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AQABA — The National Goodwill Campaign held a free medical day in Aqaba on Sunday, benefiting more than 500 people who are not covered by health insurance.

Some 26 patients were referred to hospitals for further checkups during the event, which was organised in cooperation with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, the Aqaba Development Corporation and Orange Jordan.

Abdul Salam Abbadi, deputy president of the campaign’s higher committee, checked on the clinics and the mobile pharmacy.

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday agreed on the ministerial appointment committee’s recommendation to name Anmar Khasawneh as secretary general of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.

The panel members interviewed five candidates for the post before deciding to recommend Khasawneh.

AMMAN —The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs is scheduled to organise a major celebration on the occasion of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday at the Grand Conferences Hall in King Abdullah I Mosque on Monday.

Several religious figures will speak at the event, to be held under Royal patronage in cooperation with the National Committee for Celebrating Islamic Occasions.

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hassan on Sunday wished the Muslim nation well on the anniversary of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, calling for peace and reconciliation.

In an article written on the occasion, the prince urged Muslims to put their disputes aside and extend a helping hand to each other, citing verses from the Koran and the prophet’s sayings on the need for Muslims to spread tolerance and peace.

AMMAN — The Kitab and Sunna Society distributed 65 food parcels to underprivileged families in Ajloun’s Kufranjah District on Saturday.

Also in Ajloun, the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation distributed aid to 150 Syrian families.

Moreover, Al Gharaa-Amman Charity Society, in cooperation with a team of Chinese Muslims, presented financial and material assistance to 200 Syrian and Jordanian families in Kufranjah.

AMMAN — Jordan and the EU will sign grant agreements worth 40 million euros on Monday to help the government and host communities deal with the consequences of hosting Syrian refugees, according to a statement issued by the EU mission in Jordan.

 Under the first agreement, to be signed by EU Ambassador to Jordan Joanna Wronecka, Planning Minister Ibrahim Saif and Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat, a total of 30 million euros will help the Education Ministry extend its services to 85,000 Syrian students enrolled at public schools in host communities, while covering the costs of hiring 2,400 extra teachers and printing 80,000 additional textbooks and distributing them to the Syrian students.

The second 10 million-euro agreement will be used for a project to improve sewage networks, to be implemented by the Water Authority of Jordan in cooperation with the German Development Bank.

AMMAN — The Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) on Saturday agreed to grant its workers a production allowance and increase their basic salary during a meeting with representatives of its employees.

In a statement, the company said the agreement was reached in recognition of its workers’ efforts to serve the JPMC and the national economy.

Under the agreement, the company will grant employees who were working on December 30, 2013 a JD500 allowance, while those who were appointed as of January 2014 will receive a JD10 increase on their basic salaries.

The JPMC called on its employees who have been on strike to go back to work and try to make up for the losses incurred by the company or it will annul the agreement.

AMMAN — The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean on Saturday held a meeting in Amman to prepare for the union’s general assembly meeting in February at the Dead Sea.

Assembly President and Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh underlined the importance of fostering cooperation between members of the group, particularly in supporting human rights, women, democracy and security issues.

He noted that the peace process is going through a “delicate” stage, which requires more international and regional efforts to bring about a comprehensive solution.

He called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards Jordan to enable it to continue providing humanitarian services to Syrians.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Saturday appointed Sami Daoud as the Prime Ministry secretary.

CAIRO — Egypt on Saturday thanked Jordan for its support.

During a meeting with Interior Minister Hussein Majali in Cairo, Egypt’s Army Chief, First Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Gen. Abdel Fatah Al Sisi lauded the Kingdom’s pan-Arab stances.

Discussions focused on bilateral ties and the latest regional developments.

During his brief visit to Egypt, Majali also met with his Egyptian counterpart Mohammad Ibrahim and discussed common security threats facing the region as well as police and anti-terrorism cooperation.