Day: December 26, 2022

Amman, A newly designed JD1 bill containing enhanced security features went into circulation on Monday, announced the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ).

The new note is a part of the fifth issue of national banknotes, according to the bank, which also said that other denominations of the issue 5 dinars, 10 dinars, 20 dinars, and 50 dinars will gradually enter circulation and be interchangeable with older notes.

The issue, which is the first in 20 years, includes upgraded, durable paper quality in addition to the industry’s most cutting-edge security features.

Detailing the changes, the CBJ said that when the note is lifted under a light, a watermark of the Sherif Hussein Bin Ali and the denomination 1 will be visible, and when it is tilted a 3D security thread and a holographic patch with the 3D 7 looped star will also be visible. It also noted the use of raised ink and raised lines that can be felt upon holding the bill.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, The Foreign Ministry on Monday expressed condolences to the United States over the victims of a fierce blizzard that struck a number of eastern states.

In a statement, the Ministry voiced the Kingdom’s sympathy with the United States, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Hikma), the multinational pharmaceutical company, on Monday announced a new exclusive licensing and commercialization agreement with Junshi Biosciences, an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company, for toripalimab in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Under the terms of the agreement, Hikma has an exclusive license to develop and commercialize toripalimab injection in all its MENA markets. In addition, Hikma has the right of first negotiation for the future commercialization of three under-development drugs in MENA, Hikma said in a statement.

“Over thirty toripalimab clinical studies covering more than fifteen indications have been conducted globally, including in China, the United States, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Ongoing or completed pivotal clinical studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of toripalimab cover a broad range of tumor types including cancers of the lung, nasopharynx, esophagus, stomach, bladder, breast, liver, kidney, and skin, among others,” the statement added.

Commenting on this landmark agreement, Mazen Darwazeh, Hikma’s Executive Vice Chairman and President of MENA, said: “Anti-PD-1s have changed the way cancer is treated over the past few years but, unfortunately, patient access to these treatments in the region has been sub-optimal. Toripalimab has a compelling clinical profile with impressive efficacy and safety data, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with Junshi Biosciences to equip doctors and patients in MENA with this innovative treatment.”

He added, “This agreement strengthens our biotech and oncology portfolio and enables us to increase patients’ access to PD-1s, an important milestone in delivering on our purpose of putting better health, within reach, every day.”

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, Jordan on Monday expressed its deepest condolences to the government and people of the Republic of South Africa over the victims of a fuel tanker explosion in the capital Johannesburg.

A Foreign Ministry statement voiced the Kingdom’s sympathy and solidarity with South Africa, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh urged all stakeholders to be fully ready, cooperate and coordinate with the operating and emergency rooms, calling for immediate response in dealing with developments in the prevailing weather condition.

Khasawneh gave his remarks in a meeting with relevant ministers, held Monday to follow up on the developments of the weather condition, and to ensure full readiness of the emergency rooms and swift response to emergencies.

Khasawneh was briefed by the ministers on efforts of the operating and emergency rooms in various regions of the Kingdom, to address emergencies, especially with regard to the safety of citizens, in addition to addressing road closures due to heavy rain.

the Prime Minister instructed the ministers to make sure that operating and emergency rooms provide shelters for citizens and tourists who in need, especially those residing in the Jordan Valley and the south, where heavy rains have caused a rise in the water level and formed torrential rains in some low areas and valleys.

The Preimer underlined the importance of the swift response of the operating and emergency rooms to any developments as soon as possible, stressing the need for integrated work between all operating and emergency rooms across Kingdom to confront the effects of weather conditions.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, His Majesty King Abdullah has sent a cable to Libya Presidential Council Chairman Mohammed Younes Al Manfi, on the occasion of his country’s independence day, expressing wishes of progress and prosperity for Libya and its people.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, A recent World Bank report said that Jordan was the least Arab country affected by global inflation due to the rise in food prices, which amounted to 3.5 percent.

According to the data, Jordan advanced ascendingly over Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco and Egypt, while Lebanon came in the first place in terms of food price inflation, with a rate of 203.2 percent.

Food security in Jordan receives great attention, as last year witnessed the launch of the National Strategy for Food Security (2021-2030), in addition to the National Plan for Sustainable Agriculture (2022-2025).

Jordan imports food worth about $4 billion annually, part of which is raw materials for industry, and the rest is ready for consumption, according to the Jordan Chamber of Commerce.

The strategy comes in implementation of King Abdullah’s directives to turn Jordan into a regional hub for food security.

The World Bank said that food prices decreased in the third quarter of 2022, but are expected to remain high according to historical standards.

The World Bank’s food price index fell 12 percent in the third quarter of 2022 (on a quarterly basis) after reaching an all-time high in April, but remains nearly 20 percent higher than it was a year ago.

It explained that food prices are still high due to the devaluation of local currencies, and it is expected that those prices will decrease by 5 percent in 2023 before starting to stabilize in 2024, explaining that despite the expected declines, most prices will remain high by historical standards.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Abu Dhabi, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Monday arrived in the United Arab Emirates to attend a joint Jordanian-Emirati tactical military exercise slated for Tuesday.

Crown Prince Al Hussein was received at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi by UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Supreme Audit Institution President Humaid Abu Shabas.

Jordan’s Ambassador to the UAE Nassar Habashneh and embassy staff were also present to receive His Royal Highness.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, Jordan on Monday expressed deepest condolences to Japan over the victims of the snow storms, which claimed several lives and caused multiple injuries.

A Foreign Ministry statement voiced the Kingdom’s sympathy and solidarity with Japan, expressing deepest condolences to the victims’ families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Amman, New president of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Nayef Fayez on Monday took the oath before Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh after he was endorsed to the post by a royal decree.

Ziyad Saaida, who was also named by a royal decree as chairman of the board of commissioners of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), was also sworn in by the prime minister in a ceremony attended by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY