Jordan Reserves
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Rare Nocturnal Bird Spotted Nesting in Fifa Reserve

 AMMAN — A Nubian Nightjar bird was spotted late last month nesting for the first time in Fifa Nature Reserve (FNR), the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) said on Wednesday.

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Conference Sheds Light on 10 Years of Excavations at Petra Church, Temple of Winged Lions

 AMMAN — Excavations take time, money, planning, cooperation, conservation and publishing, said Director of the American Centre of Oriental Research (ACOR) Barbara Porter at a presentation on the Petra Church and the Temple of the Winged Lions on Monday.

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Tourist Sites Record Surge in Guests as June Figures Jump 26.5 per Cent

 AMMAN — The number of visitors arriving in Jordan during June rose by 26.5 per cent to some 455,383 people, whereas the number of overnight visitors reached 393,761 people, rising by 26.4 per cent compared with the same period last year.

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Directorate Nails Down New Tourism Trail Locations in Jerash

 AMMAN — The Jerash Tourism Directorate has picked the locations of three new tourism trails planned to open this summer, according to the head of the directorate.

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New Tell Deir Alla Excavations Suggest Previously Unknown Urbanisation

 AMMAN — New finds at Tell Deir Alla in the Jordan Valley contradict previously published results that the north side of the site was used for cultic purposes, according to a Jordanian archaeologist.

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Aqaba Receives over 72,000 Visitors During Eid Holiday

 AMMAN — Aqaba welcomed over 72,000 visitors from all around the Kingdom during the Eid Al Fitr holiday, Sharhabeel Madi, commissioner for economic development and investment affairs at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), said on Sunday.

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Direct Flights Between Aqaba, Egypt Will Boost Tourist Activity

 AMMAN — Direct flights that will be operated between Aqaba and Egypt and will contribute to increasing the number of visitors to Aqaba, an official said on Sunday.

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Old Culture, Architecture of Karak’s Bathan Village to Be Restored in Renovation Project

 AMMAN — In a recent conference held at Brooklyn University, New York, Jordanian architect Salam Adayleh discussed her project of “bringing old cities back to life”.

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Actor Will Smith Says He ‘Infused’ Wadi Rum Experience with Role in Upcoming ‘Aladdin’

 AMMAN — Just as he walked into Wadi Rum, actor Will Smith envisioned how to infuse his awe-inspiring experience into the character he is playing in Disney’s live action remake of “Aladdin”.

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Wadi Rum Film Shooting Locations Attract Tourists, Create Jobs for Residents

 AMMAN — At the age of 12, Jacir Eid received an opportunity to take up a role in the Jordanian movie “Theeb”. At the time, he did not have any clue how this movie would later shape the course of his future.

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Iron Age Ammonite Statue Says a lot about Religion, Influence by Egyptians, Assyrians

 AMMAN — A rescue excavation by the Department of Antiquities (DoA) of Jordan has uncovered a basalt statue in the forum area near the Roman Theatre in the downtown of Amman, described by an expert as “a unique and important archaeological discovery”.

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‘Number of Visitors to Petra in April the Highest Ever’

 AMMAN – A total of 138,110 people visited Petra during April of this year, the highest number ever in the history of the ancient city as a tourist attraction, according to the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA).

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Australian Embassy Holds ANZAC Day Service at Amman Citadel

 AMMAN — The Australian embassy in Jordan on Thursday hosted an early morning service at the Amman Citadel to commemorate ANZAC Day.

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Researchers Explore Development of Hajj Pilgrimage Routes in Jordan

 AMMAN — Before large-scale development and air travel, the Hajj pilgrimage routes comprised mostly of dirt roads, but according researchers, the routes began to flourish due to Ottoman construction works and a network of protective forts.

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Cooperation Framework Under Way for Historical Site Preservation in Salt

 AMMAN — HRH Princess Dana Firas, chairperson of the International Council on Monuments and Sites-Jordan, and Salt Mayor Khalid Khashman on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the field of training for the preservation, maintenance and administration of historical and archaeological monuments and sites.

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Techworks-Designed Map Gives Investors Interactive Look at Jordan

 AMMAN — Displayed at the World Economic Forum is an interactive map of Jordan, one comprised of three different digital layers highlighting Jordan’s tourist attractions, innovation hubs and investment opportunities.

Aqaba Tourism Conference Launches to Bring Together Jordanian, International Stakeholders

 AMMAN — The AdventureNEXT Near East 2019 conference kicked off in Aqaba on Sunday, according to a joint statement sent to The Jordan Times.

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Jordan Takes Point on Regional Efforts to Combat Climate Change

 AMMAN — Acting secretary general of the Ministry of Environment Issa Shboul on Tuesday inaugurated the regional workshop on black carbon emissions and its impact on health and climate change, according to an Environment Ministry statement sent to The Jordan Times.

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‘Ancient Levant Practice of Modifying Skulls Increased with Rise in Temperatures’

 AMMAN — The removal and modification of skulls in the Levant was documented for the first time during the Natufian period around 11,000 years ago, and it continued for another 500-3,000 years into the end of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) period, a Jordanian scholar recently told The Jordan Times.

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Sketchbooks to be Showcased in Dubai After Voyaging Around World

 AMMAN — Daftar Asfar, a collaborative and travelling sketchbook created by three women with roots in Jordan and Palestine has transcended geographical and cultural borders to make its way to Dubai, where its pages will be showcased for the first time at Art Dubai.

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Region’s Distinct Geometric Motifs May Have Originated at Ummayad Palace

 AMMAN — Since research about the site was published in the 1950s, an Ummayad palace near Jericho has attracted historians of Islamic art, according a professor of art history.

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Meet the UJ Student Striving to ‘Break Stereotypes’ about Disabilities

 AMMAN — For Hasan Tayem, the first time he ran long-distance remains a vivid memory. One afternoon, whilst he was in the seventh grade, his PE teacher took his class to a running track. Though nervous at first, he said it would be the start of a life-long love affair.

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Preparations for Dead Sea Ultra Marathon Commence in Amman

 AMMAN — Preparations have recently started at Run Jordan for the 25th LG Dead Sea Ultra Marathon, which will take place on April 12, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times.

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QAIA Records 6.9% Rise in January Flights

 AMMAN — A total of 6,063 flights passed through Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) in January, marking a 6.9 per cent increase in aircraft movement, compared with the same month of 2018, the Airport International Group (AIG) said on Wednesday.

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Murayghat Dolmen Site near Madaba May Have Had Ritualistic Purpose

 AMMAN — For some, Murayghat, a site located 3km southwest of Madaba, represents a “Jordanian Stonehenge”, with over 100 dolmens scattered throughout the countryside.

Amman to Host Third FinTech Summit in June

 AMMAN — The Moments INNOVATION platform is scheduled to hold the third edition of the FinTech summit in the Kingdom in June, under the theme: “The future of banks and financial institutions in the age of modern technologies”.

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Jordan Finds Another Potential Tourist Attraction After MENA Tour Passes Through Aqaba

 AQABA — Players from around the world on Monday wrapped up their “Journey to Jordan” golf tournament in the Kingdom’s port city.

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‘Many Theories but Few Answers’ Surround Glass Disk Found in Shobak — Scholar

 AMMAN — A glass disk fragment found in Shobak poses many questions about the item’s origin and whether it was a part of an “Egyptian merchant set of glass weights”, or was produced in Damascus, according to an Italian scholar.

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Petra’s Treasury to Light up in Orange, Blue to Mark World Cancer Day

 AMMAN — Petra’s ancient Treasury on Monday will light up in orange and blue to show solidarity with cancer patients and victims around the globe, marking World Cancer Day, on February 4.

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Early Bronze Age Inhabitants Faced Challenges World Still Grapples with Today

 AMMAN — Scholars researching the Early Bronze Age (EBA) (2000–1500BC) in the region say people during this period likely faced some of the same challenges the world faces today.

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Nabataean Culture Lived on Long After Kingdom’s Disappearance

 AMMAN — The evidence gathered from Petra, the Negev Desert and Dead Sea region proved the presence of Nabataean culture long after 2nd century AD and Roman annexation of the Nabataean Kingdom.

Prince Hassan Highlights ‘Commonalities’ of Cultures, Praises Jerusalem Preservation Efforts

 AMMAN — The study of antiquities and history helps remind us all that we are one, HRH Prince Hassan said on Saturday.

Exhibition Showcasing Jordan Trail Launches in Amman

 AMMAN — Under the patronage of HRH Prince Raad, an exhibition recently launched to showcase the Jordan Trail through the photography and paintings of artists, according to a joint statement sent to The Jordan Times.

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‘Levant’s Transition to Islamic Rule Was Gradual for Majority of Population’

 AMMAN — The transition from the Byzantine to Early Islamic period was drastic when looks at only historical literary sources, claimed a French scholar from the University of Paris-Panthéon-Sorbonne.

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Archaeologists Find Clues for ‘Important’ Ayyubid Settlement

 AMMAN — Researchers are digging up hints of an important Ayyubid copper production site in Wadi Al Ghuwaybi, an American anthropological archaeologist said.

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Ajloun Cable Car Project Needed to ‘Put City Back on Map’ — Stakeholder

 AMMAN — Introducing cable cars in the city of Ajloun has been discussed by the Jordan Investment Committee (JIC) repeatedly since 2015, and will finally be funded and built this year, according to a report made available to The Jordan Times.

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Population Boom Points to Nabataean Cultivation of ‘Inhospitable’ Southern Jordan

 AMMAN — A population boom that took place during a period of Nabataean, Roman and Byzantine rule must have been caused by multiple factors including surprisingly — cultivation, an associate professor from the US has recently said.

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German Research Team Incorporates Local Community in Preservation

 AMMAN — An exhibition organised for the Atharafoqa area, in the northern part of Umm Qais, was the crown jewel of seven years of cooperation between a German research team and the local community.

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‘Four More Petra Hotels to Benefit from Energy-Saving Project’

 AMMAN — The Energy Ministry on Wednesday signed agreements, under the electricity rationalisation project, to support four hotels in Petra at a total cost of JD303,000.

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GAM Food Truck Project Set to Begin with 30-50 Assigned Locations

 AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality’s (GAM) new food truck project will begin operation on January 2019, with 30-50 new locations being allocated for trucks, according to GAM Spokesperson Mazen Farrajeen.

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‘Jordan Has Managed to Reserve Seat on Global Map of Film Destinations’

 AMMAN — Jordan’s dazzling locations have transformed it into one of the main hubs for filmmakers as the film industry’s economic contribution to the Kingdom over the last 10 years is estimated at JD238 million.

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Burqu Nature Reserve to Host Kingdom’s First Falconry Training Centre

 AMMAN — Jordan is poised to host its first falconry training centre at the newly-designated Burqu Nature Reserve in the Kingdom’s eastern desert, according to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN).

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Extinct Paleolithic Marshes Near Azraq Offer Scientists Clues to Jordan’s Ancient History

 AMMAN — Former marshes near Azraq and their "assemblages of stone tools" may offer some clues about the Paleolithic period in Jordan,  an American scholar said in an interview with The Jordan Times.

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Royal Jordanian Celebrates 55th Anniversary

 AMMAN — Royal Jordanian (RJ) celebrated its 55th anniversary on Wednesday with a performance by the Jordanian Army Band and a ceremony marking the company’s establishment.

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Jordanian-American Author Realises Dream of Publishing Novel

 AMMAN — When Natasha Twal-Tynes, a former reporter for The Jordan Times, left the country 13 years ago to live in the United States, she never put aside her “dream” of writing a novel.

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UJ Professor Highlights Khirbet Yajuz Discoveries

 AMMAN — A fish-shaped glass vessel from the Byzantine period was just one of many significant discoveries found at Khirbet Yajuz, some 11km north of Amman.

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Petra Sees More Visitors in November as Hotels Cite 70% Rise in Occupancy Rates

 AMMAN — This year saw the "best" November in the history of Petra in terms of number of visitors, according to officials.

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19th National Olive Festival Kicks Off

 AMMAN — The 19th National Olives Festival kicked off on Wednesday allowing farmers to showcase their olives and other rural products.