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AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the 2015 amended draft by-law of the Judicial Institution of Jordan (JIJ).

The draft by-law is aimed at regulating work procedures at the JIJ, preparing qualified personnel to occupy leadership posts and improve the competence of judges.

According to the draft by-law, the supervision of the institute is assigned to a board of directors headed by the minister of justice, the membership of the secretary general of the Justice Ministry and a deputy of the president of the Court of Cassation.

The board also includes four senior judges, president of the Jordan Bar Association and two faculty members of public universities.

The board is tasked with preparing the institute’s general policy and endorsing plans related to regulating JIJ work and supervising their implementation.

AMMAN — The Kingdom’s U-19 football team hosts Lebanon on Thursday in the final friendly in Amman as they start the countdown to the Asian Football Association (AFC) U-19 qualifiers kicking off in October. 

Coach Islam Diyabat has announced the near final line-up that will play Lebanon tonight before heading to the UAE to play its national team on September 18 and 20. 

The squad had a training camp in Turkey last month as Jordan prepares to play Group E alongside hosts Iran, Kuwait and Nepal with group winners and best second-placed teams booking a slot to the AFC U-19 Championship set for Bahrain in 2016.  

The top four teams from the U-19 Championship advance to the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The U-19 team regrouped earlier this year and have played a series of local friendlies. It lost to Shabab Urdun 4-2, Wihdat 2-1, That Ras 3-2, Sarih 3-0, the Royal guards 3-1. It beat Yarmouk, Balama and Sahab 2-1, Salt 3-0 and tied Faisali 1-1.

“We will aim to qualify and will spare no effort to reach that goal,” Diyabat noted. “Friendlies in the past month helped boost our competitive edge, and has given the squad much needed confidence,” he added.

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Tuesday attended part of an orientation session at the Royal Automobile Museum for youth participating in the Fursati Liltamayyoz initiative. 

In 2013, Fursati Liltamayyoz Programme was launched under the patronage of Her Majesty as an education for employment initiative for ICT graduates.

During the visit, the Queen stopped by three of the interactive activities with 160 young ICT graduates, according to a statement from her office.

The activities included volunteerism and community integration activities; work ethics and presentation and communication skills; and dialogue clubs, among others.  

Her Majesty also talked to the beneficiaries about the skills they acquired. Several attendees spoke to her about how the skills they acquired helped them develop personal, life, and technical skills; all of which greatly help them better join the job market. 

Ghassan Abu Yaghi, Employment, Technical and Vocational Education Training (E-TVET) Fund director general, also spoke to Her Majesty and said that E-TVET was a one of the partners in Fursati Liltamayyoz initiative’s second round of training, and after seeing its success and the increased number of employed graduates, E-TVET decided to fully fund this year’s third wave of students. 

This support comes as a part of E-TVET’s vision to implement the principle of “training for employment” in the ICT sector to supplement the private sector with qualified young men and women in the various governorates of the Kingdom, Abu Yaghi said, according to the statement. 

Also in attendance was Nermine Nabulsi, CEO of the Jordan Education Initiative, who said that Fursati Liltamayyoz programme is implemented in schools that incorporate the JEI Educational Model throughout 10 governorates in Jordan. 

The programme also aims to encourage volunteerism through projects designed based on the needs of the local community, while raising the awareness of young people about establishing start-ups to promote the principle of self-employment and create new jobs.

German support

Earlier on Tuesday, Her Majesty also met with German Ambassador to Jordan Birgitta Siefker-Eberle, and Michaela Baur, country director of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) office in Jordan and Lebanon.  

The meeting came in recognition of GIZ’s donation to Madrasati Jordan.

During the meeting, Her Majesty stressed the importance of this cooperation, which contributes to education and schools that bear additional burdens as a result of the Syrian refugee influx into Jordan.

The Queen also praised Germany’s position in supporting key sectors in Jordan.

GIZ’s grant will be used over the coming two coming years for the implementation of the modified Madrasati model in eight schools and will be co-financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development as part of the Cooperation with Arab Donors in MENA project.

The eight schools are from five governorates in Jordan; Mafraq, Irbid, Balqa, Karak, and Amman. The development will reach approximately 3,200 students, a minimum of 250 teachers and 15,000 community members.

AMMAN — A sexagenarian from Jerash graduated from university last month 45 years after he left school. 

Mohammad Barmawi, from the northern town of Burma in Jerash, some 48km north of Amman, now holds a bachelor’s degree in Sharia (Islamic law) with a “very good” grade point average. 

He told The Jordan Times Monday that he would love to pursue his post graduate studies if he obtains a scholarship or a seat at university. 

“My ambition is to complete a master’s degree, but only if I can afford it or get a scholarship, as it would be hard for me to cover expenses,” the 61-year-old said in a phone interview. 

Having graduated last month from Balqa Applied University’s Ajloun branch, Barmawi spoke about how his family and residents of the town supported him.

“My family members are proud of me and the residents see me as a symbol of determination for younger generations,” the father of 11 and grandfather of more than a dozen said.

Barmawi had to leave school in 1970 after finishing the ninth grade to help his father look after the family business in the agriculture sector, “although he was among the top academic achievers at school”.

“My father used to own a nursery to sell plants to Jerash farmers and I had to help him support the family,” he said, adding that he inherited the farm and it is still running. 

The nursery is based Burma, a town with a population of around 20,000 and is located an hour drive from Amman.     

A former mayor of the town, between 1995 and 1999, Barmawi returned to education when he sat for the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) in 2012 and achieved a score of 75.7 per cent. 

He was accepted at university in the field he applied for. 

When he was sitting for the Tawjihi exams, Barmawi lost a 25-year-old son in a traffic accident. 

“I was grief stricken and heartbroken,” Barmawi said, but he added that the death of his son Mahdi could not hold him back from achieving his decades-old dream.    

The sexagenarian said he chose to study Sharia to further educate himself in Islam, adding that currently he works as a mosque preacher during Friday prayers in the town. 

On the motive to pursue a bachelor’s degree, Barmawi said he wanted to keep up with technological trends in Jordan and worldwide. 

“I didn’t want to live the rest of my life as an uneducated person, as education is an important weapon,” he added, noting that education is a top priority in the teachings of Islam. 

“Although I had little hours to study but I promised myself and family to pass Tawjihi and go to university,” Barmawi said, recalling that during his time at university he faced some difficulties balancing between studying and social and family needs. 

Asked if he encountered some odd incidents while at university, he said young students used to think he was a lecturer. 

“They used to call me professor, but then I would tell them: ‘I’m a student just like you’.”

Barmawi said he and his daughter were both studying at university at the same time. 

“The certificate is the best thing that happened to me in my 61 years,” he said, urging young people to be determined as success could never be impossible. 

AMMAN — The effect of the sandstorm that hit the Kingdom on Tuesday will start dissipating on Wednesday, while a rise in temperatures is forecast in the coming days, according to a meteorologist.

The sandstorm affected first the eastern part of the country on Tuesday, coming from the south of Syria and north of Iraq, Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) forecaster Abdul Munem Qaralleh told The Jordan Times. 

“These two parts, the south of Syria and north of Iraq, are the main destinations for sandstorms. The one that affected the Kingdom is not exceptional,” he said over the phone. 

Qaralleh noted that the effect of the sandstorm will end on Thursday. 

“The dust covered the Kingdom slowly because there was no wind compared to previous cases,” he added. 

Qaralleh, however, said temperatures are forecast to increase in the coming two days due to the affect of a seasonal depression originating from the Indian sub-continent. 

Temperatures, he noted, will be between five degrees and seven degrees above their annual average for this time of the year.

Temperatures in Amman will range between 38ºC and 26ºC on Wednesday while they will range between 38ºC and 25ºC on Thursday. 

In Aqaba, temperatures on Wednesday will be between 29ºC and 40ºC, while mercury levels will range between 27ºC and 39ºC in desert areas, according to the JMD.

In hilly areas, temperatures are forecast to be between 21ºC and 34ºC, while they are expected to be between 30ºC and 39ºC in the Jordan Valley on Wednesday.

Qaralleh said people are advised to remain hydrated while motorists should to not leave their children in unventilated cars.

Meanwhile, Public Security Department (PSD) personnel have started distributing water and protective masks to motorists and pedestrians in order to protect them from the effect of the dust in Amman, according to PSD Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi. 

“We gave masks and water in several parts of the capital and we will keep doing that as long as the dust is affecting the country,” he told The Jordan Times. 

Many motorists, pedestrians and children were seen in the capital wearing masks for protection from the dust.

AMMAN — At least of 210 people were taken by Civil Defence Department (CDD) staff to hospitals for suffering breathing difficulties due to the dusty weather on Tuesday, according to a source from the department.

“Most of the cases suffer from other chronic diseases such as allergy and asthma. We expect the number of patients who headed to hospitals due to the weather to be more, but those are the ones we transported via our ambulances,” a source from the CDD media unit told The Jordan Times.

The source said the department is urging the public to avoid very dusty roads and be extra careful when driving.

“We also urge those who suffer from asthma and allergies to keep their medications with them wherever they go,” added the source.

According to a statement, the Health Ministry announced that its hospitals are open to receive all patients with respiratory problems due to the weather for free.

Ministry Secretary General Daifallah Lozi said all public hospitals and healthcare centres across Jordan are ready to provide free-of-charge treatment to patients affected by the sandstorm, especially those suffering from seasonal allergies and asthma.

On the other hand, the CDD called on teachers to keep their eyes open for any case of respiratory problems among their students.

In a related development, the Education Ministry on Tuesday delegated directors of education departments across the Kingdom to decide whether to suspend classes in schools depending on the prevailing weather conditions and state of roads in each district in order to ensure the safety of students and teachers, according to a statement.

Education directors in Tafileh, Karak, Mafraq, the Southern Ghor, Madaba, Petra, Zarqa, Sahab, Ajloun and Irbid to suspend classes in on Wednesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

No flights were delayed, however, on Tuesday.

Corporate Communications Director at the Queen Alia International Airport Zahiah Naasan said operations at the airport went as normal on Tuesday and no delays or diversions were recorded.

“We received many calls from people today to check if any changes were made to their flights. We make sure to keep them posted on Facebook and Twitter with any development. We do not think the operations will be affected from now on as the weather forecasters say it will ease off as of tonight,” she told The Jordan Times.

The CDD urges the public to call 911 in case of emergency.

AMMAN — Although worried about the conflict in their hometowns, Yemeni patients are heartened by the hospitality of Jordan and its hospital’s quality medical care.

In interviews with The Jordan Times this week, Yemenis thanked Jordan and its people for receiving them. 

“We sensed Jordanians’ hospitality when we first arrived at the Queen Alia International Airport, with the medical teams and Civil Defence Department personnel receiving us and providing all the help they could,” said Abdul Raqib Obeid, who is currently receiving treatment at Jordan Hospital after shrapnel damaged his spinal cord, rendering him paralysed.

Obeid is among 266 Yemenis who were injured in the conflict in Yemen and arrived in Amman on Sunday to receive treatment at the Kingdom’s private hospitals. 

The Yemeni patients were transported by two planes coming from Aden, Private Hospitals Association President Fawzi Hammouri told The Jordan Times in previous remarks, adding that this is the third batch of wounded Yemenis to come to Jordan for medical attention. 

Obeid said he was injured on July 29 when a shell hit the area he was in, killing two of his friends.

He noted that the conditions are difficult in Yemen, adding that many houses were destroyed and children were killed. 

The fighting in Yemen has so far killed more than 4,500 people, many of them civilians, according to Reuters.

Obeid commended the hard work of Jordanian medical staff.

Another Yemeni patient said he sensed the difference in medical care upon arriving in Jordan.

The law instructor at Aden University said he was hospitalised for 40 days in Yemen and there was a severe lack of medical equipment.  

“In normal conditions the medical situation in Yemen cannot be compared with Jordan, imagine during these condition. Yemen needs more support especially in terms of medical assistance,” he added. 

Mohammad Abdullah Hussein, a Yemeni student who has been studying in Jordan for four years, said a group of young Yemenis who reside in the capital formed a voluntary group to help wounded Yemenis.

“In the beginning, the group consisted of eight people and later it became 15 people,” he said outside a room where a fellow Yemeni was receiving treatment.  

Hussein noted that most injured Yemenis are young people, and some of them are between the ages of 40 and 45.

He said the volunteers seek to assist Yemeni patients and convey their demands to the Yemeni embassy in Amman. 

“We want to help our wounded brothers who defended our land, our honour and our children and this is the least we can do.”

AMMAN — Goodbyes are hard, as The Jordan Times staff has learned the hard way this year.

The paper’s reporters, editors, translators, proofreaders and designers had to say goodbye to yet another key member of the JT family — long-time home news editor Ranjana Barua.

This August marked Ranjana’s last month in the JT after some 15 years of hard work, nearly a decade of which she spent as editor of the paper’s most crucial section.

Joining the JT in 2001, Ranjana started at the proofreading department, and from there she went on to work as roaming editor, taking a stab at the sports, business, lifestyle and opinion pages.

From 2002 to 2007, she edited the Weekender: a full-colour tabloid-size supplement with in-depth features on events and trends in Jordanian society and culture.

“Ranjana came to The Jordan Times on a lark. Her daughter had finished school and she had so much to give and quite some time to do so,” said Managing Editor Ica Wahbeh.

“That was 15 years ago. And she stayed, earning the respect of all because of her dedication, hard work, knowledge of the language and persistence,” she added.

“Leaving might be like ‘liberation’ for this hard-working friend and colleague, but for us, it is a loss.”

Deputy Chief Editor Mahmoud Al Abed agreed.

“I have worked side by side with Ranjana for 13 years,” he said.“She never lost her enthusiasm for work and gratitude that she had this job with this team. The daily meeting with her and other local news editors every afternoon for the last eight years has been a learning experience for me.” 

“I have always believed that none is indispensable or irreplaceable when the system of the organisation is functional, but I have to make an exception in this case. Ranjana is irreplaceable and I will miss her.”

As editor of JT’s local pages, Ranjana has mentored many of the paper’s young staff members, including translators, reporters and editors.

“I have worked with Ranjana since 2009, first as a translator and then a reporter. I can say that she taught me much of my journalistic skills,” said Reporter Laila Azzeh.

Such is the case for Editor Rand Dalgamouni.

“I learned something new from Ranjana every day. Every time I edit a story, I ask myself: ‘What would Ranjana do to make this even better?’,” she said.

“Despite the pressure that came with her job, she was always ready with a joke to make the evening staff smile. I will treasure our late night conversations in between editing stories and preparing pages.” 

Although she had to spend long evening hours in the office on a daily basis, even on public holidays and in times of harsh weather — sometimes doing four or five pages —Ranjana looks back fondly on her time with the JT.

“We have such an interesting job… we have something different every day, and the biggest blessing is we see the fruit of our labour every single day… in black and white,” she said at a lunch held by JT this week in her honour.

Speaking at the gathering, Chief Editor Samir Barhoum said previous local news editors did not stay on for long, due to the demanding nature of the job.

“Ranjana… was a great asset. She was one of the best editors I worked with. She was maybe the longest serving home news editor… staying every night to help everyone… and eventually — by midnight — put the newspaper to bed,” he added.

“For us in the editorial team we always needed her and she was there for us,” the chief editor said. 

“Thank you Ranjana for all that you have done… you were a supporter for all of us. You were a mother for many of our aspiring journalists and helped them throughout their career.”

Her legacy will continue in the memories of her co-workers, especially every time they put pen to paper to write, edit or proofread a story.

“It’s been wonderful. I really enjoyed it. I did everything with love… but everything comes to an end, and then there are new beginnings,” Ranjana said.

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani on Tuesday stressed the importance of free, responsible media, saying it is a key element of strength for the country.

During a meeting on Tuesday with UNESCO’s director of freedom of expression and media development division, Guy Berger, Momani said Jordan holds all foreign and local media organisations in great esteem even if it does not necessarily agree with their recommendations.

In the presence of Costanza Farina, UNESCO representative to Jordan, Momani, who is also the government’s spokesperson, said Jordan has achieved many important steps in terms of democracy and freedom of speech, pointing out that freedom of speech is connected, in one way or another, to national security.

The minister stressed the importance of Jordanian citizens’ awareness and their ability to distinguish between facts and rumours on domestic and external issues.

In Jordan, there are eight daily newspapers, more than 180 electronic websites, 35 radio stations and 44 licensed TV channels, he said, noting that this attests to the advanced level Jordan has achieved in terms of freedom of expression.

The minister also highlighted the role of Jordanian women in the media sector, and the importance of their continuous development, stressing the need for media- related training.

Berger spoke about a study on “Media Development Indicators” that was prepared by UNESCO on Jordan’s media environment that was to be launched later in the day.

He described Jordan’s press freedom as positive, “despite pressures”, noting that the Kingdom can benefit from this record and its experience and help other countries.

UNESCO’s Division of Freedom of Expression and Media Development implements activities that promote the free flow of information.

AMMAN — The Jordan Media Commission (JMC) on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Ro’ya satellite channel for broadcasting a show that it said was sexually explicit and inappropriate, but the channel said the show was not meant for children as circulated on social media.

In one of its comic TV shows, a narrator appears in the show starting with “Dear children” and then she tells a story of a carpenter who went to fix the closet of a woman who sells milk. 

As the carpenter enters the bedroom, the narrator says, he pushes the woman who was standing near the closet to the bed and starts ripping off her clothes.

The narrator then proceeds to tell other stories similar in nature.

“This is sexually explicit and is totally inappropriate and unacceptable. Using this dirty language and explicitly is in violation of norms and laws,” JMC Director General Amjad Qadi told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“By showing this inappropriate content, Ro’ya violated the commission’s law and the articles in its contract with the JMC. We are a conservative society in Jordan and this is unacceptable,” said Qadi.

The commission ordered the suspension of the programme and referred the case to the prosecutor general.

The channel said the comic show was meant to criticise content by several Arab media outlets designed for children, according to a statement it issued Tuesday.

“It is unfortunate to witness campaigns insisting that the show was for children when it targets adults…The channel is keen on carefully selecting its programmes for children to raise good generations. It selects programme that are based on global narratives that respect childhood and help build their values,” said Ro’ya.

Nidal Mansour, president of the Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists, told The Jordan Times that the channel has made it clear that the show was not for children.

“Any media outlet is likely to make mistakes, but this incident should not be taken out of context and should not be used for settling scores,” he said.

“Viewers watch many other comic satellite channels and the content is mostly pornographic and they never complain…We have repeatedly complained about vague and loose terms in laws regarding what defines what ethical and is unethical as well,” Mansour added.

On Facebook, social media users launched a campaign called the “one-million man campaign to shut down the immoral Ro’ya channel”, where users criticised the channel for broadcasting such a show. 

“This is a totally unacceptable behaviour. The show is trying to manipulate children’s minds,” Haloom Ahmad charged on the campaign’s Facebook page.

Rula F. Nassraween disagreed.

“If some are unhappy with the comic show, claiming it negatively affects children, they should be careful about what children watch on other satellite channels…I do not justify the comic show, but I urge all not to slam this channel,” she wrote. 

Also on Tuesday, 50 MPs signed a memorandum in which they called on the government to take strict measures against Roya satellite channel for broadcasting “immoral programmes”.