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Visit Dead Sea before it vanishes — Time

By - Apr 14,2014 - Last updated at Apr 14,2014

AMMAN — The Dead Sea was listed by the Time magazine as one of the 10 places across the world that people are advised to visit before they vanish.

In a recent report, the magazine said the world is filled with jaw-dropping sights, “but rapid climate change is threatening some of the most spectacular natural wonders”. The 10 places cited are “just a few of the world’s most majestic places that could disappear in as little as a few decades”.

According to the report, the ancient and salty Dead Sea is the site of both history and healing. “Yet in the last 40 years, the lake has shrunk by a third and sunk 80 feet [approximately 24 metres],” it said, adding that experts believe it could disappear in as little as 50 years.

According to Bahjat Odwan, president of Jordan Geologists Association, the only solution to save the Dead Sea from vanishing is the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project.

The mega-project, the first phase of which will cost $900 million, according to official estimates, was designed to provide Jordan with part of its increasing water and energy needs, while at the same time prevent further shrinking of the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on Earth, has been shrinking for decades, largely due to the diversion of water from the Jordan River for agricultural and industrial use as well as dropping amounts of rain over the past decade, according to environmentalists.

Odwan told The Jordan Times over the phone that there are other environmental risks resulting from the shrinking of the Dead Sea.

These include the formation of the sinkholes that are the result of a reaction between freshwater and salt buried in a subterranean level.

“The fresh groundwater will start dissolving salt and thus creating huge sinkholes that we can’t determine the size and time of their appearance and this is very dangerous,” Odwan explained.

Saving this natural wonder is a must before it is lost, the geologist said.

Other places that were listed by the Time are Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Venice in Italy, Glacier National Park in Montana, the Maldives, Seychelles, the Alps, Magdalen Islands and the Athabasca Glacier in Canada and Alaska.

Jordan Telcom Group’s 2G licence renewed for 15 years

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) recently decided to renew the Jordan Telecom Group’s (JTG) Second Generation (2G) licence for 15 years, according to a statement on the TRC website.

JTG recently said that it may need 2G services for the next seven years, since usage of third generation services is on the rise in the Kingdom.

According to JTG figures, around 68 per cent of the handsets on the telecom’s network are 2G devices.

In terms of operating systems, some 58 per cent of smartphones on the telecom’s network use Android, followed by Symbian (28 per cent), iOS (8 per cent), Windows (2 per cent) and BlackBerry (2 per cent).

GJU, PSUT to implement joint master’s programme

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — The German-Jordanian University (GJU) and the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish and implement a joint master’s programme in enterprise system engineering, according to a GJU statement sent to The Jordan Times on Saturday.

Under the memo, a joint committee will be formed to manage the implementation of the programme, process students’ admissions, select the courses and instructors, as well as promote the programme among students and universities.

In addition a joint master’s programme will be established between the King Hussein Faculty for Computing Sciences at PSUT and the school of computer engineering and information technology at the GJU, with students receiving a double degree offered by both universities, the statement said.

JUST to open nano-science master’s programme

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

RAMTHA — Fourteen experts from Arab and international universities and research centres on Sunday drew up a plan to open a master’s programme in nano-science and engineering at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) at the beginning of the 2014/2015 academic year.

JUST’s Nano-Technology Centre President Mohammad Fandi said the project aims at creating a regional base for nano-science and engineering in the Middle East.

Authorities seize 15 kilos of hashish; dealer injured

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — The Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) on Sunday seized 15 kilogrammes of hashish during a raid on a house in the Northeastern Badia.

According to the Public Security Department, AND staff received a tip that a group of people were storing huge quantities of narcotics at a house in the badia region.

Further investigation led to the perpetrator, who sustained injuries while setting the house ablaze in a bid to get rid of the hashish.

The suspect was hospitalised and reported to be in critical condition.

35-year-old man dies in road accident

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

KARAK — A 35-year-old Jordanian died on Sunday in Ghor Al Mazraa in an accident involving the motorcycle he was riding and a car on the main highway.

Mahmoud Ounah, the administrative director of Ghor Al Safi Public Hospital, said the motorcycle rider died instantly before any medical measures could be taken.

Khawaldeh inaugurates 3rd Leadership Programme training course

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh on Sunday inaugurated the third Leadership Programme training course.

Implemented in cooperation between the ministry and USAID’s Fiscal Reform II Project (FRPII), the programme includes 30 public sector professionals representing 30 government institutions, 27 per cent of them women.

“This Leadership Programme is a perfect fit with the ministry’s vision to build capacity in the public sector and empower middle management with the necessary skills to improve performance and thus upgrade the delivery of services to the Jordanian citizen,” Khawaldeh noted in his opening remarks.

He added that the ministry is implementing a strict selection process of all participating candidates.

“Leadership is both a science and an art.

It is an essential ingredient to increasing performance and improving services,” the statement quoted FRPII Chief of Party Roberto de Toso as saying.

Parties law paves way for partisan life — Kalaldeh

Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Khaled Kalaldeh on Saturday said the new Political Parties Law paves the way for progressive partisan life in Jordan, refuting allegations that  the draft law is “full of penalties”.

Delivering a lecture on Saturday at the Fuheis Cultural Forum, Kalaldeh said the limitations and conditions on partisan activity have been reduced under the 2014 Political Parties Law, including the reduction of the number of founding members from 500 to 150, and their ages from 25 to 18.

1st grace period for guest workers ends; 2nd starts Tuesday

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — The first month-long grace period for illegal guest workers to rectify their situation, ends on Monday, Labour Minister Nidal Katamine said on Sunday.

The second grace period will start on Tuesday and last for another month, Katamine added.

Turkey increases educational grants for Jordan — minister

By - Apr 13,2014 - Last updated at Apr 13,2014

AMMAN — The Turkish government has decided to increase the number of educational grants extended to Jordan for graduate and post-graduate studies, including medical specialisations, Higher Education Minister Amin Mahmoud said Sunday.

In statements to the press following a visit to Turkey, Mahmoud said students will be able to apply for two-thirds of these grants online while recommendations for the remaining grants will be made through the ministry.

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