Greater Amman Municipality prepares for the development project of the Hashemite Yard

Wednesday, November 25 - 2009

Modernization works have commenced in the Hashemite Yard (Plaza) in the city center according to Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) resources; the work started with removing the current warehouses, floor tiles and the drilling works to build social and entertaining facilities and others that embody the features of Al Seil Al Qadeem (the old stream) which was passing through the area in the past.

The project space area is 40 Donums as indicated by Eng. Mohammed Kharabsheh, Head of Supervision and Projects Department. This area includes activities hall in front of the Roman Amphitheatre with a space area of 4000 m2, a four storey building with a space area of 1200 m2, and a basement for services, while the other floors will contain display screens, coffee shop, restaurant and terraces.

Al Kharabsheh clarified that the project will be paved with stone, asphalt and basalt tiles with different sizes, including the stream course covering the Hashemite Yard from beginning to end, and a 300 meter long of the space area will be paved with natural colored stone.

He said that the whole area of the stream will be covered with 30 metal sunshades, and another 22 sunshades to be installed on the side passage.

The project, which will take 660 days, includes metal edifices with 210 m2 space area, allocated to sell tickets and 4 coffee shops.

Al Kharabsheh pointed out that the project shall boast natural scenes such as dancing fountains around the stream course, and the lightning which will be covered with different kinds of trees and flowers, in addition to constructive and complementary works like water drainage system, sanitary facilities, irrigation networks with installations from the water reservoirs to all the planted basins.

He mentioned that GAM seriously considered the expansion of the green areas in the project, noting that this part of the city is lacking on green spaces.

Chavez calls Ahmadinejad 'gladiator' against imperialism

Caracas - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez received Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday in Caracas as a "friend and brother" with full military honors. The left-wing Chavez and arch-conservative Ahmadinejad, united in their animosity toward the United States' government, declared their desire to expand mutual economic ties. Both countries are OPEC members, and the two leaders signed 70 agreements to increase cooperation in areas including energy and agriculture.

Chavez called Ahmadinejad a "gladiator of the anti-imperialist fight."

The visit is Ahmadinejad's fourth to Venezuela.

Chavez voiced support for Iran's nuclear program, which is strongly opposed by Washington.

Venezuela's political opposition rallied against Ahmadinejad, calling him a "dictator."

Indonesian maid jailed for three years for trying to hurt babies

Singapore - A Singapore court on Thursday sentenced an Indonesian maid who attempted to harm her employer's twin babies by putting detergent in their milk powder to three years in jail, a media report said. Titin Agustiana, 24, had earlier pleaded guilty and testified that she had been unhappy with her employer for scolding her because of poor work performance.

Hoping that her employer would pay more attention to the two-and-a-half-month-old boys and less attention to her work, Titin in August added a pinch of detergent to the babies' milk powder as she wanted to make them sick, the online edition of Straits Times newspaper reported.

However, the twins' mother spotted some blue particles in the milk powder and noticed its fragrant smell.

As she suspected that her helper was responsible, her husband took the woman to the maid agency where she confessed, the report said.

Titin told the judge that she regretted her crime and felt very sorry.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296407,indonesian-maid-jailed-for-three-years-for-trying-to-hurt-babies.html.

Chinese premier to attend Copenhagen climate talks

Beijing - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend global talks on reductions of carbon emissions in Copenhagen early next month, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China aimed to "reach a fair and reasonable arrangement" during negotiations in Copenhagen on global reductions in carbon emissions.

US President Barack Obama is to travel to Copenhagen during the early stages of the UN-sponsored summit starting on December 9, US officials announced on Wednesday.

Qin declined to say why China planned to send Wen, rather than President Hu Jintao, to Copenhagen.

On Wednesday, Yu Qingtai, the ministry's top official for climate change negotiations accused developed nations of lacking the faith to take the lead on agreeing a new treaty on climate change.

"The reason why there was not enough progress in the negotiations is the lack of faith by developed countries," Yu said.

Technological and financial aid promised to developing countries to battle climate change since 1992 had never materialized, Yu told reporters.

Asked whether China would still pursue a legally binding climate deal in Copenhagen, Yu said: "What is more important is the substantial content of the outcome than the title of the agreement."

China insists that developed nations should take the lead on reducing emissions since they have produced most of the carbon that spurred global warming.

It wants any agreement in Copenhagen to include substantial reduction targets for developed nations plus financial and technological aid for developing countries, Yu said.

International environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday speculated that the Chinese government could announce new targets for emissions reductions at a press conference scheduled on Friday.

Turkey to join group to monitor Philippine peace talks

Manila - Turkey has accepted an invitation to be part of an international group that would monitor peace talks between the Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim separatist rebel group, an official said Thursday. Britain, Japan and Saudi Arabia were also invited by the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to join the International Contact Group (ICG).

Rafael Seguis, chairman of the government peace panel with the MILF, said he and his rebel counterpart Mohaqher Iqbal have received letters confirming Turkey's participation in the ICG.

"This is indeed a positive step as it clears the way towards the actual resumption of formal peace talks in the first week of December," Seguis said in a statement.

The Philippines and the MILF agreed on September 15 to form the ICG as part of efforts to resume peace negotiations, which have been stalled since August last year due to the non-signing of a key territory agreement.

The two sides also forged an agreement obliging government security forces and MILF fighters to "refrain from intentionally targeting or attacking non-combatants" in times of fighting in the southern region of Mindanao.

In August 2008, fighting broke out between the MILF and the military in a number of provinces in Mindanao after a key territorial agreement with the rebel group was junked by the government due to strong opposition.

More than 300 people were killed and more than half a million people displaced in the hostilities. While some of the refugees have returned home or moved in with relatives, many are still in evacuation camps.

Top German army officer resigns over Afghan civilian bombing

Berlin - Germany's highest army officer has resigned over his handling of a Afghan bombing raid which left dozens of civilians dead, it was announced Thursday. The resignation of General Inspector Wolfgang Schneiderhan was announced by the country's Defense Minister, Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg, in parliament, at the opening of a debate on the German military deployment in Afghanistan.

The highly controversial September 4 airstrike in Kunduz left an unknown number of civilians dead, but generally reckoned to be dozens.

The German parliament was opening its debate on the country's military deployment in Afghanistan, with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen due in Berlin for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel later Thursday.

Germany has up to 4,500 troops in the northern Kunduz region, and operates strict parliamentary control over the activity of its military.

New Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle opened the tense debate by calling for "openness and trust" in relation to army's deployment in the Hindu Kush.

The debate was preceded by a report in the mass-circulation Bild newspaper suggesting that the government had not been honest about its knowledge of civilian victims in the German-ordered airstrike in Kunduz.

Bild said that despite having knowledge of the presence of civilian victims in the attack, in which up to 142 people died, former defense minister Franz Josef Jung had initially insisted that there had been none - in newspaper interviews and in parliament.

Defense Minister Guttenberg told parliament that Schneiderhan had offered his resignation himself.

In recent weeks the Kunduz attack has caused outrage in Germany, which according to opinion polls, a majority of the population opposes involvement in the Afghan war.

Last week the German cabinet approved an extension of the mandate there, which must now be voted on by the parliament.

The opposition Social Democrats and Green party immediately threatened to instigate a committee of investigation over the government's handling of the Kunduz incident.

NATO - and specifically US President Barack Obama - are currently formulating their future strategy for the Afghan conflict, eight years after the US-led invasion.

Obama is expected to announce his strategy on Tuesday, which could involve thousands of extra soldiers, and to urge European allies to increase their financial and troop commitment to the war.

Germany's Westerwelle said on Thursday that there would be no discussion of increasing German troop numbers until the NATO strategy in Afghanistan was clear.

Thanksgiving Day kicks off with slew of parades

By DEEPTI HAJELA, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK – The 83rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off in New York City with a 60-foot-tall Kermit the frog hovering over holiday revelers.

Thursday's extravaganza features marching bands, clowns, performers and two dozen floats. Thousands of tourists from across the country have lined up to catch a glimpse of a Thanksgiving tradition as pervasive as turkey and pumpkin pie.

Shailesh Dighe and his family split their time between Manhattan and Princeton, N.J. Despite the crowds, he says coming to the fabled parade is "totally worth it."

Dighe says: "When you watch it on TV, you don't get that feeling."

Elsewhere, thousands gathered in Detroit for the 83rd annual America's Thanksgiving Parade. The country's longest-run Thanksgiving Day parade is being held in Philadelphia for its 90th year.