The lawyers for Spain’s Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar admitted today to the Spanish media that the couple have signed their divorce papers. While there was no official statement from the royal court, it is clear that the eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia is no longer married.
REUTERS/Juan Medina/FILE
Both signed the divorce papers as a “mutual agreement”, the statements claim, which add that they “maintain a fluid dialogue on all matters relating to the common interest of their children.” Also, both “testify to the affection and regard that Don Jaime feels the Family of Her Royal Highness the Infanta, as has been well over the last two years.”
Married in Seville in 1995, Elena and Jaime separated two years ago. The couple have two children, Felipe Froilan age 11 and Victoria age 9. The children will stay with their mother while their father will have free access to them.
While it is not known why exactly the marriage fell apart, it is rumored that Jaime’s stroke in 2001 may be the reason.
The 45 year-old Infanta Elena is fourth in line to the Spanish throne.
On Tuesday, Princess Caroline of Hannover travelled to Dubai and met with Princess Haya, the wife of Sheikh Mohammed, who is both ruler of Dubai and the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. The meeting 0f these two women focused on humanitarian issues, which the two are active in. 
After meeting and talking with Haya, Caroline went to attend a luncheon hosted by the Young President’s Organization’s (YPO) in Dubai, a structure whose primary objective is to provide young presidents of companies the opportunity to meet, exchange their knowledge and experiences.
The luncheon brought together thirty of the most eminent personalities from the world of finance.
On Wednesday, Princess Caroline attended another luncheon, this time held by the Rotary Club of Dubai at the emirate’s World Trade Center.
The reason for Caroline to be in Dubai at this time is likely for her to avoid testifying at her husband’s trial tomorrow.
This week, Jordan’s King Abdullah II dissolved the lower half of Parliament, ordered his government to amend an unpopular election law and told them to prepare for general elections two years early.
AFP/File/Filippo Monteforte
“We instruct the government to immediately start planning for parliamentary elections, which should be transparent and fair, reflecting Jordan’s reform drive,” the King told Prime Minister Nader Dahabi in a letter, a palace statement said.
“We instruct you to take all necessary measures for that purpose, including amending the elections law and developing all aspects of the electoral process.”
The electoral law being mentioned refers to a controversial 1993 one-person-one-vote law that has been unpopular with many Jordanians since its beginning. Most say it led to those with tribal affiliations to become lawmakers, rather than MPs who represent the population.
In other words, in tribal areas, MPs would represent a few thousand people, compared to the 90,000 Amman citizens represented by only one MP.
Since elections in 2007, critics have accused those elected of not tackling issues close to Jordanians, such as poverty and unemployment.
This is the second time King Abdullah II dissolved Parliament early since inheriting the throne ten years ago.
Yesterday, Norway’s Crown Princess was on hand to open the world’s first power plant to use salt to make electricity. Wearing a hardhat and work glasses, Mette-Marit was shown around the Statkraft plant, located in Tofte, outside of Oslo.
Ragnar Singsaas/Getty Images
“We are also most grateful that the Crown Princess wishes to lend her support to this milestone in our development of osmotic power,” Statkraft CEO Bard Mikkelsen, said.
The plant mixes freshwater and saltwater to generate electricity, and it promises to be eco-friendly. Statkraft, the company which owns this plant, spent 10 years researching this possibility.
Right now, the plant can only power a small kettle. But Statkraft aims to light and heat a small town by 2014.
A special membrane is used to combine fresh and salt water, and it creates what it called Osmosis power.
In theory, Osmotic plants can be built wherever fresh water runs into the sea. They also do not create any noise problems or pollution.
On Tuesday, the Queen of Jordan awarded the country’s most outstanding teachers and principals with her Award for Excellence in Education. 25 teachers and seven principals were honored at a ceremony at Amman’s University of Applied Sciences.
The Jordan Times
“Let this occasion remind us all of our responsibility towards Jordan’s next generation. As labor markets diversify, and employers’ expectations increase, your responsibility, as teachers, intensifies,” Queen Rania told the audience. “Your guidance as educators and your example as leaders are integral to re-imagining Jordan’s educational landscape and inspiring our young people to reach for new horizons.”
The 25 teachers were chosen out of 72 candidates, and the seven principals were chosen out of 19.
This year marked the first time the Queen gave out her Distinguished Principals Award, which was launched last year. It will be a bi-annual award.
The recipients of these awards earned monetary prizes. First place winners received 3,000 Jordanian Dollars while the second runner-ups got 1,500. Third place winners earned 1,000.
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