Category: News
“We Must Protect Volodymyr”: Leaked Call Shows European Leaders Conspiring Against Trump Peace Plan
“We Must Protect Volodymyr”: Leaked Call Shows European Leaders Conspiring Against Trump Peace Plan
In a development that is not entirely surprising, European leaders are claiming that Washington is looking to “betray” Ukraine and President Zelensky during potential formal peace negotiations with Russia. “There is a possibility that the United States will abandon Ukraine on territorial questions without providing clarity on security guarantees,” French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly said according to a “leaked” phone call record with other European leaders.
Likely this was an intentional leak and bit of strong signaling to the Trump administration, as Europe has not been on board with the US President’s proposed peace plan from the start. “There is a possibility that the US will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clarity on security guarantees,” Macron continued. He laid his view that there was “a great danger” for Zelensky. However, Macron’s office has subsequently sought to clarify that “The president did not use those words.”
The leaked transcript of the call between European leaders strategizing about how to protect the Zelensky government and Kiev’s interests was published Thursday by the German magazine Der Spiegel.
Also reportedly on the line engaged in the conversation were German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and of course Zelensky as well.
Merz had in the dialogue agreed that Zelensky should be “extremely careful in the coming days” and warned the Ukrainian leader that “they are playing games with you and with us.”
Finland’s President Stubb followed with, “We must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these people” – after NATO Secretary General Rutte chimed in: “I agree with Alexander. We must protect Volodymyr.” The underlying assumption seems to be that Zelensky is in a weak position and is being bullied by the more powerful US officials who have leverage.
The context to this part of the conversation is particularly interesting, given it seems to focus on Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who were just in Moscow meeting with Putin, and are spearheading efforts to get the Trump 28-point peace plan (or 19-points based on reports of a revised version) past the goal line. Politico presents the section of the transcript as follows:
Finland’s Stubb seemed to agree with Merz, according to the transcript. “We cannot leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys,” he said, apparently referring to Witkoff and Kushner, which attracted agreement from Rutte.
“I agree with Alexander — we must protect Volodymyr [Zelenskyy],” the NATO chief said. NATO declined to comment when reached by POLITICO.
Der Spiegel admits in its report that “These and other statements reproduced in the notes of the conversation illustrate the Europeans’ deep distrust of the two Trump confidants.” Michael Weiss, who was one of the report’s co-authors, framed all of this as focused on countering “American dirty tricks to the end war.“
One aspect to the conversation was the leaders found agreement on the issue of frozen Russian assets kept in EU banks, which they consider a purely European prerogative, amid recent reports the US is ready to return these to Moscow as part of a finalized Ukraine peace deal.
Washington efforts to quickly achieve peace by seriously engaging both sides are likened to “dirty tricks”?…
New at @derspiegel: We obtained the transcript of a conference call of top European leaders and Volodymyr Zelensky, warning of American dirty tricks to the end war.
Emmanuel Macron said there’s a chance the U.S. will “betray” Ukraine on territory.
Friedrich Merz said: “They… pic.twitter.com/BjvzKPTw52
— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) December 4, 2025
Zelensky’s office has meanwhile neither conformed nor denied the accuracy of the leaked transcript. An unnamed Ukrainian diplomat did respond as follows when probed by Politico: “In general, only the Russians benefit from any splits between Europe and America, so our consistent position is that transatlantic unity must be maintained.”
But the reality is that Zelensky has constantly pushed back against the idea of forging a peace without direct Ukrainian oversight and input. He has also consistently refused territorial concession, and his European backers have also balked at this key part of the Trump plan. The Kremlin is currently insisting that its control over the Donbass and Crimea not be just deemed de facto – but it wants full international and Ukrainian legal recognition that these territories are under the Russian Federation.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/04/2025 – 10:45
Crown Point council increases business stormwater fees
The Crown Point City Council amended an ordinance that will mean an increase in stormwater fees charged to many city businesses.
The revised ordinance, approved unanimously by the council, will only affect the city’s commercial properties and not residential properties.
“This does not affect the single-family and multi-family stormwater rates,” Crown Point Mayor Pete Land said at the meeting on Monday.
The monthly stormwater utility user fee for all single-family residential properties within the city will remain at $6, while the multi-family rate will remain at $12, Land said.
Also unchanged, under the revised rates, is the $12 monthly user fee paid for all unimproved property.
Commercial properties, previously charged a flat $12 monthly rate, will now pay a monthly user fee calculated on the properties’ individually measured area divided by one equivalent residential unit or ERU, which the business occupies.
The ordinance defines an ERU as a 0.31-acre area, a figure meant to represent the average size of a Crown Point residential lot.
The minimum rate calculated under this revision is $12.
The maximum monthly stormwater user fee shall be $125, with the maximum monthly stormwater user fee increasing to $250 on Jan. 1, 2027, according to the amended ordinance.
City officials earlier this year approved a multi-phase water and sewer rate increase, driven in part by an increase in the wholesale water rates charged to the city by Indiana American Water, Land said at that time.
Under the new water utility ordinance, passed by the city council in March, rates were projected to increase by 19% over a two-year period, with the city absorbing the additional Indiana American Water increase of 36.7%, Land said.
Water rate increases, according to the ordinance, were as follows: residential customers who use 1,500 gallons a month would see their total bill go up $3.71 from $19.53 to $23.24. Customers who use 5,000 gallons per month would see their total bill go up $11.58 a month, from $61.01 to $72.59.
Proposed hikes were to be billed into three phases: Phase 1: upon adoption of the ordinance this past March; Phase 2: Aug. 1, 2025; and Phase 3: Aug. 1, 2026.
The council in March also approved increases for city sewer rates.
The sewer rate per 1,000 gallons went from $11.07 to $16.71, creating an increase of $5.64 in Phase 1.
That change was reflected on the bill customers received at the beginning of May for March usage, Land said.
On Jan. 1, 2026, the rate per 1,000 gallons for sewer rate changes will go from $16.71 to $21.06, for an increase of $4.35 per 1,000 gallons.
This change, as part of Phase 2, will be reflected on the bill of customers beginning March 2026 for January’s usage.
Deborah Laverty is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/crown-point-council-increases-business-stormwater-fees/
El afgano que disparó contra soldados de EEUU no representa a todo Afganistán, dice el canciller
Por ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN
JALALABAD, Afganistán (AP) — El afgano acusado de balear a dos soldados en Washington D.C. la semana pasada fue entrenado por fuerzas estadounidenses, y sus acciones no deberían reflejarse en el pueblo de Afganistán, consideró el canciller afgano.
Las declaraciones de Amir Khan Muttaqi fueron los primeros comentarios públicos sobre el caso por parte del gobierno talibán. El ministro de Exteriores habló durante una reunión de ancianos de la comunidad el miércoles, según un comunicado emitido por su ministerio.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, de 29 años, está acusado de asesinato en primer grado después de que una de las dos víctimas, la especialista de la Guardia Nacional de Virginia Occidental, Sarah Beckstrom, de 20 años, murió a causa de las heridas sufridas en el tiroteo del 26 de noviembre. La segunda víctima, el sargento Andrew Wolfe, de 24 años, resultó gravemente herido.
Lakanwal se declaró inocente el martes de los cargos de asesinato y asalto durante su primera audiencia ante un juez en Washington, D.C. Apareció de forma remota por video desde una cama de hospital, ya que también resultó herido durante el atentado.
“Este es un incidente individual y la persona que cometió este acto fue entrenada por los estadounidenses”, dijo Muttaqi, añadiendo que “este asunto no tiene nada que ver con el noble pueblo de Afganistán”.
A raíz del tiroteo, el gobierno de Estados Unidos ha introducido cambios migratorios radicales, incluyendo la pausa de solicitudes de asilo y la exigencia de un mayor escrutinio para ciertos inmigrantes.
En Afganistán, Lakanwal trabajó en una de las unidades especiales del ejército afgano conocidas como Unidades Cero, que contaban con el respaldo de la CIA. Ingresó a Estados Unidos en 2021 a través de la Operación Bienvenidos Aliados, un programa que evacuó y reasentó a miles de afganos después de que el Talibán tomó el poder durante la caótica retirada de las tropas estadounidenses y de la OTAN. Muchos de los evacuados trabajaron junto a tropas y diplomáticos estadounidenses.
“Hemos estado diciendo durante 20 años” que aquellos que operan como parte de las Unidades Cero “han causado miles de incidentes en Afganistán” y también fueron responsables de la muerte de ciudadanos afganos, dijo Muttaqi.
Las fuerzas estadounidenses “entrenaron personalmente a esta persona, lo hicieron su empleado oficial”, añadió el ministro, y describió la evacuación en la que Lakanwal huyó de Afganistán hacia Estados Unidos como “un proceso ilegal que no cumplió con ningún principio internacional”.
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Elena Becatoros contribuyó desde Atenas.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Why Tether Is Buying More Gold Than Many Central Banks, And What It Signals
Why Tether Is Buying More Gold Than Many Central Banks, And What It Signals
Authored by Dilip Kumar Patairya via CoinTelegraph.com,
Tether purchased 26 tons of gold in Q3 2025, a larger quarterly acquisition than any reporting central bank. Its total holdings reached 116 tons, placing it among the world’s top 30 gold holders.
Stablecoin issuers, sovereign wealth funds, corporations and tech firms are increasingly active in gold markets. This trend marks a structural shift in global demand once dominated by central banks.
Central banks added 220 tons of gold in Q3 2025, up 28% from Q2. Countries such as Kazakhstan, Brazil, Turkey and Guatemala made notable additions despite record prices.
While central banks buy gold for national monetary policy, Tether’s purchases come from profits and support diversification, resilience and collateralization for USDT.
The global financial system is witnessing a period when non-state entities are competing with central banks to build gold reserves. Tether, the issuer of Tether USDt – the largest stablecoin in the world – is now one of the largest buyers of gold. In a single quarter, the company purchased more gold than most central banks did in the same period.
This article explores how an enterprise moved ahead of central banks in purchasing gold for its reserves and discusses independent attestations of the purchase. It also examines the rise of non-state gold buyers and what Tether’s gold buying does not indicate.
A private company outpacing central banks in buying gold
During the third quarter of 2025, Tether added 26 metric tons of gold to its holdings. According to analysts at Jefferies, this made Tether the single-largest gold buyer in that quarter, larger than the combined purchases of all reporting central banks.
By the end of September 2025, Tether’s total reported gold holdings stood at about 116 tons. If ranked alongside countries on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) official gold reserves list, this would place Tether among the top 30 holders worldwide, ahead of nations such as Greece, Qatar and Australia.
Per analysis from the investment bank Jefferies, Tether’s 26-ton purchase in Q3 2025 exceeded the official gold purchases of many mid-sized central banks during the same period. This reflects a wider trend.
Large private players, including stablecoin issuers, sovereign wealth funds and multinational corporations, are becoming significant participants in markets once dominated by governments. Research from the World Gold Council has also pointed to rising non-sovereign demand for gold.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said on X, “While the world continues to get darker, Tether will continue to invest part of its profits into safe assets like Bitcoin, Gold and Land.” The company has emphasized that these gold purchases are made from profits, not from customer reserves that back USDT. It holds that diversification into real assets strengthens long-term resilience.
Independent attestations: The verified gold breakdowns
Tether publishes quarterly independent attestations prepared by major accounting firms. These reports provide insight into the company’s reserves:
As of Sept. 30, 2025, gold and precious metals represent about 7% of Tether’s total consolidated reserves.
This figure includes both gold-backed USDT and gold allocated to Tether Gold, Tether’s tokenized gold product.
XAUT has a market value of roughly $1.6 billion, which corresponds to less than 12 tons of gold.
More than 100 tons of the reported gold is not tied to XAUT and forms part of Tether’s broader corporate reserves and investments.
How Tether compares with central banks
The WGC “Gold Demand Trends – Q3 2025” report shows that central banks globally added a net 220 tons of gold in Q3 2025. For context, this was 28% higher than the Q2 figure and 6% more than the five-year quarterly average.
In 2025, the price of gold rose about 50% year-to-date. Record-high prices likely constrained the scale of initial purchases. However, the renewed increase in central bank demand during the latest quarter indicates that these institutions are continuing to add gold strategically. They are doing so even in the face of significantly higher prices.
To help you compare Tether’s gold purchase in Q3 2025, here is information about similar activity by central banks:
The National Bank of Kazakhstan was the most significant purchaser in the quarter, boosting its gold reserves by 18 tons to a total of 324 tons.
The Central Bank of Brazil, making its first gold purchase since July 2021, reported a 15-ton rise in its gold reserves in September 2025, bringing its total gold holdings to 145 tons.
The Central Bank of Turkey maintained its continuous gold accumulation, with its official central bank and Treasury gold reserves growing by seven tons in Q3 to 641 tons.
The Bank of Guatemala increased its gold reserves by six tons during the quarter, a substantial 91% jump. The bank now holds a total of 13 tons of gold, accounting for 5% of its total reserves.
While making such comparisons, it is important to remember that central banks have different objectives when purchasing gold.
Central banks acquire gold as part of their national monetary strategy, whereas Tether holds gold as part of its corporate reserves. The acquired gold serves as collateral for its stablecoin and as an asset diversification tactic.
The rise of non-state gold buyers
Before the rise of non-state gold buyers like Tether, demand for gold was driven mainly by central banks, the jewelry sector and commodity investors. In recent years, however, a growing share of gold purchases has come from private institutions, sovereign wealth funds, stablecoin issuers and corporate treasuries.
This shift is being driven by geopolitical uncertainty and fluctuations in currency values. Stablecoin issuers, in particular, have become significant participants. They are acquiring gold in quantities once associated with medium-sized national central banks.
Major technology companies and investment funds are also adding gold to their portfolios as part of broader strategies.
The rapid expansion of non-state gold buyers makes them a noticeable part of overall gold demand. They now form a steadily growing segment that is reshaping the pattern of global gold demand.
What Tether’s gold buying does not indicate
To prevent any misunderstanding, it is important to be clear about what this gold accumulation does not mean:
It does not indicate liquidity problems or a risk of insolvency. Independent attestations confirm the relationship between assets and liabilities. A private entity buying gold does not, on its own, indicate financial difficulty unless such concerns are disclosed by the entity.
It does not signal upcoming gold price moves. Gold buying by a non-state actor does not imply any market forecast or directional view.
It is not a monetary decision in the way central banks operate. Private companies manage their reserves under different objectives and rules, and their gold holdings serve corporate and operational purposes rather than national monetary policy.
This helps place Tether’s gold buying in its proper context and supports a better understanding of what the move represents.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/04/2025 – 10:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/why-tether-buying-more-gold-many-central-banks-and-what-it-signals
Rusia restringe el servicio de videollamadas de Apple, alegando uso para actividades terroristas
Por DASHA LITVINOVA
Las autoridades rusas informaron el jueves que impusieron restricciones a FaceTime, el servicio de videollamadas de Apple, en el paso más reciente de un esfuerzo por endurecer el control sobre internet y las comunicaciones en línea.
El regulador estatal de internet, Roskomnadzor, alegó en un comunicado que el servicio es “utilizado para organizar y llevar a cabo actividades terroristas en el territorio del país, reclutar perpetradores (y) cometer fraudes y otros delitos contra nuestros ciudadanos”. Hasta el momento, Apple no ha respondido a una solicitud de comentarios enviada por correo electrónico.
Bajo el mandato del presidente Vladímir Putin, las autoridades han emprendido esfuerzos deliberados y multifacéticos para controlar internet. Han adoptado leyes restrictivas y prohibido sitios web y plataformas que no cumplen con las normativas. También han perfeccionado la tecnología para monitorear y manipular el tráfico en línea.
Tras la invasión a gran escala de Ucrania por parte de Rusia en 2022, el gobierno bloqueó importantes redes sociales como Twitter, Facebook e Instagram.
El acceso a YouTube fue interrumpido el año pasado, en lo que los expertos calificaron como una ralentización deliberada del popular sitio por parte de las autoridades. El Kremlin culpó a Google, el propietario de YouTube, por no mantener adecuadamente su hardware en Rusia.
Aunque todavía es posible eludir algunas de las restricciones mediante servicios de red privada virtual (VPN, por sus siglas en inglés), estos también son bloqueados rutinariamente.
Las autoridades restringieron aún más el acceso a internet este verano con apagones generalizados de conexiones de internet móvil. Los funcionarios han insistido en que la medida era necesaria para frustrar los ataques con drones ucranianos, pero los expertos argumentaron que era otro paso para endurecer el control de internet. En docenas de regiones, se han introducido “listas blancas” de sitios y servicios aprobados por el gobierno que, supuestamente, deben funcionar a pesar de un apagón.
El gobierno también ha actuado contra populares plataformas de mensajería. El servicio de mensajes encriptados Signal y otra aplicación popular, Viber, fueron bloqueados en 2024. Este año, las autoridades prohibieron las llamadas a través de WhatsApp, la aplicación de mensajería más popular de Rusia, y Telegram, un cercano segundo lugar. Roskomnadzor justificó la medida diciendo que ambas aplicaciones estaban siendo utilizadas para realizar actividades delictivas.
Al mismo tiempo, las autoridades promovieron activamente una aplicación de mensajería “nacional” llamada MAX, que los críticos ven como una herramienta de vigilancia. La plataforma, promocionada por desarrolladores y funcionarios como una solución integral de mensajería, servicios gubernamentales en línea, realización de pagos y más, declara abiertamente que compartirá datos de usuarios con las autoridades si éstas lo solicitan. Los expertos también afirman que no utiliza cifrado de extremo a extremo.
A principios de esta semana, el gobierno también informó sobre el bloqueo a Roblox, una popular plataforma de juegos en línea, diciendo que la medida tenía como objetivo proteger a los niños de contenido ilícito y “pedófilos que se encuentran con menores directamente en los chats del juego y luego pasan a la vida real”.
Stanislav Seleznev, experto en ciberseguridad y abogado del grupo de derechos Net Freedom, dijo a The Associated Press que la ley rusa considera cualquier plataforma donde los usuarios puedan enviarse mensajes como “organizadores de la difusión de información”.
Esta etiqueta obliga a que las plataformas tengan una cuenta con Roskomnadzor para que pueda comunicar sus demandas y permitir que el servicio de seguridad de Rusia, el FSB, tenga acceso a las cuentas de sus usuarios para vigilarlas; aquellos que no cumplan están en violación y pueden ser bloqueados, dijo Seleznev.
Indicó que estas regulaciones podrían haberse aplicado tanto a Roblox como a FaceTime.
En octubre, Roblox era la segunda plataforma de juegos más popular en Rusia, con casi ocho millones de usuarios mensuales, según el grupo de monitoreo de medios Mediascope.
Seleznev estimó que posiblemente decenas de millones de rusos han usado FaceTime, especialmente después de que se prohibieron las llamadas en WhatsApp y Telegram. Dijo que las restricciones contra el servicio eran “predecibles” y advirtió que otros sitios que no cooperen con Roskomnadzor “serán bloqueados, eso es obvio”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
David Isaacson is the answer for Highland Park. New point guard ‘solves problems before they become problems.’
Highland Park senior David Isaacson is running the show for the first time.
A third-year starter, the 6-foot-1 Isaacson had other roles in previous seasons. But point guard Simon Moschin’s graduation and the emergence of high-scoring sophomore guard Gray Kanter prompted changes.
“It has been a full-time adjustment,” Isaacson said. “I’ve not played point guard for a while. Simon was our point guard. I’ve had to quickly learn how to handle the pressure.”
Highland Park coach Ross Deutsch said Isaacson is doing just fine.
“David solves problems before they become problems,” Deutsch said.
Highland Park senior guard Evan Mintzer, who said he has been playing basketball with Isaacson since they were 5 years old, agreed.
Highland Park’s David Isaacson, shown during a practice on campus on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, is a third-year starter but is playing point guard for the first time. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)
“David is nonstop talking on the court and is always making sure our guys are in the right spots, both offensively and defensively,” Mintzer said.
Kanter, who is averaging 25.0 points per game, also gives Isaacson credit for showing him the ropes at the varsity level.
“First off, David is one of the best leaders I’ve ever played with,” Kanter said. “He is constantly looking to assist and help people who have questions or may be doing something wrong. He is a loud voice at all times, whether on the court, the bench, at practice or even in film study. David is an amazing mentor.”
Isaacson can put up points too. He scored 13 during a win over Leyden on Nov. 25 and is averaging 7.0 points, 5.0 and 3.0 assists for the Giants (1-3).
“Last year, his role wasn’t to score, but he led us in deflections and was the head of our defense and set the tone for us,” Deutsch said. “This year, he’s been very consistent in all aspects for us.”
Isaacson, who has a twin sister, prepared for this opportunity during the offseason. Instead of playing AAU basketball again, he trained with several teammates.
“I played AAU as a freshman and sophomore, but I dialed back,” Isaacson said. “I thought AAU was a lot more about games. I thought instead of traveling to games that I could work on my body and my skills more on my own, be in the gym and with the guys. We really used that time to get in the gym together and build chemistry.”
Mintzer sees that commitment on a daily basis.
“David’s always been the most vocal, confident and hardworking guy I’ve played with,” Mintzer said. “He’s always trying to work on his craft whenever he has the time and is the first guy in the gym and last to leave.
“His work ethic translates to the basketball court because he’s able to knock down crucial shots for us and make clutch plays.”
Highland Park’s David Isaacson works on his jump shot during a practice on campus on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)
Isaacson also took up running in his free time. Getting in better shape wasn’t the only benefit.
“I started running as something to clear my mind,” he said. “I would run outside twice a week for 5 miles at a time. It taught me mental focus and learning to push my body, to see if I can push through and get the last mile done. It shows on the court, helping me push through things.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/basketball-highland-park-david-isaacson/
El primer libro completo del papa León XIV en EEUU, “La paz sea contigo”, se publicará en febrero
Por HILLEL ITALIE
NUEVA YORK (AP) — El primer libro completo del papa León XIV que se publicará en Estados Unidos saldrá el próximo año.
HarperOne anunció el miércoles que había adquirido los derechos mundiales de “¡La paz sea contigo! Mis palabras a la Iglesia y al mundo”, programado para su lanzamiento el 26 de febrero.
“¡La paz sea contigo!” incluye sermones y discursos que ha dado desde su elección en mayo. HarperOne, un sello de HarperCollins Publishers, describe el libro como “una visión de paz, unidad y reconciliación en un mundo fracturado”.
El título se refiere a las primeras palabras públicas de León como papa, cuando apareció en mayo en el balcón central de la Basílica de San Pedro.
“Me gustaría que este saludo de paz resuene en sus corazones, en sus familias, entre todas las personas, dondequiera que estén, en cada nación y en todo el mundo”, expresó. “¡La paz sea contigo!”
HarperOne ha publicado anteriormente obras de los papas Juan Pablo II y Francisco, entre otros.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Iraníes buscan riqueza portátil como protección ante caída de su moneda tras guerra con Israel
Por AMIR VAHDAT y JON GAMBRELL
TEHERÁN (AP) — Cuando se trata de la seguridad financiera de la población preocupada de Irán después de la guerra de 12 días con Israel, todo lo que brilla es oro –y para muchos, sigue siendo la protección más confiable contra la inflación, las sanciones y el debilitamiento de la moneda rial.
Los comerciantes en el Gran Bazar de Teherán dicen que cada nueva noticia sobre la reimposición de sanciones de Naciones Unidas, la caída del rial o las renovadas tensiones regionales han llevado a oleadas de personas a comprar los llamados “activos que preservan el valor”. Estos incluyen dólares, oro, plata, diamantes, criptomonedas y, en menor medida, acciones.
Dicha riqueza portátil puede mantener su valor cuando los activos locales se deprecian –y ser fácilmente transportada en caso de una crisis, algo que los iraníes tienen en mente desde hace meses, ya que muchos temen que estalle otra guerra con Israel.
Mansour, un comerciante de oro y joyas de 28 años en el bazar, dijo que nunca había visto tal demanda.
“En las últimas dos semanas he vendido seis kilos (13,2 libras) de oro a personas comunes, una experiencia nueva para mí”, comentó Mansour, quien habló bajo la condición de que sólo se usara su primer nombre por temor a represalias.
“La gente se apresura a comprar porque teme que sus ahorros pierdan valor”, agregó.
Behzad Rashvand, un abuelo de 57 años, declaró que considera que el oro es la única protección contra la inflación desenfrenada en Irán.
“En este momento, veo el oro como la mejor manera de preservar el valor”, afirmó. “Cada vez que gano dinero, lo convierto en oro”.
Aumenta venta de oro en la capital de Irán
Durante el verano, los lingotes de oro de 1 gramo y 18 quilates se comercializaban en alrededor de 115 millones de riales (aproximadamente 100 dólares, ya que el rial ahora se cotiza a más de 1 millón por dólar). Las monedas de oro superaban los 1.000 dólares y los lingotes de plata de 1 kilogramo casi 2.000 dólares. El sábado, el precio de una moneda de oro en Irán superó los 1.200 millones de riales por primera vez en la historia del país. Los lingotes pequeños de plata de 100 gramos se han convertido en una nueva inversión de nivel de entrada para las familias de clase media, según sugieren los reportes de medios iraníes.
Fatemeh Parsa, una mujer de 47 años y madre de dos hijos, ahora lamenta haber usado una herencia para comprar un apartamento en Teherán. Aunque los bienes raíces siguen siendo valiosos en algunos barrios de Teherán, los préstamos bancarios y los ahorros no han seguido el ritmo de los precios altísimos.
“Con los precios globales del oro en aumento, a veces desearía haber comprado oro en su lugar; mis activos habrían crecido mucho más que los bienes raíces”, dijo. “Ahora, parece que invertir en plata podría ser valioso, especialmente para el futuro de mis hijos”.
Los reportes de despidos masivos en la economía de Irán, derivados de problemas con la electricidad, la demanda del consumidor y las sanciones, también han circulado durante meses. Amir Ramezani, un destacado comerciante de oro en Teherán, señaló que algunas familias de mayor poder adquisitivo han comenzado a vender partes de sus activos para hacer frente.
“Sus ingresos hoy no coinciden con las vidas que construyeron”, dijo Ramezani. “Para mantener el mismo estilo de vida, muchos están vendiendo objetos de valor, oro y joyas sólo para mantenerse al día”.
El oro y la plata ganaron particular prominencia cuando Estados Unidos comenzó a tomar medidas enérgicas contra los vendedores de criptomonedas iraníes, que había sido una vía que los iraníes buscaban para asegurar sus finanzas.
“Siempre que tengo suficiente dinero para ahorrar, lo convierto inmediatamente en oro”, dijo Hamid Safari, quien vende equipos de audio. “A lo largo de la historia, el oro no sólo ha mantenido su valor, sino que también ha aumentado en valor. Deberíamos aprender de la historia si queremos construir una vida mejor”.
La portabilidad también es una muestra de preocupación ante las tensiones en la región
Por su parte, los inversores más ricos están recurriendo a los diamantes y otras piedras preciosas como almacenes de valor discretos y portátiles. Los joyeros en Teherán y Mashhad informan de una creciente demanda de piedras de inversión de pequeño quilate, un nicho tradicionalmente favorecido por los comerciantes pero que ahora se está expandiendo a compradores de clase media alta.
La economía más amplia de Irán sigue bajo una presión severa por las sanciones internacionales que han frenado la inversión y limitado el acceso a las finanzas globales. Años de restricciones han debilitado las industrias a nivel nacional y dejado a sectores clave batallando por modernizarse. Y para aquellos que quieren sacar dinero al extranjero, la moneda fuerte y las joyas siguen siendo algunas de las únicas formas de hacerlo.
También hay otra razón que los iraníes se muestran reacios a discutir: poder tener el dinero portátil en caso de otra guerra. Se cree que decenas de miles de iraníes que viven en Teherán huyeron de la capital durante la guerra de 12 días, dirigiéndose al campo de Irán o al norte, a la costa del Mar Caspio.
Cuando lo hicieron, algunas áreas se vieron abrumadas por los recién llegados y cajeros automáticos sin efectivo o no funcionales. Muchos trajeron consigo los ahorros que pudieron poner en sus manos de inmediato.
También hay precedentes de esto en la historia iraní. Muchos de los que huyeron de las ciudades durante la guerra Irán-Irak de la década de 1980 llevaron consigo lo que pudieron. Y en la Revolución Islámica de 1979, aquellos aliados con el sha y su gobierno huyeron de Irán con lo que pudieron llevar. En ese entonces, el rial alcanzó un máximo histórico de 120 por dólar, lo que generó que las casas de cambio se vieran rebasadas y que la población se lanzara a comprar oro, joyas, alfombras y otros activos para llevar al extranjero.
Ahmad, un importador de telas, de 49 años, dijo que planea vender sus existencias restantes y convertir todos sus activos en moneda fuerte debido a la situación en Irán.
“No puedo convertir mi casa o mi auto, pero durante los últimos dos meses he estado convirtiendo todos mis activos líquidos en moneda extranjera y oro”, dijo. “En una emergencia, necesito poder llevar mis activos conmigo si tengo que irme”.
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Gambrell reportó desde Dubái, Emiratos Árabes Unidos.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
FBI Arrests Virginia Man In Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Case
FBI Arrests Virginia Man In Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Case
The FBI has arrested a Virginia man nearly five years after pipe bombs were placed at both the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021 – the day before the events of Jan. 6.
The suspect is expected to face charges for allegedly planting the devices, which were later deemed to be viable explosives that could have caused “serious injury or death.”
The FBI did not share additional information about the suspect, however MS Now reports that the suspect has been linked to statements that show support for an anarchist ideology.
The bureau has conducted more than 1,000 interviews, reviewed over 39,000 video files, and fielded over 600 tips from the public – yet what led to the arrest was “the same trove of material that had mostly been gathered in 2021 and 2022,” two sources told the outlet – meaning that the Biden administration had the evidence over three years ago.
Video footage and photos of the suspect showed a figure walking around in a hoodie and a face mask. The bombs were quickly disarmed shortly after they were discovered.
“There is a massive cover-up, because the person who planted those pipe bombs — they don’t want you to know who it was, because it’s either a connected anti-Trump insider, or this was an inside job,” Dan Bongino, now the deputy FBI Director, said in November 2024 on his show. “Those bombs were planted there. This was a setup. I have zero doubt.”
Last month a forensic analysis pointed to a former US Capitol Police officer, whose unique gait due to a sports injury suggested that she was a match using a software tool that compared her stride to the suspect’s, Blaze Media reported.
Former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin told Blaze News that, in the days immediately after Jan. 6, he and his team conducted surveillance “one door away” from the residence tied to the female suspect. He says the team was pulled off the assignment without explanation, and requests to interview a person linked to the suspect’s movements were denied.
So the fact that a man was just arrested suggests that while the FBI may have been looking into her, it may have been a dead end – or they’ve arrested the wrong person.
The Blaze report was disputed by Headline USA and journalist Breanna Morello.
The mysterious handling of the bombs drew scrutiny from Congress and the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general. Surveillance footage later released by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) showed Secret Service agents responding slowly after being told a device was found at the DNC. Agents remained in their vehicle eating lunch for roughly two minutes before investigating and allowed pedestrians and cars to pass near the device.
Earlier this year, a House committee report provided new insight into the investigation, highlighting multiple failures by law enforcement to detect the devices and properly secure the scene after their discovery.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/04/2025 – 10:10
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/fbi-arrests-virginia-man-jan-6-pipe-bomb-case
US Durable Goods Orders Solid In September
US Durable Goods Orders Solid In September
While ‘soft’ survey data has been a shitshow, ‘hard’ data has been stable (what little we actually had during the shutdown)…
Source: Bloomberg
Today we get more ‘catch-up’ data with Factory Orders and Durable Goods data for September.
US Factory Orders disappointed, rising just 0.2% MoM (+0.3% exp) and slowing notably from the +1.3% MoM jump in August (and up 3.6% YoY)…
Source: Bloomberg
Core Factory Orders (ex-Transports) also rose 0.2% MoM, up notably from the downwardly revised 0.1% MoM decline in August (but remains up over 1% YoY)…
Source: Bloomberg
The final print for Durable Goods Orders were all in line with the flash prints, with the headline rising 0.5% MoMm which helped push Orders up a solid 9.6% YoY…
Source: Bloomberg
Core Durable Goods orders rose for the 6th straight month and are up over 3% YoY…
Source: Bloomberg
Of course, this data is extremely stale now, but still it’s positive overall (despite job losses in the goods-producing sector).
Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/04/2025 – 10:08
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/us-durable-goods-orders-solid-september
