Day: 3 April 2024

Amman: The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) have initiated on Wednesday a housing assistance initiative for Syrian refugees in Amman.

The project’s objective is to support 56 Syrian refugee families, including orphans and widows, by providing them with suitable accommodation in a residential complex rented annually for this purpose. Each family will be accommodated in fully furnished apartments, enabling them to address other essential needs they may struggle to meet due to their obligation to cover monthly rent.

Hussein Shibli, Secretary-General of the JHCO, remarked, “Today, we are implementing a significant project aimed at easing the plight of Syrian refugees by offering housing to 56 families. We recognize that housing is one of the primary challenges refugees face daily, adding economic strain as many essential needs are overlooked to secure shelter.”

Nayef bin Saleh Shammari, Director of the King Salman Relief Center branc
h in Jordan, emphasized the center’s commitment to supporting orphans and widows. Through relief projects, the center strives to uphold their dignity, ensure access to educational services, and facilitate their integration into society, he added

Source: Jordan News Agency

Riyadh, The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stressed the need for the international community to take action to end the crisis in the Gaza Strip and stop the dangerous Israeli aggression, which has exceeded and violated all international charters, treaties and agreements.

This came during the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) strategic conversation with the GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, in the presence of EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region Luigi di Maio, and the participation of a number of European officials and senior specialists in international relations at the ECFR, on Wednesday (April 3, 2024) via audiovisual call. The conversation included discussing the current situation in the Gaza Strip, and the future of Gulf-European relations in light of the current geopolitical challenges.

During his speech, Albudaiwi stressed that the dangerous conditions in the Gaza Strip and its outcome have led to the expansion of instability in the region and the world, and its reper
cussions have had unprecedented negative effects, which requires all of us to cooperate, join hands, and collectively work to stop this crisis. At the same time, he also underscored the critical need to provide urgent humanitarian and relief support to the affected Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The GCC Secretary-General praised the progress made in Gulf-European relations at all fronts, emphasizing the importance of enhancing dialogue and cooperation between the GCC states and the EU to address common challenges and support stability in the region.

He further highlighted the numerous promising opportunities to establish a strong strategic partnership by bolstering Gulf-European relations, mentioning that ongoing discussions and dialogues would facilitate the exchange of views and promote mutual understanding of collaborative efforts to achieve security and stability, ultimately contributing to the development of relations between the GCC and EU.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Amman: The total volume of spending on digital games in Jordan last year amounted to about $82.5 million, according to a report by the Market Study Unit at Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Intaj).

According to an Intaj statement Wednesday, about $17 million were spent on downloading paid games, and $7.3 million went to live game streaming.

Spending on in-video-game advertising amounted to $6.6 million and mobile games dominated the largest share with $45 million splurged, while expenditure on online games stood at $6.5 million, the report pointed out.

The report indicated that the total number of users who downloaded games, used live game streaming, mobile games, and online games reached 5.9 million users in 2023.

Additionally, the unit forecast spending to rise to about $103 million in 2027, based its forecasts on an annual basis for growth, market size, and competition among developers of digital games.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Doha: HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani chaired the Cabinet’s regular meeting held at its seat at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday morning.

After the meeting, HE Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi issued the following statement: The Cabinet considered the topics on its agenda as follows: First – The Cabinet was informed of the Shura Council’s approval of a draft law concerning the handling of regulated products.

Second – Approval of a draft law amending some provisions of Law No. 25 of 2015 concerning civil defense, and referring it to the Shura Council.

Third – Approval of a draft decision by the Minister of Interior identifying the facilities where QatarEnergy will implement some provisions of Law No. 25 of 2015 concerning civil defense.

Fourth – Approval of a draft decision by the Minister of State for Energy Affairs regarding the terms and specifications of security and safety system
s, electrical and water installation rules, and necessary measures and precautions for securing, protecting, and maintaining service delivery equipment and devices.

Fifth – Approval of a proposal by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to take the necessary measures to amend Article 6 of Law No. 9 of 2017 regulating schools, in order to allow the enrollment in kindergarten classes before the primary stage for children from the age of three instead of four years.

Sixth – Taking the necessary measures to ratify a memorandum of understanding between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for cooperation in combating the illicit trafficking of drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors.

Seventh – Approval of: 1- A draft memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation in the field of sports between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of Romania.

2- A draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in organizing mobi
le exhibitions between Qatar Museums in the State of Qatar and M+ Museum Limited in Hong Kong.

Eighth – The Cabinet reviewed a report on the results of the participation of the State of Qatar’s delegation, headed by HE Minister of Labor and Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, tin the Fifth Government Forum to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and then took the appropriate decision thereon.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Amman: The Minister of Water and Irrigation, Raed Abu Saud, and the Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hanifat, signed a renewed memorandum of understanding for water harvesting Wednesday, aligning with royal directives to boost the agricultural sector and ensure water availability across the nation.

Abu Saud emphasized the importance of inter-ministerial cooperation in executing economically beneficial projects, especially in addressing water challenges and providing local water sources. The renewed memorandum, he noted, underscores their joint commitment to collecting rainwater for agricultural use, ecosystem rehabilitation, freshwater enhancement in pastoral areas, erosion prevention, and livestock watering.

The partnership entails the Jordan Valley Authority offering technical assistance for studies and designs of water harvesting projects. Abu Saud praised the fruitful collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, which has facilitated the completion of various development initiatives such as excavation
and dam projects.

Hanifat highlighted the partnership’s focus on sustainability, flood prevention, soil preservation, and desert development. He emphasized the significance of modern water harvesting techniques in revitalizing vegetation and combating climate change, underscoring ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation between agriculture and the Jordan Valley Authority.

Hanifat commended the Ministry’s efforts in promoting water harvesting, including the establishment of rainwater collection wells from Irbid to Petra, with each well receiving incentive support worth JD 1,500. He also emphasized the pivotal role of dam and excavation systems in socio-economic development, job creation, and poverty alleviation in the targeted areas.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Gaza: The Gaza Ministry of Health has reported five separate massacres perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, which claimed the lives of 59 individuals and left 83 others wounded.

The report underscores the severe humanitarian toll of the ongoing Israeli aggression, now spanning 180 days, as many victims remain trapped under rubble and in inaccessible areas, with ambulance and civil defense crews unable to reach these individuals.

The Ministry stated that the cumulative impact of Israeli atrocities since October 7 has resulted in a staggering toll, with 32,975 fatalities and 75,577 injuries recorded in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) received 3,412 complaints and notes during the first quarter of 2024, a report issued by its Public Service Department showed.

The grievances were sent to the GAM district directorates on its website, smart device app, and the unified call center (102 or 117,180), the report pointed out.

According to the department’S head, Sulaiman Bastami, rate of processing and addressing these complaints and observations reached 91%.

Bastami added that citizens mainly complained about waste accumulation, environmental, health issues, professions, and buildings.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) concluded its trading session on Wednesday with a marginal decrease of 0.17 percent, settling at 2,432 points.

The trading activity saw approximately 2 million shares changing hands, accumulating a total value of around JD3.2 million through 1,834 transactions.

A scrutiny of the day’s trading revealed a mixed performance among publicly traded companies. Specifically, 23 companies experienced a decline in their share prices, while 17 companies witnessed an uptick in their shares. The remaining 34 companies maintained stability in their share prices.

Source: Jordan News Agency