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

[yazm1991]

Originally Posted by clyde18

Thanks for all the info yazm. Appreciate it. Keep up the good work!

No problem clyde, its nice to hear someone actually appreciates my efforts

[yazm1991]

Thousands of trees to be planted across Kingdom

More than 30,000 saplings will be planted in six different areas at special ceremonies on Saturday as part of the Kingdom's Arbor Day celebrations, an official at the Ministry of Agriculture said on Thursday.

Each year, Jordan celebrates Arbor Day on January 15 by planting thousands of trees across the country in efforts to increase green cover and combat desertification.

"This year, the celebrations will be different from past years as they will last for one week," Director of the Agriculture Ministry's Forestry Department Mohammad Shurman told The Jordan Times yesterday, adding that the ministry has completed preparations for the occasion.

In coordination with several institutions, including the We are All Jordan Commission, the Jordan University of Science and Technology and the Tree Association, the ministry wants to plant trees in 36 sites in different governorates during the celebrations, he added.

Shurman said the ministry has distributed over one million saplings to its departments across the country to be planted during the week.

"By next Thursday, we seek to plant more than one million trees in different places in the Kingdom," he noted.

Only 1 per cent of the country's total area is covered with trees, according to the ministry's figures, which also indicate that these forests are threatened with extinction due to climate conditions and "illegal practices" committed by some individuals.

"Illegal logging and fires that break out in the middle of forests pose a serious threat to the limited green area in Jordan," Shurman explained, adding that the ministry is currently intensifying monitoring to put an end to "irresponsible behaviours" that threaten the country's forests.

Over the past years, around 500,000 dunums in the country have been planted with trees under national strategies adopted by the ministry, Shurman said, noting that climate change and the alarming drop in rainfall hinder the ministry's strategies to increase the Kingdom's green cover.

The tradition of Arbor Day in the Kingdom began in 1939 with a ceremony held at Jabal Al Qalaa. Since then, it has been an annual national celebration, with the Ministry of Agriculture choosing a different location each year to plant various saplings.

[yazm1991]

Plane carrying medics, aid heads to quake-hit Haiti

A military airplane carrying Jordanian medics and relief assistance headed to Haiti on Thursday to help victims of the earthquake that hit the island on Tuesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Also yesterday, His Majesty King Abdullah, who ordered the relief, sent a cable to Haitian President René Préval expressing his deepest sympathies over the loss of life in the tragic disaster and Jordan’s support for efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people, the agency said.

Desperate Haitians awaited a global effort to find and treat survivors from the earthquake, which left streets strewn with corpses and a death toll that may top 100,000, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Hundreds of thousands of homeless, injured and traumatised quake victims spent a second night on the streets and sidewalks, transforming the capital Port-au-Prince into a gigantic and under-equipped refugee camp, as Haitian officials and others grieved for their ruined city.

Prime Minister Samir Rifai also sent a cable to Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive offering his condolences over the massive loss of life as a result of the earthquake, which also killed three Jordanian peacekeepers and injured at least 23 others.

The Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) identified the three peacekeepers as Major Ata Issa Hussein Manasir, Major Ashraf Ali Mohammad Jayousi and Corporal Raed Faraj Mefleh Khawaldeh, according to a JAF statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

Eighteen of the injured are JAF members, while the others are affiliated with the Public Security Department and the Gendarmerie Department, the JAF said, adding that they sustained “mild injuries”.

Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation Chairman HRH Prince Rashid, who saw the plane off at Marka Airport, said that work is under way to send another airplane with more medical staff and supplies in addition to humanitarian aid.

The military field hospital, which includes five physicians specialised in orthopaedics, general surgery and anaesthesia, in addition to logistical supplies, will be joining the medical team already in the Caribbean island as part of the peacekeeping mission.

Brigadier General Mohammad Muhaisin of the Royal Medical Services said that the hospital medics will perform surgeries and provide first aid to the victims, saying that more equipment and medicine will be shipped to Haiti in the coming two days.

The airplane is loaded with six tonnes of foods, relief items, medicine and clothing, according to Muhaisin.

[yazm1991]

Flights, passengers rise in Jordan in 2009

Jordan's Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission has said that the number of flights through Jordanian airports in 2009 rose by 11.6% to 65095, up by 6777 flight compared to 2008, Petra news agency has reported. The number of passengers also rose by 6.3% in 2009 compared to the year before. Air cargo, however, had declined by 10.6% in 2009 compared to 2008.

More detailed news to follow

[yazm1991]

Jordan to adopt European air safety standards

The Jordan Civil Aviation Authority will soon embark on a mission to modify its operations according to European standards, civil aviation operators said on Saturday.

"Since the beginning of 2006, Jordan has been working on applying the best international aviation safety standards," Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) Chief Commissioner Suleiman Obeidat said, adding that by July, airlines operating in Jordan will be compliant with European standards.

"Aviation is a dynamic sector that requires constant development and modernising," he said, highlighting the importance of joint efforts among aviation regulators and operators to ensure the best implementation of standards.

Obeidat made the remarks at the 2010 European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) conference, which opened in Amman on Saturday.

According to Mohammad Khawaldeh, director general of the Queen Noor Civil Aviation Technical College, Jordanian aviation companies’ adoption of EASA standards will enhance the country's aviation sector.

"By transferring from the present standards to European standards, Jordan becomes an official member and implementer of the EASA," Khawaldeh told reporters, noting that this step makes CARC's accreditation certificates equivalent to those of the European agency.

At the two-day conference, attended by more than 80 aviation sector representatives from the region, participants discussed the aviation safety policies implemented by EASA and ways for regional aviation operators to apply these policies.

During the event, the commission designated the Queen Noor Civil Aviation Technical College as the first centre for issuing certifications based on EASA standards in the region.

[yazm1991]

Massive downpour causes flash floods, accidents

Torrential rain and thunderstorms across the Kingdom on Monday formed flash floods that trapped scores of people and caused several road accidents, authorities said yesterday, while meteorologists forecast the rainy conditions to persist through the week.

Heavy rain, which started in the southern region Sunday evening and put authorities on a state of alert, caused flash floods in Aqaba, Maan and Tafileh.

The Aqaba Civil Defence Department yesterday evacuated 20 people living in tents in Qreiqrah, in addition to four persons whose vehicle was waterlogged near the Aqaba Port area, according to a statement by the Civil Defence Department (CDD).

The Aqaba CDD also helped a mother deliver her baby in an amphibious vehicle in the Beer Mathkour area after floods and mud prevented an ambulance from reaching her house.

Authorities transferred the mother and the baby to Al Safi Public Hospital, where they were reported in good health.

"In Tafileh, flash floods and mud trapped five people in their vehicle in the Thawabbieh area. The Tafileh civil defence personnel evacuated and transferred them to safety," the statement, e-mailed to The Jordan Times, said.

In the southern Governorate of Maan, authorities evacuated 11 people in the Mudawarra area after rainwater flooded their houses. Maan CDD said they were relocated and were reported in good health.

Also yesterday, two people sustained second-degree burns after a tank carrying 39 tonnes of jet fuel collided with a pickup truck in the Mreigha area, south of Maan city on the Aqaba highway.

The Maan CDD extinguished the fire, according to the department's statement, and the injured were transferred to Maan Public Hospital where they were reported in fair condition.

Also in Maan, a non-Jordanian driver of a phosphate truck was killed early Monday after his vehicle slid off the road, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The driver jumped out of the truck but was caught beneath its tyres, Petra reported.

In the nearby ancient city of Petra, Petra Archaeological Park authorities evacuated 150 tourists after heavy rain caused a huge flow of water into the Siq from the surrounding high mountains, the agency reported.

Flash floods in Wadi Shuaib in Balqa Governorate caused a vehicle to drift, but rescue teams evacuated the motorist.

In the capital, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) dealt with minor blockages of manholes and responded to complaints from people whose houses were flooded with rainwater across Amman, according to a statement released by GAM.

The prevailing weather conditions also affected air traffic late Sunday and early Monday.

Royal Jordanian (RJ) Media Director Basel Kilani said that RJ diverted two flights coming from Cairo and Riyadh to Amman Civil Airport, while another flight bound for Erbil in Iraq returned 30 minutes after taking off due to the rough weather.

National Electric Power Company acting Director General Majdi Samara said the company's teams are prepared to deal with any power cuts that could result from the current weather conditions.

"Sunday's maximum electricity load totalled 2,150 megawatts… We expect maximum electricity load during this winter to increase to 2,400 megawatts," Petra quoted Samara as saying.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said the Kingdom received 3.6 million cubic metres of water since the start of the rainy season in late October.

The ministry's assistant secretary general and spokesperson, Adnan Zu'bi, told The Jordan Times yesterday that the ministry expected water storage to rise this week due to the heavy rain across the country, noting that rainwater takes 48 hours to reach the dams.

According to Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) data, the highest rainfall recorded as of Monday morning was in Salt Governorate, which received 23.1 millimetres (mm), followed by Sweileh with 20.6mm. Deir Alla and Wadi Al Rayyan in the Jordan Valley received 17.5mm, and Ras Muneef in the north received 15.8mm.

In the south, rainfall reached 15.3mm in Qatraneh, 13.8 in Aqaba, 10.6mm in Tafileh and Maan and 13.3mm in Rabbeh in Karak.

Weather forecast

The effects of the unstable weather conditions are expected to continue until Thursday night with cold and rainy weather, according to the JMD.

Today, it will be cold and cloudy with rainfall at times, especially in the northern and central parts of the country. Temperatures will range between a high of 12°C and a low of 7°C at night in Amman, while winds will be southwesterly and moderate, a weather forecaster at the department said.

A further drop in mercury levels is forecast on Wednesday, when the weather will be cold and cloudy with rain expected in the afternoon hours in the northern and central parts of the country. Temperatures will range between a maximum of 11°C and a minimum of 6°C, with brisk, southwesterly winds.

On Thursday, according to the weather forecast, “it will remain cold, cloudy and rainy. Temperatures during the day will reach 11°C and 6°C at night-time, while winds will be brisk and northwesterly, turning to southwesterly at night”.

The JMD said the unstable conditions are expected to taper off Thursday night and the weather will gradually stabilise.

[yazm1991]

Heavy rain a major boost to water storage

Heavy rains over the past two days channelled 32 million cubic metres (mcm) of water into the country's major dams and sand dams in the desert, authorities said on Tuesday.

In the meantime, the rainfall, which started late Sunday and caused flash floods in the south, also caused the 8.18mcm Waleh Dam in the south to overflow and forced authorities to open its gate into the valleys on Tuesday morning to release dirt and mud that collected in the reservoir, according to a source at the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA).

Flow per second into the Waleh Dam reached 30 cubic metres, according to the JVA, which said that the dam reached its maximum storage capacity yesterday for the first time in two years. A total of 145,000 cubic metres of water were released into the valleys.

The precipitation supplied the country's major dams with 18mcm, boosting the dams' storage to 108mcm of their total capacity of 327mcm, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

Water storage until yesterday exceeded levels collected by the end of the last wet season, which totalled 105mcm.

Since the start of the rainy season in late October, the Kingdom has received 4.7 billion cubic metres of rain. Jordan has so far received 55.6 per cent of its long-term annual average rainfall of 8.3 billion cubic metres, according to the ministry's spokesperson and assistant secretary general, Adnan Zu'bi.

The heavy rainfall has boosted storage at the country's 10 major dams. As of yesterday, King Talal Dam contained 29mcm of its 75mcm capacity, Karameh Dam held 21.27mcm of its 55mcm capacity.

The Wadi Al Arab Dam held 8mcm of its 16.79mcm capacity, Sharhabil held 1.15mcm of its 3.96mcm capacity, Kafrein contained 2.36mcm of its 8.45mcm capacity, Tannour held 9.12mcm of its 16.80mcm capacity and the 29.82mcm-Mujib Dam contained 17mcm.

The 110mcm Wihdeh Dam currently holds 11mcm. In addition to Waleh Dam in the south, the Shuaib Dam in the Jordan Valley almost reached its maximum capacity of 1.43mcm and currently holds 1.08mcm, according to the ministry's data.

The heavy rainfall, brought on by unstable weather conditions that started affecting the country Sunday evening, caused flash floods that left scores of people trapped and flooded many streets and houses across the Kingdom.

The Civil Defence Department (CDD) yesterday dealt with over 62 weather-related incidents that resulted in 52 injuries, according to a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times yesterday.

The Maan CDD rescued 15 commuters from a public transport bus at the Husseiniyeh Bridge after it was caught in flash floods.

Also yesterday, six people were injured in a collision on the Airport Road. The CDD administered first aid to the victims and transported them to Al Bashir Public Hospital, where they were reported in fair condition.

Five other people sustained injuries after a bus and a car collided. The injured were taken to King Hussein Medical Centre, where they were also reported in fair condition.

Meanwhile, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said it expects cold and cloudy weather to continue today, with rainfall forecast in the northern and central parts of the country.

Temperatures will range between a maximum of 12°C and a minimum of 6°C, with brisk, southwesterly winds, according to the department's website.

On Thursday, according to the weather forecast, “it will remain cold, cloudy and rainy. Temperatures will reach 10°C during the day and 5°C at night, while winds will be southwesterly moderate to brisk, turning to northwesterly at night”.

The effects of the unstable conditions are expected to taper off Thursday night and the weather will gradually stabilise, according to the JMD.

A slight rise in temperatures is forecast on Friday, although the weather will remain cold in hilly areas and relatively cold in the rest of the country. Mercury levels will range between a high of 14°C and a low of 4°C at night in Amman, while winds will be southeasterly moderate.

[yazm1991]

King, Queen receive bodies of fallen peacekeepers

His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF), and Her Majesty Queen Rania on Tuesday took part in a ceremony to receive the bodies of three Jordanian officers who died in Haiti's devastating earthquake last Tuesday.

After the plane carrying the bodies landed at Queen Alia International Airport, army personnel acted as pallbearers for each of the three flag-draped coffins, passing in front of the guards of honour to the sound of a military band playing "Beating the Retreat".

HRH Prince Feisal, senior officers and officials and families of the fallen officers were present upon the arrival of the bodies of Major Ata Issa Hussein Manasir, Major Ashraf Ali Mohammad Jayousi and Corporal Raed Faraj Mefleh Khawaldeh.

The fallen soldiers were members of the Jordanian peacekeeping mission in Haiti, which was sent to the Caribbean country in 2004. Last Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which is believed to have killed tens of thousands, also caused injuries to 23 Jordanian peacekeepers.

At the airport, Their Majesties also met with the families of the officers, checked on their situations and offered their deepest condolences and sympathies over the loss.

King Abdullah voiced his pride in the martyrs, who he said performed their duties and represented their country honourably.

Families of the fallen officers present at the airport stressed their feelings of "pride and honour" over the martyrdom of their loved ones.

"Martyrdom is the most glorious fate. My son Ashraf died while serving in the name of Jordan and being on a humanitarian mission and that is something honourable," Jayousi's father told reporters as ambulances carrying the bodies of peacekeepers left for their native towns.

In October 2009, five Jordanian officers died in a plane crash in Haiti.

According to the JAF, from 1989 until late December 2009, about 61,611 Jordanian army, civil defence and public security personnel have taken part in UN peacekeeping missions. Currently, there are about 2,064 Jordanian peacekeepers stationed in different parts of the world. They are mainly in the Congo, Liberia, the Ivory Coast and Haiti, in addition to field hospitals in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Ramallah and Jenin in the West Bank.

[MARTYR]

Ottoman-era village reflects Jordan's layers of enduring history

29 January 2010
UMM QAIS - While the grandeur of the ancient Greco-Roman city of Gadara in the north draws busloads of tourists, the distinctive architecture of the quaint Ottoman village of Umm Qais remains a treasure off the beaten path.

The village, situated on the eastern slope of the site, features squat buildings with vibrant facades and multi-coloured stonework in fashion at the time.

Far removed from the bustling centre of power that was Gadara, a leading member of the Decapolis League, Ottoman Umm Qais was a frontier post, deriving its modern name from Mkeis, or frontier station.

The town's strategic value and beauty derive from its location overlooking the Golan Heights, Mount Hermon, Lake Tiberias and the northern plains of Palestine.

Many of the neatly cut basalt stones of Ottoman Umm Qais were in fact recycyled from earlier settlements, a reminder of how the Kingdom has served for millennia as the crossroads of cultures, civilisations and empires.

Strolling through the quiet Ottoman village, now deserted, one looks upon the ancient Hellenistic centre of art and education, rising on the horizon.

The land was acquired by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities along with Hellenistic and Roman structures, with the village only recently being renovated and restored.

A centrepiece of the village is an Ottoman governor's building, now home to the Umm Qais heritage museum, which stands as a reminder of the town's important position as late as the 19th century.

Built at the end of the 19th century by Faleh Al Rusan, who was appointed by the Ottoman government as the mayor, the structure underwent complete rehabilitation and renovation in the late 20th century with the aid of the German Protestant Institute.

The unique Ottoman architecture was almost lost when some of the buildings were demolished in favour of excavating other parts of the hill, according to sources.

The village was threatened yet again, this time from bombs during the 1967 war, which damaged many structures including the governor's mansion.

Now with green grass slowly reclaiming the abandoned buildings and lavish arched doorways leading into open-air gardens, Ottoman Umm Qais reminds us that everything has its time.

[MARTYR]

Stakeholders review VTC enhancement project

29 January 2010
AMMAN - Jordanian and Japanese officials on Thursday reviewed the achievements of a four-year project aimed at enhancing the vocational training sector to meet labour market needs.

The "Strengthening the Capacity of Training Management of the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC)" project, which started in 2006 and concludes in September this year, aims at matching the outcomes of the vocational training sector with the needs of the local market and providing the local and the regional labour markets with qualified and skilled workers, participants said at yesterday's joint coordinating committee meeting.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded project was initiated to enable VTC centres to make independent decisions through a decentralised process and develop their own plans based on labour market needs in their areas, VTC Director General Majed Habashneh said in a speech delivered on his behalf by his assistant for VTC centres' affairs, Hani Khleifat.

"We live in a rapidly changing and dynamic world, with the growing integration of societies, economies and technologies. Living in a highly competitive global economy, Jordan understands that the requirements of integrating into this economy and enhancing the country's growth are enormous," Habashneh said.

He underlined that identifying opportunities through innovation, efficiency and dynamism are critical for any nation that intends to be an active player in the global economy.

"The VTC has supported the ongoing project both technically and financially, especially in implementing skill competitions and teaching material contests," he added.

Okamoto Shigeru, JICA's chief representative in the Kingdom, said the outputs of the project were designed to strengthen the training management capacity of model centres as well as developing the support system at VTC headquarters to spread the operating model to other training programmes and its six training centres.

"Developing human resources improves the quality of the labour force... HRD [human resource development] is an essential factor for national economic and social development," he said, stressing the need for further efforts to improve skills and technical capacity to ensure that VTC beneficiaries secure employmenty in the private sector.

The committee, which is meeting for the third time since the project started, discussed its overall progress, the project design matrix and achievements of technical cooperation. In addition, the members exchanged views on major issues arising from, or in connection with, the implementation of the project and other issues pertinent to the smooth implementation and sustainability of the project.

[MARTYR]

Iraq establishes healthcare liaison office at Amman embassy

29 January 2010
Iraqi Minister of Health Saleh Hasnawi on Thursday inaugurated a health liaison office at the Iraqi embassy in Amman to facilitate procedures for Iraqis seeking treatment in Jordan, an Iraqi diplomat told The Jordan Times.

Iraqi Ambassador to Jordan Saad Hayyani said the office, which is run by Iraqi doctors, will be responsible for receiving, arranging accommodation for and admitting Iraqi patients to the Kingdom's public or private hospitals.

"Through this office we will also coordinate with the Jordanian health sector on issues related to training provided for workers in the sector," the Iraqi ambassador noted.

However, Hayyani said no statistics are available regarding the number of Iraqis who receive medical treatment annually in the Kingdom.

"I do not have specific figures of how many Iraqis receive treatment in Jordan. But there are some patients who are covered by the Iraqi government and others who pay for their treatment," he said.

According to the Amman office of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), medics affiliated with the organisation in Jordan have conducted some 800 plastic surgeries for Iraqis since 2006.

Colin McIlreavy, MSF's head of mission in Amman, told The Jordan Times that these procedures were conducted for Iraqis who were burned and disfigured in bombings and attacks in their country.

He noted that these surgeries are classified as "complex" and are conducted in cooperation with the Jordan Red Crescent Society.

According to Private Hospitals Association figures, 45,000 Iraqi patients received medication in the Kingdom's private hospitals in 2007, while the figure dropped to 39,000 in 2008.

Jordan is home to roughly 500,000 Iraqis, according to various official and unofficial statistics, with around 47,000 recognised as refugees and registered with the UNHCR. Classified as "guests", Iraqis are afforded essential services such as free education and access to healthcare.

[MARTYR]

Jordan: Gov't bans poultry imports from Israel after reports of bird flu outbreak

29 January 2010
The government on Thursday banned the import of poultry products from Israel amid reports of a bird flu outbreak at a poultry farm, according to a senior official.

"After the Israeli veterinary authorities announced that avian flu was discovered in the Umm Al Fahm area, the Ministry of Agriculture suspended imports of poultry from Israel," Agriculture Minister Saeed Masri told The Jordan Times yesterday, adding that the Kingdom only imports minced turkey used in the manufacture of mortadella.

"The move is a precautionary measure as the minced turkey is treated at very high temperatures that eliminate the virus," he noted, stressing that import licences were also suspended.

Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that about 43,000 fowl were destroyed yesterday, after some were diagnosed with avian flu. The agriculture ministry announced a quarantine in all poultry enclosures within a 10-kilometre radius of the area and lab samples were collected from 120 bird flocks, the report said.

Meanwhile, Masri highlighted measures to be taken by the concerned authorities to prevent the outbreak of the disease in Jordan.

"Intensive field visits will be carried out to poultry farms across the Kingdom, particularly in areas located near the Israeli border to prevent the occurrence of the disease in the country," he underlined.

In 2006, reports that Jordan imported minced turkey from Israel in the midst of a bird flu outbreak prompted several deputies to call for the impeachment of the agriculture minister at that time.

Responding to MPs' remarks, the government decided to impound the consignment and a subsequent investigation proved that the shipment of four trucks of turkey was imported from Israel prior to the outbreak of the avian flu.

At that time, the government also decided to ban the import of poultry from infected countries, suspending imports from non-infected countries for one month.

[MARTYR]

Patients, families file 3,000 complaints with ministry in 2009

AMMAN - The Ministry of Health last year received some 3,000 complaints related to potential medical errors, unavailability of drugs, neglect and inhumane treatment of patients.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times on Wednesday, the ministry attributed the high number of complaints to what it described as "confusion" on the part of patients or their families, as they "cannot differentiate between medical errors and complications arising from certain medical procedures".

The ministry's spokesperson, Hatem Azruie, noted that in the event of a potential medical error, the ministry sets up a committee of experts to investigate the case and refer it to court if an error is proven to have occurred.

The ministry did not provide a specific figure on how many medical errors were confirmed last year.

Additionally, the Jordan Medical Association (JMA) received some 96 complaints related to medical malpractice in 2008, JMA Spokesperson Basem Kiswani told The Jordan Times yesterday. He stopped short of giving last year's figures.

According to Kiswani, the association follows the same procedures as the ministry in forming specialised committees to probe complaints.

He noted that if people involved in any case are dissatisfied with the results of an investigation, they can bypass the syndicate and go to court directly.

In a recent statement, Private Hospitals Association President Fawzi Hammouri said a committee of representatives from the public and private medical sectors was formed last year to receive complaints from visitors receiving medical care in Jordan.

Hammouri said the committee received 31 complaints in 2009, most of them related to the high cost of medical services in some hospitals. Around 210,000 guest patients were treated in Jordanian medical institutions last year, according to official figures.

Despite the high number of complaints related to medical practices and services, the JMA last year rejected a medical accountability draft law before it was referred to the Lower House of Parliament. The proposed law did not make it to the House, which was dissolved in November.

According to Kiswani, the JMA Law authorises the association to probe any potential case of medical error or malpractice, and the committee that drafted the law did not consult the JMA regarding the articles of the proposed law.

"Instead of formulating a new law, we proposed to the government to amend the JMA Law and add the necessary article related to medical accountability," Kiswani explained, adding that there was another proposal to establish a central committee within the association to be in charge of handling complaints.

[MARTYR]

GE Healthcare equips Jordan Hospital with advanced healthcare solutions

GE Healthcare will equip Jordan Hospital with latest diagnostic equipment solutions under a strategic agreement signed between both parties. Elie Chahoud, the country manager of GE Healthcare Levant and Abdulla Bashir, director general of Jordan Hospital, announced the agreement on Wednesday at Arab Health, the leading healthcare exhibition ongoing through January 28, 2010, at the Dubai International Convention Centre.

As per the agreement, GE Healthcare will provide advanced fluoroscopy systems for Jordan Hospital in addition to upgrading the medical centre's existing MR system, thus bringing in unprecedented diagnostic capabilities to Jordan. Chahoud said: "GE Healthcare has been partnering with Jordan Hospital for several years now providing advanced diagnostic solutions. The new agreement will further promote Jordan Hospital's positioning as the premier healthcare provider in the Kingdom, and also strengthen its objective of boosting medical tourism, one of the key growth areas targeted by the hospital." Bashir said: "Jordan Hospital provides world-class treatment to our patients by leveraging the latest in healthcare solutions. The new addition of technologies from GE Healthcare makes us a truly premier healthcare provider in Jordan with the highest diagnostic capabilities. This will help us address patient needs, not only those from Jordan but neighbouring countries too."

[MARTYR]

Rights watchdog says no improvements in Jordan

AMMAN - No significant change in Jordan's human rights policies or practices was noted in 2009, while further restrictions on civic organisations were imposed, the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday.

To improve its record, HRW said Jordan has to ease restrictions in the law governing the operation of non-governmental organisations to bring it into compliance with international standards on freedom of association, the NGO said in a press release issued yesterday as it released its World Report 2010.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government Spokesperson Nabil Sharif told The Jordan Times that the government is studying the report and drafting a detailed response to all the points raised.

The group said that the government should revise regulations governing migrant domestic workers to comply with international labour and human rights standards, and set up a mechanism to investigate allegations of abuses against workers.

The 612-page report, the organisation's 20th annual review of human rights practices around the globe, summarises major human rights issues in more than 90 nations and territories worldwide, including 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

"The year 2009 was one of the missed opportunities for women and migrants in the region," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of HRW. "For human rights defenders, their small space for manoeuvring shrank even further."

Moreover, the group urged the government to strengthen accountability for torture by moving jurisdiction over acts of torture by police agents from the Police Court to the civilian courts and stop withdrawing the nationality of Jordanian citizens of Palestinian origin, adding that the latest amendments to the Labour Law have failed to protect domestic workers' rights.

"Jordan issued regulations providing certain rights to migrant domestic workers after becoming the first Middle Eastern country in 2008 to include them under the Labour Law. However, these regulations fell short of international standards, and allow for an employer to confine a worker in the employer's house, " the group added.

The group also lamented what it sees as a deteriorating situation of women in the region.

"Despite their increasing participation in public life, women faced discrimination in personal status, nationality and penal laws. In Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, women cannot confer their nationality either on foreign spouses or their children. Saudi women require a male guardian's approval for travel, study or work, and to receive healthcare in certain circumstances.

According to HRW, the Kingdom's reform programme involving correctional centres is not yet paying off in all aspects.

"Jordan's prison reform programme has not strengthened accountability mechanisms for torture."

The organisation alleged that independent prison inspections conducted by the UN and HRW in 2006, 2007 and 2008 found that torture was routine and widespread in local prisons. However, it added that "positive initiatives, such as training programmes run by the National Centre for Human Rights and other groups to raise awareness about torture among law enforcement officials, were far from sufficient".

The report, however, highlighted bright spots in the prison reform programme, especially plans that seek to rehabilitate prisoners through incentives and activities while reducing overcrowding and improving prison services.

Meanwhile, the organisation claimed that "the local authorities since 2004 have arbitrarily deprived over 2,700 Jordanians of Palestinian origin of their nationality...".

The report also said administrative detention is frequently used to circumvent the obligation to present suspects to the prosecutor within 24 hours, or to overrule judges who have released suspects on bail, citing a report that said 14,000 administrative detainees were held in 2008, including 800 women, comprising one in five prison inmates, down from 20,000 in 2006.

"Middle Eastern governments need to recognise that the rights of minorities, refugees and stateless persons need greater protection," Whitson said.

[MARTYR]

Proposed university to support human resource development

AMMAN - The Kingdom and France are considering establishing a joint university in Jordan to support the country's burgeoning peaceful nuclear programme, according to the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC).

The university, which would receive local and international accreditation, would be modelled after the French "Ecole Polytechnique", or National Polytechnic Institute, a state-supported research institution founded in 1794.

The proposed university is one of several points outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be signed between France and the Kingdom to support human resource development in the nuclear field, the commission said.

In a meeting last week, Jordan and France agreed on the scope of the MoU, which is scheduled to be signed during French Premier Francois Fillon's official visit to the Kingdom next month, according to the JAEC.

In a joint meeting attended by JAEC Commissioner Khaled Toukan, French Ambassador Corinne Breuze and university presidents, experts completed the final draft of the MoU for the development of human resources in the field through expertise exchange and joint projects.

The memo also calls for the establishment of a "nuclear excellence centre", which would group various technical and educational programmes related to nuclear engineering and safety such as the nuclear research reactor at the Jordan University of Science and Technology.

In collaboration with French and other international institutions, the centre would develop curricula and encourage multinational projects in the sector in order to attract students and professionals from across the region. The centre will be a focal point in positioning Jordan as a regional hub for training and education in the nuclear field, the JAEC added.

According to the MoU, all agreements between the two signatories will have to be finalised and signed within a one-year period.

The MoU is a formalisation of ongoing collaboration between the Kingdom and France in the nuclear energy programme for peaceful purposes. French firm Areva is involved in uranium exploration in the central region of the Kingdom while Belgian firm Tractabel Engineering, a subsidiary of French energy giant GDF Suez, is carrying out a feasibility study for the Kingdom's first nuclear power plant in Aqaba.

The Kingdom is on pace to construct two 1,000-megawatt Generation III reactors in the next 15 years in order to increase the country's energy independence. Overall plans call for the establishment of four reactors with the potential to produce over half of Jordan's electricity needs.

[MARTYR]

Latouf: Jordan forges ahead to protect woman, child

Amman -- Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Hala Latouf on Wednesday discussed with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, Tamara Cofman Wittes, means of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of social work.

Latouf reviewed the government's efforts with regard to woman's issues.

She said the government spares no effort to empower woman in the economic, political and social fields, therefore, the government had amended laws and legislations to protect women and children.

With regard to the societies and non-governmental organizations, the minister said significant reforms were made to legislations to prepare a suitable environment for the societies and non-governmental organizations to help them offer good service and social protection, in additional to their developmental role.

Wittes, for her part, commended the reforms Jordan had achieved in the field of human rights and the partnership between private and public sector.

[MARTYR]

Euro-Jordanian committee addresses ways of enhancing human rights, good governance

Amman -- The sub-committee for democracy, human rights and good governance discussed on Wednesday the implementation of the Action Plan emanating from the neighborly relations between the EU and Jordan, the reforms from within, which includes the reform of the electoral framework, the freedom of the media and expression and women's rights.

The meeting also touched on reforms from within, mainly in areas of elections and media, freedom of expression, according to EC statement.

The statement added that the two delegations exchanged views on enhancing relations in the field of human rights, good governance and democracy Jordan was represented in the meeting by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Spain represented the EU and EC delegation.

Spain is currently holding the rotating presidency of the EU.

[MARTYR]

i see that Jordan is really trying to improve their human rights status !!!

[yazm1991]

New station geared towards youngsters goes on air

Sport fans across the Kingdom will now have the opportunity to listen to their favourite programmes on Hadaf (goal) Radio, a new station affiliated with Jordan Radio, which began broadcasting on 88FM on Saturday.

The station, which is geared towards youngsters, offers sports, social and cultural programmes in addition to interviews with local and Arab sports figures, according to Radio Jordan Chairman Mazen Majali.

Hadaf Radio, which will go on the air from 10:00am until 6:00pm daily, will also broadcast programmes that focus on issues of concern to youth and their activities.

According to Majali, the launch of this station is in line with the Jordan Radio strategy to establish specialised stations targeting different segments of society.

With Hadaf Radio, the number of stations affiliated with Jordan Radio now stands at six, he noted.

Majed Edwan, programme supervisor at Hadaf Radio, said the station will cater to fans of all types of sports, such as football, basketball and handball.

There will also be a programme on sports and health that explains the impact of physical exercise on the human body, according to Edwan.

He added that listeners can also follow important local, Arab and international football matches through the station.

During the station’s inauguration on Saturday, Jordan Radio and Television Corporation Chairman Saleh Qallab said the new station is one of His Majesty King Abdullah’s gifts to the young people of Jordan.