Mohammed Assaf excited about performing at Fifa Congress

Mohammed Assaf is on his way to Brazil, where he will perform on Tuesday as part of the opening ceremony of the Fifa Congress in São Paulo – making him the first Arab singer to take part in a Fifa event.

His song, Assaf360, was recorded in a live 24-hour session in Dubai last Tuesday with the leading American producer Rodney Jerkins. And fans got involved by tweeting suggested lyrics.

While happy with the high energy of the track and the collaborative spirit, Assaf expresses some disappointment at Fifa, which he feels snubbed him by not letting him perform on the bigger stage of the World Cup Opening Ceremony on Thursday.

You are performing Assaf360 for the first time at the Fifa Congress and it’s being broadcast live on the Fifa website to a global audience. Does such a global event make you nervous about taking the stage?

There will be nerves as this is a new song being performed live. But what makes it easier for me is that the song was built together with my colleagues and the fans. It will be a great feeling to take something from the Arab world to the World Cup.

How did you get involved in performing as part of the Fifa Congress Opening Ceremony?

The story goes back to just after I won Arab Idol in 2013, when I was back in Ramallah [in Palestine]. At that time, the head of Fifa, Sepp Blatter, also visited Ramallah with a delegation from the Palestinian Football Federation and he said he followed my progress in the programme. We were in a car going down the road and he saw how the youth were waving at me and cheering me on as we passed and then he said: “Mohammed, I am going to invite you to sing in the World Cup ceremony,” and it all started from there.

Then, controversially, the offer was rescinded – is that true?

Indeed this did occur, in that Sepp Blatter told me that I would sing in the opening ceremony. Then not long after a letter came from Fifa to my record label [Platinum Records] saying this was not going to happen anymore and they apologised. Now I was concerned about that because this came after a press conference in Palestine where Mr Blatter said I would perform as part of the World Cup.

Did that letter give any specific reason for you being taken off the bill?

It seems to me that it could have been a political issue, maybe because I am a Palestinian and some people were disturbed that a person such as myself can perform in such an event. I spoke out about this to the press and a few days later another letter from Fifa came that said the invitation to perform in the World Cup still stands but now I am performing in the opening of the Fifa Congress two days before the World Cup ceremony.

Is there also any truth to the suggestions that Shakira has declined to perform as part of the World Cup opening ceremony because of your omission from the event?

I heard about that in the press, to be honest, so the information could be wrong. Then again, Shakira already released a World Cup song so I don’t know if she is performing in the ceremony. We didn’t speak to each other about our collaboration – it went through Mr Blatter, who told me there would be a duet between us.

Any word about the status of your debut album?

I have been working on the album and I can tell you that 90 per cent is done and I plan to release it, God willing, just after Eid Al Fitr. By the end of this month I will be shooting a new video clip for one of the songs.

• Mohammed Assaf's performance as part of the opening ceremony of the Fifa Congress in São Paulo will be broadcast live on www.fifa.com on Tuesday. Broadcast details to be revealed on www.fifa.com. MBC will screen the event on Wednesday. For details go to www.mbc.net

sasaeed@thenational.ae

Coffee: black death or elixir of life?

It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?

Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.

The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.

The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.

Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.

The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.

But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.

Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.

It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.

So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.

Rory Reynolds

Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."

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