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AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Tuesday expressed condolences over the death of former MP Falah Qudah, who died on Monday.

Tarawneh paid tribute to Qudah’s efforts and achievements during his tenure in the 14th Lower House, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

AMMAN — The Public Works Ministry and the government of China on Tuesday signed an agreement under which the latter will provide $30 million towards the expansion of the Salt road linking Subaihi and Ardah intersections.

The 12.5 km-long road will be expanded to a two-way road with four lanes, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Public Works Minister Falah Omoush, during the signing ceremony, expressed appreciation to the Chinese government for its continuous support, highlighting that the upgrade will serve various sectors including transportation, tourism and mainly agriculture. 

AMMAN — Exports of the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) grew to hit some JD3 billion during the January-August period, the chamber announced on Tuesday.

According to data provided by the chamber, the value of the ACI’s exports in the first eight months of 2019 totalled JD2.989 billion, compared with JD2.726 billion registered in the same period of 2018.  India, Saudi Arabia, the US and Iraq accounted for more than half of the value of the exports, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The mining sector had JD786 million in exports, chemical and cosmetic products accounted for JD623million and medical supplies accounted for JD374 million. Exports from the leather and garment sectors were valued at JD334 million, while the agricultural sector exported produce worth JD294 million, according to the ACI’s data.

AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is continuing with the follow-up on the arrest of Jordanian Hiba Abdul Baqi by Israeli authorities as the Jordanian consul in Tel Aviv on Tuesday visited her for a second time since her arrest, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sufian Qudah said.

He noted that the ministry will continue to follow up on the case with the Israeli authorities to get the details surrounding the arrest and the legal action to be taken against Abdul Baqi, adding that it will work towards her release, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Monday approved a draft by-law on the permit fees of non-Jordanian workers. In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Labour Minister Nidal Bataineh said the by-law seeks to unify work-permit fees for various sectors to become JD500.

The minister added that the by-law will set new fees as a “reformative measure” to the labour sector.

Under the new system, two new categories of work permits will be issued. The first is for daily wage labourers (free permit) issued within the agricultural and construction sectors as well as for loading.

The second type of permit will be for workers with “sepcialised skills”. The free permit for the agricultural and construction sectors will cost JD1,500 and JD2,000 respectively. For a specialised skills labour permit cost will be JD2,500 per year, according to Petra. 

AMMAN — The Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) on Monday announced that its personnel documented a total of 1,448 electricity thefts in August, raising the number of electricity theft cases during the first eight months of the year to 12,124. 

In a statement to The Jordan Times, EMRC Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiyari said that the commission detected 6,758 cases of electricity theft while security bodies and the electricity distribution companies found the rest.

Hiyari added that 2,285 electricity theft lawsuits were filed during the January-August period, with courts issuing final rulings on 1,163 cases, according to the statement. If convicted, those charged with electricity theft could face imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine ranging from JD2,000 to JD10,000, or both.

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs Jumana Ghunaimat on Monday said the government seeks to develop the performance of media departments at ministries and public institutions to achieve greater transparency. 

Ghunaimat’s remarks were made during a meeting with a number of media spokespeople at ministries and public institutions, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

Media spokespersons are responsible for delivering information from their respective ministries to media organisations and the public, Ghunaimat said, pointing to the importance of cooperation between ministerial spokespeople on mutual issues and the unification of official stances during times of crisis. 

She stressed the part of official spokespeople in providing information to the public “quickly and transparently”, especially during emergencies and crises to curb the spread of rumours. 

Ghunaimat shed light on the “Haggak Tiraf” (“your right to know”) online platform in serving that purpose, according to Petra. 

The role of spokespeople at ministries and public bodies goes beyond the media and covers communication with citizens to address their issues. 

AMMAN — A total of 38 imams and preachers working at the Awqaf Ministry and Iftaa departments at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies on Monday received His Majesty King Abdullah’s makruma to help clerics intending to get married. 

Royal Court Chief Yousef Issawi, head of the follow-up committee for the implementation of Royal initiatives, handed the makruma (Royal benefaction) to the beneficiaries who were deemed to have met the set criteria, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

A total of 465 imams and preachers have benefitted from this Royal initiative since its establishment in 2003 as part of His Majesty’s appreciation for their efforts in spreading the teachings of Islam and embedding its values of forgiveness and respect. 

During a celebration held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Mosque, Issawi said that imams and preachers promote a “noble message” and play a role in maintaining mosques, pointing to their “great responsibility” to provide guidance and spread values of solidarity, kindness and mercy. 

The Royal Court chief highlighted King Abdullah’s pride in the efforts of imams and preachers and the constant attention he pays to their issues with the aim of enabling them to fulfil their duties, according to Petra.  

AMMAN — The Ministry of Local Administration has signed a technical assistance contract funded by the European Union (EU).

Under the patronage of Minister of Local Administration Walid Masri, the contract was signed between the Ministry of Local Administration (MoLA) and a consortium comprised of LDK Consultants (Greece), Egis Group (France) and Engicon (Jordan), according to a ministry statement. 

The technical assistance is instrumental to support the MoLA in implementing the Solid Waste Management Project funded by the EU through a 53-million-euro grant, the statement said.

The management of this grant is delegated to the French Agency for Development (AFD). The AFD will work hand in hand with the MoLA for the construction and rehabilitation of solid waste transfer and treatment facilities in priority areas. This includes Ekaider and Husseynyat landfills in the northern governorates of Jordan.

The service contract will provide direct technical support to the MoLA’s solid waste management department through a comprehensive team of experts, the statement said.

It will also provide a comprehensive capacity-building programme for the department and the main stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Environment and the concerned Joint Services Councils, the statement said.

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a December State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to three years in jail for possessing and trafficking illicit drugs in Mafraq in July of last year.

The SSC also ordered the defendant to pay JD3,000 in fines.

Court papers said that the defendant and two other accomplices, who did not appeal their verdicts, were "known drug dealers and had relationships with dealers from Lebanon and Syria".

The three men decided to make quick cash by selling Captagon pills in the Kingdom, according to court documents.

However, Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) personnel were informed about the defendants' intentions almost 20 days before they were captured and "that they were getting ready to receive a large shipment of the illegal narcotics from Syria", court transcripts said.

On July 8, court papers said, the AND tasked a group of undercover agents to monitor the defendant and the accomplices and they arrested them, according to court documents.

Upon searching them, the court papers added, they found illegal pills and hashish in their possession.

"The defendants confessed that they were intending to sell the illegal drugs in the local market," court documents added.

The SSC's general attorney 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 contested the interrogation procedures asking to be declared innocent because “the SSC relied on weak evidence and testimonies and the SSC prosecutor failed to provide solid evidence to implicate the defendant”.

Nonetheless, the higher court maintained that the SSC followed proper proceedings in the issuance of the sentence against the defendant.

The Court of Cassation bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab and Nayef Samarat.