Podcasts about Kurdish

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

About the Lecture: This discussion is based on a case study that examines two policy proposals, federalism or secession, as possible solutions for the Kurdish conflict in Iran. It is a study that meticulously analyzes the historical background of the Kurdish question, identifying the critical factors for the emergence of Kurdish nationalism in Iran and the environmental degradation and dynamics of regional politics as additional factors to the complexity and multidimensional nature of the Kurdish conflict in Iran. Ultimately, this study aimed to answer one main research question: Which of these two distinct policy proposals, asymmetrical federalism, or remedial secession, can provide a peaceful and democratic solution to the long-lasting Kurdish conflict in Iran? About the Speaker: Following the Iranian revolution in 1979, Salah Bayaziddi, as a young sympathizer, joined the political process and became an activist in the Kurdish struggle against the oppression of the Iranian regime at an incredibly young age. In 1982, regime security forces arrested him. He survived over two years of torture and solitary confinement for his beliefs in a free and democratic Iran based on equality for all ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds. Following his release from prison, Salah was under strict and constant watch by regime security and intelligence agencies. From 1984 to 1990, he was deprived of the right to study, the right to work, and the right to travel outside Iran. In 1990, Salah Bayaziddi escaped Iran through the mountains of Turkey. In Ankara, he applied for refugee status and was accepted as a new Canadian immigrant through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In 1991, Salah Bayaziddi resettled in Toronto. He has been active in Kurdish politics and an advocate for human rights in Iran for over 40 years. Salah Bayaziddi received his BA in Political Science from York University in Toronto, an MA in International Relations from Brock University in Canada, and a PhD in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from NSU Florida.

Joseph Eptstein, newly minted Director of the Yorktown Institute's Turan Research Center, returns to the podcast for a barnstorming tour of the Middle East. Joseph was last on the show at the very end of 2024 to discuss the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. In the first six months of 2025, we've seen significant developments in almost every major conflict in the region. From renewed Israeli offensives in Gaza to Operation Midnight Hammer to the rush to rehabilitate Syria as a member of the international system to the possibility of a Kurdish peace, and the expansion of the Abraham Accords, the region is very, very, very fluid right now.Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full show notes (30% off for podcast listeners)!

This week we talk about the PKK, Turkey, and the DEM Party.We also discuss terrorism, discrimination, and stateless nations.Recommended Book: A Century of Tomorrows by Glenn AdamsonTranscriptKurdistan is a cultural region, not a country, but part of multiple countries, in the Middle East, spanning roughly the southeastern portion of Turkey, northern Iraq, the northwestern portion of Iran, and northern Syrian. Some definitions also include part of the Southern Caucasus mountains, which contains chunks of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.So this is a sprawling region that straddles multiple nations, and it's defined by the presence of the Kurdish people, the Kurds, who live all over the world, but whose culture is concentrated in this area, where it originally developed, and where, over the generations, there have periodically been very short-lived Kurdish nations of various shapes, sizes, and compositions.The original dynasties from which the Kurds claim their origin were Egyptian, and they governed parts of northeastern African and what is today Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. That was back in the 8th to 12th century, during which Saladin, who was the sultan of both Egypt and Syria, played a major historical role leading Muslim military forces against the Christian Crusader states during the Third Crusade, and leading those forces to victory in 1187, which resulted in Muslim ownership of the Levant, even though the Crusaders continued to technically hold the Kingdom of Jerusalem for another hundred years or so, until 1291.Saladin was Kurdish and kicked off a sultanate that lasted until the mid-13th century, when a diverse group of former slave-soldiers called the mamluks overthrew Saladin's family's Ayyubid sultanate and replaced it with their own.So Kurdish is a language spoken in that Kurdistan region, and the Kurds are considered to be an Iranian ethnic group, because Kurdish is part of a larger collection of languages and ethnicities, though many Kurds consider themselves to be members of a stateless nation, similar in some ways to pre-Israel Jewish people, Tibetan people under China's rule, or the Yoruba people, who primarily live in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, but who were previously oriented around a powerful city-state in that region, which served as the central loci of the Ife Empire, before the Europeans showed up and decided to forcibly move people around and draw new borders across the African continent.The Kurds are likewise often politically and culturally powerful, and that's led to a lot of pushback from leaders in the nations where they live and at times operate as cultural blocs, and it's led to some very short-lived Kurdish nations these people have managed to establish in the 20th century, including the Kingdom of Kurdistan from 1921-1924, the Republic of Ararat from 1927-1930, and the Republic of Mahabad, which was formed as a puppet state of the Soviet Union in 1946 in northwestern Iran, following a Soviet push for Kurdish nationalism in the region, which was meant to prevent the Allies from controlling the region following WWII, but which then dissolved just a few months after its official formation due to waning support from the Kurdish tribes that initially helped make it a reality.What I'd like to talk about today is the Kurdistan Worker's Party, and why their recently declared ceasefire with Turkey is being seen as a pretty big deal.—The Kurdistan Worker's Party, depending on who you ask, is a political organization or a terrorist organization. It was formed in Turkey in late-1978, and its original, founding goal was to create an independent Kurdish state, a modern Kurdistan, in what is today a small part of Turkey, but in the 1990s it shifted its stated goals to instead just get more rights for Kurds living in Turkey, including more autonomy but also just equal rights, as Kurdish people in many nations, including Turkey, have a long history of being discriminated against, in part because of their cultural distinctiveness, including their language, manner of dress, and cultural practices, and in part because, like many tight-knit ethnic groups, they often operate as a bloc, which in the age of democracy also means they often vote as a bloc, which can feel like a threat to other folks in areas with large Kurdish populations.When I say Kurdish people in Turkey have long been discriminated against, that includes things like telling them they can no longer speak Kurdish and denying that their ethnic group exists, but it also includes massacres conducted by the government against Kurdish people; at times tens of thousands of Kurds were slaughtered by the Turkish army. There was also an official ban on the words Kurds, Kurdistan, and Kurdish by the Turkish government in the 1980s, and Kurdish villages were destroyed, food headed to these villages was embargoed, and there was a long-time ban on the use of the Kurdish language in public life, and people who used it were arrested.As is often the case in such circumstances, folks who support the Kurdish Worker's Party, which is often shorthanded as the PKK, will tell you this group just pushes back against an oppressive regime, and they do what they have to to force the government to backtrack on their anti-Kurdish laws and abuses, which have been pretty widespread and violent.The PKK, in turn, has been criticized for, well, doing terrorist stuff, including using child soldiers, conducting suicide bombings, massacring groups of civilians, engaging in drug trafficking to fund their cause, and executing people on camera as a means of sowing terror.Pretty horrible stuff on both sides, if you look at this objectively, then, and both sides have historically justified their actions by pointing at the horrible things the other side has done to them and theirs.And that's the context for a recent announcement by the leader of the PKK, that the group would be disarming—and very literally so, including a symbolic burning of their weapons in a city in northern Iraq, which was shared online—and they would be shifting their efforts from that of violent militarism and revolution to that of political dialogue and attempting to change the Turkish government from the inside.Turkish President Erdogan, for his part, has seemed happy to oblige these efforts and gestures, fulfilling his role by receiving delegates from the Turkish, pro-Kurd party, the DEM Party, and smilingly shaking that delegate's hand on camera, basically showing the world, and those who have played some kind of role in the militant effort against the Turkish government, that this is the way of things now, we're not fighting physically anymore, we're moving on to wearing suits and pushing for Kurdish rights within the existing governmental structures.The founder of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, got in on the action, as well, releasing a seven-minute video from prison, which was then broadcast by the PKK's official media distribution outlet, saying that the fighting is over. This was his first appearance on camera in 26 years, and he used it to say their effort paid off, the Kurds now have an officially recognized identity, and it's time to leverage that identity politically to move things in the right direction.Erdogan's other messages on the matter, to the Kurdish people, but also those who have long lived in fear of the PKK's mass-violence, have reinforced that sentiment, saying that the Kurds are officially recognized as a political entity, and that's how things would play out from this point forward—and this will be good for everyone. And both sides are saying that, over and over, because, well, child soldiers and suicide bombings and massacres conducted by both sides are really, really not good for anyone.By all indications, this has been a very carefully orchestrated dance by those on both sides of the conflict, which again, has been ongoing since 1978, and really picked up the pace and became continuous and ultra-violent, in the 1980s.There was an attempted peace process back in the 20-teens, but the effort, which included a temporary truce between 2013 and 2015, failed, following the murder of two Turkish police officers, the PKK initially claiming responsibility, but later denying they had any involvement. That led to an uptick in military actions by both groups against the other, and the truce collapsed.This new peace process began in 2024 and really took off in late-February of 2025, when that aforementioned message was broadcast by the PKK's leader from prison after lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party worked to connect him and the Turkish government, and eventually helped negotiate the resulting mid-May of 2025 disarmament.Turkey's military leaders have said they will continue to launch strikes against PKK-affiliated groups that continue to operate in the region, and the PKK's disarmament announcement has been embraced by some such groups, while others, like the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is tied to the PKK, but not directly affiliated with them, have said this truce doesn't apply to them.Most governments, globally, have heralded this disarmament as a major victory for the world and Turkey in particular, though the response within Turkey, and in Kurdish areas in particular, has apparently been mixed, with some people assuming the Turkish government will backtrack and keep the DEM Party from accomplishing much of anything, and worrying about behind-the-scenes deals, including a reported agreement between Erdogan's government and the DEM Party to support Erdogan's desire to transform the Turkish government into a presidential system, which would grant him more direct control and power, while others are seemingly just happy to hear that the violence and fear might end.Also notable here is that a lot of Turkey's foreign policy has revolved around hobbling and hurting the PKK for decades, including Turkey's initial hindering of Sweden's accession to NATO, which was partly a means of getting other nations to give the Turkish government stuff they wanted, like upgraded military equipment, but was also a push against the Swedish government's seeming protection of people associated with the PKK, since Sweden's constitution allows people to hold all sorts of beliefs.Some analysts have speculated that this could change the geopolitics of the Middle East fundamentally, as Turkey has long been a regional power, but has been partly hobbled by its conflict with the PKK, and the easing or removal of that conflict could free them up to become more dominant, especially since Israel's recent clobbering of Iran seems to have dulled the Iranian government's shine as the de facto leader of many Muslim groups and governments in the area.It's an opportune time for Erdogan to grab more clout and influence, in other words, and that might have been part of the motivation to go along with the PKK's shift to politics: it frees him and his military up to engage in some adventurism and/or posturing further afield, which could then set Turkey up as the new center of Muslim influence, contra-the Saudis' more globalized version of the concept, militarily and economically. Turkey could become a huge center of geopolitical gravity in this part of the world, in other words, and that seems even more likely now that this disarmament has happened.It's still early days in this new seeming state of affairs, though, and there's a chance that the Turkish government's continued strikes on operating PKK affiliated groups could sever these new ties, but those involved seem to be cleaving to at least some optimism, even as many locals continue hold their breath and hope against hope that this time is different than previous attempts at peace.Show Noteshttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/heres-what-to-know-about-turkeys-decision-to-move-forward-with-swedens-bid-to-join-natohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_PKK%E2%80%93Turkey_peace_processhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%932015_PKK%E2%80%93Turkey_peace_processhttps://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/05/turkey-pkk-disarm-disband-impacts?lang=enhttps://www.middleeasteye.net/news/pkk-claims-deadly-suicide-bombing-turkish-police-stationhttps://web.archive.org/web/20161016064155/https://hrwf.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Child-soldiers-in-ISIS-PKK-Boko-Haram%E2%80%A6.pdfhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdistan_Workers%27_Partyhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2025/jul/11/kurdistan-workers-party-pkk-burn-weapons-in-disarming-ceremony-videohttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/18/turkiye-pkk-analysis-recalibrates-politicshttps://time.com/7303236/erdogan-war-peace-kurds/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/19/unidentified-drone-kills-pkk-member-injures-another-in-iraqhttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/unidentified-drone-kills-pkk-member-injures-another-near-iraqs-sulaymaniyah-2025-07-19/https://www.aljazeera.com/video/inside-story/2025/7/11/why-has-the-pkk-ended-its-armed-strugglehttps://archive.is/20250718061819/https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-07-17/ty-article-opinion/.premium/how-the-possible-end-to-turkeys-kurdish-problem-could-become-israels-turkey-problem/00000198-1794-dd64-abb9-bfb5dbf30000https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdistanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kurdish_dynasties_and_countrieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Kurdish_nationalism This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

This talk delivered by Professor René Provost explored important lessons on the promises and limits of non-state justice in conflict zones, specifically looking at the Kurdish-dominated Democratic Autonomous Administration of North East Syria. Zones of armed conflict are spaces of disorder, which state and non-state belligerents alike aim to curtail through law. Starting in 2014, the Kurdish-dominated Democratic Autonomous Administration of North East Syria established its own courts and enacted its own laws, in civil as well as criminal matters. For a decade, this unrecognised system of administration of justice has struggled to bring social order to this war-afflicted territory. Meet our speaker and chair René Provost Ad.E. FRSC is the James McGill Professor of Justice Beyond the State at the Faculty of Law of McGill University. He joined the Faculty of Law of McGill University in 1994, where he was Associate Dean (Academic) from 2001 to 2003 and the founding Director of the McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism from 2005 to 2010. Professor Provost teaches Public International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, International Environmental Law, Legal Anthropology, and various courses in legal theory. His latest book is 'Rebel Courts – The Administration of Justice by Armed Insurgents' (Oxford University Press 2021), winner of the 2022 ICON-S Prize for Best Book in Public Law and the 2023 American Society of International Law Certificate of Merit for Creative Scholarship. Robert Lowe is Deputy Director of the LSE Middle East Centre and Co-Convenor of the Kurdish Studies Series at the LSE Middle East Centre. His main research interest is Kurdish politics, with particular focus on the Kurdish movements in Syria. He is Co-Editor of the Kurdish Studies Series, published by I.B. Tauris.

The Unspeakable Things That Happened In The Armenian Genocide Watch this documentary at- https://youtu.be/FfW6pSCc_kQ?si=9Ac9e5jrDuW3cG0l A Day In History 814K subscribers 1,540,193 views Jun 6, 2023 #worldwar1 #armenian #ottoman The 20th century had no shortage of terrible events that cast a shadow over people today. The deaths of over a million Armenians is one such tragedy. Few tragedies have faced such bitter political discussion after the fact as the Armenian Incident. , others deny it ever happened, insist it was an accident, or that it was a justified response to a political threat. In this video, we look at the unspeakable things that happened in the Armenian Incident and how its complicated legacy is still hotly debated today. If you appreciate these videos, leave a like to show your support and subscribe to A Day In History for more content like this. Setting the Stage Nestled in the Caucasus Mountains on the border between Europe and Asia, Armenia's long history has seen it caught between countless empires. By the late 19th century, Western Armenia was firmly under the control of the Ottoman Empire while a smaller Eastern portion was controlled by the Russians. The Armenians of the Ottoman Empire faced many obstacles. As a Christian minority in a Muslim-majority Empire, they were subject to legal discrimination and higher taxes. Over time, racial ideologies that privileged ethnic Turks opened new opportunities for anti-Armenian discrimination. Another significant obstacle was their role as a middleman minority. A middleman minority is an ethnic group that is overrepresented in occupations like bankers, merchants, and bureaucrats relative to their small overall population. Other middleman minorities around the world included the Chinese in Southeast Asia, the Gujaratis in India, and most famously the Jews in Europe and the United States. Although only a small percentage of Armenians worked in these lucrative jobs, all Armenians were subject to discrimination that described them as parasites, thieves, and leeches who were stealing the wealth of the rest of the population. This caused outbreaks of violence and persecution throughout the late 19th century. The Ottoman government regularly seized Armenian land to redistribute to Muslim and Kurdish settlers and the Kurdish Hamidian regiments were given free reign to raid Armenian villages as part of their resettlement. Despite attempts to muster international support, the Armenians were left to defend themselves and formed a number of impromptu militia groups to defend their towns, but the Ottoman authorities interpreted this as a sign of rebellion and cracked down hard in the 1890s. #armenian #history #worldwar1 #ottoman #armenianhistory

Today we speak to journalist Frederike Geerdink about the disbanding and disarming of the Kurdish insurgent group, the PKK. She was on the ground with them recently when they symbolically burned 30 rifles. Turns out, it's not quite what it seems... No ads and tons of exclusives: www.patreon.com/popularfront Discounted internet privacy for all our listeners: www.protonvpn.com/popularfront - Info: www.popularfront.co - Merch: www.popularfront.shop - News: www.instagram.com/popular.front - Jake: www.jakehanrahan.com  

One of the world's most protracted armed conflicts could finally be drawing to a close in Turkey. This month, a small group of fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an armed struggle against the Turkish state for greater minority rights, voluntarily disarmed. At a ceremony in northern Iraq, PKK commander Bese Hozart announced that the disarmament by 30 fighters - 15 men and 15 women - was undertaken freely and in line with the group's commitment to pursue a democratic socialist society through peaceful means. The fighters' weapons were burned as part of the symbolic event. The move came just days after the release of a video message from imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who reiterated his call for an end to the armed struggle and the formal dissolution of the group. It was the first time the Turkish public had heard Öcalan's voice since his incarceration in 1999. PKK ends 40-year fight but doubts remain about the next steps Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responded by telling supporters that the country had reached a historic moment. Ankara now expects a complete disarmament of the remaining PKK fighters by autumn. Since the beginning of the peace process last year, Erdoğan has ruled out making concessions, insisting the rebels are unilaterally surrendering. However, the high-profile nature of the disarmament ceremony is increasing pressure on the government to respond in kind. “This is a historic moment; this is a conflict that has been going on for nearly half a century. Now it's the government's turn to actually open up the political space,” said Aslı Aydıntaşbaş of the Brookings Institution in Washington. “Both the Kurdish side and the Turkish side are telling their own constituencies that they're not giving up much—trying to convince their bases, which, in both cases, seem unprepared for such a radical shift,” she added. Kurdish leader Ocalan calls for PKK disarmament, paving way for peace Opaque negotiations, rising distrust As a gesture of goodwill, the government has reportedly improved Öcalan's prison conditions and allowed communication through a so-called “secretariat.” However, the PKK continues to press for broader concessions, including an amnesty for its members and the right for ex-fighters to return to Turkey. There have also been calls for Öcalan's release, alongside the release of tens of thousands of individuals jailed under Turkey's broad anti-terror laws. Yet concerns are mounting over the transparency of the peace negotiations. “It's really difficult even to assess it because we don't really know what's going on,” said Zeynep Ardıç, an expert on conflict resolution at Istanbul's Medeniyet University. “Some negotiations don't need to be public, but the public should still be informed,” she said. Ardıç warned that the current polarization in Turkish politics and a legacy of mistrust built over decades of conflict make transparency essential. “There should be a bit of transparency, because people don't trust state institutions, people don't trust each other, people don't trust the government or the judiciary. So, it's not easy to succeed under these circumstances. The government needs to reinstall trust - not just among Kurdish people, but among Turkish people as well.” Politics could undermine fragile progress Following the disarmament ceremony, Erdoğan announced the formation of a parliamentary commission to oversee the process, including members from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), his coalition partner the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM). Notably absent was the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), whose exclusion is fueling fears that Erdoğan is politicizing the peace process. Erdoğan requires the support of Kurdish parliamentarians to amend the constitution and potentially remove presidential term limits—allowing him to remain in power indefinitely. Turkey's Saturday Mothers keep up vigil for lost relatives “Erdoğan is trying to juggle two conflicting priorities,” noted analyst Atilla Yeşilada of U.S.-based consultancy Global Source Partners. “A: give the Kurds the least of what they want in return for a constitution that allows him to run again, and B: broaden his war against the CHP. I don't know how he can finesse that.” While Erdoğan speaks of a new era of unity between Turks, Arabs, and Kurds, he is simultaneously escalating a legal crackdown on the CHP, even going so far as to label the party a terror threat. This is a risky move, given that the pro-Kurdish DEM party has previously supported CHP candidates in both presidential and mayoral elections. Kurdish analyst Mesut Yeğen, of the Center for Social Impact Research in Istanbul, warned that Erdoğan may be overplaying his hand. “If Erdoğan's pressure on the CHP continues, then it's likely that DEM's electorate, members, and cadres could grow discontent,” Yeğen predicted. “They'll think that if Erdoğan succeeds against CHP, he'll start a similar campaign against the DEM. So I think they will strike a kind of balance.” Turkey's rivalry with Iran shifts as US threats create unlikely common ground Despite the uncertainty, powerful incentives remain on both sides to pursue peace. With the PKK largely pushed out of Turkish territory and facing military defeat, and Erdoğan in dire need of parliamentary support, momentum for a resolution is strong. But with negotiations shrouded in secrecy, many remain skeptical about what kind of peace this process will ultimately deliver.

As a dictatorship consolidates in Turkey, aspiring strongman Recep Tayip Erdogan is launching a special attack on municipalities, arresting the mayor of Istanbul and removing elected governments in hundreds of cities and towns across the country—mostly in the restive Kurdish east. In the United States, aspiring strongman Donald Trump is now threatening to similarly remove Zohran Mamdani if he becomes mayor of New York, and order a federal take-over of the city government. Border czar Tom Homan says he will "flood the zone" with ICE agents in "sanctuary cities" such as New York and Los Angeles. In Episode 287 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg argues that Trump forcing the issue could accelerate the breaking point in which localities coast-to-coast assert their autonomous powers in repudiation of the fascist-coopted federal leviathan—vindicating Murray Bookchin's theories of radical municipalism. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 65 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 66!

Bill, Ahmad, and Bridget unpack this week's biggest headlines out of the Middle East, including Druze militias overrunning Soweda as Israeli jets blast Damascus; anonymous drones torching Kurdish oilfields and U.S. posts; Yemeni forces intercepting 750 tons of Iranian arms—and more.

On July 11, a group of PKK fighters burned their weapons in a ceremony marking the end of their forty-year-long armed campaign against the Kurdish state. Aliza Marcus, a leading expert on the militant group, says it is too early to determine whether the PKK will abandon armed struggle completely and that much depends on what steps Ankara is prepared to take to meet Kurdish demands.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are few media outlets - let alone businesses or organizations - around the world that can boast 100 years of existence. As of this weekend, Apogevmatini, the Greek newspaper founded in 1925 in Istanbul, can do just that. Niko Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the legacy of Apogevmatini, the paper of the Greeks of Istanbul, tracing its history over the last century and exploring the challenges it faces today - from a shrinking Greek community to media freedom in Turkey.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Apogevmatini marks centenary as voice of Istanbul's Greek community«Απογευματινή»: η ελληνόφωνη εφημερίδα της Κωνσταντινούπολης που κοντεύει να κλείσει 100 χρόνια ζωήςNiko Efstathiou's tweet on Apogevmatini's 100 year anniversaryAthens rethinks southern sea strategyTurkish president hails the start of disarmament by militant Kurdish separatists

THIS WEEK's BIRDS:  Fred Jackson (vintage bop); Olga Chung, Munir Bashir & Rabih Abou-Khalil (mid-eastern fusion); Columbian sound system culture from Wulomei; reed player Mikko Innnanen w. Organ trio; new music from  guitarist/composer/improvisor  Mary Halvorsen;Portugues  fado from Maria José Silva; long form  Sonny Fortune; James Brandon Lewis salutes Mahalia;  Gulf vocalist Abu Bakr Salem; Kurdish ney trio (Trio Andalabi); vintage Peloponnesian Demotika from Anthe Alexandropoulou & her orchestra;  Rosalia de Souza, Mart'nalia, Paula Lima (perf. Martinho da Vila) and  Carmen Costa  from Brazil; Bandha Maravilha (from Angola); Clément Janinet w. Adama Sidibe; West African musique authenticite from Orchestre Regional De Mopti; Malian Wagadu pop pop from Mamadou Mariko; legends from Lebanon: Wadih al Safi, Fairuz; twaarab from coastal Kenya perf. by  Nyota Ndogo;  vintage salsa from Orquesta Experimental; Cuban salsa from Wayne Gorbea, Elite Revé;  and, as ever, lots of mumbling and so much, much more. Catch the BIRDS live on Friday nights, 9:00pm-MIDNIGHT (EST), in Central New York on WRFI, 88.1 FM Ithaca/ 88.5 FM Odessa;. and WORLDWIDE online via our MUSIC PLAYER at WRFI.ORG. 24/7 via PODBEAN: https://conferenceofthebirds.podbean.com via iTUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conference-of-the-birds-podcast/id478688580 Also available at podomatic, Internet Archive, podtail, iheart Radio, and elsewhere. Always FREE of charge to listen to the radio program and free also to stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast online: PLAYLIST at SPINITRON: https://spinitron.com/WRFI/pl/20853914/Conference-of-the-Birds and via the Conference of the Birds page at www.WRFI.ORG https://www.wrfi.org/wrfiprograms/conferenceofthebirds/  Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/conferenceofthebirds/?ref=bookmarks Find WRFI on Radio Garden: http://radio.garden/visit/ithaca-ny/aqh8OGBR

Kurdish militant PKK group begins disarming, starting a process designed to end the Turkish conflict. Also: Southern Gaza's last hospital is forced to stop admitting patients as Israeli troops surround the facility.

Friday on the News Hour, President Trump tours the flood damage in Texas, we take a look at a home for disabled youth piecing together what's left after a devastating loss. How the toy industry is feeling the effects of Trump's tariffs. Plus, in a step toward peace, a Kurdish insurgent group in Turkey that's spent years fighting for independence begins disarming. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on a peace process between Kurdish separatist fighters and the Turkish government.

On today's episode: President Donald Trump sends tariff letters to 23 nations; Head Start will be cut off for immigrants without legal status; Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants to investigate flooding in the state; Ford recalls more than 850,000 vehicles; Jane Birkin's original handbag sells at auction; and Kurdish separatists lay down their arms in Turkey. George Mason University faces investigation in Trump administration's anti-DEI crackdown. Another Trump administration slam against Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. New Hampshire judge to pause Trump’s birthright citizenship order. As Netanyahu wraps Washington visit, progress on a Gaza ceasefire remains murky. US issues sanctions against UN investigator probing abuses in Gaza. Senate Republicans block attempt to roll back massive tax hike on professional gamblers. Uncertainty remains over whether U.S. bombs got deep enough underground to wipe out Iran's nuclear weapons labs. Rubio says U.S. and Russia have exchanged new ideas for Ukraine peace talks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's reaction to an AI-generated attempt to impersonate him. CDC finds nearly 1 in 3 US youth have prediabetes, but experts question scant data. US has reclosed its southern border after a flesh-eating parasite is seen further north in Mexico. Freed from ICE detention, Mahmoud Khalil files $20 million claim against Trump administration. Gun makers lose appeal of New York law that could make them liable for shootings. Flash flooding that killed 3 leaves New Mexico village heartbroken, anxious as cleanup begins. Hundreds gather at high school stadium to honor the many lost to Texas deadly floods. Stocks close higher, nudging the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to more highs. Snap, crackle, sale Nutella maker Ferrero plans to buy WK Kellogg for $3 billion. Average long-term US mortgage rate rises to 6.72%, ending a five-week slide. An American upsets the world No. 1 to reach the Wimbledon women’s final, the Yankees overcome a late no-hit bid, two more stars enter baseball's Home Run Derby, the NBA’s top pick makes his summer debut and a four-way tie atop the Scottish Open.  Thousands celebrate baby hippo Moo Deng's first birthday at Thailand zoo. Brazil vows retaliatory tariffs against US if Trump follows through on 50% import taxes. UN investigator and critic of Israel's actions in Gaza tells AP she was shocked by US sanctions. European leaders announce new equity fund for Ukraine and urge investment even as war accelerates. UN says if US funding for HIV programs is not replaced, millions more will die by 2029. —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Theme music The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX

WPLN recently released Rose Gilbert's four-part podcast series, “The Country In Our Hearts,” telling the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish population in the United States. Host Marie Cecile Anderson sits down with Gilbert and cultural advisor Dilman Yasin to learn more about the strife that led families to flee Iraqi Kurdistan in 1988, how they've rebuilt community in our city, and why the Trump administration's anti-immigrant stance is endangering the systems that brought them to safety in the first place. Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Nacho Amor is the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey. Speaking to Al-Monitor, he blasts EU leaders for their silence over Turkey's appalling human rights record, including the jailing of more than a dozen democratically elected mayors from the main opposition CHP party. He also warns the country's Kurds — who are in the process of negotiating constitutional changes with the government that would allow the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, more powers in exchange for Kurdish rights — that without democracy for all, there can be none for a few.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following the success of his two volumes of The Mighty Assyrians, Tony Shalalo returns with the third instalment in the series, titled The Betrayal. Shalalo says that this edition focuses on the tragic assassination of Assyrian Patriarch Mar Benyamin Shimoun and dozens of his bodyguards by the Kurdish tribal leader Simko on 3 March, 1918. Through powerful storytelling and vivid illustrations, he and his team bring to life one of the darkest chapters in Assyrian history, capturing its historical gravity with both artistic depth and factual detail.

Following the success of the first three volumes of The Mighty Assyrians, Tony Shalalo returns with the fourth instalment in the series, titled The Betrayal. Mr Shalalo says that this edition focuses on the tragic assassination of Assyrian Patriarch Mar Benyamin Shimoun and dozens of his bodyguards by the Kurdish tribal leader Simko on March 3, 1918. Through powerful storytelling and vivid illustrations, Tony and his team bring to life one of the darkest chapters in Assyrian history, capturing its historical gravity with both artistic depth and factual detail.

For over three decades Kurdish refugees have found a safe place to land in America.The latest wave of Kurds is arriving from Turkey – fleeing political repression and nationalist hate groups. But today, they're coming to a very different America. It's an America in turmoil. A place where immigrants are increasingly seen as enemies within, to be rooted out and sent back to where they came from.The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they'll go to make it real.Series Credits: Reported and produced by Rose Gilbert Edited and co-produced by Meribah Knight Additional editing by Tony Gonzalez, LaTonya Turner, and Rachel Iacovone, with help from Marianna Bacallao, Char Daston and Justin Barney Mack Linebaugh is Nashville Public Radio's Vice President of Audience – and supported this project in many ways Our community and cultural advisors on this project were Dr. David Romano and Dilman Yasin Sound Design was done by Martin Cruz Fact checking by Daniel Potter And Original logo artwork is by Nuveen Barwari Traditional music by Arkan Doski With additional music from Blue Dot Sessions Special thanks to Paul McAdoo, Jennifer Nelson and to the village of Chalke, and the people there who showed Rose so much hospitality.

Kurdish people span a broad area in the Middle East – across parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. They constitute one of the largest ethnic groups without a state of their own, but have worked with the US – and with Israel – to create stability and security in the places they live. A longtime […]

Kurdish people span a broad area in the Middle East – across parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. They constitute one of the largest ethnic groups without a state of their own, but have worked with the US – and with Israel – to create stability and security in the places they live. A longtime […]

Odağımızdakilerin bu bölümünde kolektifimizin üyelerinden Pınar Dinç, geçtiğimiz ay Routledge tarafından yayımlanan Green Transitional Justice (Yeşil Geçiş Dönemi Adaleti) kitabını tanıtıyor.Çevresel yıkım, yapısal eşitsizlikler, hukukun sınırları ve neoliberal kalkınma modelleri gibi konuların geçiş dönemi adaletiyle nasıl iç içe geçtiğini anlatan bu bölümde, adaletin insan-merkezli ve devlet odaklı sınırlarını sorguluyoruz.Görüşlerinizi bizimle sosyal medya hesaplarımız üzerinden #DEMOStanSesler etiketi ile paylaşmayı unutmayın! #YeşilGeçişDönemiAdaletiMüzik: Front Runner - Blue Dot SessionsOkuma listesi: Hassaniyan, A., & Sohrabi, M. (2022). Colonial Management of Iranian Kurdistan; with Emphasis on Water Resources. Journal of World-Systems Research, 28(2), 320–343. https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2022.1081Dinc, P. (2022). Environmental Racism and Resistance in Kurdistan. The Commentaries, 2(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.33182/tc.v2i1.2189Dinc, P., Eklund, L., Shahpurwala, A., Mansourian, A., Aturinde, A., & Pilesjö, P. (2021). Fighting Insurgency, Ruining the Environment: The Case of Forest Fires in the Dersim Province of Turkey. Human Ecology, 49(4), 481–493. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-021-00243-yEklund, L., Abdi, A. M., Shahpurwala, A., & Dinc, P. (2021). On the Geopolitics of Fire, Conflict and Land in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Remote Sensing, 13(8), 1575. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13081575Eklund, L., & Dinc, P. (2024). Fires as collateral or means of war—Challenges of environmental peacebuilding in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Ecology and Society.Etten, J. van, Jongerden, J., Vos, H. J. de, Klaasse, A., & Hoeve, E. C. E. van. (2008). Environmental destruction as a counterinsurgency strategy in the Kurdistan region of Turkey. Geoforum, 39(5), 1786–1797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2008.05.001Hunt, S. E. (2021). Ecological solidarity and the Kurdish freedom movement : Lexington Books,.Jongerden, J. (2010). Dams and Politics in Turkey: Utilizing Water, Developing Conflict. Middle East Policy, 17(1), 137–143. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4967.2010.00432.xTürk, N., & Jongerden, J. (2024). Decolonisation agriculture: Challenging colonisation through the reconstruction of agriculture in Western Kurdistan (Rojava). Third World Quarterly, 0(0), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2024.2374521

When a wave of Kurdish refugees came to Nashville, they quickly got to work.They opened businesses and raised their kids. As those kids grew up, they had to figure out how to navigate the world of a first-generation Kurdish-American teenager. And in that world, something new was forming — something that threatened to tarnish the sterling reputation their parents worked hard to build.The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they'll go to make it real.Guest: Meribah Knight, editor and co-producer of the podcastSeries Credits: Reported and produced by Rose Gilbert Edited and co-produced by Meribah Knight Additional editing by Tony Gonzalez, LaTonya Turner, and Rachel Iacovone, with help from Marianna Bacallao, Char Daston and Justin Barney Mack Linebaugh is Nashville Public Radio's Vice President of Audience – and supported this project in many ways Our community and cultural advisors on this project were Dr. David Romano and Dilman Yasin Sound Design was done by Martin Cruz Fact checking by Daniel Potter And Original logo artwork is by Nuveen Barwari Traditional music by Arkan Doski With additional music from Blue Dot Sessions Special thanks to Paul McAdoo, Jennifer Nelson and to the village of Chalke, and the people there who showed Rose so much hospitality.

SPONSORS: 1) GhostBed: Use Code "JULIAN" to get 10% off your new GhostBed Mattress https://ghostbed.com/julian PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey (***TIMESTAMPS in Description Below) ~ Eric Czuleger is a Diplomat, Author, & Renegade Country Explorer. For the past 11 years, Czuleger has lived and traveled across Europe, Asia, and Africa –– getting himself into wild situations that include managing diplomatic relationships between unrecognized countries. Eric insists he is *not* in the CIA –– but absolutely no one believes him. His life memoir, “You Are Not Here” came out in 2023. ERIC'S LINKS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eczuleger/?hl=en X: https://x.com/eczuleger BUY HIS BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-Here-Countries/dp/B0C87SH7Q8 FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY INSTAGRAM (Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/juliandoreypodcast/ INSTAGRAM (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://twitter.com/julianddorey JULIAN YT CHANNELS - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ****TIMESTAMPS**** 0:00 - Istanbul detention, Turkey ban, Google mistake 4:07 - Smoky room, waterboarding fear, book sales joke 8:01 - Interrogation, Kurdistan book, Erbil questions 13:08 - Kurdish statehood history, Sykes-Picot 18:16 - Nation-state illusion, Westphalia, social constructs 23:01 - Internet, crypto, digital citizenship 28:00 - Bretton Woods, U.S. power, dollar dominance 34:18 - Globalization, wealth inequality, systemic failure 42:00 - Climate change, Tower of Babel, fragmentation 50:15 - 5th-Generation warfare, influence, mind battles 59:11 - China, psychological/economic/legal warfare, TikTok 1:09:17 - Info wars, U.S. polarization, social media 1:24:13 - Transparency, government trust, speech tension 1:40:02 - U.S. soft power, sitcoms, cultural influence 1:54:16 - Micro-states, Liberland, Somaliland, Bitcoin embassy 2:01:05 - Ambassadorship, aid logistics, geopolitics 2:08:00 - China tension, soft power argument, desert escape 2:15:00 - Intelligence secrecy, accountability, governance trust 2:21:00 - USAID, aid misuse, soft power repair 2:27:00 - Development vs. geopolitical aid, system reform 2:32:00 - Statecraft illusions, collective action 2:45:07 - Patriotism vs. cynicism 2:53:54 - Czuleger's Work CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef - https://www.instagram.com/joeydeef/ Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 315 - Johnny Mitchell Music by Artlist.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Revealing all this family lost to war and displacement. But also, what they are determined to reclaim and rebuild.The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they'll go to make it real.Guest:Dilman Yasin, cultural advisor of the podcastSeries Credits: Reported and produced by Rose Gilbert Edited and co-produced by Meribah Knight Additional editing by Tony Gonzalez, LaTonya Turner, and Rachel Iacovone, with help from Marianna Bacallao, Char Daston and Justin Barney Mack Linebaugh is Nashville Public Radio's Vice President of Audience – and supported this project in many ways Our community and cultural advisors on this project were Dr. David Romano and Dilman Yasin Sound Design was done by Martin Cruz Fact checking by Daniel Potter And Original logo artwork is by Nuveen Barwari Traditional music by Arkan Doski With additional music from Blue Dot Sessions Special thanks to Paul McAdoo, Jennifer Nelson and to the village of Chalke, and the people there who showed Rose so much hospitality.

We dive headlong into one family's migration odyssey from Iraqi Kurdistan to Nashville.To really understand what this family — and so many others — were fleeing from, we need to go back to one terrible, pivotal day in 1988. And to do that, we need to go to Kurdistan.The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they'll go to make it real.Guest Rose Gilbert, host and reporter of the podcastSeries Credits: Reported and produced by Rose Gilbert Edited and co-produced by Meribah Knight Additional editing by Tony Gonzalez, LaTonya Turner, and Rachel Iacovone, with help from Marianna Bacallao, Char Daston and Justin Barney Mack Linebaugh is Nashville Public Radio's Vice President of Audience – and supported this project in many ways Our community and cultural advisors on this project were Dr. David Romano and Dilman Yasin Sound Design was done by Martin Cruz Fact checking by Daniel Potter And Original logo artwork is by Nuveen Barwari Traditional music by Arkan Doski With additional music from Blue Dot Sessions Special thanks to Paul McAdoo, Jennifer Nelson and to the village of Chalke, and the people there who showed Rose so much hospitality.

On this day in 1974, the UPC barcode was scanned at a checkout counter for the first time. It may have seemed small at the time, but it revolutionized product tracking and is still going strong today. Plus, the local news for June 26, 2025 and an excerpt from the final culminating episode of “The Country In Our Hearts” podcast on Nashville's Kurdish community. Credits:  This is a production of Nashville Public Radio Host/producer: Tony Gonzalez Editor: Miriam Kramer Additional support: Mack Linebaugh, Nina Cardona, LaTonya Turner and the staff of WPLN and WNXP 

Nicole F. Watts's Republic of Dreams: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Struggles, and the Future of Iraqi Kurdistan (NYU Press, 2025) is a harrowing portrait of Iraqi Kurdistan and its history, as it weathers Hussein's genocidal campaign against the Kurds, a civil war, the US invasion of Iraq, the Arab Spring, and the sustained neglect of the city of Halabja. Watts, a former journalist and now professor of political science, has spent over a decade researching the struggles of the Kurdish people in Iraq, and in vivid, lyrical prose, she tells their story through the eyes of Peshawa, a young Muslim Kurd whose family barely survived the bombing and then fled for their lives.Throughout the book, the thread of Peshawa's story immerses readers in the everyday and extraordinary world of Iraqi Kurds between the late 1980s and 2022, exploring the meaning of home and dislocation in the wake of war and genocide.Based on over a hundred in-depth interviews with Iraqi Kurdish activists, journalists, elected officials, and community organizers, and hundreds of hours of conversations with Peshawa and his family, Republic of Dreams brings to vivid life the story of modern Kurdistan, and the Kurdish national dream to have their own homeland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Nicole F. Watts's Republic of Dreams: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Struggles, and the Future of Iraqi Kurdistan (NYU Press, 2025) is a harrowing portrait of Iraqi Kurdistan and its history, as it weathers Hussein's genocidal campaign against the Kurds, a civil war, the US invasion of Iraq, the Arab Spring, and the sustained neglect of the city of Halabja. Watts, a former journalist and now professor of political science, has spent over a decade researching the struggles of the Kurdish people in Iraq, and in vivid, lyrical prose, she tells their story through the eyes of Peshawa, a young Muslim Kurd whose family barely survived the bombing and then fled for their lives.Throughout the book, the thread of Peshawa's story immerses readers in the everyday and extraordinary world of Iraqi Kurds between the late 1980s and 2022, exploring the meaning of home and dislocation in the wake of war and genocide.Based on over a hundred in-depth interviews with Iraqi Kurdish activists, journalists, elected officials, and community organizers, and hundreds of hours of conversations with Peshawa and his family, Republic of Dreams brings to vivid life the story of modern Kurdistan, and the Kurdish national dream to have their own homeland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Nicole F. Watts's Republic of Dreams: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Struggles, and the Future of Iraqi Kurdistan (NYU Press, 2025) is a harrowing portrait of Iraqi Kurdistan and its history, as it weathers Hussein's genocidal campaign against the Kurds, a civil war, the US invasion of Iraq, the Arab Spring, and the sustained neglect of the city of Halabja. Watts, a former journalist and now professor of political science, has spent over a decade researching the struggles of the Kurdish people in Iraq, and in vivid, lyrical prose, she tells their story through the eyes of Peshawa, a young Muslim Kurd whose family barely survived the bombing and then fled for their lives.Throughout the book, the thread of Peshawa's story immerses readers in the everyday and extraordinary world of Iraqi Kurds between the late 1980s and 2022, exploring the meaning of home and dislocation in the wake of war and genocide.Based on over a hundred in-depth interviews with Iraqi Kurdish activists, journalists, elected officials, and community organizers, and hundreds of hours of conversations with Peshawa and his family, Republic of Dreams brings to vivid life the story of modern Kurdistan, and the Kurdish national dream to have their own homeland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

RFP - Rojava - the Kurdish women's revolution in Northern Syria discussed by Anne Ehrlich & Bodil Reller.A live webinar recorded on 22nd June 2025 at 10am UK time.On Sundays (10am UK time), our webinar series Radical Feminist Perspectives offers a chance to hear leading feminists discuss radical feminist theory and politics.Attendance of our live webinars is women-only, register at https://bit.ly/registerRFP

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   The United States may be edging closer to joining the war between Israel and Iran. A wave of new military deployments—including aircraft carriers, destroyers, and refueling tankers—suggests preparations are underway for potential involvement.   Israel's campaign inside Iran is reportedly taking a toll on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's inner circle. Key military and intelligence advisers have been killed in targeted strikes, leaving the regime exposed and vulnerable.   The U.S. military has pulled out of two more bases in Syria. Kurdish allies are warning that the drawdown could create conditions for a dangerous ISIS resurgence.   And in today's Back of the Brief: Investigators in India are reviewing black box data from the Air India crash that killed 270 people. Early signs point to one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.   To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief StopBox: Get firearm security redesigned and save with BOGO the StopBox Pro AND 10% OFF @StopBoxUSA with code PDB at https://stopboxusa.com/PDB! #stopboxpod Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold True Classic: Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/PDB#trueclassicpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're joined by the legendary actor, BAFTA-winning writer, and one half of People Just Do Nothing – Allan Mustafa, aka Seapa, aka MC Grindah – for a hilarious and heartfelt deep-dive into the meals that shaped him, and some hilarious stories from; firing Post Malone's guns at his house in LA, to helping trigger Craig David's comeback, to getting forcefully removed from a 'ping-pong' show in Bangkok to surviving a food disaster in Mexico!Allan shares everything from the Kurdish-inspired dishes of his childhood to late-night eats in Prague and big family meals at Royal Nawaab. He talks about learning to cook for himself (shoutout Kurdish risotto), his go-to weeknight spots (Song Que gets a major nod), and where he heads when it's time to celebrate (One Club Road and Mountain top the list).We also get an incredible step-by-step guide to his dream foodie weekend in Marseille – from chai lattes and French-Tunisian couscous to rocky beach swims and street-level people-watching that feels straight out of The Wire.To close it all out, Allan picks his perfect three-course meal, including a Kurdish stew, Czech duck with dumplings, and his controversial but justified love of profiteroles.Warm, unfiltered, and full of great food recs – this is one of our faves yet.And remember, use code GOTOBLINQ for one month free with our sponsor Blinq, and don't forget to send in your wildest hospitality horror stories to – front of house, back of house, or just you as a customer - to competition@thegotopodcastcompany.com.------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that's always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you're live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With rapid change sweeping a region still in the throes of wars the Kurdish people spread across four nations see an opportunity to secure if not their dream of a nation then autonomy within national federal structures that would secure their rights and culture as a people. Arab Digest editor William Law invites the Kurdish-American journalist Sirwan Kajjo onto the podcast to discuss the possibilities and the promises that lie within reach of the Kurds. Sign up NOW at ArabDigest.org for free to join the club and start receiving our daily newsletter & weekly podcasts.

Who Are They? A Special Series: The KurdsJoin Journey Of Hope Podcast Host Elio Constantine as he launches the first episode in a special series on the podcast, "Who Are They?". Elio, and pastor Bashir take a deep dive into the culture, history, language, and spirituality of the Kurdish people, and they talk in depth about all of the different ways that Heart For Lebanon is ministering to this unique people group!website: Home - Heart for LebanonEmail Elio: podcast@heartforlebanon.org

The DOJ files to seize over $7 million linked to illegal North Korean IT workers. The FBI warns of BADBOX 2.0 malware targeting IoT devices. Researchers uncover a major security flaw in Chrome extensions. ESET uncovers Iranian hackers targeting Kurdish and Iraqi government officials. Hitachi Energy, Acronis and Cisco patch critical vulnerabilities. 20 suspects are arrested in a major international CSAM takedown. Hackers exploit a critical flaw in Roundcube webmail. Today's guest is Ian Bramson, Global Head of Industrial Cybersecurity at Black & Veatch, exploring how organizations can close the cyberattack readiness gap.  ChatGPT logs are caught in a legal tug-of-war.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today's guest is Ian Bramson, Global Head of Industrial Cybersecurity at Black & Veatch. Ian joins us to explore how organizations can close the cyberattack readiness gap in industrial environments—especially as cyber threats grow more sophisticated and aggressive. Selected Reading Department Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against Over $7.74M Laundered on Behalf of the North Korean Government (U.S. Department of Justice) FBI: BADBOX 2.0 Android malware infects millions of consumer devices (Bleeping Computer) Chrome Extensions Vulnerability Exposes API Keys, Secrets, and Tokens (Cyber Security News) Iran-linked hackers target Kurdish and Iraqi officials in long-running cyberespionage campaign (The Record) CISA reports critical flaw in Hitachi Energy Relion devices (Beyond Machines) Critical security vulnerabilities discovered in Acronis Cyber Protect software (Beyond Machines) Cisco Patches Critical ISE Vulnerability With Public PoC (SecurityWeek) Police arrests 20 suspects for distributing child sexual abuse content  (Bleeping Computer) Hacker selling critical Roundcube webmail exploit as tech info disclosed (Bleeping Computer)– mentioning this in the Briefing OpenAI slams court order to save all ChatGPT logs, including deleted chats (Ars Technica) Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What have learned? What have we enacted in the six years since Christchurch and the far-right fanatic who livestreamed his own mass shooting in a New Zealand mosque? Here in France, outrage is growing over the 53-year-old man who posted five times to Facebook before and after killing his Tunisian neighbour and who also targeted two Kurdish asylum seekers. Posts included a call to "go get them wherever they are" and to vote for Marine Le Pen's National Rally. It was enough for it be treated as a terror case and for the conservative right-wing interior minister to make the trip to the French Riviera town of Puget-sur-Argens.How much of the blame for the real-life attack goes to the virtual world? As US tech platforms downsize fact-checking and content moderation on their sites, the European Union finds itself in a bind. Its Digital Services Act needs enforcement and reinforcement, say anti-racism advocates. But the bloc is also locked in wide-ranging trade negotiations with a United States whose vice president clearly states that Europe's biggest challenge is "the threat within" of a supposed assault on free speech and censorship of MAGA-world ideas.Does Europe have what it takes to define and defend the free exchange of ideas, while preventing the phones in our pockets from becoming bullhorns for hate?Produced by Rebecca Gnignati, Aurore Laborie and Ilayda Habip.

We haven't spoken since John's dog ate the afikoman, and we discuss his Omer success and Asher's Omer challenges. In the meantime, Asher continues his amazing world travels, this time to Kurdistan on an interfaith mission with his Chaldean friends. We discuss that region's deep connection to Jewish history, including minor prophets like Nachum (John had to Google him). We then discuss Trump's anti-antisemitism efforts, and our gratitude that adults are finally in the room on college campuses. Asher ends by describing the Wild West way in which new Jewish holidays are established.

In a world that rewards urgency, overwork, and perfectionism, what does it look like to return to ourselves—not through punishment, but through presence?This week, I share a personal story of falling out of alignment with my commitments—not from malice, but from fear, fatigue, and scarcity. I reflect on what it took to course-correct, to soften instead of self-judge, and to rebuild a rhythm rooted in integrity, self-trust, and care.I also explore examples from around the globe—stories of individuals and communities who are embodying integrity in the face of oppression, not through performance, but by building relationships, refusing silence, and staying aligned with their values even when the cost is high.Featured Stories in This Episode:Afro-German communities building self-sustaining infrastructure instead of relying on state validation.Saudi feminist scholar Hatoon al-Fassi, who risked imprisonment to hold truth to power through ancestral knowledge.Kurdish women in Rojava, co-creating democratic, feminist societies rooted in daily reflection and radical interdependence.Chicago's Black Youth Project 100, resisting performative allyship and investing in mutual aid rooted in “We take care of us.”Crown Heights Mutual Aid created multilingual hotlines, raised funds, distributed rent relief, and built lasting infrastructure.Each of these stories asks: What does it mean to stay rooted in your values when the pressure is to conform, perform, or disappear?Reflection Prompts: These are invitations to sit with, not solve. You don't need to write your way through them. You might take them on a walk. Move with them in your body. Breathe with them in silence. Let them live in you, in whatever way you need this week.Where in my life do I feel out of alignment with my commitments—not out of malice, but out of fear, fatigue, or uncertainty?What would it feel like, in my body, to return to integrity—not as a performance, but as a practice of self-trust?How can I hold myself with tenderness and accountability at the same time, the way a gardener both prunes and protects?https://www.transmutingwhitesupremacyandpatriarchy.com/ → Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly reflections like these → Learn more about the Cultivating Intersectional Leadership course → Follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn for more practices, invitations, and community conversationsLet's Stay in Practice—Together: This work isn't meant to be done alone. If this episode stirred something in you, share it with someone you trust. Name what you're sitting with. Let these reflections ripple outward.Support the show

The story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance. But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they'll go to make it real. Learn more here.

Kate Adie presents stories from Turkey, the South China Sea, Ukraine, the US and Angola.Outlawed Kurdish group the PKK, which has waged a 40-year insurgency against Turkey, has announced it's disbanding. More than 40,000 people were killed during its fight for an independent Kurdish state - now the group says the Kurdish issue 'can be resolved through democratic politics'. Orla Guerin reports from Diyarbakir, in the Kurdish heartland.In the South China Sea, the tiny island of Pagasa is at the centre of a dispute between the Philippines and China. For the past 10 years, China has been expanding its presence in the region - but the Philippines is one of the few southeast Asian countries to stand its ground. Jonathan Head gained rare access to the island.Over the last decade, the Ukrainian Orthodox church gradually distanced itself from the Moscow Patriarchate, until it formally severed ties in 2022. But some priests and parishioners are reluctant to give up the traditions that were so familiar to them. Nick Sturdee reports from Western Ukraine.In Arizona, we meet the Native American 'knowledge keepers', who are now willing to share some of their secrets, as part of a cultural project which is uniting some of the major tribes, including the Navajo, the Hopi and the Apache nations. Stephanie Theobald went to find out more about their vision.Angolan president, João Lourenço, has made it his mission to claw back millions of dollars stolen by corrupt past leaders. At the National Currency Museum in the capital Luanda, Rob Crossan reflects on the meaning of money - asking where has it all gone?Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Last week's announcement by President Donald Trump on lifting US sanctions on Syria seemed to have a refreshing effect for a country that has been reeling from political divisions and economic turmoil. This week, the European Union followed, lifting all economic restrictions in a major diplomatic shift aimed at supporting Syria's reconstruction and fragile peace. The news has been accompanied by more breakthroughs: the World Bank cleared Syria's $15.5 million debt, paid off by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. On the ground, the interim government led by President Ahmed Al Shara, a former HTS leader, is scrambling to unify rebel factions, “eradicate” remnants of ISIS, and bring the country under one flag. The challenges are far from over. Sectarian violence continues to plague minority communities, some Kurdish groups are demanding autonomy, and Israeli airstrikes persist along the southern border. Al Shara, once designated a terrorist by the West, is now lobbying for international legitimacy. So what does the lifting of sanctions really mean? And can Syria be unified? In this week's Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the significance of the US and European decisions and the challenges faced by the Syrian leader in his efforts to unite the country.

After 40 years of war with Turkey, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) lay down their arms. So, where does that leave hopes for a sovereign Kurdish state? Or ambitions for a more democratic Turkey?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the 267th pope. The 69-year-old is from Chicago, Illinois, and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Also, after dozens of community kitchens providing desperately needed food to Palestinians in Gaza were shuttered this week, the US is asking aid groups to back a new Israeli aid plan run by US security contractors. And, a nonprofit group in rural Ghana is using cheap motorized tricycles to help pregnant women get to the hospital to give birth. Plus, two high school friends in eastern Turkey learn to make the “daf” — a shallow drum popular in Kurdish, Persian and Middle Eastern music.Listen to today's Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices