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AMMAN — Over 500 Arab and international investigative journalists will meet in Amman on Friday to discuss “the role of media in a radicalised world –– a global challenge of enormous importance amidst an explosion of digital tools and widespread Internet trolling”.

The three-day meeting, organised in Jordan for the 11th time since the creation of the Amman-based Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) in 2005, is the “largest ever” regional gathering of Arab investigative journalists, according to an ARIJ statement.

The forum will allow journalists to share experiences, learn from expert speakers and trainers, network and find new partners for their next investigations into issues of concern to the public for the benefit of accountability. 

The plenary sessions will examine the disruption of technology and the battle for truth in a radicalised world where American media platforms are now the largest distributors of news –– taking away revenue from media and enabling the “insidious manipulation” of local politics and citizenry, according to the statement.

Delegates will benefit from more than 40 training sessions and workshops on data journalism, open source investigations, audio storytelling, fact checking, physical and digital safety, online investigative tools, mobile journalism and bullet proofing investigations from a legal perspective. 

Other sessions will feature using Google tools for research and news verification, combining high-tech and traditional reporting and mastering the investigative interview.

Rana Sabbagh, ARIJ co-founder and executive director, in the statement thanked the government of Jordan for providing all needed permissions for convening the forum.

“Independent journalists in the region are under attack," said Sabbagh in the statement, adding that this has not stopped hundreds of journalists trained, funded and coached by ARIJ to “willingly take risks to themselves and their families, and unearth issues of interest to the public for the benefit of rule of law and greater transparency”.

Support group sessions at the forum will highlight the “important role” the Amman-based ARIJ is playing in promoting investigative reporting and supporting the culture of “accountability journalism” in the region. 

AMMAN — During a meeting with Jordan News Agency, Petra, General Manager Fayiq Hijazeen on Thursday, Media Minister Amjad Adaileh highlighted Petra’s “vital” role in interpreting the national vision of the Kingdom and conveying its positions locally and regionally.

The minister said that the government is discussing ways to improve the living conditions of public sector employees, noting that the restructuring of some public institutions and departments has reduced employment opportunities in the public sector and caused more people to turn to the private sector.

For his part, Hijazeen reviewed prominent financial and professional challenges faced by the agency, along with plans to resolve the issues at hand and stimulate national media. 

AMMAN — Inaugurating the third international scientific conference of the World Islamic Sciences and Education University’s (WISE) finance and business college, WISE President Wael Arabiyat highlighted the importance of the event in encouraging innovation and creative thinking.

During the conference, titled: “Smart organisations: Gateway to globalisation and sustainability in the digital age”, Arabiyat said that becoming a “smart organisation” requires a shift in the way the organisation is managed, taking into consideration education, training and development, according to a WISE statement.

Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh, who also attended the event, noted that the 140 services of the Greater Amman Municipality will be digitalised as of 2021, the statement said. 

AMMAN — The Jordanian road network requires improvement and maintenance, given its role in facilitating public transportation, tourism and citizens’ movement, officials told the Jordanian News Agency, Petra.

Minister of Public Works and Housing Falah Omoush told Petra on Thursday that that the ministry is working to maintain the integrated road network connecting Jordan to neighbouring countries.

The ministry has finished over 65 per cent of the work assigned on the Desert Highway, the minister added. Omoush noted that the ministry’s plan for 2020 focuses on road network maintenance, adding that the external road network spans more than 5000 kilometres and requires maintenance to preserve its durability.

AMMAN — The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) on Thursday denied the validity of circulated information concerning details of a programme for restructuring salaries and allowances in the public sector.

“The circulated information about the details of the programme is archived material published on the Civil Service Bureau website in 2011,” the bureau said, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. The CSB announced the setting of “clear standards” in the civil service bill, which is expected to be passed in the beginning of 2020. The new bill is meant to improve the standards of living for employees and enhance their performance and productivity.

The improvements, which include revising CSB legislations for salaries and allowances, will be implemented in the public sector as part of a bundle of reformative decisions and procedures by the government under Royal directives.

AMMAN — Jordan and Qatar have renewed a health agreement signed in 1984, Health Minister Saad Jaber said. Jaber, in remarks made to Qatari press on Thursday, said that his participation in the first Qatar Public Health Conference, which concluded on Wednesday, came after an invitation from his Qatari counterpart, Hanan Kawari.

Jaber noted that the three-day conference “showed a high-level model in the field of healthcare”, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported. According to Jaber, discussions with Qatari officials went over means of advancing cooperation between Amman and Doha in the field of healthcare through the exchange of expertise.  

AMMAN — Security agents have arrested two people for allegedly shooting at a Jordan Customs Department (JCD) vehicle and injuring two officers, a Public Security Department (PSD) spokesperson said on Thursday.

The spokesperson said that the Karak PSD on October 30 received a call that some people had shot at a JCD vehicle and injured two officers inside, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The two officers were transferred to hospital where they were listed in fair condition.

Investigation led to the identification of two suspects with criminal records, who handed themselves in to authorities. One of the suspects said that he shot at the vehicle after the JCD had, earlier, seized smuggled items that belonged to one of them.

Both suspects were referred to the State Security Court prosecutor general, who ordered their detention for two weeks.  

AMMAN — Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalaileh on November 16 inaugurated the Model Koran Centre for people who are blind and visually impaired in Aqaba, with hopes that it is the first of many such centres across the Kingdom. 

“The moral support from the Awqaf Minister and the efforts to ensure the recruitment of qualified instructors for the centre was a key component in giving us strength to carry on at the time when we needed it the most,” Centre Director Seham Shebatat told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

The school was built particularly for individuals who have lost their sight or have visual impairments, as there is a limited understanding of their needs for practical assistance, especially in the south of Jordan where more than 2,000 individuals have visual impairments, Shebatat said during a phone interview.

The centre, which is the “first of its kind” in the Kingdom, welcomes male and female students of all ages, she said, noting that students are placed into three groups based on age. 

According to Shebatat, the centre both focuses on teaching the Koran and aims to alleviate the daily hardships of people who have visual impairments.

With funding from USAID valued at JD10,000, which has gone towards the purchase of computers, equipment and educational services, the centre aims to introduce students to new technologies, enhance their abilities and teach them the Koran using Braille.

“Our objective comes from everyone’s right to education. Therefore, some of the caregivers and instructors in the centre are also blind, hold higher education degrees and focus their efforts on eradicating students’ fears by working and communicating with them,” she said.

The director highlighted the responsibility of society and the Ministry of Education “to give equal education to individuals with disabilities”.

AMMAN — The second Arab Forum organised by the Arab Federation of Chemical and Petrochemical Industries (AFCPI) kicked off on Thursday in Amman.

Environment Minister Saleh Kharabsheh, deputising for Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, attended the opening ceremony. 

In his remarks, he said that the event’s title “The reality and prospects of oil, gas, chemical and petrochemical industries and their impact on the economies of the Arab world“, “proves the role” of these industries in sustainable development.

He noted that indicators from these industries point to a “bright future”, highlighting the region’s hydrocarbonic wealth, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He also expressed the Kingdom’s readiness to facilitate the establishment of integrated petrochemical projects, noting that Iraqi gas can be used as a source of clean energy, thanks to the regional gas pipeline and the Kingdom’s encouraging investment environment. 

AFCPI General Secretary Ahmed Walid Ahmed said that the contributions of oil, gas, chemical and petrochemical industries to Arab economies are “prominent”, adding that this sector attracts the most capital.

He attributed Arab countries’ distinction in this field to the availability of raw materials and qualified competencies, as well as insurance and finance institutions and infrastructure that can cope with expansion.    

AMMAN — In 2016, a young Jordanian and three of his friends noticed that the region did not have an Arabic platform for “do it yourself” projects and repairs. They started creating informational videos and articles to post on Facebook, and a year later, they officially launched Jafarshop.com, a platform for Arabic instructional content which also specialises in the sale of equipment and tools for maintenance and installation work. 

Zaid Al Jazi and his partners Mohammad Bata, Samer Bata and Khaled Abdo wanted to empower individual Jordanians to learn skills and find the tools needed to complete small tasks for themselves, Al Jazi recently told The Jordan Times. 

“We’re trying to change the culture of being dependent on others,” he said. 

He explained that learning to do simple tasks can open the door to developing new skills. This does not take away from the need for technicians and skilled professionals, he added, but instead frees their time from calls for simple services. 

“The thing is, some minor repairs don’t need a technician,” he said. “It’s not taking their jobs. Their jobs are beyond that.” 

Al Jazi was one of several young entrepreneurs from around the Kingdom to meet with His Majesty King Abdullah at the beginning of the month. During the meeting, His Majesty reaffirmed his keenness to support young Jordanians’ innovative projects, heard from the entrepreneurs and voiced pride in their achievements.

Al Jazi said the King listened to understand each of the unique companies and advised entrepreneurs to build on their success. “It was really encouraging the way he was focusing on each story,” he said. 

Jafarshop currently has 14 employees, including the founders. It offers over 5,000 products through its online shop and works with around 70 suppliers, Al Jazi said, noting that the site functions like a marketplace connecting suppliers with buyers.

Jafarshop sells directly to customers as well as other businesses, including governmental agencies, non-governmental organisations and private companies, the founder said. 

“Our vision is to expand,” added Al Jazi, noting that preliminary work is currently under way to launch the company in Saudi Arabia in the near future. 

What makes his company unique is the specialised team of men and women who help customers before and after a purchase. A customer looking to complete a project can call Jafarshop and speak to someone who recommends specific products. After they receive the product, they can call and receive instructions on how to set it up and use it. 

In the past year, the company has focused on corporate social responsibility, partnering with two schools to provide workshops for 10- to 14-year-olds. Al Jazi said that Jafarshop has reached about 150 students through holding school workshops that are both theoretical and practical and give kids skills to complete tasks like repairing their beds or doors. 

“If you start your day with a small task, you can build on it,” he said.