Category: General

The UK health department Monday reported 45 COVID-19 deaths, taking the death toll to 158,363.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said some 57,600 Britons tested positive for the highly contagious lung disease, as the caseload tops 17.8 million.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Germany’s defence ministry Monday announced that it is sending 350 extra soldiers to Lithuania as part of NATO forces amid rising Ukraine tension.

Euronews cited German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht as saying, “We are thus strengthening our contribution in terms of forces on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a clear signal of determination to our allies.”

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday said that Russia and France share common security concerns in Europe, especially the rising Ukraine tensions.

Putin hailed France’s role in shaping European security and noted that he appreciates Macron’s efforts to help ensure “equal security in Europe.”

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Minister of State for Media Affairs, Faisal Shboul, said that the training and capacity building program for public spokespeople is a key step to unify the public media discourse, ensure the flow of information, and inter-ministerial coordination on various issues.

Shboul’s gave his remarks Monday as he attended the conclusion of the program’s first phase, which was held in partnership and cooperation with the Jordan Media Institute (JMI) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and targeted 24 public spokespeople from various ministries, and was implemented between January 19 to February 3.

Shboul, who is also the government spokesperson, said that the government, within the framework of its extended and ongoing partnership with the JMI, will hold a new program aimed at training public spokespeople in public institutions and bodies, similar to their colleagues in ministries, in order to develop government communication and enhancing capabilities of its employees.

He stressed the importance of public spokespeople’s role in ministries and public institutions in communicating institutions’ messages to media outlets and the society, and in addressing hate speech, rumors and negativity that spread on social media.

Dean of the JMI, Mirna Abu Zaid, said spokespeople will feel a difference following conclusion of the program in terms of setting media plans for their ministries, and how to deal with media outlets and the public.

Abu Zeid expressed the JMI’s readiness to hold periodic meetings for participants in the spokespeople training program, to assess their professional capabilities development.

On the sidelines of the conclusion ceremony, Minister Shboul handed over certificates to spokespeople participating in the first phase of the program.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

The Independent Election Commission Monday announced the end of the first day where Jordanians get to file applications to compete for governorate council and municipality elections.

The elections are scheduled to take place on February 22, as the number of applicants reached 3,195 by the end of the first day for filing applications.

The Commission said that 684 Jordanians applied for membership in the governorate councils, 616 males and 68 females.

A total of 462 applicants applied for the presidency of municipal councils and 1,974 applicants, 1,583 of whom are males, will compete for membership of the municipal councils.

Applications for membership of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) stood at 75.

The Commission added it has received the applications to analyse them ahead of submitting them to the Board of Commissions for final assessment.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

A slight rise in temperatures is forecast on Monday, but cold weather will prevail in most parts of the country, while it will be fair in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and Aqaba, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in its daily update.

A chance for scattered showers is expected in some parts of the northern region, with westerly light clouds, the JMD added.

Another rise in temperatures will prevail on Tuesday, bringing sunny weather conditions countrywide with southwesterly light winds.

As we head into Wednesday, the Kingdom will be affected by a cold and wet air mass accompanied by a depression centered over Cyprus, pushing thermometers down and bringing chilly and cloudy conditions with rainfall.

Today, mercury in Amman will range between a high of 13 degrees Celsius and a low of 5C at night, meanwhile Aqaba will see a fair 21C, dropping to 11C at night.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

The recent wet weather has supplied the Kingdom’s main dams with about 6 million cubic meters (mcm) of water until Monday morning, according to the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA).

In a statement, the JVA said that the volume of rainwater poured into the dams from the beginning of the season amounted to 40mcm, noting that the dams now hold 26 percent of their total storage capacity.

The JVA figures showed that King Talal Dam witnessed the highest amount of precipitation during the recent depression, receiving 4mcm of water.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

The British Council Monday announced the winners of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2021-22 in Jordan.

In total, 11 UK alumni were recognized as finalists this year for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders, and for their contribution to strengthening ties between the UK and Jordan, a statement by the British Council said.

The announcement was made in the presence of the Regional Director of MENA Chris Rawlings, the Deputy British Ambassador to Jordan Richard Moon, Dia Arafeh, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, Thafer Assaraira, President of Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions (AQACHEI).

Following rigorous evaluation by the judging panel, winners were selected for the four award categories: Science and Sustainability Award, Culture and Creativity Award, Social Action Award, and Business and Innovation Award.

The international award celebrates UK higher education and the achievements of UK alumni all over the world. Now in its eighth year, the award received more than 1,500 applications from international UK alumni in more than 100 countries, representing more than 140 UK higher education institutions across the UK.

According to the statement, the Science and Sustainability Award was presented to Almoayied Assayed, a graduate of University of Surrey- Ph.D. in Environmental Sustainability; the Culture and Creativity Award was presented to Edelina Joyce Issa, a graduate of the University for the Creative Arts- Bachelor of Arts in Fashion; the Social Action award was presented to Laith Alfalah, a graduate of King’s College London- MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health; and the Business and Innovation award was presented to Noor Abu Jbara, a graduate of the University of Warwick- MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Summer Xia, Country Director of the British Council in Jordan, commented on the award ceremony: “We are thrilled to bring the British Council’s Global Study UK Alumni Awards to Jordan this year, recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements by Jordanians who have studied at a UK university. The winners tonight represent a diverse range of sectors across the society, showcasing the very positive contribution they have made to the development of their profession, community and the whole Kingdom. We hope they will inspire many more to follow in their footsteps and benefit from the UK’s world-renowned education.”

Jordan is the first country to host the awards this year and will be followed by awarding ceremonies in a further 20 countries, including, India, Qatar and Azerbaijan.

SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY