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AMMAN — Ruseifa police on Monday arrested a suspect wanted for murdering a guest worker in the village of Abu Sayah, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted a security source as saying.

The 35-year-old victim worked at a brick factory in the village and had financial arguments with another guest worker who allegedly killed him last Thursday and fled the crime scene.

Investigations led to the suspect who was arrested and later confessed to the murder and was referred to the judiciary. 

AMMAN — Constitutional Court President Taher Hikmat on Monday left for an official visit to Bahrain upon an invitation from President of the Constitutional Court Sheikh Khalifa Bin Rashid Al Khalifa , in order to discuss bilateral cooperation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the four-day visit, Hikmat is scheduled to meet with Sheikh Khalifa, court members and officials from the Bahraini Supreme Judicial Council. 

AMMAN — The Ministry of Public Sector Development announced on Monday that it had completed a project to enhance the capabilities of human resources (HR) units in the ministries of health, agriculture, public works and housing, as well as the General Supplies Department.

The ministry has so far improved the capacity of HR units in 20 ministries and public departments since 2015, Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh noted in a ministry statement. 

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) civil panel on Monday sentenced two defendants with eight years imprisonment and hard labour after being convicted with criminal conspiracy in what is known as the “meal case”.

The SSC also decided to refer a third suspect to the SSC prosecutor general for lack of competence since the suspect was a minor at the time of committing the crime, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The two suspects, who have criminal records, and the minor headed to a restaurant in Tlaa Al Ali, where they mugged and killed a man carrying a meal. 

AMMAN — The fifth international conference for “Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Desert Areas” kicked off on Monday at the University of Jordan.

Inaugurated by HRH Prince Hamzah, the conference will discuss issues related to renewable energy and challenges facing investments in the sector, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. UJ caretaker President Azmi Mahafza said the university realised a long-time ago the importance of energy, water and environment issues and inserted related subjects into its curricula.

Scientific Research Support Fund Director General Abdullah Zu’bi said that referring to untraditional energy sources has become an inevitable option due to the regional situation, Petra added.

AMMAN — Social Development Minister Reem Abu Hassan on Monday met with Qatari ambassador to Jordan, Bandar Al Attiyah, and discussed cooperation in the social development field.

Abu Hassan highlighted the importance of exchanging views and expertise between Jordan and Qatar in the fields of social protection and care. The ambassador praised Jordanian efforts aimed at developing social work, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu discussed over the phone, on Monday, means to build on the outcome of the recent visit by Davutoglu to the Kingdom. 

His Majesty and the Turkish premier also expressed keenness to enhance coordination and consultation between Jordan and Turkey over bilateral and regional issues, according to a Royal Court statement. 

The telephone call also tackled the latest developments in the Middle East, the statement added.

Davutoglu paid an official visit to the Kingdom in late March, during which he met with King Abdullah and discussed common challenges and ways to safeguard mutual interests.

The Turkish official also met with Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, and held talks that focussed on means to enhance bilateral relations in various fields.

Davutoglu’s visit witnessed the signing of several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding in the transport, investment and industrial sectors, among others.

AMMAN – Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Monday said that Jordan is proud of its achievements in fighting corruption as no cases or “even rumours” have been detected over the past five years, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Addressing a gathering of Iraqi businesspeople and politicians, Ensour said that the government is ready to offer facilities and incentives to Iraqi investors, noting that integrity is part of the business environment in the Kingdom.

The premier said that the banking sector in Jordan is strong and safe, highlighting the resilience of the Kingdom's economy.    

On Sunday, the Parliament endorsed the 2015 draft integrity and anti-corruption law, under which abuse of public office, ill-gained fortunes, bribery, "wasta" (using personal connections to obtain favours or posts) and other practices that are classified as corruption.

Also under the law, people can file complaints against public agencies for their failure to comply with the principles of the National Integrity Charter.

The Iraqi delegation included members of the Iraqi Business Council in Amman, members of the Iraqi parliament and representatives of the private sector in the neighbouring country, according to Petra. 

Chairman of the Iraqi Business Council Majid Saedi thanked Jordan for supporting the Iraqi businesspeople and investors, adding that the gathering of the Iraqi businesspeople seeks to set up what he termed as the Iraqi Economy Forum that aims at unifying the efforts of the Iraqi private sector to deal with economic challenges facing Iraq, particularly the consequences of the sharp drop in international oil prices.

AMMAN – Border Guards on Sunday foiled an infiltration attempt by two “foreign” persons who were trying to cross from Jordan into a neighbouring country, an official source at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said Monday.

Border Guards executed rules of engagement taken in such cases, arrested the suspects and referred them to the concerned authorities, the source said.

Also on Monday, the army said Border Guards received 203 Syrian refugees during the previous 24 hours. The troops transferred the refugees to shelters and camps, and Royal Medical Services personnel treated the injured, according to an army statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

AMMAN — Jordan’s exports to Iraq in 2015 stood at $690 million compared to $1.16 billion in 2014, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Monday. 

During a meeting held on Sunday at the headquarters of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC), the Jordanian-Iraqi Business Council recommended enhancing economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries.

The council said there are many ways for cooperation in fields of commerce, agriculture and exporting through the Aqaba Port, stressing the importance of opening the Tureibil border crossing to facilitate the flow of Jordanian exports, as goods currently go through Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and then Basra. 

The meeting was headed by JCC President Nael Kabariti and Chairman of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce Jaafar Al Hamadani.

The business council discussed establishing a free trade zone between the two countries and activating the executive programme of the memorandum of understanding signed in 2010 between the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organisation and the Central Organisation for Standardisation and Quality Control in Iraq, in order to facilitate exports to both countries. 

The attendees also highlighted the importance of increasing the volume of Iraqi goods imported through the Aqaba Port as well as holding trade exhibitions in both countries and organising an annual Jordanian-Iraqi investment forum, Petra said. 

Kabariti said economic challenges facing the Kingdom in light of the political events in the region require working to support mutual economic interests to increase commercial exchange by removing all obstacles hindering bilateral trade. 

Hamadani said commercial exchange between Jordan and Iraq was “gravely affected” because of military operations and because of the terrorist group Daesh, commending Jordan’s efforts under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah in supporting Iraq to combat terrorism.

Hamadani indicated that the value of Iraqi investments in Jordan are around  $15 billion, noting that the Kingdom is also home to more than 22,000 Iraqi merchants.

Moreover, Hamadani urged Iraqi investors  and businesspeople to benefit from the investment environment the Kingdom offers and called for facilitating the process of giving visas to Iraqis who visit Jordan for tourism and medical treatment.