The video is a bit sketchy, probably shot with a mobile phone from high up in the stands of the stadium in Tikrit, or one of the surrounding buildings.
On the dusty pitch below, the two teams, one in green and the other in yellow, are battling it out. In the background there is an ornate mosque.
Suddenly, there is a big explosion behind the goal, followed by the crackle of gunfire.
Startled, the players scamper towards safety and, fortunately, none of them has been injured.
One of the fans watching the game from behind the goals was not so fortunate.
As the shaky camera recovers to focus on the scene of the blast, it shows a man carrying the injured fan towards a white pick-up nearby.
Thankfully, there was no repeat of the gory scenes that took place at a football match between two local teams in the Turkmen town of Tal Afar in 2010. That day about 25 fans were killed and more than 100 injured when a suicide bomber detonated his car filled with explosives.
Football in Iraq has suffered for decades: first at the hands of the sadistic Uday Hussein, son of the country’s long-time president Saddam Hussein, who was chairman of the Iraq Football Association; then during the 2003 US-led invasion and occupation; followed by sectarian strife and now ISIL.
The show goes on, though, despite the hundreds of football fans who have been killed over the past dozen years.
One incident that will live long in the memory is of a suicide bomber who blew himself up at an ice-cream parlour in the Mansour district of Baghdad, killing 30 fans who were celebrating the national team’s win over South Korea in the semi-final of the 2007 Asian Cup.
Ahmed Radhi, Younus Mahmoud and the five best Iraqi footballers of all time
The mother of a 12-year-old boy killed in those blasts refused to shed tears. “I present my son as a sacrifice for the national team,” she said.
Those attacks led to a new anthem being sung by fans at matches even to this day: “With our blood and soul, we will sacrifice for Iraq.”
This year in Mosul, ISIL rounded up 13 teenage boys, who had defied their orders and dared to watch Iraq’s match against Jordan at the Asian Cup on TV, and executed them publicly.
Those bullets were, if you believe Iraqi journalist Maher Hameed, wasted, as no threats of killings have been able to keep Iraqis away from football.
“The Iraqis love their football more than their food,” Hameed said. “No one, no event, can stop football matches in Iraq.”
Hameed does not exaggerate. Football matches and fans have been deliberately targeted over the past dozen years.
Improvised explosive devices, have been deliberately planted on football pitches (Al Abara, 2013) and mortars have been fired into stadiums while matches are in progress, killing dozens. Children still continue to play football across the country, on any patch of land they can find — dirt, concrete or grass — despite the constant danger.
Last March, 45,000 fans had packed Baghdad’s Al Shaab Stadium to watch Iraq’s version of “el clasico” between Al Zawraa and Al Quwa Al Jawiya.
The city was under siege in the two days leading up to that match, with more than 30 dead in a series of bombings.
“In the middle of these explosions, we live our lives,” Ghazwan, one of the 65,000 fans who had packed the Al Shaab stadium for the friendly against Liberia two years ago, said as he walked out following his team’s 1-0 loss.
That game was interrupted by two suicide attacks, a short distance from the stadium.
“We are not afraid of these explosions,” he said. “We are afraid of this terrible team.”
Another fan, walking nearby, screamed: “Explosions hit us on the roads, and our team loses on the field! Is there anything worse than this?”
That loss to Liberia was an aberration. The Iraq team have generally not disappointed their fans, marching from one success to another, despite the obvious challenges.
In 2004, they finished fourth at the Olympic Games and then, defying all odds, battled their way to the 2007 Asian Cup title.
In 2013, Iraq’s Under 20 team reached the last four at the Youth World Cup in Turkey; that same year Iraq won the Asian Under 22 Championships in Oman.
“The pool of talent in Iraq is still flourishing because, despite the lack of infrastructure, the base of Iraqi football continues to be intact,” said Hassanin Mubarak, a respected Iraqi football writer.
“That is shaabiya football, and ishbal and nasheen football level, at clubs around the country. Shaabiya football, or local neighbourhood football, is played around the country.”
Hugely popular, shaabiya football has been the sport’s lifeline over the past decade in the absence of security, finance and decaying infrastructure.
Even Al Shaab, Baghdad’s only internationally recognised stadium, had become a base for the occupying forces.
“This period was very tough for us players, especially with the postponement of the league and the failure of our clubs in paying our wages and salaries, and that’s just from a financial point,” said Ghaith Abdul Ghani, a midfielder who plays for Baghdad club Al Zawraa, in an article on Goal Singapore website last year.
“From a security perspective, my team struggled immensely.
“I remember two incidents that affected the side: one, where one of my teammates, Manar Muthafar, lost his life as a result of a random gun shot during a training session, and the other, during another training session, when three mortar shells fell on the pitch wounding many players. A shrapnel from one of the shells remains stuck in my leg till this day.”
Many football players in Iraq have similar tales to share.
Hakeem Shaker, the former national team coach, spoke about the “brutal” security situation affecting “the psychological well-being of our players”, and “the terrifying sounds of explosions, forced displacement and gunfire” that was directly affecting “the creation of quality players”.
Hameed said things are changing. The Iraq Football Association and Fifa have been working together on three Goal Projects, which include supplying artificial pitches and providing coaching and education courses to improve domestic competitions and officiating standards.
In October, 2013, the US$715 million (Dh2.6 billion) Basra Sports City opened its doors, with its 65,000-seat stadium the centrepiece. The Iraqi FA has plans to build new stadiums, including a 30,000-seater at Al Anbar, at a cost of $100m.
The government has also allocated the Kurdistan region $100m “to improve sports infrastructure and to renovate stadiums and sports halls”.
“I can say categorically that the Iraqi league is getting better,” Hameed said, and his optimism is not misplaced.
Despite all the challenges, the league never really stopped. The season has been cut short twice, in 2003/04 and 2013/14, because of security concerns and, occasionally, matches have been cancelled for the same reasons.
But the FA, despite all the criticism, has done well to keep the league going.
To tackle the issue of security and minimise travel, teams are divided into groups on a regional basis and then the leaders at the end of each group phase play for overall honours.
“I think this way is the best given the security situation,” Hameed said. “At least the players and fans can avoid travelling long distances between cities. As we say, the show must go on.”
Indeed it must.
IRAQ FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTS
• The Iraq Football Association was founded in 1948 and has been a member of Fifa since 1950 and the Asian Football Confederation since 1970.
• Iraq played their first international match in 1957 against Morocco in Lebanon. The game finished 3-3.
• Iraq won their first and only Asian Cup title in 2007, beating South Korea in the semi-finals and Saudi Arabia in the final.
• The Iraq national team have also won a gold medal at the Asian Games (1982), three Gulf Cups (1979, 1984, 1988) and a West Asia Championship (2002).
• In 1986, Iraq made their only World Cup finals appearance but returned home from Mexico without a point, losing to the hosts 2-1, Paraguay 1-0 and Belgium 2-1.
• Iraq have twice been awarded the AFC National Team of the Year, in 2003 and 2007 – the only team from West Asia to win this award.
• Between 1992 and 1996, Iraq scored in 27 consecutive matches, an Asian record.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
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The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
Company%20Profile
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US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
In the Restaurant: Society in Four Courses
Christoph Ribbat
Translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli
Pushkin Press
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
The%20specs
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The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
ROUTE%20TO%20TITLE
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km
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What's%20in%20my%20pazhamkootan%3F
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If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.