Bombs, Berlioz and a Baghdad hit list

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In her early 20s, Mais Al-Bayaa was at university studying French music and literature. Actually she was passionate about all things French and dreamt of being an academic. But Mais wasn’t in Paris – she was in Baghdad. And it was 2003, the start of the US invasion of Iraq. As the bombs fell, Mais put away the Balzac and Berlioz. The war gave her a new focus: journalism. But it would be a dangerous career, landing her on a hit list. Presenter: Andrea Kennedy Producer: Maryam Maruf Email us [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707 (Photo: Mais Al-Bayaa. Credit: Courtesy of Mais Al-Bayaa)