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AMMAN — Two died and nine others were injured on Thursday in various incidents in the capital, Mafraq and Zarqa, according to a Civil Defence Department (CDD) statement.

A 10-year-old boy drowned in an agricultural pond in Mafraq, the CDD said. In Amman's Sahab neighbourhood, a man in his sixties died in a hit-and-run accident. Also on Thursday, West Amman CDD dealt with a four-vehicle pileup in the 2nd Circle area, which resulted in the injury of five people.

Four people were also injured in a two-vehicle collision in Zarqa's Sharq City. CDD personnel administered first aid to the injured and took to hospitals, where they were listed in fair condition.

AMMAN — The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department (DVLD) has approved opening two branches in Zarqa's Ruseifa and Irbid's Kurah districts this year, DVLD Director Brig. Gen. Inad Rkeibat said Thursday.

The decision is aimed at addressing pressure on other branches, Rkeibat said, noting that the areas were selected based on population density, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

AMMAN – His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday held a summit meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House over the global efforts to fight terrorism, the latest developments in the Syrian crisis and Mideast peace.

The meeting, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, also addressed ways to "entrench the strategic partnership between Jordan and the US, in light of the pivotal role Jordan is playing in the region", according to a Royal Court statement.

At a joint press conference following the talks, the two leaders stressed their keenness to maintain coordination and consultation as they deal with the challenges that face the region and the world and ways to enhance bilateral ties.

The King paid tribute to Washington’s continued support to Jordan, noting that no country has supported Jordan as did the US, “whether it is to the economy, so that we can take the challenge of refugees to our country; but also to the military and security, so that we can defend our borders, but also secure our people.”

His Majesty also voiced appreciation of Obama’s leadership in dealing with the Daesh terrorist group, at a time when the international community is attempting to find “a political solution” to the conflict in Syria.

In addition to Syria and the anti-terror fight, the King said the talks also tackled means to revive the Mideast peace process to bring “hope to the Israelis and Palestinians”.

“These are obviously challenging times, but hope is something that we have to bring to both sides,” His Majesty said in his statement.

In response to a question on the situation in Syria and Jordan-US cooperation in this regard, His Majesty said: “The relationship and coordination with the United States is outstanding and one of the reasons we are here is to make sure that we are taking the coordination between our two countries to the next level.”

“As to what is happening in Syria, obviously the political process is, I think, the priority at the moment and we are all supportive of what John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov are doing as part of the political process; but at the same time making sure that the second part of that dimension is the fight against ISIS and Daesh. And I think that both elements are complementary to each other.”

In his statement, Obama said the talks “with one of our most stalwart allies in the world” covered the enormous challenges facing Jordan, as well as the situation in Syria, Iraq and the war against Daesh.

“Jordan has been an outstanding partner in that process,” said Obama. “As I’ve said publicly, we have seen progress in pushing back against ISIL in territory both in Iraq and now in some portions of Syria.  But a lot of work remains to be done.”

The president lauded the Kingdom’s “enormous” contribution to the anti-terror fight, noting that “Jordan is a country that punches above its weight when it comes to the fight against ISIL”.

Obama said he briefed the King on his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the cessation of hostilities agreement, noting that he would not want to raise expectations on the deal.

“The situation on ground is difficult, but we have seen modest progress over the course of the last week or so with respect to humanitarian access to populations that are threatened.”

Obama continued that the talks also covered the question of refugees hosted by Jordan and other countries of the region, affirming Washington’s appreciation of the Kingdom’s hospitality in hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrian nationals, and voicing his country’s continued support for Jordan in this effort.

He also voiced pride in US assistance to Jordan: “Considering everything that Jordan is doing essentially for the region and the world, and the strains that this has placed their economy under, I think it’s important for them to know that the United States is there every step of the way.”

The US president also paid tribute to the King’s role in Mideast peace talks and efforts to ease tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

“His Majesty has continued to be a voice of reason and moderation and tolerance for all the parties concerned in this issue. And we very much appreciate his partnership in the process,” said Obama, adding that the US is “lucky to have a friend like Jordan”.

He said he hopes that the Jordanian people would feel that the US is with them during these difficult times, reassuring that the two countries are in sync on all issues discussed and “that will continue as long as I’m president and long after I’m gone, thanks to the leadership of His Majesty”.

According to a Royal Court statement, the two leaders discussed the Syrian crisis in light of the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the follow-up on the implementation of the Munich security conference communiqué on the ground.

The King and Obama stressed the importance of reaching a comprehensive political solution that ends the bloodshed and ensures the unity of the Syrian land and people, the statement said.

The leaders also discussed the outcomes of the London donor conference, calling for implementing them and supporting Jordan through a sustainable approach based on attracting investments and stimulating growth, rather than merely providing assistance, the statement added.

Talks, according to the statement, also covered means to support the Iraqi government’s efforts to combat terrorism and fight the Daesh terror group, with emphasis placed on the need to ensure Iraq’s unity and inclusiveness. In addition, the two leaders discussed international anti-terror efforts, reiterating the importance of adopting a holistic approach that entails security, military and ideological elements.

The King and Obama also called for combating all terror hotbeds in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, as well as other regions, the statement said.

Discussions touched on the situation in Libya, with the two leaders urging action and unified efforts to prevent Daesh from securing a foothold there.

Moreover, His Majesty and the US president exchanged views on means to revive Middle East peace talks.

The King reaffirmed the importance of having the Palestinian cause as first and foremost, describing it as the region’s central issue.

The US has upped its support for Jordan, with the Congress approving an increase of yearly aid from $1 billion to $1.275 billion, the statement said.

The aid is aimed at bolstering the Kingdom’s economy, safeguarding its borders, combating terrorism and alleviating the pressures brought on by regional crises.

Obama has also signed the 2015 US-Jordan defence cooperation law, which enhances military cooperation, gives Jordan the same level as US allies within NATO and facilitates measures related to military assistance to the Kingdom.

Remarks by King, Obama to press

Following is the full transcript of the press statement by His Majesty King Abdullah and US President Barack Obama in Washington on Wednesday:

US President Barack Obama: Well, it’s wonderful to be back with one of our most stalwart allies in the world, King Abdullah of Jordan, and his delegation.  We’ve had, as usual, excellent consultation about the enormous challenges that His Majesty and the Jordanian people face in a very difficult time, in a very difficult neighbourhood.

We spent the bulk of our discussion around the situation in Syria, Iraq, and our joint efforts to combat ISIL. Jordan has been an outstanding partner in that process. As I’ve said publicly, we have seen progress in pushing back against ISIL in territory both in Iraq and now in some portions of Syria.  But a lot of work remains to be done.  And so the coordination between our nations and other coalition partners is absolutely critical. And Jordan has made enormous contribution.  Jordan is a country that punches above its weight when it comes to the fight against ISIL.

With respect to Syria, I briefed him on the conversations that I’ve had with President Putin and the cessation of hostilities agreement that has been put in place. 

We are very cautious about raising expectations on this.  The situation on ground is difficult, but we have seen modest progress over the course of the last week or so with respect to humanitarian access to populations that are threatened.

If, over the next several weeks, we can see some lessening of the violence that’s been wracking that country, then that provides us a basis to build a longer-term ceasefire both in the north and the south, and allows us to move forward on the political transition that ultimately is going to be necessary to bring an end to the civil war in Syria.

It also would allow us, then, to focus all of our efforts — all the parties in the entire world community, including Russia — in going after ISIL, something that right now they are not doing and are not focused on.

We talked about refugees and the burden that Jordan, as well as other countries in the region, are bearing. The Jordanian people have been extraordinarily generous in accommodating the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have been fleeing the fighting, and the United States is the leading contributor to humanitarian efforts to house and provide basic care to these refugees. But the numbers continue to grow. And I expressed to His Majesty our commitment to make sure that as they continue to be open to helping people in need, they will have a strong partner in the United States and we will make sure that our money is where our mouth is in terms of looking after these refugee populations.

In addition, I’m proud of the both economic and military assistance that we have consistently provided to Jordan. Considering everything that Jordan is doing essentially for the region and the world, and the strains that this has placed their economy under, I think it’s important for them to know that the United States is there every step of the way.

Finally, we discussed the situation in Israel and the West Bank, and the increasing tensions that exist between Israelis and Palestinians there.  His Majesty has been a critical component of reducing some of the immediate sources of tension around the Temple Mount and visits there.  But we continue to agree that it’s important for us to provide both sides a sense of possibility and hope, and not simply despair. That’s hard to do. And so we have explored ideas in terms of how we can make progress. But His Majesty has continued to be a voice of reason and moderation and tolerance for all the parties concerned in this issue. And we very much appreciate his partnership in the process.

So we’re lucky to have a friend like Jordan. Hopefully, they feel that the United States has been with them during these very difficult times. The good news is, is that, whether it’s fighting ISIL, reducing the violence in Syria and trying to get that country on a track for political reconciliation, trying to bring Israelis and Palestinians to recognise their shared interest in peace − on all these issues, our countries have been in sync. And that will continue as long as I’m President and long after I’m gone, thanks to the leadership of His Majesty.

Appreciate you being here.  

His Majesty King Abdullah: Mr President, thank you very much for really your kind words. I am delighted to be back here in Washington.

And I just wanted to echo the kind words that the President has just said. We are so grateful for the support that you have shown me and our people, our country. Truly, no country other than the United States has given us so much support; whether it is to the economy, so that we can take the challenge of refugees to our country; but also to the military and security, so that we can defend our borders, but also secure our people.

The help that we have gotten from you, Mr President, from your administration and from the Congress and the people of the United States is something that is very difficult to express in any words and we are very, very grateful for that.

I am also here to thank the President for his tremendous leadership in dealing with the threat of ISIS/Daesh. Specifically when it comes to the challenges in Syria, we are working together as part of the international team to try to find, as the President said, a political solution. Yet, at the same time, the threat of Daesh is one that has taken some of our consultations today in how do we defeat Daesh as quickly as possible, not only in Syria but also to reach out to our Iraqi brethren to make sure that they too are part of this struggle against extremism.

I do think that we are moving in the right direction. The coordination with the United States is exceptional. And, again, I would like to thank you Sir, and all your institutions, for working very closely with us in this respect.

So, I am actually leaving Washington very optimistic about the level of support from the United States, the leadership that the President has shown on the issue of Syria and hopefully, the discussions between yourselves and the Russians will move the process in the right direction. But also looking at the larger picture, when looking at the challenge of ISIS and their franchises around the world, I think that the future looks much better with the leadership of the United States.

We did, again as the president said, speak about bringing hope to the Israelis and Palestinians. These are obviously challenging times, but hope is something that we have to bring to both sides. And we did talk about this issue to see what we could do in 2016 to bring the momentum into the right direction. 

But I actually am here just to thank the President and the American people for all the support they have given for our country and how truly grateful I am for your leadership, Sir, for your support to me and my people.

Thank you. 

Question: Your Majesty, Nadia Bilbassy with Al Arabiya.  In light of the Syria accord and the cessation of hostility, how do you envision the next step in terms of fighting ISIS and pursuing a political career? And, if I may, can you describe the current cooperation and coordination with the United States, considering the rise in challenges and crises in the Middle East?

King Abdullah: Well, as I said earlier on, the relationship and coordination with the United States is outstanding and one of the reasons we are here is to make sure that we are taking the coordination between our two countries to the next level. 

As to what is happening in Syria, obviously the political process is, I think, the priority at the moment and we are all supportive of what John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov are doing as part of the political process; but at the same time making sure that the second part of that dimension is the fight against ISIS and Daesh. And I think that both elements are complementary to each other.

Specifically, obviously to the southern part of Syria, is whether or not — based in connection to what the Americans and Russians are doing — can we get a ceasefire going into the south alongside our border as part of a building block of the political process that helps move the politics of this issue forward between the regime and opposition forces because at the end of the day Daesh is the enemy for all of us. 

We will have to see how things are moving between the two foreign ministers, but again, we have got some good initiatives moving in that and we are just keeping our fingers crossed that the political process continues to move in the right direction; and so far I think things are... we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed.

AMMAN — Political analysts on Wednesday cautiously welcomed the new parliamentary elections law as a step in the right direction.

For their part, however, political parties expressed dismay that the law lacks the closed proportional list at the national level, a key demand they have made sure to communicate to lawmakers, but to no avail.

On Tuesday, the Lower House passed the 2015 elections law based on an at-large voting system in which candidates can run for parliamentary elections on one large multi-member ticket at the district level.

In a telephone interview with The Jordan Times, Oraib Rentawi of Al Quds Centre for Political Studies said the new law is a "step forward but will not achieve a breakthrough towards the envisioned parliamentary governments".

"It is good that the new law completely buried the decades-long one-person, one-vote electoral system, but it will not bring a politicised Parliament capable of forming parliamentary governments," Rentawi said.

He added that the new law could have been better worded to enhance partisan action, explaining that both the government and the House have turned a deaf ear to political parties' and think tanks' recommendations.

"In general, abolishing the one-person, one-vote electoral system is a good achievement, but we are still moving very slowly on the path of reform."

Musa Shteiwi, director of the University of Jordan's Centre of Strategic Studies, praised the law as a "qualitative leap", also in comparison with previous elections laws. 

"The new law will definitely reshape the voter-candidate relationship this time based on programmes and not on personal and tribal considerations," Shteiwi told The Jordan Times.

"Of course, the law still has some flaws here and there and could have been in a lot better shape, but it has also many shining elements on which much can be built, mainly the abolishment of the  one-person, one-vote system."

Shteiwi further explained that the new elections law will have its contributions to achieving political reforms aided by the new constitutional amendments, and side by side with other reform-oriented laws.

“In brief, the law is a good step in the right direction.”

In an opinion piece, Ad Dustour’s columnist Omar Kullab said that the law has many positive aspects that could be a starting point towards full-fledged reforms.

“The fact that the entire region is busy with fighting and unrest and we in Jordan are endorsing a reform-oriented law and preparing ourselves for elections is itself something very positive,” Kullab said.

He also said that the bill puts demography and geography in the service of democracy and not the other way around, calling on candidates to diversify and colour their lists according to political and not tribal and regional affiliations. 

In statements they published following the House’s endorsement of the bill, the Islamic Action Front (IAF) and the Jordanian Unified Front Party (JUF) expressed dissatisfaction with the version adopted by MPs, citing primarily the absence of a proportional list at the national level.

The IAF, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm, and the JUF, both right wingers, also regretted the House’s disregard of political parties’ demands and suggestions they submitted to lawmakers over “hundreds of meetings and brainstorming sessions”.

They also stressed the importance of revisiting the elections bill so that the multi-member lists are only formed by political parties, citing its significance in bringing to the House lawmakers elected on the basis of platforms and genuine political thought.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour has previously emphasised that the closed proportional list at the national level was removed from the new law because “it was ruled as unconstitutional by the Higher Council for the Interpretation of the Constitution”. which was replaced by the Constitutional Court. 

AMMAN – Domestic revenues, tax and non-tax, are expected to fall short of government projections in 2015 and to be slightly lower than revenues generated in 2014, an official source told The Jordan Times Wednesday. 

However, the source, who requested to remain unnamed, said the difference amounted to around JD20-50 million, attributing the drop to decreasing income from taxes on services, goods and property sales. 

Budget planners expected tax revenues to reach JD4.370 billion in 2015 but then re-estimated them to drop by around JD140 million to JD4.231 billion, which was still higher by JD194 million than tax revenues achieved in 2014. 

Overall state income, including tax and non-tax revenues, was put at JD6.095 billion in 2015, up by JD64 million from the JD6.031 billion recorded in 2014. 

According to Finance Ministry figures, domestic revenues in the first 11 months of last year dropped by JD13.5 million to around JD5.286 billion, from JD5.299 billion recorded in the same period of 2014, at a rate of 0.3 per cent. 

Although revenues from the income tax went up by JD100 million until the end of November of last year, revenues from taxes on property sales and revenues from the sales tax on goods and services dropped by around JD44 million, according to the Ministry of Finance 

Hussam Abu Ali, the ministry’s assistant secretary general, said final figures on domestic revenues are still being prepared and will be published soon. 

He declined to confirm or deny the estimated drop.

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Wednesday inaugurated the Hashemite University’s nursery, and toured several other facilities on campus that "reflect the university’s commitment to social progress and innovation".

The Queen commended the university’s compliance with Article 72 of the Labour Law, which requires organisations to establish day cares on their premises for children of their female employees, according to a statement from Her Majesty's office. 

Through this provision, the law aims to increase the economic participation of Jordanian women.

The crèche at the Zarqa-based university, established in collaboration with the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA) and the Arab Gulf Development Programme, receives children under the age of four.

The launch was also attended by University President Kamal Bani Hani, NCFA Secretary General Fadel Hmoud, Dean of Queen Rania Faculty for Childhood Umaya Al Hasan and NCFA Deputy Secretary General Mohammad Miqdadi.

During the visit, Queen Rania stopped by Shoman Social Work Library and spoke with students involved in extracurricular activities. 

Her Majesty said the Hashemite University is a role model to look up to, voicing hope that other institutions would follow suit and adopt creative ways to advance their education programmes.

Queen Rania praised the university as a pioneer in creating an environment that supports innovation despite its lack of resources and the various challenges it is facing.

She commended the institution’s management, faculty and student body on their commitment to education, and described it as one that will go down in history.

While on campus, Her Majesty also visited the Clinical Skills Education and Testing Centre (CSETC). 

The centre’s manager, Ayman Al Sharaa, briefed Queen Rania in the presence of medical students on the High-Fidelity Manikin, which is an advanced human patient simulator.

The High-Fidelity Manikin, an innovative tool for medical students, is computerised to simulate real-life scenarios, which significantly enhances the learning process, the statement said.

Established in 2012, CSETC is a "state-of-the-art" realistic medical environment that includes both human and computer-simulated experiences. 

The centre also has 23 specialised training clinics, each equipped with different types of High-Fidelity Manikin parts. These allow students to get hands-on experience and train for integrated and comprehensive medical treatments.

Her Majesty also visited the Princess Iman Bint Abdullah II Family and Childhood Library, where she explored the Childhood Education and Special Education Divisions at the Queen Rania Faculty for Childhood.

At the end of her visit, Bani Hani presented Her Majesty with a plaque in recognition of her support for education and innovation.

AMMAN — As the cast members of the Oscar-nominated Jordanian film "Theeb" anxiously await the 88th Academy Award ceremony on Sunday night, some of them have started thinking about their future after a wild ride that has taken them around the world.

Hassan Maraaiah and Jacir Eid, who played the titular character, plan to travel to the US on Thursday morning to attend the Oscars ceremony, where they hope the film will clinch the award for best foreign language picture.

However, the main concern for Maraaiah is what he will be doing after this "fame journey" ends.

"We will be back to our normal lives and the difficulties we have always faced. This movie has provided new opportunities, a training conducted by the Royal Film Commission, but job opportunities in the area are severely limited," he told The Jordan Times at a hotel in Amman on Wednesday. 

Maraaiah, a resident of the Southern Badia, claimed that most of the cast members became unemployed as soon as they finished work on the film, which was shot in the Southern Badia, with amateur actors all from the region, except for British actor Jack Fox.

"Most Wadi Rum residents depend on tourism, and it has been negatively affected by instability in the region," he noted, calling for "a new kind of tourism". 

"We can create 'cinema tourism' and I would rather have Wadi Rum promoted as a filming destination rather than a tourism destination in the future, because movies will attract people to the area." 

Maraaiah said films like the 2015 blockbuster "The Martian", which was partly shot in Wadi Rum, some 328km south of Amman, created many job opportunities in the area. 

Hussein Suweilheen, who played Theeb’s brother, said the relevant authorities can incorporate film locations in a new map for visitors. 

"Many tourists don't know about these locations because they were not promoted as destinations to visit," he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

Eid Suweilheen, Jacir's father, said tours can be organised to these locations.

"We can hold a 'Theeb' tour which includes the areas where the film was shot. More than 20 people can benefit from new job opportunities," noted Eid, who has been working in the tourism sector in the area for 20 years and who started working as a location guide for filmmakers in 2006.

Maraaiah said after the movie was screened all over the world, many fans visited the area because of it. 

Since its release in international film festivals in August 2014, “Theeb”, directed and co-scripted by Naji Abu Nowar, has been screened in 25 countries, won 18 awards, including Best Director at the Venice Film Festival, according to the movie’s distributor, MAD Solutions.

"Many audience members contacted us and visited us, and this is an example of how effective movies can be," Maraaiah added. 

Earlier this month, Abu Nowar shared the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Outstanding Debut by British Writer, Director or Producer with producer Robert Lloyd.

The film, a coming-of-age tale co-scripted with Bassel Ghandour and set in the Arabian Desert of 1916, follows Theeb, a young bedouin boy, and his brother Hussein as they leave the safety of their tribe to venture on a treacherous journey at the dawn of the Great Arab Revolt. 

Maraaiah said many of his neighbours are now interested in working in the film industry after witnessing the success of "Theeb".

"Also, the difficult situation drives them to think about new options. Many people have closed down camps because the number of visitors declined," he added.  

But Attayeq Zalabiah, a tourism camp owner in Wadi Rum, argued that cinema will not be profitable in the area because it will be beneficial for a limited number of people. 

"I suggest having an office to coordinate these projects and make sure that everyone in Wadi Rum benefits from them," he told The Jordan Times.

Nasser Kalaji, one of the producers of "Theeb", said there are three Oscar-nominated films this year that were shot in Wadi Rum — "Theeb", the Danish feature "A War" and "The Martian", adding that this indicates how attractive the area is.

"There has to be some kind of coordination between government agencies to further facilitate the procedures for filmmakers to shoot in Jordan and this will help attract more to film in the Kingdom," he added. 

Far from these concerns about the future, Jacir was sitting peacefully at the hotel, savouring the moment and thinking about the film's Oscar chances.

"I used to hear about the Oscars but I have never imagined that one day I would visit the US and attend the ceremony. I am so proud and excited!" 

AMMAN — Police on Wednesday said they were investigating the shooting death of a teenage girl in Ramtha, some 90km north of the capital, a day earlier.

A relative found the 17-year-old victim shot dead at her family’s home, Ramtha Police Department Director Col. Amar Qudah said.

“A relative who lived nearby heard a shot and rushed to find the victim shot in the chest,” Qudah told The Jordan Times.

The police official said investigators collected evidence from the scene and blood and tissue samples were sent to the crime lab for further analysis.

“A special committee is currently investigating the incident,” Qudah added.

A second source told The Jordan Times that investigators found a weapon in the vicinity.

“The gun, which belonged to her father, was sent to the crime lab for a ballistic match,” the second source told The Jordan Times.

Meanwhile, a postmortem conducted by Ali Shotar of the Irbid National Institute of Forensic Medicine indicated that the victim was shot “at close range”, a medical source said.

“The autopsy indicated that the weapon was touching the victim’s chest when it was fired,” the medical source told The Jordan Times.

The autopsy revealed that the victim died of a single gunshot wound to the chest, the medical source added. 

AMMAN — The beginning of 2016 has seen a great increase in Jordan's exports of local sheep, an official said on Wednesday, with over 73,000 heads of sheep being imported by the Gulf. 

Agriculture Ministry spokesperson, Nimer Haddadin, said demand for local sheep is increasing from Gulf Arab countries, with Saudi Arabia as the top importer of live sheep from the Kingdom.

"Since the start of this year, we have exported more than 73,580 heads of local sheep to Gulf countries, generating over JD22 million. Saudi Arabia imported 80 per cent," Haddadin told The Jordan Times in a phone interview.

Noting that the number of exported sheep is expected to increase further this year, he highlighted that the country usually exports 600,000 heads of local sheep every year.

"There are more than 4 million heads of local sheep in the country. Livestock breeders who export their sheep to the Gulf generate double the price of sheep sold in the local market," Haddadin added.

He said that the government supports the livestock sector in Jordan by offering subsidised fodder as well as veterinary services and counselling.

"The ministry is also working around-the-clock to explore new markets for livestock breeders to sustain the sector," he stressed.

AMMAN — The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) on Wednesday started taking Mars and Snickers products off the shelves in local markets for containing plastic materials, an official said.

JFDA Director General Hayel Obeidat said that on Tuesday the administration’s teams started a comprehensive inspection campaign on stores and warehouses containing the faulty products, Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The producing company, Mars, has recently announced an international recall of its Mars, Milky Way, Snickers, Celebrations and Mini Mix products that included 55 countries.

The recall was made due to fears that customers could choke from pieces of plastic.

The JFDA director said the JFDA seized 23 tonnes of faulty chocolate from markets, warehouses and duty-free zones, adding that work is under way to seize the remaining 50 cartons in the market.

Obeidat said JFDA teams, in cooperation with importers, seized 1,948 cartons of Mars and Snickers, and retrieved 500 cartons from distributors, Petra reported.

He noted that products from the faulty batches were not found in 16 malls checked by inspectors, and the JFDA has notified all health departments of the batch numbers designated by the production company as faulty.

Obeidat noted that the JFDA will not allow the entry of an expected shipment of these products into the Kingdom, adding that the administration reserves the right to legally pursue the producing companies.

Millions of chocolate bars were deemed possibly unsafe for consumption in 55 countries after a customer in Germany found a piece of red plastic in his Snickers bar last month, Agence France-Presse reported on Tuesday.

The recall “only involves the products that are made in the Netherlands” at the Mars factory in the southern town of Veghel, Eline Bijveld, Mars corporate affairs coordinator for the Netherlands told AFP, adding that the products were mainly sold in the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe.

Manufacturing dates for the different products vary, but in general those with a “best-before” date of between June 19, 2016, and January 8, 2017, are being recalled, according to AFP.