Day: August 17, 2021

Israeli occupation forces early Tuesday made an incursion into east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources.

The sources said that the occupation troops, backed by military bulldozers and vehicles, pushed dozens of meters deep into the area and razed the Palestinian-owned lands.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Eastern Military Zone, based on information from other security agencies, early Tuesday thwarted an attempt to smuggle large quantities of narcotics from Syria into the Kingdom, according to a Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) – Arab Army source.

The source said that that border guards applied the rules of engagement, leaving some traffickers injured and forcing others to retreat to Syrian territory.

“After searching the area, large quantities of narcotics, a Kalashnikov weapon and a large amount of live ammunition were seized,” the source added.

The source also stressed that the JAF would firmly deal with any infiltration or smuggling attempt in order to protect the Kingdom’s borders.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The death toll from a powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Haiti on Saturday has climbed sharply, with at least 1,419 dead and 6,900 injured, according to the country’s civil protection agency.

Rescue workers dug through rubble in a attempt to find survivors, the agency said on Tuesday, adding that the quake left thousands more displaced from their destroyed or damaged homes.

The earthquake was about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) deep, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Source: Jordan News Agency

The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that inadequate Covid-19 testing and low vaccination rates are exacerbating disease transmission and overwhelming local health systems, while leaving the whole world vulnerable to new variants.

In a statement released on Monday evening, the WHO said that more COVID-19 cases were reported in the first five months of 2021 than in the whole of 2020.

The organization called for providing $7.7 billion urgently to address the Delta surge and put the world on track to ending the pandemic.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Royal Scientific Society (RSS) and the Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES) Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly collaborate on projects in the GCC region.

Hosting the ceremony, RSS President Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan emphasised the importance of collaborating closely with the private sector to increase the magnitude and variety of projects carried out regionally to boost Jordan’s economy.

“We look forward to expanding the scope of this MoU in the very near future through the integration of work between ACES and the RSS, especially in new local and regional projects. Moreover, we are excited about the many learning opportunities both parties will enjoy by sharing experiences, and acquiring new expertise…” Stated Princess Sumaya during Her welcome speech.

In specific, the MoU aims to strengthen cooperation between the ACES and the RSS to provide advisory services for environmental, food, and industrial chemistry testing.

Both parties would collaborate to provide testing services in mechanics, energy efficiency and renewables and advisory services related to measurement, calibration, and conformity certificates, as well as training and capacity building.

Capitalising on ACES’ wide network of regional offices, both organisations would offer their services in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait.

The MoU was signed by RSS Vice President for Technical Affairs Tareq Hasan and the ACES CEO Izzat Katkhuda.

Hasan explained that in addition to the RSS’ specialised and accredited testing services conducted locally and internationally through 41 accredited laboratories based on the ISO17025 standard, the RSS cultivates and furthers research and development (R&D) projects with local industries and universities to foster innovation and intellectual properties.

The RSS performs inspection services and issues conformity certifications according to the ISO9001 and the international ISO17020 and ISO17065 certificates.

“The RSS provides consultations for the private and public sectors and works in partnership with regional and international organisations.

Since its inception as a national and independent organization, the prime objectives of the RSS have been to protect human health and safety; to safeguard the environment; to contribute to sustainable economic development”.

The CEO of the ACES Group Katkhuda elaborated that the Arab Center is a specialized engineering company with 20 offices spanning across the Middle East.

He added the ACES offers a wide range of specialized engineering services including site reconnaissance, geotechnical investigations, material technology, project quality control, special studies, land and marine surveys, and chemical and environmental testing.

“The ACES has grown into a company that employs more than 2,300 engineers, scientists and professionals, and it maintains state-of-the-art equipment, including soil excavators, laboratories and field-testing equipment, which is accredited by international bodies, with ISO9001, ISO17025, ISO45001 and ISO14001 certificates.” Katkhuda explained.

The meeting was concluded with lengthy discussions between the executives of both organisations about the next steps to be taken to materialise the MoU into an actionable plan that would yield tangible results and outcomes in the coming few months.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Personal digital IDs will be activated in the next few days allowing citizens to remotely conduct business at government agencies and elsewhere using their smart gadgets and e-government platforms, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh revealed on Tuesday.

He told Petra that the activation of the digital ID is a one-off process that requires a visit to the Civil Status and Passports Department (CSPD), stressing that the digital ID is a “cornerstone” in an increasingly digitized world.

Hanandeh noted that the ministry is wrapping up preparations for the activation process to get underway, revealing that the ministry is currently in talks with partners, including banks and telecom service providers, to offer the activation service alongside the CSPD.

The minister explained that the rollout of the digital ID will be gradual, meaning that the activation will be required on an as-needed basis. Citing examples, Hanandeh indicated that recipients of National Aid Fund services will have to activate their digital IDs if the service provider (the Fund in this case) so requires. The same applies to passport and physical ID applicants.

Once the digital ID is activated, he added, the ID holder will have their electronic signature activated for all business and service dealings that allow for the use of the e-signature.

However, Hanandeh said some services and dealings, including real estate transactions and public notary services, do not allow for the use of neither the digital ID nor the digital signature given the fact that they entail financial and legal implications.

Furthermore, the minister revealed that an electronically-certified document service will also be launched, saying that a service recipient will have access to their ID, driving license, passport among other documentation, using their account on the e-government platform “Sanad”.

Source: Jordan News Agency