Local

AMMAN — Royal Court Chief Yousef Issawi on Saturday inspected the activities of a free medical day held in Ghor Al Safi, organised by the Nobles Company for Sustainable Development as part of the ongoing “Al Widad” campaign, which was launched in February in the new Al Milaha housing area.

Issawi was accompanied by Director General of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) Nizar Mhaidat and Karak Governor Qublan Sharif. 

The delegation was briefed on the day’s activities, which aimed to provide free healthcare services across a wide range of medical specialities to local residents, according to a Royal Court statement.

Issawi expressed appreciation for the efforts of the organisers and volunteers, commending their humanitarian contributions and commitment to strengthening social solidarity.

 Founder and Director of the Nobles Company for Sustainable Development Lara Burgan thanked the Royal Court for its continued support of the initiative, which targets underprivileged families throughout the Kingdom.

She noted that the campaign was organised in coordination with the JFDA, Ghor Al Safi and Prince Hamza hospitals, along with volunteer doctors and technicians from various healthcare institutions.

Burgan also noted that the campaign will continue to organise free medical days in other regions across Jordan.

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to 10 years in prison after convicting him of storing a large quantity of illegal narcotics in Mafraq governorate in March 2023.

The SSC declared the defendant guilty of possessing large quantities of Hashish and Captagon pills at his home in Mafraq on March 29.

The SSC handed defendant Abdul Aziz A., a 15-year prison term for the charges and ordered him to pay JD10,000 in fines.

However, the court decided to reduce the sentence to 10 years in prison while maintaining the JD10,000 “to give the defendant a second chance in life”.

Court documents said Abdul Aziz A. and two other defendants, who did not appeal their 15-year verdicts, decided to earn quick cash by selling illegal narcotics in the local market.

“The two defendants stored 60 kilogrammes of Hashish and 140,000 Captagon pills at Abdul Aziz A.’s house,” court papers said.

The Anti-Narcotics department (AND) received a tip about the stored illicit drugs at the defendant’s house and decided to raid the premises, according to court papers.

 “The three defendants were arrested and AND agents seized a large quantity of illicit drugs,” court papers added.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that “legal errors were committed during the investigation process”.

Meanwhile, the SSC prosecution office asked the higher court to uphold the sentence and the fine imposed on the defendant.

The higher court maintained that the SSC had followed the proper procedures in issuing the sentences against the defendant.

“It was clear to the court that the defendant confessed willingly to storing the illegal drugs with the intent of selling them in the local market,” the higher court said.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Yassin Abdullat, Nayef Samarat, Hammad Ghzawi, Mohammad Khashashneh and Qassem Dughmi.

AMMAN — Jordan achieved significant milestones in its energy sector during the first quarter of 2025, reflecting growing momentum in the country’s transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources and enhanced infrastructure development.

 According to the latest Executive Programme Report for the Economic Modernisation Vision (2023–2025), progress was recorded across green hydrogen initiatives, natural gas exploration, and household-level solar energy support.

The report highlighted the completion of the shared infrastructure blueprint for green hydrogen projects, developed in cooperation with project developers. A comprehensive business model was also reviewed to align the required commercial frameworks with the technical evaluations prepared by a team of consultants.

In a further boost to Jordan’s green hydrogen ambitions, the government signed two new land-use agreements with investors and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an additional project developer, bringing the total number of signed MoUs to 14, in addition to one framework agreement already in place.

In the natural gas sector, the Cabinet approved the rationale for a new draft gas law. The report also cited increased exploration efforts, with six new wells drilled to enhance output at the Risha gas field. A tender was also issued to evaluate the outcomes of a 3D seismic survey conducted in the Jafr region.

Additionally, a new investment opportunity was introduced for supplying natural gas to the cities of Amman and Zarqa. Geological and geophysical studies were also completed in the Sarhan and West Safawi regions, identifying key zones for potential exploration and drilling.

Progress was also made in the southern region, where implementation began on the project to supply natural gas to Al Qweira Industrial City. So far, 25 applications from factories have been submitted and are under review as part of efforts to boost energy efficiency in small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.

At the household level, the government upgraded the solar energy support platform, streamlining applications for solar water heater installations. During Q1 2025, approved financing institutions committed to supporting installations for 740 households.

As part of the “Fazeet Ahl” initiative, a programme designed to support low-income families, new MoU was signed with the Jordan Engineers Association in cooperation with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund. The agreement will provide full grants for solar water heater systems, enhancing energy access for vulnerable communities.

The report also noted ongoing work on the natural gas port project, where the contractor is finalising detailed designs for the onshore regasification unit. Site preparations for civil works were completed by the end of April.

AMMAN — As the world commemorates World Press Freedom Day on May 3, media professionals and rights advocates are calling for stronger protections and greater support for journalists, especially amid growing threats from conflict, disinformation, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

This year’s observance is shadowed by a sharp rise in journalist casualties, particularly in Gaza, where dozens of media workers have lost their lives covering the ongoing Israeli war on the Strip. According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), at least 171 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began, with many others injured or missing.

The day serves not only to honour fallen journalists but also to spotlight the need to safeguard media freedom and ensure the survival of independent journalism in an increasingly complex global environment.

In remarks to The Jordan Times on the occasion, Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Momani said that “Jordan has always thought of free press and credible reporting as part of its security and society peace.”

 “Professionalism is the key to success reporting and journalism freedom. In the age of AI and digitalisation, it is important that journalism and government understand the inevitability of the flow of information.”

Newly elected Jordan Press Association (JPA) President Tareq Momani also stressed the importance of empowering journalists, citing their vital role in society.

“The current professional and living conditions of journalists require serious reconsideration,” said Momani, a veteran journalist and three-time JPA president. “They must be able to work in a safe environment with job security and financial stability.”

Marking the occasion, JPA president said UNESCO’s 2024 theme, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” underscores the critical role of bold and courageous journalism in today’s world, particularly in the era of artificial intelligence.

“AI can contribute to the distortion or fabrication of information, undermining freedom of expression and, in some cases, posing a threat to journalists by replacing them,” he warned.

He also announced that the JPA plans to resume issuing its annual Press Freedom Report starting next year, a publication that has been suspended since 2017. “We aim to boost professional development through our training centre and enhance journalists’ skills and capacity.”

Press freedom advocate and former JPA council member Khaled Qudah highlighted that while the tools of journalism have evolved, the principles remain unchanged.

“There is no such thing as conventional versus unconventional media, only different platforms. What remains constant are the profession’s ethics, laws, and core practices,” Qudah told The Jordan Times.

“Stakeholders across the region are using the occasion to call for legal reforms, better protections, and ongoing support for media professionals, who continue to work under pressure and in high-risk environments.”

AMMAN — As Jordan marks World Traffic Day on Sunday, alarming statistics reveal a sharp increase in road traffic accidents in 2024, according to a report issued by the Higher Population Council (HPC).

The number of traffic accidents rose to 190,175 in 2024, up from 122,970 in 2020. Accidents resulting in human casualties also saw a steep rise, increasing from 8,451 to 11,950 cases, with 543 deaths and 18,275 injuries reported in 2024 alone.

The economic burden of these accidents is substantial. The HPC estimated the total direct and indirect cost at approximately JD958 million, representing 2.8 per cent of Jordan’s gross domestic product, a figure that aligns with global averages.

The report attributed 97.1 per cent of casualty-related accidents to human error, with male drivers involved in 89 per cent of such incidents. Road conditions were cited in 1.9 per cent of cases, while vehicle-related issues accounted for just 1 per cent.

Drivers aged 18 to 35 were involved in more than half (52.4 per cent) of all accidents and represented 47.7 per cent of total casualties. Among the most common violations were failure to take proper precautions (42.2 per cent), lane violations (22.5 per cent), and failure to yield (10.2 per cent). Newly licensed drivers — those with less than three years of experience — were involved in 10.5 per cent of the total accidents.

The HPC warned of worsening traffic congestion, particularly in the central and northern regions, due to the uneven geographic distribution of the population and the continuous rise in vehicle numbers. Currently, about 92 per cent of the population resides in the northwestern parts of the country, placing immense pressure on the road infrastructure.

The number of registered vehicles in Jordan increased from 1.72 million in 2020 to nearly 2 million in 2024, equivalent to one vehicle for every six people, a dramatic shift from one in 69 in 1970. The figure is projected to surpass 2.3 million by 2030, underscoring the growing strain on the transportation network.

AMMAN — Four children were killed and two others injured on Saturday in a fire that broke out in a ground-floor apartment located within a mosque in the Abu Alanda neighborhood of Amman, according to the Public Security Directorate (PSD).

In a statement, a PSD spokesperson said that civil defense crews responded to the blaze, which claimed the lives of four siblings aged between 5 and 10 years old.

Two children from the same family, aged 2 and 3, were injured after suffering respiratory distress caused by smoke inhalation, PSD said. Emergency teams administered first aid and transferred the injured children to Al Tutunji and Al Bashir public hospitals. 

The PSD said that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.

AMMAN — The Ajloun cable car attraction reached a new milestone on Friday, drawing more than 6,100 visitors in a single day, including Jordanians, residents, and tourists from across the Arab world and beyond.

Tareq Maaitah, Director of the AjlounDevelopment Area, told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the record turnout highlights the strong appeal of the cable car project and reinforces its role as a flagship destination on Jordan’s tourism map.

Maaytah attributed the growing popularity to a targeted strategy aimed at enhancing the visitor experience through quality events and engaging programs, which have contributed to longer tourist stays.

He added that Ajloun is experiencing a notable rise in tourism activity this season, positioning the area as a leading year-round destination.