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AMMAN — Jordan on Saturday was selected as the regional hub for the Middle East in the field of astronomy, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre Director Awni Khasawneh was named director general of the hub, which is affiliated with the International Astronomical Union. 

AMMAN – The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) has signed an agreement with the French Hyseo International to set up 10 electric car charging stations in Amman with the support of the French government, according to a GAM statement.

The municipality received a 430,000 euro grant from the French government under a memorandum of understanding to finance the establishment of the stations in the capital, the statement said.

In a recent interview with The Jordan Times, Ayman Smadi, executive director of GAM’s transport and traffic department, said the stations will be established in several locations in the capital including Tlaa Al Ali and Raghadan complex.

He noted that the services of these stations will be for free during the first year of operation.

AMMAN — Jordanian Issam Abu Awad has been elected by acclamation as president of the Middle East society for design instructors, according to a statement released on Saturday.

The society is headquartered in the Applied Science University in Amman and is supported by several other universities.

AMMAN — Border Guards on Thursday foiled an infiltration attempt by two foreigners who attempted to cross from Jordan into a neighbouring country, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted an official source at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army as saying. 

The Border Guards observed the rules of engagement followed in such cases, apprehending both of them and referring them to concerned authorities, the source said.

The border troops this week killed an infiltrator and injured another after they tried to cross from Syria into Jordan, the army reported. 

During the past months, border surveillance troops have detected and arrested or killed a number of infiltrators, mostly narcotics smugglers and suspected terrorists. 

The military has repeatedly stressed that it would deal with any attempts to cross the border, in any direction, and counter schemes to harm Jordan and Jordanians with the necessary force.  

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani on Thursday said the public can differentiate between credible and non-credible media outlets, noting that he has no problem with constructive criticism that has a message and solid content. At a media meeting held by the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTC) focused on social media, the minister, who is also government spokesperson, said the government is working to build bridges of trust with citizens. Noting that public opinion leaders and social media activists are the main players who have a say in the government's credibility, Momani pointed out that officials should be able to defend their opinions and persuade the public of their views through social media.

He also underscored the significance of state media outlets, which he said give priority to accuracy over speed, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Momani called on social media users to heed accuracy as much as possible and to abide by related laws.

Also at the meeting, JRTC's social media team presented their vision on ways to develop interaction with viewers and break away from administrative routine. 

AMMAN — Jordan has made quick, positive steps to adopt renewable and nuclear energies and diversify energy resources, French Ambassador to Jordan David Bertolotti said Thursday.

At a dialogue session organised by the Rotary Club, the ambassador stressed his country’s support for the Jordanian agenda of economic activities and providing job opportunities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Paris has supported Amman for many years as a friend and ally to enable it continue facing current challenges, he said, adding that France also assists Jordan in dealing with the repercussions of the Syrian crisis, according to Petra.

Also on Thursday, the ambassador attended a workshop on global warming at the University of Jordan where he stressed that the academic and financial sectors should cooperate to address climate change, according to Petra.

AMMAN — The Independent Elections Commission’s (IEC) board of commissioners on Thursday reviewed preparations for Karak’s 2nd District by-election, slated for December 19.

The board also checked on voter lists and discussed the level of candidates’ commitment to abiding by election campaigns in accordance with the law, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. In addition, the members discussed a plan prepared by the commission to raise voters’ awareness, Petra added.

AMMAN — Several measures are being taken to speed up the clearance of wheat shipments entering Jordan, while ensuring they meet all standards and specifications, officials said Thursday.

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) under which lab tests for wheat samples should be completed within four to six days, ministry spokesperson, Yanal Barmawi, told The Jordan Times over the phone.

"It used to take longer, causing some delays for vessels in port," he noted.

Under the memo, the importer has the right to ask that samples be tested at any of the local accredited labs, which was not allowed before, as well as the right to be present at the time of the lab tests, according to Barmawi.

Another memorandum will soon be signed with the Ministry of Agriculture to speed up the process of handling shipments in port, he said.

Jordan also signed a memorandum of understanding with a UAE-based company that owns farms in Kazakhstan to supply Jordan with wheat, the official noted.

He added that the current wheat reserve is sufficient for nine months.

JFDA Director General Hayel Obeidat said the current situation is reassuring when it comes to stocks of wheat and barley, adding that the decision by some traders to refrain from bidding for tenders is unjustified.

He noted that since 2012, the JFDA approved the entry of 500 shipments of wheat, amounting to around 3.7 million tonnes in total, while it rejected one 50,000-tonne shipment of wheat from Poland because it did not meet the required standards.

The JFDA permitted the entry of 900,000 tonnes of wheat in 2015 so far, slightly over one million tonnes in 2014, 900,000 tonnes in 2013 and 975,000 tonnes in 2012.

"Jordanian standards are in line with international standards. They are not 'a Jordanian invention'," Obeidat said.

He added that Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour held a meeting earlier this week with stakeholders and several importers of wheat and barley to address challenges.

He explained that the meeting was held to encourage local traders to submit bids for tenders.

About 90 per cent of wheat supplied to Jordan comes through Amman-based Smart Solutions for Trade, which is an agent for several international companies, according to Obeidat.

AMMAN — The Lower House plans to sue a Facebook user for publishing posts on his page deemed insulting to deputies and the prime minister. 

According to a source at the Chamber of Deputies, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh sent a letter to the attorney general requesting legal action against the Facebook user over the offensive and slanderous posts. 

The source, who requested to remain unnamed, told The Jordan Times Thursday that Tarawneh attached a copy of the Facebook posts. 

The Facebook user was identified as Luai Rahahleh, who describes himself on his page as an activist and has posted a number of statements against MPs. 

In one of the posts, he described deputies as animals and singled out Tarawneh as the biggest animal in the Lower House.

In another post, the social media user portrayed MPs as corrupt people who have made fortunes from illegal activities, as well as thieves, hypocrites, harassers and gamblers. 

He also wrote posts against Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, accusing him of being corrupt. 

Rahahleh confirmed on his Facebook page that the Lower House intended to sue him. 

The source said the issue was raised by MP Fawaz Zu'bi.  

DEAD SEA — Strengthening the role of the state through dialogue and partnership to face current challenges in the region was the main message civil society and government representatives agreed on at the conclusion of a two-day meeting on Thursday.

Other recommendations at the National Forum on Human Rights: Towards an Effective Partnership included establishing a national umbrella that includes all parties to work together on the challenges facing the country.

Setting up a national fund to support civil society to avoid accusations of foreign funding as well as creating ethical guidelines to organise the relationship between civil society and the government were also among participants' recommendations.

The forum was part of the EU-funded Support to Civil Society, Dialogue and Participation in Jordan project, and was initiated by the Political and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, and the office of the government's coordinator’s on human rights, in cooperation with the National Centre for Human Rights.

The event was held by the GFA Consulting Group.

The participants also recommended establishing a follow up committee to evaluate the performance of civil society and the government.

Earlier in the day, participants engaged in a dialogue on the government’s policies and practices when it comes to dealing with freedom and human rights matters.

Layla Naffa, director of programmes at the Arab Women’s Organisation, said the issue of security in Jordan is an important topic “but we fear that focusing on security and safety will strip women of all the achievements the movement accomplished over the years.”

“The government tells us that we have to put other issues on hold because of security matters. We have achieved a lot of gains for women, but we feel that we are being pushed back because of these concerns,” Naffa said at the morning session.

“We should join hands in fighting extremism, because this is our war now, as we never witnessed such violations against women by extremist groups, and we will not accept for women to be humiliated in this way in our region.”

Naffa voiced concern over the “complete silence from society and officials towards violations against women”. 

The calls only come from the highest level, she said, but “we need to mobilise everyone to condemn these harmful practices.” 

At the same time, Naffa stressed the need to constantly engage in dialogue to strengthen the role of the state in facing the current regional crises and ensure the involvement of all parties.

Hassan Abu Arqoub, from the Ifta Department, responded to Naffa’s comments by saying that his department has issued many fatwas (Islamic edicts) against Daesh for instance, “including their harmful practices against women”. 

“The Ifta Department is launching an ideological and electronic war against Daesh, and we use all means to spread ideas that would fight their extremist thoughts,” Abu Arqoub added.

Meanwhile, Amneh Zu'bi, a former senator, said there are problems “we have to acknowledge in order to change the status quo of the relationship we have had between the government and civil society for the past 50 years.”

“It is our responsibility to draft a strategy... to change the gray relationship between civil society and government and at the same maintain the security of our country,” added Zu’bi, a leading women's rights activist in Jordan.

Centre for Defending the Freedom of Journalists Director Nidal Mansour, who also addressed the gathering, stressed the need to find a way to avoid “sacrificing freedom of expression and human rights in favour of security and safety”.

“We feel that journalists are targeted sometimes and are persecuted for writing anything that is against the norm, while people who are transmitting hate speech and extremist ideologies at universities and other media outlets are not questioned or prosecuted,” Mansour charged.

He also criticised the government for issuing gag orders when it comes to important and public opinion cases, “which is hindering our work and preventing us from getting to the truth”.

Amman Attorney General Ziad Dmour responded to Mansour’s remarks by saying that “the authorities’ role is to protect people’s reputations and rights as well ensuring national security, and sometimes some media outlets violate this right and their reporting could end up harming the economy of the state for example and that is why they are legally prosecuted.” 

Dmour explained that issuing gag orders “does not mean that we are preventing the press from accessing information. It is rather a way to protect our investigation and prevent any unwanted information that is reported by the press from affecting the investigation or the witnesses.”

Basil Tarawneh, the government's coordinator on human rights, said he was satisfied with the outcome of the event.

“We managed to bring together civil society organisations, police officers, judges, prosecutors, and State Security Court and Interior Ministry officials to engage in a frank dialogue with civil society, including lawyers, activists and journalists. This is an important achievement” Tarawneh said.

Most importantly, he told The Jordan Times, “we managed to come up with concrete and important recommendations that will guide us as well as other institutions in our future work.”