Al-Jarallah receives Iraqi Ambassador and media personality Hamid Abdullah
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Kuwait Times
3 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Iraq PM reopens airport in Mosul
MOSUL: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani is recieved by officials during the reopening of Mosul International Airport on July 16, 2025. - AFP MOSUL: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani inaugurated Wednesday the city of Mosul's newly restored airport, years after it was destroyed in the battle to dislodge the Islamic State group. Sudani's flight landed at the airport, which is expected to become fully operational for domestic and international flights in two months. 'The airport will serve as an additional link between Mosul and other Iraqi cities and regional destinations,' the media office of the PM said in a statement. In June 2014, the Islamic State group seized Mosul, declaring its 'caliphate' from the city after capturing large swathes of Iraq and neighboring Syria. After years of fierce battles, Iraqi forces backed by a US-led international coalition dislodged the group from the city in July 2017, before declaring its defeat across the country at the end of that year. The airport, which was heavily damaged in the battle, has not been operational since the jihadists seized Mosul. In Aug 2022, then-prime minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi laid the foundation stone for the airport's reconstruction. Airport director Amar Al-Bayati told AFP that the 'airport is now ready for domestic and international flights,' but no date has been announced for their resumption. He added that the airport previously offered international flights, mostly to Turkey and Jordan. The airport now includes a main terminal, a VIP lounge and an advanced radar surveillance system, Sudani's office said. Its expected to handle 630,000 passengers annually. — AFP
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
The tragedy of Manushak and the cleric
In the late 1950s, the late Amir Abdullah Al-Salem learned that the British planned to request the allocation of Area G1 as a military base. He immediately ordered the Ministry of Defense to relocate from its original site in Safa Square to Area G1, as it was then known on maps. I was reminded of this while reading a letter from Iraqi-Armenian immigrant Manushak Dikran, who wrote, 'We lived in Iraq in the city of K3, a small station established by the British to oversee the oil pipelines running from the north to the Mediterranean ports via Syria. Its residents were a diverse mix of Iraq's various communities. Omar was friends with Sargon, Ali was close to Ashur, Hussein was inseparable from Minas, Boutros, and Othman. They all shared games, daily life, studies, and even religious celebrations. The city had two schools, one for girls and one for boys, separated by a single wall. It had only a mosque and a church. No one paid attention to each other's sect or questioned the presence of different faiths. All religious rituals took place either in the mosque or the church, which was attended by Chaldeans, Assyrians, Armenians, Syriacs, Catholics, and Orthodox alike. Priests from each sect were rarely present, usually only on holidays or very special occasions. Muslim women, dressed in their black abayas, often arrived at the church before others, joining in prayers, weddings, and celebrations. Similarly, Christians would visit shrines to offer sacrifices and vows. Despite the station's nearly 500 houses, everyone shopped at the same bakery, the same grocer, and the same butcher. No one paid attention to the concepts of halal or haram. There was only one hospital, and if Ahmad needed blood, Minas would donate for Mohammad, Omar for Ali, and so on. We grew up and eventually left the station, whether in search of education, jobs, or to find a spouse. Wherever we went, we carried with us the unique values and morals of K3 that shaped us. It was no surprise that nearly all who emigrated achieved notable financial or professional success. One day, Hormuz, a resident of K3 living abroad in America, decided to create a website to reconnect with his family and friends. With great effort, he succeeded in bringing them back together. He gathered news about nearly everyone, their addresses and thousands of family photos, after almost three decades of separation. This reunion sparked lively and joyous gatherings, celebrations, and weddings attended by people from various countries. At one such event, Hormuz was elected as the station's mukhtar, for life.' --- This is a true story... K3 still exists in Anbar Governorate. However, the situation has changed, as the original inhabitants have since been displaced. My friend and reader Nizar Malak from Canada commented on Manushak's message, saying, 'I was deeply moved by it and am familiar with K3. It is located near the Syrian border, and Kirkuk's oil, originating from northeastern Iraq, passes through it. Armenian billionaire Gulbankian played an instrumental role in facilitating the oil exploration agreement between the Iraqi government and Western oil companies there.' Manushak's story reminded him of his close lifelong friendship with Philip Bidavid. They had been more like brothers for 60 years. Their bond never broken, and neither had ever offended the other. Yet, neither had ever asked about the other's religion. Manushak wondered why such human relationships were now being destroyed. I told him to look for those who benefit, perhaps a dictator or a religious leader.
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Landmark Ruling: Acquittal Must Be Followed by Complete Digital Erasure
KUWAIT CITY, July 16: The Court of Appeals overturned the decision of the ministries of Interior and Justice to refrain from deleting the data of a citizen acquitted of indecent assault from their automated systems despite the issuance of a final ruling on the acquittal of the accused and the restoration of his reputation. The court affirmed that the failure of the administrative authorities to take the necessary technical and legal measures to erase the case data is a negative decision that violates the law and causes material and moral harm to citizens, threatens their reputation, and disrupts their daily transactions. The court pointed out that judicial intervention is necessary to remove it. The case dates back to 2019, when the citizen was referred for trial on indecent assault charges. The court issued a final acquittal in 2020. The verdict was upheld on appeal and not appealed before the Court of Cassation, giving it final status. Despite this, the case data remained visible in the electronic systems of the ministries of Interior and Justice, prompting the citizen to submit a request for restoration of his reputation in 2024. This request was later rejected, so he filed a lawsuit, which was rejected as well. He then appealed the ruling before the Court of Appeals, which ruled in his favor. The Court of Appeals explained that keeping the case data in the systems of the two ministries despite the acquittal of the accused is an unlawful failure to take a necessary decision, under Article 244 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Trials, stipulating that rehabilitation nullifies the conviction and all its effects, including the complete blocking of data from non-competent authorities. The court responded to the administrative authorities' arguments that the data was kept confidential within the systems, deeming this confidentiality 'formal' if the information was accessible to unauthorized employees and impacted the citizen's daily rights, even though the case did not appear in the criminal record. The court accepted the appeal in form and in substance, overturned the initial ruling, and rescinded the negative decision and all its consequences. It also ordered the ministries of Interior and Justice to delete the case data from their systems and to bear legal expenses, including attorneys' fees. The defense in the case was undertaken by Attorney Fahd Al-Shammari, who explained that the ruling is a victory for the proper application of the law. He asserted in a press statement that the ruling restores the dignity of his client and establishes the principle that acquittal must be followed by the erasure of effects, which could hinder a person's life, especially in daily dealings. Al-Shammari added that the court established an important legal rule, which balances the requirements of security and the rights of individuals to regain their legal and social status. 'We welcome this ruling, which does justice to the citizen and grants him the right to open a new page, free of legal restrictions. It is an actual application of the philosophy of restoring dignity as intended by the Kuwaiti legislator,' he concluded.
