Fathallah Ahmed, one of Iraq’s most celebrated composers and the leader of Kadim Al Saher’s band, died on Wednesday after a long battle with Covid-19. He was 64.
The Zeedini Ishqan musician was admitted to a hospital in Dubai months ago. However, his health continued to deteriorate.
Rumours of Ahmed’s death began circulating in Iraqi media earlier this month. However, they were denied by Ahmed’s son.
News of the maestro's death was confirmed on Wednesday by the Iraqi Artists Syndicate.
Born in the city of Kirkuk in 1957 to Turkmen parents, Ahmed joined the Turkmen National Ensemble at an early age. The experience had a profound impact on his compositional approach as he would go on to incorporate elements of Turkmen music in many of his compositions.
Ahmed was also known to have a stringent work ethic, often playing his cello for 12 hours a day with the intention of joining the Iraqi Symphony Orchestra, which he did in 1977.
He played an active musical part on an academic and governmental level. He worked at the Iraqi Department of Culture and Tourism, and lectured in several universities. He was also the dean of the Institute of Music Studies in Iraq.
Ahmed is perhaps best known for his collaborations with Arab singers, including Al Saher. He composed many of the Iraqi singer's most recognisable melodies – including Qooli Uhibuka (Say I Love You) and Fi Madrasat Al Hob (In the School of Love) – and toured with him across the world.
Ahmed left Baghdad years ago, settling in the UAE. He composed several symphonies while living in the country, including a piece written in tribute to the Emirates.
In 2019, he chaired the jury of the talent show Al Zaman Al Jameel (The Beautiful Time), which aired on Abu Dhabi TV.
According to the Arabic wing of Russia Today, Ahmed had recently finished arranging a symphony based on the poem The Epic of Gilgamesh, with the intention of having Al Saher sing over it.
Tributes for the Iraqi composer have been published on social media from peers and fans alike. Iraqi oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma wrote on his Twitter page that, although he was unfortunately expecting news of Ahmed's death, it still came as a shock.
"God bless you my great friend," he wrote. "You are gone physically, but you will always be with us."
More on Quran memorisation:
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Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
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THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended
Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
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Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
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OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
