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AMMAN – A personal experience and the grim situation of women’s education in the region inspired Laura Boushnak to start a photo documentary about the female education in the region. 

Her project, dubbed “I read, I write”, presents how women took advantage of the solutions they received to make their situation better in the field of education, Boushnak said. 

“My project is about Arab women using education to reach their aspirations and dreams. I worked in six countries, namely, Egypt, Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia,” she told The Jordan Times in a recent interview in Amman. 

Boushnak believes that education is the most important aspect in life, especially for women, citing a UN report that gives a gloomy picture of reality. For example, she said, 50 per cent of Arab women are illiterate. 

“I decided to go deep in this topic but at the same time I did not want to focus on the negative side of it. I wanted to photograph women who have taken advantage of education opportunities to better their lives,” she recounted. 

The women who Boushnak photographs write their personal reflections on these photos. 

“A woman wrote that she decided to learn because she received a letter from her son and she was not able to read it,” she added.  

Her project is showcased at F.AD.A 317 in Jabal Amman as part of the Image Festival, organised by Darat Al Tasweer, in Amman and will be open until April 30. 

A Palestinian born in Kuwait, Boushnak has seen her photographs published in The New York Times, The Guardian, the National Geographic and Le Monde. 

The photos are presented along with works done by female photographers who are all working individually under the umbrella of the all-female group called Rawiya, which is a collective of photographers from the Middle East presenting an insider’s view of a region, reflecting on social and political issues and stereotypes. 

Tanya Habouqa, another member of Rawiya whose work is also on display at the same gallery, said the concept of her project is “occupied pleasures”, based on interviews and conversations she was involved in when she was engaged in a project about the women of Gaza. 

“I was interviewing women and through women I was accessing all society and it was a way of analysing the effect of the [Israeli] siege and other things,” she told The Jordan Times in a recent interview. 

She recalled meeting a Gazan who smuggled his wife through a tunnel and when she went to meet them, the wife was not there. 

“He told me that he fell in love with his wife, who came from Jordan, after meeting her over Skype. The Israelis and Egyptians denied her entry and the only way was through the tunnels,” she said. 

Therefore, Habouqa started working on her photo project, which won the prestigious world press photo in 2014. 

The works of the Jordanian artist highlight gender, social and human rights issues in the Middle East. 

“It [the project] has gone everywhere and these photos are like a window into the lifestyle of Palestinians and the challenges they face and it was received with great appreciation,” she added. 

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) military panel on Wednesday issued its ruling in what is known as "the Aqaba cocaine smuggling" case, which involved six suspects, two of whom are at large. 

The panel sentenced the first, second and third suspects to 15 years with hard labour and a fine of JD20,000 each, after convicting them of importing drugs for trafficking purposes, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The SSC charged the fourth suspect of possessing drugs for doping, and sentenced him to two-year imprisonment and JD3,000 fine for each charge, making the final sentence four-year imprisonment and JD6,000 fine.

The fifth and sixth suspect were declared innocent for lack of evidence, and the court decided to confiscate the drugs and other seized items in the case, Petra reported.

In April 2014, the convicts imported a container comprising 314 kilogrammes of cocaine from Colombia; the first suspect used an import card which belonged to the sixth suspect to complete clearance procedures through a clearance office at the Aqaba Container Terminal.

Afterwards, the container was sent to a warehouse in Amman's Bayader area belonging to the first suspect before dividing the shipment into small parcels to be stored in an apartment in Tlaa Al Ali owned by the fourth suspect.

Responding to tips, the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) received in May, 2014, the first and second suspects were apprehended and the fourth suspect's apartment was raided, where agents found the cocaine, according to Petra.

In a related development, AND  announced Tuesday that its agents arrested 13 suspects of drug dealing during 11 raids they carried out on houses in the capital's Sahab neighbourhood, a Public Security Department (PSD) statement said Wednesday, also responding to a tip. 

Searching the suspects' residences, AND agents found hashish, synthetic cannabis (locally known as "joker") which were ready for sale, the PSD said, adding that the AND personnel also found and two firearms. 

During the second half of March, AND personnel arrested 122 suspects in drug dealing cases. 

In that period, AND agents confiscated 17kg of hashish, 9kg of synthetic cannabis, 13,000 Captagon pills, and 105,000 illegal narcotic pills and medical products, in addition to 21 firearms and ammunition.

One of the major cases was a raid on a suspected dealer’s house in Zarqa, who was arrested with possession of 11kg of hashish. AND agents also arrested a suspect in Sahab, who was in possession of 80,000 narcotic pills.

AMMAN — A motorist, who allegedly tied a dog and dragged him with his car on the Amman-Irbid Highway, on Wednesday was referred to the prosecutor for legal action, police said.

The suspect was arrested hours after a video went viral showing a man in a dark green car driving slowly on the right side of the road and dragging a live dog tied with a rope to the back Pumper of the vehicle.

“We have detained the motorist and referred him to Jerash prosecutor for further legal action,” Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

Sartawi added that the motorist claimed that he owned the dog for protection but “the animal had rabies and was attacking his children and decided to get rid of him”.

“It is now in the hand of the judiciary,” the police official told The Jordan Times.

The Jordanian Penal Code stipulates a week imprisonment and a JD5 in fine for anyone who abuses animals by either negligence, deprivation from food, beating and torturing, and using old animals or animals that cannot perform certain duties.

Journalist Ziad Nuseirat posted on his Facebook page a video clip saying “a sad scene on the Irbid highway”.

Dozens of people reacted to his video clip voicing their dismay and outrage. Naser Atrash wrote: “This is cruelty and this man should be imprisoned.”

Margaret Ledger, the founder and director of the Humane Centre for Animal Welfare (HCAW), said animal abusers are getting away with their actions because of “weak legal persecution and laws”.

“We have drafted a law that introduces stricter punishment and tougher laws to address animal cruelty but no action has been taken from any party,” Ledger told The Jordan Times.

The activist added that anyone can kill or torture an animal and “never be charged”.

“Anyone who harms animals will eventually end up harming human beings.  We have to keep this in mind,” Ledger argued.

The HCAW was established in 2000 to treat large and small animals as well as working towards changing the attitudes of people towards the environment and animal protection.

Their work focuses on child education from the age of 2 to 20, according to Ledger.

AMMAN — Parents of autistic children and supporters arranged on Tuesday a walk to raise awareness in autism.

Run Jordan, an NGO that supports philanthropic activities through staging charity runs, organised the event in partnership with Concept Plus Centre to mark the Autism Awareness Day, under the patronage of Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji. 

Under the slogan #Lets_unite_for_them, the walk was attended by parents of autistic children, diplomats and local residents supporting autism awareness, according to a statement by Run Jordan.      

The organisation’s general manager, Lina El Kurd was quoted as saying: “By partnering with CPC, we are promoting autism awareness which, in turn, leads to early diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of autism — a disorder that affects an estimated 70 million people worldwide.”

According to web sources, autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that involves abnormal development and function of the brain. 

People with autism show decreased social communication skills and restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviors or interests.

There are no statistics for autism in Jordan and no government-funded centres to deal with these cases.

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognised day on the 2nd of April every year, encouraging member states of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about children with autism throughout the world. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 62/139.

AMMAN — Despite existing interdependencies between energy and water, decision makers, planning institutions and the scientific research community are still analysing both sectors separately, experts said on Wednesday.

Weakness in research in the water-energy nexus holds particularly true for the West Asia North Africa (WANA) region, where research in the related risks of energy and water supply is still at an early stage, the experts noted, arguing that this weakness should be addressed urgently as the region is strongly affected by the water-energy-nexus issue.

The Jordanian, German and international experts in water, energy, environment and sustainable development warned that failing to reflect on the interdependencies between the water and energy sectors would lead to contradicting strategies.

They made the remarks during the Water-Energy-Nexus: Integrated Energy and Water Planning in the WANA Region Conference, which was organised by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy and the WANA Institute.

Integrated water and energy planning is a core element to contribute to sustainable development, particularly in the WANA region, Wuppertal Institute Vice President Manfred Fischedick said.

He noted that coal power plants account for 7 per cent of water withdrawal globally, adding that the figure is set to double within the next 20 years.

"Renewable [renewable energy sources], especially wind and photovoltaic, provide a solution for tomorrow's water resource challenges and address climate change as they need less water resources for operation," Fischedick said.

Underscoring that there is a strong need for a holistic approach for water, energy and climate change, Fischedick also noted that there is a missing experience on how does integrated water and energy planning and policies look like, proposing mapping and assessing of existing national water-energy nexus strategies and policies, as well as incorporating the water-intensity of energy technologies into the decision-making process when shaping future energy systems.

Studies indicate that the region's already existing water gap will increase to almost 200 billion cubic metres per year by 2050, according to organisers of the event, who noted that electricity demand induced by the projected water demand increase is considered in very few power scenarios. 

However, organisers said that research has shown that the projected expansion in the region's water gap will lead to an additional electricity demand of up to 40 per cent.

HRH Prince Hassan, Chairman of WANA Institute, called for focusing on the energy-water-human dignity nexus.

"I believe that human dignity is central to any future thinking in terms of security and stabilisation. We heard so much in terms of security and weapons of mass destruction, security and the war on terror, but what about the empowerment and the enablement of citizens to feel that they are stakeholders in their future," Prince Hassan said.

He raised a question during the opening of the event on "how can we create a carrying capacity in this region when we have no knowledge-base in terms of human resources".

Meanwhile, German Ambassador to Jordan Birgitta Siefker-Eberle said that the water and energy sectors are challenging for countries in the region and especially for Jordan.

"Jordan is one of the most water scarce countries in the world and have been facing an increasing pressure on its resources due to the growing population in the context of the refugee crisis as well as due to the consequences of climate change," the ambassador said.

At the same time, Jordan is highly dependent on the import of energy, she added, citing estimates that 97 per cent of Jordan's energy is based on foreign import.

"Obviously this presents a major burden on the national economy," Siefker-Eberle said. She noted that while electricity generation in Jordan is almost entirely based on imported fossil fuel, managing water supplies with more energy efficiency would directly result in decreasing energy demand, CO2 emissions as well as costs.

During last year, national water demand stood at 1.205 billion cubic metres, while supply stood at 972mcm, according to figures from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, which also showed that the water deficit last year was 233mcm.

The cost of electricity for pumping water stood at JD141 million in 2014, which constituted to 45 per cent of the operation and maintenance cost that year, according to the ministry's 2016-2025 National Water Strategy, which indicated that the use of renewable energy technologies will be expanded to protect the environment and control fluctuating energy cost in the water sector.

“By 2025, energy consumption at water utilities will be cut by 15 per cent, while renewable energy’s contribution to the water sector’s energy supply will be raised to 10 per cent,” the strategy said.

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Wednesday discussed bilateral relations in separate meetings with Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Hamad Al Duaij and EU Ambassador to Jordan Andrea Matteo Fontana, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Tarawneh said that Jordan is interested in boosting relations with Arab, regional and international parliaments, adding that the House is an active member in different unions, societies and parliamentary panels.

The two meetings covered issues of mutual interest, especially in regard to the conditions in the region and their repercussions on Jordan. 

AMMAN — Justice Minister Bassam Talhouni has met with his French counterpart Jean-Jacques Urvoas, and discussed means to boost legal and judicial cooperation between the two countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported Wednesday.

The meeting, held during a recent official visit by Talhouni to France, also tackled ongoing developments in the region and their impact at the local, regional and international levels.

Talhouni highlighted the ministry's achievements over the past years in training judges, computerising courts, enhancing institutional capabilities and developing new judicial techniques.

For his part, the French minister voiced his country's keenness to maintain cooperation with Jordan in all fields in a way that serves both countries' mutual interests, according to Petra.

AMMAN — King’s Academy will host its second annual Jordan Model Parliament (JMP) conference for two days April 7-9 during which 300 students from King's and schools across Jordan will discuss and propose solutions to some of the country’s most pressing issues, as well as those affecting the region.

“This is an opportunity for people from different social and economic backgrounds to come together to discuss important issues and come up with ideas for real solutions,” said a student and head of the JMP secretariat Amr Almghawish.

Delegates will represent 22 private and public schools from across the Kingdom, including a special needs school.

AMMAN — Thirty one students, two teachers and a bus driver were injured on Wednesday when their school bus overturned in Iraq Al Amir while heading to Marj Al Hamam’s Wadi Al Shita area for a school trip, according to the Civil Defence Department (CDD).

West Amman CDD personnel administered first aid to the injured before transferring them to the King Hussein Medical Centre and Bashir Hospital, according to a CDD statement, which added the injured were listed in fair condition. Jiza District Education Director Salem Sharaideh told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that all the students, from Irmail secondary school for girls, left the hospital later in the day, except two who stayed for further observation.

AMMAN — The Civil Status and Passports Department (CSPD) has issued 25,781 identification cards to children of Jordanian women married to foreigners since last week, said Malek Khasawneh, CSPD’s public relations director, on Wednesday.

He added that CSPD announced the names of Jordanian women’s children who received ID’s on its website (http://www.cspd.gov.jo), noting the IDs will be handed over to Jordanian mothers married to foreigners, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Khasawneh urged mothers to bring the identification certificates and their own IDs with them.