Day: May 11, 2023

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of inflation, edged up 3.71 percent in the first four months of 2023, reaching 108.47 points against 104.58 in the same period of 2022. According to a monthly report issued by the Department of Statistics (DoS) on Thursday, the biggest drivers of the increase were fuels and lighting, rents, transportation, dairy and eggs, and health, each contributing 23.33pct, 5.17pct, 3.32pct, 8.84pct, and 6.58pct, respectively. Last April, inflation increased by 2.93 percent to 109.09 points compared to 105.99 points recorded in the same month of 2022, the figures showed. In the monthly increase, culture and entertainment had the highest contribution of 9.55 percent. Dairy and eggs followed with 9.19 percent, while healthcare, rent, and transportation contributed 6.22 percent, 5.17 percent, and 3.56 percent, respectively.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The current stage requires issuance of new legislation that keeps pace with developments in the electricity sector, to be then endorsed within the approved constitutional channels, to meet requirements of Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) initiatives for 2023, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, said. Presiding over Energy Partnership Council meeting on Thursday, Kharabsheh affirmed the ministry’s commitment to revisiting the legislation governing the energy sector’s operations, on an “ongoing” basis, to keep pace with the best international practices in this industry. The council’s members discussed the key amendments to the Electricity Law No. (64) of 2002 and their validating reasons, according to an Energy Ministry statement. Kharabsheh also stressed importance of partnership councils to launch joint cooperation to revamp the sector-governing laws, especially updating and developing related legislation, primarily revisiting Electricity Law No. (64) of 2002 and its amendments. The minister indicated that the next stage will witness development of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Law, No. (13) of 2012 and its amendments. For her part, Yara Akash, the Ministry’s Legal Affairs Director, said these amendments aim to define its tasks and powers in drawing up the general policy for Jordan’s electricity sector and related procedures. Akash added that new regulation also seeks to keep pace with global best practices in this sector.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Public Works and Housing and Minister of Transport, Maher Abu Saman, discussed with Fernando Echegaray, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Airport Group (IAG), developments related to future plans of Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA)’s project. According to a ministry statement on Thursday, the two sides discussed IAG’s strategic plans aimed to increase number of passengers and raise the airport’s competitiveness to attract additional airlines. The minister and Echegaray also discussed a slew of QAIA’s operational issues to ensure provision of the “best” services to passengers at the airport, which is the Kingdom’s prime gateway to the world. Abu Saman said the government attaches “utmost” importance to partnership with the private sector to stimulate investment. IAG is the company mandated to manage and operate Queen Alia International Airport.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, Hashemite Commission for Disabled Soldiers (HCDS) President, met Thursday with Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Hiyasat and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, which was attended by HCDS Director General, retired Brig. Gen. Moran Turk, discussions went over ways to launch joint cooperation and coordination to serve interests of the injured servicemen and their families. His Highness stressed importance of HCDS’s role to serve injured personnel and their families by implementing His Majesty King Abdullah II’s directives, by providing the “best” care and rehabilitation services for beneficiaries. For his part, Hiyasat valued HCDS’s “remarkable” role to provide services to injured servicemen, who made sacrifices in serving the Kingdom and preserving its security and stability, and had a “prominent” role in the nation’s construction process. The RJAF delegation were briefed on the nature of the HCDS’s work and its key tasks, achievements and future aspirations. ing their visit, the delegation toured the HCDS’s departments, expressing admiration for the level of its services

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Amman-based Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) and WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance joint cooperation in the public health field. In a press statement, EMPHNET said the memo establishes a framework for joint cooperation to enhance their efforts in the field of public health systems and address emerging health threats in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Under the MoU, EMPHNET and WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean will work to support public health programs in various fields, primarily communicable and noncommunicable diseases, health protection and promotion, and emergency management, to support meeting the region’s health needs. The two sides will also partner to carry out capacity building for public health workers, implement institutional development programmes, cooperate in research and development projects and exchange expertise and resources, to serve the region’s health systems. The MoU is an “important” step to strengthen regional cooperation, build partnerships to promote public health, support countries in Eastern Mediterranean Region, and enable its citizens to live in health and well-being, the statement said.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said rumors about a gas leak in the port city of Aqaba lack a proven origin and was not detected by monitoring stations, stressing that work is underway by follow-up teams “around the clock” via aerial surveillance. In a statement, ASEZA’s official spokesperson, Fayez Fayez, said a report was received from civil defense at 10:15am Thursday, stating that gas smell was felt in multiple locations in the city of unknown origin, and cases of panic were reported in Aqaba Secondary Comprehensive School and Hashemite School. Coordination was launched with Aqaba Civil Defense Directorate and the governorate to conduct an “immediate” field survey in all the city’s areas and follow up the instantaneous readings of gaseous pollutants through fixed and mobile surveillance stations, he said. Fayez also affirmed survey readings are “normal and within the permissible limits according to Jordanian Standard No. 1140/2006,” and showed smell in the city’s atmosphere does not have any source inside the port governorate. Based on the health data, a number of traumatized people were admitted to hospitals and the necessary measures were taken and all cases were discharged in “good” health. Fayez affirmed contact was made with the competent authorities in Aqaba and with concerned counterparts in the city of Eilat, which is adjacent to Aqaba, to detect any sources of gas leakage from its side, as the wind direction was southwest.

Source: Jordan News Agency