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AMMAN — The two Houses of Parliament on Sunday convened in a joint session, ending nearly a month-long dispute over three major laws.

Of the 138 senators and MPs present, 114 lawmakers approved an amendment to the higher education and scientific research law by veteran Deputy Abdul Karim Doughmi to appoint the “secretary general of the Higher Education Ministry” as a member in the 10-member higher education council.

According to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the higher education council will be headed by the minister of higher education with the secretariats general of higher education and education ministries, president of the Higher Education Accreditation Commission, three associate professors, two experts representing the private sector and director of the military education directorate of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army as members.

The Lower House has previously added the education minister to the council as per its amendments to the higher education law but the Senate has twice rejected MPs' proposal.

The two Chambers also resolved their dispute over the universities law, endorsing an agreed-upon amendment to the bill stipulating that the services of public universities presidents are to be ended upon a decision by the higher education council, according to Petra.

As per the amendments, the services of private universities' presidents are ended by the higher education council upon a recommendation from the board of trustees, Petra said.

The two Chambers also approved MPs’ amendments to the natural resources law exempting quarries’ building materials extraction for local use from mining levy.

According to Article 92 of the Constitution, "Should either House twice reject any draft law and the other accept it, whether or not amended, both the Senate and the Chamber shall hold a joint meeting under the chairmanship of the speaker of the Senate to discuss the matters in dispute."

AMMAN — Orientalists R. E. Brünnow and Gustav Dalman focused their early 20th century research (1904, 1908 and 1912) on documentations of monuments in Petra, providing fine observations and interpretations, said Robert Wenning, who received his PhD in classical archaeology from Munster University.

While Brünnow studied the tombs' facades, Dalman researched the smaller rock-cut installations, he explained, adding “Dalman started his chapter on the Nabataean religion with the epigraphical evidence on the deities, followed by a discussion of the documented material evidence like ‘idols’, altars and holy sites, among others."

Epigraphic sources

According to Wenning, this study could have been a promising start to describe the religious practices of the Nabataeans based on archaeological evidence, "but it failed to happen".

“When excavations were carried out in the centre of Petra between 1958 and 1965, new interest in the Nabataeans and their religion developed,” the German scholar explained noting that it resulted in an article by Jean Starcky titled “Pétra et la Nabatène” in the 1966 “Dictionnaire de la Bible Supplément VII”.

Starcky was an expert in Aramaic languages, so it is not surprising that he relied on the Nabataean epigraphic sources, Wenning elaborated. 

At the opposite of Dalman, Starcky put together the complete epigraphic evidence for each deity to provide more information on each god, fitting the needs of a dictionary. He noted that the compilation was taken as the basis of interpretation of the Nabataean religion in general, although the sources come from quite different areas of the Nabataean kingdom and belong to different periods and contexts. 

Furthermore, Starcky did not include the broad archaeological evidence presented by Dalman and previous experts, depicting a seemingly homogenous Nabataean religion, which did not exist in real life, Wenning highlighted. 

 ‘Unique approach’

For Wenning, director of the project “The Gods of the Nabataeans”, it is crucial to develop a specific personalised approach to define the Nabataean religion. “When I started the project in 1995, the need for a better understanding of the betyls became very clear,” he said.

In a systematic survey on the votive niches carried out over several years, Wenning documented more than 850 betyl niches in the eastern part of Petra, three times more than those listed by Dalman listed.

Wenning maintains it is necessary to focus more on the monuments themselves, analysing and describing them in great detail. “I prefer to research the local evidence first before I take the common features from the various Nabataean sites for a Nabataean religion,” he said. 

While the epigraphical evidence is well-studied, figural representations of Nabataean deities and other religious motifs remain under-researched. 

“The same few sculptures are repeatedly shown in exhibitions and publications because of their quality and good condition, among other reasons,” Wenning claimed, stressing that “various sculptures depicting Greek deities, which were thought to be in reality representing Nabataean deities, could be identified as Greek motifs without a direct relationship to Nabataean deities”. 

The sculptures are not only representative monuments of the Nabataean elite, but also products of the simple craftsmen, workers and citizens, he said.

Regarding future plans, the veteran archaeologist said: “After completing this analysis, there will be some new insights into the aspects of the local religion. I then plan to investigate some of Dalman’s ‘sanctuaries’ and other installations.”

AMMAN — The Ministry of Environment has announced plans to turn the Kingdom's largest ever clean-up campaign into an annual effort to rid parks and forests of litter, while enhancing public environmental awareness.

The ministry seeks to fight littering in public places by sharing targeted messages to raise the public's awareness on nature protection, expanding the number of trash bins at parks and forests as well as removing litter during a one-day nation-wide cleanup campaign, according to officials.

In a press statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, Minister of Environment Nayef Fayez said that the second cross-country clean-up campaign will be held on April 14.

"Preparations are under way to implement the second clean-up campaign across the Kingdom in partnership with governmental agencies, the private sector, syndicates, NGOs and the civil society as well as sports clubs…," Fayez said in the statement.

This year's clean-up campaign will be different as the minister revealed plans to distribute 1,000 trash bins across the Kingdom's forests and parks, as well as putting up billboards in different locations inviting people to shun littering.

"The goal of sustaining the campaign is to instill sound behaviour amongst different segments of society's to ultimately reach a point where keeping public places, forests and parks clean is a lifestyle," the minister underlined.

The first clean-up campaign was organised in early April last year, according to ministry's Assistant Secretary General Isa Shboul, who said that this year's turnout is expected to be "even bigger".

"As successful and far reaching as last year's campaign was, this year's event will reach new locations and attract wider participation in an attempt to deliver our message on environment protection to all Jordanians," Shboul told The Jordan Times.

Dubbed "Cry of a homeland: Our environment is our life", thousands of people took part in the previous campaign which targeted 60 locations across the Kingdom, including parks, main streets, touristic sites, forests and nature reserves, said Shboul, who invited people to participate in the upcoming event. 

Forests are a major attraction for visitors during summer, particularly on weekends, which results in rubbish piling up at the sites and occasional fires starting due to improper and negligent use of barbeques, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Jerash — The Amman Riders Motorcycle Rally has organised a tour dubbed "Discover Jordan", with the participation of motorcycle enthusiasts from Jordan and other Arab countries.

During an interview with The Jordan Times, Khaled Abu Tawileh, the rallies coordinator, said that the rally aims to promote Jordan and encourage local and foreign tourism.

It also seeks to introduce riders to touristic, archaeological and historical areas in Jordan, according to Abu Tawileh. 

During the ride, motorists will have the chance to drive through "beautiful" routes and enjoy the Kingdom's sceneries during spring.

The riders started their tour on Friday from the lowest point on Earth — the Dead Sea — moving on to the verdant north of the Kingdom including Jerash, Ajloun and Deir Alaa to finally head back to the Dead Sea. 

On Saturday, they headed towards the south of the Kingdom, passing through Petra and ending up in Aqaba port city.

Abu Tawileh stressed that participants were requested to abide by the safety and traffic rules.

The Amman Riders Rally is organised each year in March, attracting riders from across the region, especially from the Gulf countries, according to the group's Facebook page.

AMMAN — The walls of NOFA Creative Space, a venue promoting local talents in the fields of art, music and dance, are covered with the works of some six Jordanian women artists, in celebration of women's month.

"As we marked the International Women's Day on March 8, I wanted to honour female artists, especially Jordanian ones who have incredible stories to tell through their art," said Ghada Khalil, manager at NOFA, adding that "we want to show our support to all creative women established as artists in Jordan".

Organised under the patronage of Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab, “Artists and Colours” invites the visitors into a world of charm and delicacy, portrayed by women from all walks of life.

"This exhibition includes works by long-established artists, others who work as art teachers, while some are using art as a way to express their feelings. These artists are mothers, some grandmothers, all with a rich life experience which you can sense in these artworks," Khalil told The Jordan Times. 

All connected, yet all different, the art pieces showcase various art techniques, some quite unlikely, such as Sahar Qamhawi’s method of engraving, who engraves all of her design on zinc. "This is an incredible and extremely rare technique, which takes a tremendous ability, artistically speaking," said Khalil, noting that "the minister was very impressed at the inauguration, as the painting gives the natural impression of a canvas".

Qamhawi's works are all displayed along with some lighting installations, in order to provide an additional dimension to the viewer's experience. Once the visitor's attention goes past the first impression of natural landscapes depicted on the canvas, he/she reaches a deeper layer, echoing with each personality's appropriation of the lighting, figures and techniques used in the painting.

This duality is also found in the work of Maha Moheisen, who makes use of colourful palates spread out in thoroughly arranged brush strokes to reveal human life scenes inside a seemingly abstract background. 

Reflecting on her work, Moheisen said: "My work is obsessed with the pink colours from my childhood, as well as the wild flowers in the desert heat and the spring breeze... I try to fill the void with strokes of colour and knife."

For her part, Neimat Al Nasser, who gathered the group of fellow artists to take part in this collective exhibition, chooses another unique technique of engraving linoleum. 

According to Encyclopædia Britannica, engraving on linoleum — or linogravure — is an art form consisting of the production of images from an original plate engraved on a linoleum block. "The technique became popular after the 1950s, when Pablo Picasso used it to produce series of brilliant linoleum cuts," the encyclopedia noted.

"I move in a volatile mood between one subject and another as I am concerned with the public interaction with my subjects. I do not embrace repetition and monotony, and I love to change constantly," she said, adding "I cannot present a group of works with a single topic as I renew myself in every work."

"I like engraving; it empties all the negative energy inside of me when I scour the areas of material that I will dig with my tools," Nasser added.
Inspired by her Circassian origins, Amal Jalouqa offers yet another perspective on painting by depicting shapes reminding of traditional Circassian figures, in a variety of settings and colourful backgrounds. 

The only sculptor exhibited in the art show, Najah Obeidat also works as an art teacher and a sculptor, organising workshops to convey her passion for art to the public.

AMMAN — Police on Sunday announced the arrest of a man who allegedly robbed a bank in Amman at gun point earlier in the day and escaped with JD60,000 in cash.

The suspect was arrested while attempting to leave the country via Queen Alia International Airport, Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

“We received information that the suspect was driving a certain car model without a licence plate. We formed a special team and, within hour, than man was in custody,” Sartawi said.

The police official said the “entire stolen cash was retrieved as well as a gun that was with the suspect”.

Police also seized a vehicle that they believe was used in the alleged robbery.

The suspect arrived at the Arab Islamic Bank branch located in a busy market in Khalda at around 9:00am, according to a statement by the Public Security Department.

“The suspect robbed the bank at gun point and fled with a vehicle that was parked on the other side of the road,” the statement added.

A witness who was standing at the door of his shop next to the bank said he saw a “woman rushing out of the bank and screaming 'call the police. The bank is being robbed'”.

“Less than a minute after, I saw a man wearing a helmet rushing out of the bank with a bag and crossing to the other side of the street before leaving quickly in a vehicle,” the witness, who preferred not to be identified, told The Jordan Times.

The witness’s story was corroborated with a video that circulated on Sunday showing a man parking a vehicle on the main street, then exiting the car while wearing a helmet and crossing to the other direction.

Minutes later, the man is seen running back towards the vehicle with a bag in his hand, then driving away quickly.

The suspect was referred to the State Security Court prosecutor for further questioning, according to officials.

The bank manager and employees refused to comment on the incident, only saying that no one was injured in the incident.

The bank was operating normally a few hours following the incident.

This is the fourth robbery to take place on financial institutes in the capital since the beginning of the year.

Three banks were robbed in various parts of Amman in January and February. Two of the three robbers were arrested and one, who escaped with JD98,000 in cash, remains at large.

In early March, the State Security Court sentenced a man who robbed the Arab Bank at gun point to 15 years in prison.

Following the issuing of that verdict, Presiding judge Col. Mohammad Afif told The Jordan Times that the court decided to hand the defendant the maximum punishment “because of the perilous nature of his crime and its potential harm to the economy”.

“What the defendant did was a dangerous act that caused fear among the public and bank employees and endangered their lives, so we strongly believe that he deserves the maximum punishment in this case,” Afif said.

Following the third robbery in February, police announced that new security measures had been adopted in cooperation with banks and other financial institutions, which include strengthening their security measures.
The police official added that “special police forces were tasked with examining all banks and studying the weak spots to ensure there are no security breaches”.

AMMAN — The Income and Sales Tax Department (ISTD) on Sunday said delaying the submission of the income tax statement after the deadline on April 30 will subject the taxpayer with a fine ranging between JD100-500, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Department called on taxpayers to submit their statements in the next couple of days rather than wait till the end of the month, and urged them to provide actual and correct information about their real incomes that reflect their financial activities during 2017. The Department provided an explanatory video on the steps to submit income tax returns on its website www.istd.gov.jo

AMMAN — The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has issued a bulletin titled "Study in Jordan", which includes information about the Kingdom and its universities in nine languages, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Sunday.

Secretary general of the ministry, Ahed Wahadneh, said that the bulletin provides foreign students with information like the geography, currency and climate of Jordan, in addition to contacts of Jordanian universities and information on the services offered by the International Students' Affairs.

"The bulletin reflects the ministry's strategic plan which seeks to attract foreign students to Jordan by promoting the quality education offered by Jordanian universities," Petra quoted Wahadneh as saying.

The bulletin will soon be available at the ministry's and the International Student Affairs' websites in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, according to the statement. 

AMMAN — The 3rd Chief Warrant Officers Conference, organised by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), was launched on Sunday with the participation of several countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat stressed the importance of the conference and the opportunities it offers for dialogue and exchange of ideas and knowledge among the participating countries. He highlighted that the armed forces gave prioritised officers and gave them the opportunity to assume leading positions in various units.

The four-day conference includes a series of topics and issues that contribute to the development of officers and their effective role within JAF, and the exchange of experiences between the participants, as well as a number of field visits including military, archaeological and historical sites.

AMMAN — Under Royal Directives, Royal Court Secretary General Yousef Issawi, head of the follow-up committee for the implementation of Royal initiatives on Sunday checked on the medical services in Mafraq Public Hospital, aiming to improve the quality of services provided to the people of the governorate, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Issawi, accompanied by Minister of Health Mahmoud Sheyyab, checked on services provided by the emergency department and intensive care unit  and toured the hospital’s facilities. Issawi followed up on the medical sector demands by Mafraq residents, which they presented during their meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah.

Sheyyab presented the medical services provided in Mafraq, some 80km northeast of Amman, through six hospitals in the governorate, four of which are public, and 91 health centres, 87 of which are affiliated with the Health Ministry. He pointed out that there are 325 various speciality doctors across the governorate.