Latest from Ammon
Ammon
5 hours ago
- Science
- Ammon
Close-up pictures of Mars provided by Mariner 4
Ammon News - Mariner 4, an uncrewed space probe launched by NASA in 1964, flew by Mars and returned close-up pictures of its surface on this day in 1965, the pictures proving that the planet's rumoured canals were actually illusions. Britannica
Ammon
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Ammon
UNRWA warns of Israeli plan to create 'mass internment camps' in southern Gaza
Ammon News - Adnan Abu Hasna, media advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, has raised alarm over Israel's reported plans to establish what it calls a "humanitarian city" in southern Gaza, warning that the initiative is essentially a blueprint for mass internment camps. In a press statement, Abu Hasna said Israel has long been laying the groundwork for such a plan through the establishment of aid distribution points in southern Gaza. 'Now, they are openly declaring their intent to forcibly displace the population of Gaza into collective detention camps in Rafah, as a prelude to their expulsion from Palestinian land,' he stated. He warned that this development signals Israel's continued commitment to the forced transfer of Gaza's population, expressing deep concern over the extreme pressure being applied to Palestinians. 'The total collapse of the healthcare system, absence of aid, and depletion of fuel are all being weaponized to coerce the population into voluntary displacement,' Abu Hasna said. He further cautioned that the so-called humanitarian zone is incapable of hosting Gaza's 2 million residents within just 60 square kilometers of devastated land, describing the area as uninhabitable and void of any semblance of life or future. Abu Hasna urged the international community to intervene immediately to halt what he described as a dangerous and deliberate attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians under the guise of humanitarian relief. WAFA
Ammon
6 hours ago
- Ammon
Banned Muslim Brotherhood group illegally collected over JD30 million
Ammon News - Investigations conducted by competent authorities have revealed the involvement of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group in extensive illegal financial activities, both domestically and internationally, over the past years, with operations intensifying during the last eight years. According to details reviewed by Petra, the group managed a complex financial network funded through multiple channels, including donations collected by associations operating without legal authorization, returns on domestic and overseas investments, and monthly membership contributions from individuals inside and outside Jordan. Findings from investigations and seized materials confirmed that the group, whose legal dissolution and prohibited operations were affirmed by a 2020 Court of Cassation ruling, amassed tens of millions of Jordanian dinars under various pretexts. A portion of these funds was invested in purchasing real estate abroad, while other sums were directed toward activities deemed unlawful under Jordanian law, including assets held in the names of individuals affiliated with the group through direct ownership or stakes in companies. Authorities have thus far documented the collection of more than JD 30 million in recent years, with funds transferred to several Arab, regional, and foreign countries. Part of these funds was allegedly used to finance domestic political campaigns in 2024, as well as activities and cells dismantled and referred to judicial authorities. Approximately JD 4 million was seized on the day the government announced the foiling of a plot targeting national security in mid-April. The money was found hidden in homes and a warehouse north of Amman, reportedly at the direction of a driver working for a senior figure in the banned group. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of 11 individuals, while others connected to the case were summoned and later released on bail. Investigations also uncovered the group's exploitation of the events in Gaza to collect donations illegally, absent any publicly declared and transparent mechanism ensuring the proper allocation of funds. The group neither disclosed the origins, amounts, nor the delivery process of donations intended for Gaza, nor coordinated with any international or relief organizations for proper fund transfers. Two main methods were employed to collect donations: a covert approach involving associations and 44 illegally operating branches, often utilizing the headquarters of a political party; and a public method that entailed sending in-kind assistance collected through the group's branches and certain associations managed by individuals affiliated with the group to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization. However, only about JD 413,000 representing nearly one percent of the total identified donations was recorded as transferred through the Charity. The investigations revealed that the banned group employed secretive and illicit financial mechanisms to transfer funds abroad, distributing roles among internal operatives and an individual in Amman connected to a foreign organization. The amount of donations was not disclosed, and they were transported by hand, hiding them in homes and warehouses, and avoiding formal banking channels. Funds were often converted from Jordanian dinars to U.S. dollars before being deposited in a local exchange office. Legal action has been taken against individuals involved in transferring these funds illegally to foreign exchange offices abroad. In some instances, funds were physically airlifted overseas or smuggled out of the country by group members traveling frequently to foreign destinations. Investigations further revealed that one of Amman's densely populated neighborhoods was used as a focal point for collecting donations, providing cover and facilitating clandestine activities. Authorities noted the significant volume of funds moving through the neighborhood, although it was not the primary source of donations but rather a key collection hub for covert contributions. Preliminary estimates indicate the group generated approximately JD 1.9 million annually from established funding sources, including monthly membership dues domestically and internationally and investments in real estate in a regional country. Authorities concluded that funds acquired and disbursed through illegal means were utilized for political and charitable activities linked to political agendas. Expenditures included support for political parties, media campaigns, protests, union and student elections, and monthly salaries for affiliated political figures and their media campaigns.
Ammon
7 hours ago
- Science
- Ammon
Astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary return with NASA veteran from space station
Ammon News - NASA retiree turned private astronaut Peggy Whitson splashed down safely in the Pacific early on Tuesday after her fifth trip to the International Space Station, joined by crewmates from India, Poland and Hungary returning from their countries' first ISS mission. A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the four-member team parachuted into calm seas off the Southern California coast at around 2:30 a.m. PDT (0930 GMT) following a fiery reentry through Earth's atmosphere that capped a 22-hour descent from orbit. The return flight concluded the fourth ISS mission organized by Texas-based startup Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX, the private rocket venture of billionaire Elon Musk headquartered near Los Angeles. The return was carried live by a joint SpaceX-Axiom webcast. Two sets of parachutes, visible through the darkness and light fog with infrared cameras, slowed the capsule's final descent to about 15 mph (24 kph) moments before its splashdown off San Diego. Minutes earlier, the spacecraft had been streaking like a mechanical meteor through Earth's lower atmosphere, generating enough frictional heat to send temperatures outside the capsule soaring to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,927 degrees Celsius). The astronauts' flight suits are designed to keep them cool as the cabin heats up. The Axiom-4 crew was led by Whitson, 65, who retired from NASA in 2018 after a pioneering career that included becoming the U.S. space agency's first female chief astronaut and the first woman ever to command an ISS expedition. She radioed to mission control that the crew was "happy to be back" moments after their return. A recovery ship was immediately dispatched to secure the capsule and hoist it from the ocean onto the deck of the vessel. The crew members were to be extricated from the capsule one by one and undergo medical checkups before the recovery vessel ferries them to shore, a process expected to take about an hour. FOUR ASTRONAUTS, FOUR NATIONS Now director of human spaceflight for Axiom, Whitson has now logged 695 days in space, a U.S. record, during three previous NASA missions, a fourth flight to orbit as commander of the Axiom-2 crew in 2023 and her fifth mission to the ISS commanding Axiom-4.
Ammon
7 hours ago
- Business
- Ammon
Most expensive handbag in history sells for $10 million
Ammon News - A black leather Birkin bag just sold for €8.6 million ($10 million), with fees, becoming the most expensive handbag to ever sell at auction. The hammer fell at a winning bid of €7 million ($8.2 million). The first ever Birkin to have been created by Hermès, the bag was designed for the British actor and singer Jane Birkin. The Francophone style icon used it nearly every day from 1985 to 1994, before it became the ultimate symbol of luxury. On Thursday, the rarefied bag was sold by auction house Sotheby's in an online sale of notable luxury fashion, including designs by Alexander McQueen and Christian Dior. The auction house declined to provide an estimate of the original Birkin to CNN ahead of the sale, but advanced bidding had already smashed records at €1 million. During a live stream of the sale, gasps could be heard as the bidding pushed higher and higher. The 10-minute bidding war between nine collectors ultimately ended in victory for a private collector from Japan, according to a Sotheby's press release. CNN
