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AMMAN — The situation of online education in Jordan is “painful” with the Kingdom lagging behind in adopting online education strategies, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organisation (TAG-ORG) said Tuesday.

“Although Jordan has introduced ICT solutions and technologies in the education process, when it comes to online education we are very late and the situation is very painful,” Abu-Ghazaleh said at the Education Technology Conference and Fair, which attracted international experts and officials from the ICT and education sectors.

He called for keeping up with latest technologies in the field of education.

“Up to now, the government in Jordan still considers online education as a prohibited issue and does not even recognise certificates acquired online,” the former senator said at the opening of the three-day event, organised by the Jordan Computer Society.

Participants at the conference underlined the need for more efforts to integrate technology in education, which they said will reflect positively on the performance of students.

“Conventional teaching methods are insufficient to trigger innovation among students. Therefore, adopting technologies in the classroom is a necessity nowadays,” Qasem Khatib, a representative of the education minister, said at the event.

He added that the ministry has implemented several projects to open computer labs at the country’s schools, and invested in training human resources on computer skills and technologies.

Participants also stressed that a well-prepared infrastructure plays a key role in boosting e-learning.

In this regard, ICT Minister Azzam Sleit referred to the National Broadband Project, which seeks to connect the country’s public schools and other facilities to a high-speed Internet network.

The minister also reviewed several projects the government is implementing in the field of e-services.

AMMAN — Food drying using geothermal energy holds promise for farmers, exporters, consumers and the Kingdom’s economy, according to a feasibility study released on Tuesday.

In addition, the process can enhance livelihoods, reduce spoilage and improve the country’s trade balance, the study indicated, proposing the construction of a pilot facility in one of the country’s geothermal hotspots with an annual capacity of 72,000 kilogrammes of dried produce, particularly tomatoes and peaches.

A 3,000-square-metre facility would cost JD770,000 with a simple payback period of 4.5 years, according to the study.

“Jordan’s resilience in the future is dependent on energy and export diversification. Geothermal food drying offers local and international stakeholders a chance to advance both,” said the study, which was conducted by a group of master’s students at Michigan University in cooperation with the Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruits and Vegetables (JEPA), and UNDP.

Jordan’s agriculture industry is far more developed than its food processing sector, and agricultural produce often exceeds local demand, thus causing prices to crash, damaging farmers’ livelihoods and leading to the spoilage of produce, the study indicated.

It proposed that investors in the sector can wait for prices to be at their lowest before they buy the produce for drying.

“Europe is a major importer of both dried fruits and dried vegetables… Middle Eastern and Gulf countries are importing increasing amounts of dried fruits and vegetables,” the study noted.

According to figures provided by the study, the value of dried vegetable imports totalled $2.4 billion in 2012 and $2.1 million for dried fruits. 

The value of regional dried vegetable imports the same year amounted to $38 million and $83 million for dried fruits.

Fruits and vegetables that are dried using geothermal energy make high-quality ingredients and snacks, as they have no added preservatives, and the hygienic process uses clean and renewable energy, according to the study.

It pointed out that Jordan is a hotbed of geothermal anomalies, with some dry wells drilled for oil and gas exploration in the Azraq Basin and Risha, giving down-hole temperatures that exceed 140°C.

During the launch of the study’s results, JEPA President Zuhair Jweihan said geothermal dehydration technologies help maintain the nutrition value of agricultural products and their quality while fetching good returns for producers in both local and export markets.

“Since Jordan has been blessed by the availability of huge, but so far underused, geothermal resources, we have the ambition of finding ways to use such resources in a way that will help reduce our dependence on traditional sources of energy,” Jweihan noted.

Meanwhile, Taysir Ghanem, a senior regional adviser at the Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development, said the study seeks to motivate policy makers to consider geothermal energy as a renewable energy resource.

Around 17.7 per cent of electricity in Kenya is generated via geothermal power, Ghanem noted, highlighting that although Jordan is a more economically developed nation, this energy source is still untapped.

He underscored that Jordan is situated along the Great Rift Valley, which makes it abundant with geothermal energy sources.

AMMAN — Gathered in small groups around the well-lit hall, adults were children again, playing the simple games they used to enjoy when they were young and carefree.

Suhair Abu Rashed, a mother of four, was playing hopscotch with other mothers and fathers at the Hangar in Ras Al Ain on Saturday evening, reminiscing about "the good old days" when children enjoyed simple games that they made with their own hands.

"Modernity has had a negative impact on these games. My child used to tell me that we are not civilised enough because we do not have an iPad," Abu Rashed told The Jordan Times.  

Saturday's event was organised by the Spirit of Jordan volunteer organisation with the aim of restoring the link between people and old games. 

"I noticed that people have lost their bond with their neighbourhoods. In the past, we used to go out and play games like hopscotch, hide and seek, and marbles with our neighbours," Sanad Abu Assaf, founder of Spirit of Jordan, told The Jordan Times. 

"We used to organise activities where children would teach us how to make kites and toy cars out of wires. After we noticed that a great number of participants liked these ideas, we decided to hold one event that includes the most popular games people used to play in the past."

The event was also held to promote other initiatives in Jordan that work with the Spirit of Jordan, according to Abu Assaf. 

"These initiatives had the chance to showcase their ideas and activities by using the games that were included in the programme," he said, adding that around 17 initiatives took part in the event, with each project team utilising games to highlight their ideas.

Abu Assaf said the concept of children going out to the "hara" (neighbourhood) to play with their neighbours is fading away.

Instead of going out to play, children are now staying indoors to play video games on smartphones, tablet computers and game consoles like Playstation 4 and Xbox One, he added.

Abu Assaf said he is not opposed to video games, but it is also important that children and people in general keep playing these old games because they encourage them to think and move. 

Irbid resident Mohammad Ababneh, who participated in Saturday's event, said inhabitants of the governorates are still attached to these old games because modern games are not that popular outside Amman. 

"These video games are not affordable for everyone outside the capital," he said.  

But Abu Rashed said she had doubts about the popularity of traditional games.

"Every time has its own games. Now, it is the time of modernity and its fancy video games."

AMMAN — Jordan’s Ambassador to Libya Fawaz Aitan was kidnapped in Tripoli Tuesday by an anonymous armed group, with unconfirmed news that he was freed later in the evening.

Deputy Lower House Speaker Khalil Atiyeh told The Jordan Times that he had “solid” information that Aitan was freed late Tuesday and was “in good hands,” but Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani said the government could not confirm the lawmaker’s statement.

The kidnappers demanded the release of a Libyan who is serving a life prison sentence in Jordan, a Libyan security source said.

Essam Baitelmel, a member of the Libyan team investigating the abduction, was quoted by Reuters as saying that kidnappers had demanded the release of Mohamed Dersi, a Libyan jailed in Jordan. He added that the diplomat was unharmed and in good health.

Dersi was convicted in an attempt to bomb Queen Alia International Airport in 2004, according to reports. 

Momani said the government had no information about the identity of the kidnappers or any demands made.

The minister, who is also government spokesperson, said that a security task force was in an open meeting to follow up on the incident, while diplomatic contacts between Amman and Tripoli continued throughout the day.

Said Lassoued, the Libyan foreign ministry spokesperson, told The Jordan Times over the phone earlier that Aitan’s convoy was attacked at 8am (Libya time) by a group of masked gunmen in two cars who opened fire on the diplomat’s car while he was heading to work. 

Lassoued added that the driver, who was injured in the attack, was undergoing surgery, with his condition listed as “stable”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday received a telephone call from Libya’s interim Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni, who expressed “his sincerest regrets over the kidnapping”. 

The Libyan premier stressed that his government was in an “emergency session” and that authorities were exerting all efforts to free Aitan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Ensour underlined the need to coordinate efforts between the two countries’ security apparatuses to ensure the release of the diplomat, noting that Jordan has always stood beside Libya in its quest to restore stability. 

The premier also stressed, during a Parliament session, that the kidnappers will be held accountable for the safety of the Jordanian diplomat. 

Earlier Tuesday, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh stated that the government was intensively following up on the kidnapping of the ambassador to Libya.

In remarks to Petra and Jordan TV, Judeh said that they were holding non-stop meetings with all concerned parties since the news of the kidnapping broke.

Judeh also said that he had telephoned his Libyan peer, who acknowledged the difficult security situation in his country, but pledged to exert all possible efforts to release Aitan.

“We also requested that the Security Council issue a statement condemning the kidnapping through our delegation in New York,” the minister said.   

The kidnapping of Aitan has prompted Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) to cancel its scheduled Tuesday flight to Tripoli. 

RJ said, in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, that it was still considering taking further actions regarding its trips to Libya. The airline operates 10 flights per week to Tripoli, four to Benghazi and two to Misrata. 

AMMAN — Libyan authorities are still investigating the kidnapping of Jordanian ambassador in Tripoli Fawaz Aitan, a Libyan official said Tuesday afternoon.

Said Lassoued, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson told The Jordan Times over the phone that the identity of the kidnappers still unknown.

“Concerned authorities are following up closely on the issue, but no information so far about the kidnappers”, adding that the gunmen shot at the car of the Jordanian diplomat and wounded his driver.

Lassoued said Aitan convoy was attacked at 8:00am (Libya Time) by a group of hooded men who were in two different cars. The ambassador was heading to work.

He added that the driver was undergoing a surgery as he suffered wounds during the kidnapping.

“His condition is stable” the Libyan official said.

Early in the morning Jordanian authorities confirmed the kidnapping of Aitan.

Sabah Rafie, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, told The Jordan Times that authorities in Amman and Tripoli were following up on the issue, indicating that there was no information about the kidnappers as no group has announced its responsibility yet.

Also on Tuesday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said during a Parliament session that kidnappers will be held accountable for the safety of the Jordanian diplomat, urging his immediate release.

The kidnapping of Aitan prompted Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) to cancel its Tuesday’s trip to Tripoli.

RJ said in a statement emailed to The Jordan Times that it was still considering further decisions regarding its trips to Libya. The airline operates 10 flights per week to Tripoli, four to Benghazi and two trips to Misrata.

AMMAN –– Jordanian ambassador to Libya Fawaz Aitan was kidnapped in Tripoli on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry confirmed.

Sabah Rafie, the ministry’s spokesperson told The Jordan Times that authorities are following up on the issue, indicating that there is no information about the kidnappers as no group has announced its responsibility yet.

But according to Agence France Presse (AFP), the jordanian envoy was abducted by gunmen travelling in two cars in an attack that left his driver wounded, the Libyan authorities said.

"The Jordanian ambassador was kidnapped this morning. His convoy was attacked by a group of hooded men on board two civilian cars," ministry spokesman Said Lassoued told AFP.

A security official said the ambassador's driver suffered gunshot wounds during the kidnapping.

It is the latest incident in which Libyan leaders and foreign diplomats have been targeted in the increasingly lawless country.

AMMAN — Jordan has expressed concern over the escalating violence in eastern Ukraine, calling for dialogue to end the ongoing crisis.

The Kingdom’s permanent representative to the UN, HH Prince Zeid, said during the late Sunday Security Council emergency meeting to discuss the crisis in Ukraine that “Ukraine has the right to defend its citizens and to safeguard its territorial unity”, calling on Ukrainian authorities to maintain dialogue with the separatists and other concerned parties to end the escalating violence, while continuing to respect human rights protocols.

Prince Zeid also said the Security Council has to deliver a clear message of support to the efforts exerted by Ukrainian authorities to end armed resistance and the breaking of law in its territories.

The prince also said Jordan rejected any form of military threat or interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs, which would be in violation of the principles of the UN Charter. 

AMMAN — The King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC) on Monday released the first Arabic language comprehensive Jordanian Guideline for tobacco dependence treatment (TDT).

The guideline was prepared by the cancer control office at KHCC in collaboration with Ministry of Health and other health institutions, according to a KHCC statement.

The blueprint was drawn up in a three-day workshop held by the centre for healthcare workers from across the country on the harms of tobacco use and its association with non-communicable diseases, the statement said.

The KHCC held the event in accordance with its role as the Eastern Mediterranean regional host for Global Bridges, a healthcare alliance for TDT.

AMMAN — Jordan has recently joined a long list of countries that have been affected by “one of the world’s most destructive banana diseases, Fusarium wilt”, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN reported on Monday. 

The TR4 strain of the Panama disease, which has already hit tens of thousands of hectares in Southeast Asia, is posing a serious threat to the production and export of this popular fruit, stated the FAO in a press release.

FAO said cases of T4 have recently been reported by Jordan, but gave no details. 

Panamadisease.org estimates the global banana crop is worth around $5 billion and that over 100 million tonnes of bananas are traded yearly. The fruit is also listed as being the eighth most important food crop in the world, with its importance jumping to fourth place among the least-developed countries, according to FAOSTAT, the UN agency’s data-gathering and analysis service.

“The spread of Fusarium wilt banana disease could have a significant impact on growers, traders and families who depend on the banana industry,” Fazil Dusunceli, a plant pathologist at FAO, said in a statement posted on the agency’s website. 

“Countries need to act now if we are to avoid the worst-case scenario, which is massive destruction of much of the world’s banana crop,” said Dusunceli.

As there is currently no cure for TR4, which affects the trees but not the bananas themselves, the Rome based FAO has warned countries to step-up their efforts to combat this disease by raising awareness at all relevant levels and implementing preventive measures.

AMMAN — Jordan Customs Department Director General Munther Assaf on Monday stressed the importance of taking all preparations ahead of the peak tourist season in summer and the need to facilitate entry procedures through Al Omari border crossing.

Assaf issued the directives during a visit to the crossing to check on the progress of work there.