All Articles — Page 2
Older articles from DirectAidIraq.org, newest first.
The Mesopotamian Marshes and Basra
· Cities & Travel
Where the Tigris and Euphrates meet, the marshes of southern Iraq are a world of reed islands, water buffalo and arched guesthouses. They are also fragile.
Refugees, IDPs and Returnees: The Terms Explained
· Understanding Aid
Refugee, asylum seeker, internally displaced person, returnee: the words are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things in law and in practice.
Casinos Abroad: Where Travellers from Iraq and the Gulf Go
· Games & Chance
With casinos banned at home, travellers from Iraq and the Gulf who want a night at the tables usually look abroad. These are the destinations most often mentioned, and what to know first.
The Ziggurat of Ur and the Royal Tombs
· History & Heritage
Rising out of the desert near Nasiriyah, the Ziggurat of Ur is the best-preserved temple tower of ancient Mesopotamia and the gateway to one of archaeology's great discoveries.
Al-Mutanabbi Street: Baghdad's Street of Books
· Culture & Food
Every Friday, booksellers, poets and readers fill a narrow street near the Tigris in old Baghdad. Al-Mutanabbi Street is the heart of the city's reading life.
Knucklebones and Dice in the Ancient Near East
· Games & Chance
Long before cubic dice, people threw the ankle bones of sheep and goats to decide games, settle questions and place bets. The story of the first dice runs through the ancient Near East.
Mosul's Old City and the Return of al-Hadba
· Cities & Travel
Mosul's old city on the Tigris lost many of its landmarks during the fighting of 2017. The reconstruction of the al-Nuri Mosque and its leaning minaret has become a symbol of recovery.
Why Aid Agencies Increasingly Give Cash
· Understanding Aid
Handing out money instead of food parcels once seemed radical. Today cash and vouchers are a mainstream part of humanitarian aid. Here is why, and what the debates are.
Football, Lotteries and Betting in the Region
· Games & Chance
Football is Iraq's great shared passion. Around the region, the question of who may bet on it, and on lotteries, is answered very differently from country to country.