FEAST OR FAMINE

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

The 19th National Olive Festival was launched on Wednesday 28 November 2018, which enables farmers to showcase their olives and other rural products. It is an annual four-day festival at Al Hussein Park, organized by the National Centre for Agricultural Research and Extension (NCARE). NCARE aims to provide small farmers with a platform to sell their olives. Last year’s festival received 125,000 visitors. Olive trees cover 72% of the agricultural land in Jordan, according to the Department of Statistics. Approximately 10.5 million olive trees are planted, most of which are located in the northern region of the country. Jordan is also ranked 8th internationally in the production of olive oil. It also creates jobs for 80,000 Jordanian families.  Over the last five years, olive production was estimated at 150 million tonnes, 20% of which were picked and 80% were sent to olive oil extraction plants. There are 132 olive oil extraction plants in Jordan, including 281 pr...

Scenes from the ninth installment in the Star War movie series were shot in Wadi Rum in Jordan recently. The Jordanian Royal Film Commission (RFC) agreed with American J.J. Abrams, the ‘Star Wars Episode IX’ director and executive producer, who said Wadi Rum is ‘breathtakingly beautiful and the perfect location for our film.’ Abrams said he felt fortunate to have been able to film in Jordan. ‘Between the warm welcome from the government and the dedication and hard work of the local film professionals, we couldn’t have had a better experience. We are enormously grateful.’ The ‘Star Wars Episode IX’ film benefitted from the Jordanian Film Incentive Programme, which provides cash rebates for films shot in the Kingdom.  It was a three-week shoot and the production team worked with more than 250 Jordanian crews, including camera, costume, creatures, special effects, and stunts. The Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army also provided logistical support. ‘The unique, tim...

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS   is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author   of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom   (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).