Iraq Jobs & Skills: Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered Iraq’s Finance Ministry to allocate permanent and contract posts for long-waiting graduates via the Federal General Budget, after fresh protests by petroleum institute graduates and engineers in Baghdad and Basra. Oil Workforce Push: Oil Minister Bassim Khudair asked the Council of Ministers to approve hiring for 2023–2025 oil institute graduates plus permanent roles for contract and daily-wage workers at state oil companies. Nineveh Planning Ruling: Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court upheld a Nineveh Provincial Council decision lifting construction restrictions in Qaza Fakhra and Jliyokhan on the Nineveh Plains, ending years of limits tied to Mosul expansion permits. Digital Money Crime: FATF warns “digital hawala” is evolving as virtual assets and encrypted messaging blend with underground banking, enabling money laundering and possible terror financing. Energy Route Reality Check: Qatar says the Strait of Hormuz will stay vital despite talk of bypassing it with pipelines and land transport—while analysts argue land routes won’t fully replace tanker traffic. Regional Tech/Defense: Turkey announced a major jump in defense spending to boost domestic tech and defense production, including drones and fighter programs. Mental Health (Iraq-relevant): Asha Clinic in Burlington expands specialized suicide care access, highlighting how targeted outpatient models can improve treatment pathways.