Battle for top Tiger spot begins Jun 16, 2009
And although the bodies of some senior Tigers like intelligence chief Pottu Amman and Sea Tiger chief Soosai are yet to be found, the chances of them having escaped the final stages of the military offensive are dim, according to Sri Lankan defense officials ... They draw attention to the fact that many senior Tigers like Pottu Amman are yet to be accounted for. (Asia Times Online)
Somerville students travel to Jordan to sing for King Abdullah II Jun 4, 2009
They will give five to six performances at venues in Amman and the many rural towns in the kingdom, participate in cultural and musical workshops across the country,; and may also perform for the king. The singers have been participating in a pre-tour educational program to learn the customs and history of the country. (Somerville Journal, MA)
LTTE men may have slipped into India Jun 1, 2009
"While most of the top leadership has been destroyed, whereabouts of certain key LTTE leaders like Pottu Amman is still not known. We have asked the state government to remain alert," a source said. Officials admitted that the volatile situation in Sri Lanka was a security threat to India. (India Times, India)
Prabhakaran cremated: Lankan army May 23, 2009
However, the bodies of Tiger intelligence chief Pottu Amman and Prabhakaran's wife, Mathiwadini, had not been identified. Military officials had said that the two were likely among some 250 Tiger cadres eliminated in the final phase of the fighting when the Tigers were cornered into a narrow sliver of land. (India Times, India)
Hawker Beechcraft Receives Order for Premier II from RayaJet and Ayla Aviation May 19, 2009
RayaJet is an executive jet charter enterprise headquartered in Amman, Jordan, providing clients with an array of services including aircraft management, aircraft handling and medical evacuation. Based in Aqaba, Jordan, Ayla Aviation Academy provides an advanced, comprehensive flight training program in the Middle East region using state-of-the-art aircraft, simulators and training techniques. (PR Newswire)
Obama to host Netanyahu May 18, 2009
"In the Arab world there is agreement with our views of the Iranian danger," Netanyahu said after he met Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman on Thursday. Obama and Netanyahu were planned to give a brief press conference after their meeting which will precede intimate lunch together with their wives. (iAfrica.com)
Tamil Tigers' leader dead? May 18, 2009
Also reportedly found dead were the LTTE's police chief Ilango, its eastern leader, S. Ramesh, and deputy intelligence chief Kapil Amman. In a dramatic announcement, the guerrillas acknowledged Sunday that their decades-old battle for an independent ethnic homeland had reached its "bitter end" signalling Asia's longest running civil war was all but over. (iAfrica.com)
Make way for peace May 17, 2009
The king met with Netanyahu on Thursday in Amman and pressed him to accept the two-state deal, which the Israeli premier has so far refused to publicly endorse. Israeli MP Ophir Akunis, who is close to Netanyahu, said on Saturday that the premier will refuse on his trip to Washington to back the formation of a Palestinian state. (iAfrica.com)
The two-state solution and the reluctant Israeli PM May 15, 2009
Mr. Netanyahu, who meets Monday with U.S. President Barack Obama, flew early in the morning to Amman for a previously unannounced meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah. The talks followed a similar consultation Monday with another friendly neighbour, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, and came just before Mr. Netanyahu journeyed to Nazareth for a meeting with the Pope. (Globe and Mail)
Lanka to free trapped civilians in 48hrs May 15, 2009
"The president assured that within the next 48 hours the thousands of Tamil civilians will be freed from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers," Palpita said by telephone from Amman. "All territory will be freed from Tiger control.". (India Times, India)
Netanyahu manoeuvres around talks for two-state solution May 15, 2009
Mr. Netanyahu, who meets Monday with U.S. President Barack Obama, flew early in the morning to Amman for a previously unannounced meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah ... As Mr. Netanyahu met with King Abdullah in Amman, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was making his way to Damascus for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (Globe and Mail -- International)
Missing in Iraq May 15, 2009
Iqbal still waits for her brother Amman - even though she knows deep in her heart that he is dead. "Hope is what drives me on," she said. (BBC News -- Africa)
Pope wraps up Holy Land pilgrimage May 15, 2009
The pontiff celebrated open-air masses in Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem during his visit to Israel and the West Bank and at a football stadium in Amman while in Jordan. On numerous occasions he called for inter-faith reconciliation in a land sacred to the world's three main monotheistic faiths, but disappointed some Muslim clerics who wanted him to apologise anew for remarks he made in 2006 when he quoted a medieval Christian emperor who called some of Prophet Mohammed's teachings "evil and... (India Times, India)
Netanyahu in Jordan for talks with king May 14, 2009
Associated Press Writer Jamal Halaby contributed to this report from Amman, Jordan. A service of the Associated Press(AP). (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Pope urges Middle East Christians to persevere May 11, 2009
ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP - Getty ImagesJordanian and Lebanese Christians wave national flags beneath a huge portrait of Pope Benedict XVI and Jordan's King Abdullah II during a rare mass celebrated by the pontiff in Amman's football stadium on Sunday ... May 10: Pope Benedict delivered an open-air Mass to a large crowd in Amman, Jordan, even though many people were turned away at the gates due to heavy security ... AMMAN, Jordan - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged Middle East Christians to... (MSNBC -- International)
Pope Praises Mideast Christians' Courage May 11, 2009
AMMAN, Jordan, May 10, 2009 ... Pope Benedict XVI blesses a child in a wheel chair, left, on his arrival to celebrate a Mass at a stadium in Amman, Jordan, May 10, 2009 ... Richard Roth reports from Amman. (CBS News)
Pope expresses regret during Jordan tour May 10, 2009
AMMAN, Jordan The top religious adviser to Jordan's king thanked Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday for expressing regret after a speech three years ago that many Muslims deemed insulting to Islam's Prophet Muhammad. Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed spoke after giving the Pope a tour of the biggest mosque in Amman, his second visit to a Muslim place of worship since becoming pope in 2005. (Globe and Mail)
Pope holds public mass on final day of Jordan tour May 10, 2009
AMMAN, May 10, 2009 (AFP) Tens of thousands of Jordanians greeted Pope Benedict XVI as he prepared to say mass at an open-air football stadium in Amman on Sunday, on the final day of his Holy Land trip to Jordan ... In a keynote address to Muslim leaders in Amman's huge Al-Hussein Mosque, he bemoaned the "ideological manipulation of religion" and urged Muslims and Christians to unite as "worshippers of God." ... On his arrival in Amman on Friday at the start of his eight-day tour, Benedict... (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
Pope urges respect for women on Mideast trip May 10, 2009
AMMAN, Jordan (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI urged greater respect for women Sunday at a historic Mass in the Middle East ... The 13-minute address at Amman International Stadium comes days after the pope arrived in the country as part of his weeklong visit to the Mideast to promote a good relationship between Muslims and Christians. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- NFL)
Five Things the Pope Must Do on His Mideast Visit May 9, 2009
Bridge Civilizations For the second time in his papacy, Benedict will visit a mosque, meeting Muslim leaders at al-Hussein Ben-Talal mosque in Amman on Saturday. Like the visit he made in November 2006 to Istanbul's Blue Mosque, the Pope hopes his presence will help heal wounds left by the best remembered discourse of his papacy: a lecture at the University of Regensburg on Sep. (Time.com)
In pictures: Pope visits Jordan May 9, 2009
The 82-year-old Pope was offered a cup of traditional Arabic coffee when he arrived in Amman. After a brief rest, the Pope went on to meet parishioners at the Regina Pacis centre in Amman. (BBC News -- Africa)
Papal attraction May 9, 2009
In his speech in Amman, the Pope carefully avoided politics, expressing his "deep respect" for Islam and calling for dialogue between Muslims, Christians and Jews for the sake of peace. He also side-stepped politics as he answered questions from reporters on the flight from Rome to Jordan. (BBC News -- Africa)
In Jordan, pope reaches out to Muslims May 9, 2009
Jordan's King Abdullah welcomes Pope Benedict XVI upon his arrival at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman on Friday ... AMMAN, Jordan - Pope Benedict XVI began his first trip to the Middle East on Friday, expressing his "deep respect" for Islam and hopes that the Catholic Church would be a force for peace in the region as he treaded carefully following past missteps with Muslims and Jews ... " The Brotherhood is Jordan's largest opposition group. Although it commands a small bloc in... (MSNBC -- International)
Pope's trip creates PR risks for Israel May 9, 2009
Jordan's King Abdullah (C) and his wife Queen Rania stand with Pope Benedict XVI (L) during a welcome ceremony for the Pope upon his arrival at Queen Alia International airport in Amman May 8, 2009. Pope Benedict arrived in Amman on Friday on a tour of Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories that will test his diplomatic skills. (Globe and Mail)
U.N. experts prepare to investigate war crimes in Gaza May 9, 2009
Workers hold Jordanian and Vatican flags during preparations for the Pope's visit to Jordan, in Amman May 7, 2009. Jordanian Islamist leaders on Thursday condemned Pope Benedict's visit to the Middle. (AlertNet)
Starting Mideast tour, pope expresses respect for Islam May 9, 2009
AMMAN, Jordan - Pope Benedict XVI began his first trip to the Middle East yesterday, expressing his "deep respect" for Islam and hopes that the Catholic Church will be a force for peace in the region as he tread carefully following past missteps with Muslims and Jews. The pope was given a red-carpet welcome at the airport by Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania and praised the moderate Arab country as a leader in efforts to promote peace and dialogue between Christians and Muslims. (Boston Globe)
Pope embarks on Mideast fence-mending trip May 9, 2009
During his stay, Benedict will visit the largest mosque in Amman and speak with Muslim leaders, some of whom are still angry over the 2006 speech. Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, an opposition group in parliament, has called for a papal apology. (Christian Science Monitor)
Pope heads to the Mideast May 8, 2009
1 billion Catholics was due to arrive in the Jordanian capital Amman on the first leg of what has been described as a pilgrimage ... The Pope will visit Amman's Regina Pacis centre for the handicapped and raise the issue of Iraq's Christian minority. (iAfrica.com)
Prabhakaran hatched Rajiv plot Apr 30, 2009
NEW DELHI / Colombo: A former LTTE commander has said the plot to assassinate former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was hatched solely between LTTE chief V Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottu Amman. Karuna Amman, who was the LTTEs second in command before he fell out with Prabhakaran in 2004, told a news agency that Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman, proclaimed offenders in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, kept everyone else in the dark about the assassination plot ... Only Prabhakaran... (India Times)
Pope's message to world Apr 13, 2009
The pope's May 8-15 Middle East tour, his first to the region as pope, will include Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories, with stops in cities including Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. . (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Netanyahu vows peace Apr 13, 2009
"The summit will focus on efforts to reach a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and realise comprehensive Middle East peace," it said in a statement issued in Amman. "The king will convey the united Arab position (on the peace process)," the palace added. (iAfrica.com)
Pope in Easter Address Urges Renewed Efforts for Israel, Palestinian Peace Apr 13, 2009
The visit to Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth will take place May 8-15. At a time of world food shortage, of financial turmoil, of old and new forms of poverty, of disturbing climate change, of violence and deprivation, which force many to leave their homelands in search of a less precarious form of existence, of the ever-present threat of terrorism, of growing fears over the future, it is urgent to rediscover grounds for hope, the pontiff said. (Bloomberg -- Latin America)
Palestinians: Israel Must Back 2 States Apr 12, 2009
From right to left, Palestinian Foreign Minister Reyad al-Maleki, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Joudeh, Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal meet at the Jordanian Foreign Ministry in Amman, Saturday, April, 11, 2009 ... In the Jordanian capital of Amman, senior officials from , , , Jordan and Qatar said they remain committed to the Arab peace initiative, first proposed in 2002. (CBS News)
Two-state solution must: Palestine Apr 12, 2009
In the Jordanian capital of Amman, senior officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Qatar said they remain committed to the 00004000 Arab peace initiative, first proposed in 2002. Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said the collective Arab position is a ``commitment to the Arab peace initiative, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the comprehensive and lasting solution that we all seek for the conflict in this region. (India Times, India)
Violence is down, but many Iraqis still can't go home Mar 10, 2009
"In Diyala, we do have a relatively high number of returnees, and, unfortunately, not only do they face destruction, but the population has also been confronted with years of drought," says Rafiq Tschannen, chief of mission for IOM-Iraq, based in Amman, Jordan. At least two years of drought, combined with unregulated water use and pump-station problems, have caused a number of Diyala's canals to run dry. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
Delta, AMR Trim Seats on Overseas Flights to Avoid `Big Empty Airplanes' Mar 9, 2009
Delta started flying to Mumbai from its Atlanta hometown as it dropped service from New Yorks Kennedy to take advantage of connections at its biggest hub, and it is tripling New York capacity to Amman, Jordan. You tweak both domestic and international depending on what demand youre seeing, said , a Continental spokeswoman. (Bloomberg -- US)
Pope to visit Holy Land in May Mar 9, 2009
The Pope's Mideast tour will touch Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories, with stops in cities including Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth, the Vatican said. Though a detailed program has not yet been announced, officials in destination countries have said they expect Pope Benedict to visit an Amman mosque, hold public Mass in Jordan and Nazareth and make a stop at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem ... Bishop Francis Solikat, the papal nuncio in Amman, said the... (Globe and Mail -- International)
Jordan wants to deport sick Rau to Germany Mar 1, 2009
Major Mahamad Al Kateeb said Ms Rau, who has a history of mental illness, was taken to the Al Rashid Hospital Centre in the country's capital, Amman, on Wednesday ... "People reported this to the police and then she was arrested and sent to Amman.". (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
As war ebbs, Europe returns to Iraq Feb 24, 2009
Heading to Iraq: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, put on a flak jacket in the Amman, Jordan, airport on Feb. 17 before flying into Iraq. Thomas Koehler/AP. (Christian Science Monitor -- USA)
Contours of a Hamas-Fatah concord Feb 23, 2009
Amman, Jordan - Can Hamas and the other major Palestinian movement, Fatah, bridge the many rifts between them and build a better working relationship. If they can, there is still a chance despite the Israeli electorate's strong shift to the right that former Sen. (Christian Science Monitor)
Pope to Visit Jordan Mosque During Holy Land Tour Feb 18, 2009
AMMAN, Jordan -- Pope Benedict XVI will visit Jordan's largest mosque during his first papal tour of the Holy Land in May, a local Roman Catholic priest said Tuesday. The pope's stop at the Hussein bin Talal Mosque in Amman will be his second visit to a Muslim place of worship since becoming pope in 2005, said Rifat Bader, a Catholic priest in Jordan who is the spokesman for the Jordanian leg of the pope's Holy Land tour ... The mosque, built in outskirts of Amman nearly four years ago, is named... (Newsmax)
Volunteering for duty Feb 16, 2009
Last August, he traveled to the sparse rental apartments of the most impoverished neighborhoods of Jordan's capital, Amman, where he and another retired Marine, Luis Montalvn, distributed food to refugees living on aid agency handouts and rapidly dwindling savings. Two months later, he helped bring together Iraqi and American children living in the Albany, N.Y., area for a day of painting, chess, and talking. (Boston Globe)
* World News Quick Take Feb 16, 2009
News media reports said the pope would go to Jordan and then Israel and the Palestinian territories on May 8 to May 15, stopping in Amman, Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem. IRAQ. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
British envoy banned in war without witnesses Feb 15, 2009
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan MP aka Karuna Amman - Former special Commander of the Tamil Tigers in the eastern districts of Batticaloa-Amparai2. Dougles Devananda - Minister of SL government : Eelam Peoples Democratic Party leader3. (Independent)
Manifestations of power Feb 13, 2009
She is Amman in the South, Ma in the East, Ai in the West, Mata in the North. In Tamil Nadu, in temples such as Kamakshi of Kanchi and Meenakshi of Madurai, she is depicted holding not weapons but sugarcanes and a parrot. (India Times)
Pope to Visit Holocaust Site, Mosque in Mideast Trip Feb 10, 2009
According to the Italian daily Il Giornale, soon after arriving in Amman, Jordan, on May 8, the Pope will visit a mosque, his second visit to a place of Muslim worship since he prayed at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in 2006 ... According to Il Giornale, the Pope will celebrate four open-air Masses during his week-long trip: the first will take place in Amman for the small Catholic community there; another will be held at the Valley of Josaphat under the Mount of Olives; a third at Mount Precipice... (Newsmax)
Chris Derrick Finishes As Runner-up At USA Cross Country Championships Feb 8, 2009
Derrick advanced to the World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan where he will have a chance to compete for the United States. Derrick finished the 8,000-meter race with a time of 23:39 to finish second to German Fernandez, a freshman at Oklahoma State. (Gostanford.com)
Staying Safe Feb 8, 2009
But several earlier attacks took place in destinations popular with both business and leisure travelers: Netanya, Israel (2002); Jakarta (2003); and Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, and Amman, Jordan (2005). Yet the Mumbai violence, in which 171 perished, sounded the loudest alarm, say hotel security professionals. (Concierge.com)
