Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit to invalidate the passing of three bills wrapped into one package in the country's Parliament, including amendments to a Personal Status Law that critics say diminish women’s rights and permit underage marriage.
Along with the amendments to the family law sought by Shiites, Parliament last month approved a general amnesty law sought by Sunnis and a property restitution law aimed at returning land confiscated by Saddam Hussein in disputed areas to Kurdish and Turkmen owners.
The verdict read out by Chief Judge Jassim Mohammed Abood is final and cannot be appealed.
The MPs and activists who filed the lawsuit allege irregularities in the voting process, claiming Parliament did not announce the quorum and vote count, and it was not clear how many voted in favour as a number of politicians walked away while waiving their hands in objection to the process.
A video posted on social media by one MP showed chaos erupting after Speaker Mahmoud Al Mashhadani called on the house to approve the three bills together in a single vote, with some legislators leaving. He then immediately announced that the bills had been approved and left the chamber.
Last Tuesday, the Federal Supreme Court ordered the three laws to be temporarily suspended until the final ruling was issued. That move caused widespread outrage, mainly from Sunni political factions, whose members called for protests in their areas.
It also angered the country’s Supreme Judicial Council which issued a decree, saying laws enacted by Parliament cannot be suspended before they are officially published.
It recommended delaying any ruling on amendments to the Personal Status Law and the Property Restitution Law but emphasised that courts across the country must enforce the amended General Amnesty Law because it has been published. As a result, courts in several Iraqi provinces began implementing the revised piece of legislation.
The most contentious bill was for amendments to the 1959 Personal Status Law, which allows people to choose between religious or civil regulations in matters such as marriage, inheritance, divorce and child custody.
The Scientific Council in the Scholar Council of the Shiite Endowment Office will draw up a “code of Sharia rulings on personal status matters” and submit it to Parliament within four months, the amendments stipulate.
The amendments allow citizens to choose whether to be subject to the provisions of the current 1959 Personal Status Law or the provisions of the Shiite Jaafari Islamic school of jurisprudence. Sunni political parties will not submit their code of Sharia and will adhere to the current law.
In a significant concession, the backers kept the minimum age of marriage at 18 – the same as in the current law – although marriage at 15 will be allowed with certain conditions, including the approval of a judge and guardians. Previous proposals would have allowed girls as young as nine to be married.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Company%C2%A0profile
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham v Ajax, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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More on animal trafficking
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The years Ramadan fell in May
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
New Zealand 57-0 South Africa
Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett
Sweet%20Tooth
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'Nope'
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Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5