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AMMAN – Anti-Narcotic Department (AND) personnel have arrested 124 suspected drug dealers, who were reportedly involved in 28 cases, since the beginning of March, a Public Security Department statement said Saturday.

AND personnel confiscated 16kg of synthetic cannabis (locally known as “joker”), 12kg of hashish, 13,000 pills of Captagon, 5,000 other illegal pills and 13 different weapons, the statement added.

AMMAN — A local NGO concerned with providing care to parents of autistic children and an international organisation specialised in using video modelling to improve language and skill development for children with disabilities are coordinating their efforts in Jordan to bring this therapy to the region.

US-based Gemiini Systems has agreed to grant the Society for the Care of Gifted Autistic Children 25 scholarships, along with related training and technical assistance to introduce its signature intervention techniques to Jordan after a "track record of success" following 14 years of research and development, according to a joint statement released Saturday.

Using an Internet-based library of 60,000 videos, this intervention will be available to hospitals and disability clinics across the Arab world, and it can be used for as many hours of treatment a patient needs.

In most cases, families can be supervised to use the therapy in the privacy of their own homes.

The programme, which is expected to start this summer, will be first offered to children that benefit from the services of the society, and then expanded throughout the region, the statement said.

“This is part of our efforts to acquire the latest and most effective methods in treating children diagnosed with autism," said the society's president, Yousef Damra.

He added that the collaboration with Gemiini was the outcome of networking facilitated by the Ministry of Social Development.

"Researchers have known for decades that video modelling can lead to dramatic gains in language and skill development for children with disabilities. Over 300 studies confirm its power," said Gemiini co-founder, Brian Kasbar, who is a parent of three children with autism.

“In the United States, it is scientific consensus that the earlier we get such therapy to children, the greater the progress,” the statement quoted him as saying, but older children have benefited as well.

Kasbar stated that a 2014 study co-authored by the director of clinical psychology at Princeton University showed strong and lasting gains in speech, articulation and reading skills in young adults.

The company is finalising its Arabic language programme, according to Taymour Delane, who is a Jordanian national and is Gemiini director of operations in the MENA region.

“Jordan was a natural choice for us,” said Gemiini Vice-Chairman Pamela Phillips.

"The Hashemite Kingdom has been a global leader in serving those with disabilities. Jordan is also known to be a centre for medical tourism and innovation; we have found the researchers and specialists in Amman to be world-class,” the statement quoted her as saying.

Gemiini is collaborating with local experts to make sure the programme is tailored to meet the needs of the region, the statement said. 

Mohammed Dalhoum, director of the Autism Academy of Jordan, will train and oversee the specialists who help Jordanian families.

“[This] will be good for the Kingdom in many ways. Not only will families get the help they need, but Gemiini’s centre of specialists in Amman will serve the Arabic speaking world and bring hundreds or even thousands of professional jobs to Amman,” the statement quoted him as saying.

AMMAN — Organisers of a local campaign have launched a hands-on educational and reward initiative at orphanages to promote environmental awareness and dental hygiene among 200 orphans.

Mona Naffa, director of the Monaco Business Development, the creators of the Jordanian Healthy Habits Campaign, said on Saturday they decided to work with orphans after finding out that oral and dental hygiene is "neglected" at orphanages, according to a statement from the initiative. 

More orphans will be targeted if the team secures more funds from local sponsors, the statement said.

The campaign educates young Jordanians, and their mothers and guardians on using simple skills to deal with trash and personal hygiene. It was launched at the beginning of the year. 

Organisers sought the assistance of a private dental clinic in Amman to run dental and oral health examination and education at local orphanages, the statement quoted Naffa as saying. 

Researching the issue further, they found "alarming statistics" showing low sales of tooth brushes and toothpaste throughout the country.

“In addition to the need for more dental awareness, there was a request by most of the orphanage houses for recycle and environment awareness education,” said Naffa.

The Healthy Habits Campaign includes two aspects in the training. 

One is a hands-on training component and support for teachers. The other is several months of education for young people and their guardians, which ends in two months. 

At the end of May, a reward is offered to those who complete the educational phase successfully, with a "fun day at the Dead Sea which includes team building, sports, and a healthy lunch", the statement said.

The team will engage in additional rounds of funding to support more children after summer and the reward to follow in October/November, with the campaign ending December 2016.

Naffa and her team said they are grateful for the assistance of their partners and corporate sponsors who are investing in Jordan’s youth.  

“We only fail if we don’t try. Together we can make a difference and it all starts with educating our youth one child at a time.”

AMMAN — The Lower House Integrity Committee has decided to ask the Constitutional Court to rule on the constitutionality of the Chamber's monitoring of municipalities, including the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). 

Informed parliamentary sources told The Jordan Times on Saturday that Integrity Committee Chair MP Amjad Al Khattab (Maan, 1st District) has already asked the House presidency to send the question to the Constitutional Court.

The sources added that the "refusal" of GAM's officials to attend House committee meetings was the reason behind the panel's move.

In previous House sessions, several MPs criticised Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji for ignoring their requests to meet with parliamentary panels.

MP Yihya Saud (Amman, 2nd District) has charged that Biltaji has disregarded three invitations by the Palestine Committee to discuss the conditions of the Hussein, Wihdat and Nasr refugee camps for Palestinian refugees.

Dismayed also over the mayor’s failure to attend House committee meetings, Deputy Zakariya Sheikh (Islamic Centrist Party list) described Biltaji as an “immune figure”, wondering why Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour is not obliging him to cooperate with lawmakers.

Without giving further details, head of GAM's legal affairs department, Samar Hiyari, acknowledged the House's and Audit Bureau's monitoring over the municipality. 

"The dispute is over the measures," Hiyari noted.

Other GAM officials declined to comment. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday sent a cable of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the victims of a flydubai passenger aircraft that crashed in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don earlier in the day.

Most of the passengers on board the aircraft, which was flying from Dubai to Russia, were Russians.  In the cable, the King expressed his deepest sympathies over the incident, according to a Royal Court statement.

On Friday, King Abdullah sent a cable of condolences to Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud over the passing of Prince Bandar Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. His Majesty extended his sympathies to the Saudi king and people, according to another Royal Court statement.

AMMAN — Palestinian Awqaf Minister Yousef Ideis on Saturday praised Jordan’s actions in the wake of the bus accident in which 16 Palestinians died while on their way to perform umra (the lesser Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca). 

He thanked the Jordanian government and people for their support. On Friday, Senate President Faisal Fayez sent a cable of condolences over the incident to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The pilgrims’ bus overturned near the Mudawara border crossing, injuring 34 and killing 16, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hassan, president of the Arab Thought Forum, on Friday explained that the challenges facing the Middle East require different policies that place “human dignity” at the forefront.

Delivering a speech during the inauguration of a training course by the Mosaic Programme for Young Leaders, the prince described young people as a major component in building societies and bringing about change, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

AMMAN — New regulations are aimed at organising the use of horses and camels at the Petra Archaeological Park and to stiffen penalties against riders that harass tourists, an official said Saturday.

Under a by-law recently published in the Official Gazette, animals used for transporting visitors in areas difficult to navigate in cars will be examined by a vet to insure that they are healthy, and each riding-animal will be given a number for follow up purposes.

Furthermore, the regulations entail that riders and keepers of riding-animals and animal-drawn carriages have a clean record, be free of diseases and commit to wearing a uniform. In addition, riders have to be Jordanian residents of the area and over 18.

Riders are required to commit to prices and weights assigned by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) and are prohibited to ask for a tip. They are also required to maintain the hygiene of the animals they use.

They are banned from running or racing in the designated area.

PDTRA Chief Commissioner Mohammad Abbas Nawafleh told The Jordan Times in a phone interview on Saturday that the move seeks to improve the quality of services at the park, adding that the authority often receives complaints related to this issue, and these regulations are aimed at addressing them.

Nawafleh noted that early next month the PDTRA is scheduled to start implementing a dress code system, which obligates service providers, tour guides and riders to wear vests with different colours.

“It will make it easier for the visitors to identify them and easier for us to penalise violators,” he said, noting that penalties will include deductions from the fixed allocations of service providers, and may reach the confiscation of licences.

The chief commissioner said authorities will distribute a questionnaire to visitors to evaluate their experience throughout the tour in the park.

The park, which provides services in cooperation with some 10 associations, has around 150 local tour guides and 80 working carts out of  a total of 353, many of which are no longer in use due to the drop in the number of tourists, he said.

Nawafleh explained that February this year witnessed a 38 per cent decrease in the number of visitors compared to the same month last year.

In 2010 the number of visitors to Petra almost reached a million, but it dropped over the years due to regional unrest, reaching under 400,000 in 2015.

Around 1,350 donkeys and horses transport visitors in the ancient Nabataean city, 235km south of Amman, in areas difficult to navigate in cars. 

AMMAN — Surveillance cameras will be installed at Al Aqsa Mosque in the coming few days to cover the courtyards of Al Haram Al Sharif, Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani said Friday.

In remarks to Jordan Television, Momani, who is also minister of state for media affairs and communications, said no cameras will be installed in prayer areas in the mosque because the goal is to record any Israeli violations.

The Jerusalem Awqaf Department, affiliated with the Awqaf Ministry, will be in charge of the cameras, which will cover an area of 144 dunums, through a control room, he noted, stressing the legal, moral and religious importance of this step, aimed at safeguarding holy sites against Israeli transgressions.

By installing the cameras, Jordan seeks to document these violations and enable 1.7 billion Muslims to follow what is happening in the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest shrine, on the Internet, Momani said, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The minister also reaffirmed that Jordan sees Islamic and Christian shrines as a red line, stressing that the state will utilise all the resources at its disposal to translate this stance on safeguarding holy sites.

The cameras, he explained, were bought and examined by qualified engineers, and the installation will be monitored through field reports submitted regularly by Jerusalem Awqaf Department employees to ensure that all are doing their job as required.

The spokesperson dismissed as baseless any claims charging that the cameras will be used to detain steadfast Jerusalemites, stressing that Israel has its own cameras and drones to monitor Al Haram Al Sharif.

Moreover, Jewish extremists have expressed their opposition of Jordan’s installation of cameras, because their purpose is to document any violations and hold Israel responsible before the international community for these actions, according to Momani.

The cameras will help Jordan politically, diplomatically and legally if it needs to resort to international law in the event of any Israeli violations of Al Haram Al Sharif, the minister added, describing the cameras as a tool for unequivocal evidence to dismiss Israel’s constant claims that it is not responsible for violations and incursions into Al Aqsa.

Jordan, he said, is confident that the international law and community are on its side as it works to prevent Israel from desecrating Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, based on the Hashemite custodianship of these shrines and the rejection of any attempts by Israel — as an occupying force — to introduce any changes to the status quo.

“Israel had always denied responsibility for any storming, laying the blame on the Palestinian side. Therefore, the cameras will expose any claims or attempts to distort the truth,” Momani noted.

He stressed that Al Haram Al Sharif is a purely Islamic waqf, and Israel is the occupying force, noting that Tel Aviv will never be safe if it continues to provoke 1.7 billion Muslims by violating the sanctity of these shrines.

The Kingdom, Momani noted, is spearheading the efforts of the Arab and Muslim nations in defending holy sites in Jerusalem. It has also given to the Palestinian cause more than any other country, citing the Hashemite custodianship of holy sites and the consecutive efforts to restore and renovate Al Aqsa Mosque.

“What matters is to ensure that the Jordanian vision on this issue is clear — be it to the Jordanian public, to our Palestinian brothers and sisters, who are supporting us in this, or to the Muslim world — and it is that the main goal of installing the cameras is to document any Israeli violation and avoid discussions about who is responsible for these transgressions once they occur,” the spokesperson said.

On Saturday, Haj Zaki Ghoul, the last appointed Arab mayor of Jerusalem, commended the move to install cameras in Al Aqsa Mosque complex under the supervision of the Awqaf Ministry. 

He also praised the government's commitment to working to safeguard holy sites in the city, Petra reported.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday returned home from Brussels, where he reached landmark agreements with the union leaders, including simplified rules of origin, a key goal sought in the partnership with Europe, a Royal Court statement said. 

The new rules will go into effect in July for a period of 10 years.

The visit’s outcomes also included an increase in the total size of assistance to Jordan in recognition of its pivotal role in preserving the region's peace and security.

His Majesty also agreed with EU leaders to launch the negotiations on the Jordanian-EU partnership programme for the coming four years.

The deal with NATO entailed expanding the NATO's military support to Jordan through a capacity-building programme. 

Landmark visit and summit meetings

During the two-day visit, His Majesty held a summit meeting with European Union leaders that continued over a working dinner hosted by EU Council President Donald Tusk at the council's headquarters in Brussels.

The meeting was attended by European Parliament President Martin Schulz, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer and several senior European officials.

He also met with high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

Thursday witnessed more separate meetings with Tusk and Juncker, in addition to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.   

Talks focused on ways to developing strategic partnership between Jordan and the EU, especially in terms of supporting the Kingdom’s economic potential.

The discussions also covered the latest regional and international developments and means to address them, especially with regard to the war on terrorism, according to a Royal Court statement.

In His Majesty’s meeting with Schulz, they reviewed “the advanced level” of cooperation between Jordan and EU institutions, especially in the economic field, in light of the outcomes of the London donor conference.

They discussed procedures to simplify European rules of origin for Jordan to facilitate investments in qualified development and industrial zones in the country.

Jordan has designated five of these zones to create jobs for Jordanians and Syrians.

King Abdullah expressed his appreciation for the European Parliament’s support to Jordan and its development process within the context of the Kingdom’s advanced status as an EU partner.

Schulz said the King’s visit reflects keenness to boost bilateral relations and commended the King’s role in enhancing regional security and stability.

At the meeting with Juncker, His Majesty highlighted the central role of EU institutions in supporting endeavours aimed at addressing the repercussions of Middle East crises and resolving them, including enhancing security and stability in Iraq and Libya.

On efforts to fight terrorism and extremist ideologies, the King stressed that maintaining the security and stability of the region and its peoples requires addressing these threats through a holistic approach and a comprehensive and clear strategy that addresses the military, security and ideological aspects of the issue. 

He also reaffirmed Jordan’s stance that supports efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution in Syria, which ends the suffering of Syrians and limits the refugee influx into neighbouring countries.

Juncker renewed the EU’s keenness to develop its relations with the Kingdom, which enjoys an advanced status in its partnership with the union, stressing the EU’s willingness to help Jordan implement its economic and development plans and deal with the impacts of regional turbulence.

King Abdullah and the NATO chief discussed means to develop bilateral relations especially at the military level, the statement added.

They also reviewed ways to enhance the situation in Libya and the need to empower the country to overcome the challenges facing it. 

Having a clear and comprehensive approach is essential to win the war against terrorist organisations, which constitute the main threat to the international security and stability, King Abdullah said.

Stoltenberg renewed NATO’s commitment to supporting Jordan and sustaining coordination and cooperation to serve mutual interests. He commended the Kingdom for its active role in the fight against terror, underlining the good reputation Jordan enjoys in the international community as a trust worthy partner in this war.

Prior to concluding his visit to Brussels, the King met with Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdul Latif Al Zayani and reviewed strategic relations between the Kingdom and GCC as well as ways to boost them.

Talks covered joint Arab action and the need to bolster it in the face of the array of challenges facing Arabs, and in a way that serves Jordanian-Gulf interests and other Arab causes.

Mogherini remarks to Petra 

In remarks to the Jordan New Agency, Petra, Mogherini stressed the importance of the King’s visit to Brussels, especially as it came after His Majesty’s visit to Strasburg last year where he delivered a “very important and strong speech”.

She said they discussed with His Majesty the Syrian crisis and the efforts to handle the refugees’ problem and their influx. She said that when it comes to the region, Jordan is an important partner for the EU and both sides share the same visions on how to address the various challenges at hand. 

“The King’s visit is not only important but also successful,” she was quoted by Petra as saying.

On Jordan’s role in dealing with regional issues, Mogherini said the Kingdom is a reference for the EU as it is playing an important role in fighting radicalism and terrorism and clarifying the true message of Islam to the world.

There is a positive response to His Majesty’s vision by Muslims and non-Muslims, not only in the Middle East but also in the Arab World, Europe, Africa and elsewhere, the EU official said. 

On efforts to revive the peace process in the Middle East, Mogherini said this is one of the issues Europeans are now cooperating in a very good way with Jordan, which, she said, is bearing special responsibility towards Jerusalem’s holy sites and is a partner to the international community in supporting the peace process and pushing for the realisation of the two-state solution.

Mogherini added that Jordan is one of the countries receiving EU’s assistance to be able to address the challenges resulting from hosting large numbers of refugees.

The union is aware that investment in empowering Jordanian hosting communities is an investment in Europe’s future and that is why the union is extending economic support to the Kingdom and will continue doing so.

It is also of prime significance that the EU commits to the pledges it made at the London conference, she said.

On the issue of simplifying the EU’s rules of origin for Jordan, she added both sides are following up on the progress achieved in this project, noting that teams are working on daily basis to complete technical details related to this issue.

One of the issues both partners will work relentlessly and vigorously on is creating sustainable jobs for Jordanians and Syrians, Mogherini noted.  

There is a consensus among all the 28 member states on the importance of moving ahead with supporting Jordan to be able to deal with the various challenges, the EU foreign affairs chief concluded.