MIXED NEWS (Society, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Events, Exhibitions...etc)

[yazm1991]

Originally Posted by ZIG

Hey guys, I'll be in Jordan from November 13-23 from Dubai. How's the weather around that time? Really cold? Or just right? I'm excited

It is pretty cold.

Minimun (on average): 10°

Max (on average): 20°

However the weather in Petra and Aqaba is slighty warmer than that of Amman.

[MARTYR]

Omoush highlights major changes in new Labour Law

AMMAN - Labour Minister Ibrahim Omoush on Wednesday said recent amendments to the Labour Law were made following an agreement among all concerned parties including the government, business owners and workers. During a press conference yesterday, he highlighted major changes in the law, noting that it enhances benefits for workers.

The new Labour Law, which was published in the Official Gazette on July 15, secured additional benefits for workers in terms of annual leave, sick leave and end-of-service b?nuses, he said. In addition, the law corresponds with international labour standards, according to Omoush.

[MARTYR]

End Stage Renal Disease Registry launched

AMMAN - The Ministry of Health on Wednesday launched the Jordanian End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Registry, a database of renal patients in the country, in a bid to examine treatment options.
The registry seeks to develop services provided to patients with kidney failure and facilitate transplant operations for those who need them, Minister of Health Nayef Fayez told reporters yesterday.

He added that the registry, which was developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Sector Development, will also enable the government to calculate annual spending on these patients in order to find alternatives for kidney dialysis and focus on transplants instead.

"This database will help us establish a national registry for organ transplants and promote the concept of organ donation in the society," the minister said.

"The government's annual spending on kidney disease amounts to JD35 million, which is high and can be reduced if we focus on organ transplantation," the minister said in a joint press conference yesterday with Minister of Public Sector Development and Minister of State for Mega- Projects Imad Fakhoury.

Patients are classified according to demographic distribution, age and sex in the registry, according to Fakhoury, who also announced that a group of nurses from the health ministry and the Royal Medical Services are currently being trained on how to use this database and deal with renal patients.

To maintain the registry, the ministry has developed an information form for renal patients to be filled out by doctors or nurses in hospitals across the Kingdom, Director of the Ministry's Non-Communicable Diseases Directorate Mohammad Tarawneh explained.

He added that the registry currently contains data on 2,666 renal patients.

The majority are based in Amman (1,385), followed by Irbid Governorate with 481 and Zarqa Governorate with 366, according to figures presented by Tarawneh at the press conference.

He noted that an Intranet system was developed to connect different hospitals across the country, which can update information related to kidney failure patients.

ESRD occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to function at a level needed for day-to-day life, according to MedlinePlus, the US National Institutes of Health's website for patients and their families. It usually occurs when chronic kidney disease has worsened to the point at which kidney function is less than 10 per cent of normal.

ESRD almost always follows chronic kidney disease; a person may have gradual worsening of kidney function for 10 to 20 years or more before progressing to ESRD, according to the website, which added that patients who have reached this stage need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

[MARTYR]

More Jordanian teachers needed: MoE insider

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has been urged to increase the number of Jordanian teachers contracted to work at Kuwait's state schools. "These [Jordanian] teachers have the scientific specialties needed by the schools, particularly Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry," said a ministry insider.

It's also been revealed that the Ministry of Health is set to recruit a number of medical staff in Jordan, with doctors and nurses of both sexes being recruited to work in local health centers. Meanwhile, a government insider expressed perplexity at MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun's accusation that the government was attempting to expand the eligibility criteria for the insolvency fund.

While the cabinet is set to announce through the finance ministry that the insolvency fund is open to all those eligible for assistance, there is no intention to extend eligibility to anyone not covered under the regulations already approved by the National Assembly, the official stressed.

What the government should be held accountable for is what it actually does and what is said about that," said the insider, adding that the government is not responsible for what is published in the media and should not have to answer every claim made in the press.

The government is committed to the insolvency fund, said the official, and is preparing to implement all the related regulations in compliance with the details published in the official gazette. The amendments which were indicated by the government and agreed during the parliamentary discussion of the law governing the insolvency fund will remain the same, the insider added.

If it is subsequently discovered that it is necessary to include other categories among those eligible for assistance from the insolvency fund, this will first be discussed in parliament, the official stressed, adding that the government is well aware of the need to protect public funds and is extremely keen to do so, and will not allow any misuse of these monies.

[MARTYR]

Jordan: Gov't calls on media outlets to follow up on allegations

AMMAN - The government on Wednesday dismissed allegations that certain aspiring parliamentary candidates are receiving preferential treatment, urging media institutions to reveal any such case.
"I call on media outlets in the Kingdom to interview any person who claims that he receives any sort of official support," Elections Spokesperson Samih Maaytah said yesterday.

"It is part of the role of media outlets to follow up on such cases and publish allegations," he said during a joint press conference with Civil Status and Passport Department (CSPD) Director General Marwan Qteishat yesterday.

"These allegations are misleading for citizens," he added.

Meanwhile, Maaytah said it is now evident that the voter registration process has achieved its goals, noting that by the 6:00pm deadline today, the number of new voters is not expected to rise significantly above the current figure of 212,000.

This will bring the total number of eligible voters to approximately 2.7 million, he noted, describing the figure as "reasonable".

The CSPD will prepare lists of voters in each district and announce them starting August 1, Qteishat told reporters, noting that the process will continue until August 7.

Citizens have a week after that until August 14, to submit written objections if they wish to contest the eligibility of any voters in their district, he added.

Election authorities will implement several other legal and administrative procedures in the next couple of months as per the Elections Law, Qteishat noted.

The final voters list in each district will be sent to governors between October 4 and 6, he added, stressing that the CSPD has applied the relevant laws and regulations throughout.

[MARTYR]

Royal Jordanian Beirut flight lands safely after bird strike

Amman -- A Royal Jordanian aircraft landed safely at Beirut Airport yesterday after a bird strike while it was approaching the airport during a normal flight between Amman and Beirut, according to an RJ official.

RJ Spokesman Basel Kilani said that the Airbus-319 landed at Rafik Hariri Airport on time despite the bird strike, adding that the airplane suffered a minor damage to its fuselage and that the national carrier sent a jet to pick the passengers who were bound to board the Airbus-319.

He explained that the jet arrived in Amman late last night after it was repaired by a technical team the airline sent earlier in the day, noting that the aircraft was now fully operational.

Bird strikes happen most often during takeoff or landing, or during low altitude flight.

[MARTYR]

Jordan, South Korea discuss better health cooperation

Amman -- Jordan and South Korea on Tuesday discussed closer cooperation in medical tourism, e-health and pharmaceutical industries.

At a meeting with Minister of Health Nayef Al Fayez, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency Regional Director Yong Chun Oh said his country was keen to launch joint investments with Jordan in hospital building and expansion as well as benefiting from Jordan''s expertise in medical tourism.

The Korean official expressed keenness to bolster cooperation in pharmaceutical industries, as Jordan is considered a key regional player in making and marketing drugs.

Yong Chun Oh invited the Kingdom to take part in an international conference, slated to be held in Korea in September to draft a comprehensive strategy for Korean medical tourism, voicing hope to benefit from Jordanian expertise in this domain.

Al Fayez told the visiting official that Jordan is keen to enhance health cooperation, asking for training courses for Jordanian medical staff in Korea, especially on cosmetic surgeries.

He also welcomed a proposed Korean-Jordanian investment in the field of hospital construction and expansion.

[yazm1991]

Tourism revenues up 28% in first half - report

Tourism revenues were up 28 per cent in the first half of 2010, with over three million tourists visiting the Kingdom, official figures revealed on Thursday.

According to statistics released by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), revenues generated by the tourism sector in the first six months of the year reached JD1.089 billion, up from JD851 million in the first half of 2009.

Over 3.63 million tourists visited the Kingdom during the January-June period, a 24.1 per cent increase from 2009, when some 2.93 million visitors toured the country, the figures showed.

Some 2.04 million overnight tourists visited the country in the first half of the year, a 36.6 per cent rise from the same period in 2009, when the figure stood at 1.56 million.

Wadi Rum witnessed the largest increase in tourists, the figures revealed, registering 145,662 visitors in the first six months of the year, a 59.3 per cent jump from 2009, when 91,422 tourists visited the site.

According to the figures, Petra registered the highest amount of tourist traffic, with 493,379 tourists visiting the site in the first half of 2010. Mount Nebo was the second most visited site in the Kingdom, drawing 220,955 tourists during the period in question.

Meanwhile, the JTB announced that it will intensify its promotion campaign in the holy month of Ramadan by advertising on regional satellite channels targeting potential visitors from Gulf countries.

JTB Director General Nayef Fayez told The Jordan Times on Thursday that the JTB is also currently working with the private sector to come up with activities that are in tune with the spirit of the holy month.

He noted that the advertisements will be part of a long-term plan to encourage Gulf tourists to visit the Kingdom during Ramadan due to the Kingdom’s relatively temperate summer climate.

[yazm1991]

'Kingdom should capitalise on green water'

The main challenge facing Jordan in the water sector is a distortion in the market, an expert said on Saturday.

In a lecture at Al Rai Centre for Research on the Kingdom’s strategic challenges and opportunities in the water and energy fields, former minister of water and irrigation Munther Had-dadin explained that the country's annual needs of water are 10 billion cubic metres, of which only 20 per cent is available.

He stressed the need for the Kingdom to capitalise on "green water" - rainfall that infiltrates and remains in the soil.

Including green water in official calculations increases the amount of water per capita from 145 cubic metres to 340 cubic metres, according to Haddadin.

“This water is wasted by those who refuse to cultivate their lands,” he said, underscoring the importance of legally recognising green water as public property and offering landowners incentives to utilise it.

He also referred to the water resources that Jordan shares with other countries, including rivers and groundwater, calling for feasible agreements that address the needs of all parties without depleting their resources.

“I don’t know of any Arab country that successfully manages its groundwater basins,” he noted, adding that this can be addressed in Jordan by closing unauthorised basins and controlling the amount of water pumped from them to avoid increasing its salinity.

In his lecture, Haddadin also highlighted the pressures the government faces from international sponsors such as the World Bank, which call for rerouting agricultural water to serve households and factories, thus achieving higher financial gain and meeting the increased demand.

Succumbing to these pressures will lead to economic burdens and social degeneration caused by uncontrolled migrations to the cities, he warned, underlining that “the government should stand firm against these pressures”.

He concluded his lecture by calling for the establishment of a non-profit Arab forum or group that addresses water and energy issues and offers solutions for the challenges facing the region.

[yazm1991]

Jordan, US sign $275m deal to fund Zarqa water projects

Jordan on Monday signed a $275 million grant agreement with the US to fund water projects in the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the signing ceremony, which took place at the US Department of State headquarters in Washington, Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Najjar and CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Daniel Yohannes signed the funding deal, which will continue for a period of five years starting this year.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the US intent to provide the grant to Jordan to improve its water situation during a meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah on September 16.

The grant, which is part of the MCC programme to provide water and sanitation services to over one million people in Zarqa city, will enhance the quality of water services in the governorate, increase the number of people covered by sewage services to around 82 per cent of the city’s residents, and reduce the percentage of water loss.

In addition to increasing and enhancing the quantities of treated water to be used for agricultural purposes instead of pure drinking water, the projects funded by the grant will provide employment opportunities to Jordanians and raise water pumping in the governorate by 50 per cent.

The implementation and management of the projects, expected to start during the second quarter of 2011 and last five years, will be supervised by the MCC and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
The projects, once completed, will help deliver about 100 million cubic metres of treated water.

HRH Princess Aisha, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and Jordanian Ambassador in Washington Alia Buran were also present at yesterday's signing ceremony.

Also yesterday, Judeh and Clinton discussed the latest developments in the region, particularly efforts to overcome challenges facing the direct Palestinian-Israeli talks and means to create appropriate conditions to resume them, Petra reported.

[yazm1991]

Tourism project to introduce Shobak to the world

European experts and local officials are looking to develop the southern city of Shobak into an emerging tourism destination.

The project, led by the University of Florence in association with the Shobak Municipality and the EU, aims to take advantage of the historical value and natural beauty of the southern town in order to bolster local development, according to organisers.

Situated on the road to the rose-red city of Petra, Shobak is best known for its Crusader castle, once part of a chain of fortresses stretching across Jordan.

However, the castle and town’s Ottoman-era homes are often overlooked by tour groups who shuttle in and out of Wadi Musa to see Petra a few miles away.

Michele Nucciotti, an archaeologist from the University of Florence, which has been working on developing the archaeology of the town over the last several years, said the project aims to introduce the area to tourists.

"Shobak has a tourist and historical value that has been overlooked. Our job is to develop the city and prepare it for the prominence it deserves,” he said, referring to Shobak Castle as one of the best preserved existing crusader castles.

As part of the project, officials will work to enhance facilities in the castle to enable it to accommodate larger numbers of tourists. Restoration experts will also work to renovate Ottoman and Mamluk buildings in the town for some to be converted into small-scale tourism businesses, he added.

Nucciotti said that the city can become a vital addition to the Kingdom’s mosaic of diverse historical and natural sites.

“This is a marvellous place, and is very unique in terms of location, environment and the ruins that have been left here,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Also as part of the project, local residents are expected to receive hospitality training in order to better receive visitors from across the world.

"Shobak can follow model of historical European cities in terms of generating income for the local community," he added.

Nucciotti said Shobak has the potential to attract Western tourists due to its historical location at the crossroads of Euro-Mediterranean cultures.

Originally known as Montreal, Shobak Castle was built in the early 12th century by Baldwin I of Jerusalem as a Crusader stronghold of what was then considered “Arabia”, standing at the ancient crossroads between the Gulf of Aqaba, Damascus and Mecca.

After succumbing to a two-year siege by armies led by Salah Addin in 1189, the castle fell into disrepair before being taken over and renovated by the Mamluks in the 14th century.

[Ramy H]

How come no one on here is posting about the protests in south Jordan??? I think they are a pretty big deal that should be addressed...

[noir-dresses]

Because it's most likely an enigma you just don't talk about.

All the best to the Jordanian people, I was there two years ago visiting Petra.

On a more serious note, the domino effect look's to be coming your way. I would advise to withdraw any money you have in the bank, stock up on a lot of food, and water, medicine, heating/cooking essential's, make sure you have a satelite dish, walky talky's, batteries etc, etc.

Hopefully every thing will turn out ok.

[MARTYR]

'Development of legislative environment included in new strategy'

By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - Development of the legislative environment to meet international standards and the training of journalists are two main aspects of the new Jordan Media Strategy, the government said on Wednesday.
"We are putting the finishing touches on the strategy and expect to finalise it before the two-month deadline is over. The committee has engaged in fruitful and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders concerned with the media," Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Taher Odwan told The Jordan Times yesterday.

Earlier this year, His Majesty King Abdullah directed the government to set up a committee tasked with formulating a strategy for the media. The committee is headed by Odwan, with the membership of Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdel Rahim Akour, Minister of Culture Tareq Masarweh, Ministry of Culture Secretary General Jeryes Samawi, Audiovisual Commission Director General Amjad Qadi and Department of Press and Publications Director General Abdullah Abu Rumman.

"The discussions shed light on the importance of adhering to the King's vision of a free and independent media working with professionalism and as stipulated by Article 15 of the Constitution and the relevant laws," Odwan said, adding that press freedom must not be wrongly interpreted to trespass on the freedom and privacy of the other.

Meanwhile, newly elected Jordan Press Association (JPA) President Tareq Momani told The Jordan Times yesterday that a proper and healthy legislative environment consistent with international standards is key to the development of the media sector and boosting press freedoms.

"There has to be a clear clause added to the Constitution protecting the media sector and preventing the executive authority from imposing restraints on the performance of the media in the future that might undermine the freedom of expression and press freedoms," he said.

The JPA will also shoulder its responsibility in ensuring the development of the media and boosting accountability among journalists in order to ensure professionalism and their abidance with the profession's code of conduct, Momani said.

He added that the JPA council yesterday discussed proposed amendments to the association's law, introduced by the previous council, such as expanding the membership of the JPA to include online media personnel.

Momani said the JPA council formed an ad hoc committee yesterday to receive any suggestions from JPA members regarding these amendments, adding that the feedback will be discussed during a JPA council meeting slated for Sunday.

"The development of the sector is a shared responsibility between the JPA and media outlets as well as journalists themselves. We are against any form of restraint on the freedom of expression with regards to online media and we have drawn up plans to start a dialogue with the sector to ensure professional responsible media," Momani said.

He noted that the JPA only has jurisdiction on its members and can take no action against other journalists who violate the code of ethics or the relevant laws and regulations.
Momani proposed the establishment of an independent commission comprising media and legal experts under the umbrella of the Upper House to monitor any violations or complaints and take action accordingly.

[MARTYR]

Jordan: Gov't urges end for doctors' work stoppage

These services can not wait or be postponed, the government said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The government is committed to meeting demands of public-sector doctors, the statement said, adding that it has met majority of the doctors' demands.

The government called on the JMA and other associations to realize the country's limited potentials in providing financial resources for the debt-laden budget, because of the extra burdens by increasing oil prices and stoppage of Egyptian natural gas supplies.

The government reiterated that it will not be subject to attempts to force it to deal with demands of a specific category in contradiction of its approach and commitment to achieving equality of opportunity and justice among all public sector employees in accordance with the comprehensive plan to restructure the salaries and correct their distortions.

[MARTYR]

Jordan, S. Korea discuss cultural exchange

Amman May 10 (Petra) -- Secretary-General of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Mustafa Al-Odwan on Tuesday discussed with the Counselor and Consul of the Republic of Korea in Amman, ways of activating cultural exchange between the two countries .

Odwan expressed the ministry's readiness to coordinate between Jordanian and Korean universities to enhance cultural and scientific cooperation between Jordan and Korea .

[MARTYR]

Jordan, UAE to discuss education cooperation

Amman May 10 ( Petra ) -- Minister of Education Tayseer Al-Nuaimi will discuss on Wednesday with his UAE counterpart Humaid Al-Qattami bilateral educational relations and ways of enhancing them.

Nuaimi said after receiving the UAE minister and his accompanying delegation on Tuesday that the visit comes within the framework of strong educational ties between the two countries, noting that the visiting minister will look at the Jordanian educational expertise.

During the three-day visit, a protocol on educational cooperation between Jordan and UAE will be signed, according to Jordan Ministry of Education Spokesperson Ayman Barakat.

[MARTYR]

Jordan's efforts to cut infant mortality rate making gains

AMMAN - Jordan's efforts to combat under-five infant mortality have made gains in both rural and urban areas, UNICEF revealed on Tuesday.
The under-five mortality rate in the Kingdom dropped from 38 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 20 per 1,000 live births in 2008, according to UNICEF, placing the Kingdom on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of 13 per 1,000 live births by 2015.

The "Inequities in Maternal and Child Health in the MENA Region" study, released yesterday, showed that ongoing efforts to reduce infant mortality in the Kingdom has cut across socio-economic and regional barriers.
Approximately 95 per cent of children living in urban areas in Jordan are immunised against measles, the report showed, compared to 92 per cent of children living in rural areas.

Delivery assistance by skilled personnel for the lowest and highest wealth quintiles varied little, the study revealed: The rate in the poorest areas in the Kingdom stood at 98 per cent, compared to 100 per cent in the wealthiest areas.

The study aims to provide an analysis of existing health inequities in nine MENA countries in addition to the occupied Palestinian territories regarding the five health-related indicators pertaining to the Millennium Development Goals.

The indicators are the under-five mortality rate, the proportion of one-year-old children immunised against measles, proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel, antenatal care coverage, and contraceptive prevalence.

According to UNICEF, the study aims to help policy makers assess gaps in order to implement policy options, health programmes and advocacy activities that benefit disadvantaged groups.

[www.jnob-jo.com]

Omoush highlights major changes in new Labour Law

[www.jnob-jo.com]

In a lecture at Al Rai Centre for Research on the Kingdom’s strategic challenges and opportunities in the water and energy fields, former minister of water and irrigation Munther Had-dadin explained that the country's annual needs of water are 10 billion cubic metres, of which only 20 per cent is available.
http://www.jnob-jo.com/vb/index.php