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AMMAN — The Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD) on Wednesday launched the 2015 Queen Alia Social Work Competition under the title “Jo-Green”, in cooperation with the Jordan Engineers Association as well as several universities and civil society institutions.

The competition targets engineering students at Jordanian universities to encourage them to find creative solutions to environment and economic challenges, employing the concept of green buildings, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Head of the competition’s higher committee, Atef Odeibat, announced at a press conference that the competition this year will focus on designing the first environment centre in Madaba affiliated with JOHUD, under directives from HRH Princess Basma.

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Tuesday participated in a consultative meeting on Syria, upon an invitation from US Secretary of State John Kerry. 

At the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 70th Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Judeh reasserted Jordan's position in support of a political solution that guarantees the security and the territorial integrity of Syria, with participation from all components of Syrian society, in accordance with the Geneva I conference, Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Judeh expressed hope that a political solution will be reached soon that would enable Syrians to return to their country, stressing that a political solution is the way to a humanitarian solution that allows Syrian refugees to go back to Syria. 

The meeting was also attended by foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Britain, France and Germany.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah has focused on anti-terrorism measures and the Syrian refugee crisis during a series of meetings with world leaders held in New York on the sidelines of his participation in the 70th Plenary Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

On Tuesday, he held talks with the Japanese, Italian and Ethiopian premiers.

Japan’s Shinzo Abe underlined his country’s assistance to the refugee crisis through supporting international organisations. The two sides agreed on the need to resume the Mideast peace process to end the conflict on the basis on the two-state formula and relevant international resolutions.

At the meeting with the Italian premier Matteo Renzi, focus was on the Israeli violations in Jerusalem and economic cooperation through the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

During his meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, King Abdullah noted that the Kingdom would soon open an embassy in Addis Ababa to enhance bilateral relations. 

His Majesty discussed the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Jordan with the king of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, on Monday. 

They urged the international community for additional support to Jordan, the Royal Court said.

The two leaders stressed the importance of international cooperation and coordination to combat terrorism and extremism to put a stop to terrorist groups, in addition to enhancing bilateral financial cooperation. The meeting was attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.

In another meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi, His Majesty stressed Jordan’s support for Iraqis in their efforts to strengthen peace in their country.

Abadi expressed his appreciation of the Kingdom’s support for Iraq during the current “difficult times”, stressing Iraq’s commitment to strengthening Iraqi-Jordanian relations in various fields.  

Also on Monday, the King met with Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and discussed international efforts to combat terrorism and extremism as well as bilateral relations.

Amman — His Majesty King Abdullah described violent extremism as “possibly the greatest collective threat of our time” and celebrated the achievements of a “coalition of the determined” in combating Daesh during a speech at the UN Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism in New York on Tuesday. 

He thanked US President Obama, who also attended the summit, for his commitment to this cause and highlighted the coalition’s success in cutting off Daesh’s financial resources.

However, overcoming violent extremism across the world would require “a more holistic approach”, including coordination between affected countries and a push towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the King stressed. 

He added that efforts towards “winning hearts and minds” relied on broader improvements in governance, poverty rates, youth engagement, job creation and education.

Identifying extremist groups such as Daesh, Al Shabab, and Boko Haram as “franchises of the same threat”, he said that Jordan is reaching out to African states to build a partnership against these enemies.

His Majesty concluded by reminding the summit of the challenges posed by the “outpouring of refugees”, echoing his appeals at other UN events this week for international support for Jordan, in light of its role as a host to large numbers of displaced Syrians.

Following is the full text of His Majesty King Abdullah’s speech:

In the name of God, most Compassionate, most Merciful,

Thank you, President Obama, for your continued leadership and commitment on this issue, which is possibly the greatest collective threat of our time.

Last year, I spoke here of the need for a “coalition of the determined”, and indeed this has transpired.

Our collective resolve resulted in degrading Daesh assets and capabilities over the past year. Importantly, we have succeeded in interrupting Daesh’s access to some of its vital financial resources.

As a result of our efforts, Daesh’s momentum has been weakened.

Our coalition still faces significant challenges, and Mr President as you said yesterday: “If we cannot work together more effectively, we will all suffer the consequences.”

We all know the road ahead is long, but we can navigate it by continuing to work collectively, constantly adapting our strategy and upgrading coordination among coalition members.

While this coalition is focused on fighting Daesh in Syria and Iraq, a more holistic approach requires a wider perspective and plan to eradicate the threat as well as an inclusive political solution to these conflicts.

We must tackle the flow of foreign fighters and Daesh’s supply chain across borders more effectively.

Empowering local communities in the fight against Daesh and conducting the war in a way that alleviates their suffering is vital.

As I said last year, this is first and foremost our struggle. Muslim nations have to lead this fight to protect and show the true nature of our religion.

Again, as you pointed out Mr President, while the battles may be fought on the ground — and by the population that is most affected — this war can only be won on the ideological plane.

Another challenge we still need to address more effectively is the battleground in cyberspace. We know Daesh is replenishing its ranks by targeting and luring potential members worldwide through social media, and it is still able to fund new recruits’ travel to Syria and Iraq.

Daesh, Al Shabab, Boko Haram and various terrorist groups that we are looking at are offshoots and franchises of the same threat and are in Sinai, Libya, Yemen, Mali, and now in Afghanistan, and elsewhere in Africa and Asia. None of us are safe until we have a path forward that addresses this interconnected reality.

This is not a single country’s problem, it is not a local or regional problem; it is our collective problem.

On this front, Jordan has begun a collaborative effort to reach out as a Muslim and Arab state to countries in Africa, to help, coordinate and support with stakeholders and build a partnership to address our interlinked threats.

We are certain that there is no alternative to a comprehensive approach and close coordination amongst all stakeholders that consider the threat of various terrorist groups across the wider region. We hope this will align various programmes, counter terrorism and security assistance efforts under a unified strategy.

Finally, we cannot tackle this threat in a vacuum. A world that allows the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to move further away from a two-state solution is a world that fuels extremists’ recruitment. The world should not be silent to violations of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as this will only empower those who seek to wage a religious war.

Winning hearts and minds remains a big challenge, as this will also require, in the longer and medium terms, dealing with governance, poverty, youth, job creation and education.

It is only by stabilising the entire region, giving people hope instead of fear and destruction that we will truly address these and other challenges, including the outpouring of refugees, many of whom are fleeing from terror and seeking a decent life far from their homes.

Thank you.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday sent a cable to Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, condoling him over the death of Prince Nawaf Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the special adviser of King Salman.

In the cable, the King expressed his condolences to King Salman, the family and the Saudi people.

AMMAN – Search was still under way Tuesday for two Jordanian pilgrims who went missing after the Hajj stampede incident in Mecca. 

“Our teams in Mecca are still looking for 70-year-old Sami Batayneh and 39-year-old Tareq Hassan, who are missing. We are coordinating with Saudi authorities and if there is any new information, we will announce it,” Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Hayel Dawood and told The Jordan Times on Tuesday. 

“We are checking all possible locations, hospitals and healthcare centres. We have not found anything yet,” he said. 

The ministry’s team will remain in Mecca until next Saturday. Thereafter, the Jordanian consulate in Jeddah will take over and continue looking for the lost pilgrims if needed, he said. 

The stampede, which occurred Thursday between the Jamarat pillars and the bridge in Mina, during the ritual of the Stoning of the Devil, resulted in the death of over 700 pilgrims and injury to hundreds others.

Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam and considered the religious high point of a Muslim’s life. It is performed during a five-day period from the 9th through to the 13th of Dhul Hijja, the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar.

Jordanian Ahmad Abu Awali, 56 years old, lost his life during the stampede. 

Some 5,600 Jordanians performed Hajj rituals through the ministry this year, including administrative teams. The number of 1948 Palestinian pilgrims reached 3,600 this year.

AMMAN — The Cassation Court upheld a Criminal Court ruling from December 2014 sentencing a 25-year-old woman to death for murdering a man who married a different woman in 2013 in one of the Kingdom’s governorates.

The Criminal Court sentenced the defendant to death in mid-December after convicting her of murdering a 33-year-old man with whom she had been involved in a relationship, while in his vehicle on May 19, 2013.

The victim, who worked at the Development and Employment Fund, and the defendant were involved in a relationship since late 2010, and the defendant  hoped that they would eventually marry, the court papers said.

On May 15, 2013, the court added, the defendant learned from a relative that “the man she was in love with was marrying another woman and had already distributed the wedding invitations.”

 “The defendant became enraged and thought of killing herself or killing him to prevent the marriage by using a gun that belonged to her father,” the court transcripts said.

The woman decided to murder the victim and four days later, she lured him to a deserted area, claiming that she wanted to discuss a matter with him, according to the court.

When they reached a secluded area, the court papers added, “the defendant pulled out the gun and fired seven rounds at the victim, aiming at the upper part of his body.”

The woman then headed to her university, where she sat for an exam, after which she went to the market, bought seven bullets, reloaded her father’s gun and returned it to the safe place where it was kept, according to the court. 

Police arrested the woman on June 1, 2013, after concluding that she was the perpetrator based on DNA evidence found in the victim’s vehicle, the judicial source said.

The defendant had contested the Criminal Court ruling and demanded a lighter sentence, arguing that “she committed her murder in a fit of fury,” according to the 10-page verdict.

However, the five-judge tribunal at the Cassation Court disagreed and ruled that the defendant plotted the murder and therefore deserved the capital punishment.

“It was clear from the Criminal Court’s proceedings that the defendant planned the murder because she had two thoughts: either to commit suicide or to kill the victim,” the higher court ruled earlier this year.

The defendant eventually chose the second option and plotted the murder by “obtaining her father’s gun and luring the victim to the deserted area where she killed him,” the court added.

The Cassation Court tribunal comprised judges Kareem Tarawneh, Basel Abu Anzeh, Yassin Abdullat, Mohammad Tarawneh and Bassem Mubeideen.

AMMAN — For the first time a Jordanian scientist, Shaher Momani, has been nominated for the Nobel Prize in physics for 2016.

Momani, a professor of Applied Mathematics and Dean of the University of Jordan's science faculty, was nominated for the prize by a group of Jordanian and Arab scientists.

Previously, Egyptian US-based scientist Ahmad Zewail won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999, and Egyptian novelist Najib Mahfouz won the prize in literature in 1988.

"The move seeks to break the psychological barrier for Arab scientists and encourage their nomination for the prize," Momani told The Jordan Times on Tuesday over phone, noting that no Arab-based scientist has won the Nobel Prize in a scientific field before.  

"Human resources in the Arab world have great potential, but are not fully tapped," he said, adding that this potential develops when nurtured in the West. He insisted that encouraging creativity and excellence should begin at home. 

Specialising in fractional calculus and rated among the world's top 10 scientists in the field, Professor Momani is among the most highly cited researchers and influential scientific minds at the international level for 2014-2015, according to the University of Jordan’s website. 

The scientist has published over 250 research papers in first-class international scientific journals and is an editor of over 30 such journals. 

"I have received a lot of messages from local, Arab and international scientists who expressed their support," he said.

According to the University of Jordan, which is supporting Momani's candidacy, scientists, academics, former Nobel Prize winners and members of the Parliament and the Senate can support Momani by suggesting his name via the link http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/who-deserves.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook_page.

Candidates for the Nobel Prize in physics are nominated by chairs of physics departments at universities across the world as well as other scientists selected by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Academy then decides on a Nobel Laureate in Physics by majority vote, according to the award's website. 

The Nobel Prizes were created by Alfred Nobel to promote outstanding achievement in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature, and for work in peace.

AMMAN – The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) will relocate vehicle dealers and used-car auction lots to a plot of land in the Madouna area in east Amman soon, a GAM official said on Tuesday. 

Emad Hiyari, the city’s vice director for planning affairs, said the municipality proposed this idea to the government, which supported the proposal and decided to provide the municipality with a 900-dunum space for the project. 

The municipality had planned in 2013 to start a similar project in the Marka area in east Amman, but since then no move has been implemented under the plan. 

Hiyari noted that the previous piece of land was small and could not accommodate the number of vehicles to be put on display for clients. 

“The old land was a 300-dunum area. It was not suitable might have affected the traffic, while the new land is large enough to accommodate these cars. The new venue is preferable because it is located near well-served areas,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

Hiyari said that no specific time frame has yet been defined for the project. 

“The Ministry of Public Works and Housing is in charge of zoning the land for the purpose of this project, and the construction might start between 2016 and 2017,” he added. 

The municipality official said the project would benefit clients and the public. 

“Customers can find all kinds of cars at one place. Also, this project will end the problem of traffic jams caused by auction  lots and car dealers in Amman,” he added. 

Hiyari noted that under the regulations, vendors are given time to switch to another location if alternatives are available.

“No one can prohibit people from running car showrooms in Amman, but they are not allowed to showcase the vehicles on the pavements, which many vendors do. The growing number of stores and clients has resulted in traffic jams in Amman, so the idea behind the whole project is to organise this industry and to beautify the eastern part of the capital,” he added.  

However, the used-car lot, located on Jordan Street in the Tabarbour neighbourhood in northeast Amman, has served as an active centre for used-car trading since 1980 and is the main attraction for people looking to buy or sell vehicles.

A plan to relocate this market has been in the works for several years, but dealers have resisted the move.

AMMAN – Driving an electric car would cost motorists in Jordan around JD7 in electricity for a 400-kilometre trip, according to calculations made an automaker. 

Responding to a question by The Jordan Times on the electricity cost for driving for 400 kilometres (km), or 250 miles, a specialist from the Tesla team said the distance would require around 82 kilowatts per hour (kWh). The calculations were based on the power tariff in the Kingdom of around 87 fils per kWh. 

The cost of a kilometre drive would be around 17 fils for electric cars, while for gasoline-powered conventional cars it is calculated around 50 fils when using the 90-octane gasoline and 66 fils when using the more expensive 95-octane gasoline. 

The cost of a 400 km trip by a car using 90-octane would be around JD20, while it would jump to JD26 when using the 95-octane, based on the current prices of fuel products on the domestic market. 

On the time for recharging the battery, Tesla team said it would take up to 30 minutes when using a supercharger. 

“As supercharging will go very fast up to 80 per cent of a full battery, it will take that same period of time to go from 80 per cent to 100 per cent,” said the spcialist in the reply to The Jordan Times inquiry. 

“In practical terms for your 250-mile trip (around 400km), assuming you have a Tesla 85 or 90 model, a supercharger could get you back to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes, maybe even 20 minutes.” 

On charging from wall connectors, Tesla expert said if the S model has dual chargers and the wall connector was set to 80 ampere, it would take about four hours to charge, adding for the more typical single charger configuration it would be double the time.

Recently the government has taken a set of measures to promote the use of electric vehicles in a bid to reduce the Kingdom’s fuel bill and protect the environment, according to officials. 

As electric vehicles are tax and customs duties free, the government announced last week the exemption of such cars from registration fees, saving owners between JD8,000 and JD9,000. 

Several days later, the government decided to offer more incentives by exempting charging devices of fully electric vehicles from customs duties and sales tax.