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Trump extends ceasefire until Iranian proposal is submitted, talks are over

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:51:36 +0300

AP- President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States is extending its ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request as he waits for a unified proposal from the Islamic Republic.The announcement came as last-minute ceasefire talks between the US and Iran looked uncertain and a two-week truce was set to expire Wednesday.Earlier, the White House put on hold Vice President JD Vance’s expected trip to Islamabad for a second round of talks as Tehran — at least for the time-being — has balked at further talks.In a Truth Social post announcing the ceasefire extension, Trump also said the US military would continue it’s blockade of Iranian ports.As last-minute ceasefire talks between the US and Iran looked uncertain, both countries warned that, without a deal, they were prepared to resume fighting.Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, worked intensively late Tuesday to get both sides to agree to a second round of ceasefire talks, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Iran’s state TV there has been “no final decision” on whether to attend because of “unacceptable actions” by the US, apparently referencing its recent blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.As Vance put on hold a return trip to Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected in Washington on Tuesday afternoon for consultations about how to proceed, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations.The official cautioned that Trump could change his mind on negotiating with Iran at any time, and declined to predict what would happen if the current ceasefire expires without another meeting. The official said Trump has options short of restarting airstrikes.Both sides remain dug in rhetoricallyBefore announcing the ceasefire extension, Trump had warned that “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if there’s no agreement before the Wednesday deadline, while Iran’s chief negotiator said that Tehran has “new cards on the battlefield” that haven’t yet been revealed.A senior commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to destroy the region’s oil industry if war with the US resumes. “If southern neighbors allow the enemy to use their facilities to attack Iran, they should say goodbye to oil production in the Middle East region,” Gen. Majid Mousavi told an Iranian news site.Strait of Hormuz control key to negotiationsIran’s envoy to the United Nations said Tuesday that Tehran has “received some sign” that the US is ready to stop its blockade of Iranian ports. The US had made no public statements about lifting the blockade.Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said ending the blockade remains a condition for Iran to rejoin peace talks. When that happens, he said, “I think the next round of the negotiations will take place.”The US imposed the blockade to pressure Tehran into ending its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane through which 20 percent of the world’s natural gas and crude oil transits in peacetime.Iran’s grip on the strait has sent oil prices soaring. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at close to $95 per barrel on Tuesday, up more than 30 percent from Feb. 28, the day that Israel and the US attacked Iran to start the war.Before the war began, the Strait of Hormuz had been fully open to international shipping. Trump has demanded that vessels again be allowed to transit unimpeded.Over the weekend, Iran said that it had received new proposals from Washington, but also suggested that a wide gap remains between the sides. Issues that derailed the last round of negotiations included Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, its regional proxies and the strait.Pakistan hopeful talks will proceedPakistani officials have expressed confidence that Iran will also send a delegation to resume talks that mark the highest-level negotiations between the US and Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The first round April 11 and 12 ended without an agreement.Pakistan said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Tuesday with the acting US ambassador in Islamabad to urge a ceasefire extension. Dar also met with the ambassador from China, a key trading partner with Iran.Security has been tightened across Pakistan’s capital, where authorities have deployed thousands of personnel and increased patrols along routes leading to the airport.Since the war started, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran, according to authorities. Additionally, 23 people have died in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region have been killed.

Queen meets Jordanian entrepreneurs; visits Ezwitti Initiative in Amman

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:15:40 +0300

Jordan Daily - Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah met with local entrepreneurs and representatives of Jordanian companies during a visit to Jabal Al Weibdeh in Amman on Tuesday. She stopped by Ezwitti initiative in downtown Amman.During the meeting held at Bulbul Eatery, Her Majesty joined a group of Jordanian entrepreneurs and representatives of Endeavor Jordan and Beyond Capital for a discussion about challenges and opportunities that business owners are facing in the local job market.Her Majesty heard from Tamer Al Salah, Managing Director of Endeavour Jordan, which is part of the global Endeavor network, who explained how his organisation aims to drive sustainable local economic growth and support job creation by accelerating the growth of high-impact entrepreneurial projects in the country.Established by and for entrepreneurs, Endeavor serves as a global training, mentoring, and investment platform for future business founders, with its Jordanian chapter launched in 2009.During the meeting, the Queen heard from the team of Beyond Capital, a Jordan-based venture capital platform founded in 2017 through a partnership between Endeavor Jordan and Silicon Badia.The company invests in venture capital funds and startups that strive to create economic value for Jordan.Afterward, Queen Rania visited Ezwitti, a social initiative that works on securing food aid for members of the community, where she met with its Founder Mahmoud Nabulsi and a number of volunteers.Established in 2015, the initiative operates through a voucher-based system that enables its restaurant customers to purchase an additional meal for people in need, without requiring direct handover.This model allows for the distribution of meals while preserving the dignity of those in need and promoting a sense of shared responsibility.To date, Ezwitti, has provided over 400,000 meals through its growing network of more than 3,700 volunteers.The initiative, whose model has been adopted in Oman, eventually aims to expand to several governorates in Jordan and other countries across the Arab World.

Gate to Pay positions itself at core of Jordan’s digital payments push

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:58:24 +0300

By : Business EditorJordan Daily - In a region where cash has long dominated daily transactions, Jordanian fintech firm Gate to Pay is positioning itself as a quiet architect of the shift toward digital finance, building the infrastructure that allows money to move instantly, invisibly, and at scale.Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Amman, the company operates as a payment service provider and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform, offering tools that allow businesses, governments and individuals to send, receive and manage money electronically.From prepaid cards and mobile wallets to payment acceptance and remittance services, Gate to Pay’s model is less about consumer branding and more about embedding financial technology into the systems of its partners - a strategy increasingly common among fintech infrastructure providers globally.Building rails, not just appsAt the core of Gate to Pay’s offering is a suite of white-label and API-driven solutions that allow companies to launch their own financial products without building the underlying technology. The firm enables card issuance, payment acquiring and cross-border transfers, while also supporting digital wallets and e-commerce transactions.This “infrastructure-first” approach reflects a broader trend in financial technology, where firms compete to become the backend engine powering everything from corporate payouts to consumer-facing apps.Gate to Pay’s cloud-based platform, for example, allows businesses to manage transactions across employees, suppliers and customers through centralized wallets and portals, enabling instant, cashless payments across multiple channels.The company says its systems are designed to handle multi-currency transactions and support both virtual and physical cards, positioning it as a flexible partner for enterprises operating across borders.Licensed growth in a regulated marketOperating under the oversight of the Central Bank of Jordan, Gate to Pay has built its business within a tightly regulated financial environment - a factor that can both constrain and legitimize fintech growth.Regulatory compliance has become a key selling point, particularly as financial institutions and corporates seek partners that can navigate security, fraud prevention and data governance requirements.The firm is also a member of global payment networks such as Mastercard, Visa and UnionPay, allowing it to connect local financial activity with international payment ecosystems.Targeting financial inclusion and enterprise efficiencyGate to Pay’s client base spans corporates, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and even households, reflecting its dual focus on financial inclusion and operational efficiency.Its prepaid card products, for instance, allow users to transact without a traditional bank account - a feature that can be critical in markets where banking penetration remains uneven.On the enterprise side, its corporate cash management tools aim to digitize payroll, supplier payments and other financial flows, reducing reliance on manual processes and physical cash.The company has also expanded into loyalty programs and mobile wallet ecosystems, offering features such as peer-to-peer payments, cashback rewards and near-field communication (NFC) payments - aligning with global consumer trends toward contactless and app-based transactions.Part of a broader regional shiftGate to Pay’s rise comes amid a wider push across the Middle East to modernize financial systems and accelerate digital adoption. Governments and regulators are increasingly encouraging cashless economies, while startups and incumbents alike compete to build the infrastructure supporting that transition.Partnerships - such as collaborations with digital signature providers and card issuers - suggest the company is seeking to deepen its role in the region’s financial ecosystem, particularly as demand grows for secure, compliant digital transactions.With a qualified workforce and a growing portfolio of products, Gate to Pay is still a mid-sized player by global standards. But its positioning - as an enabler rather than a direct competitor to banks - reflects a strategy that could allow it to scale alongside the institutions it serves.The road aheadAs digital payments continue to expand across emerging markets, the challenge for companies like Gate to Pay will be balancing innovation with trust - ensuring systems remain secure, reliable and compliant in an increasingly complex financial landscape.For now, the company’s ambition is clear: to become a foundational layer in the region’s digital economy, helping businesses and consumers move beyond cash.

Al Hussien FC stands firm under extreme fixture congestion as sports science puts performances in context

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:33:01 +0300

Dr. Fadi MaayahCurtin University, AustraliaJordan Daily - In football, results are often judged in isolation. A win brings praise, a loss invites criticism, and performances are analysed as if each match stands alone. For Al Hussien FC, however, the current season demands a much wider lens. What the team is facing goes well beyond normal competitive pressure and into territory rarely seen in modern football.Over a short and exceptionally demanding period, Al Hussien FC have navigated a congested fixture calendar shaped by continental success, national priorities, postponed matches, and regional instability. Between 4 and 19 April, the club played five competitive matches in just 15 days across the Jordanian Pro League and AFC competitions. This sequence began with a dominant 5–0 league victory against Al Salt FC, followed by a controlled 1–0 win over Al Ahli FC. These performances reflected organisation, tactical discipline, and physical sharpness. Football science, however, shows that the true cost of such schedules often appears later rather than immediately.From a physiological perspective, the consequences are well established. After a single 90‑minute match, players experience neuromuscular fatigue affecting both muscle function and the nervous system. Research demonstrates reductions in sprint speed, jumping ability, maximal strength, and the capacity to repeat high‑intensity actions. Under normal conditions, full recovery requires between 48 and 72 hours. When matches are played every three to four days, especially alongside travel and psychological stress, fatigue accumulates rather than resolving.The narrow 0–1 defeat against Al Faisaly FC illustrated this strain. Al Hussien played with 10 men for approximately 55 minutes after a second yellow card. Competing with a reduced number significantly increases physical and mental demands, forcing greater distance covered per player and prolonged defensive effort. From a recovery and load perspective, matches played a player down are among the most physically costly in football.The response was impressive. Al Hussien followed that setback with a convincing 3–0 victory over Al Ramtha, built not on constant high‑intensity running but on structure, discipline, and tactical intelligence. As neuromuscular fatigue rises, successful teams rely less on repeated explosive actions and more on positioning, organisation, and decision making. These qualities were clearly evident in that performance.The delayed effects of fatigue became more apparent in the AFC match against the Qatari club Al Ahli. Al Hussien were highly competitive in the first half, finishing level at 1–1 against a fully professional side supported by a substantially larger budget. To place this in context, the contract of one Al Ahli player reportedly exceeds the combined budgets of two to three clubs in the Jordanian Pro League. Matching that level for 45 minutes was a significant achievement. In the second half, however, neuromuscular fatigue was evident, reflecting accumulated physical load rather than shortcomings in mentality or technical quality.This period is exceptional precisely because it is not normal. The Jordanian Pro League calendar has been accelerated to allow the national team to prepare for upcoming World Cup qualifiers. At the same time, Al Hussien FC’s success in the AFC Champions League Two, including qualification for the quarter‑final stages, placed additional demands on an already compressed season. In this context, success has come with a heavy physical price.These challenges were intensified by regional disruptions before this congested run began. Security developments affected air travel and match scheduling, leaving Al Hussien stranded in Qatar and unable to follow their usual home‑and‑away routine. Long bus journeys and limited flights became unavoidable, while postponed AFC matches further compressed the calendar once competition resumed.The challenge is far from over. Upcoming fixtures will again follow a three‑ to four‑day turnaround across league and cup competitions, including matches against Sama Al Sarhan, Shabab Al Ordon, Al Jazeera in the Jordan Cup, and the final league round against Al Faisaly FC. Such congestion, driven by continental success, national team preparation, and unpredictable regional conditions, is rarely seen in world football.Managing this situation requires strategic and scientific solutions. Squad rotation is critical, particularly by blending experienced players with emerging youth to distribute physical load while maintaining tactical balance. Recovery strategies must be prioritised, including foam rolling, water immersion, and ice baths to manage muscle soreness and neuromuscular fatigue. Nutrition also plays a key role, with appropriate fuelling, hydration, and recovery foods, including beetroot juice to support blood flow and recovery.As Al Hussien FC pursue a third consecutive Jordanian Pro League title, performances must be judged with context and science in mind. This is not simply a football story, but a clear case study of how success, congestion, and fatigue intersect at the highest level of the modern game.

Charter flight with 105 French tourists arrives in Jordan with JTB support

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:42:54 +0300

Jordan Daily -A charter flight from France carrying 105 French tourists arrived at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman on Sunday, April 19, 2026, coinciding with World Heritage Day, with support from the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB). The trip was organized by Atelier des Voyages.The group will spend six nights in Jordan, visiting a selection of the Kingdom’s key attractions, including Petra, the Baptism Site, and other destinations across the country. The itinerary concludes with departure from King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba.Director General of the Jordan Tourism Board, Ramzi Al-Maaytah, described the flight as a positive indicator of the recovery of inbound tourism from the French market. He noted that Jordan continues to strengthen its position as a competitive global destination, supported by its reputation for safety, stability, and rich cultural heritage.Al-Maaytah added that the Board, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and industry partners, is implementing targeted marketing initiatives and incentive programs for charter and low-cost carriers. These efforts aim to respond to evolving market dynamics, diversify source markets, and attract more high-quality flights in the coming period.The arrival of direct charter flights from key European markets reflects growing confidence in Jordan’s tourism sector and underscores the impact of coordinated promotional efforts between the public and private sectors.Upon arrival, the JTB charter flights team welcomed the French delegation and introduced them to Jordan’s diverse tourism experiences, highlighting the significance of the sites included in their program. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the visitor experience, maintaining high service standards, and promoting Jordan as a safe and diverse destination rich in authentic hospitality and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

King, Finland president attend tactical exercise at KASOTC

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:24:58 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Majesty King Abdullah II, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, and Finland President Alexander Stubb on Monday attended a military tactical exercise at King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre (KASOTC).His Majesty and President Stubb, accompanied by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, were briefed on the centre’s training programmes, and its leading role in the training and qualification of special operations units at both regional and international levels.The exercise involved carrying out operational scenarios that simulate contemporary security challenges, demonstrating the use of modern technology and a high level of proficiency in planning and execution, thereby enhancing the ability of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army to respond effectively to a variety of situations.The King and the Finnish president toured the centre, inspecting the training grounds, technical equipment and facilities.His Majesty emphasised the importance of continuing to develop the defence capabilities of the armed forces, and strengthening cooperation and coordination with active partners, in order to address security challenges and maintain security and stability.For his part, President Stubb expressed admiration for the advanced level of the centre and its facilities and training programmes, and praised the competence of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army.

Majali says Royal Jordanian 2025 performance indicators confirm the success of modernization and expansion strategy

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:19:03 +0300

Jordan Daily - The General Assembly of Royal Jordanian Airlines held its ordinary and extraordinary meeting on Monday, 20 April 2026, virtually, chaired by Samer Majali, Vice Chairman / CEO (Designated), on behalf of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Eng. Said Darwazah as he is currently outside the country on a business trip, in the presence of Board members, a representative of the Companies Controller Department, representatives of the Government Investment Management Company, external auditors Ernst & Young, as well as a number of shareholders and employees.During the meeting, the Board of Directors’ report on the company’s activities and results for the financial year 2025, the business plan for 2026, the auditors’ report, the annual balance sheet, and the profit and loss statement for the fiscal year were discussed and approved by the General Assembly. In the same context, the extraordinary General Assembly meeting was held for several key purposes aligned with the company’s direction, aimed at strengthening its investment base and diversifying its sources of income.In his opening remarks, Majali stated that 2025 represented an exceptional milestone in the company’s journey, as Royal Jordanian achieved unprecedented financial and operational results that confirm the success of the transformation strategy adopted since 2021.Also expressed appreciation for the continued Royal Hashemite patronage of Royal Jordanian, highlighting His Majesty the King’s visit to the company and the laying of the foundation stone for the new air cargo terminal, reinforcing Jordan’s logistics role, as well as the recent visit of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein to the company’s headquarters. He also commended the ongoing support of the Jordanian government, which has played a key role in enabling RJ to implement its strategic plans, overcome various challenges, enhance operational efficiency, and improve institutional performance.Majali stated that the achievements recorded by Royal Jordanian during 2025 reflect the strength of its operational model and the effectiveness of its cost-control and revenue optimization policies. The company recorded a net profit of JOD 21.5 million, including non-recurring capital gains, compared to a net loss of JOD 3.5 million in 2024. This turnaround was driven by a significant increase in operating revenues, which grew by 11% to reach JOD 829 million.RJ also recorded strong operational indicators, including carrying 4.4 million passengers, representing an 18% increase, and achieving load factor of 81%, the highest in the company’s history along with advanced on-time performance levels. This positioned Royal Jordanian among the top five airlines globally in punctuality, reflecting the efficiency of its network management and improved operational returns.In terms of fleet modernization, Majali noted that 2025 witnessed a significant milestone with the introduction of 19 new aircraft, including Airbus A320neo and Embraer E2 models serving short- and medium-haul routes. The airline also commenced the refurbishment of its Boeing 787-8 fleet and the introduction of in-flight connectivity, bringing the fleet modernization to approximately 80%, making it among the most modern in the region. The full fleet upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, which will also see the introduction of the first two Boeing 787-9 aircraft for long-haul operations, in addition to three Airbus A321neo aircraft for medium-haul routes, as part of a strategy to expand the fleet to around 40 aircraft in the coming years.Royal Jordanian also continued its qualitative expansion, launching key destinations including Washington, Mumbai, Damascus, Aleppo, Benghazi, Casablanca, and Najaf. Key planned destinations for 2026 include Hamburg, Munich, Dallas, and Vienna.On the investment front, and as part of restructuring its investment portfolio, Royal Jordanian increased its stake in the Jordan Flight Catering Company to 51%, maintained full ownership of Jordan Airline Training & Simulation JATS, and holds a 90% stake in Jordan Airports Company, in addition to the reactivation of Amman City Airport, further strengthening the integration of air transport and supporting services.Regarding the first quarter of 2026, Majali noted that results will be impacted by exceptional regional conditions, most notably escalating tensions and the effects of the war, which have disrupted civil aviation operations, led to flight rerouting, and necessitated adjustments to flight routes to ensure the highest safety standards, in addition to the sharp rise in global fuel prices, which has increased operating costs.Majali emphasized that Royal Jordanian has demonstrated a responsible national role during this period by ensuring the continuity of civil air transport operations and managing operational challenges with flexibility and efficiency. This has contributed to maintaining travel movement, transporting passengers, and supporting sectors related to tourism, trade, and humanitarian services.

PBI Aqaba CEO meets Czech Ambassador to explore industrial cooperation opportunities

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:45:41 +0300

By : News EditorJordan Daily- The Chief Executive Officer of PBI Aqaba Industrial Estate, Adele Yan, met with Andrea Kučerová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Jordan, to discuss potential economic cooperation and investment opportunities, the company said on Sunday.The meeting also included Tereza Valášková, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of the Economic and Commercial Section.During the visit, Yan introduced PBI Aqaba Industrial Estate and highlighted the strategic role of Aqaba as an emerging logistics and industrial hub serving regional and international markets.The discussions focused on exploring avenues for collaboration and facilitating connections between Czech companies and investment opportunities in Aqaba. Both sides expressed interest in strengthening economic ties and promoting high-quality industrial investments.Yan noted the global reputation of Czech industries for advanced manufacturing and innovation, describing them as aligned with the estate’s strategy to attract value-driven investments.The two sides agreed to continue engagement and pursue follow-up steps aimed at deepening cooperation and encouraging Czech business participation in Aqaba’s industrial sector.PBI, a UK-registered company operating under a concession agreement with the Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation since 2005, manages and develops the Aqaba International Industrial Estate, which spans about 1.7 million square metres.

US seizes Iranian cargo ship as Tehran rejects a second round of peace talks

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:18:26 +0300

Agencies- US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US military had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade, while Iran said it would not participate in a second round of peace talks despite Trump’s threat of renewed airstrikes.The developments indicated that peace may not come soon to the region, and a weeks-long blockade of marine traffic that has driven global oil prices higher likewise might remain in place.The US has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has lifted and then reimposed its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war began almost two months ago handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.Trump said on Sunday that the US military took control of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that had tried to get past the blockade. “We have full custody of their ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” he wrote on social media, adding that US forces blew a hole in ‌the vessel’s engine ‌room.Trump had earlier warned Iran that the United States would destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if Tehran rejects his terms, continuing a pattern of such threats throughout the war.Iran has said that if the United States were to attack its civilian infrastructure it would hit power stations and desalination plants of Gulf Arab neighbors.Iranian state media suggest new talks won’t take placeThere was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen.Minutes after the ship seizure was announced, Iranian state media reported on President Masoud Pezeshkian’s phone conversation with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier Sunday. US actions, including bullying and unreasonable behavior, have led to increased suspicion that the US will repeat previous patterns and “betray diplomacy,” the reports cited Pezeshkian as saying.Iran’s official IRNA state news agency, meanwhile, reported that Tehran had rejected new peace talks, citing ‌the ⁠ongoing blockade and Washington’s ⁠shifting positions and “excessive demands.”State broadcaster IRIB on Sunday cited Iranian sources as saying “there are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks.”The Fars and Tasnim news agencies had earlier cited anonymous sources as saying “the overall atmosphere cannot be assessed as very positive,” adding that lifting the US blockade was a precondition for negotiations.Interrupted talksTwo previous attempts at talks — last June and earlier this year — were interrupted by Israeli and US attacks.On another phone call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, that recent US actions, rhetoric and contradictions were signs of “bad intentions and lack of seriousness in diplomacy,” Iran’s state broadcaster said.Pakistan did not confirm a second round of talks, but authorities had begun tightening security in Islamabad. A regional official involved in the efforts said mediators were finalizing preparations and US advance security teams were on the ground. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss preparations with the media.

King, Finland president hold talks at Al Husseiniya Palace

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:55:55 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Majesty King Abdullah II met on Sunday with Finland President Alexander Stubb at Al Husseiniya Palace to discuss ways of enhancing bilateral relations, as well as key developments in the region.

During the talks, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, His Majesty noted the longstanding relations between Jordan and Finland, which have steadily grown over more than 60 years, highlighting President Stubb’s visit to the Kingdom as an important opportunity to explore new areas of cooperation, particularly in education and technology.

For his part, the Finnish president expressed his gratitude to the King for the warm welcome, commending His Majesty’s wisdom and continuous efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, and noting that he looked forward to hearing Jordan’s perspective on developments across the region.

Remarking on the similarity of the security challenges faced by both Finland and Jordan in their respective regions, the president highlighted the two countries’ shared pursuit of stability through solutions-oriented peace mediation.

During the talks, the King said Jordan’s strategic location and role in the region provide a solid foundation for partnership and dialogue with Finland and the European Union, emphasising the importance of stepping up joint international efforts to achieve peace in the region.

On regional developments, His Majesty stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire between the United States and Iran in order to end the war, and the need to follow up with further diplomatic measures that reduce tensions and strengthen stability.

The King also stressed that the ceasefire in Lebanon must put an end to Israel’s aggression, reiterating Jordan’s support for Lebanon’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty and security.

His Majesty called on the international community to stop Israel’s attempts to exploit the situation in the region as a pretext for imposing new facts on the ground in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank, noting that Israel’s actions undermine chances for peace and threaten to plunge the region into perpetual conflict.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and Escort of Honour Sami Smeirat, non-resident Ambassador of Jordan to Finland Fayiz Khouri, and non-resident Ambassador of Finland to Jordan Anne Meskanen attended the talks.

MBA thesis highlights airline resilience in volatile markets

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:07:33 +0300

By : JDJordan Daily- Tamara Nidal Al-Masri has successfully defended her Master’s thesis as part of the International MBA at IAE Paris - Sorbonne Business School, examining how structurally constrained airlines build resilience amid persistent industry volatility.Her research, seen by Jordan Daily comes as the global aviation sector continues to grapple with rising uncertainty. Airlines face ongoing pressures from fluctuating fuel costs, uneven post-pandemic demand recovery, and geopolitical disruptions, all of which have kept profit margins thin- typically between 1% and 3%.Almasri’s study focuses on a subset of carriers described as “structurally constrained,” typically full-service airlines with limited fleet size, narrow route networks, and restricted access to capital. These airlines, often based in volatile regions, experience shocks more intensely than larger global competitors due to their concentrated revenue streams and reduced strategic flexibility.The research highlights how such constraints are particularly evident in the Middle East and neighboring regions, where airspace closures, diplomatic tensions, and sudden disruptions frequently force operational changes. These can include rerouting flights, extending travel times, and increasing fuel consumption- costs that smaller carriers struggle to absorb.Unlike major international airlines that can spread risk across extensive global networks, constrained carriers often depend heavily on a limited number of key routes. Disruptions to these routes can have significant financial consequences, underscoring their structural vulnerability.Masri’s findings suggest that resilience in this context is less about scale and more about strategic adaptability. Airlines must continuously reconfigure resources, adjust network strategies, and rely on organizational flexibility to sustain operations under ongoing uncertainty.Her work also points to a gap in existing research, which has largely focused on well-resourced carriers in stable markets. By contrast, structurally constrained airlines offer insight into how firms operate when managerial options are limited and volatility is persistent.The study concludes that these airlines’ survival depends on their ability to embed resilience into core strategy- leveraging intangible assets, adaptive decision-making, and dynamic capability development rather than relying on scale or financial strength.As industry conditions remain uncertain, the findings contribute to broader discussions on strategy under constraint, with implications extending beyond aviation to other sectors facing similar instability.

Malaysia's Petronas to negotiate oil purchases with Russia

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:39:32 +0300

Jordan Daily - Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas, is set to commence negotiations with Russia to purchase oil and secure the country's fuel supply, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.Anwar Ibrahim highlighted that many European and American nations, previously imposing sanctions on Moscow, are now actively competing to buy Russian oil.Speaking to the Sinar Harian newspaper during the opening ceremony of the new Sultan Ismail Petra Airport station in Pengkalan Chepa, Anwar stated that Malaysia maintains a positive relationship with Russia, enabling Petronas to engage in negotiations.The Prime Minister revealed that early diplomatic efforts by the government ensured Malaysian oil tankers were among the first to navigate the strategic Strait of Hormuz, averting a potential energy supply crisis.Anwar elaborated on the geopolitical tensions between Iran, the United States, and Europe, which have directly impacted global maritime transport, oil prices, and fertilizer shipments.He expressed gratitude that a Petronas oil tanker safely reached the Pengerang Integrated Complex, emphasizing the shipment's necessity for refining operations conducted there.Anwar attributed this success to his government's early communication with the Iranian leadership, facilitating the tankers' passage during stalled international negotiations regarding navigation in the Strait.

Jordan, Syria deepen economic ties with new agreements, strategic push

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 07:15:17 +0300

Jordan Daily - Thaer Laham, managing director of the Syrian Business Council, said growing engagement between Jordan and Syria reflects a clear political will to elevate ties into a comprehensive strategic partnership, highlighting opportunities for private sector cooperation and economic integration.Laham said in press remarks, seen by Jordan Daily the latest steps mark a natural evolution of longstanding relations, opening the door for deeper economic complementarity based on shared interests, including leveraging geographic access to the Mediterranean and Red seas and expanding joint investment.His remarks came as King Abdullah II met a visiting Syrian ministerial delegation last Sunday, stressing the need to advance economic and trade cooperation to serve mutual interests.Jordan and Syria signed nine memorandums of understanding and an agreement during the second session of the Jordan-Syria Higher Coordination Council, covering sectors including media, social development, labour, health, higher education, tourism, justice and postal services.Jordan views economic cooperation with Syria as a long-term strategic track extending beyond trade to include joint investment and integrated development projects.The two countries had earlier agreed to establish and activate the coordination council to boost collaboration in key sectors such as trade, transport, energy and health.According to official figures, bilateral trade rose to JD334 million over the past year, compared with JD116 million in 2024.

Iran tightens Hormuz control, Trump warns against ‘blackmail’

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:38:35 +0300

Reuters - Iran said it was tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, warning mariners the vital energy route was again closed, but President Donald ‌Trump said ‌Tehran could not blackmail the United States ‌by ⁠shutting the waterway.Tehran ⁠said it was responding to a continued US blockade of Iranian ports, calling it a violation of their ceasefire, while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran’s navy was ready to inflict “new bitter defeats” on its enemies.Shipping sources said at least two vessels reported coming under fire while trying to ⁠transit the waterway. In Mumbai, Tehran’s ‌ambassador ⁠to New Delhi, ⁠Mohammad Fathali, was called in for a meeting with India’s Foreign Secretary ⁠Vikram Misri during which ‌Misri ‌conveyed India’s deep ‌concern at the shooting ‌incident.Misri ‌urged the ambassador to convey ⁠India’s ⁠views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait.Screenshot showing a translated statement of Iran Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on his social media account. (X: @mb_ghalibaf)Tehran’s renewed tough messaging injected ‌fresh uncertainty around the Iran conflict, raising the risk that oil and gas shipments through the strait could remain disrupted just as Washington weighs whether to extend the fragile ceasefire.In Washington, Trump said ‌the US was having “very good conversations” with Iran but that Tehran wanted to close ⁠the strait again. ⁠Iran could not blackmail the US, he said.Maritime security and shipping sources said some merchant vessels received radio messages from Iran’s navy saying no ships were allowed through the waterway, reversing signs earlier on Saturday that traffic might resume.Iran says it is reviewing new US proposalsAlso on Saturday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in a statement that Pakistan’s army chief, serving as an intermediary, presented the proposals to Iran when he recently visited Tehran, and they were still under review.It was not revealed what was in the proposals.The council said Iran has yet to respond, but further talks would require the US to abandon “excessive demands and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground.”It also said that Iran will maintain full control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until “the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region,” adding that it would collect detailed information on passing vessels, issue transit certificates and impose tolls.There was no confirmation from Washington regarding the new proposals.

SSIF expands portfolio with strategic entry into rail transport

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:38:57 +0300

By : Business EditorJordan Daily - The Chief Executive Officer of Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF), Dr. Ezzeddin Kanakrieh, said the fund’s participation in the Aqaba Railway project reflects a long-term, institutional strategy targeting high-value national infrastructure investments.Speaking on a televised interview, Kanakrieh said the investment follows a dual-track approach: a direct 7% stake in the railway project company, and indirect exposure through SSIF’s holdings in Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (about 17%) and Arab Potash Company (around 10%).He added the partnership demonstrates the fund’s ability to build effective local and regional alliances, boosting confidence in Jordan’s economy and its investment climate.The Aqaba Railway marks SSIF’s first rail-sector investment and aligns with the government’s push to accelerate major projects under its economic modernization agenda, with 2026 declared the “year of projects.”Kanakrieh said SSIF plans to expand into other rail-related developments and strategic projects, including the national water carrier, the Risha gas pipeline and a phosphoric acid plant.He added the investment will enhance efficiency in key sectors, stimulate economic activity and generate jobs, thereby strengthening the social security system’s sustainability.The Aqaba Port Railway project company is jointly owned by Jordanian entities - including Jordan Phosphate Mines (30%), the
Government Investments Management Company GIMC, (8%), SSIF (7%) and Arab Potash (5%) - alongside Abu Dhabi-based L’IMAD Holding .

Trump says Iran ceasefire may end if no deal reached by Wednesday

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:07:54 +0300

Reuters - US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless ‌a long-term ‌deal to ‌end ⁠the war is agreed ⁠by Wednesday.“Maybe I won’t extend it, but the ⁠blockade (on Iranian ports) ‌is ‌going to ‌remain,” Trump ‌told reporters on Air Force One on his ‌way back to Washington from Phoenix, ⁠Arizona. “So ⁠you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again.”But he also told reporters accompanying him aboard Air Force One to Washington that, “I think it’s going to happen,” referring to a deal.“We had some ‌pretty good ‌news 20 ‌minutes ⁠ago, but it ⁠seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,” Trump ⁠told reporters.“You’ll hear ‌about. I just ‌think it’s something that should happen. It’s something that only ‌makes sense to happen. And I think ⁠it ⁠will. We’ll see what happens, but I think it will,” Trump said when asked what the good news was.Trump also told AFP there were “no sticking points” left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was “very close”.“We’re very close to having a deal,” Trump said in a brief telephone interview. Asked what unresolved issues were left, Trump said: “No sticking points.”

Finnish President Stubb to start a visit to Jordan focused on regional tensions

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:57:11 +0300

News EditorJordan Daily - Finland President Alexander Stubb is set to begin an official visit to Jordan on Saturday, where he will hold talks with King Abdullah II aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional and global developments.According to the Finnish presidency, Stubb will visit Jordan on April 19–20. On Sunday, he is scheduled to meet King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II in Amman.Discussions are expected to focus on tensions in Iran, the security of the Strait of Hormuz, and broader Middle East developments. The leaders will also review cooperation between Jordan and Finland, and other global challenges.During his visit, Stubb will deliver a lecture at the University of Jordan on global transitions and shifting power dynamics, followed by a question-and-answer session with students.On Monday, the Finnish president will meet Jordanian officials including Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, Senate President Faisal al-Fayez, and House Speaker Mazen al-Qadi.Stubb is also expected to visit a base of the Jordan Armed Forces alongside King Abdullah.He will be accompanied by lawmaker and Fin Chair of Political Parties of Finland for Democracy Pihla Keto-Huovinennish.The visit marks the first by a Finnish president to Jordan since Tarja Halonen traveled to the kingdom in 2010.

Trump's Lebanon ceasefire takes Israel by surprise

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:21:25 +0300

BBC- As news of the ceasefire spread through Israel's northern communities, sirens blared three times this evening warning of incoming rockets from Lebanon.In the sky above the northern city of Nahariya, Israel's air defence interceptors shot up to block them, triggering loud explosions. Ambulance crews said at least three people were wounded by shrapnel in the hours before the ceasefire took effect, including two seriously.On the ground here – and across the country – there's scepticism about why Israel's leader has signed up to the truce."I feel like the government lied to us," said Gal, a student in Nahariya. "They promised that this time it would end differently, but it seems like we're once again heading toward a ceasefire agreement that solves nothing.""We gave the Lebanese government a chance and they failed to uphold the agreement; they didn't disarm Hezbollah," said Maor, a 32-year-old truck driver whose house was hit by a rocket last year."If we don't do it, no one will. It's a shame they stopped. It seemed like there were significant achievements this time."Israel and Lebanon agree 10-day ceasefire, Trump saysIsrael has five army divisions in southern Lebanon, and only yesterday its chief army spokesman said they would continue advancing.This ceasefire announcement has taken Israel by surprise – reportedly even within the government's own security cabinet.A widely respected Israeli news outlet tonight described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convening a security cabinet meeting with just five minutes notice, shortly before the ceasefire announcement was made.Leaks from that meeting say ministers were not given a vote on the ceasefire.To many, this is another example of Netanyahu bowing to US President Donald Trump's demands to halt fighting, even when the terms or the timing are not what Israel wants.Vehicles crowded roads in Lebanon after the ceasefire came into effect as people returned to their homes
"A ceasefire must come from a position of strength in order to service the national interests of Israel," said the former IDF Chief of staff and Yashar party chief, Gadi Eisenkot.“A pattern has developed in which ceasefires are imposed upon us – in Gaza, in Iran, and now in Lebanon. Netanyahu does not know how to convert military achievements into diplomatic gains.”

Hikma Pharmaceuticals donates $1 mln in emergency medicines to Lebanon

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:00:19 +0300

By: News EditorJordan Daily - Jordan-based pharmaceutical company Hikma Pharmaceuticals said on Thursday it had donated an emergency shipment of medicines worth $1 million to support people in Lebanon affected by the ongoing crisis.The shipment was transported aboard a Royal Jordanian Air Force aid aircraft in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, and the Jordan Armed Forces, the company said in a statement.Hikma said the donation forms part of its broader efforts to support humanitarian response initiatives across the region. The consignment includes a range of essential medicines, such as anti-infectives, pain relief treatments, and other therapies covering multiple medical needs, including oral medications and hospital-use drugs.Lebanon is currently facing a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies amid its prolonged economic and healthcare crisis.The company said the initiative reflects its mission to provide “better health, within reach, every day,” and underscores its continued commitment to supporting communities affected by crises worldwide.

JPMC Chairman Thneibat says Aqaba Railway project to create 5,000 jobs in southern Jordan

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:47:25 +0300

By : Business EditorJordan Daily - Jordan signed on Wednesday agreements with the United Arab Emirates to launch a major railway project linking phosphate and potash production sites to the port of Aqaba, in a move aimed at cutting transport costs and boosting competitiveness.Chairman of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC), Dr. Mohammad Thneibat, said the Aqaba railway project is among the largest infrastructure developments undertaken in the kingdom in recent years, adding that the railway is expected to reduce annual transport costs for phosphate and potash by around $40 million.The savings are expected to enhance the global competitiveness of Jordanian mining exports, while the project will also create approximately 5,000 jobs in the country’s southern regions, Thneibat noted.The railway will be integrated with the planned Ma’an dry port project, forming part of a broader logistics network connecting production areas to export hubs.He added the Jordanian-Emirati partnership will establish a railway company to operate routes linking the Shidiya phosphate mines, potash production facilities, and the port of Aqaba.The company will have a capital of $2.3 billion and will be registered with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The railway is expected to transport about 16 million tonnes annually, including roughly 13 million tonnes of phosphate from Shidiya to Aqaba and about 3 million tonnes of potash to the port, the Chairman pointed out.Thneibat said the project would not negatively impact trucking operations in southern Jordan, noting that trucks would continue to play a key role in transporting goods between Aqaba and Amman, as well as serving other routes.Jordan and the UAE signed the agreements on Wednesday as part of a joint investment initiative, marking one of the kingdom’s largest transport projects in the past 25 years.The project aims to strengthen Jordan’s position as a regional transport and logistics hub by improving supply chain efficiency, facilitating cargo movement, and reducing overall transportation costs.

King attends Jordan Flag Day ceremony

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:20:56 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Majesty King Abdullah II on Thursday attended the flag raising ceremony at Al Husseiniya Palace on the occasion of Jordan’s National Flag Day, which falls on 16 April each year.

Upon arrival, His Majesty was received by members of the Royal family, in the presence of heads of authorities, and senior officials and officers.

The King was presented with the Jordanian flag by Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi. His Majesty then handed the flag to an officer from the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, who marched toward the flagpole to raise the flag.

National Flag Day, which was approved by the Council of Ministers as part of Jordan’s centennial celebrations, aims to showcase Jordanians’ pride in their country, symbolised by the flag, which is testament to the sacrifices of Jordanians in the march towards progress and prosperity.

The Flag of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in its current form, was endorsed in 1922. It was officially adopted in 1928 with the enactment of the Basic Law of the Emirate of Transjordan. Its shape and colours are inspired by the banner of the Great Arab Revolt, and it includes references to the banners of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, the Umayyad state, the Fatimid state, and the Hashemites. The heptagram at the centre of the chevron symbolises the seven verses of Surat Al Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Holy Quran.

US optimistic of deal with Iran as it increases economic pressure

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:22:08 +0300

Reuters - The Trump administration expressed optimism on Wednesday about reaching a deal to end the war with Iran, while also warning of increasing economic pressure against Tehran if it remains defiant.President Donald Trump has said he believes the war he launched with Israel in late February is nearly over, even as a shipping blockade he announced came into effect and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained well below ‌normal levels.The U.S. warned it could add secondary sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil in an apparent effort to gain leverage ahead of more negotiations, just weeks after Washington loosened the enforcement of some Iran energy sanctions.U.S. and Iranian officials were weighing a return to Pakistan for further talks as early as the coming weekend, after negotiations ended on Sunday without a breakthrough. Mediator Pakistan's army chief arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to try to prevent a renewal of the conflict.
"We feel good about the prospects of a deal," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a news conference, calling conversations mediated by Pakistan "productive and ongoing." She denied reports that the U.S. had formally requested an extension of a two-week ceasefire agreed by the two sides on April 8.More in-person talks had not yet been confirmed but would likely take place in Pakistan again, Leavitt said.
Pakistan's military confirmed Field Marshal Asim Munir had arrived in Tehran. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Munir, who had mediated the ⁠last round of talks, would seek "to narrow gaps" between the two sides. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on X welcoming Munir and said Iran was committed to "promoting peace and stability in the region."

Safadi meets German counterpart, focuses on regional stability

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:13:43 +0300

Jordan Daily - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held talks in Berlin on Wednesday with German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional tensions.The discussions covered efforts to restore calm following a U.S.-Iran ceasefire and recent negotiations in Islamabad, according to the Foreign Ministry statement. Safadi stressed the need for a comprehensive approach grounded in international law, respect for sovereignty, and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.Both sides addressed the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, emphasizing support for ceasefire efforts and U.S.-facilitated talks between Lebanon and Israel. Safadi called for increased humanitarian aid for over one million displaced people and urged support for Lebanon’s state institutions.On Gaza, Safadi highlighted the urgency of stabilisation, full implementation of the U.S. plan, and ensuring sustained humanitarian access. He also warned against Israeli actions undermining a two-state solution, including settlement expansion and restrictions in Jerusalem.The ministers discussed Syria, stressing the need for stability, reconstruction, and continued support for refugees, alongside facilitating voluntary returns.Safadi and Wadephul reaffirmed strong Jordanian-German ties and explored cooperation in water, investment, education, and vocational training, including through EU frameworks.

Saudi PIF unveils new strategy focused on sustainable growth

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:32:45 +0300

Jordan Daily - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has approved a new strategy for the coming years. The plan aims to shift the fund's focus from rapid expansion to sustainable value and maximizing economic impact.Chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as Prime Minister and Chairman of the PIF, the fund's board of directors approved the strategy.The new strategy is built upon three main portfolios. The first, the "Vision Portfolio," will concentrate on developing economic ecosystems. These include tourism, industry, renewable energy, urban development, and the NEOM project.The "Strategic Investments Portfolio" will focus on maximizing asset returns and supporting the transformation of PIF companies into leading global entities.Finally, the "Financial Investments Portfolio" is designed to generate sustainable returns and diversify investments globally.

Jordan, UAE launch $2.3 bln Aqaba Railway project to boost mining exports

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:20:14 +0300

Jordan Daily - Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday witnessed the signing of agreements to launch the Aqaba Port Railway project, a $2.3 billion joint investment aimed at boosting the kingdom’s transport and mining sectors.The project will be implemented through a newly established Jordanian-Emirati company, jointly owned on a 50-50 basis. Jordan’s side includes state-linked entities such as the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, Arab Potash Company, the Government Investments Management Company, and the Social Security Investment Fund, while the UAE is represented by L’Imad Holding, an Abu Dhabi sovereign investment platform.The 360-km railway will connect phosphate and potash mines in Sheidiya and Ghor Al Safi to the Port of Aqaba, with an annual capacity of around 16 million tonnes of minerals. The network will significantly reduce transport costs, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance export competitiveness.The project, the largest infrastructure initiative in Jordan’s history, includes tracks, tunnels and bridges built to international standards. It is also expected to form the backbone of a future national railway network linking Aqaba with neighboring countries and Mediterranean ports.The railway would strengthen Aqaba’s position as a regional logistics hub and drive development in southern regions. Plans are also under study to extend links to the Ma’an Development Area and establish a new land port.Financial close is targeted for early 2027, with construction expected to take five years. The project is also set to generate jobs across transport, mining and logistics sectors.The agreements build on a broader $5.5 billion Jordan-UAE investment framework signed in 2023 in the presence of King Abdullah II and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Public sector holiday announced for Labour Day

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:16:14 +0300

Jordan Daily- Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Wednesday issued an official directive announcing a public holiday on Thursday, April 30, in observance of Labour Day, which falls annually on May 1.The holiday will apply to ministries, government departments, public institutions and authorities, in addition to public universities, municipalities, joint services councils and the Greater Amman Municipality, as well as companies wholly owned by the government.

Israel and Lebanon hold first direct talks since 1993

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:50:58 +0300

BBC- Lebanon and Israel have held their first diplomatic talks in over three decades, a rare encounter aimed at ending fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who mediated, said it was a "historic opportunity" to end Hezbollah's influence.A US statement said the two sides had agreed to launch direct negotiations, at a time and place to be determined. Israel said it wanted to disarm all non-state terror groups - a reference to Hezbollah.Lebanon called for a ceasefire and measures to address its humanitarian crisis. The two countries do not have diplomatic relations, and the last direct, high-level talks between them took place in 1993.Over 2,000 people have been killed since Israeli military operations in Lebanon began on 2 March, just days after US and Israeli strikes began in Iran.While the two sides were meeting in Washington on Tuesday, Hezbollah claimed at least 24 attacks on Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon.Drone and rocket alarms sounded in communities across northern Israel for much of the day.Israel has said its operations in Lebanon are aimed at disarming and dismantling the group, which it also fought in 2023 and 2024 as the war in Gaza raged.A spokesman for the US state department, Tommy Pigott, said in a statement after the talks that both Israel and Lebanon had agreed to work towards reducing the influence of Hezbollah.The Lebanese side also called for a "ceasefire and concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis" in the country, he added.Meanwhile, the US "expressed its support for Israel's right to defend itself" from Hezbollah's attacks, he said.Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Rubio said the meeting was "a process"."This will take time, but we believe it is worth this endeavour," he said. "It's a historic gathering that we hope to build on."In a statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he hoped the talks would "mark the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people in general, and those in the south in particular".He said the "only solution" to the conflict would be in the Lebanese armed forces "being solely responsible for the security of the area".The Lebanese government's capacity to confront Hezbollah, however, is limited.Ahead of the talks, a senior member of the organisation told the AP news agency it would not abide by any settlement agreed in Washington."We are not bound by what they agreed to," said Wafiq Safa, a member of Hezbollah's political council.Hezbollah, a well-armed and sophisticated militia group that was founded in 1982, holds enormous sway in Lebanon's predominantly Shia south as well as in the southern suburbs of its capital, Beirut.Politicians affiliated with the group also hold two cabinet-level positions with the government.Their relationship with Lebanon's central government has become increasingly strained since the group moved to enter the war between Israel and Iran, its main benefactor.In separate talks held between the US and Iran in Pakistan, Iranian negotiators insisted that Lebanon be included in any ceasefire - although both the US and Israel said it would not.A US state department official told the BBC that the Israel-Lebanon talks were planned a month ago, before the talks with Iran in Islamabad were confirmed.In addition to the more than 2,000 people killed, about a million people have been displaced in the conflict since the most recent hostilities began.

Iran's economic lifelines: Tehran to Hormozgan under pressure

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:09:42 +0300

Jordan Daily - Iran's economic resilience is being tested as key provinces face disruptions, revealing the interconnectedness of its specialized economic hubs. From Tehran's financial control to Hormozgan's vital ports, any disruption reverberates across the nation's economy.The impact of conflict extends beyond the immediate damage, challenging Iran's capacity to safeguard its critical economic infrastructure.A disruption in Tehran, the nation's capital, would destabilize decision-making, finance, and services. Official statistics indicate that approximately 11% of Iran's population resides in Tehran, contributing to about 25% of the country's GDP. Moreover, 70% of Iran's financial turnover and 25% of its industry are concentrated in the province, making it the epicenter of market management, finance, and services.Isfahan, on the other hand, serves as the country's industrial production base. The Mobarakeh Steel Company, according to official data, plays a crucial role in steel and related products, accounting for about one-third of the nation's steel production with a production capacity of 11.1 million tons. Any significant disruption in Isfahan would not only affect production lines but also strain supply chains and increase material costs across various sectors, including construction, manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy.Khuzestan, a critical region for oil and petrochemicals, produces 80% of the crude oil and 16% of the gas in the country, according to the Iranian Oil Ministry's news agency, Shana. Khuzestan also hosts the Khuzestan Steel Company, Iran's second-largest crude steel producer, adding an industrial dimension to the province beyond oil and petrochemicals. Any extensive disruption in Khuzestan and its surrounding oil region would not only disrupt energy supplies but also impact exports, hard currency reserves, and public revenues, affecting the state's ability to finance the economy.Bushehr is directly linked to the country's gas equation. The South Pars field contains 8% of the world's gas reserves and 50% of Iran's gas reserves, with 70% of the country's gas production coming from this field, according to the Pars Oil and Gas Company. Bushehr's significance lies in its role in powering electricity, industry, and domestic consumption. A major disruption in this province would directly impact domestic energy security.Hormozgan serves as Iran's gateway to the outside world. The Shahid Rajaee port is the country's most important commercial port, with an annual capacity of nearly 100 million tons. It handles over 55% of exports and imports, 70% of transit, and more than 85% of container traffic in Iranian ports, according to data published on Mana, an Iranian platform specializing in port and maritime transport news. Any widespread disruption in Hormozgan would not only disrupt port operations but also impede imports and exports, delay the flow of goods, and increase transportation and supply costs, rapidly impacting the domestic market.Therefore, the impact of conflict in Iran is not solely determined by the location of the strike but by the function it affects. A disruption in Tehran shakes decision-making, finance, and services. If Isfahan is disrupted, industrial production slows. If Khuzestan is disrupted, the margin for oil, petrochemicals, and revenue narrows. If Bushehr is affected, gas and energy security are under pressure. If Hormozgan is choked, trade is disrupted.In this sense, conflict is not just a geographical targeting but a test of the Iranian economy's ability to protect its specialized hubs.

Saudi Arabia stands out in Gulf economic growth amidst global uncertainty

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:14:55 +0300

Jordan Daily - Riyadh has emerged as a beacon of economic resilience in the Gulf region, defying a gloomy forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).The IMF recently lowered its global economic growth projections by 0.2 percentage points to 3.1 percent, citing geopolitical conflicts as the primary cause.Despite disruptions to international trade routes and supply chains caused by regional tensions, Saudi Arabia has successfully navigated these challenges.Its strategic investments in alternative pipeline routes connecting the east and west of the Kingdom via the Red Sea have proven crucial.This infrastructure has enabled the country to bypass potential closures of the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of oil to global markets.As a result, Saudi Arabia is projected to lead the region with an expected growth rate of 3.1 percent. Further expansion to 4.5 percent is anticipated.In contrast, neighboring economies are struggling with sharp contractions and disruptions to their energy facilities.The IMF anticipates a significant contraction of 8.6 percent for Qatar, a downward revision of 14.7 percentage points compared to January estimates, largely due to the shutdown of the vital Ras Laffan facility.

Crown Prince visits Royal Engineering Corps

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:21:36 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday visited the Royal Engineering Corps Directorate.

The Crown Prince, accompanied by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, was briefed by the director of the Royal Engineering Corps on its role in supporting the various units and formations of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF).

The briefing also highlighted the operational duties undertaken by the engineering corps during recent regional tensions, and its role in dealing with falling debris and explosive remnants, in order to safeguard national security and the safety of citizens.

His Royal Highness toured an exhibition of modern equipment and machinery used by the engineering corps, and was briefed on the key technologies employed to address various challenges.

The Crown Prince conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the Supreme Commander of JAF, to the engineering corps personnel, and praised their professionalism and competence, highlighting the vital role of JAF personnel in their various posts.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan visits Jordan Daily

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:11:53 +0300

Jordan Daily- The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Jordan Shahin Abdullayev visited today the Jordan Daily, where he met with the Chief Editor Nedal Zubeidi to discuss prospects for media collaboration and bilateral engagement.During the meeting, Mr. Abdullayev emphasized the growing importance of digital media in shaping public opinion and strengthening international ties. He expressed interest in enhancing the visibility of Azerbaijani news and perspectives through Jordan Daily’s online platform.Mr. Zubeidi welcomed the visit, highlighting the website’s role in delivering timely and diverse news coverage to a broad audience in Jordan and the region. He also recalled his visit to Azerbaijan last February as part of a delegation of chief editors from various media outlets in Jordan, organized upon the invitation of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Amman. The visit, he noted, provided valuable insights into the country’s business landscape and cultural heritage.

Household cleaners send thousands of U.S. kids to emergency rooms

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:32:40 +0300

Jordan Daily - Household cleaning products continue to pose a significant risk to young children, leading to tens of thousands of emergency room visits annually in the United States, according to a recent study.The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, revealed that over a 15-year period, more than 240,000 children under the age of five were treated in emergency departments for injuries related to household cleaning supplies.Researchers analyzed data from a national surveillance system that tracks consumer product-related injuries to understand the specific hazards facing this age group within their homes.Laundry detergent was the most common culprit, accounting for 30.1% of incidents, followed by bleach at 28.6%. Injuries ranged from poisoning (64%) and chemical burns (14.1%) to skin irritation (11.2%).The data indicated that the majority of these incidents involved concentrated laundry detergent packets or capsules (33%), spray bottles containing various cleaning liquids (28.2%), and traditional liquid detergent containers (19.7%).While the study noted a decline in incidents associated with certain types of cleaning product packaging in recent years, researchers cautioned that the danger remains, as these products continue to be a leading cause of childhood injuries in the home.Dr. Rebecca McAdams, from the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, highlighted that while incidents involving liquid cleaning product packaging have decreased, they remained a primary cause of household cleaner exposures in 2022.McAdams advocated for stricter safety measures in homes, including storing cleaners in high, locked locations, using child-resistant containers, and never leaving cleaning products within reach of children, even for brief periods.These findings underscore the ongoing challenge of ensuring child safety in homes, particularly given the prevalence of highly concentrated cleaning products in attractive forms and bright colors that may entice children to touch or ingest them.

Housing the future in the age of cities

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:59:46 +0300

Jordan Daily - In May 2026, Baku will assume a prominent global role by hosting the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF 13) from May 17 to 22. This major event will bring together policymakers, experts, leaders, and innovators to discuss global urban challenges and focus on addressing the most pressing issues facing cities today."Providing safe, inclusive, and sustainable housing amid rapid Urbanization"The world is witnessing unprecedented urban expansion, with more than half of its population now living in cities under mounting pressures. This rapid growth is leading to the spread of informal settlements and depriving billions of people of adequate housing, while infrastructure faces immense strain. Climate change further exacerbates these crises through floods, droughts, and heatwaves, multiplying the challenges to sustainable development.The 13th World Urban Forum will be held in Baku under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities.” The discussions will focus on expanding affordable housing, strengthening climate resilience, mobilizing financing, and developing innovative urban design tailored to regional specificity.The World Urban Forum is recognized as the largest UN platform for sustainable urban development. It is not merely a technical conference but a space that brings together diverse actors at multiple levels. Its strength lies in the diversity of participants — from national governments and city administrations to civil society organizations, youth, investors, and architects — reflecting the growing awareness that housing and urban management are global issues tied to social justice, climate, and the economy. The upcoming World Urban Forum in Baku (2026) is expected to mark a turning point in political engagement. For the first time, the forum will host a Leaders’ Summit, bringing together heads of state and government. This milestone underscores the growing recognition that housing and urban management are no longer secondary technical issues, but rather fundamental pillars of national development strategies and a central element of global stability.The world, particularly in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and parts of the Middle East, is facing unprecedented urban challenges. Rapid urban growth intersects with weak infrastructure, limited resources, and vulnerability to climate change and the spread of informal housing, limited municipal revenues, and the difficulty of accessing international financing all intensify urban crises. These factors place cities under double pressure: on one hand, they must strive to achieve sustainable development, and on the other, they must ensure social justice.For many developing countries, the World Urban Forum provides a unique space to showcase their experiences and actively participate in shaping international debates on urban policy. The engagement of cities from the Global South has reinforced the forum’s role as a platform for inclusive dialogue and knowledge exchange, moving away from one‑directional policy prescriptions. The discussions at the 13th World Urban Forum are expected to focus on urban financing, climate change adaptation mechanisms, and the formulation of practical policies that directly address the needs of rapidly growing urban centers.The convening of the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku represents a landmark moment for Azerbaijan and a strategic opportunity to showcase its vision for urban development. The forum will bring together experts and decision-makers from across the globe, offering the country a platform to highlight its model of balancing historical heritage with modern urbanization. Baku embodies this balance through its rich historical heritage, most notably the walled city of Icherisheher, with landmarks such as the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs. Beyond Baku, Azerbaijan’s cultural depth is reflected in sites like the Historic Centre of Shaki with the Khan’s Palace, and the Gobustan Cultural Landscape, famous for its ancient rock arts.Azerbaijan’s reconstruction program, especially in Karabakh and East Zangazur, stands out as one of the country’s most ambitious development initiatives. These efforts go far beyond rebuilding infrastructure — they integrate modern urban concepts such as, Smart villages, Designed with digital services, Renewable energyDigital services, Carbon neutrality planning: Aiming for net-zero emissions in newly developed areas. The “Great Return” National Program This initiative enables displaced citizens to return to their homelands, not to the past but to modern, environmentally sustainable communities.Azerbaijan has strengthened its international standing by hosting the 29th UN Climate Conference (COP29), positioning itself as a bridge between advanced and developing economies. At the upcoming 13th World Urban Forum in Baku (2026)The focus will be on mobilizing investments for affordable housing and resilient infrastructure, achieved through close cooperation among multilateral development banks, sovereign wealth funds, and private capital.In 2026, Azerbaijan declared the year as the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture,” reaffirming its commitment to harmonizing heritage preservation with contemporary design and green technologies. This initiative underscores the country’s vision of integrating cultural identity with modern sustainability.The program of the 13th World Urban Forum will feature high-level dialogues, technical sessions, exhibitions, and events showcasing actionable solutions, alongside the preparation of policy reports and the launch of new partnerships. to reach concrete, practical steps, the forum emphasizes that without accessible financing and regulatory reforms, the gap between housing supply and demand will continue to widen.Baku is ready to host the 13th World Urban Forum thanks to its experience in organizing international events and its advanced infrastructure. Yet, the importance of this gathering lies not only in logistics but also in its symbolism, The significance of the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku lies not only in its logistics but also in its symbolism. Baku’s position at the crossroads of Europe and Asia reflects the interconnected nature of urban challenges worldwide.The convening of the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku in May 2026 carries a profound message: the future of humanity is inseparably tied to the future of its cities.Urban spaces must be inclusive, resilient, and centered on human dignity. This is not merely an ambitious vision but a global necessity to ensure the sustainability of urban life and to meet the shared challenges cities face worldwide.Azerbaijan’s hosting of the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku (May 2026) positions the country not only as an organizer but as an active contributor to shaping a collective urban future, and the discussions will be translated into practical policies and tangible partnerships.

Jordan Phosphate boosts profits as value strategy takes hold

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:02:53 +0300

By : Nedal ZubeidiJordan Daily - In economics, not all numbers are alike. Some pass as brief news, while others leave a deeper mark, because they reflect not only an outcome, but a way of thinking. That is what can be read, quietly, in the recent results of Jordan Phosphate Mines Company.What stands out in these results is not the increase itself, but what it says between the lines. When profits grow by more than 31% to around JD 601 million, while sales rise by 19.3% to approximately JD 1.448 billion, the issue is no longer simply one of increased activity, but of improved quality. In other words, the company is no longer just selling more; it is becoming better at how it sells, what it sells, and to whom it sells.Here is where the real transformation begins.Gradually, the company has moved beyond the traditional role of merely exporting raw material to a more advanced position in the value chain. Phosphate is no longer simply extracted and shipped; it has become part of an integrated production system that includes manufacturing, smart pricing, and access to more sophisticated markets.This transformation is visible not only in the numbers, but in their nature. These profits do not appear to be the product of a temporary circumstance or a passing wave of prices, but the result of a path aimed at maximizing value rather than volume. It is enough to note that gross profits approached JD 887 million, and that the return on capital reached nearly 200%, to realize that this goes beyond a mere cyclical improvement.Anyone watching the scene closely will also notice that the company’s performance did not rely on a single factor. There is a balance between rising prices, stable demand, uninterrupted production, and carefully planned industrial expansion. When these elements come together, they do not merely produce a good result; they build the capacity to endure.Yet these results gain their full meaning when placed within their broader context. Today, the region is experiencing one of its most turbulent periods in years. The war in the Middle East and the escalation involving Iran have not remained confined to politics; they have extended into the global economy, disrupting trade routes and sharply increasing energy prices after repeated threats and closures involving the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes. Recent tensions have pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel, amid fears of an expanding conflict and supply disruptions.In such a climate, good results are no ordinary matter; they become an exception worth pausing over. Success here is not achieved only despite the circumstances, but sometimes because of the ability to deal with them. Turbulent energy markets, rising transport costs, and disrupted supply chains can all become burdens. Yet, in certain cases, they can turn into opportunities for those who know how to read the moment.This does not mean the road ahead is free of risks. Military escalation, the spread of conflict across more than one front, and threats to maritime routes all make the future open to difficult possibilities. But the difference here is that the company is not standing at the mercy of the market alone, it is trying to build internal tools that reduce the impact of such volatility.In other words, it is not waiting for circumstances to improve-it is preparing for them.In this context, what has been achieved can be seen not simply as financial improvement, but as an evolution in management philosophy: a shift from short-term thinking that chases prices to a longer-term vision that seeks to hold the keys to both production and value. Even from the investor’s perspective, this is reflected in earnings per share rising to around JD 2, a small detail on the surface, yet one that signals greater confidence in the sustainability of performance.This, ultimately, is the real challenge in resource-based economies: how to transform what we have into what we produce, and what we produce into something we can sustain.The experience of Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, as it appears today, offers a preliminary answer to that question. It is not a final answer, nor a complete one, but it is enough to suggest that the direction is the right one.

Europe's digital dependence: How American IT giants are tightening their control

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:08:43 +0300

Jordan Daily - In recent years, Europe's digital environment has increasingly been shaped by the influence of major American tech corporations. Companies with multi-trillion dollar market capitalizations are gradually moving beyond the confines of ordinary businesses, gaining the ability to influence not only the market but also social processes, regulation, and political decisions. Experts are increasingly discussing the emergence of a model of digital dependence, in which key infrastructure and user data are concentrated in the hands of a limited number of foreign players.This trend is particularly evident in the European Union. Online platforms, cloud services, search engines, and social media of American origin have effectively become the foundation for everyday life, business, and public administration. This dominance allows tech corporations to shape the information agenda and exert pressure on local competitors, who find it difficult to compete in global ecosystems.Against this backdrop, European politicians are increasingly discussing the need to introduce uniform regulatory rules for artificial intelligence and digital technologies. The new set of regulations is expected to limit the excessive influence of transnational companies and create a fairer environment for the development of their own technological solutions. However, experts warn that large corporations possess significant lobbying resources and can use administrative mechanisms to promote regulations that favor them.The processing of personal data is a particular concern. Large platforms are already using sophisticated tools to collect information about users, tracking their online behavior, interests, and digital habits. These technologies allow for the creation of detailed profiles of individuals that can be used not only for commercial purposes but also for other purposes. In several European countries, human rights activists are drawing attention to the collaboration between government agencies and American IT companies that provide software for analyzing large amounts of data and monitoring citizen activity.The problem is exacerbated by Europe's long-standing reliance on external technological solutions without creating its own competitive platforms. Insufficient investment and the lack of a unified strategy have led to a decline in the region's digital autonomy. As a result, dependence on foreign providers is no longer perceived as an economic risk, but as a threat to national and pan-European security. Thus, the growing influence of American IT corporations poses a difficult choice for Europe. On the one hand, their technologies provide convenience and efficiency, but on the other, they concentrate control over infrastructure and data in the hands of external players. Under these circumstances, the issue of digital sovereignty is becoming a key one for Europe's future, determining not only technological development but also the degree of independence in political and economic decision-making.

The football league in Jordan is on fire: Al Hussein Irbid analysis and credit to Al Faisaly, with a look ahead to Al Ramtha

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:56:35 +0300

Dr. Fadi Maayah Curtin University: AustraliaJordan Daily - This season’s title race has gripped supporters across the country. With Al Hussein Irbid, Al Faisaly, and Al Wehdat locked in a fierce contest at the top of the table, every match carries decisive weight. Among the contenders, Al Hussein Irbid have emerged as one of the most intriguing tactical stories of the season, combining attacking flair with lessons that underline just how small the margins are at elite level.Across the campaign, Al Hussein have provided a clear tactical case study, revealing both the strengths and risks of playing without a traditional centre forward. In several recent matches, the team adopted a false 9 system by deploying Rezq Bani Hani, a natural winger, as a number 9, before later introducing Ashly Koffey as a more conventional centre forward. This approach produced emphatic results against several opponents, yet it also exposed clear limitations when tested by well‑organised defensive sides, most notably Al Faisaly.Al Hussein’s football identity has been built around a possession‑based attacking model. For long stretches of matches, the team deliberately moved away from a fixed number 9, instead relying on a fluid attacking structure based on player rotations, wide‑area overloads, and intelligent movement from midfield runners. At its best, this model allowed Al Hussein to dominate territory, dictate tempo, and overwhelm opponents through sustained pressure and technical quality.That attacking vision was particularly evident in commanding victories over Al Jazeera and Al Salt, with scorelines of 6–0 and 5–0 respectively. In those matches, the false 9 frequently dropped into midfield, drawing centre‑backs out of the defensive line and opening space behind them. Al Hussein attacked these spaces aggressively through diagonal runs, late arrivals into the box, and quick combinations, scoring goals in waves. A notable feature of those games was the limited front‑third pressure from opponents, who defended deep and allowed Al Hussein to build comfortably from the back. Given time and space, Al Hussein’s attacking structure looked devastating.However, the narrative shifted sharply in the last two games against Al Ahli and Al Faisaly. These teams demonstrated significantly higher levels of defensive organisation and tactical discipline. Rather than being drawn out by false 9 movements, defenders held their line while midfielders screened central areas effectively. This composure removed the spaces Al Hussein had previously exploited and forced their possession into wide and less threatening zones.The match against Al Faisaly, particularly in the first half, offered the clearest blueprint for how to disrupt Al Hussein’s attacking rhythm. Al Faisaly pressed aggressively in the front third, denying Al Hussein the ability to build from the back and forcing long balls under pressure. Defensively, they remained compact and well connected, with multiple players defending around the ball. This approach isolated key attacking figures such as Sisa, Al Mardi, and Rezq Bani Hani, limiting their influence in decisive areas.A central tactical issue in that match was the positioning of Sisa, Al Hussein’s number 10. Sisa drifted frequently into wide areas and deeper zones, at times appearing across almost every line of the pitch. While this movement helped ball circulation and allowed Al Hussein to dominate possession across the back third, middle third, and wide attacking zones, it also created a critical imbalance in the final phase of attack.With Sisa vacating central attacking zones too often, Al Hussein lost consistent occupation of the space directly in front of the opposition penalty box. Possession remained high, but presence in decisive areas dropped sharply. Threat from Zone 14 Plus and central attacking areas in the front third, including inside‑box central lanes, was minimal. As a result, organised defensive blocks were able to stay compact, protect the penalty area comfortably, and defend without panic.The match turned early when Muhannad Khairallah scored in the ninth minute following early pressing and decisive execution. That goal shifted both the psychological and tactical balance of the contest. From that moment on, Al Faisaly were content to concede possession in non‑dangerous areas, confident in their defensive structure and game management.As Al Hussein increased tempo and pushed their midfield line higher, the same problem persisted. The ball circulated freely across wide and deeper zones, but without a stable central reference point occupying Zone 14 Plus and central attacking areas in the front third, attacks stalled. Crosses became predictable, deliveries into the box lacked numbers, and central defenders remained largely unchallenged.From a tactical standpoint, the issue was structural rather than technical. Al Hussein’s problem was not effort, quality, or commitment, but positional occupation. Zone 14 Plus and central attacking areas in the front third, covering the half‑spaces just outside the penalty area, the central corridor at the top of the box, and the immediate inside‑box channels, are where high‑level matches are often decided.The corrective solution is clear. Sisa’s role does not need restricting, but stabilising. Rather than roaming continuously, the number 10 must act as a central reference in Zone 14 Plus and central attacking areas in the front third, receiving between the lines, linking play under pressure, and drawing defenders inward.Looking ahead to the clash with Al Ramtha, preparation will be just as important as tactical refinement. With almost three days between matches, recovery will be critical. Tactically, the match offers an opportunity to adjust the attacking dynamic by starting Al Mardi as either a false 9 or a central 9, before introducing Khadoon Sabra for the final 30 minutes. Keeping Sisa central as a number 10 would provide the necessary support and connection in central attacking areas.Ultimately, the lesson is clear. At this level, football is not decided by how much of the ball a team has, but by how effectively it is used in the most dangerous spaces. Al Hussein Irbid remain one of the league’s most exciting sides, and how they apply these lessons against Al Ramtha may shape the next chapter of a title race that is very much alive.

US begins blockade of Iran's ports, Tehran threatens retaliation

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:47:24 +0300

Reuters - The U.S. military began a blockade of Iran's ports on Monday, President Donald Trump said, and Tehran threatened to retaliate against its Gulf neighbors' ports after weekend talks in Islamabad on ending the war broke down.A U.S. official said there was continued engagement with Iran, and forward motion on ‌trying to get to an agreement. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also said efforts were still under way to resolve the conflict.But oil prices climbed back to $100 per barrel, with no sign of a swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to ease the biggest ever disruption in supplies and broader concerns over the durability of a two-week ceasefire agreement reached last week.Trump said Iran had been in touch on Monday and wanted to make a deal but that he would not sanction any agreement allowing Tehran to have a nuclear weapon.
"Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters at the White House. "We can't let a country blackmail or extort the world."Since the United States and Israel began the war on February 28, Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels except its own, saying passage would be permitted ⁠only under Iranian control and subject to a fee.Trump has said Washington would block Iranian vessels and any ships that paid such tolls and that any Iranian "fast-attack" ships that went near the blockade would be eliminated.Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Defense, warned that foreign military efforts to police the strait would escalate the crisis and instability in global energy security.
NATO allies including Britain and France said they would not be drawn into the conflict by taking part in the blockade, stressing instead the need to reopen the waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world's oil normally passes.The talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan, the first direct meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level discussions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, ended on Sunday without an agreement.Despite that, Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation, told Fox News on Monday the U.S. "made a lot of progress" by communicating to Tehran where the U.S. "could make some accommodation" and where it would remain inflexible.He said Trump was adamant that any enriched nuclear material must be removed from Iran and a mechanism must be established to verify that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons.
Tehran "moved in our direction, which is why I think we would say that we had some good signs, but they didn't move far enough," Vance said, without disclosing details.CEASEFIRE UNDER STRAINThe ceasefire that ‌halted six ⁠weeks of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes looked in jeopardy, with only a week left to run.The U.S. military's Central Command said the blockade would be "enforced impartially against vessels of all nations" entering or leaving Iranian ports in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
"The blockade will not impede neutral transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations," Central Command said in a note to seafarers seen by Reuters on Monday.An Iranian military spokesperson called any U.S. restrictions on international shipping "piracy," warning that if Iranian ports were threatened, no port in the Gulf or Gulf of Oman would be secure. Any military vessels approaching the strait would violate the ceasefire, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said.Trump said Iran's navy had been "completely obliterated" during the war, adding that only a ⁠small number of "fast-attack ships" remained.
"Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal," Trump said on social media.He was apparently referring to the U.S. strikes carried out against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. The strikes, which began in September, killed more than 160 people. The U.S. military has not provided evidence that ⁠the vessels were ferrying drugs.LEBANON FACES ATTACKSTrump has also lashed out at U.S.-born Pope Leo, who has spoken out against the war, denouncing him as "terrible" in a rare direct attack by a U.S. president on a pontiff.
With the war unpopular at home and rising energy prices causing political blowback, Trump paused the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign last week after threatening to destroy Iran's "whole civilisation" unless it reopened the strait.In a letter to the United Nations, Iran's UN delegation ⁠on Monday asked for reparations from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan, alleging they have allowed their territory to be used in the US-Israeli war against Iran.Israel has continued to bombard Lebanon and on Monday Israeli troops launched an attack it said was intended to seize a key south Lebanon town from Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel and the U.S. have said the campaign against Hezbollah was not part of the ceasefire, while Iran has insisted it is.

King reviews government progress in public sector modernisation

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:17:34 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Majesty King Abdullah II, during a meeting on Monday attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, reviewed the government’s progress in implementing the roadmap for public sector modernisation.

During the meeting with Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and a number of government officials, held at Al Husseiniya Palace, His Majesty urged utilising technology to modernise public sector institutions and improve their performance in serving citizens and investors.

The King was briefed on key achievements of the first phase of the executive programme (2022-2025), including expansion of digital government services and the opening of 13 comprehensive government service centres in several governorates.

His Majesty was also updated on the government’s plan to launch the National Academy for Public Administration, which will serve as the leading body for developing public sector capabilities, replacing the Institute of Public Administration.

In this context, the King called for the continued development of civil service appointment mechanisms, underscoring the importance of creating an environment that attracts skilled and talented individuals, within a framework based on transparency, fairness, and performance-based career progression.

His Majesty listened to a briefing by Minister of State for Public Sector Development Badriya Al Balbisi, during which she noted that the executive programme’s second phase (2026-2029) focuses on expanding the scope of implementation to include municipalities, increasing reliance on modern technologies to enhance the efficiency of public sector performance and expenditure, and improving the quality of services provided to citizens.

Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smeirat attended the meeting.

Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks fail

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:53:39 +0300

CNBC - President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. will blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks held in Pakistan to end the Iran war hit the skids.“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social. “The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION.”The U.S. Central Command said in a post on X late Sunday that the U.S. military would begin implementing the blockade on Monday at 10 a.m. ET. CENTCOM said additional information would be provided to commercial vessels prior to the start of the blockade.The blockade of vessels transiting the strait appeared to be somewhat more limited than the broad enforcement action Trump initially announced. CENTCOM said the U.S. will not impede vessels transiting the strait to and from non-Iranian ports. The blockade will only be enforced against vessels entering or departing Iranian ports or coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.The announcement of a U.S. blockade has dimmed hopes that the war would end in the coming days following peace talks in Islamabad. It also threatens to exacerbate the economic crisis that has gripped global economies since the war broke out and Iran began restricting access to the strait, a chokepoint which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil
.Trump said the U.S. blockade is an effort to stop Iran from policing the strait and benefiting economically while the rest of the world suffers from its closure.“At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, ‘There may be a mine out there somewhere,’ that nobody knows about but them,” he said. “THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted.”Trump, speaking on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” said the effort will be a “complete blockade” and “all or none,” meaning no ship will be allowed to pass until Iran relents.Trump also announced in the post that the U.S. Navy will “seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran.”Iran was preparing to toll vessels seeking passage through the strait, a move that invoked Trump’s ire as Tehran tries to cement its grip on the passage amid a two-week ceasefire in the conflict.“No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” the president said.Trump and his advisers are also reportedly considering the resumption of limited military strikes in Iran, to put additional pressure on the regime to break the peace talk stalemate, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials and people familiar with the situation.In an interview on Fox News, Trump appeared to once again threaten strikes on Iran’s critical infrastructure.“I would hate to do it, but it’s their water, their desalinization plans, their electric-generating plants, which are very easy to hit,” Trump said.Peace talks hosted by Pakistan broke down over what the U.S. described as Iran’s unwillingness to give up its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon. Tehran’s demands include control of the Strait of Hormuz, payment of war reparations and a ceasefire across the region, including in Lebanon, according to Iranian state TV and officials. It is also seeking the release of its frozen assets abroad.The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, met with Iranian and Pakistani negotiators for more than 21 hours during the rare face-to-face summit.The war, and nearly complete closure of the strait, have put immense pressure on oil prices and the global economy. Markets have whipsawed throughout the campaign, and oil has at times rocketed to more than $100 per barrel.

Hungary's conservative icon Orban defeated by centre-right opposition

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:44:07 +0300

Reuters - Hungary's veteran nationalist leader Viktor Orban lost power to the upstart centre-right Tisza party in Sunday's national election after 16 years in office, marking a setback for his allies in Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's White House.Orban, 62, was celebrated by conservatives across Europe and the United States as the mastermind of ‌the "illiberal" model of democracy, but lost favour at home with voters who grew weary of economic stagnation, international isolation and oligarchs amassing wealth.His landslide defeat handed Tisza's Peter Magyar, 45, a comfortable majority in Hungary's 199-seat legislature, opening the door for meaningful reforms of a system critics in the European Union said subverted democratic norms.With nearly all ballots counted, Tisza was set to win 138 seats, more than the two-thirds majority Magyar would need to undo Orban's constitutional overhaul and combat corruption.Record turnout on Sunday underscored how many Hungarians saw the election as a watershed moment for their country.
"We have done it. Tisza and Hungary have won this election," Magyar told tens of thousands of supporters who danced and cheered alongside the elegant Danube ⁠River embankment in central Budapest.Many held candles while loudspeakers blasted Frank Sinatra's "My Way" as Magyar walked towards the stage. "Together, we have replaced Orban's system and together we liberated Hungary, we have reclaimed our country," he said.Magyar had cast the election as a choice between "East and West", warning voters that Orban and his confrontational stance towards Brussels would take the country further away from the European mainstream. Orban countered that Tisza would drag Hungary into an unwanted war with Russia, a charge Magyar denied.
"The election result is painful for us, but clear," Orban said at the Fidesz campaign offices. Some of his supporters who had gathered outside cried while watching his speech on TV screens.SHOCKWAVES FOR THE EU AND BEYONDThe end of Orban's 16-year rule will have significant implications not only for Hungary, but for the European Union, Ukraine and beyond.Many European leaders are hoping for an end to Hungary's adversarial role inside the EU, possibly opening the way for a 90 billion euro ($105 billion) loan to war-battered Ukraine that was blocked by Orban.Mujtaba Rahman, a managing director at Eurasia Group, said Magyar will be able to deliver on his promises to clean out corruption and remove ‌Fidesz loyalists ⁠from key positions.
"Regarding Ukraine, Magyar will agree to pave the way for 90 billion euros to flow to Ukraine. He was extremely cautious pre-election, but without the need now to try to appease Fidesz voters, we think Hungary will cautiously move more into the European mainstream on most subjects."Some diplomats in Brussels cautioned issues such as migration may remain thorny. "Hungary will continue to be a challenging partner, but a partner with whom the other member states can work," one said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy congratulated Magyar on Sunday and pledged to work with him to strengthen Europe and uphold peace and security. "It is important when a constructive approach is victorious," ⁠Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.Defeat for Orban could also mean the eventual release of EU funds to Hungary suspended over reforms that Brussels said undermined democratic standards, something closely watched by financial markets.
"Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the top EU executive, said after partial results were released.Orban's exit would also deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of his main ally in the EU ⁠and send shockwaves through the West's right-wing circles, including the White House.Orban had won public endorsements from the Trump administration, culminating in a visit to Budapest by Vice President JD Vance last week, as well as from the Kremlin and far-right leaders in Europe.
But his campaign was shaken by media reports alleging his government colluded with Moscow on diplomatic and political matters.Orban, who denied any ⁠wrongdoing, said his goal was to protect Hungary's national identity and traditional Christian values within the EU and its security in a dangerous world.
"It's incredibly exciting," said 24-year-old Dorina Nyul, who attended the Tisza election night event. "It feels like this is our first and last chance in a really long time to actually change the system. And it's, I can't even describe the feeling."

JBA, Azerbaijani ambassador Abdullayev discuss boosting economic cooperation

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:29:55 +0300

Jordan Daily - Chairman of the Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) Ayman Al-Alawneh on Sunday met with Azerbaijan Ambassador to Jordan Shahin Abdullayev to discuss prospects for enhancing economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, according to a JBA statement.Al-Alawneh highlighted the strength of Jordanian-Azerbaijani relations, noting that there are promising opportunities to expand joint investments, particularly in light of growing interest from investment institutions and sovereign funds in development projects in the Kingdom, including the Amra City project.He stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation across various economic sectors and enhancing communication between the private sectors in both countries. Al-Alawneh also called for the establishment of a joint business council to facilitate networking among business leaders and to explore available investment opportunities.He further underscored the need to increase Jordanian exports to the Azerbaijani market and to identify new avenues for trade cooperation, especially in value-added sectors.For his part, Ambassador Abdullayev emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation in key sectors such as tourism, food industries and energy, noting that such efforts would enhance economic integration and serve mutual interests.The ambassador also pointed to significant potential to boost bilateral trade, affirming Azerbaijan’s readiness to provide the necessary facilitation to encourage Jordanian investors and businesspeople to enter the Azerbaijani market.The meeting was attended by JBA board member Mahmoud Freihat and Director General Tariq Hijazi, as well as embassy officials Ali Qadirov and Nijat Ismayilov.

King receives Syrian delegation participating in Higher Coordination Council ministerial meetings

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:35:52 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Majesty King Abdullah II on Sunday received the Syrian ministerial delegation participating in the second session of the Higher Coordination Council between Jordan and Syria.During the meeting, held at Al Husseiniya Palace and attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, His Majesty emphasised the need to continue working to develop economic and trade relations, and strengthen security cooperation between the two countries, in service of mutual interests.The King noted that the continued efforts of the Jordanian-Syrian Higher Coordination Council are an important step towards advancing relations, underscoring the need for the meetings to contribute to the implementation of joint action agreements. The council represents 20 key sectors and aims to advance Jordanian-Syrian relations towards a comprehensive strategic partnership across various fields.The meeting also touched on opportunities for cooperation in various sectors, such as water, transport, and energy, with His Majesty highlighting the importance of integration among Arab states, and strengthening regional cooperation through joint projects.The King also reiterated Jordan’s support for Syria’s efforts to preserve its security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.The Jordanian delegation attending the meeting included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Soud, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Syria Sufian Qudah.Attending from the Syrian side were Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Al Shibani, and the ministers of economy and industry, energy, justice, health, transport, agriculture, higher education and scientific research, education, social affairs and labour, ICT, media, endowments, tourism, administrative development, as well as a number of senior officials.

Saudi Arabia restores full pipeline capacity after disruptions

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:01:23 +0300

Jordan Daily - Saudi Arabia has successfully restored full pumping capacity to its east-west pipeline, according to a statement released on Sunday. The pipeline has a capacity of approximately seven million barrels per day.The Ministry of Energy stated that energy facilities and the pipeline, which had been affected by attacks, have been fully recovered and are now operating at their normal capacity.The official Saudi Press Agency quoted the ministry as saying that "operational and technical efforts have succeeded in restoring full pumping capacity through the east-west pipeline, amounting to about seven million barrels per day."

US leaves Iran peace talks without a deal

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:13:23 +0300

Reuters - U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that his negotiating team was leaving Pakistan after not reaching a deal with Iran following 21 hours of negotiations, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire."The bad ‌news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that's bad news for Iran much more than it's bad news for the United States of America," Vance told reporters after the talks ended. "So we go back to the United States having not come to an agreement. We've made very clear what our red lines are."Vance cited shortcomings in the talks and said Iran had chosen not to accept American terms, including to not build nuclear weapons. A short time later, Vance waved goodbye from the top of the stairs as he boarded Air Force Two in Islamabad.
“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to ⁠quickly achieve a nuclear weapon. That is the core goal of the president of the United States, and that's what we've tried to achieve through these negotiations.”Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said that "excessive" U.S. demands had hindered reaching an agreement and that negotiations had ended. Before Vance spoke, Iran's government in a post on X had said negotiations would continue and technical experts from both sides would exchange documents.The talks in Islamabad were the first direct U.S.-Iranian meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level discussions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.In his brief press conference, Vance did not mention reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for about 20% of global energy supplies that Iran has blocked since the war began. The conflict has sent global oil prices soaring and killed thousands of people.
Vance's delegation included special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Vance said he talked with Trump a half a dozen to a dozen times during the talks.Iran's team included Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The Iranian delegation arrived on Friday dressed in black in mourning for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and others killed in the war. They carried ‌shoes and ⁠bags of some students killed during the U.S. bombing of a school next to a military compound, the Iranian government said. The Pentagon has said the strike is under investigation but Reuters has reported that military investigators believe the U.S. was likely responsible for it."There were mood swings from the two sides and the temperature went up and down during the meeting," a Pakistani source said in reference to the first round of talks.For the U.S.-Iran talks, Islamabad, a city of more than 2 million people, was locked down with thousands of paramilitary personnel and army troops on the streets.
Pakistan's mediating role is a remarkable transformation for a nation that was a diplomatic outcast a year ⁠ago.STRAIT OF HORMUZAs the talks started, the U.S. military said it was "setting the conditions" to start clearing the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is central to the ceasefire talks. The U.S. military said two of its warships had passed through the strait and conditions were being set to clear mines, while Iran's state media denied any U.S. ships had transited the waterway.
Before the talks began, a senior Iranian source told Reuters the U.S. had agreed ⁠to release frozen assets in Qatar and other foreign banks. A U.S. official denied agreeing to release the money.As well as the release of assets abroad, Tehran is demanding control of the Strait of Hormuz, payment of war reparations and a ceasefire across the region including in Lebanon, according to Iranian state TV and officials.
Tehran also wants to collect transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.Trump's stated goals have ⁠shifted, but as a minimum he wants free passage for global shipping through the strait and the crippling of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme to ensure it cannot produce an atomic bomb.U.S. ally Israel, which joined the February 28 attacks on Iran that launched the war, has also been bombing Tehran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and says that conflict is not part of the Iran-U.S. ceasefire.
Mutual distrust is high.

Israel's buffer-zone fallacy

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:35:41 +0300

By: Daoud KuttabJordan Daily - Territorial buffers rarely, if ever, deliver the peace and security their advocates promise. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine was seen as a neutral cordon between Russia and NATO. Instead, it became a zone of increasingly fierce geopolitical contention, followed by open war.French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau made the same mistake when he assumed that the newly independent states of Central and Eastern Europe would serve as a buffer against encroachment by Bolshevik Russia. Instead, they were Hitler's early targets and ended up as part of the Warsaw Pact following his defeat.In an era when ballistic missiles, drones, and other projectiles can hit distant strategic targets with growing accuracy, the idea of a protective buffer zone is not just faulty; it is nonsense.Yet Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz insists that the Israel Defense Forces must occupy a large part of south Lebanon to protect "displaced residents" living in northern Israel. He recently boasted that Israeli troops had destroyed five bridges on the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Lebanon-Israel border, thus creating a buffer zone that will be maintained "until northern Israel [is] safe." But this occupation, an obvious violation of international law, is unlikely to achieve its stated goals. If anything, it will leave Israelis, especially Israeli soldiers, more vulnerable.After the horrors of World War II, the international community agreed that no country is permitted to take land from others by force. The "inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war" features prominently in the preamble of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, which called for the "withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in [June 1967]." Yet, in Gaza and southern Lebanon, the entire world is watching Israel deliberately acquire large swaths of land by force.In Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, the Israeli army is reportedly occupying more than 50% of the land. In Lebanon, Israel is pursuing an indefinite occupation of roughly 850–1,060 square kilometers—nearly 10% of the country's total territory. And in the West Bank, Israel has long insisted that it must keep the Jordan Valley west of the river as a buffer zone in any peace deal.But with Iranian missiles and drones reaching Tel Aviv, Beit Shemesh, Haifa, and Dimona—and with Ukrainian drones reaching far into Russia—the justification for such demands has collapsed. Moreover, by pushing to occupy even more land, Israel risks turning local civilians into frontline targets. Some critics even warn of a dynamic in which civilians will effectively serve as human shields, which would then provide a political/media bonanza for Israel's Hasbarists (propagandists). At the same time, by occupying southern Lebanon, Israeli soldiers themselves will be closer to Hezbollah fighters, and thus in greater danger.As the political scientist Dominic Tierney has shown, military power alone rarely wins wars, because modern conflicts are political, social, and ideological struggles, not merely tactical battles. "While a dominant military can win battles, secure terrain, and destroy conventional forces," he explains, "it often fails to create lasting peace or achieve political objectives—known as 'winning the war'—because it cannot fix underlying issues such as lack of legitimacy, insurgency, or deep-rooted political instability."Far from acknowledging these limitations, Israel has already declared that it will prohibit the return of Lebanese citizens who fled before its latest ground invasion began. Such a policy is hardly new. Since 1948, Israel has denied the right of return to roughly 750,000 Palestinians and their descendants, despite numerous UN resolutions urging it to provide this option.Rather than taking more land where opponents will always exist, the wiser strategy is to pursue a political settlement. Solutions already exist for both Gaza and Lebanon, but Israeli politicians, especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, appear more interested in preserving the status quo than in making real progress.As the ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu pointed out long ago, harming an enemy or simply taking land does not necessarily constitute a victory. On the contrary, a displaced enemy may return with even greater resolve, or the cost of holding the new ground may prove unsustainable. In a competitive, hostile environment, a retreating enemy can regroup, adapt his tactics, acquire new technologies, and eventually strike back. The fight never truly ends.But no ancient wisdom is needed to understand that countries should aim to resolve underlying tensions rather than trying to create buffers. Holding territory does not erase the other side. Hezbollah's opponents within Lebanon and Palestinian leaders who oppose Hamas have offered to cooperate with Israel, but Israel has adamantly refused. Its current leaders seem to believe that perpetual conflict and occupation better serve their interests than the unpopular political concessions peace would require.But peace is the only sustainable option. Security in Gaza and Lebanon cannot be achieved through buffer zones, but only through a political settlement that addresses humanitarian needs and the root causes of the conflict. That requires respect for international law, accountability for actions that affect civilians on all sides, and a genuine readiness to negotiate. The alternative is endless cycles of violence.

Justice without killing: Rethinking capital punishment

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:05:34 +0300

By: Dr. Haytham Munir Ereifej Jordan Daily - One of the most damaging flaws in the public debate over the death penalty is the way people are pushed into an emotional corner: What if the victim were your relative? What if the crime were especially horrific? What if your heart were filled with anger, grief, and pain? Would you support execution then?But legislation cannot be built on moments of emotional outrage, personal suffering, or impulses of revenge, however understandable they may be on a human level. Law must be built on principle, not anger; on justice, not vengeance. When we discuss the death penalty, we are not discussing a personal reaction, an individual case, or a single country. We are confronting a larger and far more serious question: does the state have the right to kill in the name of justice?The answer that increasingly imposes itself today, legally, morally, and from a human rights perspective, is no. The death penalty cannot be regarded as a triumph of justice. It is, rather, an admission of justice’s failure to impose a severe and fair punishment without taking life. A state that is supposed to protect the right to life cannot itself become the agent of killing under the cover of law. Modern justice is not measured by its ability to end a human life, but by its ability to protect society, punish the offender, and uphold fundamental principles at the same time.The first and most obvious flaw in the death penalty is that it is irreversible. Investigations can be flawed. Courts can make mistakes. Evidence can be misread. New facts, confessions, witnesses, or scientific methods may later emerge and completely overturn a conviction. In cases of imprisonment, a wrongful judgment can be corrected. The state can reverse itself. Justice can, even if belatedly, acknowledge its error. But once an execution has been carried out, there is no correction, no apology that can restore a life wrongfully taken, and no law that can undo a death imposed in error. That fact alone is enough to make capital punishment unsafe in any human justice system, because human beings are fallible, and no court, however advanced, is infallible.Then comes the most frequently repeated claim: that execution deters crime. Yet despite its popularity, that claim has never been conclusively proven. Countries that retain the death penalty have not become societies free of serious crime, nor has it been established that execution deters more effectively than life imprisonment or lengthy incarceration. Those who commit premeditated murder rarely stop to weigh the difference between death and a long prison sentence. They often act out of revenge, extremism, emotional collapse, or calculations in which deterrence has little real effect. A person who plans such a crime usually knows in advance that the punishment is severe and proceeds anyway. The death penalty therefore does not address crime at its roots, because it does not address the real causes: poverty, marginalization, social breakdown, extremism, the spread of weapons, drugs, and the absence of social justice.Nor is the death penalty the neutral punishment it is often portrayed to be. In many countries, its application is shaped by poverty, inadequate legal defense, and social, racial, or political bias. As a result, justice becomes selective, and those who face execution are sometimes the weakest, not the most dangerous. In such cases, the punishment ceases to be a purely legal instrument and instead becomes a mirror reflecting deeper inequalities within society. Worse still, some regimes use it politically, not merely as a criminal sanction, but as a tool of intimidation, repression, and elimination under the banner of judicial legitimacy.One of the deepest objections to execution is that it closes every door to review and reform. Imprisonment, however harsh, still leaves room for repentance, rehabilitation, clemency, reconciliation, or restorative justice where possible. Execution closes all those doors at once. It presents death as the final answer, as though the state were declaring its inability to achieve deterrence and protection except by erasing the human being altogether. At that point, justice descends from principle into vengeance, and from the logic of a modern state into the logic of primitive retaliation.The gravest danger of the death penalty lies not only in the fact that it extinguishes a human life, but also in the way it corrupts the moral meaning of justice itself. When the state kills in the name of law, it does not reinforce the sanctity of life. It reinforces the notion that killing can become legitimate when carried out by official authority. Once death becomes an instrument of justice, the line between law and revenge is blurred, as is the line between the authority of the state and its violence, between justice for the victim and the satisfaction of public anger.Opposition to the death penalty is not a defense of criminals, nor indifference to victims, nor a form of human rights idealism detached from reality, as some would suggest. It is a defense of a stronger, more balanced, and more principled justice, a justice that does not commit the very act it claims to punish. Society undoubtedly needs real and firm protection. But it does not need courts transformed into gates of death. A strong state is not the one that kills more. It is the one that tries fairly, punishes firmly, and protects society without descending into the abyss of organized killing in the name of law.Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, has in many instances approached this issue with a recognition that the value of life must remain supreme and that mercy should remain a central principle of justice. This is reflected in the Kingdom’s exceptional restraint in carrying out death sentences. Over more than twenty-five years, only a very limited number of executions have been implemented, and only under rare, exceptional, and carefully weighed circumstances. That restraint reflects an important truth: the strength of a state lies not in how readily it takes life, but in how wisely, lawfully, and humanely it chooses to preserve justice.

US, Iran set for peace talks but doubts emerge over Lebanon, sanctions

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:05:29 +0300

Reuters - The U.S. and Iran were to hold negotiations in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday to end their six-week-old war, although Tehran threw the talks into doubt by saying they could not begin without commitments on Lebanon and sanctions.The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance and including President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, was on its way to Islamabad after a refuelling ‌stop in Paris.The Iranian delegation, led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, arrived on Friday.IRAN HAS 'NO CARDS', TRUMP SAYSQalibaf said on X that Washington had previously agreed to unblock Iranian assets and to a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants have killed nearly 2,000 people since the start of the fighting in March. He said talks would not start until those pledges were fulfilled.Israel and the U.S. have said the Lebanon campaign is not part of the Iran-U.S. ceasefire while Tehran insists it is.Qalibaf said separately that Iran was ready to reach a deal if Washington offered what he described as a genuine agreement and granted Iran its rights, Iranian state media reported.The White House did not immediately comment on the Iranian demands, but Trump posted on social media that ⁠the only reason the Iranians were alive was to negotiate a deal.
"The Iranians don't seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!" he said.Vance, speaking as he headed to Pakistan, said he expected a positive outcome but added: "If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive."Islamabad was under an unprecedented lockdown on Saturday with thousands of paramilitary personnel and army troops on the streets ahead of what Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called "make-or-break" talks.Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in the war on Tuesday, which has halted U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
But now, the even more difficult stage is that of a permanent ceasefire.

Azerbaijan denies claims its territory used in attacks on Gulf states

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:46:54 +0300

By : News EditorJordan Daily - Azerbaijan on Friday rejected allegations circulating on social media that its territory had been used to launch attacks on Gulf countries during a recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran, calling the claims “completely unfounded and false.”In a statement, Azerbaijan’s Media Development Agency said reports suggesting rockets had been fired from Azerbaijani territory toward Gulf states were baseless and misleading.The agency warned that spreading unverified information during a period of heightened regional tension could further destabilize the situation.It added that modern radar and surveillance systems make it possible to accurately determine the origin of missile launches, noting that countries in the region possess such capabilities.Azerbaijan reiterated its commitment to the principles of international law, respect for state sovereignty and the preservation of regional stability.It called on all parties to rely only on verified and credible sources and to refrain from disseminating unconfirmed information, urging media outlets and social media users to exercise a high level of professionalism and responsibility when sharing information.

Crown Prince visits Ministry of Digital Economy, meets Sanad developers

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:34:28 +0300

Jordan Daily - His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Thursday visited the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, where he met with the Sanad application developers.

The Crown Prince noted the importance of building on the Sanad application’s success by expanding the government services it offers, thereby simplifying procedures for citizens.

His Royal Highness said Sanad is a cornerstone of Jordan’s digital transformation, given its direct role in simplifying access to government services and enhancing their efficiency.

The Crown Prince also emphasised the importance of continuing to develop the application, taking citizens’ feedback into consideration.

His Royal Highness urged government agencies providing services via the app to maintain coordination in order to address any feedback regarding e-services.

The Crown Prince was briefed by Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smeirat and a number of Sanad developers on the latest updates to the app, future plans for its development that include the use of artificial intelligence, expanding the government services it offers, and increasing the number of transactions carried out through it.

The number of digital IDs activated via the Sanad app has reached approximately 2.5 million.

Minister Abu Ghazaleh, European diplomats explore opportunities to boost investment ties

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:19:19 +0300

By : Business EditorJordan Daily - Minister of Investment, Tareq Abu Ghazaleh, met on Thursday with Switzerland’s ambassador, Emilija Georgieva, and Sweden’s chargé d'affaires, Anton Krögerström, to discuss ways to boost economic and investment ties, the ministry said.During the meeting, Abu Ghazaleh highlighted Jordan’s attractive investment environment, citing competitive advantages and a regulatory framework designed to encourage foreign investment.He stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in high-potential sectors and strengthening partnerships with the private sector to support economic growth and serve mutual interests.The discussions also focused on broadening avenues for economic collaboration with both countries, which Jordan considers key partners.