Jordan News UpdatesDozens of Jewish extremist settlers early Thursday stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque/ al-Haram al-Sharif compound in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Islamic Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Affairs said in a statement that today’s raid was conducted through al-Magharebah Gate, under the heavy protection of Israeli special police.
“The settlers toured the mosque’s courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals amid a state of anger inside the compound,” it added.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Huawei signed a global commitment to join the International Telecommunication Union’s Partner2Connect digital alliance, which will bring connectivity to about 120 million people in remote areas in more than 80 countries by 2025.
According to a statement on Thursday, Liang Hua, Chairman of Huawei, announced the decision at the company’s 2022 Sustainability Forum, Connectivity+: Innovate for Impact. The forum explored how Information and Communications Technology innovation could unleash the business and social value of connectivity and drive sustainability in the digital economy era.
Speakers at the event included senior leaders from the ITU and United Nations, telecom ministers and regulators in Cambodia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, and business leaders, partners, experts, and customers from China, South Africa, Belgium, and Germany.
In his keynote address, Liang stressed that access to a stable network was a basic requirement and right in the digital age. “Connectivity will be more than just a tool for convenient communications,” he said. “Together with digital technologies like cloud and AI, connectivity will help bring everyone into the digital world, and provide them with access to more information and skills, better services, and wider business opportunities. This will, in turn, drive further social and economic development.”
“It is clear connectivity alone is not enough. It must be affordable, the content must be relevant and in the local language, and users must have the skills to make best use of it,” said ITU Deputy Secretary-General Malcolm Johnson.
“Thank you to Huawei for their support of the Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition, and for their announced P2C pledges in the key areas of rural connectivity and digital skills,” he added.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Jordan, under His Majesty King Abdullah II’s leadership, has maintained support and aid to Palestinian people and harnessed all its capabilities to serve the Palestinian cause and defend Jerusalem through Hashemite custodianship over its Islamic and Christian sanctities, Lower House Speaker, Ahmed Safadi, said.
Receiving on Thursday a delegation of camps’ services committees heads, Safadi referred to pressures and challenges, which Jordan has faced for its Palestine-related stances, adding that the House will follow up and meet all refugee camps’ demands with the competent authorities “as soon as possible.”
For their part, the camps’ officials expressed appreciation for His Majesty King Abdullah II’s efforts in defending the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem and its sanctities and Palestinian refugees’s rights.
In this regard, the officials stressed the importance of the Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem’s Al-Quds Al-Sharif, voicing support to His Majesty’s efforts in defending the Palestinian cause.
Meanwhile, Director General of Department of Palestinian Affairs (DPA), Rafiq Kharfan, referred to the key demands of refugee camps’ residents, expressing appreciation for the House’s role in his regard to meet camps’ needs and overcome their difficulties.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) apprehended eight drug dealers in Amman and Mafraq, seizing large amounts of illegal substances.
Officers seized 33 sheets of hashish, more than half a kilo of crystal meth and more than 4,000 narcotic pills, in addition to two firearms, said the Spokesperson of the Public Security Department on Thursday. The cases were referred to the Public Prosecutor of the State Security Court, he added.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Energy sector is witnessing “growing” interest all over the world, which coincides with global developments related to the global energy crisis due to Russian-Ukrainian war that “negatively” affected many countries across the world, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, said.
The minister’s remarks came in his speech delivered on his behalf by Assistant Secretary-General for Energy Affairs, Hassan Hiyari, at the opening the 3rd Arab Forum organized by Arab Federation of Chemical and Petrochemical Industries (AFCPI) under the theme : “Basic Challenges of Global Energy Crisis” on Thursday.
Kharabsheh stressed the need to take advantage of Jordan’s “strategic” location to become an export center of clean energy globally.
The minister also noted Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) set a roadmap for Jordan’s energy transformation into renewable and alternative sources, develop power and electricity stations, strengthen connectivity with the region’s countries, enact energy sector regulations and policies to meet future requirements, and create incentives to reduce costs.
Despite the multiple challenges facing Jordan’s energy sector during the past years, he said many achievements were made locally due to launching strategies and policies aimed at achieving energy security by diversifying its sources, increasing reliance on local assets and moving towards sustainable energy.
Energy Sector Strategy for 2020-2030 was launched, which launched four main axes tackling energy supply security, energy availability at affordable prices, and sustainability, he noted.
It also aimed to enhancing reliance on local sources, by adopting a self-reliance scenario to increase contribution of local sources to electricity generation to reach 48.5% in 2030, he said.
Work, he said, is underway to diversify Jordan’s natural gas sources and attract international companies to invest in the field of oil and gas exploration in open areas, referring to efforts to develop production in the Risha gas field to increase contribution of local sources to total energy mix.
Calling on establishing natural gas distribution networks in Jordan’s major cities, he also urged use of natural gas in various industrial sector and transport sectors, which would slash fuel costs by 20-45% according to the alternative fuel type.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, on Thursday held talks with counterparts participating in the 7th Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Forum which took place today in Barcelona, and co-chaired by Jordan and the European Union, and the European Union-Southern Neighbourhood Fourth Ministerial Meeting.
The meetings focused on bilateral relations, regional issues and joint efforts to resolve crises, deal with their consequences, and activate economic cooperation, according to a ministry statement.
Safadi held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel Albares. The meeting covered boosting cooperation between the two countries.
The two ministers also discussed the Palestinian cause, the Syrian crisis, and support for refugees, in addition to cooperation in the context of the Aqaba process.
Safadi also met with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell.
The meeting focused on ways to strengthen partnership between Jordan and the EU, and regional developments, especially those related to the Palestinian cause.
Bilateral relations, regional issues, and cooperation between the Jordan and the EU were on top of Safadi’s talks with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov.
Safadi met Portuguese Foreign Minister Jo?o Cravinho and discussed enhancing cooperation between Jordan and Portugal, and agreed to hold expanded talks based on the outcomes of the round of political consultations at the level of senior officials in the two foreign ministries, which begins tomorrow, to determine future steps to increase cooperation.
Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic, educational and tourism fields, and activating agreements signed between the two countries.
Safadi held a meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, during which the two ministers followed up on the outcomes of their talks in Amman in September.
The two ministers reaffirmed keenness to continue following-up on coordination and consultation on regional issues, and ways to activate mechanisms of joint Arab action to face common challenges and serve Arab issues and interests.
Safadi and his Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides, also discussed steps taken by the two countries to enhance bilateral cooperation, regional cooperation efforts and in the context of the trilateral cooperation mechanism with Greece.
In a meeting onwith his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, expressed their joint keenness to enhance cooperation, especially in the economic, trade and educational fields.
Source: Jordan News Agency
His Majesty King Abdullah II on Thursday left for a short working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he will meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
His Royal Highness Prince Al Hussien Bin Abdullah was sworn in as Regent in the presence of Cabinet members.
Source: Jordan News Agency
HRH Princess Muna al-Hussein, Honorary President of Families and Friends Society of Persons with Disabilities (FFSPD), on Thursday sponsored the society’s annual charity ceremony.
The event was attended by Prince Mired bin Raad, President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), Minister of Social Development, Wafa’a Bani Mustafa, members of the diplomatic corps, and supporters.
Addressing the ceremony, the society’s president, Reham Omeish, lauded Princess Muna al-Hussein’s continued support for FFSPD, which stems from her belief in the issues of the disabled people’s rights and hailed her efforts in supporting humanitarian issues.
Omeish also commended the HCD’s “remarkable and important” role for its multiple programs launched to enable people with disabilities to enjoy their rights.
In addition, Omesih valued Ministry of Social Development’s role and its continuous support for FFSPD’s programs over the past years, which had a “positive” impact in maintaining services to Jordan’s people with disabilities.
Omeish noted the funds raised at the ceremony will be allocated to the FFSPD’s various programs aimed to provide and develop the best services for people with disabilities.
At end of the ceremony, Princess Muna honored a number of parties and friends for their support to FFSPD’s programs, adding that their assistance contributed to maintaining its quality services.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has offered $2.6 million to about 96,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon to help them afford their basic needs of food, medicine, and shelter as winter sets in.
A statement issued by the QFFD on Wednesday said the grant came in the form of multi-purpose cash assistance over a period of two months under an agreement recently signed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The donations enabled the UNHCR to provide financial support to more than 13,500 Syrian refugees in Jordan and some 82,400 in Lebanon during the past two months.
“QFFD spares no effort in responding to the ever-growing humanitarian needs around the world. The onset of winter makes our efforts more crucial to support those in urgent need of assistance”, the fund’s director-general Khalifa Al-Kuwari said, adding “We are proud of our partnership with UNHCR and we believe it is critical that we continue to work together to ensure no one is left behind.”
The contributions of Qatari government and organizations to the needs of people affected by conflicts, especially those displaced from their countries, totaled $373 million since 2010.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Rula Maayah discussed with Jordan’s Ambassador to Palestine, Issam Badour, cooperation prospects in the tourism field.
During the meeting, which was held at the ministry’s headquarters in Bethlehem on Thursday, Maayah stressed the importance of Palestinian-Jordanian relations, which are reflected in the Kingdom’s “pivotal” role in supporting Palestine at all international forums.
The minister also pointed to the importance of joint cooperation and coordination to increase the number of tourists coming to visit Palestine from Karama Border Crossing, through joint tourism programs.
In addition, the minister stressed the need to draft mutual agreements in the tourism field aimed to preserve cultural heritage and build “distinguished” joint tourism programs.
For his part, Bdour affirmed Jordan’s readiness to raise cooperation level in the tourism field and launch joint tourist programs.
Source: Jordan News Agency