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AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a July State Security Court ruling sentencing a man to 15 years in prison after convicting him of attempting to join terrorist groups and plotting attacks against security officers in 2017.

The court declared the defendant, who is a supporter of the Daesh extremist group, guilty of threatening to conduct terrorist activities against security officers and manufacturing explosives, and handed him the maximum sentence.

Court papers said the defendant had been a follower of Daesh terror group since 2014 and decided to adopt its ideology.

"The defendant then met another man, who did not appeal his verdict, at a mosque and they decided to spread Daesh ideology because they believed that it applied the correct Sharia [Islamic law]," court transcripts said.

The defendant also decided to target security officers "since they did not abide by the proper Sharia based on the Daesh ideology", court papers said.

"The defendant surfed the Internet and became acquainted with the chemical material used to manufacture explosives and bought it from a local market," court papers said.

The defendant and the other man manufactured a primitive explosive device using the chemical material and it detonated, according to court documents.

However, the two were arrested before being able to carry out any of their alleged plans, the court documents said.

The SSC's attorney general  had asked the higher court to uphold the ruling, stating that the court abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

Meanwhile, the defendant, through his lawyer, contested the verdict arguing that the "gun and other chemical substance found with him were not dangerous as the SSC prosecution stated during the trial".

The lawyer also argued that the SSC relied on weak evidence and unreliable witnesses when issuing its verdict, according to court documents.

The higher court ruled that the SSC followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant and he deserved the verdict he received. 

"An explosive ordnance expert testified that the material found in the possession of the defendant is used to manufacture explosives and it is dangerous," court papers added.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab and Nayef Samarat.

AMMAN — Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) on Tuesday welcomed the first chartered plane carrying 179 French tourists, marking the launch of an “air bridge” linking Amman with Lyon, Paris and Toulouse.

This tourism “air bridge”, the first of its kind, is the result of the Jordan Tourism Board's (JTB) efforts towards attracting low-cost regular and transit flights from various countries to QAIA and King Hussein Airport in Aqaba, JTB Managing Director Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat was quoted as saying in a  JTB statement on Wednesday.

The board is working on attracting more direct flights to Amman and Aqaba, which serve as gateways to the Kingdom's tourist and archaeological sites, he added, noting that such tourist trips would increase the number of arrivals from France, as well as other EU countries.

Arabiyat expressed the JTB's keenness to create "healthy" competitiveness in aviation industry in the direction of economic prosperity through attracting new investments and promoting the Jordanian tourism market.

Touching on tourism revitalisation, Fadi Abu Arish, CEO of Althuraya Travel, a company established in 1998, said that the number of French visitors are expected to contribute 20 per cent of the total number of arrivals to the Kingdom, according to the statement.

Abu Arish added that the company will organise two seven-day trips per week through Amman and Aqaba airports.

AMMAN — Zarqa Private University (ZPU) on Wednesday launched "our students are our responsibility..." initiative, embodying national and educational responsibilities towards the schoolchildren who are most affected by the teachers' strike.

In cooperation with Zarqa's private schools and the governorate's Education Development Centre, the ZPU's initiative will begin on Thursday across Zarqa, in the central region of Jordan, to be implemented through private schools geographically distributed across the governorate, located some 22km northeast of Amman, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The educational initiative will be implemented according to a “definite programme” set by the initiative's committee, including representatives from private schools and local society, Petra said.

In line with the initiative's interest in alleviating students' burdens, the schools of ZPU and other private schools taking part in the campaign have pledged to provide transportation to beneficiaries.

The teachers’ open strike started on Sunday and no agreement has been reached with the government regarding their demand for a 50-per cent pay raise.

The open strike was announced after a sit-in in Amman last Thursday, during which the Jordan Teachers Association claimed violations were committed against its members.

The Public Security Department denied the allegations, but confirmed that 50 teachers were detained during the protest for “illegally forcing their way through to Fourth Circle”.

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) has been working to avoid the reoccurrence of floods similar to those that inundated downtown last winter and brought with them road closures and enormous losses for shop owners.

Last winter’s floods caused huge property losses for citizens and merchants, despite GAM's assertion of its readiness for winter rains.

This year, GAM started early with its preparations to ascertain the infrastructure's preparedness for winter, according to a GAM official.

"Firstly, I guarantee that GAM is always prepared with its maximum capacities,” Basem Tarawneh, Deputy Director for Districts and Environmental Affairs at GAM, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday, stating that last year’s heavy rain was due to climate change, which doesn’t only affect Jordan but also the world.

"Last year's extreme weather conditions caused heavy rain like never before, which the main drainage system's capacity could not absorb," Tarawneh noted.

The main drainage system on Quraysh Street in downtown Amman will be maintained during the current week, while in the meantime subsidiary drainage systems are also being maintained to reduce the pressure on the main drainage system, the official said.

AMMAN — Farmers in the Jordan Valley have voiced their worries about a late planting season and a poor harvest.

According to several farmers, who have expressed their concern to President of the Jordanian Farmers Union Mahmoud Oran, the “green” produce for this year might arrive after September.

“Farmers usually start preparing for the new season in December, but because of the losses that the farmers have endured last season, some started a lot later, and some are still unable to start at all,” he said over the phone on Wednesday.

Oran identified high operating costs and underfunding as the farmers’ main challenges. 

“Many farms until now have not been mowed. That is because a tractor costs JD40 a day, and many will need it for at least a week or more to cover their numerous dunums,” explained the union’s president.

He added, “if you want to hire workers to mow and plow the fields, that is even more expensive, as you will need at least three workers over a period of one week or more, each of whom needs JD25 plus food and transportation. That is JD75 a day at the very least.”

Mansour Abu Ijleh, who works as an agricultural supervisor in Ghour, said that the numerous farms he oversees have planted “less than at least 40 per cent of their usual crops.”

He added: “Big agricultural companies usually fund a farmer based on the percentage he can give them of his produce. Given that many farmers paid significantly less than usual last season, the companies are funding them less as well.”

Lack of funding as well as working hands will “certainly” delay the arrival of local produce to the markets until late October, according to spokesperson of the independent Jordan Valley farmers’ union Hamzeh Syouri.

“This will affect farmers, who will have less income and therefore less to start with for next season. In consequence, it will affect tradesmen and shop owners, who will have to pay more and go through the trouble of bringing in imported produce,” said Syouri.

He continued: “At the end of this reactive chain, there are the citizens, who will ultimately have to pay more for their fruits and vegetables.”

AMMAN — Senate President Feisal Fayez on Wednesday urged the EU to boost its aid and increase investments in Jordan in view of the Kingdom’s services to Syrian refugees and its economic repercussions.

Fayez made his remarks during talks with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, during which he reiterated that the EU must have a greater contribution to regional peace efforts, restoring security and stability and supporting the Palestinian people in achieving their right to statehood, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Talks also went over the importance of activating bilateral agreements and expanding their economic and investment partnership in the fields of public transport, renewable energy and tourism, urging Czech businesspeople to benefit from the Kingdom’s strategic location and the opportunities it offers. 

AMMAN — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti and Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Hidenao Yanagi on Wednesday discussed means to enhance cooperation in a way that serves the interests of both countries’ armed forces.

In a separate meeting, Huneiti met with Pakistani Ambassador to Jordan Junaid Rehmat. The two sides discussed the latest regional and international developments and prospects to increase military cooperation and coordination between Amman and Islamabad, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Also on Wednesday, Huneiti met with Italian Military Attaché Col. Fabrizio Barone over means to enhance cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.  

AMMAN — The Netherland’s embassy in Jordan on Wednesday signed an agreement with the World Bank Group to provide Jordan with $5 million to support the implementation of the Kingdom’s five-year plan to rejuvenate the economy, boost the private sector’s development, attract investment and provide jobs, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The agreement was signed by Dutch Ambassador to the Kingdom Barbara Joziasse, Regional Director of the World Bank’s Mashreq Department Saroj Kumar Jha and Regional Manager of the International Finance Corporation Dalia Wahbeh.

During the signing, Joziasse said: “The Netherlands is a close friend of Jordan and its people. We want to contribute to the achievement of peace and prosperity for every Jordanian; therefore we support the Kingdom’s economic reforms.”

AMMAN — Succeeding in putting Jordan on the world map through establishing a prime position in the global fertiliser market, the Arab Potash Company (APC) has commenced production of the necessary raw materials to meet the developments in protected agriculture technologies, APC’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Jamal  Sarayrah said on Wednesday.

Sarayrah said that the APC's new production approach will contribute immensely to ensuring sustainable sourcing of global agricultural raw materials and coping with the changes in food consumption patterns.

Opening the APC's "Specialty Fertiliser Day", Sarayrah explained that Jordan's leading mining company is always updating its methods and diversifying its products to meet the latest global fertiliser production trends. 

Keeping pace with the latest technologies in fertiliser production and in response to modern agricultural practices, the chairman explained that the APC will apply new feasible methods to achieve three objectives: Diversifying the company's products and increasing its revenues, providing high quality inputs for local and regional small- and medium-sized industries and contributing to environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.

For his part, APC President and CEO Maen Nsour said that the company always seeks excellence not only in its contributions to the national economy but also in its diversified products and continuous search for new advancements and technologies.

Nsour added that the APC and its affiliated companies (the Jordan-Bromine Company and KEMAPCO) have achieved record-breaking sales and production volumes unprecedented in the history of the company.

He noted that the APC's net profits during the first six months of 2019 increased by 48 per cent with a 113-per cent growth in operating profits while the net profits of its affiliated companies have also increased by 135 per cent during the same period.

The CEO also said that the company has set the budget for the feasibility studies on the best utilisation of the "treasures" of the Dead Sea.

The APC has announced that its net profit after taxes, provisions and royalties amounted to JD78.2 million during the first six months of 2019, recording an increase of 48 per cent from the JD52.7 million profits achieved during the same period last year.

The company also said that it has produced a historical record of 1.28 million tonnes of potash during the first half of 2019 compared with 1.21 million tonnes produced during the same period in 2018, while sales during this period also reached a record high of 1.24 million tonnes — an increase of 3.6 per cent over the same period last year.

Moderating the international conference, which saw the participation of scientists and experts in fertilisers from Jordan, China, France, Belgium and Pakistan, professor Sultan Abu Orabi, from Yarmouk University, said: "The Dead Sea is alive and is abounding with minerals that are gold for Jordan and that need to be fully utilised."

AMMAN — Around 35,000 patients of restricted nationalities visited Jordan in the first eight months of this year, President of the Private Hospitals Association Fawzi Hammouri said on Tuesday. 

The total number of foreign patients who visited the Kingdom, including restricted and non-restricted nationalities, stands at around 160,000 patients, Hammouri told The Jordan Times, referring to the relaxation of restrictions since May to encourage medical tourism in Jordan.

The amended regulations governing the issuance of medical treatment visas were published in the Official Gazette and came into force in mid-May, in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 of the Residency and Foreigners Affairs Law No. 3 of 1997 and its amendments. 

The amendments also apply to those of restricted nationalities who seek treatment in Jordan.

Under the decision, approved by the Cabinet, patients of restricted nationalities can apply for visas through the websites of the Interior Ministry, diplomatic missions, airlines, accredited transport operators or licensed travel and tourism companies.

Hammouri said that these amendments have “revitalised” the medical and health sectors, increasing the Kingdom’s medical tourism revenues. 

He also urged the concerned authorities to promote all kinds of tourism, especially medical tourism, such as the Jordan Tourism Board’s specialised unit designated to promote and develop the medical tourism sector. 

“We have the Dead Sea and Maeen hot springs among many areas that tourists can visit for medical purposes,” Hammouri added.