Day: May 3, 2023

A Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) official has highlighted untapped opportunities for growth in Jordan’s craft sector worth nearly JD200 million, urging entrepreneurs to take advantage of the industry’s vast potential. Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), JCI’s craft sector representative, Fawaz Shakaa, said that opportunities in the craft sector are split between local production destined for the domestic market and for export to foreign markets, in the food, engineering, chemical, construction, and clothing industries. The craft sector is a crucial component of Jordan’s economy and generates employment. Therefore, he added, we are determined to speed the actual implementation of national programs and activities related to craft establishments to support and promote it in non-traditional regional and global markets. In this regard, Shakaa advocated for offering incentives, special support programs, and incubators for innovative and entrepreneurial ideas for micro-enterprises and projects, in order to strengthen the position of craft businesses within the national economy and the tendency to increase their marketing, administrative, and technical capabilities, Additionally, he urged collaboration and partnerships among government institutions, large businesses, and craft establishments, as well as the inclusion of accurate and thorough data on craft establishments in the national statistics system. This would help identify their needs and better target assistance toward them.

Source: Jordan News Agency

A Palestinian citizen was killed and five others were wounded during the latest Israeli occupation shelling in the Gaza Strip, according to an official Palestinian source. In a statement issued today, the Ministry of Health in the coastal enclave announced that the Israeli escalation in Gaza resulted in the death of a 58-year-old citizen, who succumbed to his wounds, and the injury of 5 others.

Source: Jordan News Agency

SHARJAH, 2nd May, 2023 (WAM) — Mleiha Archaeological Centre, from Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), is excited to announce a special Penumbral Lunar Eclipse event on Friday, 5 May. The event promises to be an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages, especially students and sky watching enthusiasts. The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the outer edge of the Earth’s shadow as the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, resulting in a subtle darkening of the Moon’s surface, and is considered as an interesting celestial occurrence. The event will run from 8 pm to 10 pm, and will include an introductory lecture to help visitors understand the science behind the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, followed by night sky activities such as observation of the moon and planets through the advanced state-of-the-art telescopes. After the activities visitors will also have the opportunity to experience a naked-eye observation of the Lunar Eclipse. Over the past few years, Mleiha Archaeological Centre has become increasingly popular as an ideal location for stargazing, thanks to its dark desert skies and clear visibility. The centre has state-of-the-art telescopes that will enable visitors to get a closer look at the Moon, planets, and other celestial objects, and guides who are well known for their astronomical knowledge and expertise. Hazem Hussein

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

ABU DHABI, 2nd May, 2023 (WAM) — eand today announced its consolidated financial results for Q1 2023. eand’s consolidated revenues reached AED 13.0 billion. At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by 6.6 per cent. Consolidated net profit recorded AED 2.2 billion while consolidated EBITDA reached AED 6.2 billion, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 48 per cent. In the UAE etisalat by eand recorded 13.9 million subscribers an increase of 6 per cent compared to the same period of last year, The Group’s aggregate subscribers reached 164 million, a YoY increase of 3 per cent. The Group’s focus on expanding its digital offering and launching innovative new solutions and partnerships with leading technology companies around the world as part of its drive to become a global technology player has driven business growth. Through a series of prudent mergers and acquisitions, eand is strengthening its position focused on delivering innovative solutions and driving digital transformation. The financial performance in Q1 2023 further strengthened e and’s global position as the most valuable telecoms brand portfolio in the Middle East and Africa, according to 2023 Brand Finance, while the Group’s largest telecoms brand, etisalat by eand, continued to deliver outstanding innovative services as one of the three top telecoms brands in the world, and retained its position as the strongest telecom brand across all categories in the MEA region. Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, eand, said: “The Group’s performance in the first quarter indicates growth in the number of subscribers, revenues, and profits in local currencies, but was impacted by the strong fluctuations in the currency exchange rate within the Egyptian and Pakistani markets. This growth can be attributed to the Group’s flexibility and efforts to provide innovative business solutions and the latest technologies to the communities we serve. Furthermore, the Group has succeeded in building unique digital experiences supported by strategic investments, to enhance our business portfolio. “etisalat by eand Egypt and PTCL in Pakistan successfully achieved their strategic goals by enhancing their customers’ digital experience while achieving growth based on local currency revenues, the strong fluctuations in the exchange rates of the Egyptian pound and the Pakistani rupee, coupled with the unprecedentedly high inflation rates in the two markets, have negatively impacted revenues and profits reported in AED. As a result, these effects were evident in the Group’s consolidated results. Hazem Hussein

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)