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AMMAN — The State Security Court’s (SSC) military panel on Monday acquitted a defendant who was charged with promoting the ideology of Daesh, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In another case, the court sentenced a defendant for a six-month imprisonment after amending his charge from incitement against the regime to offensive speech.

The SSC also sentenced a defendant to two years in prison for promoting Daesh’s ideology. In another case, the court convicted a man of possessing explosives that pose a threat to society, handing him a one-year prison sentence.

AMMAN — The UNESCO Office in Amman has launched three new projects funded by the EU and implemented in partnership with Al Quds College to support the government’s efforts to provide essential education and training opportunities for Jordanian and Syrian refugees, according to a joint statement released Monday.

In total, over 1,300 young people will participate in education programmes ranging from three months to one year. The first programme will provide 400 Jordanians and Syrian refugees with a one-year internationally accredited diploma delivered at Al Quds College.

The second programme will provide six months of mentoring, training and referral opportunities for 400 young people in Zaatari Refugee Camp.

The final programme, funded additionally by a contribution from theWalton Family Foundation, will provide four months of training in job readiness, career counseling and life skills for 500 young Jordanians affected by the Syria crisis in Mafraq, Zarqa and Amman, according to the statement.

AMMAN — Faisali club management has decided to ban its fan club leader Mazen Beni from entering Jordan's stadiums for one year. 

The decision came after Beni wore the jersey of the Saudi Al Ittihad team, which host Wihdat on Tuesday in the preliminary round of the Asian Football Confederation 2016 Asian Champions League, when Faisali played the Saudi Ahli club on Saturday at Prince Mohammad Stadium in Zarqa. 

Jordanian clubs Faisali and Wihdat have a longstanding rivalry in local football championships.

"We took this decision because Beni does not represent the club and we support any Jordanian club when they play abroad," Ramzi Abu Sondos, Faisali secretary general, told The Jordan Times over the phone on Monday. 

Beni's move sparked criticism by football fans in Jordan, who took to social media to express their anger.

Mustafa Al Mousa (@mustafaalmosa) commended the step taken by the club.   

Ayed Marei wrote on Facebook that such a decision will combat "racism". 

"We thank the management of Faisali for not allowing Mazen Beni to attend the matches for one year because he wore the jersey of the Saudi Ittihad club to spite Wihdat, which will face Ittihad," he wrote

Bilal Shabaneh said on Facebook that Beni was harming the brotherhood between Faisali and Wihdat.

AMMAN — Local organisations and individuals in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine working on projects in the field of gender equality have around 40 days to apply for the MANARA Award for Gender Equality, its organisers announced on Tuesday.

The award aims to highlight good practices in the area of gender equality and to promote sustainable development in the three countries.

It is a project under the umbrella of the Open Regional Fund, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German federal ministry for economic cooperation and development, according to a statement released by the organisers.

“Gender equality is a human right. As such, it is a central objective of the German Development Cooperation [GIZ],” said Nina Lutter, the development counsellor at the German embassy in Jordan, said at a ceremony held on Monday by the GIZ and the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) to officially launch the award.

The German official expressed hope that the MANARA Award would encourage civil society organisations in this field to continue their work and inspire others to follow their example.

Turning to Jordan, Lutter described the rate of female participation in the labour market as “surprising and disillusioning”.

“With a rate below 20 per cent, the share of women participation in the labour force in Jordan is the lowest in the region,” she said, adding that this low participation is impeding Jordan's economic development.

“If you think of the relatively high enrolment rates of girls in secondary and higher education, the costs to the society are enormous if we do not manage to have them participate in larger numbers in the labour market after completing their education,” she stressed.

JNCW Secretary General Salma Nims agreed, saying that “the economic participation of women in the labour market is a paradox”.

“We really do not know how we got to where we are now. We are going backwards on many levels, and we are unable to create the needed base to increase women’s participation in the labour market,” Nims said.

“We need to re-evaluate our strategies and at the same time face the extremist thoughts and ideologies in our society that could be a major contributor to the low female participation in the labour market and other social issues in general," she added.

Nims expressed hope that the award will contribute to change in this area.

Former Minister Asma Khader and Birzeit University sociologist Eileen Kuttab, who are among several jury members for the award, both said the prize would show women as capable of making a difference and creating positive initiatives, rather than merely as victims. 

MANARA is open to individuals and organisations that have found creative and effective ways to achieve gender equality within their fields and countries, the organisers' statement said. 

Up to three winners will receive capacity development support according to their needs. The competition will focus on economic empowerment, building capacities for decision making and knowledge production, according to the statement.

MANARA is managed and steered by a variety of pioneers in women's rights, former ministers, entrepreneurs and artists, who also form the jury for the competition from the three targeted countries, the organisers said. 

Applicants must be residents of Jordan, Lebanon or Palestine, aged 18 years or older, who are addressing gender inequality and can show a positive problem-solving approach.

They should have an ongoing initiative with finished results no later than two years away, according to the organisers. 

The application period concludes on March 20.

AMMAN — The government and USAID on Sunday launched the Non-Formal Education (NFE) programme at a centre in Maan, some 220km south of Amman.

The USAID-funded NFE programme will expand to 28 new school-based centres to enrol an additional 1,680 boys and girls, strengthen programme management at 88 centres, and train 230 facilitators, according to a USAID statement. 

The project is implemented by Questscope, an international NGO dedicated to transforming the future of young people and communities.

NFE is an Education Ministry-certified two-year programme that incorporates participatory learning, youth empowerment and academic growth. 

The programme serves out-of-school youths in Jordan between the ages of 13 and 20, "giving them a second chance to continue their education and paving the way to a brighter future", the statement said.

Graduates of NFE are eligible to earn a certificate of completion, which is officially recognised by the Education Ministry as fulfilling entry requirements to the professional level of vocational training. 

The NFE certificate also provides a continued pathway for education, as it allows for students to take the ninth grade test and begin homeschooling at the 10th grade level, if they desire.

Mona Yacoubian, deputy assistant administrator for USAID, and USAID Mission Director Jim Barnhart attended the launch ceremony, according to the statement.

AMMAN — The Labour Ministry has recently caught 81 guest labourers working at 29 public institutions, during inspection campaigns across the Kingdom, Ministry Spokesperson Mohammad Khatib said on Sunday.

The campaigns — which focused on checking the ID cards of cleaning, maintenance and cafeteria workers — were implemented under directives from Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour to ban employing guest workers at public institutions, Khatib explained to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

He added these workers were hired by private sector contractors, against which the necessary legal measures were taken, noting that the ministry is still implementing similar campaigns, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania on Sunday visited the tomb of His Majesty King Hussein on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of his death. 

Their Majesties laid wreaths on the tomb and recited verses from the Koran, according to a Royal Court statement. 

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hashem and Princess Salma accompanied King Abdullah and Queen Rania.

Several members of the Royal family also visited the tomb on Saturday and laid wreaths on King Hussein's tomb.

Jordanians paid tribute to the late King Hussein on social media.

King Hussein died at the age of 63 on February 7, 1999 following a battle with cancer.

Jordanians also marked the anniversary of King Abdullah’s assumption of constitutional powers, as he was proclaimed King on the same day 17 years ago.

“17 years ago today, we lost a great Arab leader who loved his homeland and Arab nation and worked diligently to serve them,” Ammar Faraj (@aamm364) tweeted.

“February 7, 1999 is a date that each Jordanian family remembers. It marks the passing of a great leader,” Laureen (@Laureen-AR) wrote on Twitter.

On Facebook and Twitter, Jordanians posted pictures of King Hussein, as well as pictures of King Abdullah.

“If I were not Jordanian, I would have loved to be one. May King Hussein’s soul rest in peace. What a great leader he was,” Maroosh (@Mloukasha) tweeted.

Salman Jaber said in a comment on his Facebook account: "King Hussein will remain in our hearts forever, and King Abdullah will continue his vision to develop and advance the country.”

Salwa Mohammad had similar sentiments.

“King Hussein will never be forgotten by anyone. People from across the world know him for his strong character and love for the country. You will always remain in our hearts,” Mohammad wrote on Facebook.

A direct descendant of Prophet Mohammad, King Hussein was born on November 14, 1935 as the eldest son of King Talal and Queen Zein Al Sharaf.

At the time of his death, King Hussein was the longest serving executive head of state in the world.

AMMAN — Financial offences and fraud are the most common types of crime in the Kingdom, according to a study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Jordan.

The study, titled “Inmates in Rehabilitation Centres”, indicated that the second most common types of crime in Jordan are felonies and misdemeanours, followed by immoral acts in public and drug use. 

Researchers from the Scientific Research Support Fund examined crime in Jordan since 1980, noting that the crime rate recorded an increase over the years. 

“The increasing crime rate in the country is due to regional changes, as well as the influx of refugees and residents in urban and rural areas,” said Hmoud Oleimat, one of the researchers involved in the study, which was conducted over two years.

According to Oleimat, the aim of the study is to “identify the social and economic conditions of inmates and their families, and rate their needs for development to socially empower the families and ensure their stability in the absence of their breadwinners”.

Speaking at a seminar held on Sunday to discuss the findings, he said the study includes a review and analysis of criminal cases between 1980 and 2014 in order to identify crime trends over time in relation to economic, social and regional conditions, especially the increasing rate of migrations to Jordan.

The study also draws on additional statistical and personal data from the Department of Statistics and information about inmates and their families collected by the research team, Oleimat added. 

He described the crimes recorded as either individual or collective behaviours of people experiencing harsh social, personal, or economic circumstances.

“The study emphasises the need to raise awareness of [issues affecting] inmates from the economic, humanitarian and social perspectives to encourage associations and civil society organisations to provide the necessary assistance and support prisoners and their families, especially those referred to rehabilitation centres,” he said.

The researcher stressed the need to find alternatives to existing penalties in order to limit the number of prisoners, calling for categorising and housing inmates by age and type of crime committed. 

“Keeping prisoners in the same cell regardless of the crime they committed and their age can enhance the possibility of developing their criminal thoughts and committing more serious acts,” he said. 

The study also emphasises the importance of reviewing and amending legislation to make penalties more effective, monitoring professional criminals and providing a follow-up programme for those released, the researcher added.

AMMAN — Jordan will soon start exporting live poultry and poultry products to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Sunday.

Agriculture Minister Akef Zu'bi said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times that the UAE ministry of water and environment is finalising measures that will allow the import of Jordan's poultry.

"We are seeking to open new market portals for owners of poultry farms to support a JD2 billion sector that also generates income for 15,000 families," Zu'bi said.

Meanwhile, the ministry's spokesperson, Nimer Haddadin, said some poultry farms recently started preliminary exports of live poultry and poultry products to Saudi Arabia as well.

"Saudi Arabia is interested in importing the country's agricultural produce and animal products, therefore, the ministry has notified Saudi Arabia of the names of companies that are interested in exporting to it," Haddadin told The Jordan Times over the phone.

He highlighted that a Saudi delegation will visit the Kingdom soon to facilitate the process.

There are 2,689 poultry farms in Jordan. 85.4 per cent are for the production of broiler chickens, 10.4 per cent for egg-laying hens and 4.2 per cent for breeder chickens, Haddadin said.

He added that the Kingdom has 80.5 million birds in 4,972 complexes spread over 2.7 million square metres across the country. 

In January, Poultry Breeders Union President Fares Hammoudeh told The Jordan Times that poultry breeders' losses exceeded JD10 million in the previous three months due to the "stagnant" market.

He blamed "high" breeding costs, main market closures and "weak" consumption for the losses.

The halt in exports to certain markets, particularly Iraq, hit the sector hard, Hammoudeh said at the time.

AMMAN — In a social media campaign marking the occasion of World Cancer Day, celebrated on February 4, Jordanians expressed their support for cancer patients and shared personal pledges for the fight against cancer. 

Organised by the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), the online campaign seeks to spread awareness about cancer and encourage changes that make a difference in patients' lives. 

Users interested in participating in the campaign are encouraged to share supportive messages and photos using the hashtags #WeCanICan and #WorldCancerDay.

HH Princess Dina Mired, director general of the KHCF and honorary chairperson of the Jordan Breast Cancer Programme, wrote on Twitter: "I can give our patients doses of love vitamins through a smile."

Marwan Jawdat pledged to keep delivering lectures on the importance of early breast cancer diagnosis.

Another Twitter user, Roaa Bkairat, wrote that she can volunteer her time with cancer patients to help them smile. 

"I can tell everyone wherever I go that smoking is the worst habit, because we all can make our lives better without smoking," she added.

Employees at several institutions and private companies took part in the campaign. 

Types of supportive actions suggested by the campaign include asking acquaintances to donate money for cancer patients, writing about cancer awareness, and visiting an early diagnosis clinic at the King Hussein Cancer Centre.

The campaign encourages its participants to adopt practices for a healthy lifestyle, such as banning indoor smoking.

The most recent study on cancer in the Kingdom showed that 5,013 Jordanians were diagnosed with the disease out of 7,454 cases registered in the Kingdom in 2012, with an average cancer diagnosis rate of 78.5 per 100,000 of the population, the Ministry of Health announced Friday.

The most common cancers in Jordan are breast, colon, lung and vesica (bladder) cancers, in addition to lymphoma, according to Omar Nimri, head of the National Cancer Registry.