On Saturday, Jordanian authorities made a number of arrests that included a former senior government figure and a member of the royal family, on what it said were security-related grounds. The Arab country’s many allies take a threat to its security seriously, and international partners including the US, the UAE, the GCC and the Arab League swiftly rallied round King Abdullah II.
The Hashemite kingdom’s stability in such a complex part of the region is a Middle East success story and a direct result of remarkable statesmanship over decades. The nation’s ruling family has built a country with a reputation for stability and a strong record of international mediation and building bridges. With their country situated between regional powers and Palestine, the late King Hussein and now King Abdullah have balanced the dynamics of a challenging area, even by the standards Middle East.
The Hashemite family have demonstrated remarkable statesmanship over the decades. AFP
Politics in Jordan remains a delicate balancing act
But current circumstances, particularly Covid-19, have hit the nation hard. Before the pandemic, Jordan was already struggling under the burden of an ongoing shortage of jobs, governance challenges and the strain of accommodating waves of refugees. Despite an effective early response to the virus, managing the pandemic for months on end took its toll. Protests erupted over strict lockdown measures in March. A recent scandal at a hospital that ran out of oxygen, resulting in the deaths of patients, only added to a fear among Jordanians that tough times were here to stay.
The country, which celebrates its centenary this year, has weathered crises before and the royal family has always steered the nation through difficult moments.
But politics in Jordan remains a delicate balancing act. At home, leaders oversee a sometimes fragile economy, with limited natural resources and the ever-present threat of water shortage. Jobs are scarce for the nation’s increasingly young workforce. The number of refugees as a proportion of the total population is more than 10 per cent, a figure that is second only to Lebanon internationally.
Abroad, Jordan is considered a steady and reliable partner for many countries, as was demonstrated by the prompt messages of support to King Abdullah and the wider nation during the past 24 hours. Its rulers have skilfully managed relations with neighbouring Israel, which is still on paper an adversary of parts of the Arab world. On its northern border, the country has had to contend with the effects Syria’s 10-year civil war. It was a central player in the defeat of ISIS, and still hosts 660,000 Syrian refugees. It oversees a number of sacred sites in Jerusalem, including Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
These are diverse and long-standing burdens. The kingdom's endurance means that there can be no complacency from allies. The state of Jordan's security is crucial for the well-being of the region. As Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the President, Sheikh Khalifa, tweeted on Sunday, "let us turn today and every day towards Jordan, its leadership and its people".
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
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
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
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany - At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people - Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed - Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest - He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
