Day: March 7, 2024

ANKARA: The plan approved today (6 March) by the Israeli authorities for the construction of 3,500 housing units in the West Bank is further expansion of the occupation of the Palestinian territories, said the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Önc Keçeli, in a statement.

“This action must be stopped immediately.” he added.

“In order to prevent Israel from further violating the international law, it is necessary to define its crimes in the most accurate terminology.”

“In this respect, it is not enough for the international community to refer to the occupation activities in the West Bank as “illegal settlements”. What is in question is the forcible confiscation by Israel of land that legally belongs to the Palestinian people,” he noted.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA

The Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra holds a dazzling concert at the Berliner Philharmonie as part of its performances held in participation in ITB Berlin 2024.

The concert was attended by Salim Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, Maitha Saif Al Mahrouqi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Source: Oman News Agency

BEIJIN: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described on Thursday the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip as a “disgrace to civilization,” reiterating China’s calls for an “immediate ceasefire.”

‘The failure to end this humanitarian disaster today, in the 21st century, is a tragedy for humanity and disgrace for civilization,” he regretted.

China has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza since the war began on October 7 last year, and is one of the countries that supports the two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“Nothing justifies the protraction of the conflict or the killing of the civilian population,’ Wang added, calling on the international community to act ‘immediately’ to achieve a cease-fire.

The foreign minister said the Palestinian people have the right to live in the world.

Restoring justice to the Palestinian people and fully implementing the two-state solution is the only way to break the vicious circle of Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, Wang said.

“We support Palestine’
s full membership in the UN, and urge certain UN Security Council member to stop laying obstacles to that end,” Wang said, adding that China calls for a more broad-based, more authoritative, and more effective international peace conference to work out a timetable and road map for the two-state solution.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA

The Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra holds a dazzling concert at the Berliner Philharmonie as part of its performances held in participation in ITB Berlin 2024.

The concert was attended by Salim Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, Maitha Saif Al Mahrouqi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Source: Oman News Agency

Minister of Education Reda Hegazy, and the German Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Cultural Affairs and Education Abroad Ralph Beste signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance cooperation in the field of pre-university education.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, Frank Hartmann, Ambassador of the Republic of Germany in Cairo, and his accompanying delegation witnessed the signing of the memorandum.

The memorandum of understanding included providing methodological educational support from the German side through the Goethe Institute and the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad, and determining educational quality standards and curriculum specifications by an Egyptian-German advisory council in accordance with Egyptian and German quality standards and educational concepts.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

NABLUS: A Palestinian young man has Wednesday evening died due to the wounds he sustained during an Israeli occupation forces’ raid into the village of Burin, south of Nablus, last Monday.

Medical sources at Rafidia Governmental Hospital said Mohammad Mahmoud Raja Eid, 19, died after he was shot in the chest by live occupation bullets.

Eid was hit by live bullets in the chest during the confrontations in the said village, while Amr Mohammad Najjar, 10, was killed after being shot by a bullet in the head.

Another youth sustained a deep wound in the head after Israeli forces severely beat him.

With the killing of Eid, the number of slain Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the comprehensive Israeli aggression against Palestinian people on October 7th rises to 424, according to data issued by the Ministry of Health.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA

The Midor refinery’s expansion project is a significant contributor to the Egyptian economy, involving a substantial investment of $2.7 billion. This endeavor enhances the annual output capacity of petroleum products by an impressive 3 million tons.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla, shared this information while conducting an inspection tour to Alexandria alongside Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

El Molla further disclosed that the project aims to boost the production of petroleum products by augmenting the current refining capacity from 100,000 to 160,000 barrels per day.

This increase is projected to raise production levels by up to 60 percent. Once completed, the total production capacity of the refinery is expected to reach approximately 7.6 million tons annually.

In recent developments, Madbouly visited the artificial silk and polyester factory in Kafr El Dawar and is presently route to the Alexandria port to oversee the release of goods.

Madbouly highlighted that Egypt i
mports a significant amount of polyester, with an annual value close to $800 million.

Furthermore, he inspected the Tahya Misr multi-purpose station, specifically platforms 55-62, as part of Egypt’s port development efforts. This initiative aims to bolster Egypt’s position as a global trade hub and maximize the benefits derived from its strategic geographical location.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

Amman: Following the deposit of its document of membership to the North Atlantic Treaty with the US government in Washington, DC, Sweden became the newest member of NATO on Thursday, March 7, 2024. NATO currently has 32 nations as members as a result of Sweden’s entry.

“Today is a historic day,” stated Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. Sweden will now occupy its proper seat at the NATO table and have an equal voice in determining the organization’s policies and choices.

Source: Jordan News Agency

As part of Egypt’s efforts to strengthen its position as a global trade hub, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly conducted an inspection of the Tahya Misr multi-purpose station, specifically platforms 55-62. This initiative aims to develop Egypt’s ports and maximize the benefits of its strategic geographical location.

Minister of Transportation Kamel Al Wazir highlighted the ongoing project in Alexandria Port, which involves the establishment of a versatile terminal on Berth 100 in Dekheila Port. The objective is to enhance container and cargo handling capacity.

Al Wazir emphasized Egypt’s unique position on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, underscoring the importance of the Suez Canal as a vital global shipping route. The Ministry of Transport has been actively implementing strategic objectives, including the creation of seven integrated international logistical corridors.

These corridors facilitate efficient and secure transportation between production areas and seaports.

In recent developments, Prime Min
ister Madbouly inspected the artificial silk and polyester factory in Kafr El Dawar before heading to Alexandria port to oversee the release of goods.

He also noted that Egypt’s annual import of polyester amounts to approximately $800 million.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

Amman: As part of the international efforts made by Jordan to mitigate effects of the bloody war on Gaza Strip and under Royal directives, Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF)- Arab Army on Thursday carried out 9 airdrops, in partnership with Arab and friendly countries targeting a number of sites in northern Gaza.

Aircrafts from Egypt, the United States, France, the Netherlands and Belgium participated in carrying out the operation with Royal Jordanian Air Force, according to a JAF statement.

This step comes within the ongoing Jordanian efforts to send more medical, relief and food aid to people in Gaza, aimed to alleviate effects of the war and compensate the severe shortage of food and medicine triggered by the continuing Israeli war on the coastal enclave, the statement said.

The JAF affirms continued operations to send aid via an air bridge to deliver humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza, through aid planes dispatched from Marka Airport towards El Arish International Airport, or through airdrops on the strip,
or ground aid convoys.

Since beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the JAF carried out 29 Jordanian airdrops, 23 airdrop operations carried out by JAF, in cooperation with Arab and friendly countries.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The ambassadors of Italy, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Japan, Great Britain and the United States in Egypt issued a joint statement on Wednesday, March 7, 2024, welcoming Egypt’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Italian Embassy in Egypt issued a statement saying, “We, the ambassadors of Italy, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, welcome the agreement between Egypt and the International Monetary Fund. This is an important step towards guaranteeing economic stability and growth at all levels”.

Source: State Information Service Egypt

Amman: Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of State for Public Sector Modernization, Nasser Shraideh, said approval of the Kingdom’s new Human Resources Bylaw that will govern work of Jordan’s public sector is “imminent,” stressing that performance and efficiency have become the rule.

Shraideh made the remarks Thursday at the graduation ceremony of the participants in Government Leadership Qualification Program, which is run by Government Leadership Center at Institute of Public Administration, in presence of Interior Minister, Mazen Faraya, Director of Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Roxane Weber, and Italian Ambassador, Luciano Pizzuti.

Shraideh said the program, funded by Italian government through AICS and implemented by European Public Law Organization (EPLO), is considered a “new beginning,” adding that work is underway to develop it in the coming stages to contribute to achieve the desired goals and create more human resources leaders in Jordan’s public sector.

T
he minister also affirmed seriousness of changing performance in the Kingdom’s public sector to be “more effective and adequate” in serving the citizen.

“The public sector aims to provide the best services to citizens, which requires a different approach to work,” he said, stressing that the Institute of Public Administration has begun to witness development to serve this basic goal, aimed to qualify Jordan’s human resources to keep pace with global developments in various fields.

Middle management, he affirmed, will receive the required attention and multiple related standards and requirements will be reformulated and dealt with more firmly for its importance for public work.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, held a meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Jose Angel Miranda, and Dr. Martha Ayala Avila, Director of the CIGB Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, as part of his visit to Cuba.

The minister’s visit to Cuba comes within the framework of discussing areas of joint cooperation, especially in the field of basic care, as the Cuban basic care system is considered one of the best primary care systems in the world.

Official spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, explained that the minister discussed with Dr. Martha and center officials opportunities for cooperation in the field of biotechnology and the manufacture of vaccines and pharmaceutical preparations.

Source: State Information Service Egypt