Jordan’s King Abdullah II told the government on Tuesday to ease coronavirus restrictions, a day before the country begins its vaccination campaign.
The king said in remarks quoted by the official news agency that the health situation is “witnessing a marked improvement”. He was addressing a meeting of government officials.
The king directed the government to "open the schools and sectors in a considered way that protects the citizens and the national economy”, the agency said.
A surge of coronavirus deaths and infections in October prompted the government to re-impose a curfew in November.
Although most of the economy remained open since summer last year, businesses such as gyms, wedding halls and shisha places were ordered to close. Schools have been mostly shut since the beginning of last year.
Elections for the mostly nominal parliament were held amid the surge of the pandemic in Jordan on November 10.
Most of Jordan’s official 4,076 deaths and 310,000 infections have been recorded since October.
But officials said that the rate of increase in infections has declined in the last few weeks.
The government aims to vaccinate 2 million people out of Jordan’s population of 10 million.
Official figures showed that Jordan’s gross domestic product contracted by three per cent last year, compared with two per cent growth in 2019, which capped a decade of economic stagnation.
Unemployment is officially at a record high of 23.9 per cent.
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
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) US$175,000 1,000m
7.05pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (Dirt) $100,000 1,900m
7.40pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (T) $250,000 1,800m
8.15pm: Handicap (D) $135,000 2,000m
8.50pm: Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (T) $250,000 1,400m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) $135,000 2,410m.
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
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:
Toss: India, opted to field
Australia 158-4 (17 ov)
Maxwell 46, Lynn 37; Kuldeep 2-24
India 169-7 (17 ov)
Dhawan 76, Karthik 30; Zampa 2-22
Result: Australia won by 4 runs by D/L method
