nnA massive fire tore through a newly opened five-story shopping mall in Kut, eastern Iraq, killing at least 61 people and leaving many others missing. The blaze began Wednesday night at the Corniche Hypermarket, which had opened just seven days earlier, with victims primarily succumbing to suffocation in bathrooms. Iraqi officials confirmed 14 charred bodies remain unidentified, while 45 people were rescued by firefighters who battled flames visible across multiple floors. Witnesses reported the fire started after an air conditioner exploded on the second floor, trapping shoppers during dinner hours amid widespread power outages. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an immediate investigation into safety failures at the mall, declaring three days of national mourning.