Iraq

The iconic Al-Hadba minaret has been restored in Mosul

Religion

The Al-Hadba minaret was part of the centuries-old Great Mosque of al-Nuri when it was destroyed in 2017 by ISIS. Now, a multi-year rebuilding effort involving the United Arab Emirates, UNESCO and local Iraqi craftsmen is complete. The World’s Host Marco Werman speaks with Iraqi photojournalist Ali Al-Baroodi about the significance of the restoration and the ongoing efforts to restore Mosul’s old city.

‘Second chance at life’: This rehabilitation center provides mental health care to orphaned children in Iraq

‘I have to work to help my family’: Child laborers in Raqqa face dangerous conditions

Shadow of ISIS
The exterior of the Ancient Church of the East in Baghdad, Iraq, Aug. 27, 2023.

A newly launched news channel in Iraq tries to preserve the ancient Syriac language

Language
Salah Fareeq Al-Feroun's farm sits unattended without the necessary water to cultivate Iraq's signature anbar rice, Al-Meshkhab, Najaf Province, Iraq, Aug. 30, 2023.

Iraq’s signature anbar rice is disappearing amid water shortages

Food
The shrines of Imam Husayn and his brother Aba Fadl Abbas in Karbala, Iraq, 2022.

‘I can get close to God’: Millions from around the globe participate in religious Arbaeen walk in Iraq

Sacred Nation

The walk culminates in the city of Karbala to remember the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Husayn.

people with boat

Parts of Iraq are drying up, impacting already vulnerable communities

Environment

​​​​​​​Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources has warned that the country is facing its worst water shortage in a century. It said 7 million people are experiencing reduced access to water. Shrinking water levels, rampant salinity and contamination have left communities with no choice but to migrate.

Ayyad Mohmmed Ali works on his farm where he grows date palm trees and vegetables, Iraq.

This startup is fighting to keep Iraq’s palm trees alive

The Big Fix

Decades of war, mismanagement and the impact of climate change have taken a toll on Iraq’s iconic palm trees. One group is trying to help change that.

app

Crowdsourcing morality: How an app allows the Iraqi government to arrest ‘indecent’ influencers

Digital and human rights activists say Ballegh’s very existence flies in the face of free speech provisions enshrined in Iraq’s post-Saddam Hussein constitution 20 years ago.

man at home

This Iraqi lost an eye in a protest. He’s still fighting for ‘real democracy.’

Mohannad Saad Mohammad lost an eye in Iraq’s protests that became known as the Tishreen or the October movement. The demonstrations that began in 2019 have mostly dissipated but Mohammad says he won’t stop fighting for a better Iraq.