• After replacing the S-series Iraqi passports with the new, harder-to-counterfeit G-series passports, the Iraqi government has been forced to cancel these after the head of the passport office allegedly gave 700 to Iranian intelligence. Britain and the U.S. are still accepting G-passports, but no other countries are and it is impossible to travel to either without transit elsewhere.
  • On Saturday, in an interview with al-Arabiya, Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masud Barzani said, “If they [the Turks] interfere in Kirkuk over just thousands of Turkmen then we will take action for the 30 million Kurds in Turkey.” Turkish politicians today are calling Barzani’s statement an act of war. Prime Minister Erdogan condemned his remarks, but the major Turkish opposition parties are blaming Washington for encouraging Barzani.