Day: 18 September 2023

The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) is pleased to announce a groundbreaking collaboration with Al Assima Hospital in Kuwait City, Kuwait. In collaboration with Al Assima Hospital, AUBMC is taking significant steps to extend its pioneering healthcare services not only within Lebanon but also throughout the broader Middle Eastern region. This timely agreement goes beyond mere collaboration; it represents a new chapter in AUBMC’s journey of healthcare innovation and delivery to serve the peoples of the region. This collaboration will therefore set new benchmarks for quality healthcare delivery in the region. Dr. Fadlo R. Khuri, American University of Beirut (AUB) president, commented, ‘This agreement marks a milestone for AUBMC as it once again opens the door for a major referral pathway for patients from Kuwait to AUBMC. It demonstrates our unwavering commitment to advancing the standards of healthcare not only in Lebanon but across the Middle East.’ Mr. Bashar Ali Alasad, vice chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Alliance Medical Company and Al Assima Hospital, Kuwait, said, ‘Together, we recognize the pressing need to expand and develop our medical services with the best possible partner. AUB has a long history of excellence in healthcare education, research, and clinical practice. This expertise is one of the valuable assets that can be used to achieve our goals and our vision.’ Dr. Souha Kanj Sharara, associate vice president for global affairs at AUBMC, added, ‘AUBMC and Al Assima have converged on a shared vision to redefine healthcare in the Arab region, setting the standards for excellence and innovation.’ AUBMC’s collaboration with Al Assima Hospital signifies the medical center’s dedication to improving healthcare standards within Lebanon and the region and reflects its vision of fostering excellence throughout the regional healthcare ecosystem. As they have for decades, Lebanese and Arab citizens continue to place their trust in AUBMC for the highest quality medical services. This further reinforces AUBMC’s responsibility to pioneer improvements in healthcare, positioning it as the reference point for patient-centric, quality healthcare services in the region, boldly leading that others may follow.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

The Border Ports Authority announced the arrest of two travelers who attempted to bring more than a kilogram of narcotic substances into the Shalamcheh border crossing.

The Authority stated in a statement: “Detachments at the Shalamcheh border crossing arrested two Iraqi travelers and seized in their possession (980) grams of the narcotic substance Triac and (290) grams of the narcotic marijuana substance, hidden inside a loudspeaker.”

It added: “The arrest operation was carried out by a joint force of members of the Customs Police Station, members of the Authority, the port protection force, and the office of the National Intelligence Service.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The “Sinjar Resistance Units” affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party announced that three of its members were killed by a Turkish bombing in northern Iraq.

It stated in a press statement: “At 1:50 p.m. Iraq time, a Turkish army drone targeted a car carrying a group of fighters, and as a result of this attack, three of them were killed.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

National Security Advisor Qasim Al-Araji headed to Erbil, heading a high-ranking security delegation, under the guidance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to follow up on the implementation of the security agreement between Iraq and Iran.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The Jordan News Agency (Petra) and the Zarqa Education and Investment Company signed Monday a cooperation program to enhance the technical, vocational and digital skills of students and graduates of the Faculty of Media at the Zarqa University to increase their chances of finding jobs in the local and regional labor market. The program, which was signed by Petra’s Director General Fairouz Mubaideen and the company’s Chairman Mahmoud Abu Shaera, aims to enhance cooperation in the journalistic and media fields, in addition to qualifying graduates and raising their capabilities in theoretical and practical fields. The program also includes implementing joint activities, workshops and seminars in the journalistic, media and scientific fields, in addition to highlighting activities of general impact. For her part, Mubaideen voiced pride in this cooperation, lauding the Zarqa University’s level and efforts to support national institutions, stressing that the agency gives priority to training and qualification and has many training programs that aim to provide participants with the necessary skills for the labor market. The Dean of the Zarqa University Nidal Ramahi voiced hope that the program would enhance the skills of the media faculty students so that they can enter the labor market armed with the skills of professional media personnel to adhere to professional and ethical standards.

Source. Jordan News Agency

Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Krishan Monday laid the foundation stone of the National Seed Bank building at the National Center for Agricultural Research, in cooperation with the Hashemite University. The National Seed Bank, part of the economic modernization vision and the national sustainable agriculture and food security strategy, is a national project and an expansion of the Seed Bank that was established in 1993, he said. He said Jordan took the lead to address the climate challenge, noting that the rising world population has doubled global food consumption and adding that the government’s plan will enable the Kingdom to avoid these crises and face emergencies. For his part, Agriculture Minister Khaled Hanifat said that the impact of recent crises that struck the world alerted countries to the importance of food for their security and stability, adding that His Majesty the King drew attention to this issue in the Borlaug Dialogue in 2020, where his recommendations were a guide for global action. to face crises and their impact on food security. He said His Majesty set priorities for work in the post-Covid era through supporting advanced ideas in the fields of production, supply, storage, exchange of expertise and harnessing technology solutions. Hanifat expressed his pride in the achievements of the agricultural research center in cooperation with the Hashemite University through the expansion of the National Seed Bank, which is an incubator for plant heritage and an embodiment of joint research work. He said the bank serves the purposes of agricultural development through preserving a plant species and variety capable of producing a high quality and added value plant product.

Source. Jordan News Agency

A climate change and global warming training program, held by the Ministry of Youth, non-governmental organization Generations For Peace and UNICEF, concluded on Monday at Al-Wasatiya Youth Center west of Irbid. The two-day program, attended by 20 young members of the center, aimed to increase the youth’s understanding of local and global climate and environmental concerns and encourage their involvement in reducing the impact of climate change and global warming. Lecturer Mohamed Mheidat discussed how global warming contributes to rising temperatures and humidity levels, which have a negative impact on human health, leading to an increase in diseases and mortality. He also highlighted the effects of climate change on agriculture, the environment, water spaces and the frequency of natural disasters. He suggested various methods to combat global warming and climate change, such as replacing traditional energy sources with clean energy, recycling and reducing waste, decreasing emissions from vehicles and factories and promoting afforestation to achieve a better environmental balance.

Source. Jordan News Agency

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that it had monitored the flight of 103 Chinese warplanes around the island within 24 hours.

The Ministry said in a statement: “103 People’s Liberation Army aircraft and nine People’s Liberation Army Navy ships were spotted around Taiwan between Sunday and Monday morning.”

Earlier, Chinese military Spokesman Colonel Shi Yi confirmed that his country had placed its forces on “high alert” coinciding with the crossing of the Taiwan Strait by two American and Canadian military ships.

It is noteworthy that China has increased the pace of maneuvers and air sorties in recent months. It stresses that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory and pledges to regain control over it, by force if necessary.

For its part, Washington officially recognizes only Beijing, but Congress requires, under the Relations with Taipei Law, that the island be provided with weapons to defend itself.

The United States and Taiwan have enjoyed a strong and well-established informal relationship for more than 40 years, based on 3 laws and agreements adopted by the United States.

The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), passed by Congress in 1979, represents the cornerstone of these relations, as it legalizes the arming of Taiwan to defend itself.

Earlier, Taiwanese media reported that the United States would provide Taiwan with 11 HIMARS missile launchers in 2024, in addition to 64 ATACMS missiles.

China imposed sanctions on the American companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Gramman over their roles in arms sales to Taiwan.

It is noteworthy that Beijing had denounced American plans to provide military aid to Taiwan and warned Washington against this step.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency