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AQABA — Electricity generation using natural gas rather than crude oil saves Jordan JD1 million per day at the current oil price of $41.60 per barrel, according to Ghassan Ghanem, CEO of the Aqaba Development Corporation.

In a recent meeting with journalists, Ghanem underscored the importance of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Aqaba, noting that if the price of crude oil rose to its mid-2014 level at $100 per barrel, generating electricity using LNG would save Jordan JD3 million per day.

In July 2015, His Majesty King Abdullah inaugurated the Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Terminal in Aqaba, 330km south of Amman, used to pump LNG to electricity-generating stations across the Kingdom. 

According to Ghanem, using natural gas rather than crude oil to generate electricity not only saves the government millions of dinars, but it is also better for the environment.

In another major milestone for the terminal, Jordan has started exporting gas to Egypt, which had been a major source for the Kingdom’s gas imports until three years ago, he said.

“We started exporting gas to Egypt two months ago,” Ghanem noted, adding that this helps make up the cost of renting the ship used for storage and regasification of LNG.

The ship can hold up to 160,000 million cubic metres of LNG.

Although Egypt discovered a massive gas field in the Mediterranean Sea in August, it will not start producing gas for four years, according to Ghanem.

He said almost 60 per cent of the LNG that Jordan imports comes from Nigeria, while 30 per cent comes from South America and 10 per cent from Qatar.

Under a contract between the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) and energy firm Shell, the Anglo-Dutch company agreed to supply NEPCO with 15 LNG shipments during 2015 plus four shipments from the spot market. 

With the new supplies, the cost of electricity generation has dropped by 25 to 30 per cent.

The network of energy terminals includes a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) port and a specialised port dedicated to marine services for LNG ships.

Building the LPG port, Ghanem said, was another investment that contributed to reducing prices of gas cylinders over the past few months.

The price of a gas cylinder fell from JD10 to JD7 before rising to JD7.5 on November 30. 

Before establishing the LPG port, “we used to rent ports in other countries", the CEO noted, adding that the time required to handle gas shipments has also decreased. 

Ghanem said there is also a project to establish a port for coal and oil, which could save Jordan $20 million annually. 

According to the official, in 2013 and 2014, the proportion of energy that Jordan generated from coal constituted 4.5 per cent of the total energy consumed.

There will be also another port for miscellaneous liquids that will be used once prices of oil derivatives are liberated, he said.

AMMAN — Naji Abu Nowar's Theeb has added a new award to its "growing list of accolades" by winning the Grand Prize at Festival International Du Cinéma De Dakhla in Morocco, which concluded its sixth round last Wednesday. 

The film has now won 15 awards in total, in addition to its selection to represent Jordan in the Academy Awards as one of the nominated films in the Best Foreign Film category, the feature's distributor, MAD Solutions, said in a statement.

"Theeb" has been screened in 12 countries and premiered in the United States in November. ART network has also begun airing the film exclusively on its screens since November 22, the statement said.

The 100-minute desert adventure was filmed entirely in the southern badia. 

The film's producers collaborated with the bedouin tribes to ensure the authentic depiction of life in the region. The cast was entirely formed from the local tribesmen of these communities, who have lived in the area for hundreds of years, after they were given acting workshops in the eight months prior to principal photography.

"Theeb" is Jordanian director/writer Abu Nowar's first feature film, which he co-scripted with Bassel Ghandour, the statement said. 

Set in the Arabian Desert of 1916, the film follows Theeb, a young bedouin boy, and his brother Hussein as they leave the safety of their tribe to venture on a treacherous journey at the dawn of the Great Arab Revolt. 

"If Theeb is to survive he must quickly learn about adulthood, trust and betrayal," the statement added.

The film stars young Jacir Eid as Theeb, opposite Hussein Salameh, Hassan Mutlag, Marji Audeh and Jack Fox, the only professional actor on the cast.

The crew included Wolfgang Thaler, an award-winning Austrian director of photography, British composer Jerry Lane and British production designer Anna Lavelle. 

The film is edited by Rupert Lloyd.

Ghandour's Bayt Al Shawareb, in association with Lloyd's Noor Pictures produced the film, in co-production with Nasser Kalaji and Laith Majali's Immortal Entertainment. 

Nadine Toukan is the executive producer.

Theeb received sponsorship from the Abu Dhabi SANAD Fund, the Doha Film Institute as well as the Visions Sud Est Fund.

Awards at international festivals

• Best Director Award at Orizzonti (New Horizons) Competition at Venice Film Festival

•  Variety magazine selected Naji Abu Nowar as Arab Filmmaker of the Year in 2014

•   A Special Mention at BFI London Film Festival

•   The New Horizons Best Film from the Arab World and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Narrative Film at Abu Dhabi Film Festival

•   A Certificate of Appreciation within Prospects of Arab Cinema section at Cairo International Film Festival 

•   Student Jury Special Mention for actor Jacir Eid at the Carthage International Film Festival

•   Best Directorial Debut Award at the Directors' Debuts Competition within the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (CAMERIMAGE) in Poland 

•   The Main Award (The Belgrade Victor) and the Award for Best Script at the 43rd Belgrade International Film Festival

•   Best Screenplay Award at the Miami International film Festival

• Audience Award at Las Palmas International Film Festival 

• Best Debut Film at the Beijing International Film Festival

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) will stop accepting applications to open certain businesses in residential buildings, a GAM official said on Tuesday. 

Ali Hadidi, director of GAM’s professional licences and advertising department, said the decision was taken to organise the licensing process.

“The municipality wants to study the whole city and do a field survey about businesses located in residential buildings,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

GAM will stop accepting applications to open groceries, pharmacies, kindergartens, clinics and beauty salons until April 1, 2016, the official noted. 

Between 6,000 and 7,000 such outlets operate in residential areas in Amman. 

“GAM wants to identify the areas that lack such services and the neighbourhoods that are already overcrowded with them,” Hadidi added. 

The official stressed that the decision does not affect stores already operating in residential areas, and they can renew their licences. 

In May, GAM started enforcing a fixed closing time for cafés, nightclubs, carpentry shops and other places licensed as commercial outlets in residential areas.

The move was prompted by “a great number of public nuisance complaints filed by residents”, Hadidi said at the time.

“Many people have complained that they cannot live in peace due to the noise from these places. Celebration halls are also covered by the decision,” he said in previous remarks to The Jordan Times.

These facilities are required to close down at midnight during summer and at 11pm in winter.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday met with local wheat and barley importers, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

At the meeting also attended by Agriculture Minister Akef Zu’bi, Health Minister Ali Hiasat, Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) Director General Hayel Obeidat and Trade Ministry Secretary General Yousef Shammali — the importers briefed Ensour on the procurement operations and the lab tests required for the two grains. 

The importers underscored their interest in importing wheat and barley of international standard in order to safeguard public health and ensure a safe strategic reserve of the two commodities.

Jordan annually imports 1.8 million tonnes of wheat and barley in order to secure a stockpile sufficient for six months. 

Ensour stressed the need to allow importers to participate in taking samples from the shipment in cooperation with government authorities implementing the tests.

Obeidat said the JFDA allowed hundreds of shipments of wheat and barley into the Kingdom in recent years, denying entry to only two.

He noted that after a shipment from Poland was rejected, 14 shipments were allowed into Jordan. 

AMMAN — Kuwaiti investors on Tuesday announced a JD100 million project to build a residential suburb near the airport road, with plans for a campaign to attract buyers from Gulf countries.

The “Jenan Amman” project, located 20 kilometres from Amman’s 7th Circle, is being implemented by Tanamee Real Estate Development Company, which was established in 2014 and is wholly owned by Kuwaiti investors.

The project, which is spread over an estimated 204,000 square metres in the Qastal area near the Queen Alia International Airport, will include 500 villas, as well as apartments and dormitories to serve students and dozens of commercial stores, Tanamee General Manager Sulaiman Yousef Bin Jassem told reporters.

The complex will be built in three stages, each taking 18 months to finish, he said, adding that the company has finished the infrastructure work for the project.

“This is a very important project and it will provide facilities in line with high standards,” the general manager said.

Construction on the project will start in early 2016, Bin Jassem noted at the press conference, attended by Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Hamad Saleh Al Duaij.

The ambassador praised the “Jenan Amman” project and announced a donation to build a mosque there, in addition to choosing a house from the project.

Bin Jassem said the company plans to present initiatives to the relevant authorities in the Kingdom in order to build a mosque, schools, and a medical centre, as well as to provide other services that help revive the area surrounding the airport, noting that the project is expected to create 1,000 jobs for Jordanians.

He added that the company will start marketing the complex on December 6, through a campaign that will start in Amman before moving to Kuwait and other Gulf capitals, in order to give Jordanians in the Gulf an opportunity to buy property in the project.

AMMAN — Social media users on Tuesday criticised the government’s decision to raise the price of gas cylinders, especially with “cold weather approaching”, arguing that consumers “cannot afford” the hike.

The government raised the price of gas cylinders, used in winter for heating purposes, by 500 fils (7.1 per cent) for December to JD7.50, from JD7 in November.

Mohammad Abu Rashed wrote on Facebook that “if the prices had remained as they were, it would have been more convenient.”

Bob Owidat criticised the timing of the hike.

“… Just because gas cylinders are now necessary for each house, the government raises their prices,” he charged.

“And we wonder why the crime rates increased in Jordan, this country is only for the rich and for people who hold senior positions,” Heba Daajah wrote on Facebook.

“They lowered the prices of fuel, we don’t even own cars… gas cylinders are more important to us,” Sama Hamarneh said. 

Under the same decision, the government lowered the price of petrol, with one litre of unleaded 90-octane gasoline dropping by some 3.6 per cent, from JD0.555 to JD0.535, while the cost of a litre of unleaded 95-octane gasoline dropped by around 2.7 per cent, from JD0.72 to JD0.7.

Others claimed that many news outlets highlighted the census to “cover up” the new decision.

“The decision doesn’t make sense… attention was drawn to the census so that we don’t make a big deal out of it,” Omar Haddad commented on Facebook.

Twitter user Ahmed Alzboon (@AHMEDALZBOON) charged that “[Prime Minister Abdullah] Ensour gave people a day off and distracted them with the census, then gave them half-a-dinar increase to the price of gas cylinders.”

Other Twitter users jokingly referred to gas as a dairy product rather than an oil derivative to explain that its price is not affected by the drop in oil prices.

AMMAN — While anguish, abuse and exploitation are what drive women to seek help at the Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU), surviving and taking control of their lives again are what distinguish them once they leave.

A sketch performed by a group of women on Tuesday — inspired by their own stories — provided insight about the types of violence Jordanian women are still subject to, including early and forced marriage, sexual and physical abuse and exploitation.

HRH Prince Basma paid a visit to the JWU on Tuesday to take a look at activities it held as part of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence” campaign, which aims to intensify attention towards the injustices that women and girls face.

Despite living in “distress” since her parents separated when she was a few months old and after going through two painful marriages, Um Omar has been given a new lease on life thanks to the JWU.

She and other women who resorted to the JWU shelter have been able to continue their education, find jobs and raise their own children.

“We receive at least eight daily cases of women who were subjected to a form of abuse. We also handle cases of human trafficking, especially domestic workers, referred to us by the police,”  JWU Director General Nadia Shamroukh told The Jordan Times.

She noted that the shelter, established in 1996, provides comprehensive services to women of all nationalities residing in the Kingdom.

Currently, around 17 women live in the shelter, Shamroukh said, noting that funding is one of the main issues the facility faces.

She cited UN Women as one of the main supporters of the JWU today.

“We make sure to attend to the needs of women who come to us. We offer them social and psychological counselling and empower them economically. The JWU shelter is also equipped to receive their children,” said Howeida Khitan, a social expert from the union.

Several cases handled by the JWU are referred by government institutions, or women simply visit the premises seeking help.

Speaking to the beneficiaries on Tuesday, Princess Basma underlined the significant role the JWU plays as an NGO to combat violence against women, calling for finding deterrents, especially to the violence inflicted on children and women who are considered the most vulnerable to abuse.

JWU President Tahani Shakhshir noted that eliminating violence against women requires amending some laws and eliminating societal stereotypes.

The princess, along with Italian Ambassador to Jordan Giovanni Brauzzi, also toured an exhibition at the JWU where cartoonist Omar Abdullat helps women express their feelings through drawing and produces sketches inspired by their stories.

AMMAN — Airport International Group (AIG) — the Jordanian company responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) — reported a minor fire at QAIA on Tuesday.

“While attaching a pushback tug to a Royal Jordanian [RJ] aircraft ... a small fire broke out as a result of an electrical short in the pushback tug,” AIG said in a statement. Civil Defence Department vehicles on site at the airport were able to successfully extinguish the fire, which caused no injuries.

There were no passengers aboard the aircraft when the fire erupted, according to the statement. RJ Chairman Suleiman Hafez said the fire had no effect on the airline’s flight schedule, noting that the damaged aircraft is being repaired and will be operational soon, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — King’s Military Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben on Tuesday met with a US delegation headed by Andrew Exum, deputy assistant secretary of defence for Middle East policy, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

At the meeting, attended by HRH Prince Feisal, Zaben and Exum discussed regional and international developments. 

AMMAN — The higher ministerial committee of the 2015 census, chaired by Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury, on Tuesday reviewed the progress of the population tally, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The attendees reviewed reports from various governorates and the initial percentages of completion, in addition to technical problems and ways to overcome them.