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AJLOUN — For a glimpse into the long history of Arab Christians in the region, a French media delegation on Saturday completed a two-day tour of Christian sites around the Kingdom.

The media tour was organised by the Paris-based Arab World Institute (AWI), in cooperation with the Jordan Tourism Board, prior to an exhibition titled “Christians of the Orient”, scheduled to be held in Paris from September 25 till January 25, said Gilles Gauthier, adviser to Jack Lang, president of the institute and former minister.

“The aim of the trip is to better understand the history of Arab Christians and the Arab culture,” Gauthier told The Jordan Times.

This tour is an opportunity to shed light on the richness of Jordan’s religious and cultural heritage, an embassy statement said, adding that it will also help strengthen tourism between the two countries.

On Friday, the group visited Tell Mar Elias and Lady of the Mount Monastery in Ajloun, 70km northwest of Amman, followed by a visit to Madaba, Mount Nebo and the Baptism Site on Saturday.

According to Christian traditions, the site of Tell Mar Elias is associated with Prophet Elias. Anjara, located in the north of Jordan, contains Lady of the Mountain Church — a rebuilt cave that is venerated as a place where Jesus and his mother Mary passed during their journey to the Sea of Galilee. Anjara was designated by the Vatican as one of the Millennium 2000 pilgrimage sites, according to the Jordan Tourism Board website.

The itinerary of the 10-member delegation — consisting of seven journalists and AWI officials — also includes Lebanon, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. 

The group is scheduled to return to the Kingdom on Tuesday, when they will visit historical and cultural landmarks in the capital before wrapping up their trip on Wednesday.

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a May Criminal Court decision sentencing a repeat offender to 10 years in prison after convicting him of molesting a woman in an elevator in Amman in  May 2016.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of sexually assaulting a 43-year-old woman after forcing her into an elevator and handed him an eight-year prison term.

The tribunal decided to increase the prison term by two years because the defendant was a repeat offender.

On May 4 last year, the victim was returning home around 10:30pm and, when she entered her building, “the defendant followed her and forced her into the elevator”, court papers said.

“The defendant attempted to undress the victim and beat her up so he could control her but she fought back and screamed for help,” according to court papers.

In the meantime, the defendant “grabbed the victim’s private parts while pinning her on the elevator’s floor,” court papers added.

Residents of the building rushed to the elevator and managed to rescue the woman. They held the defendant until police came and arrested him, the court added.

The convicted man had contested the ruling, stating that “he confessed to the act and asked for the court’s mercy and therefore should get a reduced sentence”.

The defendant also argued through his lawyer that he should not have an increase sentence “since he was convicted of theft and illegal narcotics charges in the past, not a sexual-related offence”.

However, the Criminal Court general attorney had asked the higher court to uphold the original verdict stating that the court followed the proper legal channels in its ruling.

The Cassation Court, which issued its ruling late last month, ruled that the Criminal Court’s ruling fell within the law, the proceedings were proper and that the sentence given was satisfactory.

The Cassation Court tribunal comprised of judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Mohammad Tarawneh, Naji Zubi and Basem Mubeidin.

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani on Thursday said that His Majesty King Abdullah’s interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Wednesday was “comprehensive” and included a “clear vision” regarding all local, regional and international issues.

In an interview on Jordan Television’s “News and Dialogue”, Momani said that His Majesty provided a clear vision on the economic reform, directing stakeholders not to affect the middle- and low-income classes, nor to place any additional burdens on these classes, calling instead for efforts to strengthen them.

He said that the government is aware of the importance of the economic issue, and is exerting its best efforts to put the national economy on the right track through national reform programmes, Petra reported.

Momani, who is also the government spokesperson, noted that some economic indicators had improved, citing the stable ratio between debt and GDP, increasing tourism revenues, boosted exports and the raise in expatriates’ remittances.

Meanwhile, Lower House Acting Speaker Khamis Atiyeh said that King Abdullah presented a clear, comprehensive roadmap and vision for both the executive and legislative authorities, in order to achieve economic growth and sustainable development, according to Petra.

Atiyeh said that His Majesty stressed the importance of complementary partnerships among the authorities, so as to serve Jordan and realise the aspirations of the Jordanian people.

The MP also referred to King Abdullah’s call to preserve the middle- and low-income classes.

He pointed out to His Majesty’s vision of self-reliance, especially under the drop or even absence of foreign assistance, Petra added. 

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a May Criminal Court decision sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of molesting a child at a hospital in Zaatari camp in September 2016

The Criminal Court declared the defendant is guilty of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl while working at the hospital on September 15 and handed him the maximum punishment.

The court refused to drop charges against the defendant although “the victim’s mother dropped charges against him because the victim was under the age of 18”.

Court papers said the victim accompanied her mother to work at the same hospital where the defendant worked.

“The defendant lured the child to a deserted room and  placed his hands on her private parts,” the court stated.

The victim informed her family and they filed a case at the Family Protection Department, according to court transcripts.

The convicted man had contested the ruling, claiming that “victim gave contradictory statements regarding the incident”.

However, the Criminal Court general attorney asked the higher court to uphold the original verdict stating that the court followed the proper legal channels in its ruling.

The Cassation Court, which issued its ruling late last month, ruled that the Criminal Court’s ruling fell within the law, that the proceedings were proper and that the sentence given was satisfactory.

The Cassation Court tribunal comprised of judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Mohammad Tarawneh, Naji Zubi and Basem Mubeidin.

AMMAN — A “Validation Workshop” focusing on the effects of climate change in Jordan took place in Amman on Tuesday, as a follow-up to the “Brain Storming Session” held in early August, a UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) statement said.

The struggle to adapt to the effects of climate change has been explored through a series of dialogues conducted by the FAO in Jordan over the recent months. 

The ministries of environment, agriculture, water and irrigation, and various UN agencies departments, among other stakeholders, have been the key players in this initiative that sought to formulate a Green Climate Fund Project for Jordan, the statement added.

According to Nafis Khan, head of programmes and operations at the FAO, the workshop was a follow-up event aimed at finalising thematic areas of intervention but, more importantly, at deciding the geographic location within Jordan where project activities will be implemented. 

He emphasised the “utmost importance” of this exercise and commended the collaboration received from the Jordanian government. 

Khan also voiced FAO’s full support to the government in facilitating the formulation of a Green Climate Fund project. A number of experts from the FAO regional office in Cairo as well as Amman attended the workshop, according to the statement. 

For Nasredin Hag Elamin, Representative of the FAO in Jordan, holding such a workshop was necessary due to the input of experts from localities in the potential areas of intervention. This helped in developing appropriate interventions which account for the challenges that might arise on the ground, such as the kind of soil, the topography of the area, or the socioeconomic status of residents.

He stressed that the selection process would take many factors into account, among which the economic and social vulnerability of the targeted communities, as well as the possibility for sustaining the project, the statement concluded.

AMMAN — The country office of UN Women in Jordan has wrapped up the first phase of the global HeForShe campaign for the promotion of gender equality, with a total of 10,000 new commitments, project coordinator Laith Abu Taleb told The Jordan Times in an interview on Wednesday. 

Abu Taleb noted that Jordan has positioned itself as the Arab country with the largest participation in the HeForShe campaign, which provides “a targeted platform where a global audience can engage and become agents of change for the achievement of gender equality”. 

The closing ceremony will be held on October 11, marking the commencement of the second phase of the campaign. 

“We want to take the opportunity in the ceremony to thank all of our volunteers and recognise their efforts”, said Abu Taleb, noting that “our culture made it difficult to work towards gender equality and many challenges had to be faced”. 

Marta Garbarino, UN Coordinator and Civil Society Affairs Specialist at UN Women, told The Jordan Times that the first phase started out with a group of 10 student volunteers who were trained by the UN in gender equality and women empowerment, enabling them to later organise smaller campaigns to spread knowledge and engage more people in the movement. 

A total of 25 campaigns and two trainings were organised in both public and applied universities, focusing on raising awareness about gender equality among Jordanian youth.

The project was centred around six main categories including work, education, health, gender-based violence, politics and gender identity.

The first phase of the campaign concluded with a five-day training in partnership with YPeer Jordan and All Community for Developmental Coaching, where 18 volunteers were trained in topics such as reproductive health, self-discovery, violence against women, stigma and discrimination — which are expected to be covered in the second phase of HeForShe. 

In the midst of the preparations for the closing of the first phase, Abu Taleb reflects on the challenges he faced when he started volunteering. “Some volunteers came to me saying ‘Laith, we would like to take part in those projects, but we can’t because we are women and society is not very accepting’. So I decided to sign up for HeForShe to break down the stereotypes and give everyone equal opportunities,” he recalled. 

Abu Taleb became the coordinator of HeForShe in Jordan and started building a six-month strategy that led to the concluding phase, with the aim of solving the problem he encountered in his early volunteering days.

Nowadays, many others share his vision. Eid Jobaihy, a 23 year old student in Amman, said that he took part in the movement because he believes that “humans should be treated as humans only, regardless of religion, race or inclination”. 

But HeForShe is also a path to empowerment for members like Aisha Salman, who says that HeForShe made her believe she is the one responsible to decide what her roles are in the community. 

“Now, we are planning to reach another 10,000 commitments during the second phase, where we will address the private sector and equal opportunity at work,” Abu Taleb concluded.

AMMAN — Local companies pioneering in the insulation and cooling industries on Thursday celebrated their shift from using gases that harm the ozone layer to more environment-friendly substances, under an ongoing national project to phase out the use of ozone-depleting substances.

The companies announced that they have completely transitioned from using gases that deplete the ozone layer into substances that are more environment-friendly in their production lines, in a quest to safeguard the environment and adhere to international standards.

In a ceremony organised by the Ministry of Environment on Thursday to mark the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, companies’ representatives said that, while their shift to more environment-friendly gases has helped protect the ozone layer, it has also raised their competiveness in the local and international markets.

Ahmad Arabiyat, representative of the Petra Engineering Industries Company, indicated that the company received a $2-million grant from UNIDO to replace its production lines to become compatible with gases that cause no harm to the ozone layer.

“The company, which exports to 50 markets around the world, phased out its use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which cause ozone depletion, in 2016,” Arabiyat said at the ceremony.

He noted that, while the company has transitioned to more environment-friendly gases in its productions, it now seeks to shift to the hydrocarbons gases that do not contribute to global warming.

Meanwhile, Manal Abu Haltam, representative of Mohammad Abu Haltam Investments Group, which owns the General Deluxe brand, said that the company has also shifted to the use of ozone-friendly gases in its production.

Abu Haltam noted that that company has received a $1.250-million grant from the Environment Ministry and donor agencies to introduce modifications and new machineries to start using ozone-friendly gases in their production of cooling units.

“The company completely shifted to environment-friendly gases in 2016. Since then, the products have become more efficient and our competitiveness has increased,” Abu Haltam told the audience.

Last year, the ministry received a grant worth $3.5 million from the Montreal Fund to finance the second phase of the national strategy to phase out ozone depleting substances in insulation and cooling industries.

The grant was provided to help in disposing of 50 per cent of environment-harming substances and in developing the Jordanian industry by using eco-friendly technology to improve the competitiveness of the Kingdom’s products at local and international marketplaces.

Also last year, the ministry announced it was working to deliver new technology to companies in the cooling and thermal insulation sector to make their work more environmentally friendly, under a $6 million-initiative to benefit 100 companies operating in the sector.

During the ceremony, Ministry of Environment Secretary General Ahmad Qatarneh and the newly appointed director of the Climate Change Department at the ministry, Dina Kassabi, expressed the ministry’s keenness on continuing working with the private sector.

The ministry’s officials underlined that, with the cooperation of the private sector, the ministry can achieve higher awareness and protection of the Kingdom’s environment, noting that the ministry is willing to support businesses in their move towards eco-friendly solutions.

Jordan is a signatory to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of a number of ozone-depleting substances.

In 2014, Jordan received a $2.7 million (JD1.91 million) grant from the Montreal Fund to support phasing out the use of HCFCs.

The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol is financing the Kingdom’s strategy to get rid of 1,500 tonnes of these chemicals by 2020.

The strategy’s first phase aims at reducing 20 per cent of HCFCs by 2017 by replacing central cooling systems using the substance, banning the import of home appliances that use the harmful mixture of gases and powering air conditioning systems with solar power.

A separate initiative is aimed at building capacities for 200 companies that carry out maintenance work on chillers and cooling systems, in addition to reinforcing the capacities of the Ministry of Environment and government institutions in charge of enforcing regulations, and carrying out programmes that aim at phasing out the use or illegal trade of ozone-depleting substances, according to the ministry.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Thursday attended the launching ceremony of the revamping project of the Desert Road, which is funded by a grant and soft loan from Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Development Fund (SDF).

Mulki and SDF Deputy Chairman Yousef Bin Ibrahim Al Bassam unveiled the plaque of the project that starts at the Queen Alia International Airport intersection and ends at Ras Al Naqab, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The total length of the project is 220 kilometres, with a cost of $224 million, and is scheduled to finish within 22 months.

During the ceremony, held at Umm Al Rasas area on the Desert Road, in the presence of several Jordanian and Saudi officials, the premier said that the scheme is part of the development projects that the government pledged to launch this year.

Mulki expressed appreciation of Saudi Arabia's support in funding the revamping of the highway that connects the four southern governorates with the central and northern regions of the Kingdom.

He also highlighted the importance of the road for being the main street leading to the Aqaba port, and for connecting Jordan with Saudi Arabia through Al Mudawwarah border crossing, in addition to being used by Hajj and umra pilgrims.

The prime minister said that the project is among several that were implemented through Saudi funds, including the expansion of the airport road to six lanes.

Other schemes include the rehabilitation and expansion project of the Zarqa-Azraq-Omari Road that leads to Saudi Arabia, which is currently under construction with a total cost of $270 million. Currently completed at 85 per cent, it is expected to finish in early 2018.

The road will be named after Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz.

The premier stressed the government’s commitment to employing Jordanians in such infrastructure projects, expressing hope that the Desert Road will serve the national economy and positively reflect on residents of adjacent areas.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury praised the SDF’s contribution to the project through a grant of $65 million and a soft loan of $105 million, Petra added.

Partnerships with Saudi Arabia have contributed to helping the government implement development capital projects, and to improving services presented to citizens in various sectors, such as health, education, higher education, water and sewage systems, road networks, railways and investment, Fakhoury noted. 

He also expressed the government’s keenness to develop cooperation ties with Saudi Arabia, through SDF, to continue implementing priority development projects.

Minister of Public Works and Housing Sami Halaseh said that the schemes will be implemented through three tenders, each of which is composed of a consortium of one Saudi company and two Jordanian companies.

Halaseh noted that the project implementation will be divided into several work zones, with each being six to seven kilometres long.

For his part, Bassam said that the road is among the most important in Jordan connecting Amman with Aqaba, and is an international highway that will contribute to boosting the economic activity.

He expressed SDF’s readiness to reconsider any financial shortages in financing the project and the Saudi government’s keenness to sustain cooperation in all fields to enable Jordan to implement development projects.

AMMAN — The EU delegation in Jordan celebrated the achievements made as part of their recently-launched programme “Enhanced Support to Democratic Governance in Jordan”, in remarks to The Jordan Times earlier this week.

On the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, marked annually on September 15, EU representatives commended the collaborative approach’s success since the inception of the programme, officially announced in May 2017.

Launched with the aim of “supporting Jordan's reform process towards consolidation of deep democracy and to promote inclusiveness of policy and decision-making process”, the 17.7 million-euro programme is funded by the EU and the government of Spain, and implemented by a consortium led by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), according to an EU statement.

“This programme is a first of its kind, based on a comprehensive approach encompassing the main components of democracy: Parliament, elections, political parties and civil society, all brought together under one single umbrella with a strong focus on women and youth,“ Ibrahim Laafia, head of cooperation at the EU delegation, told The Jordan Times.

“This is a cross-fertilisation between all aspects of democracy that has never been tested before. We strongly believe in the importance of engaging all actors to help build their capabilities and enhance interaction with each other. This is why we have shifted from an 'event oriented' strategy to a 'cycle oriented' one," he noted.

The EU officials agreed on the importance of a holistic approach, whereby strengthening the parliament and the political party system, enhancing the rule of law and making the decision-making process more inclusive which, in turn, supports the electoral process and the civil society’s trust in the country's institutions.

For Aous Qutaishat, adviser to the chairman of the Independent Election Commission (IEC), “The EU has been one of the leaders pushing for the implementation of His Majesty King Abdullah’s initiatives.”

“Jordan was the perfect place to implement this innovative programme, as it already has a conducive environment with all the parties involved in the process in harmony, and willing to move forward,” he noted.

In his speech at the launch ceremony, EU Ambassador to Jordan, Andrea Matteo Fontana, had emphasised the EU’S alignment to His Majesty’s vision for political reform, as expressed in his discussion papers, to achieve a “vibrant Jordanian democracy, founded on the gradual deepening of parliamentary government”.

“Jordan is the only country in the region that has chosen the ballot box instead of the bullet box and this is a success story we want to build on,” Qutaishat stated.

“We are still in the inception phase,” Fabio Bargiacchi, ECES executive director, said, noting that “after four months of implementation, we now have a good idea of how to gradually move forward over the next four years”.

A follow up meeting of the programme’s coordination committee is scheduled for the end of September, where high-level representatives from all institutions involved in the programme including the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of IEC and the minister of political and parliamentary affairs, together with the EU and Spanish ambassadors, will convene to review the programme’s objectives and activities.

“This programme is first and foremost a peer to peer approach to democracy whereby the EU brings its expertise and help build local capacities,” Laafia stressed, adding “we are not here as consultants brought to teach or impose.”

A friendly football cup titled “Score for Democracy” will take place on Saturday with all the partners involved in the programme: “this team-building event is the perfect representation of our collaborative approach to democracy”, he concluded.

AMMAN — The government on Thursday strongly condemned the "cowardly" terrorist attack that took place in Iraq, resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent victims, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani expressed Jordan's solidarity with Iraq in the face of terrorism that threatens countries' security and stability. 

Momani reiterated Jordan's firm stance against the "inhuman crimes" committed by terrorists and the need for joint international and regional efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms. 

He expressed confidence in Iraq's armed forces capabilities to defeat Daesh and to free Iraq from its evils.