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AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a November Criminal Court ruling giving two men sentences ranging from death to 15 years in prison after convicting them of murdering their relative over family feuds in Amman on October 2016.

The court declared the defendants guilty of shooting and killing their relative and attempting to murder two others on October 18.

A 25-year-old defendant received the death penalty, while his 45-year-old relative was handed a 15-year prison term for complicity in the murder.

Court papers said the defendants decided to take revenge on the victim and his family members because “they published indecent photos of their female relatives on Facebook”.

On the day of the murder, the defendants went to the victim’s home and found him with his mother and brother in their vehicle, the court said.

”The defendants drew their weapons and fired at the three, striking the victim in the head, while the two others escaped the shooting with minor injuries,” according to court transcripts.

The defendants had contested the ruling through their lawyers arguing that there were “errors in the investigation procedures”.

The defendants also argued that the court failed to examine all the evidence provided by the defence team.

However, the higher court rejected the defendant’s argument and ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendants and that they deserved the verdicts they received.

AMMAN — A report issued by the Arab Renaissance Organisation for Democracy and Development (ARDD) showed that 65 per cent of Jordanian women are in debt, including those who fall under the “gharimat” category, compared with 92 per cent of Syrian refugee women.

Gharimat are a segment of indebted women, detained or wanted by the authorities over charges pertaining to financial delinquency, who meet the criteria set by the government in accordance to His Majesty King Abdullah’s directives to pay out their debts.

A sample representing Jordanian and Syrian refugee women was surveyed by the organisation for the report entitled “Barriers to Balance: Overcoming Obstacles to Women’s Economic Participation in Jordan”.

The results showed that the debt findings were correspondent to the unemployment rates cited in the report at 62 and 70 per cent among Jordanian and Syrian refugee women, respectively.

An ARDD statement sent to The Jordan Times said the report addressed the socioeconomic hindrances to women’s economic participation, as well as gender-based discrimination against women in the workplace.

Among the factors affecting women’s participation in these arenas were legislation pertaining to the Labour Law, particularly, and the issuance of work permits to non-Jordanians, according to the statement.

Micro-finance institutions (MFIs) lack organisation and proper channelling, the statement underlined.

This, the ARDD says, aggravates the crisis of the indebted women who tend to borrow from unlicensed entities that do not abide by the regulations of the lending market.

To overcome these barriers, the study put forward recommendations outlining strategies related to government, civil society institutions and the private sector.

The report underscored the importance of replacing gender-marked jobs, such as self-employment projects that basically rely on borrowing, with paid work within registered licensed legal institutions.

The ARDD recently showcased the report’s primary results in a meeting organised in cooperation with the Turkish embassy in Amman, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

AMMAN — Traffic at the Karameh border between Jordan and Iraq is “slowly picking up” as numerous agreements signed in the past months are going into effect, according to President of the Jordan Truck Owners Association (JTOA) Mohammad Dawood.

Dawood noted that “more concessions” have been made since the two sides eased entry regulations for trucks in November 2018.

Trucks before were only permitted to transport goods back-to-back due to security reasons, adding that an additional condition required at least 200 trucks to queue up at the border before being allowed entry to Iraq, he said.

The new regulations allow any number of trucks to cross into Iraq directly, he added.

A number of trade agreements have also been signed, such as the exemption of 393 Jordanian commodities exported to Iraq from customs, back in February.

On the Jordanian side, the government decided to exempt Iraqi goods exported through the Aqaba Port from 75 per cent of the handling fees collected by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Dawood highlighted.

Some agreements went into effect in March, when Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment Ibrahim Shahahdeh announced a few weeks before that an agreement had been reached with his Iraqi counterparts to “speed things up”.

The most recent agreement, signed in April, was to allow transit land passage for Iraqi and Jordanian trucks, to deliver cargo not only inside the country but to their final destination, according to a Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply statement sent to The Jordan Times.

Empty trucks are also allowed entry, according to Dawood, who explained that this was not permitted in the past.

“Soon we will be importing oil, fruits, and vegetables just like the old days. We are all very optimistic,” Dawood said.

He added that “the traffic right now is slow, which is expected, given that all of this has just gone into effect recently, but things will pick up soon”.

Vice Chairman of Petra Engineering Industries Co. and Jordanian Exports Association President Omar Abu Wishah agreed with Dawood, but noted that it is still too early to judge whether or not trade with Iraq is actually picking up.

“This is the way it should be,” he said in reference to the recent transit shipping and other agreements signed in the months past.

“Transportation is the backbone of trade, and exchange is the key word in this context. Until we see Iraqi trucks on our roads, it is mere speculation to say that trade with Iraq is picking up. Iraqi trucks still operate on a back-to-back basis,” he highlighted.

The 600-kilometre highway connecting the border crossing to Baghdad is not entirely safe yet, but measures are underway, Abu Wishah explained.

AMMAN — The Lower House on Sunday endorsed its internal by-law and approved amendments to the Labour Law as referred by the Senate.

The new internal by-law stipulates that a bloc, a coalition or a minimum of 15 per cent of the House can table any public issue for debate, instead of 10 MPs in the previous system.

Furthermore, under the new by-law, any question can now be filed as an inquiry, so long as it is done during the same discussion session.

Any members, comprising of at least 15 per cent of the House, can now present a memorandum, to list on the agenda or refer to the permanent committee, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The phrase “any information related to public affairs” was also added to the disclosure requirements of a parliamentary question, banning the repetition of questions asked by other MPs.

A deadline of 10 days was also set for MPs unsatisfied with the government’s response to their questions, during which time they can list their questions on the agenda for the upcoming Q&A session.

The by-law disallows MPs from offering proposals on any draft law after opening the session intended to discuss the law.

The regulation considers the absence of an MP justified if the reason for absence was among the cases accredited by the permanent office.

In the case of an unjustified absence, the permanent office has to deprive MPs of participating in external delegations during the same session or the following one if absent for three consecutive meetings or 10 interrupted absences. The office has the right to deduct from MPs’ financial allocations for such sessions.

According to the amendments, rules governing precedence for MPs in internal and external events are as follows: House speaker, former prime ministers, former speakers, speaker deputies, speaker assistants, former ministers, heads of House blocs, heads of permanent committees and then MPs according to seniority.

AMMAN — The Arab world needs to fast-track balanced regulation while protecting data privacy if it is to capitalise on the region’s emerging technology scene, according to a statement sent from the World Economic Forum (WEF) being held at the Dead Sea.

The MENA region boasts a growing number of start-ups, with a 31 per cent increase in investments to in 2018 compared with 2017 across sectors including transport, healthcare and fintech. Such businesses offer the potential for a new wave of economic growth in a part of the world traditionally handicapped by weak infrastructure, a limited industrial base and high youth unemployment, the statement said.

“I view the 4th industrial revolution as our opportunity to catch up, as our opportunity to leapfrog and actually get to parity with the rest of the world,” said Mudassir Sheikha, co-founder and CEO of ride-hailing firm Careem.

Careem was acquired last month by Uber for $3.1 billion — a milestone for Arab tech, according to the statement, adding that it came on the heels of a $580-million purchase of Dubai-based e-commerce company Souq by Amazon in 2017.

After steam, mass production and information technology, the 4th Industrial Revolution is bringing accelerating cycles of innovation, driven by artificial intelligence, robotics and biotechnology.

But the rapid pace of change also raises concerns at a time when digital giants such as Facebook are confronted by a growing backlash over data privacy. Regional sensitivities over cultural norms add an extra level of complexity.

“It’s a very nuanced situation,” said Wafa Ben Hassine, legal counsel for MENA policy at Access Now, who added that governments in the region must adopt a user-centred framework to ensure privacy and freedom from surveillance and censorship.

Education reform is also needed, according to policymakers and academics at a different conference being hosted at the Dead Sea. They pointed to technology as a solution to the challenge of 22 million children out of school or at risk of dropping out, high youth unemployment and a divergent access to quality public and private education.

Preschool is the best place to focus investments and introduce these basic technologies, said Maysa Jalbout, CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, in the UAE.

Only 31 per cent of children in the region are currently enrolled in preschool, with most of them enrolled in private education. The result is that “inequity in education starts at this very early stage”, she said, because preschool is the most crucial time for learning outcomes later. These technologies and their capabilities should come from within the Arab region, not from import or “copy-pasting”, the statement said.

Some countries are already moving to embrace the technological future, with Bahrain recently having passed a law allowing data stored in the country to be governed by laws of the companies’ home countries.

The UAE also recently appointed Omar Bin Sultan Olama as the world’s first minister of state for artificial intelligence.

For governments and companies alike, the new digital economy will bring positives and negatives, especially when it comes to employment — a dilemma showcased by Careem, which has created 1 million jobs since it started operating seven years ago, but could also destroy employment with the arrival of autonomous cars, according to the statement.

In practice, Careem co-founder Sheikha said, the impact of self-driving cars will be felt more gradually in the Middle East thanks to cheaper labour costs, with driver costs accounting for an average 25 per cent of trip expenses in the region compared with 80 per cent in the US. However, the rise of ride-hailing apps has already exacerbated tensions in Jordan’s transportation sector with the recent protests by “yellow taxi” drivers.

But Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, warned that the Middle East simply cannot afford to be left behind. “Those countries that absorb the potential of the 4th industrial revolution first will be the most competitive countries,” he said. “We have to make sure that countries and regions are not lagging behind.”

The WEF on the Middle East and North Africa is being held at the Dead Sea in partnership with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development. The meeting marks the 10th WEF hosted by Jordan since it was first convened at the Dead Sea in 2003, the statement said.

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Mary Kawar on Sunday said that Jordan is expected to receive around $3 billion in foreign aid in 2019, on par with last year’s figure.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Kawar said that foreign aid this year will support the government’s response plan for hosting Syrian refugees.

“The London conference was the first step towards launching a new set of reforms, sending a message to the international community of Jordan’s keenness to achieve financial stability and decrease national debt,” Kawar stated on the sidelines of the 2019 World Economic Forum (WEF).

The minister added that the aforementioned message was translated into a series of reforms executed by the government. “Today, the focus is on stimulating economic growth following a series of reformative procedures,” she added.

Kawar affirmed that “the WEF presented Jordan with the opportunity to continue promoting the Kingdom’s active sectors — those which attract investment. The promotion of Jordan’s sectors began with the London conference as a platform to promote the IT and telecommunication sector and continues today at the forum, with the promotion of the tourism sector”. 

AMMAN — Jordanian photographer Bashar Tabbah’s exhibition titled, “Stars and stone” and emphasising night shots of Jordan’s historical sites concluded on Sunday at the Nabat Art Gallery.

“Night photography is significantly harder than other genres of photography I practice,” Tabbah told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the exhibition.

Shooting at night demands serious preparation, he stressed, which includes permission to reach and operate at sites at night, and “the thrilling puzzle of lighting up the structures with flashlights”.

“Other factors such as moon cycles, weather patterns and light pollution play a critical role. If there is a full moon for example, most photographs will look as though they are shot in daylight, clouds also obscure stars and city lights,” Tabbah explained.

Despite the difficulties, Tabbah said night photography is his favourite form of photography. “Not only do you get some very unique photographs but the difficulty adds to the reward of a good photograph.”

His exhibition was part of eighth Amman Image Festival organised by Lina Khoury, who recommended the gallery as “an excellent space for his work”.

Tabbah’s work showcased a collection of photographs exploring 21archaeological sites “under the veil of night”, he said.

It was the first time that Tabbah had taken part in the festival as he said that for the past six years he was travelling to shoot and prepare for his book.

“I have been very busy working on my book about Jordan, which was published last December. I have also been exploring the world with my camera, travelling to varied locations such as India, Uzbekistan and Tunisia, as well as the south of France,” Tabbah underscored.

The photographer said his work emphasises the Roman influence in the Levant, when the region saw an incredible boom in its population and culture.

“Many great cities rose throughout the lands; but during the seventh century AD these lands fell under almost constant attack, war ravaged on and an unforgiving plague decimated the population,” Tabbah elaborated, adding that a catastrophic earthquake in the seventh century was a final blow to the ancient civilisations in the region.

“I have devoted years to seeking out these remains with my camera; great works left alone in a state of quiet abandon and perpetual mystery,” Tabbah said. “Nightfall added an incredible visual layer to the scenes... The darkness dotted with countless stars is almost the same night sky the original inhabitants of these places had looked up at, and yet, centuries separate us.”

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hamzah on Sunday participated in the Arab FIRST LEGO League 2019 robotics competition award ceremony, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Ibdaa Foundation, a Jordanian organisation, won first place in the competition, which aimed at developing students’ research and innovation skills in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence.

The competition was organised by the Jubilee Institute’s Centre for Excellence in Education, in cooperation with the Arab Robotics Association.

Prince Hamzah crowned the winning team and distributed medals to the other 103 teams from different Arab countries that took part in the competition.

AMMAN — Director General of the Department of Statistics (DoS) Qasim Zu’bi on Sunday met with a British government delegation from the UK Department for International Development and representatives of the UK Statistics Commission, to discuss the needs of developing the Jordanian statistical system.

Zu’bi highlighted that this visit furthers the two countries’ scopes of cooperation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported, as the British delegation expressed interest in assisting the DoS. 

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. 

The design is that of Hashem Joucka, lead designer and team leader of a Crown Prince Foundation initiative called Techworks.

The map is the third of its kind that Joucka has designed, one of which is on display at the Jordan Museum, while the other was shown at the World Science Forum in 2017.

“The maps can be customised for different purposes. The one in the economic forum, for example, is built with its three layers to attract investors,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone.

His design was brought to life at Techworks’ fabrication labs, (widely known as “fablabs”), which were created by the Crown Price Foundation in May of 2018.

The facilities are open to students, individuals, start-ups and companies looking to bring their ideas to life. According to their lead designer, innovators are offered the chance to meet with prospective investors through Techworks. 

“The labs are open to everyone, regardless of age, sex or educational background. Students and start-ups are allowed to use them for nominal prices, while big companies have to pay for the machines and materials provided,” Joucka said.

He added that the platform is not about “mass production”, but rather about “expanding the culture of making”. 

Joucka said that when he was just starting out on his own, he faced difficulties when dealing with the industrial cities of Sahab, Bayader and others. “Half of my time was spent commuting. That is very impractical when you have deadlines to meet.”

The labs have become attractive to established businesses as well. Zaynab Daruoqa, founder of a start-up that makes concrete products called Zconcrete, said Techworks’ labs provide “top-quality services for affordable prices”.

She said: “The laser machine I use to mould the concrete, and the other machines for engraving the writings, are all available, which is very convenient. I have been using them since September.”

“We need to allow our youth to explore new technologies so that they know it is not at all complicated or out of their reach. Only through that will they start innovating,” Joucka concluded.