Noof Assi, left, who works for an NGO and presents a late-night radio show, would rather talk about Iraq's future than dwell on the past.
Noof Assi, left, who works for an NGO and presents a late-night radio show, would rather talk about Iraq's future than dwell on the past.
Noof Assi, left, who works for an NGO and presents a late-night radio show, would rather talk about Iraq's future than dwell on the past.
Noof Assi, left, who works for an NGO and presents a late-night radio show, would rather talk about Iraq's future than dwell on the past.

Ten years after US invasion, Iraq’s youth seek out a normal life


  • English
  • Arabic

BAGHDAD // "Today's show is about the man of your dreams," announces the young woman with curly hair and chunky spectacles, leaning into the microphone in the studio of Baghdad's Al Mada radio station.

The producer, chair-dancing in distressed denim, smoothing a pomaded quiff, puts a caller through.

"How would you want the man of your dreams to be?" says Noof Assi, the presenter.

"Attractive, lovely, romantic," murmurs the voice.

"Ah," says Noof. "You want him to cry when he sees a sunset?"

Everyone giggles.

"Not that much!" says the seeker of dreams, at which point the producer cuts to a blaring pop song, as the next callers are queued up to talk with Noof and her handsome co-presenter, Ameer Thames Jafar, on their nightly hour of music and banter.

This is Noof's life: she is 23 years old, works in a non-governmental organisation helping refugees and presents the radio show at night. She is a university graduate in fine arts and a witty dissector of universal concerns such as the ideal attributes in a boyfriend.

Ten years on from the US-led invasion of Iraq, Noof would rather talk about the future than the past. But like millions of young Iraqis, what happened after the first bombs struck Baghdad early in the morning on March 20, 2003, has shaped every aspect of her adolescence.

Her hopes, dreams and frustrations were woven with fear before the invasion, the tense freedom that followed it and the horror of a city turned nightmarish with sectarian splits and raw, bloody fighting. Whether she and her generation can lead the lives they want after the horrors they have seen remains a difficult question to answer.

Noof remembers clearly the initial days of the invasion, when American forces and their allies headed to the Iraqi capital from the north and south, seeking to end Saddam Hussein's regime. Living in the Yarmouk neighbourhood, where many military officers had homes, her family was terrified they would be bombed.

"We were nine people, all sleeping in our shoes," she says. With her elder sister and her mother, she camped out with her cousins in the dining room of her uncle's house. Her sister carried a rucksack with their documents and money. Noof's bag contained card games, a teddy bear and a diary. Her father and brother had long fled Iraq, fearing arrest by Saddam Hussein's regime for political dissent.

The family clustered round a radio, turning the dial to listen to faint international broadcasts. Every station was talking about the coming battle for Baghdad, except the Iraqi one, which played the music of the Egyptian legend Um Kalthoum. When the bombs came, they shook the house and broke the windows, but none of them were hurt.

Things moved fast. On April 9, Saddam's statue was brought down by US forces in Firdous Square, and the image was beamed round the world. Most people in Baghdad had no idea it was happening until the news came on the radio.

"My uncle did not want to believe it," Noof recalls. "He didn't support the government, but he didn't like the US invasion."

But soon there were American soldiers on their streets, and nearby, an enormous poster of the tyrannical leader was covered in graffiti, the words reflecting the pent-up rage of many Iraqis towards their longtime leader: "You son of a dog, you failed. You're never going to hurt us again."

It took months before the freedom to criticise Saddam felt real.

Elation turns to fear

Sitting one recent evening in one of Baghdad's new cafes, with a hustle of people passing outside, Noof Assi drank tea with a friend, Zein Al Abidine, 25. He, too, remembers the moment the leader was gone and a friend who did not believe him.

"He said: 'Can you say something bad about Saddam Hussein?'" recalls Zein, talking rapidly between draws on a water pipe. But gradually it sunk in, and that summer of 2003 had optimistic moments. American soldiers sat with Iraqis in ice cream parlours in the heat, watching television as the first satellite broadcasts reached the isolated country.

The mood did not last. Zein, who now works in software engineering, is from a Shiite family and lived in the largely Sunni neighbourhood of Dora. Security had worsened after US authorities dissolved the Iraqi army, and sectarian attacks were becoming common.

In early 2006, he saw for the first time a man killed in front of him, a university professor assassinated in the street by a man who smiled and wagged his gun at the teenager before driving off. He remembers being numb, forgetting what happened for days.

"After that, I saw it three times," he says. "The last one was my father."

By the end of the year, Zein's family had given up hope of ever feeling safe again in their home. They were moving their their belongings to the Karada district when a car full of armed men drew up outside the house and fired five shots into Zein's father as he loaded a moving van.

Neighbours gathered but would not touch the body for fear that they too would be targeted. Eventually a Sunni uncle came who dared to take away the body of his brother-in-law. The family escaped the neighbourhood, leaving everything behind to be stolen.

"All of the photo albums. I didn't have a picture of the wedding of my mother and father," Zein says.

Dead bodies become routine

At about the same time, across town, Noof Assi was fighting daily with her mother. She was adamant that she be allowed to keep going to school.

The closest school, the only one she could safely travel to, was located on a fault line between Sunni and Shiite-dominated areas of the Iraqi capital. Men were being slaughtered and dumped in the street, gunmen shooting at anyone who tried to take away the bodies.

The first time there was a corpse outside the school gate, Noof was horrified.

"Something changed in me. My whole body was shaking, and I said to my mom: 'Does he have a wife, a mother looking for him?'" The next day the corpse was gone, and there were two more in its place.

Soon the sight of decaying remains became routine, as did avoiding the dogs who developed a taste for human flesh.

The sound of street battles and exploding bombs were a daily occurrence. Once, a gunfight spilled into the classrooms.

"It looked just like an American action movie," she says. "There were trees shaking from the bullets."

Still, Noof went to school every day. She wanted to graduate and go to art school. Fearing that the next year might even be worse, she wanted to keep attending while she could.

'I didn't want to run away'

Meanwhile, millions of Iraqis were fleeing the country and Zein Al Abidine's mother, now poor and living in her father's house, decided to take her children to Syria and apply there for asylum in Canada. They were granted the documents in less than a month but abruptly, her son decided he was not going.

"I didn't want to run away," he says. "I felt if I ran away, I would never find myself. I would lose my character and personality."

The family returned to Baghdad, and Zein got a job while studying for a university degree. He and his mother pooled their salaries, sold some land and built a house in Karada. "A small home, a beautiful one," he says.

Gradually, security improved. American soldiers withdrew from the cities. Life returned to the streets of Baghdad, albeit slowly and hobbled by intermittent explosions and the hundreds of checkpoints that remain in the streets. One day, in 2009, Noof Assi accidentally broke her parents' curfew and stayed out after six.

"It was dark, but places were open and I thought, "Yeah! I can go out at night,' even though it wasn't really night," she says.

Focused on the future

The stories of Noof Assi and Zein Al Abidine and their suffering and determination are echoed by many others in Baghdad. In a city where some areas now, on a good day, are buzzing and fun, young men in a pool hall count off on their fingers the number of close relatives they lost to the fighting.

The students from the ballet school tell, giggling, of how it was tough to practice their pirouettes and pliés because the glass in their mirrored halls was always shattered by explosions. Young men explain how they put aside aspirations and became the breadwinners of fatherless families.

But overwhelmingly, people prefer to focus on what might happen next. Can they live happy lives? "The show must go on," Noof says. "There were crazy moments, but when there are crazy moments, you seek a normal life."

Others are more cautious. "I find we are not normal, really," says Zein. "Part of the time, our life stopped." But, he adds, one day he would like to write a novel about the war.

"I'll talk about life, love, family, civil war. Because life has wonderful and beautiful stories," he says.

"I hope for the future. I am not looking to the past."

afordham@thenational.ae

Previous men's records
  • 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
  • 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
  • 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
  • 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
  • 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
  • 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
  • 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
  • 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
  • 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
  • 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Squads

Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz

Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

RESULTS

5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Samau Xmnsor, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Ottoman, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Sharkh, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Yaraa, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Maaly Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Jinjal, Fabrice Veron, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Al Sail, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS

Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan

The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E646hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E830Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwo-speed%20auto%20(rear%20axle)%3B%20single-speed%20auto%20(front)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh552%2C311%3B%20Dh660%2C408%20(as%20tested)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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 

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Results

Stage 5:

1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Jumbo-Visma  04:19:08

2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates  00:00:03

3. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers

4. Sergio Higuita (COL) EF Education-Nippo 00:00:05

5. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:06

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 17:09:26

2.  Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:45

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:01:12

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:01:54

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo 00:01:56

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
​​​​​​​Bloomsbury Academic

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPurpl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarl%20Naim%2C%20Wissam%20Ghorra%2C%20Jean-Marie%20Khoueir%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHub71%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20and%20Beirut%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%242%20million%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar. 

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities. 

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong. 

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

The Bio

Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride

She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.

Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years

Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves

She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in

Results

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m. Winner: Majd Al Megirat, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Shehhi (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: Dassan Da, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi

6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Heba Al Wathba, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi

Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Harbour Spirit, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.

TEST SQUADS

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.

Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets