King Abdullah during a state visit to the UAE in November last year. UAE Presidential Court
King Abdullah during a state visit to the UAE in November last year. UAE Presidential Court
King Abdullah during a state visit to the UAE in November last year. UAE Presidential Court
King Abdullah during a state visit to the UAE in November last year. UAE Presidential Court

Jordan's King Abdullah takes part in air drop to Gaza field hospital


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Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Jordan’s King Abdullah has participated in an air drop to a field hospital in Gaza, state media reported on Sunday.

The announcement underscores the importance the kingdom places on humanitarian deliveries to the Palestinians amid the war, with the King repeatedly having called for Israel to lift restrictions on the aid flows.

Official TV showed footage of the King wearing military fatigue and protective gear on a Jordanian air force transport plane as it parachuted crates of supplies to a field hospital in Gaza, run by the kingdom’s military.

The footage did not give a date for the operation but said the King took part the latest air drop conducted by the air force in Gaza.

According to state media, the latest air drop operation was on February 5 and 6, conducted jointly with the Dutch air force.

King Abdullah in Washington, where he is due to meet US President Joe Biden on Monday to discuss the war in Gaza.

The supplies were parachuted to Field Hospital 77 in the north of Gaza, using pallets equipped with a GPS-guided device that can steer the package to its landing site.

Jordan also operates Field Hospital 2 in the south, and has previously supplied them by airdrop.

Any aircraft operating in Gaza's air space needs Israeli permission.

Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. The kingdom's 10 million population consists of a large proportion of people of Palestinian origin.

They are mostly descendants of Palestinians who were driven from their homes when Israel was created in 1948, and when Israel occupied Palestinian territory after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

Israel pulled out from Gaza in 2005 – two years before Hamas took control of the enclave from the Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas.

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Where to buy art books in the UAE

There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.

In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show. 

In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.

In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.

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2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)

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Updated: February 11, 2024, 8:15 PM