Local

AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday advised Jordanians not to travel to Libya in light of the current unrest there. 

Moreover, the ministry called on Jordanians who are currently in Libya to exercise extreme caution and to avoid areas of conflict or protest.

Jordanians residing in Libya should contact the Jordanian embassy in Tripoli to provide their personal details via the following telephone numbers: 00218213614761, 00218213614763 or 00218916610595, the ministry said.

In case of emergency, they should call the ministry’s operations centre at 0096265735166.

AMMAN — Forty dunums of trees in the Dibbeen Forest Reserve were destroyed in a wildfire on Monday, the reserve’s director, Bashir Ayasrah, said on Tuesday.

The fire started at around 3:30pm and dozens of Jerash Civil Defence Department (CDD) firefighters, Rangers from the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) and the Jerash Agriculture Department extinguished the blaze by 7:30pm, Ayasrah told The Jordan Times.

“A report on the damages shows that 200 trees were burned, including Aleppo pines, oaks and maple trees,” he added.

The fire was most likely man-made, according to Ayasrah, who underscored that it is not known whether the fire was a result of a visitor’s recklessness or an act of arson.

“The winds on Monday afternoon helped fan the flames, in addition to the fact that hundreds of thousands of broken dry branches covered the forest bed following last December’s snowstorm,” he pointed out.

Ayasrah again called on the authorities to organise a national campaign to remove the fallen branches, which are not only blocking the forest’s inner roads, but also serve as fuel for more wildfires during the summer.

“The trees are very old; the average age of the reserve’s trees is 130 years. Every tree has its own environmental significance and once burned, it cannot be replaced,” the conservationist said.

The Dibbeen Forest Reserve represents the world’s last remaining southeastern community of Aleppo pines.

The CDD said its personnel had to use special equipment and vehicles due to the rough topography of Dibbeen and its dense green cover.

“The cause of the fire is under investigation,” a CDD source noted.

Monday’s fire is the second wildfire in Dibbeen in less than a month; on April 28, 184 centennial trees planted over a 12-dunum area were damaged. 

Situated in Jerash Governorate, 48km north of Amman, the forest reserve was established in 2004 with the aim of protecting Aleppo pines, particularly as Dibbeen is the driest part of the world in which Aleppo pines naturally grow, with an average rainfall of around 400mm per year, according to the RSCN.

The Dibbeen forest is home to at least 17 threatened species, including the Persian squirrel, in addition to over a quarter of the butterfly species that exist in the Kingdom. It extends over 8.5 square kilometres of mountainous topography, rich with pine and oak trees.

AMMAN — Border guards have received 666 Syrian refugees during the past 48 hours, a source from the Jordan Armed Forces said on Tuesday.

ZARQA — Former prime minister Taher Masri on Monday highlighted Jordan’s efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem and confront Israeli schemes seeking to Judaise the holy city.

Delivering an address at a festival on supporting Jerusalem organised by the Zarqa forum for culture and arts, Masri criticised UNESCO for not performing its duty in property preserving holy sites and Palestinian heritage, recalling Jordan’s efforts which led to adding Jerusalem’s old city to UNESCO’s World Heritage List and the World Heritage in Danger list.

AMMAN  — The US embassy in Amman on Tuesday said no Jordanians were involved in the death of Spec. Adrian M. Perkins, 19, of Pine Valley, California, who died in the capital last Saturday. 

“We are very sorry to confirm reports that a US soldier was shot at a Jordanian military base and that the soldier died on May 17, 2014 at the King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman as a result of his injuries,” a spokesperson for the US embassy told The Jordan Times.

“There were no Jordanians involved in the incident, because it was between two US soldiers. The government of Jordan has turned over jurisdiction of the investigation to the US Armed Forces,” the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity.

Investigation is under way to uncover the details of the incident, he added.

The US Department of Defence announced the death of Perkins, who it said was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, according to a statement on its website.

Operation Enduring Freedom is the official name used by the US for its Afghanistan operations.

The Department of Defence said the soldier, who was assigned to 1st Battalion, 67th Armour Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado, died from a “non-combat related injury”.

“Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have no additional comment on this case,” the embassy spokesperson said.

“We are thankful to tireless efforts of the medical staff at King Hussein Medical Centre and to the government of Jordan and the Jordan Armed Forces for their assistance at this difficult time, particularly with the repatriation of the deceased to the United States,” he added.

AMMAN — Laboratory tests on samples from seven public and private hospitals have shown that there are no new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in Jordan, Mohammad Abdullat, director of the Health Ministry’s communicable diseases directorate, said on Tuesday.

AMMAN — The Water Ministry on Tuesday said it detained a number of people who were selling drinking water that does not meet local standards.

Under a campaign, carried out in cooperation with the Interior Ministry, the suspects were found selling untreated water to the public from several illegal wells in the Wadi Seer area.

AMMAN — The Royal Motorcycle Club of Jordan (RMCJ) will organise a motorcycle parade in Amman on Sunday to mark Independence Day, celebrated on May 25.

The parade is organised in cooperation with the Royal Automobile Museum, the Public Security Department, the Civil Defence Department, motorcycle companies and agencies, and motorcycle groups.

The parade will start at 11am from the Sports City and head to RMCJ headquarters.

AMMAN — Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTVC) Director Ramadan Rawashdeh on Tuesday said the corporation will undergo restructuring, starting by mid-June.

During a meeting at the Jordan Press Association, he said the rights of the 1,720 JRTVC employees will not be affected by the restructuring plan.

Rawashdeh announced that the corporation intends to launch a third Jordan TV channel to broadcast drama series, songs and variety programmes, and provide further coverage of local events.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Basma, chairperson of the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), has appointed Salma Nims as secretary general of the JNCW.

Nims takes over from Asma Khader, who has been appointed as a member of the Independent Elections Commission, according to statement sent to The Jordan Times.

Nims holds a PhD in development planning and a MSc in sustainable development from University College London, University of London.

Since 2004, she has been providing professional development and gender consultancy services to several government and international organisations, the statement said.

At the time of its establishment in 1992, the JNCW secretariat was directed by Lamis Nassir, who was succeeded by Hiyam Kalimat.

Amal Sabbagh was the first to be appointed as secretary general, followed by Khader.