Day: April 26, 2026

Amman: Jordan Customs has intercepted and destroyed a large number of witchcraft-related items smuggled through postal shipments over the past six months, in what officials described as part of intensified monitoring of e-commerce parcels.

According to Jordan News Agency, a Customs Department spokesperson said the items were concealed using deceptive methods inside packages labeled as clothing, children’s toys, or accessories to evade detection. He added that suspicious shipments are identified through specific risk indicators and subjected to detailed inspection, leading to the discovery of the prohibited materials.

The seized items were confiscated and destroyed in accordance with legal procedures, following consultation with the General Iftaa Department. Customs urged the public to comply with regulations and avoid importing items that violate the law or public norms, stressing that oversight of postal shipments will continue to be tightened to protect public safety.

Amman: A woman in her 30s was seriously injured on Sunday evening after falling from the Abdoun Bridge in central Amman, a spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate said. The incident prompted an immediate response from emergency services.

According to Jordan News Agency, the spokesperson stated that emergency operations for the Amman Central Police Directorate received a report regarding the incident on Sunday night. Security forces and Civil Defense rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene.

Paramedics treated the woman at the site before transporting her to a nearby hospital. Medical officials described her condition as critical.

Amman: Chairman of the Lower House (LH) Foreign Affairs Committee, MP Haitham Ziyadin, emphasized the pivotal role of Trkiye in regional affairs and the robust growth of Jordanian-Turkish relations, established under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to Jordan News Agency, Ziyadin’s remarks were made during a meeting with Chairman of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Fuat Oktay, and the Turkish Ambassador to Jordan, Yakup Oglu. Ziyadin praised Trkiye’s support for the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem’s holy sites and reiterated that the Palestinian cause remains a priority for Jordan, with King Abdullah II actively addressing it at international and regional levels.

Ziyadin condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which he stated violate international laws. He also highlighted King Abdullah’s direct involvement in humanitarian efforts, such as airdrops to Gaza. Ziyadin stressed the importance of the King’s visit to Trkiye in February for bolstering bilateral ties and called for a joint parliamentary memorandum of understanding to enhance diplomatic relations.

The discussion also covered Jordan’s political, economic, and administrative modernization efforts initiated by royal directives in 2022. These efforts aim to boost political participation and reduce the age of candidacy for parliamentary elections. MPs Iman Abbasi, Othman Makhadmeh, Mohammad Sabaileh, Ali Ghizawi, and Huda Naffa echoed Ziyadin’s sentiments, praising Trkiye’s development and supporting the Hashemite custodianship while urging an end to Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

Fuat Oktay reaffirmed Trkiye’s commitment to strengthening ties with Jordan, noting the deep-rooted connections between the two nations and their leaders. He pointed out that the trade exchange volume is expected to surpass $2 billion by 2025 and stressed the importance of enhancing tourist, cultural, and educational exchanges. Currently, 71 Jordanian students study in Trkiye, and 51 Turkish students study in Jordan.

Oktay also called for the revival of the Hejaz Railway, emphasized regional cooperation, and highlighted the need for stability in Syria. He advocated for expanding military and economic cooperation and enhancing mutual parliamentary diplomacy. Additionally, Oktay underscored the importance of halting regional bloodshed and achieving peace agreements to promote security and stability.

Zarqa: Former Deputy Prime Minister Mamdouh Al-Abadi reaffirmed on Sunday that the Palestinian cause remains the central issue for the Arab nation, despite rapid geopolitical transformations across the region. Speaking at a seminar organized by the Jordan Press Association’s branch in Zarqa, Al-Abadi noted that successive regional changes are reshaping the conflict landscape and pushing the Palestinian issue back to the forefront of international attention.

According to Jordan News Agency, Al-Abadi described the Middle East as the “beating heart of the world,” citing its strategic position at the crossroads of three continents and its oversight of vital international maritime corridors. He emphasized that the region’s vast natural resources and geographic significance continue to make it a focal point of global affairs.

Majed Al-Khodari, head of the branch, provided a historical overview of the crises impacting the Middle East, outlining major turning points and their long-term consequences for regional stability.

At the conclusion of the event, participants emphasized the importance of national unity and social cohesion. They called for continued support for the Hashemite leadership while maintaining a firm commitment to national principles amid ongoing regional challenges.

Amman: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti on Sunday received Libyan Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Khalifa Haftar and the accompanying delegation at the General Command of Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF). An official reception ceremony was held for the visiting delegation, including an honor guard review.

According to Jordan News Agency, the meeting focused on enhancing joint military cooperation and coordination, and expanding the exchange of expertise in training and capacity-building to boost the efficiency of the armed forces in both countries. Huneiti and the Libyan delegation were also briefed on key components of the JAF’s modernization and development program, as well as major challenges posed by the regional environment.

Huneiti and Haftar signed a joint cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening coordination, expanding military training, and promoting the exchange of expertise and knowledge under cooperation programs implemented by the Jordan Armed Forces with several armies. Huneiti called for advancing military cooperation to serve strategic interests and support regional security and stability.

For his part, Haftar praised the level of mutual cooperation, emphasizing the need to continue coordination and exchange of military expertise.

Madaba: The second phase of consultative sessions aimed at promoting climate-smart agriculture began on Sunday across the governorates of Madaba, Karak, Tafilah, and Ma’an. The initiative is part of a broader project to build climate resilience in Jordan by improving water efficiency in the agricultural sector.

According to Jordan News Agency, these sessions seek to review the outcomes of the project’s first phase and gather feedback from participating agricultural associations. The sessions also serve to introduce newly joined associations to the objectives of the second phase and the logistics of an upcoming training program.

The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the ministries of Water and Irrigation, Agriculture, and Environment, along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The project employs a participatory approach, involving local stakeholders in the design of interventions to ensure they meet actual community needs and maximize on-the-ground impact. Key achievements from the first phase were highlighted during the meetings, including the completion of specialized training in climate-smart agriculture. Participants discussed challenges faced by local associations, particularly in water management, operational costs, and marketing, to extract lessons for future implementation.

In this next stage, participating associations will nominate trainees based on specific criteria to ensure that those selected can effectively transfer knowledge and apply sustainable techniques within their local communities. Representatives from cooperative and charitable societies provided recommendations during the sessions to help refine the upcoming stages of the program.

The $33.25 million project is part of a strategic effort by the FAO and its partners to prepare local communities for climate change through practical training and feedback-driven programming. It specifically targets the Dead Sea basin governorates, which are among the areas most affected by water scarcity, aiming to enhance the resilience of Jordan’s water management systems and agricultural productivity.