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AMMAN — Traffic jams on Amman's streets cost motorists around JD1 billion annually, according to an estimate by an official at the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM).  

The estimate includes money paid by motorists on fuel wasted by idling cars and the cost of lost time, Ayman Smadi, executive director of transport and traffic department at GAM, said Wednesday.

"Motorists lose a lot of money on fuel consumed while their cars are stranded in traffic," he told The Jordan Times over the phone, adding that GAM calculates the value of wasted time at millions of dinars.

"If there were no traffic congestions, people would be able to do their businesses faster with much lower fuel bills," Smadi said.

The official, who said there are over one million vehicles in the capital, added these cars make seven  million trips a day.

 To address traffic jams, the municipality is going ahead with plans to implement the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a multimillion-dinar transportation scheme that entails operating premium, high-capacity buses that can carry more than 120 passengers and run on a three-minute frequency during peak hours on segregated lanes along Amman’s busiest corridors.

Smadi pointed out that GAM will also launch a project in the next two months to regulate parking of vehicles in the capital by installing metres in 11 areas across the city, where motorists need to pay fees for short-time parking.

"This will help regulate the process and leave some vacant spaces for parking in Amman," he said.

Smadi indicated that GAM is also focusing on improving the public transport system in a bid to reduce jams and to offer better services to commuters. 

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to exempt electric cars from registration fees, which range between JD8,000 and JD9,000, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The introduction of the incentives, the government said, seeks to encourage people buy plug-in cars to cut fuel bills and to protect the environment, according to Petra. 

Finance Minister Umayya Toukan said that there are directives by His Majesty King Abdullah to promote the use of electric cars to protect the environment and lower energy bills. 

He indicated that the government has previously exempted such vehicles from customs duties and sales tax, pointing out to the recent decision to exempt batteries of hybrid cars from taxes and duties. 

By exempting electric vehicles from registration fees, the Cabinet has taken all measures to encourage their use, the minister was quoted as saying by Petra. 

Motorists will still need to pay licensing fees at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department, around JD1,000 annually, in return for “services on the road and infrastructure”, he added. 

Electric cars are currently used by some in Jordan, including Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, several Cabinet members, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh and Senate President Abdur-Ra’uf S. Rawabdeh, in addition to several ministers and senior officials. 

During the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in May this year, held on the eastern shores of the Dead Sea, a memorandum of understanding was signed with manufacturers of electric cars — Tesla, BMW and Renault — to gradually adopt the use of electric vehicles in the public sector as an environment-friendly means of transport. 

In an initiative to support this move, Manaseer Group will offer supercharge services for electric vehicles at various gas stations throughout Jordan.  Mercedes has also announced its intention to launch its electric car models in the Middle East, starting with Jordan.

By the end of this year, about 10 solar-powered electric car-charging stations are expected to be operating in Amman, according to the Jordan Competiveness Programme, which helped attract an investor to build the stations.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday discussed the recent Israeli acts of aggression on Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque with King Mohammed VI of Morocco and French President Francois Hollande.

During telephone calls with the two leaders, King Abdullah highlighted the Kingdom's efforts to end the assaults, which he said contravene international norms and conventions, according to a Royal Court statement.

The King urged the international community to take a firm stand on the breaches and to work to stop the assaults on Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine for Muslims all over the world.

For his part, Hollande warned that any change in the rules governing Al Aqsa Mosque compound could lead to "serious destabilisation", Agence France-Presse reported from Paris.

The French premier expressed his "deep concern" over the developments in Jerusalem over the past three days.

Clashes erupted at the site following a raid on the mosque by Israeli forces earlier this week.

Jordan is custodian of holy Muslim and Christian sites in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian city.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers on Wednesday discussed the situation in Jerusalem.

The Cabinet highlighted Jordan's stance, under the leadership of King Abdullah, and stressed also His Majesty's intensive efforts to protect Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites facing Israeli assaults.

To that end, the council commended His Majesty's "clear and strong" stance, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh briefed the council on Jordanian diplomatic efforts exerted in cooperation with the international community to put a stop to the Israeli assaults in Jerusalem.

The Cabinet directed the foreign affairs and awqaf ministries to take necessary measures to intensify contact with effective countries, and warn of the dangers of the Israeli measures.

The government renewed rejection of Israeli attempts to change the reality in Jerusalem and the city’s identity, stressing that such actions are prone to fuel radicalism and hatred.

Recently, the Cabinet decided to appoint more than a 100 additional guards to protect Al Haram Al Sharif compound, which houses Al Aqsa Mosque, under directives by His Majesty. The measure was intended als to support Jerusalemites and preserve Islamic and Christian sanctuaries in the holy city.

AMMAN — The recent agreement between Royal Jordanian (RJ) and Turkish Airlines (TA) is a "qualitative addition" to tourism in Aqaba, an official at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said.

The code share agreement, which will go into effect starting September 21, allows the two airlines to place their carrier codes on each other’s flights between Amman and Istanbul, and RJ will place its carrier code on TA flights between Aqaba and Istanbul. 

The move is expected to increase the influx of tourists and visitors from East Asia to Aqaba, ASEZA Chief Commissioner Hani Mulki told The Jordan Times Tuesday over the phone, adding that are three direct flights weekly between Aqaba and Istanbul.

Furthermore, RJ's recent decision to increase the number of weekly flights between Amman and Aqaba from 11 to 16, starting September 29, will also facilitate the transport of tourists who arrive in Amman and want to visit Aqaba.

"The Amman-Aqaba flights are complementary to RJ's flights coming from all over the world," he said, adding that the move is expected to boost domestic tourism.

Meanwhile, the official cited ongoing "serious negotiations" between RJ and a group of investors on the possibility of converting the national Royal Wings air carrier into a low-cost carrier, as the criteria for identifying low-cost carriers entails a "non-main" airport.

"We are currently in the initial steps, but there is great potential for it to materialise," Mulki said in the phone interview.

The Great Arab Revolt 100th anniversary 

As next year marks the 100th anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt,
ASEZA formed a number of committees to prepare for a cultural celebration that sheds lights on Aqaba’s importance during the revolt.

"The non-ceremonial activity is to look indepth into the sites where the revolt took place, as well as the vision and accomplishments of the historical event," he said.

Renovation of historical sites 

Furthermore, the authority has recently finished the renovation of the Ayla Islamic site in Aqaba for touristic rather archaeological purposes, according to Mulki.

He added that work is currently under way for an upkeep of one of the world’s oldest churches, which is only 200 metres away from the Islamic site.

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation upheld a Criminal Court ruling issued in January that sentenced a father to 10 years for attempting to murder his two sons in May 2011.

The suspect was first sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of attempting to hack his sons with an axe while they slept at home on May 7, 2011.

The Criminal Court later reduced the sentence by half because one of the victims dropped charges against his father, according to the seven-page verdict.

Court papers said the defendant had attempted to molest one of his daughters a day before the incident and she informed her mother and the victims.

One of the two victims had a big fight with the defendant over the sister’s accusation and the father left the house, threatening to kill his sons, says the court verdict, adding that the family filed a complaint against the defendant at the Family Protection Department.

The following day, the court maintained, “the defendant got hold of an axe and entered his sons’ room from a widow and attacked them while they were sleeping.”

“The suspect struck his sons’ faces and heads with the axe, but they managed to stop him and he was later arrested by police,” according to the court.

The defendant contested the Criminal Court’s ruling, claiming that “he carried out the attack in a fit of rage.”

The five-judge tribunal at the Court of Cassation, which convened recently, ruled however that the Criminal Court went through the proper channels when issuing its ruling and therefore upheld the 10-year verdict.

AMMAN –– Omar Zorba, labelled as a social media satirist, who was detained on Tuesday after being charged by the Amman prosecutor of defamation against the family of former prime minister Nader Dahabi, will be released on Thursday as the ex-premier decided to drop the lawsuit.

The legal action was taken against Zorba over an article he wrote on his Facebook account on the wedding party of Amjad Dahabi, the son of the former prime minister.

Monther Hamdan, the lawyer of the Dahabi family, told The Jordan Times over the phone that Nader Dahabi had decided to drop the case on grounds of the young writer’s personal conditions. 

Amjad filed a lawsuit against Zorba some three months ago after the satirist posted an article on and a video of a wedding reception of the Dahabis, an act the family considered to be insulting and violated their privacy rights,  according to Hamdan. 

In the article, which was posted on his Facebook page on June 7, Zorba claimed that the wedding was made at one of Amman’s most prestigious hotels at a cost of JD500,000 and that Lebanese pop singer Ragheb Alameh was paid JD100,000 for singing for half an hour. 

The post attracted over 41,000 likes and 6,400 comments and was shared by over 3,200 Facebook users. 

Nader Dahabi wrote on his Facebook page that he will accompany his son Amjad to court on Thursday to end the legal action against Zorba and that he will drive the satirist home. 

“I will go by myself to the detention centre to have Zorba released and drive him home. I will even ask him to be a friend on his Facebook page,” the former premier said in the post. 

Hamdan confirmed the Facebook page is the official  personal account of Dahabi. 

Zorba, 30, is followed by over 300,000 people on Facebook and over 3,000 on Twitter. 

Hamdan told The Jordan Times Wednesday that the prosecutor charged the satirist with more than one crime according to the Cybercrime Law. 

Charges include defamation and slander, the lawyer said. 

Hamdan said the article included incorrect information and attracted insulting comments, adding the writer violated the privacy of the Dahabi family when posted a video of the party. 

Such an act and comments contradict the traditions of the country and Jordanian society, said the lawyer. 

He noted that family was also requesting financial compensation for the damage allegedly caused by the post. 

“Amjad felt he was insulted and emotionally harmed by the article,” Hamdan said, referring to the groom, whose father was prime minister between 2007 and 2009. 

Hamdan rejected as baseless allegations that Zorba was jailed because the Dahabi family is influential, stressing that Dahabi filed the case as a citizen entitled to seek his rights through the judiciary. 

He noted that the Dahabi family will also be suing six other persons and electronic news websites for defamation. 

Followers of Zorba posted on Wednesday that the writer would be released on bail Thursday. 

AMMAN — Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Gao Yusheng on Wednesday described His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to China as historical and widened the horizons of bilateral relations.

His Majesty and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a joint statement and announced the creation of strategic relations, Yusheng noted, adding that the statement stipulates comprehensive cooperation and coordination in the political, economic and military fields.

Yusheng said His Majesty’s visit as a guest of honour at the 2015 China-Arab States Expo allowed the Chinese, particularly business people, to realise the attractive investment environment the Kingdom offers, as well as the secure and stable conditions prevailing in the country.

Moreover, he said King Abdullah promoted the country as a tourist destination, eliminating the fears Chinese people had about Jordan being in the midst of a region full of conflict.

The ambassador said Jordan needs to attract foreign investments through business-friendly laws such as the Investment Law, noting the most significant initiatives China offered included building “the economic belt of the Silk Road”, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, of which Jordan is a member.

Yusheng referred to the agreements signed during His Majesty’s visit and the projects to be implemented under them, including a $1.6 billion agreement for energy projects and a finance contract for a station that generates electricity from oil shale.

China supports Jordan’s efforts to help find a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian cause, Yusheng said, and he commended Jordan for hosting a “huge number” of Syrian refugees.

On Tuesday, in Beijing, an economic forum was organised by the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) in cooperation with the Jordanian embassy in the Chinese capital, attended by representatives of Jordanian economic institutions and 150 business people representing Chinese industrial companies.

The forum aimed at highlighting investment opportunities in Jordan and  advantages in regard to customs and tax exemptions, and the agreements signed with Arab and international countries that could allow Chinese products to enter “huge” European and US markets.

JIC President Montaser Oqlah said signing of the strategic partnership contributes to achieving actual economic integration between Jordan and China.

Oqlah said, “We realise that Chinese exports suffer from customs and other obstacles, and therefore China will not be able to preserve the growth rate it has achieved unless its companies benefit from the advantages and incentives that enable it to increase its competitive industrial competence.”

Moreover, he said Jordan can help China achieve that end by enabling it to export its products to international markets like Europe and the US, thanks to FTA agreements Jordan has signed with these countries.

AMMAN – A total of 600,000 sheep are available on the local market and the number is expected to be on the rise with the approach of the Eid Al Adha holiday, which will start next Wednesday, a Ministry of Agriculture official said on Wednesday. 

The feast of the sacrifice marks the end of the pilgrimage season, when Muslims of sufficient means are required to sacrifice livestock in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to God.

Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said the number of sheep available on the market is expected to rise to 650,000, both local and imported, in the coming days. 

“The number of sheep exceeds local demand, which ranges between 350,000 and 400,00 sheep this season,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone. The upside of such abundance is that it will likely reflect on prices for consumers.

Haddadin noted that Jordan’s private sector imports sheep from countries including Romania, Russia and Australia.  

“I call on traders to provide sheep at affordable prices. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply notified vendors to compile a price list so that people can buy in accordance with their finances,” he added. 

Haddadin noted that prices are usually high during the first two days of the holiday because the demand soars on these days while the cost starts to decrease during the rest of the holiday. 

According too Islamic teachings, Muslims can sacrifice sheep, cattle and camels during the four days of Eid.

Meanwhile, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Wednesday started field visits to check locations the municipality has designated in Amman earlier this week for sheep pens, according to Abdul Majeed Oudwan, GAM’s executive director for markets. 

“Vendors are allowed to showcase sheep at these locations one day ahead of the Eid Al Adha holiday,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

He also called on residents to buy from GAM-designated locations because they are “safer and more organised”. 

“GAM teams will be going around the capital to remove random pens,” he said. 

Oudwan announced earlier that the municipality has designated 14 locations in the capital such as Basman, Shafa Badran, Khreibet Al Souq, Suweilieh, Bader, Nazzal, Muqabalin, Nasser, Marj Al Hamam, Ras Al Ain, Qweismeh and Marka in addition to official slaughterhouses in Madonah and Ain Ghazal in eastern Amman.

Basem Tarawneh, deputy director for districts and environmental affairs at GAM, said in a recent interview with The Jordan Times that tanks would be built underground to collect the blood and teams of sanitation workers will be deployed at these locations to make sure of the cleanliness of these venues. 

“Many veterinarians will also be deployed there to ensure slaughter animals are not sick,” he added. 

AMMAN — The Cabinet decided in its Wednesday session to exempt Jordanians and residents in the Kingdom from paying entrance fees to archaeological sites during Eid Al Adha.

Residents should show a valid residence permit upon entering the sites, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Jordan will observe a five-day public holiday starting, September 23, in observance of Eid Al Adha, or feast of sacrifice.

PETRA — Tourism Minister Nayef Fayez on Wednesday said the government approved JD35 million in allocations for several development projects in Petra.

During a meeting with Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) Chief Commissioner Mohammad Nawafleh at the historic city, the minister confirmed the government’s commitment to providing the necessary funds for the projects, which His Majesty King Abdullah was briefed on during his recent visit to the city.

Fayez said work on implementing some of the projects, which he described as “vital”, will probably start at the beginning of 2016 as soon technical preparations are completed.