Day: 19 March 2024

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday hosted an iftar at Al Husseiniya Palace for the third cohort of the Hussein Fellowship, a Crown Prince Foundation programme that trains young leaders.

According to a royal court statement, Crown Prince Al Hussein said participants in the programme are partners in building the future, stressing the importance of implementing the skills they gained on the ground.

The programme is aimed at offering opportunities to youth across Jordan’s governorates to enhance their competitiveness and hone their skills.

Source: Jordan News Agency

RAMALLAH: Weather on Tuesday is cold and cloudy as the country is affected by a low-pressure system accompanied by a cold air mass, resulting in another significant drop in temperatures, around five degrees Celsius below the annual average, according to the Palestinian Meteorological Department (PMD).

Heavy rainfall is anticipated, accompanied by thunderstorms and occasional hailstorms.

Wind is northwesterly to westerly, active with strong gust at times, approaching 60 km/h. Sea waves are high.

Weather on Wednesday is expected to be cloudy to partly cloudy, with scattered showers across different regions. Rainfall chances will diminish in the evening and night hours, while temperatures are expected to rise slightly, remaining about 2 degrees Celsius below the annual average.

Clear conditions are expected to prevail on Thursday as temperature rises and becomes three degrees Celsius above the annual average.

Friday’s weather is expected to be partially cloudy as temperature drops and becomes lower than its
annual average. Scattered rain showers are expected on some areas.

People are warned about the risk of floods and flash floods in valleys and low-lying areas, strong winds, slippery roads, and reduced horizontal visibility.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has announced an extension of the tender deadline for the construction of the Second Azraq Solar Energy Project.

The project, facilitated through a debt swap agreement with the Spanish government signed in 2001, aims to further harness solar energy for sustainable power generation. Interested parties now have until April 18 to submit their bids.

Emphasizing the government’s commitment to renewable energy development, the ministry clarified that the project will be executed under a “turnkey” contract model. Furthermore, upon completion, the project will seamlessly integrate into the national electricity grid, operating as a fully government-owned entity.

The project is envisioned not only as a means to generate electricity from solar power but also as a catalyst for investment in the burgeoning solar energy sector. It is expected to create employment opportunities for local workers, both during the construction phase and ongoing operation. Moreover, the project a
ligns with broader national objectives to increase the utilization of renewable energy sources in the country’s energy portfolio.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Intaj) has announced the commencement of applications for the third season of the Himaya Tech incubator, backed by the Innovative Startups and SMEs Support Fund (ISSF).

In a statement released on Tuesday, Intaj highlighted that the incubator stands as a pioneer in the region, specifically tailored to foster cybersecurity ventures. This declaration follows the resounding success witnessed during its inaugural and subsequent seasons, with the aim of training and equipping 15 nascent enterprises in the cybersecurity domain over a span of two years.

Chief Programs Officer at Intaj, Ziad Masry, underscored the significance of this initiative against the backdrop of a burgeoning investment landscape in cybersecurity across the region.

Masry, in remarks conveyed to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), emphasized that the application portal is set to close by the month’s end. Subsequently, Intaj intends to select no fewer than 10 enterprises to partic
ipate in the six-month-long incubation program.

During this incubation phase, participants will be immersed in specialized training modules and afforded opportunities to engage with industry experts. Furthermore, they will have the platform to showcase their projects to potential investors at the Startup Village events at the MENA ICT Forum, slated for November 2024.

Masry projected a robust upsurge in cybersecurity expenditure across the Middle East, envisaging a figure exceeding $17 billion, which he expects will surge to $30 billion within a five-year horizon.

Highlighting the escalating demand for cybersecurity-related services and products in the region, Masry reiterated the imperative role of initiatives like Himaya Tech in bridging this demand-supply gap and nurturing the sector’s growth trajectory.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Land Transport Authority has made significant strides in enhancing transportation infrastructure and logistics. These advancements have positively impacted the movement of goods, passengers, and public transport, fostering partnerships with the private sector.

Abdul Rahim Wreikat, Director General of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, highlighted the completion of the project supporting transportation fees for students of Jordanian public universities, initiated in 2010.

The project aims to subsidize students’ transportation costs by 50% on inter-provincial lines, encouraging the use of public transportation and stimulating transportation companies to operate lines. This initiative covers universities across six governorates, including Science and Technology, Yarmouk, and Jordan University among others.

Wreikat emphasized the implementation of mass transportation studies, assessing current and future demand for public school student transportation services. This includes determining optimal bus
routes and capacities, addressing environmental considerations, and projecting future needs for the next five years.

Additionally, the Commission has renovated departure and arrival centers across various governorates, establishing new infrastructure and administrative facilities. A centralized center for foreign travel has been established in Amman, facilitating the organization of travel vehicle accommodation and movement.

Furthermore, electronic monitoring systems have been implemented, enhancing transport document accuracy and data integration across relevant authorities.

The Commission is also developing an electronic system for land transport documents, streamlining processes and reducing unauthorized interference in transport document trading.

Wreikat underlined the importance of these initiatives in improving transport services, guaranteeing the rights of transport process participants, and providing decision-makers with valuable data for enhancing goods transport services on roads.

A comprehensi
ve study was conducted to revamp the public transportation network in Jerash, aiming to implement the governorate’s comprehensive plan. This includes defining routes, stops, setting appropriate wages, and restructuring operators.

Economic feasibility studies were also conducted to restructure urban transport lines in Irbid and Zarqa. The objective is to introduce higher quality, more reliable buses, and explore the establishment of new transport companies based on a bus management model.

Wreikat said the design of operational packages for new public transport lines, with contracts signed with qualified operators. These include fare collection services through new ticketing systems, making services more appealing to passengers and supporting the introduction of electric buses for the first time in the two cities.

The demand for taxi services across governorates under the authority’s jurisdiction was studied to ensure adequate service levels and driver income.

Evaluation studies were conducted to enhance pu
blic transport services, increase usage, and provide wider coverage. This included analyzing the demand for tourist rental cars, luxury limousines, and passenger transport services through smart applications and taxis.

Furthermore, an assessment of current and future demand for various transport modes, including rental cars, limousine services, smart app rides and taxis, was conducted, alongside evaluating the impact of granting licenses on urban planning and congestion.

An executive plan for land transportation in southern Amman was developed, outlining short- and long-term strategies for the next decade. This plan aims to prioritize projects and aligns with the Capital Governorate Decentralization Council’s plan for the region.

The land transportation system in these areas relies on buses, taxis, and truck transportation, crucial for commercial activities, especially considering Aqaba’s role as Jordan’s sole seaport.

Wreikat highlighted the importance of the computerized national transport forecasting m
odel, fostering cooperation between regulatory authorities and municipalities to develop a unified public transport model for all governorates. This model aids decision-making by forecasting demand for public transport services.

Experts in public transport benefit from this information to enhance current and future transport systems, ensuring efficiency and sustainability on both local and national scales.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) concluded Tuesday’s trading session on a slightly downward trajectory, with a decline of 0.23 percent, settling at the mark of 2,499 points.

Market activity witnessed the exchange of approximately 1.1 million shares, reflecting a total value of around JD2.8 million, attributed to the execution of 1,822 transactions.

A comparative analysis of the closing figures of listed entities revealed that 29 companies experienced a dip in their share prices, while 19 companies observed an uptick. Meanwhile, the share prices of 32 other firms remained unchanged.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, alongside the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, secured the prestigious Aqaba Bird Observatory, topping 100 global tourist spots at the Berlin Exhibition in Germany, after ranking second worldwide for sustainability in the environment and climate category.

According to a statement on Tuesday, Nayef Fayez, Chairman of the Authority’s Council of Commissioners, hailed this achievement as fundamental, underlining Aqaba’s commitment to sustainable tourism, particularly through the Aqaba Bird Observatory, shaping the city’s tourism plans.

Fayez commended the fruitful collaboration between the Authority and the Royal Society, highlighting Aqaba’s unique approach to environmental tourism, exemplified by the Aqaba Bird Observatory.

He emphasized the significance of green destination standards in gauging sustainability efforts worldwide, noting their role in guiding tourism sites towards adherence to sustainable practices aligned with global standards.

Fadi Nas
ser, Director General of the Royal Society, acknowledged the joint efforts in managing and enhancing the Aqaba Bird Observatory, attributing its global success to the fruitful partnership between the two entities.

Firas Rahahla, Director of the Aqaba Bird Observatory, described it as a unique site tackling climate challenges through an adaptive environmental approach, particularly addressing water scarcity by reusing water to preserve natural environments.

Rahahla highlighted Jordan’s pivotal role in bird migration and the observatory’s significance as a crucial stopover for migratory birds between Asia and Africa, boasting a remarkable diversity representing 61 percent of Jordan’s bird species.

In 2023, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, the Aqaba Water Company, the Aqaba Development Company, and the United States Agency for International Development signed a memorandum of understanding in 2023 aimed
at developing the Aqaba Bird Observatory by rehabilitating its artificial environments to ensure the highest levels of sustainability of its environmental and tourism values.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation revealed an increase in the long-term annual average of rainfall as of Tuesday morning, reaching 70.5% of the typical yearly volume, approximately 8.1 billion cubic meters.

Highlighting the comparative data, the Ministry noted that this figure stands in contrast to the same date last year, which saw a slightly higher percentage of 85.5% against the long-term average.

In a press release, the Ministry elaborated that recent rainfall has contributed substantially to the country’s water reserves, with an influx of approximately 5 million cubic meters recorded in the dams over the past 24 hours.

Consequently, the cumulative storage in the primary dams has surged to 138.5 million cubic meters, equivalent to 48% of their total capacity, pegged at 288.128 million cubic meters.

The Ministry reported that Karak recorded the highest precipitation over the last 24 hours, registering 46 mm, while rainfall was widespread across various regions of the Kingdom in varying intensities.

Source: Jordan News Agency