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AMMAN — The German Protestant Institute of Archaeology recently launched a series of lectures under the title “Epigraphic Testimonies from Jordan and Beyond”, which started off on March 13 with the presentation of Omar Ghul from Irbid’s Yarmouk University.

Ghul’s lecture “Writing in Jordan: Who, When and Why?” focused on epigraphic evidence from the long history of human occupation in present day Jordan.

The scholar presented the example of the Mittani state, located in southern Anatolia and northern Syria during the Bronze Age (1,500-1,300 BC), where a Hurrian language and cuneiform letters were used.

“Mittani controlled trade routes between Mesopotamia and the Levant thus, cuneiform letters were present at some sites in Jordan,” the epigrapher said, noting that languages that were predominant in different historical phases were widely used by different ethnic groups, which is manifested in inscriptions that range from Um Al Jimal in the north all the way to Wadi Rum in the south.

Moving to the period of the Nabataean Kingdom (4th century BC-2nd century AD), Ghul noted that the language had different dialects and was used by non-Nabateans as well.

“The corpus of Nabataean inscriptions from southern Hauran consists today of some 150 inscriptions,” Ghul stated, stressing that most of these were discovered in the early 20th century during the expedition organised by the Princeton University.

In the 1990s, a team from Al al-Bayt University in Mafraq conducted a survey that “yielded further Nabataen inscriptions”, he added.

Evidence gathered by epigraphers show a variety of topics ranging from trade, personal accounts, public expressions of love and affection to more formal declarations about heads of states and their political and military representatives.

“I am Mesha, son of Kemoshyat, king of Moab, the Dibionite. My father ruled over Moab 30 years, and I ruled after my father. I made this high place for Kemosh in Qarho, because he delivered me from all the kings, and because he let me prevail over all my enemies. Omri was king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab for many days because Kemosh was angry with his country. His son succeeded him, and he also said, ‘I will oppress Moab.’ In my days he said this.

 But I prevailed over him and over his house, and Israel utterly perished forever,” one of the inscriptions found on the territory of the Kingdom of Moab read.

The population of Jordan as well as other parts of the Middle East was ethnically heterogeneous in ancient times, Ghul concluded, warning against drawing conclusions about ethnicity of ancient peoples without concrete historical and epigraphic evidence.

AMMAN — Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury on Saturday chaired the third meeting of the steering committee to update the Strategy for Combating Poverty and Social Protection, according to a ministry statement.

During the meeting, attended by Minister of Social Development Hala Lattouf, Awqaf Minister Abdul Nasser Abul Bassal and other committee members, Fakhoury said that the government has directed the committee to introduce the concept of social protection as a basic pillar to increase the national capacity to fight poverty and raise the living standards of Jordanian citizens.

Fakhoury said that the update of the National Strategy to Combat Poverty 2019-2025 comes in light of the economic, social, political and demographic developments, as well as the Jordan Document 2025, and the 2015 population and housing census, adding that the Syrian refugee influx greatly impacted the poverty and social protection system.

The public and private sectors and the civil society institutions in Jordan will hold workshops with all concerned bodies to obtain feedback on the needs of citizens that will take into consideration multi-dimensional poverty, geographical distribution and poverty pockets.

The workshops will also take into consideration the social protection and empowerment programmes, the minister said.

The workshops’ feedback will be integrated into various national strategies such as the Plan to Stimulate Economic Growth 2018-2022, the National Strategy for the Development of Human Resources, the National Employment Programme and the initiatives mentioned in the Jordan Document 2025, Fakhoury stated.

He pointed out the importance of the availability of up-to-date statistics, especially surveys on population and family health, income and expenditure currently being conducted by the Department of Statistics.

For her part, Social Development Minister Hala Lattouf outlined the procedures of updating the strategy, which will include identifying the strategy’s key points, studying and endorsing them, and coming up with a final version.

AMMAN — The Criminal Investigation Department and Preventive Security Department personnel on Saturday arrested 9 wanted suspects, including one classified as “very dangerous” during a raid conducted at three houses in different areas, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

According to a (PSD) statement, the raid came within campaigns by the PSD to arrest all wanted suspects in the Kingdom.

The statement added that a stolen vehicle, firearms, and a small quantity of narcotics were seized during the raid.  

AMMAN — Twenty-six ICT companies registered at the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) in the first two months of 2018, with a total investment volume of JD33 million, JIC announced on Saturday.

The commission noted that the average time needed for the companies to register was “only” two working days, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported, citing a JIC statement.

The ICT sector greatly contributes to the gross domestic product of the Kingdom which is home to more than 600 ICT firms that generated 16,793 jobs nationwide, according to JIC. 

AMMAN — Tafileh Civil Defence Department (CDD) personnel have rescued six members of a family who lost their way in rough valleys in the west of Eimeh Village, Tafileh CDD Director Osamah Kasrawi said on Saturday.

He said that the search lasted until late hours of Friday night, adding that three of the six individuals were children, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The team personnel used torches to search for the family, who are Salt residents. All members reported to be in fair health condition. Meanwhile, Kasrawi said that a rescue team transferred a citizen from Irhab Village, in northern Tafileh, to the Prince Zeid Military Hospital after he suffered a poisonous snakebite, adding that the man was reported to be in fair condition, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Abdul Hadi Falahat on Friday was elected president of the Jordan Agricultural Engineers Association, after receiving 1,322 votes against 259 votes for his contestant Basma Manaseer.

Nihad Oleimi was elected as deputy president with 1,077 votes, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday.

AMMAN — Jordan Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (JIACC) has referred a number of cases related to misuse of public office and conflict of interest to the prosecution office for further investigation.

A ministry has been referred to the JIACC prosecutor for organising a conference without following the relevant rules and procedures thus incurring the ministry's budget a net loss of JD500,000 that were disbursed illegally, he Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday.

The commission also referred two employees for allegedly taking money from an Arab investor to provide him with services unlawfully, in addition to counterfeiting documents in a way to change the investor's legal status.

In another case, JIACC referred former director general of Al Maqased Charity Hospital affiliated with the Awqaf Ministry for not transferring donations received to cover birth surgery costs to the financial department in addition to issuing the hospital's budgets without auditing.  

A female director of a General Union of Voluntary Societies' special education centre was referred to the JIACC's prosecutor for receiving payments from parents of the beneficiaries, although the centre offers free services, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Resuming production from Well 28 at the Risheh gas field is “economically feasible” Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh said on Thursday, noting the encouraging indications to proceed with a JD12-million plan to increase daily production at the site.

During a visit to the field, located near the Karameh border crossing with Iraq, Kharabsheh said that resuming production is part of a ministry 2017-2019 plan to double the production, adding that it will increase the current rate of 254,853 cubic metres feet to 467,230 cubic metres feet by the yearend, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday.

He said the plan aims to boost production from the gas field to achieve self-reliance through increasing local resources of energy and ensuring security of energy provision. 

AMMAN — Members of the Jordan Artists Association on Friday elected Hussein Khatib as their president, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Khatib received 186 votes out of 326, while contenders Mustafa Shashaa and  Malek Madi received 44 votes each, Mohammad Bani Hani 28 votes and Mohammad Abbadi 24. Votes are currently being tallied for the association’s board membership.

After the announcement of the new association president, Khatib said that the syndicate will work closely with other official and private institutions to serve the music and TV industry. 

AMMAN — The marketing team behind the now famous Royal Jordanian (RJ) media campaigns once again put Jordan's creativity under the regional spotlight, seizing the Grand Prix at the Dubai Lynx Festival of Creativity for the second year in a row.

Jordan’s Memac Ogilvy advertising agency also brought home two more awards for its "Fear of Flying" video, including a silver award in the film category for corporate social responsibility and a bronze medal for direction in the film craft category. 

"There is a quiet revolution of creativity happening in a previously overlooked corner of the MENA region," a statement by the winners said, noting that the video has already attracted over 4.5 million views on all social media. 

For Mohammad Kamal, creative director at Memac Ogilvy, “Royal Jordanian took a stand on a subject that is taboo. Very few brands are bold enough to do this and I hope that RJ can stay at the forefront of creativity for years to come."

“I am immensely proud of everyone involved in this campaign. Jordan is finally on the map as a burgeoning creativity hub. We’ve proved there is huge talent in the Kingdom and I’m confident that these wins will open doors for future stars to shine,” he added.

Starting off with a voice over saying “I’m not afraid of flying, I’m not afraid of the risk of it. I’m afraid I end up somewhere I don’t want to go. Afraid of being stuck in a place with people who look at me differently," the video continues: "I’m afraid of the what-ifs. What if something wrong happens and they don’t believe me…?”

Panning over passengers boarding a flight, the camera shows them suspiciously eyeing an unknown character, with expressions of fear and distrust on their faces. As the tension builds, the passenger's identity is finally revealed: he is a bearded, Arab-looking man. 

The "Fear of Flying" video concludes with a statement “Say no to all forms of discrimination”. 

Launched amidst the travel ban implemented by the US Trump administration on a number of Arab countries, the video is meant to help raise awareness on growing Islamophobia and racial and religious discrimination around the world, according to Paul Shearer, group chief creative officer for Memac Ogilvy.

“This ad is not done to reinforce stereotypes but to point out discrimination,” Shearer said, stressing that “just because you look Arab doesn’t mean you are not afraid as well”.

Since RJ began broadcasting its marketing campaign focusing on social and political issues, social media users have voiced unanimous praise, commending the creative team's efforts to tackle topics that others may find too controversial.

"It is obvious that RJ is trying to head in a new direction, which is more personal and human. They have been globally recognised for their recent ads and the least we can do as Jordanians is to support them instead of bickering our national airline down," wrote Madian Al Jazerah on the RJ Facebook page.

Matt Thomas echoed similar sentiments, writing: "Spectacularly done, Royal Jordanian. A powerful and unbelievably important message delivered with brutal honesty. This really ought to be applauded. Hats off."

However, some users denounced the depiction of the issue as inflated, with Brian Muwanes commenting "Exaggerating: it's not that bad. 99.9 per cent of people flying are not racist! This is a negative ad making people afraid of flying. It is strange to put an ad discouraging your customers not to buy tickets and fly!"