Local

AMMAN — A man was burned to death on Tuesday when the vehicle he was driving caught fire in northern Marka, east of Amman. Civil Defence Department (CDD) firefighting cadres rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire.

The body of the driver, who suffered third-degree burns, was taken to Bashir Hospital, according to a CDD statement on Tuesday.

The deceased driver was trapped in his car and could not open the doors of the vehicle to break out, President of the Jordanian Free Zones Association Mohammad Bustanji told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

The reason for this is probably that the power door lock was exposed to electrical fault, he said, noting that the factors that led to the tragic accident were likely only related to this particular vehicle.

 “Nowadays, all vehicles, whether they are diesel or hybrid cars, use electrical systems, therefore there is no big difference except for hybrid vehicles’ use of batteries,” he said.

“Over the past six years, we have not received any complaints concerning manufacturer errors or design defects, but many of the problems we have dealt with were from poor maintenance of the battery,” a representative of a hybrid car service centre told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

According to the representative, “incredibly dangerous” situations that they have confronted were caused by changing lead acid batteries into Lithium-ion ones. He also mentioned technical errors as another prime reason for increased risks on roads. 

“Vehicle owners should maintain their cars to prevent any mechanical or electrical failure, and even though cars these days are safer, errors still occur,” the representative said.

AMMAN — Jordan Strategy Forum’s Jordan Investor Confidence Index for June 2019 was measured at 111.3 points, a slight decrease in comparison to May 2019, at 111.6 points.

The index aims to measure the confidence of investors operating in the Jordanian market by three aspects: Confidence in the Jordanian dinar and the monetary system, in the real economy and in the financial system, according to a JSF report.

It measures the impact of policy and exogenous developments on investor confidence, the report continued. It also aims to facilitate a better understanding of investors’ challenges and “promote a strong decision-making process”, whether in policymaking by the public sector or investing decisions by the private sector. 

For the sub-indices, a value of 100 entails the minimum level of confidence while a value of 200 entails the maximum level of confidence compared to previous months since 2015. 

The production of this index complements JSF’s “consistent effort to promote higher levels of investment in Jordan, and a more competitive business environment that can facilitate higher quality of life for all Jordanians”, read the report.

The monetary sub-index decreased by 2.07 points to 133.9 points in June 2019, recording the highest value among all three sub-indices, despite the increase in the Central Bank of Jordan’s (CBJ) gross foreign reserves by JD259 million to reach JD11.5 billion for this month, the report stated.

Additionally, the interest rate differential between the Jordanian dinar and the US dollar increased from 2.36 per cent to 2.37 per cent since May 2019. 

As for returned cheques, the value witnessed a JD12.6 million increase from the previous month to reach JD135.2 million in June 2019, according to the report.

The real economy sub-index observed a decrease of 4.53 points to reach 100.0 points, its lowest value since 2015. The capital of companies registered witnessed a decrease from JD17.6 million to JD8.5 million in June 2019, and the number of companies registered in June 2019 was at 311 companies, down from 366 registered companies in May 2019.

The manufacturing quantity production index decreased by 0.5 points for a recorded 88.4 points. In addition, the number of construction permits decreased to 1,289 permits in June 2019 compared to 1,321 permits in May 2019 and tax revenues on the monthly real estate volume decreased by 0.1 to reach JD5.1 million in June 2019.

Confidence in the financial sub-index saw a significant increase by 10.01 points to reach 111.3 points in June 2019, as the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) weighted index increased by 139.86 points to reach 3,640.7 points in June 2019. The ratio of inflows to outflows of foreign investment in the ASE increased to reach 102 per cent in June 2019, according to the report. 

AMMAN — A local survey on Jordanian perceptions of foreign relations revealed that 44 per cent of Jordanians believe the Kingdom is “heading in the right direction”.

Some 1,198 men and women responded, in August of this year, to the survey consisting of dozens of questions about Jordan's relations with several countries in the region and some other strategic countries for the Kingdom. 

The survey was prepared by NAMA Strategic Intelligence Solutions and the German organisation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS). The findings were released during a one-day event in Amman. 

"The majority of those surveyed believe the Kingdom is going in the right direction because of the safety and stability of the country," said NAMA Chairman Fares Braizat.

Meanwhile, those who indicated that “things were going in the wrong direction” listed economic hardship, poverty, price hikes and unemployment as reasons for their selection.

The aim of the survey, according to the organisers, is to provide a public opinion context for Jordanian foreign relations and policies and to ascertain Jordanian perceptions of allies, economic supporters and enemies of Jordan. 

Other aims of the survey include identifying Jordanians’ preferences for potential allies and providing contextual public opinion data on evaluation of Jordan’s current political foreign relations and the pathway forward.

The survey also seeks to identify Jordanians’ preferences for military/security relations with regional neighbours and global powers.       

This study explored Jordanian perceptions concerning a range of governments including China, Germany, the United States, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Iran, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.

When asked which country has been Jordan’s greatest economic supporter, 30.4 per cent of survey respondents indicated that Saudi Arabia is Jordan’s greatest economic supporter, followed by the United States at 24.6 per cent and the UAE at 6.9 per cent, according to Braizat.

Meanwhile, around 96 per cent of Jordanians indicated that the Jordanian government sustains very good or somewhat good relations with the Turkish government, followed by 92.8 per cent in regards to the Egyptian government and 91.6 per cent in regards to the Iraqi government, Braizat said.

Around 70 per cent of respondents  would like to see a  “limiting” of political relations with Israel, Braizat stressed. 

In response to a survey question regarding Jordan's closest ally, Braizat said Saudi Arabia topped the responses, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom.

The respondents indicated that Jordan should cooperate more in the future with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

Meanwhile, 74.1 per cent of respondents said that there should not be any military bases in Arab countries, according to Braizat.

Turning to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, around 92 per cent of survey participants stated that they were “not satisfied at all” with the way the United States is currently handling the conflict, Braizat said. 

"Much of this dissatisfaction can be attributed to the US’ decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem, a controversial decision that is vastly condemned by Jordanians," Braizat explained.

Meanwhile, KAS Resident Representative in Jordan Annette Ranko said that Jordanian-German relations are growing stronger in many fields because the two countries share similar views and visions on quite a number of regional issues in the Middle East.

"Jordan is of strategic importance to many of its partners, including KAS, the think-tank of Germany's ruling party," Ranko said at the event. 

AMMAN — There is currently a total of 22 Jordanians jailed in Israeli prisons, some of whom have received a life sentence and others who were sentenced to over 20 years, according to figures from the National Committee for Prisoners in Israel. 

Jordanian detainees Heba Abdul Baqi Labadi and Abdulrahman Adnan Abdullah Meri have recently become the focus of public opinion and social media outlets, with the government and many organisations and institutions calling for their release. 

"Heba and Abdulrahman underwent administrative detention, which means they were detained arbitrarily and investigated, without actual charges," Fadi Farah, the committee's spokesperson, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday. 

"Abdulrahman suffers from cancer, and he needs special medical care, even if they finish their treatment sessions," Farah said over the phone. 

Meri, consequently, developed a skin problem and lost his hair. He was then sentenced to a four-month detention, the spokesperson said.

He added that Meri was going to attend a wedding with his family but that Israeli occupation forces put him in administrative detention, and that Labadi faces the same situation. 

The two youths are undergoing the same torture and horrendous treatment as the rest of the detainees, who also suffer from ill-treatment by Israeli forces, Farah said.

Labadi remained under investigation for 35 days, during which she received many threats and horrible treatment that caused her to lose 10 kilogrammes, according to Farah. 

"Now, she is in her 22nd day of a hunger strike, which she started right after receiving the news that she will be placed in administrative detention for five months," Farah said.

A court session will be held on October 23 for Meri, who stated that if he is not released afterwards, he will also start a hunger strike, according to the spokesperson.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is following up, and yet there is nothing tangible, honestly, although in such cases where citizens did not do anything wrong, pressure techniques must be used to protest against detaining Jordanians without any viable charges," Farah concluded. 

Head of the Lower House’s Public Freedoms and Human Rights Committee MP Awad Zawaideh on Monday stressed the importance of continued follow-up on the affairs of Jordanians abroad. 

Zawaideh made his remarks during a meeting with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, called for by the committee upon the request of MPs to discuss the issue of Jordanians arrested in foreign countries, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The MP urged the swift release of Jordanian detainees across the globe, in particular, Abdulrahman Meri and Heba Labadi.

On Wednesday, youth and political party activists will stage a sit-in in  support of Labadi and Meri as well as all Jordanian and Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, which will be held in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross at 5:30pm, according to the Facebook event page and the organisers. 

The organisers, comprising members of several political parties, said that they hold the Jordanian government “fully responsible” for taking the necessary measures to protect the detainees from torture and violations. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah has sent a cable to Tunisian President-elect Kais Saied, expressing congratulations on his election as president of Tunisia.

In the cable, King Abdullah expressed Jordan’s keenness to continue to enhance and strengthen its deep-rooted ties with Tunisia, and expand cooperation and coordination in areas of mutual concern.

His Majesty wished President-elect Saied good health, and the people of Tunisia continued progress and prosperity, according to a Royal Court statement. 

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs René Clarke Cooper on Tuesday discussed ways to develop bilateral cooperation.

Talks also went over the Kingdom’s role in combatting terrorism, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. During the meeting, Cooper commended His Majesty King Abdullah’s continuous efforts to enhance regional security and stability and embed a holistic approach to counter terrorism.

Safadi affirmed the deep-rooted Jordanian-US ties and expressed appreciation for the US’ support to Jordan, according to Petra. 

AMMAN — Honorary President of Jordan Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) HRH Prince Hassan on Monday said that Mashreq's stability requires surveying the reality of society to be aware of untapped potentials  as well as making available accurate information on the spatial, humanitarian and economic fields, which would establish areas of common interest and democratic security.

Prince Hassan also briefed the gathering on West Bankers and Gazans' challenges of living, including high population density, food insecurity and unemployment, stressing the need to create life-saving programmes.

At the end of the ceremony, Prince Hassan honoured new supporters of MAP, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Established in 1990, MAP-Jordan serves Palestinian refugees living in camps in Jordan.

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Water Minister Raed Abul Saud on Tuesday participated in the 2019 Budapest Water Summit, where he said that Jordan is among the most water-scarce countries in the world.

Abul Saud, during the three-day event, said that the water share per capita in Jordan declined to less than 8 per cent of the international average, and demand increased to more than 21 per cent after the Syrian refugee influx, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister presented a paper in a dialogue session at the conference, where he said that individuals’ annual share of water in Jordan dropped to less than 100 cubic metres. 

AMMAN — The Dutch Armed Forces on Tuesday signed a joint military cooperation agreement with the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), according to a Dutch embassy statement.

The agreement was signed by Deputy Chief of Staff, Commander of the Jordanian Air Force Brig. Gen. Zaid Ali Negresh and the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Jordan Barbara Joziasse.

This military cooperation agreement is the fifth extension of the agreement, which was established in 2014, according to the statement. An expanded scope of cooperation between the two countries under a Memorandum of Understanding is currently being discussed. 

AMMAN — Foreign Ministry Secretary General Saja Majali on Tuesday received the credentials of the newly appointed resident Ambassador of Belgium to Jordan Filip Vanden Bulcke.

During the ceremony, Majali wished the new ambassador success and expressed hopes for the further development of bilateral relations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.