Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right party Vox, gives a speech ahead of regional elections in Andalusia. AFP
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right party Vox, gives a speech ahead of regional elections in Andalusia. AFP
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right party Vox, gives a speech ahead of regional elections in Andalusia. AFP
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right party Vox, gives a speech ahead of regional elections in Andalusia. AFP

Spain’s far-right Vox party set to double vote share in snap election, poll shows


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With Spanish voters due to vote in a snap parliamentary election, the country’s Vox party has experienced a surge in support with an early poll showing the far-right movement could nearly double its seats.

The poll, put in the field by Sigma Dos for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, has shown Vox would get 44 seats in Spain's 350 sear parliament if the election were held tomorrow. The party won 24 seats in the country's April election. Spanish voters are due to head to the polls on November 10.

Winning the 24 seats in April was a major coup for Vox, as the first formidable far-right force in Spanish politics since the death of Francisco Franco and the end of his dictatorial regime in the 1970s.

The poll showed Spain’s left-wing Socialist Worker’s Party (PSoE) remained the largest party, though it has reportedly lost a number of seats since April’s inconclusive national vote.

The PSoE, looks set to win 120 seats with the right Popular Party (PP) increasing its showing from 66 seats in April to 94 in this most recent poll. Establishing itself as the third force in Spanish politics Vox has surpassed the centre-right citizens party and the far-left United We Can party.

The Vox Party, which has campaigned to abolish Spain’s devolved governments and centralise power in Madrid, has won support because of its hard-line stance during unrest in Catalonia focused on that region’s capital Barcelona.

Protests, characterised by violent clashes between police and demonstrators, erupted in the Catalan capital in October following the Supreme Court’s decision to sentence nine Catalan leaders to prison for their role in what was later ruled an illegal attempt to break away from Spain in 2017.

In anticipation of the custodial sentences, Catalan independence activists had prepared to mobilise in civil disobedience through what they called a “Democratic Tsunami”.

Vox’s leader Santiago Abascal, an outspoken politician from the Basque Country, has also capitalised on Franco’s much debated exhumation. On October 24 the dictator was moved from an elaborate mausoleum to a simple grave, the fulfilment of a pledge by the country’s socialist government.

While Spain’s political left had vowed to end the glorification of the country’s fascist past, a significant minority opposed the move. Scores of protesters gathered outside the El Pardo cemetery to protest the exhumation.

Echoing US President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, Mr Abascal has called for a secure wall to be built around the tiny Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which sit on the northern shores of Morocco's Mediterranean coast. The right-wing leader has said Morocco should pay for the wall to stop the flow of migrants through the route from North Africa to Europe.

What went into the film

25 visual effects (VFX) studios

2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots

1,000 VFX artists

3,000 technicians

10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers

New sound technology, named 4D SRL

 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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)
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
BABYLON
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Profile of RentSher

Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE

Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi

Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE

Sector: Online rental marketplace

Size: 40 employees

Investment: $2 million

Coal Black Mornings

Brett Anderson

Little Brown Book Group 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
AIDA%20RETURNS
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Bio:

Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour

Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people 

Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite food: Fish and vegetables

Favourite place to visit: London

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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)
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
Brief scores:

Manchester City 3

Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'

Bournemouth 1

Wilson 44'

Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)

RESULTS

 

Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)

Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke

Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)

Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke

Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)

Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO

Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision

Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke

Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)

Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke

Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO

Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km

LILO & STITCH

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Rating: 4.5/5

The%20specs
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How Filipinos in the UAE invest

A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.

Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).

Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.