says. “Most people outside, they have a strong image of us, about the Middle East, Jordan, Arabs, Muslims. But once they come here, they change their mind.”
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Company%20profile
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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The biog
Age: 30
Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium
Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology
Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging
Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Kibsons%20Cares
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Read more about the coronavirus
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule
August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland
Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE
December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman
February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG
June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland
September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
