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RAMTHA — Fourteen experts from Arab and international universities and research centres on Sunday drew up a plan to open a master’s programme in nano-science and engineering at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) at the beginning of the 2014/2015 academic year.

JUST’s Nano-Technology Centre President Mohammad Fandi said the project aims at creating a regional base for nano-science and engineering in the Middle East.

AMMAN — The Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) on Sunday seized 15 kilogrammes of hashish during a raid on a house in the Northeastern Badia.

According to the Public Security Department, AND staff received a tip that a group of people were storing huge quantities of narcotics at a house in the badia region.

Further investigation led to the perpetrator, who sustained injuries while setting the house ablaze in a bid to get rid of the hashish.

The suspect was hospitalised and reported to be in critical condition.

KARAK — A 35-year-old Jordanian died on Sunday in Ghor Al Mazraa in an accident involving the motorcycle he was riding and a car on the main highway.

Mahmoud Ounah, the administrative director of Ghor Al Safi Public Hospital, said the motorcycle rider died instantly before any medical measures could be taken.

AMMAN — Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh on Sunday inaugurated the third Leadership Programme training course.

Implemented in cooperation between the ministry and USAID’s Fiscal Reform II Project (FRPII), the programme includes 30 public sector professionals representing 30 government institutions, 27 per cent of them women.

“This Leadership Programme is a perfect fit with the ministry’s vision to build capacity in the public sector and empower middle management with the necessary skills to improve performance and thus upgrade the delivery of services to the Jordanian citizen,” Khawaldeh noted in his opening remarks.

He added that the ministry is implementing a strict selection process of all participating candidates.

“Leadership is both a science and an art.

It is an essential ingredient to increasing performance and improving services,” the statement quoted FRPII Chief of Party Roberto de Toso as saying.

AMMAN — Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Khaled Kalaldeh on Saturday said the new Political Parties Law paves the way for progressive partisan life in Jordan, refuting allegations that  the draft law is “full of penalties”.

Delivering a lecture on Saturday at the Fuheis Cultural Forum, Kalaldeh said the limitations and conditions on partisan activity have been reduced under the 2014 Political Parties Law, including the reduction of the number of founding members from 500 to 150, and their ages from 25 to 18.

AMMAN — The first month-long grace period for illegal guest workers to rectify their situation, ends on Monday, Labour Minister Nidal Katamine said on Sunday.

The second grace period will start on Tuesday and last for another month, Katamine added.

AMMAN — The Turkish government has decided to increase the number of educational grants extended to Jordan for graduate and post-graduate studies, including medical specialisations, Higher Education Minister Amin Mahmoud said Sunday.

In statements to the press following a visit to Turkey, Mahmoud said students will be able to apply for two-thirds of these grants online while recommendations for the remaining grants will be made through the ministry.

AMMAN — The Development Zones Commission (DZC) has provided a number of documents to the Anti-Corruption Commission in relation to a suspected corruption case concerning the illegal acquisition of 122-dunums of land in the Dead Sea area by an influential person, acting chairman of the DZC Khaled Abu Rabi said on Sunday.

AMMAN — A delegation from the Jordan Armed Forces on Sunday visited the Jordanian peacekeeping contingent deployed in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

The delegates listened to a briefing on the contingent’s logistic and training operations.

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday decided to issue JD50 million worth of treasury bonds to cover a loan, due on April 30, from the Jordan Islamic Bank to the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO).

Also during Sunday’s meeting, the Council of Ministers approved a recommendation by the public sector development minister to draft regulations for granting annual allowances and promotions to public employees seconded to privatised companies after they return to public firms.