Category: News
China-Japan Spat Looks To Be Boon For Russian Tourism & Industry
China-Japan Spat Looks To Be Boon For Russian Tourism & Industry
In yet another sign of deepening Russia-China ties on all levels, which has also included cooperation on the military front in the context of the Ukraine war, President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Monday temporarily lifting visa requirements for visitors from China.
Chinese travelers can now enter Russia without a visa for up to 30 days, either for tourism or short-term employment purposes. This move mirror’s the Chinese government’s earlier decision to grant visa-free entry to Russian citizens.
Both countries already had in place policies which allowed visa-free entry for group tours. The new rule will remain in place until September of 2026 and is being widely referred to as a pilot program.
President Putin had last week called the step “good and positive breakthrough in the development of our relations” during meetings in Moscow with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
The timing is interesting as it comes amid an escalating diplomatic spat between Japan and China, which has resulted in Chinese government authorities publicly dissuading Chinese citizens from traveling to Japan.
Lately even concerts by Japanese artists which were set for places like Shanghai have been canceled, and the rift is beginning to be felt among the common populace. The prediction is that there could be a quick influx of Chinese tourists in Russia as a result:
According to market analysts who spoke with The Moscow Times, Putin’s announcement — combined with heightened diplomatic tensions between China and Japan — has led to a sharp increase in travel searches and bookings from China to Russia.
In a Monday statement Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged Japan to “learn the lessons of history, do soul searching, take seriously what it has heard from the Chinese side, simply retract the erroneous remarks as it should and take practical steps to honor its political commitments to China.”
Amid reports of curbs on seafood imports from Japan, the restaurant scene is also being impacted:
Diners once had to book weeks in advance to secure a table at Toya, a popular Japanese restaurant in Beijing.
But business has taken a sharp turn, with more than 60 reservations cancelled since mid-November, said owner Kazuyuki Tanioka, who has served omakase menus in the Chinese capital for over a decade.
Things are deteriorating fast on every level after Japan suggested it could defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion…
China just declared the San Francisco Peace Treaty “illegal and invalid.”
But here’s the catch: the moment China rejects SFPT, the entire post-WWII map of Asia breaks — and China is the first country to lose territory.
Why?
Because SFPT isn’t just a US–Japan treaty.
It’s the… pic.twitter.com/B5Fq2L03m2
— The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动 (@TGTM_Official) December 2, 2025
And film releases are being postponed:
The spat has also led to the postponement of Japanese film releases in China, the abrupt cancellation of concerts by Japanese musicians and the suspension of official exchanges.
A frequent traveller to Japan, Yan Jun, faced a dilemma when China advised its citizens to avoid visiting Japan. Chinese airlines proceeded to cut hundreds of Japan-bound flights this month.
Again, if this China-Japan spat persists, it could present and immediate and even potential long-term boon for Russian tourism and industry.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/03/2025 – 04:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/china-japan-spat-looks-be-boon-russian-tourism-industry
Letter Bombs And Hammer Attacks – US Adds European Antifa Groups To Terror List
Letter Bombs And Hammer Attacks – US Adds European Antifa Groups To Terror List
Authored by Janice Hisle and Savannah Hulsey Pointer via The Epoch Times,
An official U.S. terrorist list dominated by jihadist groups and a clutch of cartels has its first European additions in more than two decades: four Antifa groups.
Designating groups as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) empowers U.S. federal authorities to investigate the groups’ supporters, prosecute them, and seize their assets.
The European groups, which were added to the list on Nov. 20, include Italian anarchists who carried out a letter-bomb campaign against EU leaders, a German hammer-wielding gang accused of targeting right-wing party members, and two Greek anti-capitalist groups.
The designations reflect President Donald Trump’s commitment “to uproot Antifa’s campaign of political violence,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote when announcing the designations on Nov. 13.
Short for “antifascist,” Antifa seeks to silence people whose viewpoints it defines as “fascist,” and vows to do so “by any means necessary”—a popular Antifa rallying cry.
Here is what to know about the four foreign groups and how, according to one former CIA operative, the designation helps the Trump administration confront Antifa on U.S. soil.
Italy, Home of ‘World’s Largest Anarchist Network’
One of the newly declared FTOs hails from Italy, where fascism originated under dictator Benito Mussolini in the 1920s.
The group is called the Informal Anarchist Federation, also known as the International Revolutionary Front.
The Informal Anarchist Federation “is likely the world’s largest anarchist network and the one that claims the highest number of attacks,” according to a March 2024 report published by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism.
The group has claimed responsibility for attacks in Italy, Greece, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico, the report said.
Since 2003, the organization has committed violence, bombings, letter-bombs, and other attacks against places it deems “capitalist institutions,” the State Department said in a Nov. 13 fact sheet. Although it mostly operates in Italy, the group has “self-proclaimed affiliates across Europe, South America, and Asia,” the fact sheet said.
The Informal Anarchist Federation declares that “armed struggle” is necessary against nation-states and “The Fortress Europe,” according to the State Department.
Police officers and demonstrators clash during an anti-fascist and anti-racist march to protest against a Lega Nord party general election campaign rally on Piazza Duomo in Milan on Feb. 24, 2018. Francesca Volpi/Getty Images
In 2014, as Antifa was growing globally, West Point, America’s first military academy, published a profile of the Informal Anarchist Federation.
The report said the group served as a sign that Italy had become “the birthplace of a new threat that has spread to other countries,” the article said.
By then, the Informal Anarchist Federation had been responsible for “dozens of attacks” over a 25-year span in Italy and elsewhere—a trend that Italian authorities had “underestimated” partly because the attacks caused no fatalities, the West Point report said.
However, this type of “insurrectionary anarchism … has become the most dangerous form of domestic non-jihadist terrorism in the country,” the article said.
The Informal Anarchist Federation “has ideological and solidarity ties with Greek anarchist groups,” the report said.
Greek Anti-Capitalist Groups
Revolutionary Class Self-Defense and Armed Proletarian Justice are two newly designated FTOs that are based in Greece.
Both claim to be “anti-capitalist” and are known to use improvised explosive devices in attacks against Greek governmental targets.
Revolutionary Class Self-Defense has been outspoken in its solidarity with Palestine’s conflicts with Israel; the group dedicated two recent attacks to the Palestinians.
In February 2024, an explosive device targeted the Greek Ministry of Labor, but officials evacuated the area, resulting in no injuries.
In April 2025, Revolutionary Class Self-Defense claimed responsibility for that attack and also for an explosion at the Hellenic Train offices, saying railway safety concerns motivated the attack.
Members of the Greek police counterterrorism unit investigate the area outside Hellenic Train offices after a bomb exploded in Athens on April 11, 2025. The U.S. State Department designated both the Greece-based Revolutionary Class Self-Defense and Armed Proletarian Justice groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Aris Oikonomou/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images
The other Greek group, Armed Proletarian Justice, claimed responsibility for a 2023 bombing attempt at a police headquarters in Athens.
In a public post on an anarchist website, the group said: “You were lucky this time, the same will not apply next time. We dedicate our action to those who have been murdered, tortured, beaten and raped by the Greek Police.”
Germany’s Hammer Gang
After antifascism took hold in Italy, some people in Germany also became early adopters of antifascist ideology; Germany is often considered the cradle of the Antifa movement as we know it today. That’s partly because it was the origin of flags and other symbols still in use, along with the “black bloc” protest method, in which participants don black masks and clothing to avoid being identified.
A group known as Antifa Ost, German for “Antifa East,” stands out among the four new FTO designees partly because of its methods.
As its nickname, the Hammerbande—German for “Hammer Gang”—implies, Antifa Ost has been known to bludgeon its victims with hammers. Hammer attacks have been carried out in broad daylight, online videos show.
Seven members of the group began standing trial in Germany Nov. 25 for attempted murder and other charges. From 2018 to 2023, the group attacked people it regarded as fascists, German prosecutors said.
However, at the time of the FTO designation, German authorities downplayed the threat that Antifa Ost might pose.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Sarah Fruehauf told reporters that the group’s leaders and most-violent members were either in custody or imprisoned.
German government spokesperson Steffen Meyer said Washington acted without influence from Berlin in declaring the group a terrorist organization.
The U.S. designation of Antifa Ost as an FTO followed Hungary’s decision to impose that label on the group.
In 2023, outrage spread among Hungarians after Antifa Ost members were accused of injuring nine people at a right-wing gathering in Budapest described as “extremist” in the European press. At least one person was a passerby who was singled out for the attack because he wore camouflage-print clothes, marking him as a potential fascist to the attackers, Hungary Today reported.
Demonstrators hold antifa flags and banners during a Revolutionary May Day march in the Neukoelln district in Berlin on May 1, 2025. The Trump administration designated the German group Antifa Ost as a foreign terrorist organization; it is also known as “Hammerbande,” German for “Hammer Gang.” Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images
Prosecution of one suspect, Italian citizen Ilaria Salis, was interrupted in 2024 after she won a seat in the European Parliament, granting her immunity.
A social media account under the name “antifaost” states in its profile, “Action against the far right in eastern Germany. Never again fascism!”
What Power Does FTO Label Give US?
Simply put, the FTO designation makes it illegal for anyone in the United States to conduct business with the groups, or to provide material support or resources to them.
FTO designation falls under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224.
The FTO designation was made after Trump signed an executive order in September naming Antifa a “domestic terrorist organization.”
Trump’s order commanded agencies to “investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations—especially those involving terrorist actions—conducted by Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa.”
FBI Director Kash Patel told The Epoch Times, “With our partners in Treasury, we are following the money and mapping out this entire network and treating them as a terrorist organization under the authorities the president has given us.
“In the turn of the new year, you’re going to see some very righteous prosecutions and investigations being publicized,” the director added.
An Antifa demonstrator kicks a smoke bomb back toward federal officers outside Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 5, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
US Antifa ‘Networked With Foreign Antifa’
J. Michael Waller, a former CIA operative who now serves as a senior analyst at the Center for Security Policy, said Trump’s FTO declarations have “energized the fight against domestic violent extremism by bringing ironclad existing federal laws into play.”
“These foreign groups and domestic Antifa communicate back and forth. There are degrees of collaboration,” he told The Epoch Times. “The FTO designation gives authorities here more tools to crack down on domestic extremists in ways that have already been settled in court.”
While federal laws define FTO, there is no such definition for “domestic terrorist organization.” That designation might face a court challenge.
“However, it narrows the dangerous, anti-free-speech ‘countering violent extremism’ designation” that originated under President Barack Obama, Waller said.
Trump’s “domestic terrorist” label relies on laws that define terrorism, while Obama’s “violent extremism” label lacked such legal underpinnings. Therefore, the Obama-era label could easily be applied in a “random and arbitrary” way, he said.
Together, the domestic and foreign designations weaken U.S-based groups. “American Antifa is networked with foreign Antifa, and so this is a way to go in and to use foreign terrorism-support laws against American terrorist groups,” Waller said.
Some people harbor misconceptions about Antifa, Waller said. Observers may accept that fascism is bad. So, because the groups say they’re “antifascist,” people perceive “they must be good guys,” he said, and that violent or unruly protests result from “youthful frustration.”
“They’re not just out there to smash windows … Their goal is to overthrow our government,” Waller said, perhaps one city at a time.
Antifa employs tactics and ideology espoused by Russian dictator Josef Stalin, Waller noted.
Post-World-War-I, the goal of German Antifa, established in 1932 under Stalin’s influence, was to “tear out” political centrists and polarize the nation. Communists joined anarchists on one side, opposing Nazis on the other. That polarization is what brought German dictator Adolf Hitler to power, Waller said.
The Unity Congress of Antifa at the Philharmonic Opera House, organized by Germany’s Communist Party in response to Benito Mussolini’s rise in the 1920s, in Berlin on July 10, 1932. Public Domain
Future Ramifications
Waller called the FTO designations “a really smart move” to prevent the groups’ adherents from spreading propaganda in the United States or entering the country. The designation also blocks access to domestic bank accounts.
It is vital for Trump to take action to halt Antifa, Waller said. “This has to be smashed—now. He can’t have a successful presidency and leave us to inherit this mess any further.”
Five recent guilty pleas in a Texas Antifa terrorism case will strengthen future prosecutions, Waller said.
In that case, the Department of Justice (DOJ) “worked with outside groups to formulate a very fine and legally bulletproof definition of what Antifa is as an organization—not just a nebulous idea like we had been led to believe,” he said.
He called that strategy “brilliant.”
With those plea agreements, “the DOJ has just proven under law that [Antifa] is an organization,” he said, a definition that might have taken years to prove in court otherwise.
Additional defendants still face charges in that case, which arose from a July confrontation at an immigration-detention center; an officer was shot but survived.
President Donald Trump (C) chairs a roundtable about Antifa in the State Dining Room of the White House on Oct. 8, 2025. The foreign terrorist organization designation followed Trump’s September order labeling Antifa a domestic terrorist organization. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Prior to Trump’s orders, the FBI “had no reason to monitor” or even learn about Antifa cells, Waller said.
Trump’s directives changed that. “This is a priority presidential order for them, and suddenly there’s a whole lot of interest in it,” Waller said, adding, “This is just the beginning of a very long term, very well-thought-out strategic plan.”
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/03/2025 – 03:30
Suben a más de 1.400 los muertos por inundaciones en Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Tailandia y Malasia
Por BINSAR BAKKARA
BATANG TORU, Indonesia (AP) — Partes de Asia estaban conmocionadas luego de que las lluvias torrenciales causaran inundaciones y deslaves catastróficos la semana pasada, matando a más de 1.400 personas en Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Tailandia y Malasia. El desastre también ha dejado al descubierto las marcadas disparidades económicas en la región.
Indonesia fue el país más afectado con al menos 753 fallecidos. Por detrás estaba Sri Lanka, con 465, pero su presidente, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, dijo que era demasiado pronto para determinar el número exacto de muertos. Las autoridades han confirmado además al menos 185 decesos en Tailandia y otros tres en Malasia.
Los equipos de rescate luchaban el miércoles contra el reloj para llegar a las comunidades aisladas, mientras más de 1.000 personas siguen desaparecidas y hay aldeas que continúan enterradas bajo el barro y los escombros en medio de cortes de energía y de las telecomunicaciones.
El presidente de Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, visitó una de las zonas afectadas el lunes y prometió ayudas y apoyo para la reconstrucción, aunque aún no declaró la emergencia nacional ni solicitó asistencia internacional como sí ha hecho su homólogo en Sri Lanka.
Indonesia y Tailandia, dos economías de ingresos medios con una capacidad fiscal comparativamente más fuerte, han podido poner en marcha amplias operaciones de rescate, desplegar recursos militares y canalizar fondos de emergencia, mientras que Sri Lanka responde al desastre en unas condiciones mucho más difíciles.
Su primera ministra, Harini Amarasuriya, se reunió con diplomáticos la semana pasada para instarlos a respaldar los esfuerzos gubernamentales en materia de asistencia y reconstrucción.
Aún en proceso de recuperación tras una profunda crisis económica, Sri Lanka cuenta con unos recursos limitados, escasez de divisas y unos servicios públicos debilitados, lo que hace que la respuesta a un desastre a gran escala sea significativamente más difícil y aumenta su dependencia de la ayuda externa.
Las autoridades en Indonesia señalaron que la destrucción causada por los días de lluvias torrenciales y una inusual tormenta tropical que azotó la isla de Sumatra fue el desastre más letal desde el terremoto y tsunami de Sulawesi en 2018, que se cobró la vida de más de 4.300 personas.
Las carreteras destrozadas, los puentes colapsados y los continuos deslizamientos de tierra han dificultado el acceso de los equipos de rescate a algunos de los lugares más castigados, y la Agencia Nacional de Gestión de Desastres afirmó que todavía hay alrededor de 650 personas desaparecidas en las devastadas provincias de Sumatra del Norte, Sumatra Occidental y Aceh, donde miles de residentes en pueblos anegados se vieron obligados a refugiarse en tejados y copas de árboles a la espera de ser rescatados en días anteriores.
La agencia dijo el miércoles que más de 1,5 millones de residentes se han visto desplazados por el desastre que dañó decenas de miles de hogares e instalaciones públicas. Con unos 2.600 heridos y los hospitales desbordados, el gobierno envió tres buques-hospital a las provincias afectadas.
En Sri Lanka, se espera que las inundaciones tengan repercusiones significativas en la economía, que se había estabilizado recientemente después de una crisis sin precedentes. La nación insular está actualmente bajo un programa de rescate del Fondo Monetario Internacional que requiere que conserve divisas para pagar la deuda externa en mora a partir de 2028.
Aunque aún se evalúa el alcance total de los daños económicos, es probable que el costo de reconstruir la infraestructura, restaurar los medios de vida y reactivar la actividad económica ejerzan una presión severa sobre el tesoro público.
Con vastas regiones arroceras y la zona montañosa, principales proveedores de vegetales, devastadas por la calamidad, Sri Lanka podría verse obligada a agotar sus escasas reservas de divisas.
Países como India, Pakistán y Emiratos Árabes Unidos ya han puesto en marcha iniciativas de ayuda, mientras que otros diplomáticos extranjeros que se reunieron con la primera ministra del país han prometido apoyo adicional.
En Tailandia, la portavoz del gobierno, Rachada Dhnadirek, dijo el miércoles que los esfuerzos de recuperación en el sur del país avanzan a buen ritmo y que el agua y la electricidad han sido restauradas en casi todas las áreas afectadas.
El gobierno ha entregado más de 1.000 millones de baht (31,3 millones de dólares) en compensación a más de 120.000 hogares afectados por las inundaciones, agregó.
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Los periodistas de Associated Press Jintamas Saksornchai en Bangkok, Tailandia; Krishan Francis en Colombo, Sri Lanka; Eranga Jayawardena en Sarasavigama, Sri Lanka; y Eileen Ng en Kuala Lumpur, Malasia, contribuyeron a este despacho.
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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.
Bomba en carretera mata a tres policías en el noroeste de Pakistán
Associated Press
PESHAWAR, Pakistán (AP) — Una poderosa bomba caminera que estaba dirigida a un vehículo policial mató a tres agentes en el noroeste de Pakistán el miércoles, informó la policía, el tercer ataque de este tipo en otros tantos días.
La explosión ocurrió en Dera Ismail Khan, un distrito en la provincia de Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cerca de la frontera afgana, señaló el policía Sajjad Khan. No dio más detalles y dijo sólo que había una investigación en marcha.
Ningún grupo reclamó de inmediato la responsabilidad del ataque, pero el ministro del Interior, Mohsin Naqvi, en un comunicado culpó al Talibán paquistaní por el ataque.
El Talibán paquistaní, conocido como Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistán, es un grupo separado pero aliado del gobierno talibán de Afganistán. El grupo ha intensificado su campaña contra las fuerzas de seguridad en los últimos años.
Pakistán ha visto un aumento constante en la violencia armada, profundizando las tensiones con Afganistán. Islamabad acusa al TTP de usar el territorio afgano como refugio seguro desde la toma de poder del Talibán en 2021, una acusación que Kabul niega.
El atentado del miércoles ocurrió al día siguiente de que milicianos emboscaran un vehículo que transportaba a un administrador del gobierno en la ciudad noroccidental de Bannu, matándolo a él, a dos de sus guardias y a un transeúnte.
Las relaciones entre Pakistán y el vecino Afganistán se tensaron en octubre después de que el gobierno liderado por los talibanes acusara a Islamabad de llevar a cabo un ataque con drones el 9 de octubre en Kabul. Posteriores enfrentamientos transfronterizos mataron a decenas de soldados, civiles y milicianos antes de que Qatar mediara un alto el fuego el 19 de octubre.
La tregua sigue en pie, aunque las recientes conversaciones entre las partes en Estambul terminaron sin avances.
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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.
Israel anuncia que abrirá el cruce de Rafah en los próximos días para permitir la salida de palestinos de Gaza a Egipto
JERUSALÉN (AP) — Israel anuncia que abrirá el cruce de Rafah en los próximos días para permitir la salida de palestinos de Gaza a Egipto.
Trump Tells Netanyahu Don’t Hinder Syria’s Stability In Rare Rebuke
Trump Tells Netanyahu Don’t Hinder Syria’s Stability In Rare Rebuke
President Trump has issued a rare criticism and brush back of Israel’s expansionist policy in Syria, where in the south of the country Israel’s military has launched recent deadly ground and aerial raids which go way beyond just the Golan Heights.
Trump has warned that the future of Syria’s stability is at stake. He wrote in a Monday post on Truth Social, “The United States is very satisfied with the results displayed, through hard work and determination, in the Country of Syria. We are doing everything within our power to make sure the Government of Syria continues to do what was intended, which is substantial, in order to build a true and prosperous Country.”
While touting that he has recently terminated long existing sanctions on Syria, Trump crucially warned “It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous State.”
He then once again praised the founder of al-Qaeda in Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who since Assad’s ouster a year ago declared himself ‘interim president’.
Trump’s message to Israel is that ‘interference’ in Syria’s affairs could hinder the potential for “peace in the Middle East” – which Washington wants to see, according to his message. Times of Israel is reporting that Trump’s Truth Social post was issued alongside an important phone call with PM Netanyahu on Monday:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump are speaking by phone, according to multiple Hebrew media reports.
The call comes after Trump warned Israel against destabilizing Syria and its new leadership, days after IDF soldiers battled gunmen in the country’s south.
Israel last Friday had launched another unprovoked major attack on Syria, which killed at least 13 people, including children – and additionally some 25 were reported injured.
The widely reported assault on the southern Syrian town of Beit Jinn constituted a rare ground raid by Israeli forces, accompanied by air and artillery support. Israel troops actually took on casualties – with at least six that were reported wounded, including two critically.
Israeli drones have also been active over the area. In post-Assad Syria, the IDF has encroached more and more on Syrian territory, expanding significantly beyond its Golan Heights occupation.
Trump issues a warning against Israel’s Netanyahu over its illogical incursions in the south;
“It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous State.” pic.twitter.com/TPVN7onQJT
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) December 1, 2025
The Israeli military has described that the high-risk operation was launched to detain suspects belonging to Jama’a Islamiya – a Lebanese Sunni Islamist group which is alleged to have fired rockets at Israel from Lebanon during the Gaza war. The statement further charged the group “terrorist plots”.
However, Trump’s Monday statement is a very mild criticism at best. It could be that Israel is actually getting these Syrian operations approved by US military commanders in the region.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/03/2025 – 02:45
El cultivo de opio en Myanmar alcanza su nivel más alto en una década, según la ONU
Associated Press
KUALA LUMPUR, Malasia (AP) — El cultivo de amapola de opio en Myanmar aumentó este año a su nivel más alto en una década y la nación, inmersa en una guerra civil, sigue siendo uno de los principales proveedores mundiales de drogas ilícitas, según un análisis de Naciones Unidas.
El crecimiento consolida la posición de Myanmar como la principal fuente conocida de opio ilícito en el mundo, especialmente tras las fuertes caídas en la producción en Afganistán después de que los talibanes impusieran una prohibición tras su toma de poder en 2021.
La Encuesta de Opio de Myanmar 2025, publicada el miércoles por la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas contra la Droga y el Delito, encontró que el área donde se cultiva opio se expandió un 17% de 2024 a 53.100 hectáreas (131.212 acres), la mayor área desde 2015.
La UNODC también ha descrito a Myanmar como el mayor productor de metanfetamina del mundo. La metanfetamina es más fácil de fabricar a escala industrial que el opio, que requiere mucha mano de obra, y se distribuye en forma de tabletas y cristal de metanfetamina por tierra, mar y aire en Asia y el Pacífico.
El opio, que se procesa en morfina y heroína, se cosecha de las flores de amapola. Los agricultores de Myanmar han plantado más en un contexto de pobreza generalizada e inestabilidad durante la guerra civil, que estalló después de que su ejército derrocara al gobierno electo de Aung San Suu Kyi en febrero de 2021.
Un factor clave en el crecimiento de la producción de Myanmar ha sido el aumento de los precios del opio. El opio fresco ahora se vende a unos 329 dólares por kilogramo, más del doble del precio de 145 dólares de 2019. Se estima que la economía del opio en Myanmar tiene un valor de entre 641 y 1.050 millones de dólares, lo que representa aproximadamente del 0,9% al 1,4% del PIB de 2024 del país, según el reporte.
El aumento de terrenos cultivados ayudó a compensar una caída del 13% en los rendimientos promedio causada por el conflicto intensificado en algunas áreas, resultando en un aumento del 1% en la producción de opio a aproximadamente 1.010 toneladas, según el informe.
El aumento también revirtió una ligera caída el año pasado en el cultivo y la producción y señaló un repunte en el comercio de drogas arraigado en el país. Myanmar ya había visto un crecimiento en el cultivo y la producción de 2021 a 2023, impulsado por la guerra civil, según el informe.
“Myanmar se encuentra en un momento crítico”, afirmó Delphine Schantz, representante de la UNODC para el Sudeste Asiático y el Pacífico. “Esta gran expansión en el cultivo muestra hasta qué punto la economía del opio se ha restablecido en los últimos años, y apunta a un posible crecimiento futuro”.
Había señales crecientes de que la heroína de Myanmar está llegando a mercados en Europa que anteriormente eran abastecidos por Afganistán, con varias incautaciones en el último año que involucraron a pasajeros que viajaban del Sudeste Asiático a Europa. Aunque el volumen no fue significativo, apuntaba a una creciente demanda más allá de la región para llenar el vacío dejado por el colapso de la producción de Afganistán, según la encuesta de la UNODC.
“Impulsados por el conflicto intensificado, la necesidad de sobrevivir y el atractivo de los precios en alza, los agricultores de Myanmar se sienten atraídos por el cultivo de amapola”, expresó Schantz. “A menos que se creen medios de vida alternativos viables, el ciclo de pobreza y dependencia del cultivo ilícito sólo se agravará”.
El noreste de Myanmar forma parte del infame “Triángulo Dorado”, donde se encuentran las fronteras de Myanmar, Laos y Tailandia. La producción de opio y heroína ha prosperado allí desde hace mucho, en gran parte debido al descontrol en las áreas fronterizas, donde el gobierno central de Myanmar ejerce sólo un control mínimo sobre varias milicias de minorías étnicas, algunas de ellas socias en el comercio de drogas.
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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.
Undercover Agent? Left-Wing Satirist? Questions Swirl After Fiery ‘Hitler-Like’ Speech At AfD Youth Congress
Undercover Agent? Left-Wing Satirist? Questions Swirl After Fiery ‘Hitler-Like’ Speech At AfD Youth Congress
After a flamboyant speaker went viral at the Alternative for Germany (AfD) Youth Congress, there are questions about Alexander Eichwald. Speculation is growing about whether he is an undercover agent, a left-wing satirist, or actually just a genuine AfD supporter. Regardless of the truth, the AfD is already preparing to expel him from the party.
Social media has been asking questions about Eichwald, who sported a blue dinner jacket, after his speech at the AfD Youth Congress in Giessen over the weekend.
Even within the party, there is no clear answer about who he is.
🇩🇪🔴Many on the right are accusing this man of being an undercover agent.
After Alexander Eichwald went viral for his “Hitler-like” speech at the Alternative for Germany (AfD) Youth Congress, speculation is growing about who he actually is.
During his viral speech, he compared… pic.twitter.com/AtJMiz3Bzn
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) December 1, 2025
The newly elected head of the AfD’s young group “Generation Germany,” Jean-Pascal Hohm, also had no answer to questions about Eichwald.
“No matter whether you’re a left-wing provocateur, an undercover agent or simply crazy – anyone who acts like that has no place in the AfD and its youth organization,” he told the dpa news agency.
“Alexander Eichwald’s appearance once again showed how important it is to look closely at admission interviews to see who you accept into the party and who you don’t,” he added.
Eichwald’s speech, in which he used to term “party comrades” and referred to dog breeds when selecting who is allowed into Germany, drew comparisons to Hitler and his propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.
With his speech, Eichwald applied for a position on the board of the newly founded “Generation Germany.” Eichwald clearly lost to Alexander Claus, receiving only 12 percent of votes.
When asked by the dpa whether his appearance was serious, he only responded “yes” and then left the conference hall.
Already, there is speculation about whether the speaker was an undercover agent of the powerful spy agency, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). The BfV is known to place informants inside the parties it targets, with the AfD one of its main concerns. However, others speculated the man is a satirist, potentially from the left. Still, there is no confirmation as of yet who the man actually is.
AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla announced an audit of the data and membership rights of Eichwald, who has only been part of the NRW-AfD in Herford since October.
As a result, Eichwald was removed from the AfD council by circular resolution on Sunday.
“Accordingly, the measure was also taken to aim yesterday by circular resolution to exclude Mr. Eichwald from the party through a party expulsion procedure.“
Additionally, measures are being pursued to have him removed from the party entirely.
AfD parliamentary group leader in Herford, Michael Schneidermann spoke to Welt about Eichwad.
“He touted himself here as a political scientist and student and said he would like to take part in local politics. He did, too.“
The Herford AfD parliamentary group leader, commenting on Eichwald’s speech, said the 30-year-old man had “absolutely unmasked“ himself with his appearance.
“At the weekend in Giessen, that was behavior that I was absolutely not aware of,” said Schneidermann.
Schneidermann also speculated that Eichwald may be an undercover agent “sent from a satirical background.” Schneidermann also said that Eichwald “damaged the party and also reputation of the youth wing of the AfD, which had just been founded.”
Tyler Durden
Wed, 12/03/2025 – 02:00
Gilgeous-Alexander anota 38 puntos y el campeón Thunder doblega 124-112 a Warriors
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander anotó 38 puntos y logró un triple clave con 3:34 minutos por jugar, Jalen Williams añadió 22 unidades y seis asistencias, y el Thunder de Oklahoma City resistió para doblegar el martes 124-112 a unos determinados Warriors de Golden State.
Chet Holmgren encestó un triple decisivo con 6:02 minutos restantes y terminó con 21 puntos y ocho rebotes para los campeones defensores.
Brandin Podziemski anotó 17 puntos y Seth Curry añadió 14 en su debut con los Warriors, mientras su hermano mayor Stephen Curry estuvo fuera por segundo encuentro consecutivo debido a un hematoma en el cuádriceps izquierdo y una distensión muscular sufrida el miércoles pasado contra Houston.
El rebote y enceste de Pat Spencer con 2:26 minutos por jugar en el tercer cuarto acercó a Golden State a 81-79. Su triple en la siguiente posesión dejó la diferencia en un punto, y empató su récord personal con 17 tamtps además de seis asistencias.
El triple de Podziemski al final del tercer cuarto acercó a los Warriors a 91-88.
Jimmy Butler no jugó la segunda mitad por Golden State debido a una molestia en la rodilla izquierda. Comenzó a pesar de estar en duda por un hematoma en el glúteo izquierdo tras una caída aparatosa en el encuentro del sábado, un triunfo sobre los Pelicans. Se movió de manera incómoda bajo la canasta y perdió su zapato izquierdo a mitad del segundo cuarto, renqueando después.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Una boda masiva en Gaza celebra la nueva vida tras años de guerra y tragedia
Por WAFAA SHURAFA y MEGAN JANETSKY
JAN YUNIS, Franja de Gaza (AP) — Eman Hassan Lawwa vestía con estampados tradicionales palestinos y Hikmat Lawwa llevaba un traje mientras caminaban de la mano junto a los edificios destruidos del sur de Gaza, en una fila de otras parejas vestidas exactamente igual.
Los palestinos de 27 años estaban entre las 54 parejas que se casaron el martes en una boda masiva en la devastada Gaza, un evento que supuso un raro momento de esperanza después de dos años de devastación, muerte y conflicto.
“A pesar de todo lo que ha sucedido, comenzaremos una nueva vida”, dijo Hikmat Lawwa. “Dios mediante, este será el fin de la guerra”, manifestó.
Las bodas son una parte clave de la cultura palestina que se ha vuelto inusual en Gaza durante la guerra. La tradición ha comenzado a reanudarse tras un frágil alto el fuego, aunque sea con bodas muy diferentes de las elaboradas ceremonias que una vez se celebraron en el territorio.
Mientras una multitud entusiasta ondeaba banderas palestinas en la ciudad sureña de Jan Yunis, las celebraciones se vieron atenuadas por la crisis continua en toda Gaza. La mayoría de los dos millones de residentes de Gaza, incluidos Eman y Hikmat Lawwa, han sido desplazados por la guerra, áreas enteras de ciudades han sido arrasadas y la escasez de ayuda y los estallidos de violencia continúan afectando a la vida diaria de las personas.
La joven pareja, que son parientes lejanos, huyó a la cercana ciudad de Deir al-Balah durante la guerra y ha tenido problemas por encontrar lo más básico, como comida y refugio. Dijeron que no saben cómo van a construir sus vidas juntos dada la situación que los rodea.
“Queremos ser felices como el resto del mundo. Solía soñar con tener un hogar, un trabajo y ser como todos los demás”, dijo Hikmat. “Hoy, mi sueño es encontrar una tienda de campaña para vivir”.
“La vida ha comenzado a regresar, pero no es como esperábamos que fuera”, añadió.
La celebración fue financiada por Al Fares Al Shahim, una operación de ayuda humanitaria respaldada por Emiratos Árabes Unidos. Además de realizar el evento, la organización ofreció a las parejas una pequeña suma de dinero y otros suministros para comenzar sus vidas juntos.
Para los palestinos, las bodas son a menudo celebraciones elaboradas de varios días, consideradas como una elección social y económica importante que define el futuro de muchas familias. Incluyen danzas alegres, platos rebosantes de comida y procesiones por las calles en las que las familias numerosas visten telas con los mismos patrones que los novios.
Las bodas también pueden ser un símbolo de resiliencia y una celebración de nuevas generaciones de familias que continúan con las tradiciones palestinas, dijo Randa Serhan, profesora de sociología en Barnard College que ha estudiado las bodas palestinas.
“Con cada nueva boda vendrán niños y eso significa que los recuerdos y las líneas familiares no van a morir”, dijo Serhan. “Las parejas van a continuar la vida en una situación imposible”.
El martes, una caravana de autos que transportaban a las parejas avanzaba entre edificios en ruinas. Hikmat y Eman Lawwa ondearon banderas palestinas con otras parejas mientras las familias que los rodeaban bailaban al ritmo de la música.
Eman, que llevaba un vestido tradicional blanco, rojo y verde, dijo que la boda ofrecía un pequeño momento de alivio después de años de sufrimiento. Pero también señaló que estuvo marcada por la pérdida de su padre, madre y otros miembros de la familia que fueron asesinados durante la guerra.
“Es difícil experimentar alegría después de tanto dolor”, dijo con lágrimas corriendo por su rostro. “Dios mediante, reconstruiremos ladrillo a ladrillo”.
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Janetsky informó desde Jerusalén.
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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.
