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Alice Fordham Alice Fordham is an NPR International Correspondent based in Beirut, Lebanon.
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National

Biden pledges more aid to New Mexico to help fight the state's massive wildfire

KUNM

President Biden is back in Washington after visiting New Mexico for a briefing on wildfires which have now burned more than 900 square miles.

Biden pledges more aid to New Mexico to help fight the state's massive wildfire

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National

People in New Mexico brace for other issues a menacing wildfire will create

KUNM

As the largest wildfire in New Mexico's history continues to grow, efforts to prevent mudslides and protect drinking water are underway.

People in New Mexico brace for other issues a menacing wildfire will create

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National

Encore: New Mexico has a generous free tuition program, but there are limits

KUNM

New Mexico is the latest of dozens of states to offer free college tuition in some form. The benefits are generous, but only last for a year. (This story first aired on ATC on March 21, 2022.)

Encore: New Mexico has a generous free tuition program, but there are limits

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Animals

Biologist In Iraq Tracks Leopards Crossing The Border From Iran

Landmines make the northern part of the Iraq-Iran border forbidding for humans, but they also seem to have created space for what's thought to be a growing population of rare leopards.

Biologist In Iraq Tracks Leopards Crossing The Border From Iran

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Middle East

In Iraq, Herding Water Buffalo Is Once Again A Growing Industry

In the marshes of southern Iraq, water buffalos provide a livelihood for people outside the reach of many of the country's problems. There are new efforts intended to boost local agriculture.

In Iraq, Herding Water Buffalo Is Once Again A Growing Industry

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'We Will Never Break': In Iraq, A Yazidi Women's Choir Keeps Ancient Music Alive

Rana Sulaiman Halo (center), performs with a traditional daf drum with the Ashti (Peace) Choir. Emily Garthwaite/INSTITUTE for NPR hide caption

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Emily Garthwaite/INSTITUTE for NPR

Editors' Picks

'We Will Never Break': In Iraq, A Yazidi Women's Choir Keeps Ancient Music Alive

Women from Iraq's Yazidi minority get together to perform centuries-old sacred songs. They've survived captivity by ISIS and loved ones' deaths. "They are trying to heal," says a Yazidi politician.

'We Will Never Break': In Iraq, A Yazidi Women's Choir Keeps Ancient Music Alive

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Religion

Pope Francis Concludes 1st Papal Visit To Iraq With Mass In Erbil

Pope Francis is back at the Vatican after a historic trip to Iraq, the home of a dwindling but determined Christian community.

Pope Francis Concludes 1st Papal Visit To Iraq With Mass In Erbil

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U.S. Civilian Contractor Dies During Rocket Strike On Iraq Air Base

Ain al-Asad military airbase, shown here earlier this year, was hit in a rocket attack, the Pentagon said Wednesday. Ayman Henna /AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Ayman Henna /AFP via Getty Images

Middle East

U.S. Civilian Contractor Dies During Rocket Strike On Iraq Air Base

The Pentagon said the unnamed U.S. national was taking shelter and suffered a "cardiac episode," dying shortly thereafter. The attack followed U.S. strikes against Iran-backed militants last week.

'It Was Like Magic': Iraqis Visit Babylon And Other Heritage Sites For 1st Time

Visitors with the Bil Weekend tourism company take photographs inside the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, in the area around the Ishtar gate. The animal on the walls ins a dragon-like creature associated with the Babylonian god Marduk. Alice Fordham for NPR hide caption

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Alice Fordham for NPR

World

'It Was Like Magic': Iraqis Visit Babylon And Other Heritage Sites For 1st Time

Domestic tourism has been strong in Iraq's northern Kurdish region, but sites in more impoverished, insecure areas tend to be visited less. A few Iraqi tourism companies are trying to change that.

'It Was Like Magic': Iraqis Visit Babylon And Other Heritage Sites For 1st Time

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Pope Plans Historic Visit To Iraq As Its Christian Populations Dwindle

An Iraqi policeman walks by a mural depicting Pope Francis on the outer walls of Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad on Monday. Pope Francis' visit from March 5 to 8 will include trips to Baghdad, the city of Mosul and a meeting with the country's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images

World

Pope Plans Historic Visit To Iraq As Its Christian Populations Dwindle

Many Iraqis — Christian and Muslim — say they are excited about the first papal visit to the country, raising hopes of religious tolerance in the face of extremist violence.

Pope Plans Historic Visit To Iraq As Its Christian Populations Dwindle

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Religion

Pope Francis Hopes To Visit Iraq Next Month, Pandemic Permitting

Pope Francis plans to travel the original home of the patriarch Abraham in the Iraqi desert. His tour will also take him to places where there are almost no Christians — most everyone is Muslim.

Pope Francis Hopes To Visit Iraq Next Month, Pandemic Permitting

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Rockets Kill Civilian Contractor, Injure U.S. Service Member, Others In Erbil, Iraq

People inspect the area where one of the fired rockets was hit at Bahtiyari neighborhood on Monday in Erbil, Iraq. Yunus Keles/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption

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Yunus Keles/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

National Security

Rockets Kill Civilian Contractor, Injure U.S. Service Member, Others In Erbil, Iraq

Local media reported rockets fell in several areas in and around the city, and multiple people were being treated for injuries in hospital. The identity of the attackers was not immediately clear.

In Iraq's 'Dire' Economy, Poverty Is Rising — And So Are Fears Of Instability

"Now, because of the rise of the dollar and the pensions people aren't receiving, there are two classes of people," says Saad Salman, the owner of a Baghdad sweet shop. "A poor class and a rich class." Alice Fordham/NPR hide caption

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Alice Fordham/NPR

World

In Iraq's 'Dire' Economy, Poverty Is Rising — And So Are Fears Of Instability

"Iraq's economic situation can probably best be described as being dire," says an International Energy Agency expert. Government revenues have plummeted and its currency has been devalued.

In Iraq's 'Dire' Economy, Poverty Is Rising — And So Are Fears Of Instability

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Economy

Iraqis Forced To Cope With Country's Economic Hard Times

In Iraq, a huge share of the country relies on government salaries. But the government relies on oil revenues which have been falling. The purchasing power of average Iraqis has dropped.

Iraqis Forced To Cope With Country's Economic Hard Times

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