Beyond the Headlines: Football history in the making as Arabian Gulf Cup kicks off in Iraq

The Arabian Gulf Cup is returning to Iraq for the first time since 1979.

Coming less than a month after the Fifa World Cup in Qatar, the tournament in the city of Basra represents another electrifying moment for football fans in the region.

This week on Beyond the Headlines, host Robert Tollast takes a closer look at a historic moment in sport for Iraq — and what it means for the country and the region.

Excitement and pride fill the air in Basra city during football Gulf Cup — in pictures

Iraqis mingle with fans from other countries during the Arabian Gulf Cup being held in Basra, Iraq from January 6 to 19. All photos: Sinan Mahmoud / The National
The flags of the eight countries taking part in the tournament are displayed all across the southern port city. Sinan Mahmoud / The National.
A street vendor sells flags of participating countries at Basra Corniche
Omani fan Yahya Al Hashemi, 35, poses for a selfie with an Iraqi fan at Basra Corniche
A statue of the mascot for the 25th edition of the Gulf Cup, Sinbad the Sailor – one of the region's legendary characters
Omani journalist Salah Al Saadi recording Iraqi girls singing on Basra Corniche
Football fans crowded the corniche in Basra
Basra residents are proud to host the tournament after several attempts since 2010, when the security situation started to improve
Flags of participating countries, hats, sports merchandise and souvenirs are displayed in shops and street stalls in Basra

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.