Jordan Times
Encyclopedia
The Jordan Times is an English daily newspaper in Amman
, Jordan
. The newspaper was established in 1975 and is owned by the Jordan Press Foundation, which also runs the Arabic-language daily Al-Rai, the Kingdom's best selling daily.
The Jordan Press Foundation has been majority government-owned since its inception, but it's unclear how much the government's stake has fallen since a plan to sell some of its shares was announced in 2000.
The Jordan Times maintains editorial independence
from its sister daily Al Rai.
said that two American reporters who work for the Times, Holli Chmela and Taylor Luck, had not been heard from since October 1. The pair had left Jordan to vacation in Lebanon on September 29. On October 1 they told a friend they were leaving Beirut
to travel to the northern town of Tripoli
via Byblos
. The embassy said they were planning to travel to Syria, before returning home to Amman on October 4.
On October 9, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said it had arrested and was questioning the two Americans. The ministry statement said the two had entered the country illegally, with the help of smugglers, and that the two would soon be turned over to the US Embassy in Damascus
. Later that day, the couple were released and were reported to be safe at the US Embassy in Damascus.
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. The newspaper was established in 1975 and is owned by the Jordan Press Foundation, which also runs the Arabic-language daily Al-Rai, the Kingdom's best selling daily.
The Jordan Press Foundation has been majority government-owned since its inception, but it's unclear how much the government's stake has fallen since a plan to sell some of its shares was announced in 2000.
The Jordan Times maintains editorial independence
Editorial independence
Editorial independence is the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from the owners of a publication. Editorial independence is tested, for instance, if a newspaper runs articles that may be unpopular with its advertising clientele....
from its sister daily Al Rai.
Content
The newspaper includes two main sections:- News: covers local, regional, and world news. As well as Business and Sports subsections
- Opinions: includes within it Opinion, Ods and Ends, and Weather subsections.
Missing Americans
On October 8, 2008, the U.S. Embassy in LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
said that two American reporters who work for the Times, Holli Chmela and Taylor Luck, had not been heard from since October 1. The pair had left Jordan to vacation in Lebanon on September 29. On October 1 they told a friend they were leaving Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
to travel to the northern town of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
via Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
. The embassy said they were planning to travel to Syria, before returning home to Amman on October 4.
On October 9, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said it had arrested and was questioning the two Americans. The ministry statement said the two had entered the country illegally, with the help of smugglers, and that the two would soon be turned over to the US Embassy in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Later that day, the couple were released and were reported to be safe at the US Embassy in Damascus.
Alumni
Notable journalists who have worked at the Times include:- Rami George KhouriRami George KhouriRami George Khouri born 22 October 1948, in New York City to an Arab Palestinian Christian family. His father, George Khouri, a Nazarene journalist in what was the British mandate of Palestine had traveled with his wife to New York in 1947 to cover the United Nations debates about the future of...
, journalist and commentator on the Middle East. Former editor-in-chief. - Jill CarrollJill CarrollJill Carroll is an American former journalist who was kidnapped and ultimately released in Iraq. Carroll was a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor at the time of her kidnapping...
, Christian Science Monitor reporter kidnapped in Iraq. Former Times reporter.