Jordan's King Abdullah on Wednesday addressed the nation for the first time since allegations surfaced against his half-brother.
Below is the full transcript of the speech in English:
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,
Prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammed.
My fellow Jordanians,
Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.
I speak to you today, my family and my tribe, in whom I place my implicit trust and from whom I draw determination, to assure you that the sedition has been nipped in the bud and that our proud Jordan is safe and stable, and it will always remain, with God’s grace, safe and stable, fortified by the determination of Jordanians and impenetrable with their cohesion and with the dedication of our valiant Arab Army and security agencies working night and day to secure the homeland.
Our nation is used to facing challenges and we are used to overcoming challenges, having conquered throughout our history all attempts to target the homeland, coming out stronger and more united, for being steadfast in our positions has a price, but no price will sway us from the path of righteousness set by the ancestors and their noble sacrifices, for the prosperity of our people and our nation, and for Palestine, Jerusalem, and its holy sites.
The challenge over the past few days was not the most difficult or dangerous to the stability of our nation, but to me, it was the most painful. Sedition came from within and without our one house, and nothing compares to my shock, pain, and anger as a brother and as the head of the Hashemite family, and as a leader of this proud people.
But there is no difference between my responsibility towards my small and larger families, for Al Hussein, may his soul rest in peace, dedicated me since the day I was born to serve you, and I have dedicated myself and my life to you, so we can continue together on the path of development and achievement, in the nation of pride, glory, love, and fellowship. My foremost responsibility is serving Jordan and safeguarding its people, Constitution and laws. Nothing and no one comes before Jordan’s security and stability, and it was imperative to take the necessary measures to honour that responsibility.
Our Hashemite legacy and Jordanian values were the framework I chose to handle the matter, in line with God’s words in the Holy Quran: “Who expend in prosperity and adversity, and restrain their rage, and pardon their fellow men.”
I decided to deal with the matter of Prince Hamzah within the Hashemite family, and I entrusted this to my uncle, His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal. And Prince Hamzah pledged before the family to follow in the steps of the ancestors, remain loyal to their mission and to put Jordan’s interest, Constitution, and laws above all considerations.
Hamzah today is with his family at his palace, in my care.
As for the other aspects, they are under investigation in accordance with the law, until it is completed, so that its outcomes are handled within the framework of our steadfast state institutions, in a manner that guarantees justice and transparency.
The next steps will be rooted in the criterion that defines all our decisions – the nation’s interest and the interest of our loyal people.
Our nation faces difficult economic challenges, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. We realise the weight of these difficulties facing our citizens, and we face these challenges and others, as we have always done, united within our Jordanian and Hashemite family, so that we can take our nation forward and embark on our state’s second centennial as one, building the future our nation deserves.
Jordan, with the determination of the Nashama and their dedication, will remain steadfast, grand in its values will, and principles, guided by firmness in defending the nation, unity in facing adversity, and justice, mercy and compassion in all that we do.
May God protect you and our proud Jordan, and grant us success.
Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
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more from Janine di Giovanni
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
heading
Iran has sent five planeloads of food to Qatar, which is suffering shortages amid a regional blockade.
A number of nations, including Iran's major rival Saudi Arabia, last week cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism, charges it denies.
The land border with Saudi Arabia, through which 40% of Qatar's food comes, has been closed.
Meanwhile, mediators Kuwait said that Qatar was ready to listen to the "qualms" of its neighbours.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
