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Iraq Returns Sword of Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber Era to Kuwait

Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser al-Qahtani, and UN Sec-Gen representative during the handover ceremony (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser al-Qahtani, and UN Sec-Gen representative during the handover ceremony (KUNA)
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Iraq Returns Sword of Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber Era to Kuwait

Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser al-Qahtani, and UN Sec-Gen representative during the handover ceremony (KUNA)
Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser al-Qahtani, and UN Sec-Gen representative during the handover ceremony (KUNA)

Kuwait received from the Iraqi government a shipment of property items that had been seized by the former Iraqi regime, consisting of 738 boxes containing an Amiri sword dating back to the era of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The shipment also included copies of the Holy Quran and Media materials that belong to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information.

The Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser al-Qahtani, expressed his appreciation for Iraq's tireless efforts in this regard, stressing the importance of retrieving all Kuwaiti property, mainly the archives of the Amiri Diwan, the Crown Prince's Diwan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Qahtani said, in a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), that Kuwait had received from the Iraqi side a batch of Kuwaiti property that was recently found in Iraq, which the former regime seized during the invasion of Kuwait.

He affirmed that the batch consisted of media materials belonging to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information and Amiri sword dating back to the era of the country's former Emir Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and two copies of the Holy Quran.

"I urge the concerned bodies in Iraq to resolve pressing issues and to bring closure to the matter of stolen Kuwaiti properties," he emphasized, saying the issue is of "paramount importance" to the Kuwaiti people.

The Iraqi Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs for Legal Affairs, Qahtan al-Janabi, said in a similar statement that the Iraqi government to should return all Kuwaiti property, adding that Baghdad will spare no effort to resolve this issue.

"We carried 738 boxes containing various books, magazines, microfilms, and items belonging to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information and the Kuwaiti radio," he said.

He stressed the continuation of work to restore relations between Iraq and Kuwait and end all outstanding issues, expressing aspiration for more cooperation and development of bilateral ties.

The commissioned assistant undersecretary Youssef al-Sari said in a similar statement that several state belongings and media items, archives, and manuscripts were delivered to Kuwait, lauding the efforts to sort the contents.

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Varieties

Iraq's Historic Marshes Revive as Water Returns after Years of Drought

A drone view shows a boat moving through water channels amid vegetation at the Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar province, Iraq, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A drone view shows a boat moving through water channels amid vegetation at the Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar province, Iraq, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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Iraq's Historic Marshes Revive as Water Returns after Years of Drought

A drone view shows a boat moving through water channels amid vegetation at the Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar province, Iraq, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A drone view shows a boat moving through water channels amid vegetation at the Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar province, Iraq, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

After years of drought that left large swathes of Iraq's historic marshes cracked and empty, rising water levels are beginning to revive the wetlands, drawing buffalo herders and fishermen back to areas once abandoned.

In Chibayish marshes in southern Iraq, canoes once again glide through waterways that had dried up in recent years, while water buffalo wade through restored marshland and patches of green pasture have reappeared.

"Some time ago, all our livestock died and there was no water at all," said Haidar Qassem, a farmer raising water buffalo in the central marsh.

“Many of our people migrated because of the drought,” Qassem said, adding that water had returned this year, livestock numbers were recovering and some families had come ⁠back.

The change in ⁠the region's fortunes follows heavy winter rainfall that boosted reservoir levels, enabling Iraq’s water resources ministry to release growing volumes into the marshes.

Residents are still hoping for further water releases, Reuters reported.

Fishermen stand in a boat during sunrise at the Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar province, Iraq, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

Iraqi marshland expert Jassim al-Assadi said the Ishan Hallab area — part of Iraq's marshes, believed by some to be the biblical Garden of Eden and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016 — had dried up completely between 2021 and 2025, forcing herders to abandon ⁠it.

In recent months, the wetter conditions have helped restore the Ishan Hallab area, reviving pastureland and allowing some residents to make their way back to the area.

Al-Assadi said the proportion of submerged marshland had risen to between 32% and 36%, compared with no more than 8% over the past five years, a view Iraqi water resources officials confirmed.

The higher water levels were also supporting a gradual recovery in biodiversity, including fish stocks, vegetation growth and reeds used by residents to build traditional homes.

A buffalo herder guides water buffaloes through marsh waters at the Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar province, Iraq, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The marshes have been inhabited for thousands of years by the Marsh Arabs, whose livelihoods and traditions are closely tied to the water.

Mazin Wadai, a water resources official, said larger inflows, improved water management and ⁠stronger seasonal rainfall had ⁠boosted reserves in dams and increased flows in the Tigris and Euphrates, allowing more water to reach the marshes.

The water resources ministry said Iraq's strategic reserves have increased by about 6 billion cubic meters this year, giving authorities greater flexibility to manage supplies during the summer months.

Iraq's marshes, once stretching across more than 3,600 square miles (9,500 sq km), were heavily drained in the 1990s by Saddam Hussein, who accused the Marsh Arabs of treachery during a 1980–1988 war with Iran, in a bid to root out insurgents.

Many residents fled, but since Saddam's overthrow in 2003 parts of the wetlands have been reflooded by the government, with around 250,000 Marsh Arabs gradually returning.

For residents like buffalo herder Raheem Abdul Zahra, the recent improvements have transformed daily life.

"The land was dry, but now it's alive again," he said.

Varieties

Separation Surgery of Tanzanian Conjoined Twins Begins in Riyadh

The separation procedure is scheduled to be performed in 10 stages and will take approximately 16 hours. SPA
The separation procedure is scheduled to be performed in 10 stages and will take approximately 16 hours. SPA
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Separation Surgery of Tanzanian Conjoined Twins Begins in Riyadh

The separation procedure is scheduled to be performed in 10 stages and will take approximately 16 hours. SPA
The separation procedure is scheduled to be performed in 10 stages and will take approximately 16 hours. SPA

The medical and surgical teams of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program (SCTP) began on Thursday the complex procedure of separating 18-month-old Tanzanian twin girls, Nancy and Nice.

The surgery is taking place at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital (KASCH) at King Abdulaziz Medical City of the Ministry of National Guard in Riyadh in implementation of the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

In a statement to the press, Advisor to the Royal Court, Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and head of the Surgical and Multidisciplinary Team for the SCTP Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah stated that Nancy and Nice arrived in the Kingdom on January 27.

Following the twins’ admission to KASCH, the medical team conducted comprehensive and detailed examinations of the girls, who are conjoined at the lower chest, abdominal, and pelvic areas. Each girl has one leg, and they share a third, deformed lower limb.

Al Rabeeah explained that the medical team conducted a thorough series of examinations and clinical consultations to discuss details about the girls’ case; the twins share one liver, large intestine, anus, urinary and reproductive systems, and also share an external genitalia malformation.

The separation procedure is scheduled to be performed in 10 stages and will take approximately 16 hours.

A team of 35 consultants, specialists, and nursing and technical staff from the fields of anesthesia, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, pediatric urology, pediatric orthopedics, and other supporting specialties will participate.

Al Rabeeah clarified that while this procedure is delicate, it has a success rate of more than 60%. He stated that Nancy and Nice are the third pair of conjoined twins from Tanzania to be separated by the SCTP since the program began in 1990, and the 71st separation to date.

He added that a total of 157 cases from 28 countries across five continents have been reviewed by the team thus far.

On behalf of himself and his colleagues, Al Rabeeah expressed his appreciation to the Saudi leadership for their ongoing support and follow-up of the program.

Varieties

Troubled Waters: Jakarta Battles Deadly, Invasive Suckerfish

The sapu-sapu was introduced to Indonesia from South America, brought in to keep aquariums algae free but chucked into rivers as they outgrew their tanks. BAY ISMOYO / AFP
The sapu-sapu was introduced to Indonesia from South America, brought in to keep aquariums algae free but chucked into rivers as they outgrew their tanks. BAY ISMOYO / AFP
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Troubled Waters: Jakarta Battles Deadly, Invasive Suckerfish

The sapu-sapu was introduced to Indonesia from South America, brought in to keep aquariums algae free but chucked into rivers as they outgrew their tanks. BAY ISMOYO / AFP
The sapu-sapu was introduced to Indonesia from South America, brought in to keep aquariums algae free but chucked into rivers as they outgrew their tanks. BAY ISMOYO / AFP

Mounds of slimey carcasses pile up on a riverbank in Jakarta where authorities are fighting an uphill battle against a fast-breeding invasive fish flourishing in Java island's heavily polluted waterways.

The sapu-sapu, a sucking fish introduced from South America decades ago to keep Southeast Asian aquariums algae-free, has made a home in Javan rivers, many after being thrown out for outgrowing their tanks.

Unlike in the Amazon River where it has natural predators, the sapu-sapu quickly took over in Java, outbreeding indigenous freshwater fish, eating their eggs and outcompeting them for food.

Residents and campaigners have complained about the stinky, unsightly pileups of fishy remains, and the potential health risk for those who consume snacks made from polluted sapu-sapu stock.

Invasive species are spreading ever faster across the globe and cost well over $400 billion a year in damages and lost income, according to a 2023 United Nations assessment.

Surprisingly adept at living in polluted water, the sapu-sapu -- also known as suckermouth catfish, janitor fish or pleco -- can grow to half a meter (20 inches) in length and a female can lay thousands of eggs every year.

"That there are thousands of (sapu-sapu) fish in some of these river bodies, where, you know, the rivers are like dark black, almost smelling like rotten eggs... is completely crazy," clean river campaigner Gary Bencheghib told AFP.

Killing sapu-sapu is not addressing the real problem, he added in a phone interview, nearly halfway through a 1,200-kilometer (746-mile) run from Bali to Jakarta to raise money for river cleanups and having witnessed the crisis at several stops along the way.

The real solution is cleaning up "the waste it lives off... that you find in these polluted waters," said Bencheghib, co-founder of the Sungai Watch NGO.

- 'A dangerous snack' -

More than half of Indonesia's rivers are heavily polluted, and two of the country's major river systems are among the dirtiest in the world, according to data from the UN Environment Program.

Nationwide, only about 7.4 percent of municipal wastewater is safely collected and treated.

Greater Jakarta, a water-stressed metropolis of 42 million people, is particularly affected.

But sapu-sapu are able to live in oxygen-poor and polluted waters, digging holes into riverbanks to lay their eggs and weakening walls that have been known to collapse as a result.

In recent weeks, Jakarta has embarked on a killing campaign involving residents, sanitation workers, fisheries ministry workers and even soldiers.

In two weeks, about 5.3 tons of the fish have been removed from rivers in South Jakarta alone, mayor Muhammad Anwar told AFP while overseeing an operation at Babakan Lake this week.

The sapu-sapu are caught in nets, separated from indigenous fish that are thrown back, then decapitated to make sure they are dead, and buried in mass graves.

Some activists have criticized the procedure as wasteful, arguing the skin could be used for fish leather products and the rest processed into fertilizer or animal feed.

But others say the fish are too contaminated to be useful, and definitely not fit for human consumption.

"It contains... heavy metals and is dangerous to humans," Anwar said.

Tests conducted for scientific studies have found traces of lead and mercury as well as E.coli bacteria beyond safe levels in sapu-sapu.

"In some places, it is consumed as a dangerous snack called siomay (steamed fish dumpling) and pempek (fish cakes)," the mayor said.

"Please be careful when buying fish cakes. Don't be led by the (cheap) price."