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AMMAN — Talks on Monday were held between representatives of the Jordan Press Foundation (JPF) and Bridgewater State University (BSU) addressing technical, educational and academic cooperation between the two institutions. 

Jordan Press Foundation (JPF) Chairman of the Board Ayman Majali met with Academic Director of Global Programmes at BSU Jabbar Obaidi in the presence of Director of Al Rai Centre for Research Khaled Shaqran and head of the studies and research unit at the centre, Hadi Shobaki. 

The meeting comes as part of a series of meetings carried out in implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the JPF, BSU and Al Rai’s Centre for Research, which has recently been renewed, to develop a joint training programme between Al Rai and the university. 

The MoU has resulted in the creation of a training programme that provides training opportunities to journalists from Al Rai and The Jordan Times, 15 of whom are set to participate in a series of workshops next year. 

Talks also went over means of developing the joint programme between Al Rai and BSU and incorporating a variety of training subjects, which are required to boost competitiveness within the labour market. 

Majali voiced pride in the cooperation with BSU, saying: “It stems from our responsibility to develop performance and enhance joint action with BSU, a pioneering university with an array of advanced expertise in a number of fields in including media”.

He added that cooperation with BSU is part of Al Rai’s efforts to develop media content in addressing national issues and social problems “professionally and in-depth”, while incorporating digital media to reach a broader audience.

For his part, Obaidi said: “Discussions between Al Rai and BSU embody the importance of cooperation between press institutions and universities.”

AMMAN — A total of 1,712 male and female participants attended a counselling programme designed to provide education on building a family for couples who are under the age of 18 and planning to marry, the Chief Islamic Justice Department (CIJD) said on Monday.

The counselling programme, which was launched in September, is mandatory for couples under the age of 18 who will receive a “marriage licence” upon completion indicating their “readiness” to get married.

The programme included one class per week tackling the legislative, legal, psychological, social, financial and healthcare aspects of building a family, and courses took place in Amman, Zarqa, Irbid and Rusaifa governorates, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

President of the Higher Sharia Court Kamal Smadi said that the “large turnout” indicated the “success” of the counselling programme, expressing the department's intention to expand the programme to target older couples across the Kingdom.

The participation of family members accompanying the young engaged females, who were usually married women, “enriched” the sessions, Smadi said.

Director of the Judicial Institute of Jordan Judge Mansour Tawalbeh said that the trainings organised by the CIJD aim at educating young engaged couples before they commit to marriage and helping them overcome family conflicts and disagreements.

The counselling programme covers several aspects related to marriage, including marriage-related rights and duties in line with civil law and Sharia (Islamic law), health aspects of spousal relations, personal communication, psychological aspects, economic aspects and managing household finances, Petra added.

In July 2018, the Chief Islamic Justice Department made counselling mandatory for couples under 18 planning to marry in the Kingdom. 

“The decision targets all people on the Jordanian land including refugees and residents of other nationalities as we believe this service should be offered to everyone,” Tawalbeh told The Jordan Times back then.

The department’s official statistics showed that 77,700 marriage contracts were issued in 2017, of which 10,434 involved marriages in which the wife was under the age of 18.

Meanwhile, the report showed that the divorce cases in 2017 amounted to 5,335, in which 413 cases involved wives under age of 18, marking “the lowest divorce percentage among other age groups”, Tawalbeh said.

AMMAN — Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Sunday highlighted the importance of ethical journalism and the critical press, and their role in combatting hate speech and curbing the spread of false news. 

The premier stressed the necessity for commitment of members of the press to the ethical standards and values of journalism to produce credible and high quality content, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Solberg’s remarks came during an open discussion held with students and faculty at the Jordan Media Institute (JMI), in the presence of HRH Princess Rym Ali, founder of the JMI. 

During the discussion, Solberg said that Norway does not impose censorship due to its belief in the role of critical journalism in protecting and enhancing democracy. 

The PM mentioned a Norwegian government initiative to create laws on journalistic accountability, which will play a role in enhancing the quality of media content. 

Solberg pointed to the oppression and dangers facing journalists in areas of conflict, stressing the need to provide them with a suitable work environment and the necessary protection required to do their work freely and safely. 

Solberg affirmed Jordan’s and Norway’s keenness on enhancing bilateral cooperation and implementing signed agreements, noting that no new agreements have been signed during her current visit.

The premier lauded Jordan’s and Norway’s contributions in combatting extremism within the a counterterrorism alliance. 

“Norway has not announced its stance on the ‘deal of the century’, due to the absence of its contents,” Solberg said, underlining that her country supports a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory. 

She added that Israel’s continued occupation of more Palestinian lands has hindered peace efforts, called for by the Oslo Accords, according to Petra. 

Solberg said that Norway is one of the largest supporters of educational programmes targetting Syrian refugees in Jordan, noting Oslo’s “dedication to securing the right of every Syrian child to go to school and continue their education”. 

Solberg on Monday left the Kingdom, marking the end of a two-day official visit, according to Petra.

AMMAN — In implementation of Royal directives, the Council of Ministers on Monday approved raising the pensions of military retirees and retired servicemen who were referred to retirement before June 1, 2010, at a total annual cost of JD53,301,540.  

The decision stipulates raises ranging between JD28 and JD38, where those of the rank of major general and higher will receive JD30, retired brigadier generals and colonels will receive JD35 and lieutenant colonels, majors and captains will receive JD38, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

Pensioners with the rank of first lieutenant will receive a raise of JD36, lieutenants JD38, first warrant officers JD30, warrant officers JD33, and first sergeants JD34, while a JD28 raise will be disbursed for those with the rank of sergeant and lower. 

The decision also stipulated increasing the pensions of heirs of military retirees or those who died on duty before June 1, 2016 by JD20 for each file, which will be distributed equally to the heirs.

JD20 will also be disbursed to the heirs of military retirees who were referred to pension before June 1, 2010 and those who died after October 1, 2019.

Prime Minister Omar Razzaz formed a committee to consider the raise of military retirees in all aspects before referring recommendations to the Cabinet for making the decision. 

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Monday met with the families of Jordanian prisoners in Israel at the ministry’s headquarters. 

Safadi affirmed that the Foreign Ministry will continue to follow up on the affairs of Jordanians in Israeli prisons and will “spare no effort” to ensure the protection of their rights and fulfillment of their needs, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

The foreign minister highlighted that the ministry will continue to work in accordance with a clear institutional mechanism by communicating with the families to meet their demands, adding that individual and group visits will be organised for them. 

Safadi added that through the Kingdom’s embassy in Tel Aviv, the ministry will continue to check on the prisoners, offer them support and use all available means to improve the conditions of their detainment. 

“The ministry’s doors will remain open to the families to listen to their demands and needs, and work to achieve what is possible and what is allowed by international treaties and laws,” Safadi said. 

The minister noted that the meeting “is an expression of Jordanian values that are founded on dialogue and understanding”, adding that under the vision and directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, the Foreign Ministry will work on improving the quality of services provided to Jordanians outside the Kingdom. 

Towards the end of the meeting, Safadi instructed the formation of a joint committee between the detainees’ families and the ministry, which will meet regularly to follow up on the former’s concerns and demands.     

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June Criminal Court ruling sentencing a Syrian woman to six years in prison after convicting her of attempting to murder her husband's pregnant second wife in the southern badia region in January.

The stabbing incident on January 12 caused the victim to lose her pregnancy.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of attempting to murder her husband's second wife, also a Syrian, and stabbing the victim's eight-month foetus, causing his death, and handed her a 12-year prison term.

However, the court decided to reduce the sentence to six years in prison because the victim dropped charges.

 Court papers stated that on the day of the incident, the defendant and the victim, who lived in the same tent but in separate sections, became engaged in a heated argument.

 "The two women quarreled because the defendant beat up the victim's son," court documents said.

The argument became heated and the defendant grabbed a knife and "stabbed the eight-month pregnant woman repeatedly on her stomach," according to court papers.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where attending physicians managed to save her life, but not the unborn child’s, according to court documents.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general had asked the higher court to uphold the ruling against the defendant.

Meanwhile, the defendant contested the Criminal Court's ruling, claiming that the court relied on "weak and doubtful evidence".

The defendant also charged that the court failed to hear defence witnesses in the case, including the defendant's husband.

"The victim testified in court that the stabbing was not intentional and the victim stated that the defendant stabbed her during a scuffle," the lawyer argued.

However, the higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and correct and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

"The defendant knew that in stabbing the victim, who was pregnant, the chances of killing her and her unborn child were high, so she should not benefit from a reduction in penalty," the higher court ruled.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Naji Zubi, Nayef Samarat and Hammad Ghzawi.

AMMAN — Marking this year’s Week of the Italian Language in the World, with the theme “Italian on stage”, the Swiss embassy in Amman has invited the Dimitri Theatre Academy to perform in Amman.

The Week of the Italian Language is celebrated all over the world by Switzerland and Italy, the countries that share Italian as an official language, according to a Swiss embassy statement.

 The event takes place yearly throughout the third week of October and aims at promoting the Italian language. 

For the week’s closing ceremony, Swiss actor Michele Rezzonico, who graduated from the Dimitri Theatre Academy, will perform his latest piece titled “YouToBe” together with Clarinetist Simone Mauri at Al Shams Theatre on October 27, according to the statement. 

“YouToBe” tells the story of a CEO and founder of an IT company who describes a dream he had during a gathering with his IT associates. In the dream, the famous IT guru meets a giant computer, which convinces him to use an online platform: YouToBe. 

The show aims to illustrate and reflect on the impact of technology and digitalisation on human life and interpersonal relationships. 

The Dimitri Theatre Academy, located in Verscio in the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino in Switzerland, was founded in 1975 by Dimitri, the renowned “Clown of Ascona”. 

It specialises in the training of physical theatre and “embodies an unprecedented approach to different theatre and circus traditions”. It is affiliated with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, according to the statement.

In addition to the performance, the theatre group will also hold workshops in Amman and Zaatari refugee camp under the artistic direction of Daniel Bausch, vice dean of the academy. 

This project is part of a regional tour, including performances in Jerusalem and Ramallah.

“YouToBe” will be performed on October 27 at 7pm at Al Shams Theatre. The Embassy of Italy in Jordan will host an informal reception prior the show. 

“The knowledge of Italian is not indispensable in order to be able to understand the show”, read the statement, as the performance is “mainly based on body language”. Entrance is free of charge.

AMMAN — A local study on defining the most pressing issues for Jordanians revealed that unemployment, the economic situation and the so-called “deal of the century” were the highest priority issues for Jordanians.

The poll, conducted by the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) between October 14 and 16, showed that unemployment was the most critical issue according to 26 per cent of surveyed Jordanians across the Kingdom, followed by the economic situation at 20 per cent.

Poverty was a matter of concern for 15 per cent of respondents, while 12 per cent expressed unease about hikes in prices, followed by corruption and wasta (using personal connections to obtain favours for friends and relatives) at 9 per cent.

On the regional level, wars and crises topped respondents’ concerns at 27 per cent, followed by the economic situation at 16 per cent and the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem and the so-called “deal of the century” at 15 per cent.

Security and stability at the regional level was a matter of concern for 9 per cent of surveyed Jordanians.

On the global level, the results showed that war, conflicts, instability, the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem and the so-called “deal of the century” received the same rank at 19 per cent, followed by the economic situation at 15 per cent.

About a third of surveyed Jordanians said that they have “no idea” about the critical issues that face the international community, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — A team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) has won first place in the Third Regional Competition for chemical cars in Bahrain, according to a JUST statement. 

The competition was organised by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and took place on October 14 and 15.

The team, consisting of students Mohammed Al Omari, Osama Abu Al Hija, Majd Matalqa, Farah Al Bayari and Tasneem Bani Melhem, competed under the supervision of Munther Kandah and Muhannad Al Jarrah of JUST. 

The competition is based on manoeuvring a car whose operation and parking mechanism depend on chemical reactions, and which does not have brakes. Contestants attempted to stop the car at certain marked point using these chemical reactions, according to the statement.

The JUST team’s victory qualifies them to participate in an international competition in the US during November. 

This is the first time a Jordanian team has participated in this competition, and achieved the first place regionally, the statement said. 

AMMAN — For the 12th consecutive year, INJAZ has launched the Business Leader Campaign (BLC), a two-month-long drive carried out with the purpose of inspiring and motivating school students, mainly from the 7th to the 9th grade, according to organisers.

“The BLC, this year funded by the Canadian government aims at teaching students the spirit of determination and perseverance while encouraging them to achieve their goals and better plan their futures,” an INJAZ statement sent to The Jordan Times said on Monday. 

At the launch of the campaign, INJAZ CEO Deema Bibi explained that the campaign is held annually in coordination with the Ministry of Education and private sector organisations, according to the statement. 

The BLC gathers “prominent business leaders” in Jordan, who visit public, military and UNRWA schools to connect with students through interactive sessions in order to convey their experiences and expertise, which have guided them to their respective leadership positions, the statement said. 

Bibi noted that the BLC was designed to include all governorates in the Kingdom, for the benefit of over 6,500 students and with the participation of more than 200 business leaders and influencers in Jordan, the statement added.

The BLC was launched in 2008 and is one of INJAZ’s various programmes implemented in cooperation with public and private sectors. 

INJAZ was founded in 1999 as a project under Save the Children. In 2001, INJAZ became an independent, non-profit Jordanian organisation, the statement said. 

Over the past 19 years, INJAZ has established itself as a “leading solution provider” through linking the public, private, and civil society sectors to bridge the skills gap between the educational system and the changing needs of the labour market, read the statement.

To date, more than two million students from all over the Kingdom have benefitted from the organisation’s programmes through INJAZ’s volunteer network and strategic partnerships, the statement concluded.