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AMMAN – Police on Sunday said they were searching for a prisoner who managed to break out from the Juweideh Correctional and rehabilitation Centre (JCRC) earlier in the day.

The inmate, in his 20s, escaped from the prison, located south of the capital, on Sunday morning, Public Security Department (PSD) Spokesperson Major Amer Sartawi said.

“We are still investigating the incident to determine how he managed to get away,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

The prisoner was detained at the correctional facility on charges of theft, according to the PSD official.

A special team was formed to search for the inmate, Sartawi added.

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AMMAN — The Jordan Armed Forces announced that a Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft crashed on Sunday at 12:20pm during a regular training mission due to technical failure. No casualties were reported; the pilot, Captain Ahmad Alawneh, ejected and parachuted safely.

IRBID/AMMAN — Hundreds of Jordanians participated in a march in Irbid on Friday calling for reform and combating corruption.

In the march, which followed the Friday noon prayer, representatives of popular movements and the Muslim Brotherhood urged the government to halt steps that lead to raising prices and to work on offsetting the budget deficit through stricter measures in combating corruption.

Also on Friday, a protest was held near Al Husseini Mosque in downtown Amman.

Participants chanted slogans calling for nullifying the Wadi Araba peace treaty between Jordan and Israel and denouncing the proposal floated by US Secretary of State John Kerry on the Palestinian issue.

They charged that Kerry’s proposal seeks to terminate the Palestinian issue and scrap the Palestinian refugees’ right of return.

AMMAN — Jordan Television is hosting Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) President Samih Bino on its “Jordan, this evening” programme, which is presented by Hazem Rahahleh on Sunday at 7pm.

Bino is scheduled to speak about the ACC’s duties and its role in combating corruption, in addition to the main files that the ACC is dealing with at present.

BEIRUT — Jordan fully supports efforts aimed at enhancing Lebanon’s security and stability and enabling it to overcome the challenges it faces, the Kingdom’s Ambassador in Beirut, Zeid Zreikat, said on Saturday.

He condemned terrorist bombings that recently took place in Beirut, stressing the Kingdom’s commitment to ensure the safety of the Jordanian community in Lebanon and check on their situation whether by field visits or through contacts with Lebanese officials.

Meanwhile, Zreikat expressed his satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Jordan and Lebanon, citing agreements and programmes, namely the free trade agreement signed in 2002, in addition to financial investments in banks, transport and real estate.

AMMAN — The German-Jordanian University on Saturday launched the first stage of an initiative to plant trees throughout Jordan, in cooperation with the public and private sectors, and civil society institutions.

The initiative seeks to plant 1 million saplings over the next four years to increase the country’s green cover, a statement from the university said.

Around 1,500 saplings were planted at the university on Saturday as part of the initiative.

PETRA — A child died and 19 people were injured when a pickup truck overturned in Petra District on Friday.

Civil Defence Department (CDD) staff administered first aid to the injured and took them to Queen Rania Hospital, where some were listed in critical condition.

AJLOUN — The Municipal Affairs Ministry is drafting a new law to consolidate the financial and administrative independence of municipalities, with the first draft sent to mayors for evaluation, Municipal Affairs Minister Walid Masri said on Saturday.

He urged mayors and members of municipal councils to send their feedback on the bill, so that the ministry can take them into account in formulating the law.

During a visit to the Shafa, Al Oyoun and New Kufranja municipalities in Ajloun Governorate, Masri said JD250,000 has been allocated from the Gulf Cooperation Council grant for road projects.

He urged the municipalities to collect overdue taxes from residents and institutions, control spending and focus on development projects that generate revenues to support their budgets.

Zarqa — The Hitteen Refugee Camp committee distributed 100 heaters to underprivileged families in the camp on Saturday.

The families were selected after field visits conducted by a committee of representatives of the Department of Palestinian Affairs and the camp’s services committee.

AMMAN — Jordan on Friday condemned the blasts that hit the Egyptian capital.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani, who is also the government’s spokesperson, stressed Jordan’s support for Egypt and its security and stability, emphasising its key role in the Arab world and at the global level.

Stressing the government’s solidarity with the Egyptian government, the minister asserted Jordan’s rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism.

Momani expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.