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In my previous article for Daily Sabah, I discussed the PKK's involvement in the drug trade since its early days, tracing the routes of these transactions and highlighting the countries and groups that have contributed to the industry's growth. In this following piece, I will explain how drug money is utilized and how political dynamics across the region have created a favorable environment for the PKK and its affiliates to thrive. The PKK plays a dominant role in Türkiye’s narcotics smuggling industry. Money earned through the drug trade constitutes one of the principal sources of its revenue, which is used to buy advanced weapons from European markets and expand its military and political capabilities. The PKK tends to lure the young by offering mild drugs free of cost first and later dragging them into its trade permanently. The drug money is also utilized to lobby with the major powers across the world to achieve its political objectives and fund the big media houses to raise their issue and veil their terror activities. It is also siphoned off to support its operatives in Türkiye and neighboring countries and to achieve their political objectives. They have close contact with several overseas Kurdish groups and one such group is the Belgium-based Congress of the European Kurdish Democratic Community. In 2022, the Council for Europe backlisted thirteen persons associated with the group for their involvement in the illicit trade. The PKK forcefully drags minors into the drug swamps, and several leading figures of the PKK, like Cemil Bayık (one of the founding members of PKK), Duran Kalkan (commander of the PKK's terrorist forces) and several others, have been blacklisted by the EU countries. Today, PKK-controlled drug networks have deep roots in the market of Europe and the United States. According to a report published by the U.S.’s General Directorate of Security, the PKK has used the earnings through drug trafficking to widen the networks of its activities and enrolled more and more youth in the PKK because the easy access to banned stimulating drugs also attracts the youth. A U.K. intelligence report has recently also linked the London-based notorious drug gang Tottenham Boys group with the PKK, which has a membership of 400 and is responsible for distributing Grade A and B drugs in Northern and Central London and the same report indicates that three Moldova-based drug peddlers were part of the PKK. With the ushering of the Arab uprising coupled with the political chaos across the region, the PKK found an uncontested geographical terrain to expand its drug trade and consequently, in the last decade, its drug empire has upped many notches. The rise of ISIS and the subsequent U.S. support to the PKK/YPG in the guise of combating ISIS offered a favorable environment to the PKK and its affiliates to deepen its imprint, which eventually helped the PKK’s drug empire as well. Because of the growing U.S.-PKK/YPG alliance in Syria, the PKK acquired new leeway in Syrian internal politics and emerged as a catalyst in the burgeoning drug trade. For a long time, most of the fertile agricultural lands in northern Syria have been controlled by regional Kurdish people, but with the weakening authority of Assad, these lands began to be used for the cultivation of cannabis to mint money. In recent years, the PKK/YPG has been reported to force the locals to cultivate only cannabis in the areas controlled by them. They also coordinate smuggling between Syria and Europe. The trained drug peddlers inside the PKK/YPG carry the drugs through the Syrian border to other countries, and they also use drone services, which can have three to five kilograms of banned and costly drugs in a single flight. These drugs are passed on to Lebanese territories through various middlemen to market them into other Arab nations and some are resent to Türkiye to be sold in European markets for higher prices. Amid the growing influence of PKK/YPG in their zone, they started to grow more drug-related plants like poppy, hemp, marijuana and cannabis to make huge amounts of money in a short span. To evade the general gaze, they grow corn around the farming tract and drug plantations in the middle of the tract. The PKK/YPG has created a special cell to protect and hide the drug cultivation in the areas run by the North and East Syrian Autonomous Administration. The rampant production has increased drug addiction in the region and the price of some drugs is cheaper than cigarettes. Apart from cannabis, the most known drug in Syria is Captagon . In one of the operations launched by the Turkish force, around a million Captagon pills were seized in the region controlled by PKK/YPG. Similarly, during the 2018 Olive Branch operation in Afrin, security forces found concrete tunnels that the PKK used to smuggle drugs into Türkiye. Drugs have become a tool to lure youngsters and the rampant use of drugs is likely to render them defunct, fatigued and despondent. The control of huge lands by the PKK/YPG has created a prosperous zone for drug cultivation and like in Türkiye and Europe, the PKK/YPG officials have established special cells to supervise the drug trade and money laundering. Though in the past, the Turkish authorities have launched many operations to bust these drug operatives in the country, the international community does not cooperate with Türkiye on this matter. Türkiye has repeatedly warned the EU about PKK’s threat to public order in the region. However, the EU seems to have overlooked the warning and failed to take the necessary action despite the fact Germany hosts the largest number of followers of PKK/YPG. Drug trafficking is a global menace and it needs global efforts and cooperation among different countries to fight it. There should be no politics in dealing with this peril; otherwise, it would lead to many new crises in the world, which is already trapped in the vortex of numerous calamities.
Canada shares lower at close of trade; S&P/TSX Composite down 0.26%Telangana ACB nabs deputy tehsildar for demanding Rs 6k bribeThe recently released Tamil film ' Thiru Manickam ', starring Samuthirakani in the lead role, is currently running in theaters and has garnered attention for its engaging storyline. Following its theatrical release, the movie is set to stream on ZEE5 starting January 31, 2024. Additionally, it will be available on OTTPlay Premium for viewers who prefer digital platforms. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Produced under the banner of GPRK Cinemas by GP Ravi Kumar, Chinta Gopala Krishna Reddy, and Raja Senthil, 'Thiru Manickam' features cinematography by M. Sukumar and music by Vishal Chandrasekar. SP Raja Sethupathi handles the film’s editing, ensuring a seamless narrative flow. Written and directed by Nanda Periyasamy, 'Thiru Manickam' is a family drama that delves into themes of morality, love, and human relationships. The star-studded cast includes notable actors such as Ananya, Bharathiraja, Thambi Ramaiah, Karunakaran, Chaams, Vadivukarasi, and Ilavarasu. Samuthirakani plays the titular character, a righteous and loving family man who runs a lottery ticket shop near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. The story unfolds when an elderly, impoverished man visits the shop, chooses lottery tickets, and reserves them while he returns home to fetch money. However, his financial struggles prevent him from coming back. Later, one of the tickets he selected wins a massive jackpot. Faced with a moral dilemma, the shopkeeper believes the prize belongs to the old man. However, his family pressures him to claim the winnings for themselves, leading to a compelling narrative about integrity and familial bonds. With its engaging premise and strong performances, Thiru Manickam has become a notable addition to Tamil cinema. Fans of family dramas can look forward to its OTT release on ZEE5, which ensures accessibility for a broader audience. For further updates on films, OTT releases, and entertainment news, stay tuned to OTTplay Premium for the latest in one click.
A $28 million water treatment facility construction project has been greenlit by trustees of the Stillwater Utilities Authority. The water chemical treatment improvement project will nix outdated facilities that can’t meet future needs and put into place new facilities, equipment and technology that can, Senior Project Manager Chris Humes said Dec. 16 ahead of the trustees’ vote. “Although these facilities have safely moved almost 100 billion gallons of safe drinking water in the past 39 years, as you can see they are looking a little tired,” he said. Stillwater water treatment plant facilities constructed in 1985 were originally made to move a maximum of 12 million gallons per day. The improved facilities and technology would expand that capacity to 24 mgd. Humes said because of age and required frequent maintenance – and parts difficult or sometimes “impossible” to obtain – the facilities and equipment cannot meet the future demand for the City of Stillwater and surrounding areas. The new water chemical treatment facility improvement project was designed with the future in mind, Humes said. Highlights of the project include replacement of the lime system, improvements to chlorine and ozone systems, replacement of the carbon dioxide feed system and installation of an anti-corrosion and water stability systems. The total expenditures of $28,013,060 were broken down by Humes as follow: - $24,968,000 for the bid - $463,419 for third party inspection services - $35,000 for additional inspection services and testing - $2,546,641 for contingency Humes said it would be paid for, in part, by what will be leftover from a $37 million Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund ($17,849,944 total towards this project from that loan), $5 million from an EPA Congressional Directive and $5,163,116 from the Water Fund. The other part of the $37 million DWSRF loan will pay for the finish water pump station and the recover water pump station of these new water treatment facilities. The DWSRF was established by 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act and is a financial assistance program to help water systems and states to achieve the health protection objectives of the SDWA. Congress appropriates funding for the DWSRF and the EPA then awards capitalization grants to each state for their DWSRF based upon the results of the most recent Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The state provides a 20% match. Mayor Will Joyce thanked Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) for helping Stillwater to secure the $5 million from an EPA Congressional Directive towards this project. The construction bid has been awarded to Crossland Heavy Construction.Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (NYSEARCA:BTCO) Shares Gap Down – Time to Sell?
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By Will Dunham WASHINGTON, 2024 (Reuters) - Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as U.S. president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, has died, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Sunday. He was 100. A Democrat, he served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 U.S. election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other U.S. president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president - a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th U.S. president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency - walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbors. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unraveling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20% and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter's presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. HOSTAGE CRISIS On Nov. 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a U.S. hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight U.S. soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on Jan. 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the U.S. Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full U.S. ties with China. Carter created two new U.S. Cabinet departments - education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behavior of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." 'THERE YOU GO AGAIN' Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states - 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labor for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018. (Reporting and writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Bill Trott and Diane Craft)
The City of Abbotsford is looking at a property-tax increase of almost six per cent for 2025. The rate recommended by city staff for next year is 5.98 per cent (a 4.98 per cent tax revenue increase plus a one per cent infrastructure levy) – roughly the same that has been approved in the previous two budgets. The 2023 budget also had a 5.98 per cent increase – the highest in years – while 2024 saw 5.12 per cent. This compares to 3.49 per cent in 2022, 2.05 in 2021 and 2.12 in 2020. Budget presentations to council take place Tuesday (Dec. 10) and Wednesday (Dec. 11) from 1 to 5 p.m. at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. The draft report to council states that the recommended 2025 property tax increase “continues to reflect the reality of ongoing elevated price pressures.” “These are mostly clearly seen in labour contract negotiations, construction cost inflation and emergency services contracts,” the report states. “These pressures are not unique to Abbotsford and have been observed across the region. Additionally impacting the budget this year is a significant investment in enhanced transit service.” The total consolidated budget for 2025 is $373 million, compared to $357 million in 2024. The 2025 budget breaks down to $84 million in capital projects and $289 million in operating expenses. Among the larger increased expenses for 2025 is $5.7 million more for the Abbotsford Police Department, which accounts for 20 per cent of the city budget. The APD’s total budget for 2025 comes in at $75.1 million. The draft report states that the E-Comm dispatch service continues to have a “significant impact” on the budget with a cost of $1.2 million. As well, another 8.5 proposed new positions are adding a further $800,000 to the police budget. Another large increase – $800,000 – for 2025 is related to transit, including an additional 10,000 hours of service for the conventional bus system and an extra 3,120 hours for handyDART. The city is also expecting to spend another $1.7 million in new positions “to support growth” and $300,000 more in improvements to program and service levels. Most of those positions are related to the field of information technology. Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service is also expecting to have an increase in spending of $1.5 million – mostly due to contractual increases, but also including the proposed hiring of four new firefighters, a training officer, and a fire prevention investigator/educator. Major projects planned in the capital budget for 2025 include safety improvements to railway crossings, drainage culvert replacements, renewal of an airport runway, road resurfacing, intersection improvements, park amenities, and the bike lane and sidewalk programs. In 2024, the tax bill for an average-priced single-family home – $1.157 million – in Abbotsford amounted to $5,339, including municipal and non-municipal taxes. In 2025, the average-priced home – $1.139 million – is expected to pay $5,747 in taxes. But that doesn’t necessarily mean individual homeowners will see their own bills rise by exactly that amount. Since property taxes are based on a home’s assessed value, only those properties with values that rise (or fall) exactly in line with the city average will see that average tax increase. Residents whose property values drop in value, compared to the city average, will see a smaller increase – or even a decrease. Meanwhile, those whose home’s value increases more than the city average will end up paying more in tax. The 2025 draft budget can be viewed .Trump calls for ceasefire in Ukraine immediatelyNEW YORK , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- It is with profound sadness that TGM mourns the death of its Co-founder and Managing Principal, Steven C. Macy (1949-2024). Steve, real estate executive, husband, brother, uncle, friend, mentor, proud parent and grandparent, and oracle of wisdom who told endless anecdotes, died in New York on December 2 nd . Steve was a dynamic leader with a breadth of interests and knowledge that matched his energy, enthusiasm, and drive. He was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio . Steve co-founded TGM Associates L.P. ("TGM") with Thomas Gochberg in July 1991 . TGM provides an integrated suite of asset and property management services to large, global institutions, including state pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, corporate pension plans, and high-net-worth individuals. Prior to co-founding TGM, Steve worked at Smith Barney Real Estate and its successor company, Security Capital, where he first met Thomas Gochberg . Steve also worked for Integrated Resources, where he headed Integrated's national portfolio of 32,000 apartments. Steve was responsible for overseeing Smith Barney's nationwide property management operations and is recognized by some as one of the principal creators of the national property management business. Prior to his tenure at Smith Barney, real estate investment was predominantly a local and regional business, and Steve was responsible for creating an organization that was national in scope and capable of efficiently managing a portfolio stretching from coast to coast. He replicated this process twice more while at Integrated Resources and TGM. Steve was profiled in Bloomberg Businessweek's Executive Profile Directory for multiple years. He was also awarded the Institute of Real Estate Management's Certified Property Manager designation and was instrumental in TGM's designation as an Accredited Management Organization by that same institution. Steve's Real Estate affiliations included being a member of the Institute of Real Estate Management, the National Multi Housing Council (he served on the Board of Directors from 1990 to 1991), the National Apartment Association, and the Pension Real Estate Association. Steve was a member and patron of numerous New York social and cultural institutions and was an active member of the New York City Catholic Diocese. He accompanied Cardinal Dolan and his predecessor, Cardinal Egan, as members of their entourage on several visits to the Vatican, where Steve met sitting Popes. Steve was also an active member of St. Ignatius Loyola's congregation on the Upper East Side of Manhattan . Steve also enjoyed traveling with his Jesuit friends, including attending several silent retreats and several trips to Israel . Steve and his wife Emi had a plethora of shared interests that included volunteering, cooking, and good food (Steve was an excellent cook and enjoyed preparing meals for all), and was an adventurous traveler. Steve had an amazing rolodex of excellent restaurants from all the places he visited and usually a good story or two from the times he frequented them. Steve dedicated significant time to mentoring young minds in search of wisdom. He once published his feelings on how to lead a "successful life" which reflected those tenets that resonated deeply with him and were evident to any person that he came in contact with. In short, Steve stated that if you wanted to change the world: Steve is survived by his wife Emi; children Christopher, Tiffany, Alexa, and Akane; grandchildren Todd Jr., Tess, Tanner and Tom; his sister Karen; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He will be missed by all. About TGM Founded in 1991, TGM is an investment advisory firm organized to provide an integrated suite of asset and property management services to its investors through a series of fully integrated operating companies. Through its vertically and horizontally integrated operating companies, TGM specializes in acquisitions, property management, leasing, construction, property maintenance and asset management services. An affiliate of TGM provides property management services under the brand TGM Communities. As of September 30, 2024, TGM has invested in 141 multifamily properties throughout 28 states. To learn more about TGM please contact John Gochberg , Managing Principal, Chief Executive Officer, and President. Phone: (212) 830-9312, E-mail: jgochberg@TGMAssociates.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tgm-mourns-death-of-co-founder-and-managing-principal-steven-c-macy-302326734.html SOURCE TGMNone
