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The religious opposition have made gains in Jordan's parliamentary elections, an official tally of the votes found on Wednesday, but pro-government deputies remain dominant after the poll allowed more room for participation of political parties.
All significant power in Jordan is with King Abdullah, who has ruled since 1999. The kingdom has a military pact with Washington and is a main recipient of US aid.
The Islamic Action Front added 24 seats to the eight it already held and will now make up one fifth of the assembly, according to results released by the Independent Elections Commission and tallies by pro-government media.
Parliament will now have 138 members, up from the previous 130.
Moussa Al Maayta, head of the Independent Elections Commission, said Tuesday's poll was "in line with international standards", with the right to vote "guaranteed for every Jordanian".
Turnout was 32 per cent, the commission said, a 2 per cent rise from 2020 but a drop on 2016's 35 per cent. It could be another day before all results are announced officially but Wednesday's tallies indicate the legislature will remain dominated by loyalist political groups and members of tribes that form a bedrock of support for the monarchy and underpin security forces and the public sector.
The elections were the first in Jordan under a new system aimed at boosting party representation, amid public anger towards Israel and long-running domestic economic pressures.
On Sunday, a lorry driver from Jordan shot dead three Israelis at the Allenby Bridge border crossing into the occupied West Bank, prompting Israeli authorities to close all three land entry points from the kingdom.
Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994, founded in part on bilateral security co-operation. The treaty led to commercial dealings with Israel and more western aid.
The new electoral system allocated 41 seats as a single, cross-country district but still limited the rise of large parties by giving smaller groups a bigger influence. The remaining 97 seats are mostly reserved for tribal regions with disproportionally large representation, compared with the kingdom's main cities, where a large ratio of the population are descendants of Palestinian refugees.
Amman, home to 45 per cent of Jordan's 11 million people, holds only 14 per cent of parliamentary seats. Zarqa, with a population of 2 million, is allocated 10 seats, slightly more than the eight given to the central governorate of Karak, which has only 375,000 inhabitants.
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 list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: Dh898,000
On sale: now
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
The%20specs
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Poacher
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