News
Family concerned for well-being of U.S. hostage Ryan Corbett in Taliban prison following disturbing phone call
The family of American hostage Ryan Corbett is growing increasingly worried about his health after a “deeply disturbing” phone call from him this week. Ryan has been detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan since August 2022 without any charges being brought against him. His wife, Anna Corbett, and their three children received a 12-minute call from Ryan on Tuesday, in which he exhibited a significantly deteriorated mental state. According to Anna, Ryan’s captors have been telling him that he is forgotten by his country, and it seems he now believes them.
The family, who reside in New York, has had only five short phone calls with Ryan totaling 44 minutes since his detention. During the recent call, Ryan mentioned that he had suffered from high fevers that went undiagnosed. Anna expressed her fear about Ryan’s well-being, stating that he is often isolated for long periods of time, and with reports of seizures, fainting, discolored extremities, and deep despair, she worries every day that he may not make it home alive.
Taliban intelligence officials have accused Ryan of anti-state activities, despite the US State Department declaring that he has been wrongfully detained. Anna has been vocal about her concerns and has urged President Biden to take action to bring Ryan home safely. Qatar, acting as the United States’ Protecting Power for Afghanistan, has sent officials to visit Ryan twice, but concerns about his deteriorating health persist.
In a television interview with CBS News in December, Anna revealed that Ryan had been suffering from a constant ringing in his ears, deteriorating vision, and seizures during his imprisonment. Additionally, a childhood accident had left Ryan with a collapsed lung, making him more susceptible to pneumonia while being held in a damp and cold basement by the Taliban.
While Taliban officials claim that Ryan is being held in a guesthouse with access to sunlight, newspapers, magazines, and a small gym, these claims have not been verified by CBS News. The Taliban’s appointed envoy to the United Nations, Suhail Shaheen, has stated that they do not torture or mistreat anyone in custody. The US State Department has stated that they are actively working for the release of Americans detained in Afghanistan, including Ryan, but cannot speak publicly about individual cases for privacy and operational reasons.
The plight of Ryan Corbett highlights the dangers faced by Americans and other foreigners detained in countries like Afghanistan, where political turmoil and extremist groups pose a threat to their well-being. The Corbett family’s fears for Ryan’s health serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of international conflicts and the importance of ongoing efforts to secure the safe return of all hostages.
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Margaret Brennan and Olivia Gazis contributed to this report.
News
Is now the right time to invest in gold as prices have cooled?
The price of gold has climbed to record highs recently and has remained strong through much of April. And, that growth continued until the precious metal traded at around $2,390 per ounce on April 19, 2024. But since, growth in the price of the precious metal has cooled, with gold’s price now hovering around $2,300 per ounce.
This lull in gold’s price may represent an investment opportunity.
In general, investing is centered around buying assets when prices are low and selling them when prices are high – generating a profit on the difference between the two. So, considering the declines in gold’s price over the past few days, now may be the time to make your investment. But is buying gold during this lull in prices really a good idea?
Compare your gold investment options among leading brokers now.
Gold prices have cooled. Should you buy in now?
With gold’s price down from recent highs, you may be wondering if now is the right time to buy in. There are several reasons the dip in gold’s price may represent an opportunity to buy. Here are some of the biggest:
Prices may rise again
If looking at a gold price chart shows anything for certain, it shows that changes in the overall growth of the medal come in fits and spurts. Periods of price growth are typically followed by periods of declines and vice versa.
But with inflation rising in recent months – and with gold’s reputation as a safe-haven asset that can hedge against inflation – it only makes sense that the price of the precious metal will eventually start to head up again in the future. While attempting to time that directional change may be tricky, buying the precious metal while the price is down gives you the opportunity to take advantage of any upward movement that may be ahead.
Add gold to your portfolio now before prices have a chance to rise.
You may be able to make a quick profit
Gold isn’t known as an asset in which you can earn a quick return, but in today’s market, that may be the case. Don’t forget that in January, gold was trading at just $2,000 per ounce. And, by mid-April, the commodity’s price had climbed to around $2,400 per ounce. That’s about 20% growth in a matter of months, much of which happened since March 1 – an impressive climb for any investment asset.
Perhaps more importantly, gold’s price growth through the beginning of 2024 shows that the commodity doesn’t have to be a buy and hold style investment that you keep in a safety deposit box or precious metal depository for years to come. There’s also the possibility that the commodity’s price could climb further ahead, making it a compelling way to potentially generate a quick profit.
There are other benefits of investing in gold
There are other benefits of investing in gold that have little to do with the price growth seen thus far in 2024 – or the lull in prices seen over the past couple of days. Those benefits include:
- Inflation protection: Gold has long been considered an inflation hedge, and for good reason. When inflation drives the prices of consumer goods and services up – and the value of the dollar down – gold’s price tends to rise. So, it could be used to maintain the value of your portfolio during inflationary economic conditions. That’s important in today’s economic environment as stubborn inflation continues to weigh on the value of the dollar.
- Portfolio diversification: Gold’s price doesn’t always move in the same pattern that bonds or stocks do. So, mixing a reasonable amount of gold into your portfolio (up to 10% of your portfolio assets) as a diversifier could protect you from losses should one or more of your traditional portfolio assets fall in value. “If you have less than 5% – 10% of your net worth in commodities & FX (forex), you should absolutely consider adding exposure to gold and other precious metals,” says Vijay Marolia, money manager and managing partner at the wealth management firm, Regal Point Capital.
The bottom line
Gold’s price has fallen from recent highs – which may represent an opportunity to tap into growth ahead. However, gold isn’t simply a “buy while it’s low and sell while it’s a high” kind of investment opportunity. The commodity can also protect your portfolio from the stubborn inflation we’ve seen thus far in 2024 while acting as a diversification tool that could increase your risk-adjusted portfolio returns. So, consider adding gold to your portfolio today while it has the potential to grow in value.
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