Latest news with #Al-Ghad
Jordan News
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Jordan News
Psychological Safety in Wartime: A Journalist's Reckoning - Jordan News
It might seem nearly impossible to lie down and close your eyes in hopes of escaping the brutal psychological impact of war—a war that crushes lives through starvation and relentless dehumanization. اضافة اعلان I teach journalism students in both Amman and Gaza, guiding them on how to protect their mental well‑being while covering conflict. I share a personal story with them, hoping to spare them a similar emotional descent. One day in 2005, my father and I arrived at the ticket window of a cinema in the Al-Seef complex in Bahrain. We quickly scanned the movie posters, and he pointed to Munich, saying, 'That German city is charming—let's watch that.' A handful of viewers gathered in the theater, including a few Arabs who left as soon as they realized the film's theme. In the opening minutes, Palestinian characters in Munich infiltrated the dormitory of the Israeli Olympic team, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners. In retaliation, Israeli forces hunted and assassinated members of the Palestine Liberation Organization across various capitals—accusing them of planning the Munich attack, a claim never substantiated, even by Israeli admissions. After watching Munich, my entire focus changed. I met relatives of those Palestinian figures who had been assassinated, documenting their stories as much as I could. I dove into research on key figures in the Palestinian resistance, aided by the late, great Therese Helse. I compiled numerous reports on the Nakba and the Naksa, conducting interviews with Palestinian politicians, artists, and intellectuals. In that immersion, no one told me about "psychological safety for journalists"—the idea that a reporter must create an invisible barrier to prevent the tragedy they cover from seeping into their heart. Techniques include training yourself to avoid emotional contagion, preserving distance between you and your subjects, refraining from building personal relationships with them after reporting, not exchanging personal contact information, and avoiding any promises of help. In essence, you do your work like a surgeon performing an operation: you care for the patient without diving into their personal grief, and you don't promise to fix every problem from their heart condition to their daughter's failed marriage. These guidelines may sound rigid, but they're crucial for a journalist's longevity and emotional survival. I often tell students about the first time I realized I had crossed an emotional boundary—around 2008. That was three years after watching Munich, and after diving deeply into reporting about the Palestinian cause. I was then a journalist at Al-Ghad newspaper, preparing a series of reports on the 60th anniversary of the Nakba that spanned two months. The most harrowing episode was interviewing survivors of the Deir Yassin massacre, published on May 15, Nakba Day. Every day for two months, I received the survivors' testimonies from various Palestinian villages. I interviewed leaders from the Holy Jihad movement, including the late Bahjat Abu Ghraibeh, spending long hours in their presence. Yet somehow, I didn't realize the emotional toll—until the day Deir Yassin's episode published. I broke into sobbing, as though Palestine had just fallen again. I'm not sure how much psychological safety one can truly build—particularly for an Arab, in Palestine or beyond—amid a tragedy that seems endless. Sometimes instructors give guidance they themselves struggle to follow. And yet a maternal instinct compels me to protect younger students from the emotional pitfalls I experienced. My students are perceptive—I saw it in their eyes the morning I eulogized journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, soon after her assassination. I cried while speaking about her. In their silence, I sensed their unasked question: 'What about the journalist's psychological safety?' But my dear students, I still don't know how to adequately answer that.
Jordan News
20-07-2025
- Business
- Jordan News
2.59 Million E-Wallet Users in Jordan and 158% Growth in Transactions - Jordan News
Jordan's digital payments market is witnessing remarkable growth, reflecting a gradual shift towards a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy. According to Visa's data, the number of e-wallet users in the Kingdom reached approximately 2.59 million by the end of 2024, representing a significant portion of the country's population of about 11.5 million. اضافة اعلان These figures highlight the increasing adoption of financial technology as a key tool in the daily lives of both citizens and residents, according to Mario Makary, Vice President and Levant Area Manager at Visa, in an interview with Al-Ghad. Transactions through digital wallets recorded a record growth of 158% during the same year, the highest growth rate among all mobile payment services in Jordan. This surge reflects the accelerated shift in consumer behavior toward cashless payment solutions, particularly with the availability of secure, fast, and user-friendly services. This growth is also supported by the widespread use of mobile phones, which reached a penetration rate of 82.3% of the population at the beginning of 2025. This makes the Kingdom a fertile environment for the adoption of smart wallets such as Google Wallet, which has been expanding through strategic partnerships between global companies like Visa and Google, and official entities such as the Central Bank of Jordan. These developments align with the National E-Payments Strategy, which is part of the Jordanian government's plan to achieve comprehensive digital transformation, drive financial inclusion, and reduce reliance on cash. The Economic Modernization Program (2023–2025) aims to create an enabling digital environment that supports innovation in the fintech sector and attracts both local and international investments. In addition, regulatory authorities are working to strengthen trust in digital payments through legal and regulatory frameworks, such as the Digital Assets Transactions Regulation Law. This enhances Jordan's ability to keep pace with global financial advancements and provides a safe environment for the expansion of e-wallet services within the Kingdom.
Jordan News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Jordan Allows Iraqis to Enter Its Territory Without a Prior Visa - Jordan News
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Abdulkarim Abu Dalou, confirmed that the ministry has allowed Iraqis to enter the Kingdom via Queen Alia International Airport without the need to obtain a prior visa. اضافة اعلان Abu Dalou explained to "Al-Ghad" newspaper on Wednesday that the decision aims to facilitate the passage of Iraqi citizens through Jordan, especially given the closure of Iraqi airspace to flights due to recent developments in the region. He added that the entry visa will be granted directly at the airport after a brief interview with the relevant authorities, upon payment of the prescribed fees, with emphasis on obtaining guarantees from travelers to leave the country until conditions return to normal and air traffic resumes in Iraq. He indicated that this procedure is a temporary exception and is part of the facilitation measures the Kingdom offers to its Iraqi brothers in these exceptional circumstances.
Jordan News
17-06-2025
- Business
- Jordan News
Prime Minister Orders Upgrade of Umm Al-Quttain Health Center in Naour - Jordan News
Prime Minister Orders Upgrade of Umm Al-Quttain Health Center in Naour Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan began a field tour in Naour District on Tuesday, starting with a visit to Dar Al-Ghitha Company, a successful national investment that contributes to creating job opportunities for Jordanians. اضافة اعلان The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government's support for increasing the company's exports to new international markets. During the tour, Hassan inspected the Umm Al-Quttain Primary Health Center and directed authorities to upgrade the facility, especially in light of the lack of a permanent physician and the need to improve its infrastructure, as the center currently operates out of a rented residential house. He also visited Hasban Youth Club, where he instructed that the club's football field be equipped with solar-powered lighting. Additionally, he ordered the renovation of the club's building and the completion of its multipurpose hall. — (Al-Ghad)
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
50-year-old man tried training a lion at home– What happened next will shock you
In a shocking incident from Iraq's Kufa city, a man known for keeping wild animals in his backyard was killed by a lion he had recently purchased. The lion turned on him during what seemed like a routine interaction, leaving him fatally injured within minutes. The man had been keeping lions and other exotic animals for years, and had just brought this particular lion home a few days before the incident. The 50-year-old man was reportedly approaching the lion's cage when the animal suddenly attacked. He was bitten on his neck and chest, and sustained severe injuries before he could be rescued, according to Al-Ghad newspaper, as quoted by Metro. Sources familiar with the matter said the lion had been recently brought in, and the man was believed to be trying to train it. The attack was so brutal that by the time help arrived, it was already too late. A neighbour who heard the man's screams rushed to the spot with a Kalashnikov rifle and fired multiple rounds at the lion, according to the Shafaq News Agency, as quoted by Metro. The man's body was later shifted to a hospital in Najaf for further formalities. Local police confirmed that the lion was put down by the authorities as it refused to move away from the remains, according to the Rudaw news network. This disturbing case has once again brought attention to Iraq's ongoing problem with the private keeping and illegal trade of wild animals. Despite repeated concerns raised by activists, wild species like lions continue to be sold and kept in residential areas without proper regulation.
