A huge mural of a black-clad woman with eyes closed towers over traffic in downtown Amman.
It represents a young Jordanian woman whose husband gouged out her eyes in 2017 in Jerash, 50 kilometres north of the capital.
“Let your eyes be cast on mountain tops,” says the graffiti work on a 10-storey building façade by Iraqi painter Miramar on Prince Mohammed Street.
Street art is uncommon in Jordan’s mostly conservative society. Miramar, 24, is one of few women in the kingdom of 10.9 million people practising it.
But most people on Prince Mohammad Street seemed to have little idea about the story behind the painting.
"I watched when the lady was on a platform working on the mural," said Anwar, owner of a car electricity repair shop. "It looks nice, but I don't know what it means."
Rami, owner of a popular coffee kiosk on the street, said the woman in the mural "is probably some girl".
Self-taught, Miramar paints with big brushes and acrylic paint. Grey tones dominate her work.
I am covered with paint but they do not talk with me because I am female. Maybe they are shy to talk with women
Miramar
Her Iraqi father fled Saddam Hussein’s rule in the 1990s to Jordan, where she was born.
As Miramar started painting graffiti in the streets of Amman with consent from the authorities, she was galvanised by the case of the woman with the gouged eyes.
The Netherlands funded the painting in 2019, as part of a campaign to raise awareness of violence against women in Jordan.
Miramar worked from a bridge held by ropes attached to the top of the building.
“She is looking toward her own mountain tops. It is an inner state of individuality of freedom and strength,” she says.
“I wanted to show something positive. There are so many cruel stories happening in Jordan."
Although many in Amman still do not seem to know what the painting means, Miramar said male spectators asked her friends and assistants with her about the work. Male bystanders also asked about other murals she painted in Amman.
“I am covered with paint, but they do not talk with me because I am female,” she says.
“Maybe they are shy to talk with women. It is weird. We are in 2021.”
“People cannot be themselves in the street. They have to take into consideration everyone else but themselves,” she says.
Miramar sees herself also as an activist, trying through art “to influence a public sphere in Jordan that lacks expression".
“I do not like it when they decide what you [should] do based on your gender. I fight against this stuff,” she says.
"Women are viewed as vulnerable and weak. But how are you vulnerable when you can do this on a very large scale?”
“Do you need larger than this to see me?”, she says, referring to her murals, which depict other women figures with closed eyes.
She also paints in her workshop, where she is “free to make mistakes” as no one is watching her.
“In the street, it is more communal. You are painting through the city, through the observer,” she said from her studio on the First Circle, one of the oldest districts of Amman.
Near the studio, on Othman Ben Affan street, she painted a large mural of Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid.
The late Hadid gained renown after she moved to London in the 1970s. Her large eyes are wide open in the painting.
“The more you add expression to the street, the more people will see that and do something similar in spirit,” Miramar says.
Miramar did not meet the woman with the gouged eyes, and the authorities did not release her name.
Although the husband was sentenced to life in prison, many loopholes are widely regarded as remaining in the system, allowing others who perpetrate domestic violence to get away with light sentences.
“The saddest thing is that she cannot see the mural,” Miramar says.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Company%20Profile
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RESULTS
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Results
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The five pillars of Islam
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
