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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday sent a cable to Guinean President Alpha Condé to congratulate him on his re-election.

In the cable, the King wished Condé and the Guinean people further prosperity, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. His Majesty also expressed his keenness on enhancing bilateral ties.

AMMAN — First Lady of Gabon Sylvia Bongo Ondimba on Monday visited the King Hussein Cancer Centre and had a firsthand look at the services the facility presents.

HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the board of trustees of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), met with the first lady and reviewed the services provided by the centre and foundation in treatment, prevention and awareness, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. HH Princess Dina, director of the KHCF, also attended the meeting.

AMMAN — HH Princess Dina Mired, director of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, on Monday attended the closing ceremony of the October campaign to raise awareness on breast cancer held by the Jordan Breast Cancer Programme (JBCP).

Princess Dina, also the honorary chairperson of JBCP, said the programme places women’s health as a top priority, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. JBCP Director Nisrin Qatamesh said the programme follows a comprehensive approach of partnership with all relevant sectors, according to Petra.

AMMAN — The National Union Party, Homeland (Watan) and Mubadara blocs have provided the Lower House’s General Secretariat with the documents necessary for their establishment in Parliament’s third ordinary session, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Monday.

The National Union Party bloc comprises 17 MPs, while Homeland (Watan) comprises 16 and Mubadara has 19 members.

AMMAN — Royal Jordanian (RJ) on Monday celebrated its 52nd anniversary. The airline launched its operations as Jordan’s national carrier on December 15, 1963, according to an RJ statement.

RJ President/CEO Captain Suleiman Obeidat voiced the airline’s appreciation of the government’s support and expressed satisfaction with the financial results registered in the first nine months of this year, which saw a pre-tax net profit of JD27 million, marking an increase of 272 per cent over the same period last year.

Obeidat pointed out that the airline started operating flights to three new destinations this year, Najaf, Tabuk and Ankara, raising the number of RJ destinations to 55.

AMMAN — The Greater Irbid Municipality has designated Tuesday as a day for only women and children at the King Abdullah II Park, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The municipality and the Irbid Public Security Department agreed that policewomen will supervise the park every Tuesday to make sure only women and children enter, Petra reported Monday.

AMMAN — Romanian Ambassador to Jordan Bogdan Filip on Monday presented books to the National Library Department (NLD) as part of both countries’ celebrations of 50 years of bilateral ties.

The books include titles in the Romanian and English languages covering politics, literature, academia, philosophy, agriculture, tourism and history, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

During a meeting with NLD Director Mohammad Abbadi, Filip said the donation is in response to Culture Minister Lana Mamkegh’s initiative of requesting books from different countries to enrich NLD’s content.

Abbadi expressed NLD’s readiness to provide its Romanian counterpart with Jordanian books in Arabic to be references for researchers.

AMMAN — One man died and another person was injured on Monday when a vehicle overturned in Zarqa, according to a Civil Defence Department (CDD) statement.

In another accident, eight people were injured in a two-vehicle collision in Amman’s Abu Alanda, while a five-vehicle collision in Karak resulted in the injury of four people, the statement added. 

AMMAN — The meetings of the joint Jordanian-Egyptian technical committee for investment cooperation commenced in Amman on Monday to discuss cooperation between the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) and its Egyptian counterpart.

JIC President Montasser Oklah reviewed economic reform measures in the Kingdom. Alaiddin Omar, head of the Egyptian investment commission, stressed the importance of economic integration between Jordan and Egypt, calling for activating signed investment agreements, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — Prices of vegetables are expected to “stabilise” by the end of December after going up due to weather conditions, an official said on Monday.

The heatwaves that affected the Kingdom during the summer prompted farmers to postpone planting their crops for a while, which resulted in a delay in production, according to Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin.

“Therefore, the main agricultural region in Jordan, Ghor Al Safi, is yet to introduce its crops to the market. The harvesting of vegetable crops in the Jordan Valley will start by the end of this month and this will stabilise prices,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times.

He explained last week’s “early” frost spell and the “unprecedented” hot weather during the summer have had a major impact on the market supply of vegetables, resulting in the hike in their prices.

“The weather affected crops’ growth and quality,” Haddadin noted.

Following the recent frost spell, crops planted on thousands of dunums in the Jordan Valley were damaged.

The frost formation, caused by a cold and dry air mass, brought temperatures down to a low of -5ºC in the usually warm Jordan Valley, with  potatoes, zucchinis and eggplants hardest hit by the freezing temperatures, according to the Jordan Valley Farmers Union (JVFU).

In recent remarks to The Jordan Times, JVFU President Adnan Khaddam said 3,000 dunums of potato and zucchini crops in the northern Jordan Valley were completely damaged due to frost, while 40-60 per cent of both crops were affected in the central parts of the Ghor. In addition, 35 per cent of the eggplant crop was damaged and 10 per cent of tomatoes grown upside down were also hit by frost, Khaddam added.

The freezing temperatures not only damaged crops, he said, but also reduced their productivity. 

Noting that 300-350 tonnes of tomatoes enter the local market daily during this time of the year, Khaddam said the amount dropped to 100-110 tonnes per day due to the freezing temperatures.