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AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a January Criminal Court ruling sentencing two men to prison for a total of 22 months for harming a man who failed to pay off an old debt in eastern Amman in June 2011.

The defendants were convicted of misdemeanor assault and instigating a crime by the Criminal Court.  Defendant Issa M. was sentenced to one year for shooting the victim three times in the leg, while defendant Ghassan D. got 10 months for instigating the shooting incident.

The court also ordered the pair to pay JD5,800 in compensation to the victim as well as an additional JD300 in lawyers’ fees.

Court papers said that the victim and Ghassan had long-standing financial feuds and had cases in courts against each other.

“Ghassan decided to take revenge and asked Issa to assault the defendant and paid him JD6,000 since he knew he was in dire need of money,” the court papers said.

Ghassan also informed Issa of where the victim lived and gave him a full description of his appearance, the court maintained.

According to court documents, on June 18 Issa monitored the victim’s house “and the minute he saw him he jumped from a van and fired three rounds at his legs striking him once.” 

The Cassation Court, which issued its ruling a few months ago, upheld the Criminal Court’s ruling, stating that it fell within the law and that the proceedings were proper.

The tribunal comprised judges Mahmoud Ababneh, Yassin Abdullat, Mohammad Tarawneh, Dawoud Tubeleh and Hussein Sakaran.

AMMAN — Further trade facilitations are crucial for uplifting the efficiency of inter-Arab trade, experts said Wednesday.

Speaking at the Fifth Conference of the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Chairs Programme, Taleb Awad Warrad, WTO chair holder, said each 1 per cent drop in inter-trade costs increases the sector’s revenues by $40 billion.

Warrad, who is also a professor of international economics at the University of Jordan’s (UJ) business school, said the volume of inter-Arab trade, which forms nearly 8 per cent of the region’s overall commerce, is among the lowest internationally. 

He noted that trade exchange between European countries reaches nearly 70 per cent, while in Asian and African countries it reaches up to 40 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

“Economic integration among Arab countries can be enhanced when non-customary challenges are addressed effectively to minimise trade cost,” he said at the conference held at UJ.

For his side, WTO Chief Statistician Hubert Escaith said border procedures, transportation infrastructure and non-tariff measures are the biggest challenges facing regional trade.

He cited three levels of action to enhance efficiency of regional trade: within the national, regional and international contexts, underscoring the significance of harmonising trade regulations among neighbourings countries aiming for economic integration.

Escaith also highlighted the role of regional banks in providing funding for projects addressing development of infrastructure.  

Although the production of complex products can be “internationally fragmented”, as production of several parts of a single product can be manufactured in several countries, technological advancement can bridge geographical gaps.

Sub-regional trade, such as that among the Gulf Cooperation Council, is even weaker than large-scale, inter- Arab trade, according to Nahil Saqfelhait, an associate professor of economics at UJ.

She cited complex tax and protectionist measures on trade-related services as two main reasons for “weak” inter-Arab trade exchange, with political unrest on the top of the list.

The total inter-Arab trade volume in 2013 was as low as 2 per cent of the region’s overall trade transactions, excluding oil, she said, citing the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index. 

The core challenge for Arab countries lays in implementing regional trade agreements, said Zoubi Zoubi, dean of UJ’s business school, calling for further efforts in utilising the professional and craftsmanship potential among refugees in industrial and agricultural fields.  

The WTO Chairs Programme, launched in 2010, aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the trading system among academics and policy makers in developing countries through curriculum development, research and outreach activities by universities and research institutions, according to the organisation’s website.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Basma on Tuesday opened a knowledge station in Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, which was built on a donation from Zain Jordan.

The inauguration was attended by several new ambassadors to Jordan, whose embassies will take part in the diplomatic charity bazaar to be held on Saturday.

Princess Basma commended Zain Jordan’s initiative, embodying social responsibility.

Zain Jordan CEO Ahmad Hanandeh said knowledge stations are important to arm local society with education related to modern technology, which benefits rising education levels.

AMMAN — Civil Defence Department (CDD) Deputy Director Maj. Gen. Nasser Abu Baqar on Wednesday received Belgian Trade Minister Cécile Jodogne and Belgian Ambassador Hendrik van de Velde at the Central Region Rescue and Support Department.

The two officials discussed cooperation in the field of training and exchanging expertise, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

For their part, the delegates commended the advanced level of the CDD, voicing Belgium’s willingness to continue cooperation and coordination with the Kingdom to serve the goals of civil protection, Petra said.

AMMAN — The Royal Health Awareness Society has started applying the educational food course “Nestle Healthy Kids” in several schools as an experimental phase, according to a statement issued by the society on Wednesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The society, in cooperation with the education and health ministries, reviewed the articles of the programme prepared by the American University of Beirut, to adapt it with children’s nutrition and social needs.

AMMAN — Southern Shuneh water directorate cadres, in cooperation with security forces, on Wednesday responded to two violations on the main water pipeline feeding central areas in the Jordan Valley town, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The water authroities suspended pumping from the Kafrein station a week ago after receiving many complaints about disruption in drinking water supplies, detecting two violations that caused a loss of 40 cubic metres of water per hour, which were blamed for depriving people from water in the past 10 days. 

AMMAN — Grand Mufti of Jordan Abdul Karim Khasawneh on Wednesday commended His Majesty King Abdullah’s speech at the UN General Assembly meeting, in which he warned of the dangers of terrorism and its negative effects.

Khasawneh told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the world needs love, peace, mercy, justice, equality, moderation and tolerance, adding that they are the only means to end terrorism and extremism.

The grand mufti also stressed the Palestinians’ right to their land and national soil, having their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. 

AMMAN — Deputising for Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, Minister of Education Mohammad Thneibat on Wednesday inaugurated the Bahraini Basic School in Irbid Governorate built by the Kingdom of Bahrain to serve Syrian refugees.

The school, which accommodates 665 students, was built by the Royal Charity Organization of Bahrain in coordination with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The school is part of Bahrain’s humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and supports the Ministry of Education in coping with the pressure on education infrastructure as a result of the refugee influx, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Oxfam International commended Jordan’s response to the Syrian crisis, in a report titled “Solidarity with Syrians” , as Jordan is estimated to spend $870 million a year supporting Syrian refugees, representing 5,622 per cent of its fair share.

As an example of the gap in expenditure compared with the fair share, the international confederation said that France contributed $67.9 million in response to the UN appeal for the crisis, just 22 per cent of its fair share.

In the report, Oxfam concluded that the international community has failed so far to address this spiralling catastrophe, calling at the same time for urgent and immediate action by the international community to deal with this deepening crisis to fully fund the aid response.

AMMAN — On the occasion of the lunar new year, according to the Islamic Hijri calendar, ministries and public departments will observe a holiday on Thursday October 15, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour announced in a circular on Wednesday.