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AMMAN — Irbid police on Monday said they are searching for several suspects in connection with attacks on vehicles and properties in the northern towns of Malka and Um Qais.

“We are searching for several suspects and we are questioning a suspect in connection with the Um Qais attacks,” Irbid Police Department Director Brig. Gen. Ali Hamlan said.

Several Um Qais residents woke up on Monday to discover that their vehicles were damaged, but nothing was stolen, said Irbid Deputy Bassel Malkawi.

“Around 10 vehicles were attacked by unidentified assailants and we are following up closely with the police. The safety of our community is a priority to everyone,” Malkawi told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The lawmaker added that several vehicles and a kiosk were also attacked in the town of Malka three days ago.

“We have no idea who committed these evil attacks.  I believe that they could be drug addicts who lose control when using drugs and attack property,” Malkawi said.

But Hamlan said the Um Qais and Malka incidents were not thought to be connected.

“We believe that the incidents are not related and that one individual is responsible for the Um Qais attacks,” the police official told The Jordan Times.

He added that investigators have good leads in both incidents and once the individuals are arrested “the public will surely hear about it”.

AMMAN — Construction has commenced on $2.5 million worth of water projects in Zarqa's Ruseifa Municipality to improve water supply in the heavily populated area ahead of the dry season, officials said on Monday.

Water Minister Hazem Nasser said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times that $1.6 million has been allocated to extending and rehabilitating water networks in Jabal Al Amir Feisal in Ruseifa, in addition to installing new water networks in Zarqa at a cost of $200,000.

The ministry will also construct new water mains to improve supply in Zarqa and Ghweiriyeh at a cost of $775,000, Nasser said.

"Once these projects are implemented, consumers should feel a change for the better in water supply services, while water lost due to deteriorated networks will be saved and redirected to consumers," he added.

The ministry's spokesperson, Omar Salameh, said that implementation of the projects has commenced, noting that they should be completed during the first quarter of this year.

"The studies of the projects are completed and construction has started. By April, all of the projects are scheduled to be completed," Salameh told The Jordan Times in a phone interview.

Nasser noted that the ministry, in cooperation with the Millennium Challenge Account — Jordan (MCA-Jordan), has managed to achieve financial savings in water projects being implemented in Zarqa, highlighting that these savings were used to fund the new projects in Ruseifa.

Established in 2010, MCA-Jordan is a company fully owned by the government to manage and implement a $275-million grant from the US Millennium Challenge Corporation. 

It is implementing three main projects under the grant in Zarqa Governorate, some 22km east of Amman, which has a population of 1.364 million, according to the latest census.

The projects include the rehabilitation and expansion of the wastewater network, the rehabilitation and restructuring of water networks and the expansion of the Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The grant also covers a project to improve household water systems and decrease domestic water costs.

Once the projects are completed, water loss in Zarqa will drop from 52 per cent to less than 37 per cent.

In addition, water supply in Zarqa will increase from 36 to 70 hours per week, according to MCA-Jordan's previous statements.

Official figures indicate that there are 150,000 water subscribers in Zarqa, 70 per cent of whom are linked to the sewage network.

AMMAN — The Hashemite Fund for Development of Jordan Badia launched a book of photographs this week that showcases the beauty of Jordan’s badia in a bid to protect and preserve its environment and cultural heritage.

The launch came in celebration of His Majesty King Abdullah’s 54th birthday and took place at the National Gallery of Fine Arts on Sunday, where some of the photographs taken by renowned photographer Zohrab Markarian were exhibited.

The book documents within its pages the different aspects of the badia — its scenery its animal and plant life, its people, the values and traditions engraved within its culture.

It is divided into three sections — the Northern, Central and the Southern Badia and includes well-known proverbs from the bedouin heritage.

According to Sharifa Zein Bint Nasser, president of the Hashemite Fund for Development of Jordan Badia, the "remarkable places" captured in the photographs have been spared from pollution and abuse.

“We tried to include areas that have never been photographed before. It’s a way of documenting what the badia is like today — from the environment, to the archaeology, to the people,” she said at the book launch.

The badia constitutes 80 per cent of Jordan’s land and is different from the desert because of its larger plant and animal life, Sharifa Zein explained.

She underlined the distinction between the two: “A badia is a semi-dry land, which once it has water and tender-loving care, it blooms. We can see the greenery and trees and wild flowers in some of the pictures."

But there are some parts of the badia, according to Sharifa Zein, that have been affected by desertification.

The Hashemite Fund for the Development of Jordan Badia was established in 2003 by Royal decree with the objective of developing the badia.

The overall aim of the fund is to improve socio-economic conditions in the badia by building the capacities of local communities, and by implementing well-planned projects in various relevant sectors.

Proceeds from selling the book will go to support income-generating projects in the badia region, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The book was realised through the lens of Markarian who visited all the "hidden" locations.

“I used to think that I know Jordan inch by inch, but when I was introduced to these hidden parts of the badia, I realised that it’s the heart and soul of Jordan. I fell in love with it,” the photographer said.

“We saw the most breathtaking landscapes. You walk a couple of kilometres and you see a valley full of flowers, then you see a hill full of rocks. I saw flowers that grow through rocks — that’s something I’ve never seen before,” he told The Jordan Times.

According to Markarian, bedouins were hospitable and helpful and contributed to the realisation of the project. 

Sheikh Khaled Suleiman Al Atoon from the Southern Badia was one of them.

“I have lived in the badia all my life and can say that I know every inch of it by heart,” he said.

“I helped guide The Hashemite fund to find hidden gems and locations that have historic and tourist significance. We want the whole world to see the beauty of our badia, locally and internationally.”

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania visited Sanabel Al Khair Society for Social Development in Amman's Hashemi Shamali area on Monday to support its efforts in empowering young people and women in local communities.

While touring the facility, Her Majesty chatted with women in a textile design workshop. She also attended an awareness session on child labour alongside residents of Hashmi Shamali, according to a statement from Her Majesty's office.

The Queen also held a meeting with the society’s board members, where its president, Miassar Saaydeh, showcased the activities and services it provides in cooperation with the Jordan River Foundation (JRF) and the UNICEF-funded “Makani” (My Space) initiative.

Launched by UNICEF in 2014, the initiative aims to reach all children, including refugees, who are out of the formal education system through a holistic programme that provides informal schooling, psychosocial support and life skills under one roof, the statement said.

JRF coordinator Nour Daoud said the foundation oversees nine centres that implement the “Makani” approach, and the initiative focuses on capacity building in the communities that host these centres.

“Makani” is being implemented in 200 centres around Jordan in collaboration with NGO partners and international donors. Its goal is to enhance the lives of vulnerable children and young people, including those who are out of school.

AMMAN — Around 2,000 farmers in the southern Jordan Valley have begun destroying tomato crops in a show of anger over a season they claimed has been unprofitable, harmed by low prices in the local market and the difficulty of exporting to neighbouring countries.

Emad Zakariya, one of the farmers, said they started destroying tomato crops because of mounting losses.

"I have a 30-dunum farm and it costs me JD10,000, which I was forced to borrow. So far, I have not earned more than JD1,000, so tell me how I am going to pay back the money," he told The Jordan Times over the phone on Monday. 

Zakariya estimated that around 2,000 farmers took this step to protest their losses.  

"There are around 15 people working with me this season and I am afraid that I will be forced to fire some of them because I cannot afford their salaries," he added.

The step taken by this week the farmers in the southern Jordan Valley follows the destruction of dozens of tonnes of tomatoes also in the south on January 19.

Zuhair Jweihan, president of the Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruit and Vegetables, said a box of tomatoes sells for JD0.32 to JD0.50, describing the situation farmers are dealing with as a "disaster". 

"It is also difficult for us to export goods because the main markets for us are Syria and Iraq and it is difficult to transport the goods there following the crisis," he said. 

Jweihan recalled that the Syrian and Iraqi markets used to consume 400,000 tonnes of tomatoes per year from Jordan in the past. 

Since conflict flared in the neighbouring countries and the borders were closed, more pressure has been placed on the agricultural sector. 

Jweihan said there is also difficulty in exporting tomatoes to the Arab Gulf markets due to the long wait time for visa procedures for the drivers. 

"We call on the concerned parties and other countries to support the agricultural sector because it is suffering from instability in the region," he added. 

 Ministry of Agriculture Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said most sectors were negatively affected by the closure of the borders, including agriculture. 

"The government is exerting its utmost efforts to help support the farmers and find alternative markets such as the Russian market. Also, on Sunday we exported 1,100 tonnes of tomatoes to the Gulf market and on Saturday we exported 700 tonnes," he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

He urged the farmers to decrease the space on their farms designated for tomatoes and plant it with other crops. 

In a previous interview with The Jordan Times, Jordan Valley Farmers Union President Adnan Khaddam estimated farmers' losses this season at JD2 million, adding that the local production of tomatoes currently exceeds 1,000 tonnes daily, while daily local consumption is around 400 tonnes. 

Jordan is among the top 10 world countries in terms of producing and exporting tomatoes, which constitute around 65 per cent of the total exported agricultural produce, according to official figures.

AMMAN — Out of their determination to “celebrate Jordan internationally”, two local media figures are scheduled on Tuesday to commence an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest radio talk show as a team.

Jordanian actor and director Amjad Hijazeen and Lebanese radio host at Sawt El Ghad Jessy Abu Faysal aim to kick off the 61-hour live radio marathon to set a new world record, according to Abu Faysal.

Starting at around 7:30am on Tuesday, the show presenters are to continue the live broadcast until 8:30pm on Thursday. The marathon will be broadcast on Sawt El Ghad (101.5 FM), Play FM (99.6) and Nashama FM (105.1).

As a Jordanian, Hijazeen told The Jordan Times he feels “obliged” to present the Kingdom in a way that would bring positive attention to it.

 “The attention to Arabs should not only be for breaking records with the biggest hummus and tabbouleh plates,” he said.

Hijazeen added that among all the circumstances the world is witnessing, it is the “duty” of media figures and comedians to present a positive image of the Kingdom.

 “If I were to do [the challenge] alone, they would consider the accomplishment for Lebanon," Abu Faysal told The Jordan Times over the phone. "We wanted to add Jordan to the list of world records through something related to media."

“Out of my love for the country that has hosted me for more than 10 years, I want to offer it something from within my field,” she said earlier on her morning show, commenting on her participation in the challenge.

According to Guinness World Records regulations, each host cannot speak more than one minute, and for every hour that passes, they will be allowed to take a five-minute break.

Hijazeen said the hosts also cannot stay silent while a song plays in the background — they have to talk or sing.

The show will address many topics, including social issues, matters of general knowledge, historical information, and reports on different subjects.

Several media figures, artists and comedians will be interviewed during the marathon, tackling almost 30 subjects in total, Hijazeen told The Jordan Times.

“When you have 61 hours on air, you can talk about anything. We will be receiving calls from listeners and discussing spontaneous topics. The station is open for everyone,” he said.

Abu Faysal said medical advice given to the hosts included not sleeping for a long period before the show, avoiding drinking too much, and refraining from eating large portions of carbohydrates. 

The presenters were also advised to avoid drinking caffeine and eating milk chocolate on the first day, as well as to stay away from protein-rich foods, as they are not easy on the stomach, Hijazeen said. 

He added there will be a medical team present during the competition to check on the hosts’ conditions.

The presenters said they agreed to accumulate the five-minute break and take it instead as a whole hour for every 12 hours of live broadcast, which will allow them to stay awake and rest properly.

In 2013, Lebanese talk-show host Rima Njeim broke the then-world record for the longest marathon hosting a radio talk show by staying on air for around 46 hours, while in 2014, a Palestinian radio host Talaat Elwi created a new record and conducted the longest live interview for around 50 hours.

The Guinness World Record today for the longest marathon hosting a radio talk show by a single person is 80 hours and 5 minutes, achieved by Dulce Meneses at the Canal 4 radio station in Arona, Tenerife, Spain in 2015.

The current record-holder for the longest marathon hosting a radio talk show by a team in the Guinness World Records was a show in 2015 by Vadim Voronov, Alisa Selezneva, and Dmitry Olenin at the Russian Radio Studio in Moscow, which ran for 60 continuous hours.

“It’s true that Jordan is a small country, but that doesn’t mean we can’t offer the world anything. It is going to be a team effort. We hope to portray the brighter side of the Arab world,” Hijazeen said. 

AMMAN — Prompted by a feeling of guilt for not having done enough to protect the environment, Nisreen Haram declared a "war on trash" in 2011 and adopted a "green" lifestyle that minimised her household's waste.

"My family and I succeeded in reducing our waste production from one big bag daily to one small bag every four to six weeks," Haram said on Monday, adding that the experience helped re-evaluate her relationship with food and restore her relationship with nature.

The mother of two aimed to reduce waste through the adoption of environment-friendly household management techniques that favoured organic options and eliminated practices harmful to nature.

After finding that the kitchen was the largest producer of trash, mainly plastic, in her household, Haram revolted against the "old ways". 

She replaced disposable plastic bags and containers with fabric to keep food items and focused on consuming fruit and vegetables during their seasons. 

Furthermore, she replaced commercial personal care and hygiene products, which come in plastic containers, with natural materials that perform a similar function. 

Haram shared her experience in household waste management at the Climate Change from a Gender Perspective Conference, organised by USAID Takamol-Gender Programme and held in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Arizona State University (ASU).

The conference, which concludes on Sunday, seeks to launch dialogue among stakeholders to highlight and prioritise key policy and institutional capacity interventions to enhance gender mainstreaming in climate change action in Jordan, said Takamol-Gender Programme Chief of Party Nermeen Murad. 

Murad added that sustainability is based on principles of social justice and equality, with women and men playing different and important roles in achieving sustainable development.

"Green economy is opening a new competitive edge for Jordan and its human capital, and represents a huge potential for both women and men to innovate within their communities and tap into new economic opportunities within relevant sectors," she said at the opening of the three-day event.

Environment Minister Taher Shakhshir said climate change puts additional pressure on already scarce natural resources, citing the important role of Jordanian women in the mitigation of the phenomenon at the political, social and economic levels.

He noted that Jordan was the first country in the region to design and implement a programme on gender mainstreaming in climate change efforts in 2010, which was the base for later national programmes and strategies.

"Women should play a more active role to become agents of change and push for their rights to be included and integrated in all development policies," Shakhshir noted.

Representing ASU, Rajesh Buch said the efforts of women, who are predominantly responsible for food production in low-income agricultural communities around the world, are central in challenging the effects of climate change. 

Buch emphasised the need for a multi-stakeholder collaboration to enhance applied research, build capacities and implement solutions. 

Mounir Al Asmar, a faculty member and researcher at ASU, said the focus on combating climate change effects must begin with reducing energy consumption, a step that should be followed by creating sources for clean energy.

He cited an ASU study that concluded that heatwaves drastically increase hospitalisation rates among women, while men are more likely to die of extreme heat. 

Also speaking at the conference, Abdullah Bdeir, president of the Jordan Green Building Council, reviewed some grassroots projects implemented across the Kingdom to enhance the energy efficiency of households.

Based on his field work, he highlighted women's knowledge of the needs of their households as well as their ability to adopt more sustainable options regarding environment preservation.

But women in communities across Jordan lag behind their male counterparts despite their efforts to become leaders and decision makers in the private and public sectors, according to USAID Deputy Mission Director to Jordan Lewis Tatem.

Women, who constitute 44 per cent of public sector employees, remain under-represented in decision-making positions, with 29 per cent of them occupying senior positions, while only 7 per cent sit at the highest policymaking levels.

Commenting on Jordan's contributions to global efforts to curb climate change, Tatem said the Kingdom, despite the increased pressure on its fragile resources, is one of the most active countries in the region in fulfilling its global environmental commitments.

He cited the increased adoption of clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels in several parts of the country, some of which are supported by the USAID Jordan Competitiveness Programme.

AMMAN — The Health Ministry is on "alert" and in "direct contact" with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to monitor any outbreak of the Zika virus, spokesperson Hatem Azrui said on Monday.

"The ministry is intensifying its monitoring and circulating educational pamphlets on the disease among its cadres," Azrui told The Jordan Times in a phone interview. 

It is considered a "relief that Zika virus is only transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes and not through human contact", he said.

Jordanians are urged to be careful when travelling to countries where some cases have been reported, Azrui said. 

WHO on Monday called on Middle East governments to monitor the outbreak of Zika virus, which has so far reached 24 countries in North and Latin America. 

According to the organisation, the disease is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes found in a number of regions, including the Middle East. 

Zika is known to cause mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis, but its most "serious" symptoms are believed to be contracted by pregnant women.

Recently in Brazil, local health authorities have observed an increase in Zika virus infections in the general public, as well as an increase in babies born with microcephaly — an abnormal smallness of the head and brain — in northeast Brazil, WHO said in a statement.  

Agencies investigating the Zika outbreaks are finding an increasing body of evidence about the link between the virus and microcephaly. 

Brazil's Health Minister Marcelo Castro told Reuters on Monday that Brazilian researchers are convinced Zika is the cause of the 3,700 confirmed and suspected cases of newborns with brain defects in the country.

But WHO maintains that more investigation is needed "before we understand the relationship between microcephaly in babies and the Zika virus. Other potential causes are also being investigated".

There have been 270 confirmed cases of Zika and 3,448 suspected cases in Brazil, up from 147 in 2014, according to Agence France-Presse.

Although no Zika cases were reported in the region, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Ala Alwan called on governments to take precautionary measures to "ensure the region remains clean from Zika virus". 

He added that while there is no treatment or vaccine currently available for the disease, precaution against mosquito bites is the key for protection. 

WHO advises people to use insect repellents, such as wearing clothes (preferably light-coloured) that cover as much of the body as possible, using physical barriers such as screens, closed doors and windows, and sleeping under mosquito nets. 

It is also important to empty, clean or cover containers that can hold water such as buckets and flower pots, so places where mosquitoes can breed are removed.

Special attention and help should be given to those who may not be able to protect themselves adequately, such as young children, the sick or elderly, according to WHO. 

WHO officials say up to 4 million cases of Zika could turn up in the Americas within the next year, according to The Associated Press. 

Zika was first identified in 1947 in a Ugandan forest but until last year it wasn't believed to cause any serious effects. About 80 per cent of infected people never experience symptoms. 

The virus has also been linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, which causes muscle weakness and nerve problems.

AMMAN — The Health Ministry on Monday condemned a recent attack on a doctor at Al Bashir Hospital by people accompanying a patient at the emergency ward, and it took legal action against the reported assailants.

Hatem Azrui, the ministry’s spokesperson, noted that preventive measures taken by the ministry and other relevant institutions against perpetrators have “significantly” contributed to reducing assaults against medical cadres while on duty, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In January 2016, the ministry registered only two attacks on medical staff, compared with eight in the same month of 2015, he noted.

AMMAN — Raising awareness is key to safeguarding water resources and ensuring their sustainability, HRH Princess Sumaya said on Monday.

Princess Sumaya made her remark at the conclusion of a workshop on a project to enhance the efficiency of water use at green schools held at the University of Jordan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. She added that the project has successfully enhanced community’s role in rationalising environmental resources.