India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke of his "immensely productive" visit to Jordan, at the conclusion of a two-day trip to the kingdom that focused on technological and business co-operation.
India is one the largest export markets for Jordan, a key Washington ally in the Middle East and major recipient of US aid. The kingdom's economy has been stagnant for the past 15 years, with the government trying to encourage growth in information technology start-ups and expand a nascent mining industry, two sectors in which India is strong.
Mr Modi held talks with King Abdullah II on Monday before addressing a meeting of Jordanian and Indian business executives on Tuesday.
"Our discussions have strengthened the India-Jordan partnership across key areas such as renewable energy, water management, digital transformation, cultural exchanges and heritage co-operation," Mr Modi said.
"My visit to Jordan has been immensely productive," he added, before describing his friendship with King Abdullah as "exceptional" and predicting "new avenues for progress and prosperity for our citizens".
Mr Modi thanked Crown Prince Hussein, who took him on a tour of The Jordan Museum in Amman – where the exhibits include part of the Dead Sea scrolls and statues date back more than 9,000 years, considered to be among the world's oldest – and accompanied him to the airport at the end of his visit.
The Indian Prime Minister's trip to Jordan marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between the countries, both members of the Non-Aligned Movement. While Jordan is a small market for India, India is one of the top buyers of Jordanian phosphate and potash.
King Abdullah, who assumed the throne in 1999 after the death of his father, King Hussein, said the visit "represents an important opportunity to chart new paths for economic co-operation".
Mr Modi, who has been in office since 2014, is also due to visit Ethiopia and Oman.
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Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
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Best Young Women’s Player
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Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
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Women’s Coach of the Year
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
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- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
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Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
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Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
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