When a junior royal and a former head of the royal court were arrested on Saturday – in addition to other unnamed figures – the international reaction was swift.
By midnight local time, foreign ministers across the world had put out urgent communiqués standing behind Jordan's King Abdullah, the government and the people of the country.
The swift and unanimous response is indicative of the important role that Jordan plays in the Middle East and the world as well as the importance that international capitals place on avoiding a political earthquake in the Hashemite Kingdom.
Former adviser to the king Bassem Awadallah and royal Sharif Hassan Ben Zaid were both detained on Saturday on security grounds, officials said.
The military said that Prince Hamza – who was removed as crown prince in 2004 – was not under house arrest after reports he had been detained. However, Prince Hamza leaked a video overnight on Saturday saying that he was being barred from leaving his home.
The authorities did say they warned the prince, King Abdullah’s half-brother, to stop activities they said undermined the country’s security. They gave no details.
Jordan’s importance at the heart of the Middle East
"The quick way regional and international powers reacted suggests how important Jordan's stability is," Hassan Al Momani, an International studies professor who teaches at Jordan University, told The National.
On Saturday night, State Department spokesman Ned Price said American officials were “in touch” with Jordanian officials and that King Abdullah “is a key partner of the United States, and he has our full support."
The US and Jordan have long been military allies and as well as hosting American forces and logistics bases for the American-led invasion of neighbouring Iraq the two countries share intelligence and military co-operation.
The authorities signed a security pact with the United States this year and the government is one the biggest recipients of American aid. An estimated 3,000 US troops are based in the country.
Jordan is a member of the US-led coalition to defeat ISIS and King Abdullah has even flown on combat missions over Syria targeting the extremist group after they killed Jordanian pilot Muath Al Kasasbeh and broadcast the videos in 2015.
Mr Al Momani said that over the last several decades Jordan, “has forged a strategic alliance with the West and managed to create and consolidate multiple-roles in counter-terrorism, peacemaking, hosting refugees and international humanitarian organisations.”
This, he said, places Jordan as one of the central blocks in an interconnected Middle East.
“This is a regional system. If something happens to one unit it could impact other units,” he said.
This was highlighted on Sunday by the UAE that said that “the security and stability of Jordan is an integral part of its own security.”
Jordan also hosts over 700,000 Syrian refugees who have fled the neighbouring conflict.
Amman has also long played a central role in the Arab-Israeli conflict and a large proportion of Jordan’s population are of Palestinian origin.
The country of 10 million, ruled by the Hashemite monarchy since independence from Britain in 1946, was one of the first Arab nations to sign a peace deal with Israel.
And the Hashemite family is also the custodian of Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa compound – the third holiest site in Islam – and has been a key interlocutor in peace talks.
Geographically, Jordan for years was a key overland trade link between the Gulf in the south, the Levant in the north-west, Iraq in the east and Israel and Palestine in the West.
Tough times in Amman
Mr Al Momani said that given the country’s delicate tribal balances, the arrests indicated “something uneasy is happening in Jordan”.
Tribes and clans dominate the security forces and form the bedrock of support for the king.
Historically, the king has been a hands-on commander of the military and the final arbiter of domestic disputes, while building external alliances and dictating foreign policy.
Since King Abdullah took to the throne in 1999, he has employed his stature on the world stage to try to attract international investment.
But the economy is in recession after a decade of stagnation.
Poverty is deep and unemployment is officially at a record high of 24 per cent.
Growth contracted by 3 per cent in 2020, hit by lockdowns during the pandemic, but the government and the International Monetary Fund both predict a bounce of similar magnitude this year.
“The economic cost of the pandemic is huge,” Finance Minister Mohamad Al Ississ said in January.
Criticism has been rising, including from the king, of the government’s handling of the coronavirus.
Covid controversy
The authorities last month cracked down on small demonstrations that erupted across the country after a number of Covid patients died at a hospital in central Jordan.
Intensive care wards at a hospital in Al Salt run out of oxygen for nearly two hours, killing 7 people.
What the king said negligence resulted in the deaths and ordered action to be taken.
But people demonstrated, pointing to the poor state of many government services in the country.
After early successes in containing the virus last year, cases rose and lockdowns that hammered the economy and cut off vital tourists were mandated.
Support for the king
Despite the grumblings of dissatisfaction at the state of things in Jordan, King Abdullah retains popularity among the people.
In a show of support, parliament, which has limited powers, on Sunday convened for a regular session that was turned over to speaker after speaker who backed King Abdullah and extolled his major achievements.
Jordan's Senate Speaker Faisal Al Fayez told the upper chamber that Jordan would remain "steadfast" and a "bulwark" against what he called "malicious conspiracies" that aimed to destabilise the country and cause divisions.
"Jordan and the king are a red line," he said.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30 - UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1 - UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2 – Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6 – Final
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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
Liz%20Truss
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The%20specs%3A%20Taycan%20Turbo%20GT
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Bullet%20Train
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Leitch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Aaron%20Taylor-Johnson%2C%20Brian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Sandra%20Bullock%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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)
The biog
Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Favourite music: Classical
Hobbies: Reading and writing
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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
Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
