Jordan

AMMAN, May 19 (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah said on Thursday he was restricting the movements of his estranged half brother Prince Hamza and curtailing his contacts with the outside world to ensure he does not act against his country's interests.

Hamza, a former heir to Jordan's throne who was placed under house arrest last year, was accused in April 2021 of trying to destabilise the monarchy in a foreign-inspired plot, but was spared punishment after pledging allegiance to the King.

19 May 2022; MEMO: Jordan has issued a Royal Decree restricting the communications, place of residence and movement of Prince Hamzah, Roya News reported.

The official news site said the decree came following recommendation issued in December by the council formed in accordance with the Royal family Law.

Queen Noor Al Hussein, wife of the late Jordanian King Hussein Bin Talal, shared an article voicing criticism of Israel's account of the attack on assassinated journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's funeral.

On Saturday, the Israeli police said it would open a wide investigation into the circumstances of the attack on the pallbearers in occupied East Jerusalem, which almost led to Shireen's coffin falling to the ground.

AMMAN, May 12 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan yesterday called for a just, transparent and immediate investigation, into the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, to hold perpetrators accountable.

Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, described the killing as a “heinous crime and a flagrant attack on press freedom,” during a phone call with his Palestinian counterpart, Riyad al-Maliki, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.

11 May 2022; MEMO: The Islamic Movement in Jordan yesterday condemned Israeli remarks on the Jordanian custodianship over Jerusalem, Quds Press reported.

The Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Islamic Movement in Jordan, said: "[Israeli Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett's remarks amount to flagrant aggression on Jordanian sovereignty and Jordan's historical role in occupied Jerusalem."

AMMAN, May 8 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan’s pandemic-hit tourism industry showed signs of recovery, for the first quarter of 2022, and the Eid al-Fitr holiday, following massive campaigns to promote the kingdom’s tourism profile and the eased COVID-19 restrictions.

05 May 2022; MEMO: Jordan has warned Israel about the ongoing threats against Al-Aqsa Mosque from extremist Jewish settlers, the Jordan Times has reported.

Minister of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Places Mohamed Al-Khalayleh said that allowing extremist settlers to storm the mosque compound "provokes" Muslims around the world.

AMMAN, Apr 30 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, yesterday called for efforts to end the tension and restore calm at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

During a phone conversation, Safadi underlined the need for Israel to respect the legal and historical status quo in Jerusalem, while removing all obstacles that impede worshippers’ freedom to pray, according to a statement released by Jordan’s Foreign Ministry.

29 April 2022; MEMO: Jordanian Crown Prince, Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II, was sworn in yesterday as deputy king.

Al-Mamlaka quoted local sources as saying that the prince had taken the constitutional oath "in the presence of the ministry body" to cover the duties of the king during his absence from the kingdom.

The sources added that the Jordanian king had left "on a private visit with his wife, Queen Rania," adding that they would later head on a "working visit to the United States."

28 April 2022; MEMO: The uncle of Jordan's King Abdullah II has been sentenced to 18 years in jail and fined $268 million on corruption charges.

Walid Al-Kurdi, who is married to the king's aunt, was sentenced yesterday in absentia on charges relating to his time as chairman and CEO of the state-owned Jordan Phosphate mines. He was accused of abusing his position at the head of the company.