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AMMAN — The heart of downtown Amman came alive on May 9, 2025, as thousands gathered at the historic Roman Amphitheatre to celebrate Europe Day with a night of music, unity and cultural exchange.

Hosted by the European Union Delegation to Jordan, in cooperation with the embassies of Austria and Spain, and in cooperation with the Department of Antiquities, the free, open-air concert featured a vibrant lineup of performances. 

Jordanian singer Aziz Maraka set the stage alight with his powerful songs, while Los Manolos from Spain brought an infectious Mediterranean energy, and Austria’s Orwa Saleh Ensemble featuring Zeina Aftimos enchanted the audience with their rich, soulful music.

AMMAN — The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, reached 112.39 points during the first third of 2025, compared with 110.21 points for the same period in 2024, marking an increase of 1.97 per cent, the Department of Statistics (DoS) said on Monday.

The latest DoS report showed that the main commodity groups contributing to the cumulative increase in consumer prices included personal belongings (up 19.01 per cent), tobacco and cigarettes (12.65 per cent), tea, coffee, and cocoa (5.73 per cent), fruits and nuts (5.52 per cent) and spices, food enhancers, and other food products (5.38 per cent).

On a monthly basis, the CPI rose in April to 112.53 points, up from 110.50 points in April 2024, reflecting an annual increase of 1.83 per cent, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The commodity groups that most significantly contributed to the April year-on-year increase included personal belongings (up 21.94 per cent), fruits and nuts (15.17 per cent), tobacco and cigarettes (12.55 per cent), tea, coffee, and cocoa (9.32 per cent), and spices and other food products (5.53 per cent). 

Some groups helped curb the overall rise, including household tools (down 3.04 per cent), furniture and carpets (2.71 per cent), vegetables and dried/canned legumes (1.91 per cent), and fish and seafood products (1.65 per cent).

Month-on-month, the CPI for April edged up by 0.09 per cent, reaching 112.53 points compared to 112.43 points in March.

The report highlighted that the groups contributing most to the monthly increase in April included: fruits and nuts (up 9.43 per cent), personal belongings (5.68 per cent), tea, coffee, and cocoa (4.73 per cent), vegetables and dried/canned legumes (1.07 per cent) and home maintenance (0.45 per cent).

AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has “strongly” condemned the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif by extremist settlers, including an attempt by one of them to bring a sacrificial offering into one of the mosque’s courtyards, an act the ministry described as a "dangerous precedent."

In a statement on Monday, the ministry denounced the incident as a “grave escalation blatant violation of international law and the existing historical and legal status quo of occupied Jerusalem and its holy sites,” carried out under the protection of the Israeli occupation authorities. 

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah reiterated Jordan’s unequivocal rejection of the "provocative practices" by extremist settlers, facilitated by Israeli occupation forces, warning of the serious consequences of continued violations at the site.

The spokesperson also underlined that Israel, the occupying power, is required to put an end to all violations of the historical and legal status quo of Jerusalem and attempts to impose temporal and spatial divisions at the site.

He also also reemphasised that the 144-dunum Al Aqsa Mosque is solely an Islamic holy site and that the Jordan-run Jerusalem Awqaf and Aqsa Affairs Department is the sole authority tasked with supervising all its affairs.

Guards at Al Aqsa Mosque on Monday thwarted an attempt by a group of ultranationalist Jewish settlers to sacrifice a lamb at the Al Haram Al Sharif Compound in occupied Jerusalem, during the Jewish Passover holiday, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Eyewitnesses told Petra's correspondent in Ramallah that the group, carrying a lamb, attempted to enter the compound but were intercepted by mosque guards before the act could be carried out.

In a statement on Monday, the Jerusalem Governorate strongly condemned the incident as a “dangerous escalation,” warning of the consequences of “such provocations which violate the sanctity of the holy site and offend Muslim worshippers.”

"What happened is a deliberate criminal attempt to impose a new status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque," it said, holding the occupation authority fully accountable for "these dangerous acts which were carried out under the protection of the occupation authorities. 

The incident came on the same day that 594 Jewish settlers entered the compound under heavy security, as Muslim worshippers were denied entry to Al Haram Al Sharif, the third holiest site in Islam, Petra reported.

AMMAN — The World Central Kitchen (WCK) has hailed Jordan’s humanitarian and relief efforts to alleviate the large-scale suffering of the people in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

In remarks to the government-owned Al Mamlaka TV channel on Monday, WCK, an international NGO that provides meals to communities affected by conflict and disasters, also voiced appreciation for the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) for facilitating its food delivery operations in Gaza.

WCK also said it is maintaining constant coordination with JHCO in delivering relief assistance to people in Gaza through the air and land corridors.     

JHCO said on Saturday that it had begun operating a daily bakery in southern Gaza, in cooperation with the Jordanian aid campaign.

The initiative aims to provide bread to displaced Palestinians amid ongoing border closures, a severe shortage of flour, and soaring food prices, according to a JHCO statement.

JHCO said the bakery will produce 35,000 to 40,000 loaves of bread daily to support thousands of displaced families, as part of Jordan’s continued humanitarian assistance to Gaza by land and air.

Last year, a mobile bakery with a production capacity of 3,500 loaves of bread per hour was dispatched from Jordan to Gaza, following Royal directives, to alleviate the humanitarian suffering caused by the Israeli war on the Strip. The mobile bakery was established in cooperation with WCK.

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday endorsed a new package of financial incentives to support the local film industry, aiming as it said at turning Jordan into a premier destination for film production and enhancing the country’s competitiveness in the creative industries.

A Prime Ministry statement said that the new support package also seeks to capitalise on the country's diverse filming locations, trained local workforce, and advanced infrastructure.

Chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, the Cabinet announced that the new measures include expanded cash rebates ranging from 25 per cent to 45 per cent of expenditures within Jordan, depending on the size of the project and the extent to which it incorporates local cultural elements. Productions spending over $10 million and incorporating Jordanian cultural content will be eligible for the maximum rebate, based on a points system evaluating artistic, cultural, and economic impact.

The initiative is part of a broader push to enhance Jordan’s competitiveness in the creative industries, in line with the Economic Modernisation Vision. The strategy focuses on increasing the sector’s contribution to GDP through infrastructure development, talent support, and investment attraction, the statement said.

The package also increases support for domestic productions. Local projects exceeding $500,000 in spending will now qualify for a 30 per cent rebate, up from the previous 10 per cent, in a move aimed at empowering Jordanian filmmakers and stimulating homegrown content.

These incentives are expected to increase employment in the sector by 35 per cent, generate over $32 million in direct foreign spending annually, and support film tourism by promoting Jordanian locations featured in productions. They will also contribute to promoting Jordanian culture globally by integrating local heritage into artistic narratives, and strengthening technical infrastructure, thus boosting Jordan’s readiness to host major productions, according to the statement. 

Jordan has already hosted major Hollywood blockbusters, including The Martian, Aladdin, and both Dune films, solidifying its reputation as a preferred destination for global filmmakers.

AMMAN — HRH Prince El Hassan, President of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS), on Thursday attended the closing ceremony of the conference titled “Christians in the Arab Levant and the Aspirations of Unity and Enlightenment,” which brought together several prominent Christian leaders.

Attended by Muslim and Christian intellectuals, the event concluded with a call for interfaith dialogue, coexistence, and regional stability. Prince El Hassan emphasised the importance of cultivating a regional model rooted in dialogue and “stability for sustainability,” according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Reviewing the two-day conference’s recommendations, Prince El Hassan stressed that enlightenment and unity in the Mashreq require collective will and the development of a roadmap for both elite and grassroots initiatives focused on communication and bridge-building.

The final recommendations called for building on key Islamic declarations issued by Al Azhar to enhance Muslim-Christian relations, and for further developing the “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” initiative, launched by Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed El Tayeb.

Drawing on discussions during the conference, participants condemned the killing of civilians and the deliberate destruction of hospitals, schools, universities, and places of worship in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. 

They also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and denounced the ongoing violations against Muslim and Christian holy sites in Occupied Jerusalem.

Christian leaders who participated in the conference included Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem; Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch; Catholicos Aram I, head of the Armenian Orthodox Catholicosate of Cilicia; Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan of the Syriac Catholic Church; and Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian of the Armenian Catholic Church.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Sarvath El Hassan on Saturday inaugurated the 36th annual exhibition of the Bunayat Centre for Special Education, which showcases the artistic and professional achievements of students enrolled at the centre.

The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the centre's establishment, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Organised by the centre's Vocational Rehabilitation Department, the exhibition showcases a wide range of student work from the current academic year. 

On display are handicrafts in ceramics, textiles, mosaics, carpentry and agriculture, as well as a selection of homemade food products, including pickles, jams, traditional thyme and dried herbs.

The Bunayat Centre serves students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. It provides tailored educational and vocational training to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for independent living, social integration and economic participation.

Princess Sarvath emphasised the importance of continued support and empowerment for persons with disabilities, noting their vital role in building a more inclusive Jordan and contributing meaningfully in all areas of society.

The exhibition drew praise from attending ambassadors, partners and friends of the centre, who commended the high level of creativity and craftsmanship on display. Visitors also noted the students' strong sense of commitment to their families and communities, which is reflected in their work.

The exhibition will remain open to the public on Monday from 9:00am to 7:00pm.