Jordan News UpdatesThe UK’s health department Saturday reported 125 COVID-19 deaths, taking the death toll to 147,173.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said some 90,418 people tested positive for the highly contagious lung disease, as the caseload tops 11 million.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The weather will be cold and partly cloudy on Saturday, with a chance in the morning hours for light and scattered showers of rain in the Kingdom’s northern and limited parts of the central regions, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in a daily forecast.
On Sunday, the weather will be cold almost countrywide and fair in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, the JMD added.
As for Monday, the Kingdom will be affected by a very cold air mass associated with an air depression centered on the island of Cyprus, and a drop in temperatures is forecast, and the weather will be very cold and dusty in several regions of the Kingdom, especially in the Kingdom’s southern and eastern areas with wind speed exceeding 60 km/h in some areas.
During the noon hours, rain falls in the Kingdom’s northern and central areas and parts of the southwestern regions. There is a slight chance for a short period of light showers of snow mixed with rain over the high mountain peaks, the JMD said.
On Tuesday, similar weather is forecast with rain occasionally falling in the Kingdom’s northern and central regions, the JMD noted.
Also on Saturday, the maximum and minimum temperatures in eastern Amman range between 13 Celsius degrees, dipping to 6C during night, while western Amman will see 11C, sliding into 5C during night hours. The Gulf of Aqaba will see a fair 21C, dropping into 10C.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZG) will offer technical and logistical support to the Jordan Europe Business Association (JEBA) to promote and market investment opportunities of the Group, according to an agreement signed on Saturday.
JFDZG Chairman Khalaf Hmeisat, who signed the memorandum with JEBA President Jamal Badran, called on the JEBA management to be acquainted with the investment opportunities and privileges offered by the free zones, including Ajloun and Dead Sea development zones.
The JFDZG is keen to provide services and facilities to local, Arab and foreign investors, HE SAID, calling on businessmen in the commercial, industrial, tourism and service sectors to identify the challenges and barriers facing their businesses “so that they can be followed up and worked out.”
Also during the signing ceremony, JFDZG Director-General Abdul Hamid Gharaibeh gave a briefing on the development zones and the advantages they offer to investors to boost the national economy through partnership with the private sector in the industrial, commercial, service and tourism fields.
The Group, he added, constantly seeks to develop and provide an investor-friendly and competitive environment, particularly in the free zone at the Queen Alia International Airport, where industrial and commercial units and a fully-equipped business centre will be set up to meet the various needs of investors.
Development Zones Director Arwa Hiyari noted that the Dead Sea and Ajloun zones, including projects such as the Dead Sea Corniche and the Ajloun cable car project, will be new tourist destinations with real investment opportunities that will be an added value to the Jordanian economy.
For his part, Badran commended the group’s efforts to promote the investment environment in the free zones and its ongoing efforts to boost cooperation between the public and private sectors, adding that JEBA will soon start field visits for its members and affiliates to take a first-hand look at the investment opportunities in the Free and development zones.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh will be placed under home quarantine, according to the health protocol, after one of his sons contracted the coronavirus, according to a Health Ministry statement.
The home isolation procedure will apply to the prime minister, and that he will have a PCR test after five days, after which, if negative, he will return to work, Prime Ministry Advisor for Health Affairs and Covid-19, Adel Belbeisi, told Petra in an interview Saturday.
The health protocol applies to all as part of efforts to counter the spread of the coronavirus and protect society, Belbeisi pointed out.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The first Dutch low-cost airlines Transavia flight, carrying 150 tourists on board, has landed Saturday from Paris at Queen Alia International Airport.
“The landing of the Transavia’s first flight is an indication for the recovery of tourism and the increase in its traffic, as well as the confidence of our partners in European countries in tourism to the Kingdom,” Tourism Minister and Chairman of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), Nayef Al-Fayez said in a statement.
Al-Fayez added, “The low-cost Dutch airline will operate weekly flights between the two countries, confirming efforts directed at expanding the air network of Queen Alia International Airport, and providing passengers with additional travel options for direct flights.”
“We always seek to attract regional and international airlines by working closely with our partners, the Airport Group, and local travel agents,” JTB Director General Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat said. The JTB seeks to stimulate tourism and enhance and increase the Kingdom’s tourism status.
The moment the airplane landed at the airport, it was received with the traditional “water arches” salute, in the presence of representatives from the JTB, the International Airport Group and the ground handling service of Transavia Airlines – Royal Jordanian, and its travel agent in Jordan.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Minister of Labor, Nayef Steitieh, on Saturday called for investing in e-transformation to save time and effort of beneficiaries from the ministry’s directorates Amman and governorates.
In a meeting with field managers in the ministry and governorates, Istitieh stressed the need to streamline procedures and expedite the completion of citizens and investors’ transactions without any delay, and urged them to provide the best services to citizens, investors and employers in the private sector, and to find appropriate solutions to the problem of any beneficiary of their directorates in accordance with laws and regulations.
He underlined the need to prioritize the follow-up on to conditions of occupational health and safety, to develop mechanisms for linkage between employers and job seekers, and to empower women in all fields.
He also underscored the need to work on replacing expatriate workers with Jordanian labor via a mechanism that does not affect the workflow in the private sector and existing investments in the Kingdom.
For their part, the directors said that they are keen to develop work mechanisms, improve the level of services provided to investors, employers and citizens in general, and expedite the completion of citizens’ transactions, in addition to identifying the necessary needs for their directorates so that they can carry out their duties to provide services to citizens to the fullest.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The Awqaf Ministry reaffirmed its total rejection of attempts to offend it, its mission and role in managing the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque affairs.
The ministry said it rejects to question the ministry’s role as the official religious institution, as well as offending those in charge of it, including imams, scholars, and officials, according to a ministry statement.
The ministry denounced the use of unacceptable characterization against scholars and officials, in a talk show that was shown recently on a TV channel, stressing that it didn’t impose any administrative penalties to mosque preachers, or issued a decision to stop them from speaking for discussing topics related to the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.
It stressed that it dedicates during the year a set of unified sermons that talk about the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and its importance to Muslims and the need to defend and protect it.
It referred to its great role in administering the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic Awqaf affairs in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, based on the Hashemite custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites, through the ministry’s Jerusalem Awqaf Department.
With regard to the Friday sermon, the ministry said that it is not minute-constrained, as mentioned in the talk show, and that its topics are diverse, and cover many Islamic, national and societal occasions. It voiced its absolute rejection of accusations against scholars in charge of religious topics that they were weak and failed to present national issues and religious affairs.
The ministry reiterated its respect for freedom of opinion and expression and constructive criticism based on facts, noting that it is in constant communication and cooperation with various media outlets, in contrast to sarcasm, mockery and misleading accusations far from the media profession that were shown in the talk show.
The ministry also denounced allegations that officials in the ministry are asking for titles and positions in exchange for giving up their religion, role and responsibilities, stressing that it retains its legal right to hold those in charge of the talk show accountable for and all false information, offends and accusations the show contained.
Source: Jordan News Agency
President of the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), President of the Foodstuff Traders Association (FTA) Khalil Haj Tawfiq, discussed with Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Nevin Jameh in Cairo, mechanisms to enhance Jordanian-Egyptian trade exchange and the role of private sector institutions in this regard.
According to an ACC statement on Saturday, some obstacles facing the flow of goods between the two countries were discussed, especially in terms of the Kingdom’s exports, in addition to the possibility of launching an exhibition of Egyptian industries in Jordan and intensifying visits of trade delegations.
Haj Tawfiq said Jordanian-Egyptian relations are “distinguished” in various fields, thanks to the “remarkable” support of the two countries’ leaderships, which necessitates the private sector to invest this situation to establish economic alliances that also include Iraq, which will serve common interests and achieve Arab economic integration.
During the meeting, he said many challenges are facing Jordanian-Egyptian trade exchange, most administrative, which can be overcome, adding that removing obstacles will contribute to increasing the volume of trade exchange.
The next stage, he hoped, will witness a new breakthrough in the form of the joint economic and trade relations, in addition to strengthening joint cooperation, expanding investments and addressing any difficulties and obstacles that prevent its development.
The Kingdom’s exports to Egypt during the last 11 months of 2021 amounted to about $151 million, compared to $482 million in imports.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The percentage of non-Jordanians residing in the Kingdom has climbed from 4.2% of the population in 1979 to 7.6% in 1994 and to 30.6 in 2015, according Higher Population Council (HPC) statistics.
HPC Secretary-General Abla Amawi said in a statement Saturday to mark International Migrants Day that the results of the 2015 General Population and Housing Census indicated that non-Jordanian residents of the Kingdom topped 2.918 million people, 57.5% of whom were males and 42.5% females.
The Syrian, Egyptian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Yemeni and Libyan nationalities accounted for 2,720,000 people, or 93.2% of the total non-Jordanian residents of the Kingdom, Amawi said.
Syrians had the largest portion of non-Jordanian inhabitants, at 43.4%, followed by Egyptians, at 21.8% and Palestinians at 21.7%, according to the figures, which also indicated that males were dominant in gender terms, with 135.5 males for every 100 females, which meant a large proportion of male expatriate workers in the Kingdom.
On the other hand, Amawi pointed out that overall out-migration rate in Jordan reached 4.1%, and the live migration rate 11%, according to the 2021-2030 National Population Strategy. The 2014 Jordanian International Migration Survey also showed that 63 per cent of Jordanians migrated for economic reasons, 26 per cent of whom seeking better job opportunities.
On this anniversary, which is being marked this year under the slogan “More than just migrants”, Amawi stressed the HPC’s vision that the population dimension is key to development and that this category is an integral part of its work.
The HPC seeks to shine light on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which provides an effective framework for international cooperation on the governance of international migration in all its aspects, and works to guarantee the protection of the rights of migrants everywhere and their fair treatment, she said.
Source: Jordan News Agency
His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday participated in the event to present the 2021 Lamp of Peace award to United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres, after His Majesty had received it in 2019.
The award was presented to Secretary-General Guterres for his “tireless work of political mediation”, his efforts in service of the public good, and his commitment to dialogue as a means to resolve regional and international conflicts.
King Abdullah delivered a speech via telepresence at the ceremony, held in the Italian city of Assisi, and commended the UN chief’s efforts in promoting the shared values of peace, justice, mercy, and mutual respect, in addition to his role in pursuit of stability in the region and the world.
His Majesty also highlighted the secretary-general’s unwavering support for political solutions to conflicts, “including the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict the only way towards a future of security and peace for both sides”.
The King said Guterres “has been a strong voice for international law and the protection of Jerusalem, maintaining the security and status quo of its Holy Sites”.
His Majesty also praised the role of the UN secretary-general in supporting joint global action to address urgent issues, such as the global refugee crisis, the threat of extremist violence, and climate change.
For his part, Guterres said the award recognises all United Nations personnel, who are striving for peace around the world.
He thanked the King for his efforts to promote peace on the global stage, by calling for political solutions to conflicts in the region and the world.
His Majesty received the Lamp of Peace award in 2019, in recognition of his efforts to promote harmony, interfaith dialogue, and peace in the Middle East and the world, as well as Jordan’s efforts, under the his leadership, in hosting refugees.
The award, launched in 1981 and presented by the Friars of the Sacred Convent of Assisi in Italy, recognises global figures for their work towards promoting peace and harmony.
Source: Jordan News Agency