Day: 13 April 2024

New York: Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, announced appointment of Jordanian Muhannad Hadi as UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian Territory and Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, succeeding James Eugene McGoldrick of Ireland.

According to a UN statement on Saturday, Hadi has more than 30 years of international experience in humanitarian affairs and development work, most recently as regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syrian crisis.

Hadi served as WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, WFP Regional Emergency Coordinator for the Syrian Crisis, and WFP Representative/Country Director in Syria.

In 1990, Hadi began his career with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and has since worked with the World Food Program in Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Indonesia, Lebanon, Italy, Jordan, Egypt and Syria.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Paris, April 12 – The Ministry of Culture is set to hold a special celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding and Protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. On this occasion, an exhibition highlighting the Qatari cultural heritage will be held at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris on April 15.

The exhibition aims to highlight the efforts of the State of Qatar in protecting and preserving intangible cultural heritage, as the agreement recognized the need to protect living heritage and promote dialogue between peoples, cultural diversity, and human creativity.

The exhibition highlights “The Majlis: A Social and Cultural Space,” traditional crafts and industries, and examples of the “falconry” heritage, which was added to the UNESCO representative list in 2015 in addition to folk arts and folk culinary arts. The exhibition also includes a pavilion of photos that highlight the achievements of the St
ate of Qatar in preserving heritage.

In this context, Director of the Heritage and Identity Department at the Ministry of Culture Sheikha Nagla Faisal Al-Thani, said that the exhibition comes out of a desire to celebrate more than twenty years since first convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage, which was adopted by the General Conference of the UNESCO in Paris on October 17, 2003.

She added that the exhibition, which is organized by the Ministry of Culture, features many activities that contribute to activating the agreement, including registering a number of its elements on the UNESCO representative list, such as the Majlis, coffee, falconry, and palm trees.

The Ministry is currently working on preparing a documentary about the elements of Qatari intangible cultural heritage registered on the convention’s lists, she said noting that the Ministry of Culture always seeks, by holding these events, to spread awareness among the local community and inform the international communit
y on the role of the State of Qatar in protecting and preserving intangible cultural heritage that represents the identity of Qatari society.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Amman: The Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority (CARC) has announced that Jordanian airspace will be temporarily closed to all incoming, departing and transiting aircraft starting at 20:00 UTC.

CARC issued a statement saying, “The dioscin comes to preserve the safety and security of civil aviation in Jordanian airspace in light of the escalation of surrounding risks in the region and after assessing the risks following internationally followed standards.”

CARC added that it would review the decision in light of developments.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Ajloun: The Ajloun cable car witnessed an increasing demand by Jordanians during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The Director General of Development Zones, Yousef Arafat, said more than 6,500 people visited Ajloun for its cable car, noting the implementation of a plan to provide a comfortable and suitable atmosphere for visitors.

He talked about the programmes and events in Ajloun during the holiday, including an exhibition of rural products, handicrafts and carnivals for children and cartoon characters.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Aqaba: Over 110,000 tourists and visitors spent the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Aqaba, while the average hotel occupancy rate in the coastal city reached 89 per cent.

According to a statement, the Commissioner of Tourism and Economy of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Hamza Al-Haj Hassan, Saturday said over 110,000 people spent the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Aqaba including 95,000 visitors through the crossings in Wadi al-Yatam and Wadi Araba and 15,000 tourists from international land, air and sea crossings.

Al-Haj Hassan added that some 13,000 cars and 1,800 large and medium buses entered the city, explaining that the number of vehicles that entered was determined using a system of smart cameras placed at the entrances to Aqaba.

He added that tourism numbers in Wadi Rum, managed by the ASEZA Rum Natural Reserve staff, reached 8,000 foreign and local visitors during the holiday.

He added that Aqaba witnessed an “active tourist and commercial movement due to systematic marketing” and activities o
f ASEZA or other tourism projects in the city, noting that the facilities the Authority provides in cooperation with the Aqaba Chamber of Commerce (ACC) and the private sector for tourist, service, hotel and marine facilities “have contributed to making the holiday season a success.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

Gaza: Israeli warplanes Saturday killed three Palestinian civilians after targeting their home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to sources.

The Israeli warplanes bombed a house in the “new refugee camp” in Nuseirat and destroyed the “Harzallah” tower in the north of Nuseirat.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Beirut: Israeli warplanes Saturday bombed southern Lebanese towns, destroying several buildings and homes.

A Lebanese security official said Israeli warplanes targeted Armati and Al-Rayhan Heights and the towns of Marjayoun, Taybeh, Al-Adisa, Hula and Wadi Beit Lev.

The official added that the Israeli artillery bombed the outskirts of the towns of Maroun Al-Ras and Alma Al-Shaab, destroying several buildings.

He added that the Israeli forces opened fire on farmers on the outskirts of Abbasiya, Majidiya and al-Mari.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Ramallah: Six Palestinians were injured, one critically, Saturday afternoon in an attack by Jewish settlers on a village near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

It said in a statement that a man was shot in the head and was in a critical condition, and five others were shot in the lower limbs during the attack in the village of Al-Mughayer, east of Ramallah in the Central West Bank.

Jewish settlers backed by Israeli troops also launched another attack on the village of Doma, southeast of Nablus in the northern West Bank, setting dozens of homes of on fire.

The raid touched off clashes with local youth in which a number of people were injured by live Israeli army fire, said Suleiman Dawabsheh, head of the Doma Local Council.

Since this morning, the hardline settlers, protected by the Israeli army, have closed entrances to the towns of Silwad, Turmusaya, Sinjil and Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, and attacked passing vehicles, according to Palestinian sources.

Source: Jo
rdan News Agency

Ramallah: Five Palestinian citizens were injured Saturday morning in a new attack by extremist Jewish settlers on the village of Abu Falah, northeast of the city of Ramallah in the central West Bank, Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported.

In a statement, the PRCS noted its crews dealt with 5 injuries to citizens, who were beaten by extremist settlers and 2 cases were transferred to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah.

Additionally, a number of Palestinians sustained various injuries due to attacks on Palestinian citizens in different villages, north, west, and east of Ramallah governorate under tight protection from Israeli occupation army.

The 25-year old Palestinian, Jihad Afif Abu Alia, was also killed and 25 others were injured by live bullets in a massive attack by armed Jewish settlers on the town of Al-Mughayir, northeast of Ramallah.

The attack came under pretext of the disappearance of an Israeli settler near the town, who was kidnapped by Palestinians in the area and his fate is n
ot yet known, according to Israeli media.

Source: Jordan News Agency

_: Additionally, ACI’s exports to Palestine slumped by 31% during the first quarter of this year, recording about JD35 million, compared to JD50 million for the same period last year.

During the first quarter of 2024, the chamber’s exports were distributed among the chemical and cosmetic industries sectors with a value of JD561 million, while about JD307 million went to mining exports and engineering, electrical, and information technology sectors generated JD251 million.

Exports of the Kingdom’s catering, foodstuff, agricultural and livestock industries sectors amounted to about JD202 million, while therapeutic and medical supplies amounted to about JD170 million and leather and textile products hit JD114 million, the data revealed.

Over the same period, the rest of ACI’s exports were distributed among sectors of the packaging, paper, cardboard, and office supplies industries with a value of JD70 million, while plastic and rubber industries generated about JD68 million, then came construction at JD29 mill
ion and finally the wood and furniture industries made about JD6 million.

Established in 1962, the ACI currently has 8,600 industrial facilities under its membership, employing 159,000 male and female workers, with a capital of about JD5 billion.

Source: Jordan News Agency

London: Thousands of people took to the streets in central London Saturday in a march demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to British arms exports to Israel.

Protesters gathered at Russell Square and proceeded to Parliament Square, waving Palestinian flags and banners denouncing Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, and chanting for an immediate ceasefire and an end to arms sales to Israel.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said in a statement that the march is part of a national day of action with rallies and protests planned across the United Kingdom to demand an immediate ceasefire and call on the British government to “stop arming Israel.”

In conjunction with the demonstrations, British MPs called on the government to suspend arms sales to Israel amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Source: Jordan News Agency

Aqaba: Aqaba remained a key destination for tourists and holidaymakers as the southern port city teemed with visitors and shoppers over the Eid Al Fitr holidays and five-star hotel bookings topped 92 percent, according to local officials.

More than 80,000 visitors made it to the city in the last four days via land, sea and air crossings, including the Durra border post with Saudi Arabia, which received 11,000 visitors, said Hamza Haj Hasan, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Deputy Chief Commissioner.

Hasan said visitors were mainly attracted to tourist facilities, restaurants, outlets and landmarks, namely the Great Arab Revolt Plaza, where a special entertainment program was in place as well as handicraft exhibitions and other events for tourists to prolong their stay.

ASEZA, in cooperation with concerned local authorities in the Red Sea port, had put in place a plan to welcome citizens and provide necessary services to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday, he said.

Hasan said no incidents wer
e reported during the holidays despite the crowdedness and traffic congestions in the city’s streets.

Source: Jordan News Agency