Civil strife has been prevented, Jordan's King Abdullah II assured the nation on Wednesday, in the first public address since allegations surfaced against his half-brother.
Prince Hamzah bin Hussein was blamed for actions that could have destabilised the country.
"I speak to you today, my family and my tribe, in whom I place my implicit trust and from whom I draw determination, to assure you that the sedition has been nipped in the bud, and that our proud Jordan is safe and stable, and it will always remain," King Abdullah said in a speech read out on state TV.
READ MORE: King Abdullah's full address
On Saturday evening, Jordanian authorities arrested 16 people, including royal family member Sharif Hassan ben Zaid and former chief of the royal court Bassem Awadallah on “security charges”.
King Abdullah addressed the allegations on Wednesday, saying the past few days had been painful for him on a personal level.
“My first responsibility is to serve Jordan and protect its people, its constitution and its laws,” he said.
“Nothing and no one comes before Jordan’s security and stability, and it was imperative to take the necessary measures to honour that responsibility.”
King Abdullah said the challenge was not the most difficult or the most dangerous for the stability of Jordan, but it had been the most emotionally taxing.
“The challenge over the past few days was not the most difficult or dangerous to the stability of our nation, but to me it was the most painful," he said.
"Sedition came from within and without our one house, and nothing compares to my shock, pain and anger as a brother and as the head of the Hashemite family, and as a leader of this proud people."
Prince Hamzah, who was crown prince from 1999 to 2004, was not arrested but the military asked him to “stop movements and activities that are employed to target the security of Jordan and its stability”.
“Hamzah is today in his palace, with his family, under my care,” King Abdullah said.
He said his brother had committed before the Hashemite family to "keep the same course as his fathers and grandfathers, and to be loyal to their heritage", putting Jordan, its interests and its constitution above any other considerations.
"As for the other aspects [in the case], they are being investigated according to the law until we reach a conclusion," King Abdullah said.
"And we will deal with the outcome within the institutions of our deeply rooted state in a way that preserves justice and transparency."
Mediation by King Abdullah's uncle, Prince Hassan bin Talal, helped to settle the rare public feud on Monday.
Prince Hamzah signed a letter pledging loyalty to the king, in the presence of witnesses from the royal family.
In the hours before Wednesday's speech, Jordan's public prosecutor rescinded a local ban on coverage of the rift between the brothers.
Hassan Al Abdallat instituted the ban on Tuesday to “preserve the secrecy of the investigations conducted by the security services into the associates of Prince Hamzah".
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Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
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Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Background: Chemical Weapons
