Editorials
It is a privilege to be the honor of the one man of the house. It is of sheer beauty and dignity that one finds honor in the life of a family member. What is not so beautiful or dignified about it is the consequences that follow when that honor is not kept safe...
more >>
A lot of parents try to run away from their responsibilities when they get divorced. They get caught up in themselves and eventually reach a point where they forget the damage they cause to their innocent children’s lives. Divorce is an intense and stressful experience not only for parents, but for children too, regardless of the age...
more >>
The most valuable thing in life is a thing that when lost, you will never get back. A friend of mine came to me and said, “Dear, I lost my iPhone.” I told him not to be upset because he can buy a new one if he works hard. Another friend said, “I lost my car.”...
more >>
An eight year old kid was constantly harassed by his fellow mates in school. They called him names and enjoyed his outbursts towards them. Tired of being abused, the boy went to his grandfather seeking help...
more >>
For many of us, it seems that happiness is always hanging just around the corner. It is right there next to a high salary job or perhaps it will come along with some brand new car...
more >>
A few weeks ago, I was walking through one of Baghdad’s alleys with my friend Ahmed when a hunchbacked old lady stopped us and asked us whether it was the right place to get a minibus to Yarmook neighborhood. We knew that there was no public transportation to that neighborhood from where we were, so we told her that she needed to get to the main street in order to find her way to her destination...
more >>
Many revolutions have happened across the Middle East, aggregately called the Arab Spring Revolutions. The different polar nations of the world are trying to shift the situation towards their own benefit...
more >>
It’s been more than 16 months since the beginning of the revolution in Syria as part of the Arab Spring. The Syrian revolution, however, has turned out to be by far the most complicated, arduous, and bloodiest of the revolutions that have swept the Middle East. Tens of thousands of lives have already been destroyed and the conflict sees nowhere an end
more >>
About 16 months is the age of the Syrian revolution, almost 16 months of protests and demonstrations and around 20,000 deaths caused by the weapons of the Assad Regime. The demonstrations in Syria have been mightily fought against by the government and ruthlessly met with bombs and bullets from policemen
more >>
I am a terrible time manager. I am one of those people who scramble at the last minutes to meet deadlines, finish tests, and complete assignments. This is usually because at the beginning of the task I think I have “enough” time – whatever that means. Even all the time in the world is not enough. Every unscrupulously managed time segment
more >>
The first time I heard the name “Shakeeb” was in a workshop I attended a few months ago. At first, I did not think it was a real name as I have not heard of it before. But it was! It was the name of a small cute red teddy bear that the organizers decided to add to our group of participants
more >>
There was an article published in a British newspaper a long time ago which spotlighted the biggest regrets of patients with hopeless health conditions waiting for their death at the Intensive Care Units of certain hospitals. Their biggest regret in life: "I wish I did not work all the time."
more >>
“There are two motives for reading a book; one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it,” said Betrand Russell.
Have you noticed how most of your friends had included at least one of the following books (Lord of the Rings, Twilight, or Harry Potter) among their list of favorite books on Facebook, while we know that most probably they haven’t even owned a PDF version of them?
more >>
Faction and disunity are reoccurring themes in the history of mankind, from the very seeds of civilization to the most advanced nations of our modern day. It appears that the common good of all is lost in the lust for more power and personal authority. Private aims and interests dominate the ambitions of people in every nation. Why can’t we all just get along?
more >>
“Good Luck.” It is a phrase that we usually hear many times in different occasions. But, do you believe that luck has a significant role in success? Most people have different views about luck’s role in success. They differ in their opinions, just like how they still argue about which came first, the chicken or the egg
more >>
A friend of mine, Hayder Al-Shakeri, has a theory that states that no one can refuse a high five under the right circumstances. If you walk up to a friend (or even a random stranger) and hold up the flat of your palm for a high five
more >>
May 25, 2012 marked the first anniversary of “#TwitterKurds,” which is the hashtag used prominently by tweeple who are Kurdish
more >>
Awat Newspaper – what is it exactly? Is it just a regular local newspaper run by volunteers? Well, Awat may seem like a typical newspaper not too different from other local newspapers in Sulaimany and online except for the fact that it is published in English
more >>
“It’s nice, yet bizarre, to see most of my friends getting married or at least planning to; at early stages of their lives over the past few years” a friend of mine, who’s living abroad, once said
more >>
Africans are tough and hard workers. Brazilians are wonderful athletes. Americans are good writers; Japanese, well Japan is an extraordinary case. Each country is prosperous in a particular field. Each knows what that field is, how to refine it, and how to make the most of it.
more >>
Planning to pursue higher studies? You probably have heard of the common question that many students usually ask about whether to take the TOEFL "Test of English as a Foreign Language" or the IELTS "International English Language Testing System".
more >>
For many years Nawroz was ignored and almost forgotten as the result of being occupied and invaded by the enemies of the Kurds, and their rights were evaded. In the twentieth century one of the greatest, most educated men, and one of the most admirable poets in the history of Kurdistan, Piramerd, started putting in the effort to bring back to life this disregarded culture.
more >>
Apple has announced the release of their latest well-known tablet, the new iPad, in the company’s yearly conference in San Francisco on the 7th of March. The new tablet didn’t follow Apple’s convention of naming.
more >>
Eighteen; this number acquired a specialty whenever it is referred to as a human age. In most countries, 18 is the age of the majority, the voting age, the legal minimum age for getting a driving license, buying premises, opening a bank account, and seeing a rated +18 certificate film etc.
more >>
Trust is something humans have always needed. We need to trust people simply because we can't accept the idea that we can be alone. We feel insecure and afraid from that concept of being fully independent. Yet, this urge to trust can be avoided if one knows the dramatic fallouts of trusting the others.
more >>
Magazines and newspapers aims at a specific demographic, mainly the youth, often times in trying to please their readership expectations water down their writing level to suit their readers’ interests which are usually simple and straight forward.
more >>
Among all the scholarships and exchange programs in the world, the Fulbright Scholar Program is one of the most prestigious. This initiative, which was started by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, has successfully fulfilled its original goals by helping with foster greater understanding among people and thus it would build a safer world. more >>
C. S. Lewis, renowned Irish novelist and academic, wrote in The Great Divorce, “There was a time when you asked questions because you wanted answers. Become that child again: even now.” more >>
The world has lost a model father, brother and son in Jeremiah Small. Today we grieve his passing; today he dances in everlasting joy. Mr. Jer had very little. The little he did have, however, he altruistically gave to us. more >>
To those who fear God and live in humility, today I tell you that one of our leaders has passed away. Though my heart mourns for his death, I know that he is smiling down at me. My friend, mentor, teacher, and brother, Jeremiah Small, was shot dead today, March 1, 2012 by one of his own students. more >>
Nature is the great leveler of society;we are all equal in Nature’s eyes.It surrounds us and unites us, affectingeveryone evenly. We are linked in healthand spirit to our environment. To celebratethis connection, on April 20th,2012 Iraq’s first environmentally themedfestival will occur in Sulymaniya, coincidingwith Earth Day 2012 weekend more >>
Few days ago, I tookone of my family members toa public hospital. What wasinteresting, and frustratingat the same time, is how thehealthcare system workshere. First, in order to enterthat hospital, another doctorfrom a smaller local clinicmust check you more >>
The meaning of life changes from ones perspective to another, but people generally have the same aim; which is achieving their goals. You set your goals based on the distance between you and the goal. You don’t want to take a shot when you are too far from hitting the target more >>
lives are categorized into fields of study, majors, and they have grown very diverse in the 21st century. Most students in the Middle East, however, still do not deviate from the stereotypical must-become-a-doctor gimmick which parents often force upon them more >>
Education is a critical part of any society. Education raises up a nation’s society; it is in a way a big part of what defines a country and its people. After all, what is education? It is cultivating the minds of a population, it is the process of training people how to obtain knowledge and make use of it more >>
What is believed by most of females in our society is that men have the authority and power over women. What we, as females, do is blaming men for the things that go wrong in our daily lives. We blame men for not being able to live our lives as normal as any other human being more >>
We all search for a place called home. At home one can find comfort, dignity, and happiness. But why it became a hard concept? I once asked a friend, who spent the last eleven years of her life on travelling and moving from one place to another, what does home mean to her more >>
Kim Jong -il, the one who called himself the “great leader”, was a nightmare for the North Korean’s people as his father, Kim Il-sung, was. He was the dictator who killed and starved his nation. He had the absolute rule over North Korea more >>
We Kurds tend to believe that violent nationalism is the key to our survival in the modern era. We think that it is our right and duty to violently preserve our existence in the fast growing world. Whenever we feel that our identity is being threatened in whatever way, our natural response is usually a violent one more >>
I dropped a grimy Styrofoam cup into the burlap sack around my shoulder and took stock of what was going on all around me. Dozens of bikers were chatting as they slowly pedaled past me on my left side. A handful of local artists were holding banners and mock-hangman nooses nailed to 2-meter-long slats of wood ahead of me more >>
We often remark about the velocity of change going on in the digital world. Often these changes are seemingly abrupt and evolve very quickly. For example, look at the growth of Facebook or YouTube more >>
What is the hardest thing that you faced in your life? Whenwas the hardest goodbye? Does the“hardest” situation actually exist?
It does NOT! Every time weface a hard situation we think it isthe “hardest” experience that wecould go through; I lost my grandmathree years ago more >>
In light of the new developments of the outdated Arab Spring revolts, certain posts are trending on Facebook, Twitter, and similar social network websites as “users” (or profile owners) employ social media to express themselves about the happenings more >>
On March 19, 2003, George W. Bush launched the US invasion of Iraq. All of Iraq was consumed in commotion. The Shi’ites and the Kurds were shouting out cries of joy while some of the Sunnis shouted out more >>
Awat is a Kurdish name that means“hope.” It represents hope for better journalism in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.Awat is run by a group of young volunteers from different backgrounds. This group has dedicated themselves to this paper because they have faith in making a difference more >>
Despite all the cultural restrictions and obstacles that have limited their roles in societies, women have proved the potential of their abilities around the world and they are continuing their performance in areas they were once forbidden from taking part in more >>
Isolation
“Isolation is not good for me” goes the lyrics to a famous 90’s pop song. Truth is, isolation is not good for anyone.
No one wishes to live in complete solitude. Even our deepest dreams of reflection, relaxation, and retirement are usually accompanied by a partner or some kind of distraction more >>
His hands are tied behind his back, his neck is in a noose, and his body is dangling lifelessly. A young boy’s murder shown in all its unethical glory: this was the image broadcasted on Kurdish media more >>
If you are into reading books, you will certainly be called a “nerd” among the new generations in Kurdistan. The mentality of the people in the area has been changed by the domination of the western ideas which caused the fade out of the cultural heritage more >>
Power and authority are two big words which have been abused in many ways in our society. Many simple examples can approve how people are misusing their authority with their provided power even in the simplest sects of life more >>
Whenever I visit Kurdistan, the most important aspect of Kurdish society for me as a writer and observer is the activities of young children because they are a great indicator of the future of the society at large more >>
I’ve spent the past three years living in Beirut and studying part-time at the American University in Beirut. I’ve become quite good friends with a number of young Lebanese students as well as other Arab and international students from across the entire region more >>
Kurdish society is patriarchal; men dominate social and political scenes. Women are greatly underrepresented in most areas within Kurdish society. For example, only 30% of parliament members are women more >>
It is a privilege to be the honor of the one man of the house. It is of sheer beauty and dignity that one finds honor in the life of a family member. What is not so beautiful or dignified about it is the consequences that follow when that honor is not kept safe... more >>
A lot of parents try to run away from their responsibilities when they get divorced. They get caught up in themselves and eventually reach a point where they forget the damage they cause to their innocent children’s lives. Divorce is an intense and stressful experience not only for parents, but for children too, regardless of the age... more >>
The most valuable thing in life is a thing that when lost, you will never get back. A friend of mine came to me and said, “Dear, I lost my iPhone.” I told him not to be upset because he can buy a new one if he works hard. Another friend said, “I lost my car.”... more >>
An eight year old kid was constantly harassed by his fellow mates in school. They called him names and enjoyed his outbursts towards them. Tired of being abused, the boy went to his grandfather seeking help... more >>
For many of us, it seems that happiness is always hanging just around the corner. It is right there next to a high salary job or perhaps it will come along with some brand new car... more >>
A few weeks ago, I was walking through one of Baghdad’s alleys with my friend Ahmed when a hunchbacked old lady stopped us and asked us whether it was the right place to get a minibus to Yarmook neighborhood. We knew that there was no public transportation to that neighborhood from where we were, so we told her that she needed to get to the main street in order to find her way to her destination... more >>
Many revolutions have happened across the Middle East, aggregately called the Arab Spring Revolutions. The different polar nations of the world are trying to shift the situation towards their own benefit... more >>
It’s been more than 16 months since the beginning of the revolution in Syria as part of the Arab Spring. The Syrian revolution, however, has turned out to be by far the most complicated, arduous, and bloodiest of the revolutions that have swept the Middle East. Tens of thousands of lives have already been destroyed and the conflict sees nowhere an end more >>
About 16 months is the age of the Syrian revolution, almost 16 months of protests and demonstrations and around 20,000 deaths caused by the weapons of the Assad Regime. The demonstrations in Syria have been mightily fought against by the government and ruthlessly met with bombs and bullets from policemen more >>
I am a terrible time manager. I am one of those people who scramble at the last minutes to meet deadlines, finish tests, and complete assignments. This is usually because at the beginning of the task I think I have “enough” time – whatever that means. Even all the time in the world is not enough. Every unscrupulously managed time segment more >>
The first time I heard the name “Shakeeb” was in a workshop I attended a few months ago. At first, I did not think it was a real name as I have not heard of it before. But it was! It was the name of a small cute red teddy bear that the organizers decided to add to our group of participants more >>
There was an article published in a British newspaper a long time ago which spotlighted the biggest regrets of patients with hopeless health conditions waiting for their death at the Intensive Care Units of certain hospitals. Their biggest regret in life: "I wish I did not work all the time." more >>
“There are two motives for reading a book; one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it,” said Betrand Russell.
Have you noticed how most of your friends had included at least one of the following books (Lord of the Rings, Twilight, or Harry Potter) among their list of favorite books on Facebook, while we know that most probably they haven’t even owned a PDF version of them?
more >>
Faction and disunity are reoccurring themes in the history of mankind, from the very seeds of civilization to the most advanced nations of our modern day. It appears that the common good of all is lost in the lust for more power and personal authority. Private aims and interests dominate the ambitions of people in every nation. Why can’t we all just get along? more >>
“Good Luck.” It is a phrase that we usually hear many times in different occasions. But, do you believe that luck has a significant role in success? Most people have different views about luck’s role in success. They differ in their opinions, just like how they still argue about which came first, the chicken or the egg more >>
A friend of mine, Hayder Al-Shakeri, has a theory that states that no one can refuse a high five under the right circumstances. If you walk up to a friend (or even a random stranger) and hold up the flat of your palm for a high five more >>
May 25, 2012 marked the first anniversary of “#TwitterKurds,” which is the hashtag used prominently by tweeple who are Kurdish more >>
Awat Newspaper – what is it exactly? Is it just a regular local newspaper run by volunteers? Well, Awat may seem like a typical newspaper not too different from other local newspapers in Sulaimany and online except for the fact that it is published in English more >>
“It’s nice, yet bizarre, to see most of my friends getting married or at least planning to; at early stages of their lives over the past few years” a friend of mine, who’s living abroad, once said more >>
Africans are tough and hard workers. Brazilians are wonderful athletes. Americans are good writers; Japanese, well Japan is an extraordinary case. Each country is prosperous in a particular field. Each knows what that field is, how to refine it, and how to make the most of it. more >>
Planning to pursue higher studies? You probably have heard of the common question that many students usually ask about whether to take the TOEFL "Test of English as a Foreign Language" or the IELTS "International English Language Testing System". more >>
For many years Nawroz was ignored and almost forgotten as the result of being occupied and invaded by the enemies of the Kurds, and their rights were evaded. In the twentieth century one of the greatest, most educated men, and one of the most admirable poets in the history of Kurdistan, Piramerd, started putting in the effort to bring back to life this disregarded culture. more >>
Apple has announced the release of their latest well-known tablet, the new iPad, in the company’s yearly conference in San Francisco on the 7th of March. The new tablet didn’t follow Apple’s convention of naming. more >>
Eighteen; this number acquired a specialty whenever it is referred to as a human age. In most countries, 18 is the age of the majority, the voting age, the legal minimum age for getting a driving license, buying premises, opening a bank account, and seeing a rated +18 certificate film etc. more >>
Trust is something humans have always needed. We need to trust people simply because we can't accept the idea that we can be alone. We feel insecure and afraid from that concept of being fully independent. Yet, this urge to trust can be avoided if one knows the dramatic fallouts of trusting the others. more >>
Magazines and newspapers aims at a specific demographic, mainly the youth, often times in trying to please their readership expectations water down their writing level to suit their readers’ interests which are usually simple and straight forward. more >>
Among all the scholarships and exchange programs in the world, the Fulbright Scholar Program is one of the most prestigious. This initiative, which was started by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, has successfully fulfilled its original goals by helping with foster greater understanding among people and thus it would build a safer world. more >>
C. S. Lewis, renowned Irish novelist and academic, wrote in The Great Divorce, “There was a time when you asked questions because you wanted answers. Become that child again: even now.” more >>
The world has lost a model father, brother and son in Jeremiah Small. Today we grieve his passing; today he dances in everlasting joy. Mr. Jer had very little. The little he did have, however, he altruistically gave to us. more >>
To those who fear God and live in humility, today I tell you that one of our leaders has passed away. Though my heart mourns for his death, I know that he is smiling down at me. My friend, mentor, teacher, and brother, Jeremiah Small, was shot dead today, March 1, 2012 by one of his own students. more >>
Nature is the great leveler of society;we are all equal in Nature’s eyes.It surrounds us and unites us, affectingeveryone evenly. We are linked in healthand spirit to our environment. To celebratethis connection, on April 20th,2012 Iraq’s first environmentally themedfestival will occur in Sulymaniya, coincidingwith Earth Day 2012 weekend more >>
Few days ago, I tookone of my family members toa public hospital. What wasinteresting, and frustratingat the same time, is how thehealthcare system workshere. First, in order to enterthat hospital, another doctorfrom a smaller local clinicmust check you more >>
The meaning of life changes from ones perspective to another, but people generally have the same aim; which is achieving their goals. You set your goals based on the distance between you and the goal. You don’t want to take a shot when you are too far from hitting the target more >>
lives are categorized into fields of study, majors, and they have grown very diverse in the 21st century. Most students in the Middle East, however, still do not deviate from the stereotypical must-become-a-doctor gimmick which parents often force upon them more >>
Education is a critical part of any society. Education raises up a nation’s society; it is in a way a big part of what defines a country and its people. After all, what is education? It is cultivating the minds of a population, it is the process of training people how to obtain knowledge and make use of it more >>
What is believed by most of females in our society is that men have the authority and power over women. What we, as females, do is blaming men for the things that go wrong in our daily lives. We blame men for not being able to live our lives as normal as any other human being more >>
We all search for a place called home. At home one can find comfort, dignity, and happiness. But why it became a hard concept? I once asked a friend, who spent the last eleven years of her life on travelling and moving from one place to another, what does home mean to her more >>
Kim Jong -il, the one who called himself the “great leader”, was a nightmare for the North Korean’s people as his father, Kim Il-sung, was. He was the dictator who killed and starved his nation. He had the absolute rule over North Korea more >>
We Kurds tend to believe that violent nationalism is the key to our survival in the modern era. We think that it is our right and duty to violently preserve our existence in the fast growing world. Whenever we feel that our identity is being threatened in whatever way, our natural response is usually a violent one more >>
I dropped a grimy Styrofoam cup into the burlap sack around my shoulder and took stock of what was going on all around me. Dozens of bikers were chatting as they slowly pedaled past me on my left side. A handful of local artists were holding banners and mock-hangman nooses nailed to 2-meter-long slats of wood ahead of me more >>
We often remark about the velocity of change going on in the digital world. Often these changes are seemingly abrupt and evolve very quickly. For example, look at the growth of Facebook or YouTube more >>
What is the hardest thing that you faced in your life? Whenwas the hardest goodbye? Does the“hardest” situation actually exist? It does NOT! Every time weface a hard situation we think it isthe “hardest” experience that wecould go through; I lost my grandmathree years ago more >>
In light of the new developments of the outdated Arab Spring revolts, certain posts are trending on Facebook, Twitter, and similar social network websites as “users” (or profile owners) employ social media to express themselves about the happenings more >>
On March 19, 2003, George W. Bush launched the US invasion of Iraq. All of Iraq was consumed in commotion. The Shi’ites and the Kurds were shouting out cries of joy while some of the Sunnis shouted out more >>
Awat is a Kurdish name that means“hope.” It represents hope for better journalism in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.Awat is run by a group of young volunteers from different backgrounds. This group has dedicated themselves to this paper because they have faith in making a difference more >>
Despite all the cultural restrictions and obstacles that have limited their roles in societies, women have proved the potential of their abilities around the world and they are continuing their performance in areas they were once forbidden from taking part in more >>
Isolation
“Isolation is not good for me” goes the lyrics to a famous 90’s pop song. Truth is, isolation is not good for anyone.
No one wishes to live in complete solitude. Even our deepest dreams of reflection, relaxation, and retirement are usually accompanied by a partner or some kind of distraction more >>
His hands are tied behind his back, his neck is in a noose, and his body is dangling lifelessly. A young boy’s murder shown in all its unethical glory: this was the image broadcasted on Kurdish media more >>
If you are into reading books, you will certainly be called a “nerd” among the new generations in Kurdistan. The mentality of the people in the area has been changed by the domination of the western ideas which caused the fade out of the cultural heritage more >>
Power and authority are two big words which have been abused in many ways in our society. Many simple examples can approve how people are misusing their authority with their provided power even in the simplest sects of life more >>
Whenever I visit Kurdistan, the most important aspect of Kurdish society for me as a writer and observer is the activities of young children because they are a great indicator of the future of the society at large more >>
I’ve spent the past three years living in Beirut and studying part-time at the American University in Beirut. I’ve become quite good friends with a number of young Lebanese students as well as other Arab and international students from across the entire region more >>
Kurdish society is patriarchal; men dominate social and political scenes. Women are greatly underrepresented in most areas within Kurdish society. For example, only 30% of parliament members are women more >>
