Country | Iraq |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Worldwide |
Headquarters | Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq |
Programming | |
Language(s) | Kurdish English Arabic |
Ownership | |
Owner | Kurdistan Democratic Party |
History | |
Launched | 31 October 2015 |
Links | |
Website | kurdistan24 |
Availability | |
Streaming media | |
Kurdistan24 | kurdistan24 |
Kurdistan 24 (K24) is a Kurdish broadcast news station based in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with foreign bureaus in Washington, DC. [1] The service was launched on 31 October 2015. [1] Noreldin Waisy is the founder and former general manager of Kurdistan 24.
Kurdistan 24 launched its television network on 31 October 2015, [1] aiming to deliver 24-hour news from Kurdistan and around the world to "transform the media landscape of Kurdistan." The television network covers events across the Greater Kurdistan area and offers analysis on relevant issues in this region. [2]
In addition to political news, Kurdistan 24 offers segments on the Region's culture from all four parts of Kurdistan. It also updates its viewers on news of the sports world. [2]
Around 1 pm on March 13, 2022, several missile attacks were carried out on Erbil, damaging the Kurdistan 24 building. [3] According to Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, the new US consulate building was the target of the attack. [4]
Kurdistan 24 provides news online in Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji), English, Arabic, Turkish, and Persian. Their websites covers news in Kurdistan, the Middle East, and internationally. Additionally, Kurdistan 24 provides coverage of culture, sports, and economy in Kurdistan and abroad.
It also offers its readers a section for original interviews, as well as transcriptions of interviews after they've been aired on the television network. The network also provides readers with regular analysis and opinion pieces covering relevant issues in the Kurdistan Region and the Middle East. [5] [6]
Kurdistan 24 offers a radio broadcast in Kurdish. This is available in Kurdistan Region and to an international audience as well. [7]
Turkey removed three television channels based in Southern Kurdistan, including Kurdish news agency Kurdistan 24, from its TurkSat satellite, allegedly over broadcasting violations during the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum. [8]
The audio/visual media office of the Iraqi government's Media and Communications Commission issued a decree ordering the shutdown of Kurdistan 24 TV broadcast, the banning of its crew and seizure of their equipment across Iraq. The decree claimed the grounds for the move was that Kurdistan 24 is not licensed, and for programs "that incite violence and hate and target social peace and security." However, Kurdistan 24 is licensed by the Ministry of Culture of the Kurdistan Regional Government, which under the Iraqi Constitution is empowered to run its own affairs. [9] [10] [11] [12]
Kurdistan 24 is described as being affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, particularly the current Prime Minister Of The Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani. [13] [14]
Kurdistan TV is the first satellite television station in Iraqi Kurdistan that started broadcasting in 1999. It belongs to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and is based in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.
Nawshirwan Mustafa was an Iraqi Kurdish politician who served as the General Coordinator of the Movement for Change and the leader of the opposition in the Kurdistan Region from 1 April 2009 to his death on 19 May 2017.
Relations of Kurdistan Region of Iraq with foreign states and organizations are conducted by the Kurdistan Region. Political stability and a rapidly developing economy have given the KRG the opportunity to pursue a foreign policy independent from the central government's. The KRG's primary body for directing its foreign affairs is the Department of Foreign Relations (DFR). The DFR's foremost objectives are to raise the global profile of the Kurdistan Region, improve the Region's international ties with various governments and international organizations, and present emerging business opportunities in the Kurdistan Region to regional and international actors.
Rudaw Media Network, is a major media broadcaster in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
An independence referendum for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was held on 25 September 2017, with preliminary results showing approximately 92.73 percent of votes cast in favour of independence. Despite reporting that the independence referendum would be non-binding, the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) characterised it as binding, although they claimed that an affirmative result would trigger the start of state building and negotiations with Iraq rather than an immediate declaration of independence of Kurdistan. The referendum's legality was rejected by the federal government of Iraq.
Nalia Radio and Television (NRT) claims to be the first ever independent media network in the Kurdistan Region. The corporation claims to be independent, It was formed in 2010 by freelance journalists who launched the first ever independent media network, funded by Nalia company.
Firsat Sofi Ali was an Iraqi Kurdish politician of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Hungary–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Hungary and the Kurdistan Region. Hungary is represented in Kurdistan Region through a consulate general since November 2014, while Kurdistan Region has no representation in Hungary. Relations are characterized by several high-level talks and close ties. The Kurdish President Massoud Barzani visited Hungary in 2012 and in 2015 on official visits. Moreover, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán uttered support for the independence of Kurdistan Region from Iraq in 2015 causing concern among the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.
Italy–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region. Italy has a consulate general in Erbil, while Kurdistan Region has a representation in Rome. Relations are described as "strong" and Italy has a military presence in Kurdistan Region. About 800 Italian soldiers were present in Kurdistan in 2018.
Austria–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Austria and the Kurdistan Region. Austria is represented in Kurdistan Region through a commercial office in Erbil since 2006, while Kurdistan Region has a representation in Vienna since 2012.
Kurdistan Region–Sweden relations are bilateral relations between Kurdistan Region and Sweden. Kurdistan Region is represented in Sweden through a representation in Stockholm since 2011, while Sweden has an embassy in Erbil since 2012.
Kurdistan Region–Netherlands relations are bilateral relations between Kurdistan Region and the Netherlands. While Kurdistan Region has no representation in the Netherlands, the Netherlands has a consulate general in Erbil since 2012. The Netherlands has a military presence in Kurdistan Region and have aided the region with humanitarian aid. The Netherlands also contributed to reforms of the Kurdish economy with 250,000 euros in 2017. In August 2016, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited Kurdistan Region and met with high-ranking Kurdish officials and deployed Dutch soldiers. Concerning Kurdish independence, Dutch MP Harry Van Bommel stated that: "I will ask my party to support independent Kurdistan because I think independence is the best way to secure the future of the people in this Region".
Germany–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Germany and Kurdistan Region. Germany has a consulate general in Erbil since 2012, and Kurdistan Region has a representation in Berlin since 1992. Many high-level meetings have been held between the two parties, including a visit to Berlin by Kurdish President Masoud Barzani in 2009, where he met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In 2014, President Barzani described Germany as "one of Kurdistan Region’s staunch allies in the war against the Islamic State." German Consul General Marc Eichhorn described the relations as "excellent".
Kurdistan Region–Syria relations are bilateral relations between Kurdistan Region and Syria. Kurdistan Region and Syria are neighbors, but Kurdistan Region only borders PYD-held Rojava since the Syrian civil war. Kurdistan Region and Syria share two border-crossings, and 208,574 Syrian refugees lived in Kurdistan Region in February 2021.
France–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between France and Kurdistan Region. France has a consulate general in Erbil and Kurdistan Region has a representation in Paris. The ties between France and Kurdistan Region have been very close since the presidency of François Mitterrand (1981–1995), when his wife Danielle Mitterrand played an instrumental role in the campaign for the no fly zone over Kurdistan Region in 1991. France has a military presence in Kurdistan Region, and Consul General Dominique Mas described their relations as being "historic" and "long-term".
Noreldin Waisy,, is an Kurdish political analyst and journalist. He helped found the Kurdish media broadcasting outlets Rudaw and Kurdistan 24. He served as the general manager of Kurdistan 24, based in the Kurdistan's capital Erbil, from 2015 to 2019. Waisy currently serves as the press secretary to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
Jordan–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Jordan and the Kurdistan Region. Jordan is represented in Kurdistan Region through a consulate general in Erbil since 2011, while Kurdistan Region has no representation in Jordan. Relations are described as historical, dating back to the times of Mullah Mustafa Barzani and King Hussein bin Talal. As a response to the unilateral Kurdish independence referendum in September 2017, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated that the issue was an internal Iraqi affair and that Jordan did not interfere in other countries' domestic affairs. The Jordanian Consul General in Erbil described ties as "strong and solid" in August 2018.
Canada–Kurdistan Region relations are bilateral relations between Canada and the Kurdistan Region. Canada has an embassy office in Erbil, while the Kurdistan Region has no representation in Canada. Diplomatic relations are described as "close" and a "Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds" group was formed in 2016 by MP Tom Kmiec. Canada also had a military presence in Kurdistan Region by training the Peshmerga. This presence ended in 2017, but the Kurdish government has since asked Canada to resume the training.
Sangasar is a small market town in Iraqi Kurdistan, around 110 km East of Erbil and 120 km North of Sulaymaniyah.
Omed Abdulrahman Hassan known as Omed Khoshnaw is an Iraqi Kurdish politician of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (K.D.P). Khoshnaw is the current Erbil governor. He succeeded former governor Firsat Sofi, who died on 18th Nov 2020 due to COVID-19. During 2013 to 2021, Omed was member of parliament and head of the KDP Parliamentary block at Kurdistan Region Parliament.