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AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday approved a decision to buy supplies for ministries and public departments from local manufacturers, provided that there are offers from at least three local companies. 

The decision is aimed at stimulating the national economy and was taken due to border closures with Syria and Iraq, which decreased exports to these countries and to traditional markets, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The public purchases listed in the decision include stationery, food items, clothes, shoes, furniture and electric devices, according to Petra. 

Later on Sunday, the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) commended the Cabinet decision, noting that it is in the best interest of local industries.

ACI President Ziad Homsi said the move comes “at the right time”, especially under the current circumstances affecting local industries, noting that it will increase the sector’s ability to create more jobs and support the national economy, Petra reported.

Homsi, who is also a senator, said this decision will also enable the local industry sector to deal with competition in the local market, urging Jordanian manufacturers to commit to national standards.

AMMAN — Easterly winds affecting the Kingdom in the coming days may bring dust and cold weather, meteorologists said on Sunday. 

Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) Director General Mohammad Samawi said in a statement that the weather will be pleasant in the mornings and colder in the evenings until Wednesday. 

Omar Dajani, a forecaster at Arabiaweather.com, said these conditions will prevail until the weekend, adding that the possibility of rainfall is “nearly non-existent” this week. 

“People will feel that the weather is cold, though temperatures are not actually that low, due to the easterly winds. We advise people to wear warmer clothing during the evening,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The JMD said there is a possibility of low visibility caused by dust in desert areas.  

On Monday, temperatures in Amman’s eastern areas will range between a high of 17°C and a low of 9°C, while they are expected to reach a maximum of 16°C and drop to a minimum of 7°C in the capital’s western neighbourhoods.

In Aqaba, temperatures are forecast to range between a low of 16°C and a high of 27°C on Monday, according to the JMD.

A slight increase in temperatures is forecast for Tuesday, ranging between 19°C and 7°C in the capital’s eastern neighbourhoods, and 17°C and 6°C in west Amman. 

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh on Sunday met with US Senator Brian Schatz — member of the US Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation — and reviewed Jordanian-US ties. 

Tarawneh stressed the King's keenness on enhancing relations and strategic cooperation between the two countries and developing them at all levels, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Schatz, who is also a member of the subcommittee on defence, voiced his country's keenness to boost its ties with the Kingdom due to its role in several regional and international issues. 

Also on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh met with Schatz (D-Hawaii), and discussed Jordanian-US relations and mutual coordination on various challenges. 

Discussions addressed the latest regional developments and counterterrorism efforts. 

The two officials discussed the developments in the Palestinian territories, amidst the continued Israeli violations, stressing the need for peace negotiations that can lead to the two-state solution.  

In addition, they stressed the importance of arriving at a political solution to the Syrian crisis, according to Petra.

Schatz said the US supports Jordan's key role in the region, aimed at achieving peace and security. 

AMMAN — The Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre on Sunday launched the first workshop on simulation programmes for nuclear power plants, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Local and foreign experts participated in the workshop, with the purpose of training Jordanian cadres in using computer simulation programmes for nuclear plants, Petra quoted Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Khaled Toukan as saying.

The workshop, held in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, aims at understanding the various parts and systems of nuclear plants and to cover various scenarios that could take place at a plant.

AMMAN — UNICEF has no financial difficulties for now in accommodating all school-age Syrian refugees in Jordan in formal education, but the problem remains with school capacity, a UNICEF spokesperson said Sunday.

Samir Badran, UNICEF Jordan communication specialist, noted that in order to meet Syrian children’s needs and avoid interruption in school enrolment, the UN agency is targeting more students to join its Makani (my space) centres that provide informal education for refugees in Jordan.

According to Badran, currently there are 152 Makani centres across the Kingdom, including in refugee camps, and “our target is to reach 220 centres by the end of this year.”

Makani is a comprehensive approach through which UNICEF provides life skills training, non-formal education and protection services for vulnerable children. 

Although the centres are open to children of any nationality in Jordan, most of those attending classes are Syrian refugees, according to UNICEF.

Badran said children and young people with interrupted formal education join these centres to catch up on what they have missed.

He explained that the curricula taught in these centres are developed under the supervision of the Education Ministry to enable children to catch up with students their age in formal education.

According to a UNICEF report, 325,395 of the 658,175 Syrian refugees registered with the UNHCR are children under the age of 18.

Jordanian schools reopened in September 2015 to welcome approximately 143,000 new and returning Syrian students, a 10 per cent increase in refugee enrolment from the last academic year. 

Around 98 schools, mostly in Amman and the northern governorates, operate on the double-shift system to accommodate Syrians.

At the Makani centres, 41,636 children are attending life skills classes, 46,370 attend informal education classes and 116,063 the protection sessions.

However, the UN agency’s target, according to Badran, is to reach 63,578 students in the life skills classes, 69,260 in informal education and 141,823 in the protection sessions.

AMMAN — The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) on Sunday launched a housing programme aimed at providing residences for families with limited incomes.

The project is implemented in cooperation with the Greater Amman Municipality, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Jordan Engineers Association, the Jordan Contractors Association and the Engineering Offices Commission, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji said, during the launch ceremony, that the success of the housing system depends on citizens, developers, financers and the government.

Iman Zaki, programme director at UN Habitat in Jordan, said the project seeks to provide small-sized residential units of 65 square metres at a cost of JD15,000-JD18,000 across the Kingdom for families whose monthly income ranges between JD300-JD500, Petra added.

AMMAN — Police on Sunday said they were searching for unidentified individuals who earlier in the day shot at the vehicles of Sahab Mayor Abbas Maharmeh.

No one was injured in the incident that occurred at 1am in Sahab, some 22km southeast of Amman, according to Maharmeh and Public Security Department Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi. 

“We are following up on the incident but have made no arrests so far,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

Maharmeh told The Jordan Times that he was awoken at around 1am by the sound of bullets very close to his house.

“I believe it came from an automatic rifle and hit two vehicles, while some bullets struck the entrance of my home,” the mayor said.

Maharmeh added that “he received a threat earlier in the month by individuals following a drug raid by the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND).”

“We have been very active in Sahab, and carried out several activities to combat drug trafficking. It seems that this has angered some individuals who first sent me verbal threats and yesterday shot at my house,” Maharmeh said.

In mid-November, AND arrested 13 suspected drug dealers and addicts in raids on nine houses in Sahab. The raids resulted in the confiscation of guns, automatic rifles, money earned from illicit drug transactions and various illegal narcotics.

The Sahab mayor said he was hopeful that police will make some arrests.

“We have a description of the vehicle from witnesses and some cameras in the area.  We hope that will help the police in arresting the perpetrators,” Maharmeh added.

AMMAN — Fifty-four MPs have signed a memo to urge the government to increase the salaries and pensions of civil servants and military servicemen. 

The memo, initiated by MP Mohammad Qatatsheh, called on the government to include an article in the 2016 draft state budget law to raise the salaries of retired and working public servants as “economic security is part of social security”. 

The memo, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, said the government should raise salaries as Jordanians were impacted by its decisions over the past three years, referring to tax hikes and the removal of fuel subsidies.

General Budget Department Director Mohammad Hazaimeh said in recent remarks to The Jordan Times that the 2016 draft budget law would include the annual “normal” salary increases. 

The cost of salaries for retired and working employees is estimated at JD1.3 billion, according to the figures of next year’s budget. 

The budget includes a nearly JD9 million increase in the living expense allowance as the overall value of the allowance for all employees is projected to be around JD304 million next year compared to JD295 million in 2015.

AMMAN — Senate President Faisal Fayez on Sunday met with British Ambassador to Jordan Edward Oakden and discussed regional developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Discussions also covered Jordan’s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees, with Fayez calling on the international community to support Jordan economically and financially through investments. Also on Sunday, Fayez met with Knesset member Ahmad Tibi, head of the Jerusalem Committee of the Joint Arab List.

The Senate president called for pressuring Israel into implementing the international decisions related to the Palestinians’ rights. Tibi praised the Kingdom for supporting Palestine. Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh also met separately with Tibi and voiced Jordan’s support for the Palestinians in seeking their national rights.

AMMAN — Interior Minister Salameh Hammad on Sunday met with his Libyan counterpart Mohammad Al Fakheri and discussed ways to enhance police expertise exchange and training.

Hammad stressed the important role of coordination in enhancing police performance and keeping up with the latest developments to achieve peace and stability, according to a Public Security Department (PSD) statement.

Fakheri praised the PSD’s efforts in supporting the formation of a Libyan police force. Speaking at the meeting, held at PSD headquarters, PSD Director Maj. Gen. Atef Saudi expressed the department’s readiness to offer its expertise to Libya.