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AMMAN — A Royal Decree was issued on Wednesday approving a Cabinet decision to promote Gendarmerie Department Director Brig. Gen. Hussein Hawatmeh to the rank of major general, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — King’s Military Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben on Wednesday received Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman and discussed ways to enhance military cooperation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. HRH Prince Feisal attended the meeting.

AMMAN — Deputising for HRH Princess Muna, Royal Medical Services Director General Maj. Gen. Muin Habashneh on Wednesday inaugurated the ninth conference of the Jordan Urology and Kidney Surgeons Association.

The four-day event is organised in cooperation with the Arab Association of Urology, and it showcases the latest medical and scientific developments in the field with the participation of Arab, European and US doctors, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

AMMAN — Senate President Faisal Fayez on Wednesday met separately with the Chinese and Azeri ambassadors, Gao Yusheng and Sabir Aghabayov, and discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations with their countries. The two ambassadors congratulated Fayez on his appointment as Senate president.

Fayez also met with president and members of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, and stressed the important role of the commercial sector in serving the economy, and the significance of finding solutions to challenges facing it, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Also on Wednesday, Fayez met with a media delegation and stressed his rejection of jailing journalists, urging media professionals to act quickly to deal with “intruders to the profession”, according to a Centre for Defending the Freedom of Journalists statement.

AMMAN — Six people were injured on Wednesday in a collision involving a truck and a vehicle on the desert road in Maan, according to the Civil Defence Department. CDD personnel administered first aid to the injured before transferring them to Maan Public Hospital, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Also in Maan, a two-vehicle collision resulted in the injury of five people who received first aid and were taken to the same hospital. In another accident, five people were injured in a two-vehicle collision in Balqa. The 16 injured in the three accidents were listed in fair condition, Petra added.

AMMAN — The Department of Statistics  (DoS) and the Royal Scientific Society’s National Software Quality Assurance Centre (NSQAC) on Wednesday signed an agreement to enable DoS to use advanced software in implementing the national population census this year and guarantee accuracy.

A statement issued by DoS said that NSQAC will carry out several tests on software and programmes in addition to testing the efficiency and security of DoS’ electronic networks. DoS Director General Qassem Zu’bi signed the deal with NSQAC Chief Science Officer Muhammad Saidam.

AMMAN — The Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) on Wednesday announced temporary changes to the water distribution programme in some neighbourhoods in the capital due to maintenance work that starts Friday and continues for 24 hours at the main carrier that feeds Dabouq pumping station.

The company will provide water to Sweileh and the Princess Basma Circle from Wednesday morning to Friday morning, instead of Wednesday night to Friday night, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Jubeiha area behind the Arab Bank will receive water from Wednesday night to Friday afternoon, while water provision to Shafa Badran area near the Gendarmerie Department premises and Kom Circle will be from Wednesday night to Friday night, according to Petra.

AMMAN — The Social Security Corporation (SSC) on Wednesday said it has won four international awards in excellence and good practice granted by the International Social Security Association (ISSA).

At a press conference, SSC Director General Nadia Rawabdeh said the awards were presented at a ceremony during the Regional Social Security Forum for Asia and the Pacific in Oman on November 2.

According to Rawabdeh, the SSC won the awards for its commitment to include more subscribers under its umbrella and for its measures to collect subscription fees electronically. The corporation was also honoured for its measures to enhance the safety of work places.

AMMAN – Dusty weather in Amman delayed the arrival of the plane carrying US First Lady Michelle Obama, who was scheduled to arrive in the Kingdom on Wednesday afternoon. US embassy staff told reporters that the plane would be delayed due to bad weather conditions. Until late Wednesday, no further details were available on when Obama’s plane would be landing.

After concluding a visit to Qatar, the US first lady is scheduled to visit Jordan to promote her global education initiative for girls. The first lady will tour a school that was built with US development funds and meet with students. While in Jordan, she will also visit Petra, one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites.

AMMAN — Foreign Ministry Secretary General Mohammad Bani Yaseen has met separately with First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Rapil Zhoshybayev and Special Counterterrorism Envoy at the Dutch Foreign Ministry Piet de Klerk, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Tuesday.

Bani Yaseen discussed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the region with the two officials. They also discussed efforts to combat terrorism. The Kazakh and Dutch officials voiced their countries’ support for Jordan.