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AMMAN — The Income and Sales Tax Department on Wednesday said that the new tax on medicines will come into effect as of Sunday, unlike other commodities that applied the new taxes on Wednesday, as prices of medicines need to be updated with stakeholders, according to department spokesperson Mousa Tarawneh.  

AMMAN — First Deputy Speaker of the Lower House Khamees Atiyeh on Wednesday stressed that no one will be allowed to "touch" the Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem's holy sites.

The remarks came during the 13th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Member States held in Iran, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Headin the delegation, Atiyeh said that the Hashemite Custodianship of the holy places in Jerusalem enhance the steadfastness of Jerusalemites, calling on the Arab and Muslim countries to rally behind it.

He highlighted the importance of the meeting as the region is facing exceptional challenges.

He said that the Palestinian cause lies at the hearts of Arabs and Muslims, especially after the US President Donald Trump's illegal decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The MP described the move as a "war against the international legitimacy, the international law and the UN and the crime of the century".

He said that "the US is biased towards Israel and is providing protection to the Zionist entity with the support it gave to the military occupation of Palestinian territories.

The lawmaker said that Trump's decision "resembled" Balfour Declaration of 1917.

However, the world has rejected the decision at the UN and considered it as "null and void", he added.

AMMAN — Jordan and Algeria on Wednesday signed in Algiers the minutes of the Jordanian-Algerian Joint Committee's eighth session, and signed seven cooperation documents in the industrial, mines, trade, public housing, transportation, youth and sports, and cultural sectors.

Both countries signed agreements and memoranda of understanding in the fields of consumer protection, combat of fraud, control of goods and services, industrial zones, health, roads and bridges and shipping.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah and Algerian Minister for Industry and Mines Youcef Yousfi signed the minutes and documents, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Qudah expressed the Kingdom's interest in enhancing economic cooperation with Algeria in light of available opportunities in both countries, especially that Algeria can be a "gateway" for African markets and Jordan a "gateway" for Iraqi and Syrian markets after reconstruction.

The committee called for intensifying commercial delegations and businesspeople meetings, as well as continuing the exchange of regulations that organise imports and exports and updating the other side with any amendment to them.

During the meetings, both sides agreed on enhancing cooperation and expertise in the industrial estate sector, through benefiting from the Jordanian expertise in establishing and developing industrial zones.

The Jordanian delegates acquainted the Algerian officials with the Kingdom's intention of receiving Algerian experts in March to discuss ways of cooperation and partnership in oil exploration in Jordan, providing the Kingdom with liquefied gas and exchanging expertise in transporting fuel derivatives through pipelines. 

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in monitoring and inspecting ships that dock at both countries' ports, in addition to exchanging information on maritime safety and security and addressing maritime pollution. 

AMMAN — As of Thursday, January 18, 2018, Royal Jordanian will start implementing the additional security measures required in October 2017 by the US authorities for US-bound flights, according to a statement from the national carrier Wednesday.

The additional security measures — which include security interviews with every passenger at check-in or the boarding gate — are applicable on all international airlines operating direct flights to the US, and include all nationalities flying to the US, with no exception, the statement said.

While they were required in October 26, 2017, the US authorities granted all airlines the option of delaying the implementation process for a limited period of time.

RJ passengers are still required to be at the airport 3 hours prior to their scheduled US-bound flights, in order to avoid delays and allow more time for the implementation of the new security procedures.

Royal Jordanian currently operates 11 weekly flights to the US: five to Chicago, four to New York and two to Detroit, with a connection in Montreal, according to the statement.   

AMMAN — Jordan’s new ambassador to Turkey, Ismail Rifai, on Tuesday presented his credentials to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a reception at the White Palace in Ankara, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Wednesday.

Ismail conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah’s greetings to President Erdogan, wishing him and the Turkish people prosperity and success.

For his part, the Turkish president conveyed his greetings to the King and praised the depth of the relations between the two countries, stressing his keenness to develop these ties, especially at the political and economic levels.

AMMAN — Lower House First Deputy Speaker Khamis Atiyeh on Wednesday met with Speaker of Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani and highlighted the importance of enhancing joint Islamic parliamentary action to serve Islamic issues, mainly the Palestinian cause.

During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 13th session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) currently hosted by Tehran, Attiyeh called for joining Islamic efforts to face the US decision to relocate Washington’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In a separate meeting, Duma member Sergei Gavrilov and Attiyeh went over the latest developments in Syria, where the Russian MP expressed his country’s interest to coordinate stances on Syria.

Gavrilov expressed Moscow’s appreciation for Jordan’s stances and His Majesty King Abdullah’s endeavours to realise peace in the Middle East, Petra added. 

AMMAN — A source at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said on Wednesday that the Eastern Military Zone foiled an alleged infiltration attempt by four people, who were trying to cross from Syria into the Jordanian territory on Tuesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

According to the military source, the authorities applied the rules of engagement, leading to the death of one and the retreat of the three others to Syria.

AMMAN — One Syrian died and 37 were injured in a traffic accident in involving a public transport bus and a truck on the Zarqa-Mafraq highway on Wednesday.

The Civil Defence Department (CDD) personnel in Mafraq and Zarqa administered first aid to the injured, before transferring them, along with the body of the deceased, to the Zarqa Public Hospital and Prince Hashem Military Hospital, according to a CDD statement.

Zarqa Public Hospital Director Mahmoud Zureikat said that six injured military officers were transferred to Prince Hashem Military Hospital where they were reported to be in fair and stable condition.

Three injured were reported to be in a serious condition. Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab and Director General of the Civil Defence Department (CDD) Maj. Gen. Mustafa Bazaiah and Mayors of Zarqa and Mafraq visited the hospitals to check on the injured. 

AMMAN — Since its launch in 2011, the Governorate Development Fund (GDF) has supported around 126 industry and service projects, with a funding volume of around JD71 million, according to a report released on Sunday.

The total volume of investment of GDF, which is affiliated with the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation, reached JD150 million, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Once accomplished, the projects are expected to generate 4, 441 jobs in all governorates. In 2017, GDF received 116 enterprise applications from Irbid, Jerash, Karak, Madaba, Tafileh and Maan. 

AMMAN — The Council of Ministers has approved a plan to establish the first educational waqf (endowment), upon a recommendation by ministers of education, awqaf and finance, with the aim of urging the local community to support the educational sector, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Wednesday.

The endowment, the first of its kind for the Education Ministry, would help the ministry secure school buildings and carry out maintenance through urging citizens to allocate endowments of movable and immovable assets in favour of building schools.

The first endowment will be implemented on a 10-dunum plot of land with a cost of JD1 million to be paid by the Awqaf Ministry's endowment programme.

Once the project is completed, it will be delivered to the Education Ministry, Petra said, quoting a Cabinet statement.

The education and Awqaf ministries had earlier launched the “Educational endowment and social partnerships” initiative, with the aim of encouraging citizens’ donations for educational purposes.

The initiative aims at encouraging support for the Education Ministry to help it improve the educational environment through building schools, kindergartens and extra classrooms, as well as implementing maintenance works, contributing to school stationery and food programmes, covering costs of printing books and completing a Royal initiative to heat schools.  

The Education Ministry counts a lot on national efforts, whether by individuals or institutions, the statement said, to help meet the necessary requirements of the proper educational environment, especially under the significant increase in the number of students and inability to accommodate students transferring from private schools.

The ministry said that a 10-year plan it has devised entails building 600 new schools, school facilities, additional classrooms, kindergartens and laboratories, as well as carrying out necessary maintenance to existing facilities.