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AMMAN — The Labour Ministry has implemented 40,161 inspection campaigns on various institutions across the country since the beginning of the year to ensure commitment to the Labour Law, ministry spokesperson Mohammad Khatib said on Saturday.

The official said that the campaigns resulted in arresting 6,228 illegal guest workers, 3,975 of whom received deportation decisions for violating the law, in addition to sending 2,559 advice letters to the facilities, 2,141 warrants for violating the law, 279 closure warrants and 2,490 fines.

He added that a total of 192,309 guest labourers received work permits in the same period, 39,635 of whom for working in the agricultural sector, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Egyptian workers accounted for 60 per cent of the total number of guest labourers and Syrians for 10 per cent, while the biggest percentage of foreign workers were registered in Irbid, followed by Zarqa, Balqa and Amman, Khatib said.

The same period witnessed 28 labour conflicts, 25 of which were solved through direct negotiations, one through a conciliation mediator, one through the conciliation council and another through court, Khatib said, adding that the ministry dealt with five strikes since the beginning of the year.

In the same period, 27 collective work contracts were signed, which benefitted 23,088 employees with a value of JD3.595 million, according to Petra.

According to the ministry’s statistics for 2017, the total workforce in the Kingdom stands at about 2,600,000 people, 1,200,000 of whom are migrant workers, mostly from Egypt, Syria and Asian countries, like the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

It is also reported that 30,000 foreign workers are employed in the construction sector and about 70,000 in agriculture.

AMMAN — The Amman Baccalaureate School (ABS) on Wednesday celebrated its 34th graduation ceremony under the patronage of HRH Princess Sarvath, a statement by ABS said.

Princess Sarvath, who is the chairwoman of ABS board of trustees, presented the graduates with their certificates and delivered the keynote address.

ABS was founded in 1981, as the first in Jordan to adopt the IB Diploma Programme, according to the statement. 

AMMAN — The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands Sigrid Kaag on Saturday praised Jordan’s role in dealing with the humanitarian crises in the region, particularly the Syrian refugee crisis, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister, during a meeting organised by the Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum in cooperation with the Dutch embassy, said that Jordan is a beacon of stability and peace.

She also highlighted the new Dutch policies and priorities of development, youth employment and the equality of opportunities for women and men.

Kaag said that she seeks to exchange ideas with Jordanian youth about the challenges and opportunities in Jordan, pointing out the importance of focusing on pioneering minds and supporting the emerging businesses in order to achieve great success in the near future.

AMMAN — Agriculture Minister Khaled Hneifat on Saturday checked on lands in Bergesh Forest in Irbid where a fire erupted on Friday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Some 800 oak trees were partially burnt, in addition to a number of seedlings, Petra said. Touring the fire location, Hneifat was briefed on the area that was affected by the wildfire, which was 70 dunums including 40 dunums owned by residents.

Hneifat praised the efforts of the Civil Defence Department’s cadres in putting off the fire. 

AMMAN — Jordan Ahli Bank signed a cooperation agreement with the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) through its Al Ahli for Financial Technology Private Shareholding Company, whereby the first national financial technology programme in the Kingdom has been launched, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The agreement was signed by the Jordan Ahli Bank CEO/General Manager Mohammad Musa Daoud and CPF CEO Tamam Mango.

According to a statement issued by the bank on Saturday, the agreement aims to encourage youth entrepreneurship, especially in the field of financial technology in Jordanian universities, in addition to implementing several technical events, including the launch of the Hackathons competitions for financial technology projects for university students, workshops, forums, events and activities for innovation and entrepreneurship.

AMMAN — Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri on Thursday pledged to have an effective partnership and sustainable dialogue with the industrial sector and not to make decisions before discussing them with industry chambers.

During a meeting, organised by the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI), Hammouri said that the government is aware of the importance of the industrial sector to the national economy, its role in enhancing the foreign currency reserves and narrowing the trade balance deficit.

JCI President Adnan Abul Ragheb expressed hope that the ministry adopts initiatives in favour of the sector, including opening new markets, expanding the production base and improving the business environment, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

AMMAN — The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in its annual meeting that has been recently held in Paris, has decided to reappoint Omar Jazi as member of its arbitration court as representative of the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday.

Jazi told Petra that ICC defends the international business sector as it is an important factor for economic growth. ICC was founded in the aftermath of World War I, when no world system of rules governed trade, investment, finance or commercial relations, according to its website: www.iccwbo.org.

AMMAN — Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab on Saturday visited a doctor and several nurses who are receiving treatment at the Prince Hamzah Hospital after they were attacked by hospital visitors.

Sheyyab, accompanied by Health Ministry Secretary General Layl Fayez, checked on the health condition of the doctor and the nurses and called for providing them with the best medical services, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Sheyyab said that the ministry will not spare any effort in taking legal action against perpetrators.

AMMAN — The annual Souk Jara reopened its doors to the public this Friday, kick-starting three months of the weekly open air bazaar.

Started some 14 years ago in collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality, the artisanal market has become an iconic event that Ammanis look forward to every year, giving them a chance to enjoy a friendly outdoor venue to purchase handicrafts and home-made products.

"I have been coming every year and I really love the vibe here. It is such a relaxed place where people can escape and just enjoy their time with their friends and families. This is really a unique event I go to every year," Christine Anderson, a 28-year-old American living in Amman, told The Jordan Times.

Located at the end of Rainbow Street in Jabal Amman, the bazaar offers visitors a peak into the world of Jordan's handicrafts, with items ranging from houseware to jewelry, pottery and clothing, among others.

"I love the original designs we see here, which are not always easy to find, at least in Amman," said Federico, a father of three who came to the market with his family on Friday.

"It is also very nice to be able to watch artists create right in front of you, and play music spontaneously," he told The Jordan Times as he stood behind a painter working on her canvas.

"Souk Jara is a simple place expressing the heritage and civilisation of the past in a modern sophisticated way. Everything you find here offers a high degree of quality and beauty combined," said visitor Tahani Abu Alteen.

The Souk is also a chance for emerging creators to showcase their products and gain exposure to a wider market. 

Abd Alrahman Al Kilani, a 26-year-old who displayed his wood carved creations as part of his Ezmeel shop, said the market helps him get orders, even outside of the market itself.

"I do not have a physical shop yet, so having a stall here really helps in showcasing my products and getting people interested," said Kilani, who is taking part in the market for the second consecutive year, adding "most of us are home-based businesses so this really helps us to get known and boost our business during these three months."

In addition to the vendors, the market also features traditional music players, magic shows, a photo booth, as well as a shaded food court where visitors can enjoy freshly squeezed juices.

"I really admire the passion and love that is put in every item. It truly makes you want to support these craftsmen and women. It is also a great walk for a summer day, where you get to smell the jasmine from the neighbourhood houses and engage all your senses," commented Mansour, a Jordanian living in Amman.

“Souk Jara has been and continues to open its arms to all small entrepreneurs to be the starting point of the labour market in the Kingdom and to be the start to compete on a larger level,” Zaid Goussous, chairman and founder of Souk Jara, told the Jordan Times.

The weekly market, which will last through September 28, is open from 10am until 10pm every Friday, according to the organisers.

Managed by I Jordan, the Souk is supported by Zain and Ahli microfinance company, among other partners.

AMMAN — The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) on Friday announced that it will ban the Blue Whale Game due to the threat it poses to the lives of children and teenagers following several suicide attempts.

The TRC warned citizens not to download similar applications or games that require personal information, GPS and the use of cameras, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The commission also called on parents to make sure that their children do not play such games and to continuously warn them against such applications.