While driving down an East Texas country road I spotted this scene. The autumn trees and the late afternoon sun made these golden bales of hay shine just a little bit more. Fortunately I had my camera with me. (c) James Q. Eddy Jr.

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Despite war and strife, millions of Shia Muslims in Iraq gather for sacred pilgrimage

NPR | By Jane Arraf,

Rob Schmitz, Michael Levitt, Daniel Ofman

Published August 8, 2026 at 4:30 PM CDT

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More than 20 million Shia pilgrims flocked to a shrine city in Iraq this week, including millions of Iranians, despite the wars tearing across the Middle East.

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Jane Arraf

Rob Schmitz

Rob Schmitz is NPR's international correspondent based in Berlin.

Michael Levitt

Daniel Ofman