Day: January 29, 2023

Categories
Government Policy

Gov’t declares ‘medium level emergency’ ahead of extreme weather

Amman, The Ministry of Public Works and Housing Monday declared a “medium level emergency” starting tomorrow when extreme weather is expected to impact the country.

The Ministry said it is ready to deal with the expected weather conditions and to address the observations received 24 hours a day through its 106 teams across Jordan, according to a statement.

It noted that Ministry departments and offices across the country are poised to face the expected extreme weather conditions, conduct periodic inspection tours to all regions and provide the central emergency unit with reports.

It added that it had assigned the departments and offices to raise the emergency plan according to the need and developments in the weather.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Government Policy

Safadi urges Islamic parliaments to unite in support of Palestinians

Amman, Lower House Speaker Ahmad Safadi on Monday called on Islamic parliaments to take a unified position rejecting all practices by the Israeli occupation authority in the Palestinian territories.

In an address at the 17th parliamentary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states, which was opened by Algerian National Assembly Speaker Ibrahim Boghali, Safadi called on Islamic parliaments to take a serious stand to put the Palestinian issue top of its agenda.

He called for a unified position rejecting all Israeli practices, including storming holy sites and expanding settlements, adding that Islamic parliaments have a duty to support the rights of the Palestinians, top of which is the establishment of their independent state on their national soil and supporting the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem.

He said His Majesty King Abdullah II firmly and steadfastly upholds the Jordanian custodianship over the Jerusalem holy places.

Jordan remained on the side of Palestinian rights, defending their just cause and Jerusalem, and loyal to its Arab and Islamic nation, despite the challenges and pressures and successive waves of refugees, he said.

Safadi called for a firm position rejecting all attempts to Judaize the Holy Land and supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), proposing that the Algiers session be dubbed the “Conference to Defend Jerusalem”, sying “the city is for all Muslims and that their right to it, along with Christians, is historical and everlasting.”

The Lower House chief also urged supporting Iraq and enhancing its security, stability and territorial integrity “after it defeated the forces of evil and darkness”.

He also stressed the need to support endeavors to find peaceful solutions in Syria, Yemen and Libya and defend Islam against false accusations of extremism. Islam is a religion that advocates for love and tolerance, and that terrorism has no religion, he said, adding that Muslims themselves are the ones who suffered most from terrorism.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
General

UNRWA workers in Gaza stage strike

Gaza, Workers at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) facilities in Gaza staged a strike on Monday to protest the UN agency’s reneging on its commitments and agreements with its staff.

UNRWA offices and services in Gaza have closed their doors as part of an escalation by the UNRWA staff who accuse the Agency of not following through on its commitments towards its staff, accusing it of “tampering with their job security.”

The head of the Union of Arab Employees in UNRWA in Gaza, Amir al-Mishal, said in a statement: “The strike came as a result of the UNRWA administration’s failure to adhere to some agreements and the lack of a clear roadmap,” explaining that UNRWA’s actions forced the Union to opt for escalation, which began two months ago.

The Director of UNRWA Operations in the Gaza Strip, Thomas White, urged the strikers to address outstanding issues through dialogue.

UNRWA’s media advisor, Adnan Abu Hasna, denied the existence of procrastination in implementing the employees’ demands, noting that the UNRWA operations director had told the strikers that the UNRWA budget approval would take place no later than two weeks, adding that this would allow the Agency to respond to the Union’s demands.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
General

Astronomer: Winter fiftieth begins Wednesday

Amman, The winter quadrant, also known as the square or fortieth of winter, ends tomorrow, Tuesday, and the winter fiftieth, or winter fifties, begins Wednesday and lasts until March 21, the date of the spring equinox, according to astronomer Imad Mujahid.

The winter season extends to 90 days (sometimes 89 days) divided into two parts, the 40-day square period and the 50-day period or winter fifties.

Mujahid, a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, told Petra in an interview on Monday that ancient Arabs used to determine the dates of the seasons, the days of cold and heat and the seasons of planting and harvesting as well as the times of the rise and set of stars, and that science was known to them as the science of the signs, similar to present day meteorology.

He said the Arabs divided the winter fifties into four periods, called the Sauds, each extending to about 12.5 days.

According to meteorologists, the spring equinox this year falls on March 20, with some countries celebrating so-called Feast of Nayrouz when the length of day and night is equal, and the sun rises for the first time in the North Pole after 6 months of night, while the sun sets for the first time in the Antarctic after six months of night, according to Mujahid.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
General

Rare green comet to make closest approach to Earth on February 1

Amman, A rare green comet is due to make its closest pass by Earth on February 1, according to the Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS).

In a statement on Monday, JAS President Ammar Sakaji said that the comet will come within 42 million kilometers of Earth on Wednesday, before speeding away again.

At a speed of around 57.4 kilometers per second, the comet will be very easy to spot with binoculars and telescopes, while it might be invisible to the naked eye due to light pollution.

“Some scientific journals confirmed that the green comet will return to approach Earth after 50 thousand years, while accurate calculations at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory indicate that the orbit of this comet will be open, making it unlikely to return for millions of years,” he added.

The astrologist indicated that the comet, found north of the planetarium in the Camelopardalis constellation, will be monitored an hour after sunset until 5:30 am.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
General

Palestinian youth succumbs to wounds in Hebron

Ramallah, A Palestinian citizen early Monday succumbed to wounds he sustained by Israeli forces fire in the West Bank city of Hebron, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

A statement by the ministry said that a 26-year-old youth arrived at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron, with a serious wound in his head, and then doctors pronounced him dead.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Judicial

Jordan participates in Arab human rights commission session

Cairo, Jordan is participating in the two-day twenty-first session of the Arab Commission on Human Rights that started Monday at the Arab League HQ in Cairo to discuss Jordan’s reports on human rights in the country.

Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League, Ambassador Amjad Adaileh, said that Jordan was the first Arab country to ratify the Arab Charter on Human Rights document and the first to submit its first report to the Commission after the Charter entered into force.

He noted that Jordan believes in the “nobility” of the goals and purposes of the Charter, adding that the Jordanian Constitution is an “advanced” document on human rights and fundamental freedoms.

He added that Jordan takes its obligations under the Arab Charter for Human Rights “very seriously” and considers the mechanism for submitting periodic reports to the Charter Commission an “important” opportunity to review its relevant national policies and procedures and leverage the evaluation of Commission members to develop Jordanian laws on human rights.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Judicial

Research institute tackles truffle farming potential in Jordan

Amman, A local non-profit research institute discussed the potential of desert truffle cultivation in the Kingdom as a rare and profitable commodity that has nutrition and health benefits.

During a seminar held Sunday by the Jordan Society for Scientific Research under the title “Growing and Producing Truffles and Methods of Scientific Investment,” truffle cultivation expert Muhammad Awameh indicated that Jordan is capable of producing desert truffles and accordingly has a plan in place for truffle farming due to its importance and economic feasibility.

He pointed out that there are two genera of truffles in Jordan, which are Terfezia (locally known as Khalasi) and Tirmania (locally known as Zubaidi), adding that truffles have similar nutrients to meat and can also be used in the treatment of trachoma.

The Ruwaished desert far east of the Kingdom is one the best areas to grow desert truffles, which can be harvested in February, March and April depending on the amount of precipitation, especially if the rain is accompanied by lightning, thunder and snow, he added.

Several questions and comments were made during the seminar as participants stressed the importance of growing truffles and investing in their cultivation.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Judicial

Jordan condemns deadly attack on Pakistan mosque

Amman, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Monday condemned a bomb blast at a mosque in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, which killed dozens of people and injured many more.

The Ministry reiterated in a statement Jordan’s solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan, and its rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism, particularly those targeting places of worship.

It expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Categories
Judicial

US disability rights advisor visits Amman to promote inclusion for human rights

Amman, The United States Department of State’s Special Advisor on International Disability Rights, Sara Minkara, visited Jordan from January 27 to 29 to advance shared goals of inclusion and respect for human rights in all aspects of society.

The visit focused on promoting disability-inclusive political participation, capacity building, accountability, and shifting the paradigm of how we think about disability awareness from a charity approach to a human rights and values-based model, according to a U.S. Embassy statement issued Monday.

In her meetings with Jordanian government officials, civil society leaders, business groups, and disability rights advocates, she emphasized the U.S. government’s support for disability rights, accessibility, equity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all sectors throughout Jordan.

Special Advisor Minkara also met with Prince Mired, Chairman of Jordan’s Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), to understand the issues facing persons living with disabilities in Jordan.

She commended HCD on its policymaking, planning, and coordination efforts to ensure that people with disabilities can reach their full potential through access to equal economic opportunities, political participation, and accessible facilities.

Special Advisor Minkara leads the U.S. Department of State’s comprehensive strategy to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities internationally. She works to encourage foreign governments to enact and enforce national laws and policies and respect their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other human rights treaties.

Source: Jordan News Agency