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AMMAN — Police are searching for suspects in connection with the stabbing death of a 60-year-old woman in the capital's Um Basateen area, official sources said on Saturday.

A relative found the victim, who was not identified by officials, in a barn near her house on Saturday morning, a senior official source told The Jordan Times.

“The woman died less than 24 hours before that, based on the conclusion of coroners who examined the scene,” the official source said.

The victim’s husband is dead and investigators have summoned her relatives for questioning, according to a second source.

“It is unclear to us why the woman was murdered and we are hopeful that questioning her relatives and tracking down her final movements will help us solve the case,” the source said, adding that her body was transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for an autopsy.

AMMAN — A mother and her three daughters died of carbon monoxide poisoning on Saturday, in an incident involving a kerosene heater, according to the Civil Defence Department (CDD).

The Syrian woman, 35, and the three girls, aged 12, 7 and 4, died after inhaling gas from the heater at their home in Irbid’s Mazar District, some 80km north of Amman.

The CDD took them to Prince Rashid Military Hospital, but they were declared dead on arrival, a CDD statement said.

In remarks to The Jordan Times last December, CDD Media Director Brig. Gen. Farid Sharaa said 23 people died and 307 were injured last winter due to heater-related incidents.

He urged the public not to keep kerosene and gas heaters on for long periods, to ventilate homes and to make sure the hoses connected to gas cylinders are attached correctly and not worn out. 

Sharaa stressed the importance of not relying on children to replace gas cylinders and of keeping heaters away from small rooms, such as kitchens and bedrooms, noting that the stairwell is the best area to place them.

He said although the CDD highlights important facts about the proper use of heaters every year, many people are still in danger of gas inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.

AMMAN — Catholic churches in the Kingdom on Friday marked Epiphany in a ceremony at the Baptism Site, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Tourism Minister Nayef Al Fayez attended the Epiphany celebration (known to Greek Orthodox Christians as Theophany), which included a mass led by Latin Patriarch of the Holy Land and Jordan Fouad Twal. 

Epiphany marks the revelation of Jesus Christ as the son of God through his baptism and the beginning of his public ministry, according to Christian beliefs.

Fayez said the celebration reflects the coexistence of different religions and sects in the Kingdom.

During the mass, Twal urged Christians around the world to visit the Baptism Site, where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist, and highlighted Jordan, many religious and archaeological landmarks. 

He praised all institutions and directorates in the Kingdom that work to preserve the country’s stability and security and its status as a role model of peaceful coexistence. 

The ceremony included a press conference held by Fayez and Twal, at which the patriarch commended the intensified efforts of the Royal Commission for the Baptism Site, headed by HRH Prince Ghazi, and the Jordan Tourism Board. 

In 2002, Christians commemorated the baptism of Christ at this site for the first time since its discovery in 1997, after the area was demilitarised following the 1994 peace treaty with Israel. 

Since then, thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world annually have marked Epiphany at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, some 40km west of Amman.

In 2015, the site was the fifth from Jordan to be inscribed in UNESCO’s World heritage List, after Petra, Quseir Amra, Um Al Rassas and Wadi Rum.

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Friday met with UK Prime Minister David Cameron in London, and discussed ways to help Jordan address the challenges created by hosting 1.4 million Syrian refugees.

At the meeting, Her Majesty thanked the government and people of the United Kingdom for their continued support. 

She added that ongoing violence in the Middle East has forced many countries, including Jordan, to cope with the overwhelming burden of hosting refugees, and called for new approaches and innovative solutions to address this issue, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

The Queen and Cameron discussed the impact of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis on Jordan’s healthcare and education sectors and infrastructure. 

Queen Rania explained that with almost 90 per cent of Syrian refugees living in towns and villages instead of refugee camps, Jordan’s limited resources, schools and hospitals have been stretched to the limit.

This strain on the state budget has prompted the Kingdom to launch a comprehensive economic plan to mitigate the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis.

The meeting comes ahead of the upcoming Syria Donor’s Conference, which will convene in London on February 2.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury and Jordan’s Ambassador to the UK Mazen  Homoud attended the meeting from the Jordanian side, while British Ambassador to Jordan Edward Oakden and a number of officials from the UK prime minister’s office were also present.

Her Majesty’s trip to London is the first stop in a working visit to several European countries, where she is scheduled to meet with senior European officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to the statement. 

The Queen’s meetings will focus on support for Jordan and prospects for long-term solutions to the challenges it faces in light of the refugee crisis and regional turmoil.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Thursday underlined Jordan's commitment to preserve security on its borders with neighbouring countries, especially Saudi Arabia, and protect them from all threats.

During a meeting with Saudi Transport Minister Abdullah Al Miqbil in the presence of Prince Khaled Bin Alwaleed Bin Talal and the Saudi delegation taking part in meetings of the Joint Jordanian-Saudi Committee, Ensour highlighted the deep-rooted Jordanian-Saudi ties in all fields, voicing appreciation for Riyadh's support to Amman and the Arab and Islamic causes. 

Ensour also voiced Jordan's willingness to enhance its cooperation with Saudi Arabia and keenness to attract more Saudi and Gulf investments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The premier also said that Jordan is looking forward to accomplishing the railway project between the two countries, citing its significance in serving common interests and linking them with other countries in the region and with Europe, according to Petra.

Ensour said that the government is now drafting a bill governing an envisioned  investment fund to lure investments from sovereign funds in partner countries. The bill will be sent to Parliament and given urgency status, the premier said, expressing readiness to solve any problem facing Saudi investors in Jordan.  

In his Speech from the Throne, delivered at the opening of the 17th Parliament’s third ordinary session, His Majesty King Abdullah called on the government to present draft legislation that stipulates the establishment of an investment fund.

“This fund should attract investments from banks, Arab sovereign wealth funds, private sector enterprises and individuals, targeting national developmental and pioneering projects that yield benefits to the national economy as well as those contributing to the fund,” His Majesty said.

Ensour also briefed the Saudi delegation on Jordan’s burdens resulting from hosting millions of Syrian refugees, Petra reported.

For his part, Al Miqbil said the deep-rooted Jordanian-Saudi relations should be reflected in more economic exchange between the two countries, adding that he will brief the Saudi private sector on the projected railway project, Petra said. 

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Maha Ali noted that trade exchange between Jordan and Saudi Arabia saw a considerable increase in 2014, reaching $5.3 billion, according to Petra. 

Also on Thursday, Jordan and Saudi Arabia signed minutes of meeting to activate a system for the transfer of convicted prisoners in custodial penalties back to their countries, according to Petra. 

AMMAN — Although Jordan is historically known for its ability to maintain balance in its ties with the rest of the world and a moderate foreign policy, especially at times of regional crises, local observers differed on how far Jordan can go in its pro-Saudi, anti-Iran stands against the backdrop of the snowballing crisis between the two regional foes. 

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have deteriorated recently, following Riyadh's execution of Shiite cleric Nimr Al Nimr early this week.

In response, protesters in Iran attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran, leading Riyadh to cut diplomatic relations with Tehran.

Several Arab and Islamic countries backed the Saudis and ended or reduced their diplomatic relations with Tehran.

However, five days after this incident, Jordan summoned Iran’s ambassador in Amman to officially inform Tehran of Jordan’s denunciation of Iran’s interference in regional countries’ affairs, especially those of Saudi Arabia. 

A Foreign Ministry official hinted that stronger stands might be taken in the future, stopping short of stating whether severing diplomatic ties is an option.

For political analysts, if Amman decided to sever these relations, the impact would not be that grave, as the country’s interests with Iran are limited in terms of economy, politics and even tourism, bearing in mind that Jordan, out of caution, has for years blocked Iranian attempts to send pilgrims to shrines revered by Shiite Muslims. 

“There are common interests between Jordan and Iran, albeit limited, but of course, our interests with Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf countries far outweigh those with Iran,” veteran political analyst Saleh Qallab said.

For Qallab, the Kingdom’s position on Iran’s policies and behaviours is justified “as Jordan is sure that Tehran interferes in all Arab countries, not only Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and the GCC, but also the Maghreb countries”.

“Tehran has been implementing a plan since the 1979 revolution seeking a stronger foothold in the region.”

However, Qallab, a former media minister, said Jordan’s next step regarding its relations with Iran will be decided based on the outcome of the Arab League meeting on Sunday.

Other analysts believe that Jordan would play a “mediator” in this crisis and try to ease the tension between Riyadh and Tehran.

“Jordan maintains balanced relations with Iran and might play this role,” said Jihad Momani, a political analyst and former senator.

Momani agrees with Qallab that common interests between Jordan and Iran do not rise to the level of those between the two Arab kingdoms.  “However, I do not expect that the country would reach the point where it completely ends its diplomatic ties with Tehran unless the latter escalates the tension with Saudi beyond sense.”

“Being a country that invests in stability and peace, Jordan would even intervene to prevent any such escalation in the current crisis.”

Politically, he added, Jordan is in an alliance with the GCC countries in the war against terrorism and the campaign aimed at restoring legitimacy in Yemen, along with economic and other strategic interests in the GCC.

Thus, the Kingdom would never compromise its relations with the Gulf, according to Momani.

Al Rai columnist Sultan Hattab said summoning the Iranian ambassador was a clear message to Iran, but the Kingdom might wait for the Arab League Sunday’s meeting before stiffening its stand in the crisis. 

For Nabil Ghishan, former Editor in Chief of Al Arab Al Yawm daily, the Arab League might not take a drastic decision, simply because countries like Iraq, Lebanon and Algeria will not back it.

“All that Arabs will ask from Iran is to behave as a state rather than a revolutionary movement,” Ghishan argued, adding that the US is also not in favour of such mounting tension as Washington “wants the region to focus on the war against Daesh”.

In all cases, the analysts agreed, whatever escalation the Saudi-Iranian crisis might see, Jordan would always want calm, stability, respect of the diplomatic rules and focus on what is in the best interest of the region’s peoples. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday went on a private visit to the UK before starting several days of an official visit to Washington next week, according to a Royal Court statement. 

In Washington, King Abdullah is scheduled to meet with US administration staff, leaders and heads of committees in Congress, and representatives of Arab and Islamic American organisations. 

With military assistance, US economic support to Jordan for this year is around $1 billion.

USAID is Jordan's number one donor in various development fields that include water, environment, education, energy and youth, among other sectors.  

HRH Prince Feisal was sworn in as Regent. 

AMMAN – The Lower House will start discussing the draft 2016 state budget law on Sunday and is expected to vote on the bill within a week, MPs told The Jordan Times Thursday.  

Head of the House Financial Committee MP Abdul Rahim Biqaai said the committee has recommended a pay raise for civil service and military pensioners and to link increases in salaries with inflation rates, noting that the retirees have not seen any increases in their salaries for nearly 10 years. 

"The government should raise the salaries of pensioners, particularly those who retired a long time ago, as their wages are considered low in light of rising living costs," the lawmaker said. 

Biqaai said if the government approves the recommendation, the increase in salaries may not go into effect this year or as of July 1 because the government would need to transfer funds from one budget item to another. 

MP Ali Bani Ata, deputy chairman of the committee, said the report of the panel urged the government to use solar power in all government buildings following the example of the Royal Court, which in May last year launched a solar power plant with a 5.6-megawatt capacity at its premises. 

Among the recommendations, Bani Ata said the committee requested the government to stop extending civil employees’ service or rehiring top retired officials on a contract basis, as this affects the promotion and progress of younger employees. 

He said the committee recommended cuts to current expenditure in several fields that could save the budget around JD195 million this year, citing funds allocated for the travel of officials and fuel for government entities in addition to financial allocations for use of services and goods at public departments. 

The lawmaker, who is also head of Mubadara, the largest bloc at the House, said MPs are expected to complete deliberations and vote on the budget by Thursday or Sunday at the latest. 

He noted that next week there would be two sessions every day to complete the budget discussions. 

"I'm very optimistic MPs will vote on the budget in a week, which will be a precedent in the history of the House," he added. 

On December 6, 2015, the government submitted to the House the draft 2016 general budget law in addition to the bill governing the budget of independent government units.

Public spending for 2016 was put at JD8.496 billion with a projected deficit of 3.1 per cent of the gross domestic product.

The growth projection for next year is estimated at 3.7 per cent, while inflation is estimated at 3.1 per cent in the 2016 draft general budget law.

AMMAN — Out of a belief that art changes lives, Palestinian artist Laila Ajjawi chose graffiti to express her views on the occupation and women-related issues in the Irbid Refugee Camp.

The 25-year-old said she started drawing graffiti around two years ago to demonstrate reality through colours and images, not only through words. 

“I always try to create a mural that people and passers-by would understand and relate to — a humanitarian cause, an idea, a conversation,” the camp resident told The Jordan Times in a recent interview. 

Ajjawi completed her first piece in Ras Al Ain Gallery at a workshop organised by the Women on Walls in 2014. She drew a woman going through a dilemma of thoughts with the phrase: “Look At My Mind”.

She said the idea behind it was to raise awareness about the objectification of women and the judgments made about them, and show that many women have ideas that can change the world. 

“The first feedback I received on the feminist drawing was encouraging, people were aware of the subject and accepted the piece I worked on, many of them came to discuss the topic.” 

At the camp, Ajjawi tries to bring people’s attention to existing issues, including the occupation.

“[Any] refugee camp would be experiencing dire conditions — it is a difficult place to live. The services provided aren’t like those available in the capital and other governorates.”

The artist said she seeks to encourage young camp residents to build their futures and to always remember Palestine.

“New generations aren’t connected to the Palestinian conflict the way the previous generations were. We are the focal point that links both generations and we should act like that,” she said.

Ajjawi noted that she tries to illustrate ideas more than words in her graffiti.

“What you see every day becomes part of your identity, decisions, and thoughts... If the drawing belongs to the people, it becomes part of them.”

The artist said she spent between 12 to 16 hours on her first artwork, but after almost two years, it now takes her four to five hours to create a piece, depending on the content and the dimensions of the wall.

She added that her art receives more attention in old neighbourhoods and in the Azraq and Zaatari camps.

“You will notice that most of my work is feminine, because women in our communities do not practise graffiti art. I always make sure to add a feminine touch to my pieces.”

Ajjawi said one of the reasons she started drawing in Irbid was because she “wanted young girls and women to feel that they can be leaders in their own communities”.

“I feel that I can deliver the message clearly since I am one of them; my circumstances are like theirs and it is more credible [that way].”

AMMAN — A depression accompanied by a cold and wet air mass is expected to affect Jordan on Friday, bringing heavy rain, a forecaster said on Thursday. 

Heavy rainfall is expected to start at dawn on Friday in the northern and central regions, according to Arabiaweather.com Chief Meteorologist Omar Dajani.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) Director General Mohammad Samawi said the rain will be accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.

On Friday, temperatures in Amman’s eastern areas will range between a high of 10°C and a low of 5°C, while they are expected to reach a maximum of 8°C and drop to a minimum of 4°C in the capital’s western neighbourhoods, Samawi added. 

"There is no chance for snow in the next two days," Dajani told The Jordan Times over the phone, noting that the likelihood of rain will spread to the Kingdom's southern mountains on Friday afternoon.

The meteorologist urged motorists to exercise caution due to low visibility as a result of fog formation and the risk of flash floods in the northern and central regions of the Kingdom.  

On Saturday, the weather will be cold and mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of rain, according to the JMD.

Temperatures in east Amman will range between a high of 11°C and a low of 4°C, and between a maximum of 9°C and a minimum of 3°C in the capital’s western neighbourhoods, the JMD statement said, adding that frost formation is expected in several areas after midnight.