Day: May 5, 2024

Sunday’s newspapers focused on World Press Freedom Day and mobilizing service and relief efforts for those affected by the floods.

Al-Zawraa newspaper, which is published by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, quoted the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Gamal Rashid, the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, the Speaker of the Parliament, Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, and the Head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, President of the Federation of Arab Journalists, Muayad Al-Lami, confirming their full support for consolidating the principle of freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of the media and protection of the journalist’s family.

Rashid said in a post on his account on the ‘X’ platform: ‘On World Press Freedom Day, we affirm our full support for consolidating the principle of freedom of opinion and expression and preparing the requirements for free journalistic and media work committed to professionalism, objectivity, and conveying the true picture, as this is a basic element for protecting the dem
ocratic experience in our country.’

He added: ‘My sincerest congratulations and blessings to journalists in Iraq and the world, and we also remember with reverence the martyrs of opinion and speech and their sacrifices for the sake of upholding the principles of freedom and democracy and achieving the dignity of the nation and its citizens.’

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani stressed that professional journalistic work is a great responsibility and the best support for the government in its executive work.

Al-Sudani said, in his post “In order to carry out their work without restrictions or coercion, based on our constitution, which guarantees public freedoms.’

He added, ‘Professional journalistic work is a great responsibility and the best support for the government in its executive work, which it performs in the service of the people of our country and the prosperity of our country.’

For his part, Acting Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, affirmed the Council
‘s full support for media freedom and the protection of the journalistic family in Iraq.

Al-Mandalawi said in a statement, ‘We extend our highest congratulations and blessings to the Iraqi journalistic family and the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, recalling the great sacrifices of journalists in Iraq, Palestine, and the world who gave their lives in sacrifice for the honest word and in defense of the freedom of their people.’

The head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, President of the Federation of Arab Journalists, Moayad, said in a blog post on the number of martyrs that reached more than 500 journalist martyrs at the hands of blind terrorism and the occupation forces, and among them were those who confronted the terrorist organization ISIS and conveyed the image of their blind darkness and contributed to conveying the courage and sacrifices of the brave Iraqi fighters, members of our military and security forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Peshmerg
a. They sacrificed their lives in order to consolidate the concepts of freedom of opinion, expression, and defense Iraq.

He continued: We also do not forget the martyrs of the press in Palestine, especially the martyrs of beloved Gaza at the hands of the brutal occupation forces. We salute their pure souls and salute their honorable families. Our great support for them will continue in the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate and through the Federation of Arab Journalists, which stood in righteousness with its people in Palestine, and it is a message to the world: Stop the aggression. and the killing of civilians. Greetings to all journalists around the world, from their brothers in Iraq and the Arab countries. Our hearts are together. We will not forget any oppressed person everywhere.

He pointed out that what is coming will be great to support the members of our Iraqi journalistic family in various areas of life. Thank you for every supportive, helpful and supportive stance towards journalists in Iraq and journali
sts around the world.

Regarding the flood wave, Al-Sabah newspaper said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, yesterday, Saturday, directed the continued mobilization of service and relief efforts for those affected by the flood waves.

A statement from his office stated, ‘The Prime Minister chaired a meeting devoted to discussing the effects of the recent rain wave, in the presence of the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Trade, the Mayor of Baghdad, the General Coordinator for Governorate Affairs, the Deputy Director of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, and a number of officials in several ministries.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Amman: Jordan Armed Forces (JAF)- Arab Army on Sunday carried out 5 more airdrops of humanitarian and food aid into a number of sites in the northern Gaza Strip.

The airdrops delivered relief and humanitarian aid to support people in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli war on the strip.

An aircraft from the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), an Egyptian aircraft, two U.S. aircrafts and a German aircraft participated in the airdrop operation.

In a statement, JAF affirmed its continued effort to send air-borne humanitarian and medical aid from Marka Airport to Al-Arish International Airport, or through airdrops into Gaza, or ground aid convoys to help Gaza people overcome the difficult conditions and embody spirit of cooperation and solidarity between the two brotherly peoples.

To date, the JAF conducted a total of 92 airdrops since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and 231 joint airdrops in cooperation with Arab and foreign countries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: The Ministry of Government Communications is organising the Jordan Forum for Media and Digital Communication on May 21 in Amman to celebrate the 25th anniversary of His Majesty King Abdullah II’s Accession to the Throne.

The Ministry Secretary-General Zaid Nawaiseh said in a press briefing, in the Ministry, that the government is organising the Forum to celebrate the silver jubilee of His Majesty assuming his constitutional powers and Jordan’s 78th independence anniversary.

Nawaiseh said the “Forum is an affirmation of Jordan’s active historical role in the region over more than a hundred years and an appreciation of the role of the media in creating the Jordanian scene and its importance in supporting His Majesty the King’s role during the past twenty-five years.”

According to Nawaiseh, international, Arab and local media figures would participate in the forum to enhance dialogue and intellectual exchange between media professionals, discussing issues and challenges facing the Arab media and provid
ing innovative solutions to support professional ethics and media freedom and keep pace with developments in media and digital communication.

The Forum will consist of eight sessions, in which more than thirty Jordanian, Arab and international speakers will participate over two days to discuss topics related to the challenges facing media and communication in light of technological and digital development.

Source: Jordan News Agency

_: Thneibat pointed to the JPMC’s existing partnerships with a number of local and international companies, and their importance in improving the company’s “competitiveness,” its presence in global markets, and attraction of further investments in the field of mining industries.

For his part, the Iraqi minister said his country is looking forward to developing strategic future industries and projects that contribute to activate Iraqi industrial activity, focus on investing in phosphate and the phosphate fertilizer industry, and invest the available resources in this field.

The minister said this visit will establish a “new” phase of bilateral cooperation, create “effective” partnerships between JPMC and Iraqi investors, and benefit from “advanced” Jordanian expertise in this field.

Al-Najm praised the “great” development of Jordan’s phosphate fertilizer industry and the JPMC’s “qualitative” achievements, stressing that Iraq attaches “special” importance to economic cooperation with the Kingdom in various f
ields.

The delegation accompanying the Iraqi minister visited the JPMC’s work sites and the industrial complex in Aqaba to learn about opportunities to benefit from Jordanian expertise in this area.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) Mohammad Thneibat, and the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals, Dr. Khaled Battal Al-Najm, discussed cooperation and coordination mechanisms to enhance joint partnership opportunities in the field of phosphate fertilizer industry.

During the visit made by the Iraqi delegation to the JPMC, the two sides stressed the “depth of historic” Jordanian-Iraqi relations in all fields, and their current “great” development in the areas of economic cooperation to serve common interests, stressing importance of developing and strengthening them, according to a JPMC statement.

To date, Thneibat said the JPMC made “remarkable” steps in the field of phosphate fertilizer manufacturing and realized “advanced” achievements in using modern technology, and now has “accumulated” expertise in mining sector and phosphate fertilizer industry.

Additionally, Thneibat expressed the company’s readiness to harness its “accumulated and rich” exper
tise in phosphate fertilizer industry to support Iraqi side, launch joint “fruitful” partnerships, based on the the two countries’ available investment priviliges and provide Iraq with its needs of Jordanian phosphate fertilizers.

Bilateral cooperation and launch of joint investments in the phosphate fertilizer industry would constitute an addition to the two countries’ “distinguished” relations to exchange “promising” investment opportunities and strengthen their presence in global markets, Thneibat pointed out.

Thneibat also affirmed the company’s plans and operations focus on manufacturing industries for their importance in creating Jordanian investment projects that create job opportunities.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Yousef Shamali, on Sunday decided to set price ceilings on fresh poultry, starting Monday, after the ministry observed an “unjustified” hike during the past few days.

As per the “binding” price cap, fresh chicken will sell at JD2.05 wholesale and at JD2.20 for the consumer, adding that traders could sell at a lower price to stimulate competition in the market and serve the consumer’s interest.

To implement the decision, Shamali directed market observers to intensify monitoring tours on feathered and plucked poultry stores and producers to follow up on compliance with the specified price caps and take the necessary legal measures against violators.

Additionally, the ministry set price ceilings on plucked chicken at JD1.70 per kilo for the consumer, while it is sold at JD1.50Kg in farm and JD1.60Kg for distributors, as of last Friday.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Doha: The decision issued by the Qatari side requiring conformity of Qatari imports on Jordanian leafy crops and other agricultural products “is not a ban on their entry, but rather a normal, annual and precautionary measure,” Ministry of Agriculture said.

In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said it is “concerned” with meeting requirements of importing countries in terms of conformity of Jordanian products to specifications and technical rules.

Within the National Agricultural Strategy, the ministry is working on a national plan to reduce pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits for both the local and foreign markets, the statement pointed out.

Requirements of the Qatari authorities to provide certificates of conformity are a procedure that Jordan is applying for its imports and is working to achieve for Jordan’s exports to European and Arab Gulf markets, the ministry noted.

The ministry added that the Qatari measure is “a precaution taken annually and is reviewed to control agricultural pesticides
in imported plant products to ensure their quality.”

Continuing: “Jordan is a country that imports and exports and takes similar measures to protect human health.”

On Sunday, the Qatari Ministry of Health announced new updates to the requirements and precautionary measures for some imported foodstuffs, adding that import of these items depends on meeting special conditions and procedures, as a precautionary measure to ensure that foods comply with the specifications.

On its official website, the Qatari ministry noted these procedures link import of fresh leafy vegetables from Jordan and Egypt to submission of a conformity certificate issued by one of its approved companies, as a third party for prior inspection of shipments in the country of origin to ensure that pesticide residue limits conform to requirements.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Dead Sea: A specialized session delved into investment prospects between Jordan and Iraq across diverse economic sectors, particularly in mining and industry.

Convened during the Economic Forum for Financial, Industrial, and Commercial Partnerships among Jordan, Iraq, and regional nations, attendees included Investment Minister Kholoud Saqqaf, Iraqi Industry and Minerals Minister Khaled Battal, and Kamel Dulaimi, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Presidency. The session, led by Majid Saadi, Chair of the Iraqi Business Council in Amman, aimed to explore collaborative opportunities.

Saqqaf highlighted investment prospects on the Invest in Jordan platform (invest.jo), aligning with the Economic Modernization Vision. She emphasized the government’s support for investment funds establishment, citing their role in stimulating capital and attracting investors, particularly in lucrative sectors like mining, infrastructure, and tourism.

Battal underscored Iraq’s industrial strategy, ongoing efforts to boost the sector, a
nd plans for a joint economic zone with Jordan. He discussed visa arrangements between the two nations and Iraq’s initiatives to address unemployment and attract foreign investments, especially in mining.

Dulaimi pointed to President Abdul Latif Rashid’s recent visit to Jordan, emphasizing its significance amid regional political shifts. He highlighted discussions aimed at bolstering bilateral ties and enhancing economic systems to facilitate investment projects.

Eid Amjad Sweis, Chairman of the Association of Information and Communications Technology Companies (Intaj), emphasized the forum’s relevance in a time of rapid technological advancements, noting its potential to foster cooperation, create job opportunities, and drive innovation in various sectors.

The forum, inaugurated on Sunday at the King Hussein Convention Center in the Dead Sea, is organized by the Iraqi Business Council in collaboration with Jordan and Amman Chambers of Industry. It serves as a pivotal platform for fostering economic cooper
ation, building partnerships, and envisioning regional economic prosperity and development.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Ramallah: Israeli occupation forces apprehended 25 Palestinians from the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem on Sunday, including a girl, alongside children and former prisoners.

According to a joint statement by the Palestinian Prisoners Society and the Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Authority, the arrests were conducted across various regions, including Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin, Jericho, Qalqilya, Jerusalem, and Tulkarm. Notably, the town of Deir al-Ghusoun witnessed aggression on Saturday, resulting in the killing of several freed prisoners.

The occupying forces reportedly engaged in extensive raids, physical abuse, severe beatings, threats against detainees and their families, deliberate killings, and the destruction of homes.

The statement highlighted that since October 7th, over 8,575 arrests have been made. It emphasized the continuation of systematic arrest campaigns, representing a significant escalation not only in terms of the number of detainees but also regarding the severity of of
fenses perpetrated by the occupation forces.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Amman: The stock exchange in Amman concluded its daily session with a 0.21 percent decrease, settling at a point level of 2360.

Trading on Sunday saw a total of 1.8 million shares exchanged across 2,077 contracts, amounting to approximately JD3 million.

Forty companies experienced declines in their share prices, while sixteen saw increases, and the prices of twenty-five companies remained unchanged.

Source: Jordan News Agency