Jordan

Recent rainfall raises dam storage to 47.33% — Water Ministry

AMMAN — Recent rainfall has channelled 30 million cubic metres (mcm) into Jordan's dams during the past 24 hours, raising the total storage of dams to 132.8 mcm (47.33 per cent) out of their total capacity of 280.7 mcm, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said on Monday. The ministry said that the precipitation rose to 125.3 per cent from Jordan's long-term annual average of 8.1 billion cubic metres, constituting 158.9 per cent of the total...

Expats struggle to obtain driving licenses in Kuwait

By Ghadeer Ghloum & Faten Omar KUWAIT: One of the biggest challenges that expats face in Kuwait is obtaining a driving license. Expats can only get a driving license if they adhere to a list of rules, including having a university degree, drawing a monthly salary of at least KD 600 and residing in Kuwait for at least two years. The process of obtaining a driving license in Kuwait is expensive and time-consuming. Besides the strict regulations,...

Qatari airplane carrying foodstuff arrives in Sudan

A Qatari airplane carrying 50 tonnes of foodstuff, provided by Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Qatar Charity (QC), arrived at Port Sudan Airport in the Republic of the Sudan on Monday.This assistance comes within the framework of the support offered by Qatar to the fraternal people of Sudan and its full support for their steadfastness in facing the difficult conditions they live in due to the continuation of fighting.Meanwhile, the...

Deputy GAM Mayor participates in UCLG-EURASIA consultative meeting

Amman, May 29 (Petra)--Deputy Mayor of Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), Mohammed Rasmi Qaisi, took part in the consultative meeting of World organization United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)-Eurasia Regional Section (UCLG-EURASIA), which was held under the theme: "International Municipal Cooperation in Eurasia Region and Global Trends." According to a GAM statement on Monday, Qaisi valued efforts of Kazan Mayor to organize this meeting,...

Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei backs restoration of full diplomatic relations with Egypt

Iran's supreme leader has given his seal of approval to the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Egypt, potentially ending decades of tension between the two regional powerhouses. Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he would “welcome” the restoration of ties between Egypt during a meeting with the visiting Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, ...

Sarah Al Amiri chairs Emirates College for Advanced Education Board of Trustees meeting

ABU DHABI, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), presided over the second meeting of the college's Board of Trustees at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi.The meeting focused on reviewing the college's strategic direction and the progress it has achieved to date in developing educational...

Minister of Commerce and Industry inaugurates Project Qatar 2023

The 19th edition of Project Qatar, the highly anticipated international trade exhibition showcasing construction materials, equipment, and technology, was officially inaugurated by Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Abdullah Al Thani.Under the esteemed patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the event serves as a significant...

Ukrainian offensive to start in days, Defence Secretary says

Ukraine’s long-awaited counter-offensive against Russia will start in “several days,” State Secretary for Defence Kostiantyn Vashchenko said on Monday at a security conference in Slovakia. “We are ready for that,” he said during a panel at Bratislava’s GlobSec conference. “Now we have finished all preparation and we are really ready to go ahead.” M...

Brig. Gen. Al-Sahli drowns in sea while trying to rescue son in eastern Saudi Arabia

Saudi Gazette reportDAMMAM — Brig. Gen. Salem Bin Musallam Al-Sahli drowned in the depths of the sea while trying to rescue his young son in eastern Saudi Arabia.Al-Sahli died when he was trying to save his young son, who was swimming in Half Moon Bay, located in the east of the Kingdom, near Khobar city.People interacted on social media with this incident, which talked about the father who sacrificed his life to protect his son from...

Senate president calls for integrated pan-Arab economic vision

AMMAN — Senate President Faisal Fayez on Monday called for developing an integrated pan-Arab vision to address economic challenges of the Arab nation and enhance pan-Arab cooperation to create diverse economic and investment partnerships.Fayez made the remarks during a meeting with Secretary-General of the Council of Arab Economic Unity of the Arab League Ambassador Muhammadi Ahmed Ni, Egyptian Assistant Minister of Interior for Training Affairs...

Italian embassy to host nutraceutical business workshop in Amman

AMMAN — The Nutraceutical Workshop in the Middle East, organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) Office of Amman in collaboration with the Italian embassy in Jordan, will commence in Amman on Tuesday. The event is also organised with the support of the ITA offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon, as well as the Italian Supplements & Health Association, said a statement from the Italian embassy in Amman.The workshop features the...

Tunisia to host 2nd Sustainable Tourism Summit June 5-6 (WWF Tunisia)

29/05/2023 16:41, TUNIS/Tunisia (TAP) - The second Sustainable Tourism Summit will be held in Tunis on June 5 and 6, 2023.The event is organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature North Africa (WWF NA) in collaboration with the partners of the "RESTART MED!" project, an initiative aimed at revitalising sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean regions.The main objective of the summit is to strengthen the positioning of Mediterranean countries as...

American scholar examines ancient water systems in Jerash, Umm Qais, Amman

AMMAN — A PhD candidate in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania is conducting a study on the remains of urban water supply systems in Jerash, Umm Qais and Amman.“My methodology uses a network-based approach to recreate the water supply routes. With these established supply routes, I can better understand how water was moved within a city, and what types of buildings and features consumed...

Saudi citizen kidnapped in Beirut, Lebanese officials say

A Saudi Arabian citizen has been kidnapped in Beirut but the motive for the abduction was not immediately clear, Lebanon's Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi and security officials said on Monday. The kidnapped man works for Saudi national airline Saudia and the kidnappers demanded a $400,000 ransom, state-run Saudi TV station Al-Ekhbariya reported. ...

Expo Culinaire kicks off at Expo Centre Sharjah

SHARJAH, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- The fifth edition of Expo Culinaire, a premier event in the gastronomy sector, launched today at Expo Centre Sharjah.Organised by Purple Kitchen Events and supported by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the Expo has drawn the attention of the global culinary community as over 2,000 chefs and 200 exhibitors from various facets of the industry – cooking, diverse international cuisines, hospitality,...

Man jailed for 8 years for attempted murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to eight years in prison with hard labour after convicting him of attempting to murder a man in Amman in September 2020.The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of attempted murder on September 17 and handed him a 12-year prison term.However, the court reduced the sentence to eight years because the victim dropped charges against the defendant.Court...

New lane to open at exit from major Sharjah road to tackle heavy traffic

An extra lane has been added to a road in Sharjah to ease congestion for motorists driving to the emirate from Dubai. The 600-metre stretch at an exit from Al Ittihad Road was added by the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority. The widening at Al Khan means there are now two exit lanes to improve traffic flow. It was previously only one lane and pr...

Environment minister picked COP 28 Advisory Committee member

Amman, May 29 (Petra) - Presidency of 22023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28), which is scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates, picked Minister of Environment, Muawieh Radaideh, as a key member of its Advisory Committee. In a statement on Monday, Radaideh said Jordan's confidence is "high" in the UAE "advanced" capabilities and qualified human assets to host this "important" international conference, adding that the...

Lonely 'Russian spy whale' reappears in Sweden

A harnessed Beluga whale that first turned up in Norway in 2019, sparking speculation it was a spy trained by the Russian navy, has appeared off Sweden's coast, an organisation following him said on Monday. After it was discovered in Norway's far northern region of Finnmark, the whale spent more than three years slowly moving down the top half of t...

Man dead, child missing as flash floods hit parts of Jordan

AMMAN — Security personnel found the body of a man in his 30s who was swept away in flash floods while in his vehicle in the Al Shammia area in northern Aqaba late on Sunday night. Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Aqaba Governor Khaled Hajaj on Monday said that a search and rescue team had been formed last night to locate the young man. The team found the young man's body in the early hours of Monday, Hajaj said.The floods, triggered...

Jordan, Algeria talk cooperation in women's issues, social development

Amman, May 29 (Petra) -- Jordan's social development minister and the Algerian ambassador in Amman Monday discussed cooperation between the two countries' social development ministries in women's issues and social development. Jordan's Minister of Social Development, Wafa Bani Mustafa, discussed Jordan's efforts in social protection and the "importance" of exchanging expertise and experiences between the two countries in policies, strategies and...

Poland imposes sanctions on 365 Belarusians

Amman, May 29 (Petra) -- The Polish government Monday announced imposing sanctions on 365 Belarusians and freezing the assets of 20 companies and 16 people linked to Moscow. According to the Polish News Agency, the Foreign Ministrystated that according to the sanctions, the 365 Belarusians would be barred from entering the "Schengen" area, noting the sanctions are a response to the ruling of the Belarusian Supreme Court in the case of the...

Drug dealer sentenced to over 3 years in jail

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a September State Security Court (SSC) ruling, sentencing a drug dealer to over three years in prison after convicting him of selling illegal narcotics to an undercover agent in Amman in January 2022.The court declared the defendant guilty of obtaining crystal meth, an illegal narcotic, with the intent of selling the drug to an undercover agent in the Muqablein area on January 7, 2022. The defendant was...

China throws down the gauntlet: lifted off C919, first domestically produced plane

The C919, China's first domestically produced passenger aircraft, made its maiden flight today, taking off from Shanghai Airport and heading for the capital Beijing. The 164-seat aircraft was built to break the dominance of single-aisle jets from Airbus and Boeing, but still relies on Western components, including engines and avionics. Despite this, Comac, the manufacturer, already has over 1,200 orders, but some experts suggest that most of these orders are just letters of intent from domestic customers.

Headed to Marrakesh? Here's what you shouldn't miss!

Palestinian health delegation visits Jordanian field hospital in Gaza

Amman, May 29 (Petra)-- A delegation from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, headed by Director of International Cooperation, Marwan Abu Saada, on Monday visited Jordanian field hospital, "Gaza/74." During the visit, Abu Saada lauded Jordan's "honorable" positions, represented by the "remarkable" efforts made by His Majesty King Abdullah II in support of the people in the Gaza Strip. He also commended level of the hospitals' "distinguished"...

U23 AFCON: Four Moroccan Referees Selected by CAF

Casablanca - Four Moroccan referees have been selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate at the Under-23 African Cup of Nations (U23 AFCON), scheduled for June 24 to July 8, 2023 in Morocco. According to a statement by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), published on its website, the four Moroccan referees selected by CAF are Jalal Jayed as main referee, Hamza Naciri and Abdessamad Abertoun as assistant...

Germany marks 30 years since racist arson attack on Turkish family

Germany on Monday commemorated the 30th anniversary of a racist arson attack which claimed the lives of five members of a Turkish family. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the incident as an act of right-wing terrorism. Turkey meanwhile said it was concerned by a growing trend of “racism, xenophobia and hatred against Islam” three decades...

Al-Samaani: Saudi judiciary guarantees rights of all

Saudi Gazette reportRIYADH — Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani affirmed that judiciary in Saudi Arabia enjoys all the guarantees that preserve rights of all members of the society, in a way achieving social justice and reassurance.Addressing a meeting with the heads of criminal courts here on Sunday, the minister emphasized that the system to improve the judiciary that was extended to all its sectors over the past few years in all justice...

Briton dies in Greece 'after being struck by lightning on paddleboard'

An investigation has been launched into the death of a British man amid reports he was struck by lightning while paddleboarding in Greece. The man, 26, was in the sea off the beach in Agia Agathi, Rhodes, as his girlfriend filmed him from the beach, according to local media. The Port Authority of Rhodes confirmed to PA his age and nationality, but ...

Social media replaces gatherings at candidates’ election headquarters

By Ghadeer Ghloum KUWAIT: Social media has drastically transformed the way Kuwaiti candidates interact with their constituents during elections. In the past, candidates would hold gatherings at their headquarters to spread their message and pick up support. However, candidates have now shifted their focus to social media to reach a wider audience due to the growing popularity of these platforms among Kuwaitis.To learn more about the impact of...

The beginning of collapse

Dr Khalid A Al-SalehThere is no doubt that the United States succeeded in spreading its culture, through military power, of which it has much, and through soft power such as cinema, fast food, journalism and media. The American civilization is not the first that has dominated the world’s cultures and will not be the last, as many civilizations came around. History mentions some of them but not most.American historians and intellectuals were...

James Cleverly to visit Nato's eastern flank on two-stop visit to Europe

Britain's Foreign Secretary is to visit Nato’s “eastern flank” during a two-stop trip to Europe to meet the country’s military partners. James Cleverly will arrive in Estonia on Tuesday to meet members of the government and UK military personnel. On Wednesday he will fly to Norway for a meeting of Nato foreign ministers, with the war in Ukraine set...

Abu Dhabi University concludes 4th ADU-ASU Research Forum 2023

ABU DHABI, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- Building on the success of the three previous editions, Abu Dhabi University’s (ADU) College of Engineering (CoE) hosted the 4th ADU-ASU Research Forum 2023, under the theme of “Concrete in Hot Weather: Building for Tomorrow, Innovations in Sustainable Design and 3D Printing for Smart Construction”, in collaboration with School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University...

10th Jordanian evacuation plane from Sudan arrives at Marka Military Airport

AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry on Monday announced the arrival of the 10th Royal Jordanian Air Force evacuation plane from Sudan at Marka Military Airport. The plane was dispatched to Port Sudan New International Airport in line with the Royal directive to ensure the safe return of Jordanian citizens from Sudan and facilitate the evacuation of non-Jordanian nationals. A total of 69 individuals were onboard, including 13 Jordanian citizens and 56...

Qatar condemns attack on peacekeeping forces in Somalia

Qatar has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attack that targeted the Ugandan peacekeepers participating in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which resulted in deaths.In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar's firm stance rejecting violence and terrorism, regardless of the motives and reasons.The ministry expressed Qatar's condolences to the families of the victims...

Sultan bin Ahmed witnesses opening of 4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage

SHARJAH, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, witnessed on Monday, the inauguration of the 4th Arab Forum for Cultural Heritage (2023), organised by The Regional Office for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ICCROM-Sharjah), in cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) and Sharjah Institute for Heritage, at ICCROM's headquarters'...

Egyptian faces life-threatening deportation from UK

An Egyptian engineer with a rare medical condition is battling a life-threatening deportation back to his home country where there is no treatment available, his lawyer has said. Youssef Mikhaeil is currently being held in an immigration removal centre in Scotland and the Home Office has told him a ticket has been booked for him to fly to Cairo on ...

Indian envoy urges removing obstacles faced by engineers

KUWAIT: Kuwait Society of Engineers (KSE) and the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Dr Adarsh Swaika agreed to expand the number of the India-based accreditation bodies recognized by Kuwait. KSE said it will be planning a future visit to India to look into organizations that conform with international standards for the engineering profession.The agreement came following a meeting between the Head of KSE Faisal Al-Atal and the Indian Ambassador where...

Safadi phones Romanian, Kazakh counterparts

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi on Monday telephoned Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu to discuss developments in bilateral relations.Safadi referred to the increased cooperation between the two countries in several vital sectors, particularly the 58 per cent growth in commercial exchange recorded in 2022, a Foreign Ministry statement said.Both ministers explored ways to move relations towards...

Sharjah Police's Supreme Command Committee reviews plans to enhance security performance

SHARJAH, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- Major General Saif Al Zari Al-Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, chaired on Monday a meeting of the Fifth Supreme Command Committee for the year 2023, at the Art For All Centre- Falaj.The meeting was attended by the Directors General and members of the Permanent Supreme Committee.The meeting reviewed a number of the points on its agenda and provided the most significant recommendations that improve the...

Dibba Al Hisn Cultural Centre resumes Dual Theater Festival

SHARJAH, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- The Cultural Centre in Dibba Al Hisn resumed the sixth session of the "Dual Theatre Festival" activities on 28th May at the "Dual Theater Festival" held by the Theatre Department of the Department of Culture.The activities of the third day of the festival began with the closing session of the " Sharjah Forum for Arab Theatre 18", in which the Moroccan artist, Rasheed Broumi, spoke about ways to use music in Arab...

Georgian ambassador affirms Kingdom’s role in peace and stability

AMMAN — Georgia's Ambassador to Jordan Zaza Kandelaki on Monday stressed the key role that Jordan plays, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, in achieving peace and stability in the region.At a press conference celebrating Georgia's national day, Kandelaki noted that both countries are "eager" to maintain their "outstanding" relations, and collaborate and build upon previous accomplishments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported....

CCQ marks 50th anniversary of Qatari Theatre establishment

Tribune News NetworkDohaTo mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Qatari Theatre, the Theatre Arts programme at Community College Qatar (CCQ) organised a symposium titled ‘Drama and History’. The event was attended by CCQ President Dr Khalid Mohamed Al-Horr, Dean of the Liberal Arts Division Dr Mustafa Al-Khawaldeh, a group of specialists and several students of the college.Dr Marzouq Bashir, PhD in media and theatre, theatre artist...

Headed to Clermont-Ferrand? Don't miss these unforgettable attractions

Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with a population of 146,734. Its metropolitan area had 504,157 inhabitants at the 2018 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department. Olivier Bianchi is its current mayor. In Clermont-Ferrand you will find some beautiful attractions that you just can...

UAE participates in Czech Republic Defence Industry Exhibition

PRAGUE, 29th May, 2023 (WAM) -- A group of UAE defence sector companies participated in the International Defence and Security Technologies Fair, which was being held in the Czech Republic, on the sidelines of the visit of a high-level delegation headed by Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State, to the country, with the aim of expanding bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various areas of common interest.The participation of the UAE...

Al-Rajhi: No Saudization required at special economic zones

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi announced that exemption from implementing Saudization requirement is one of the incentives offered at the special economic zones in the Kingdom. “This is one of the incentives that were designed to ensure competitiveness and flexibility as far as global investors are concerned,” he said.Addressing the Saudi Special Economic Zones Investment Forum...

Four NGOs to monitor elections

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The Cabinet on Monday agreed to allow four local civil societies to monitor the June 6 general elections, Minister of Social Affairs Mai Al-Baghli said after the council’s weekly meeting. She said Kuwait Journalists Association, Kuwait Transparency Society, Kuwait Integration Society and the Society for Follow Up of Parliament Work have been allowed to take part in “supervising the election process”. The minister said the...

Iran’s Khamenei receives visiting Oman Sultan to push ties

Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held talks on Monday with the visiting Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al-Said, as the latter embarks on his first visit to the Islamic Republic since taking the throne.Looking forward to more progress in relations within the Islamic world, Iran’s supreme leader told the Omani ruler that bilateral relations are “deep-rooted and exemplary,” while closer ties would bode well for both nations,...

Issawi attends veterans’ ceremony for Independence Day, upcoming Royal wedding

AMMAN — Royal Court Chief Yousef Issawi on Monday attended a ceremony organised by the Economic and Social Association of Retired Servicemen and Veterans (ESARSV), marking the Kingdom's 77th Independence Day and the upcoming wedding of HRH Crown Prince Hussein.During the ceremony, ESARSV Director-General retired Maj. Gen. Ismail Shobaki emphasised the significance of the Independence Day, the Great Arab Revolt and Army Day.He also noted how the...