Publishing & Politics: President Barzani’s new Kurdish volume, Kurdistan and the New Iraq 2003-2016, is set for release, promising a detailed account of 13 years of political change across Kurdistan and Iraq. Public Sector Reform: Nigeria’s public-sector overhaul is framed as the make-or-break driver of sustained growth, with Prof. Franca Ovadje arguing reforms must outlast leaders. Food & Books: Jay Rayner’s latest cookbook, Nights Out in the Kitchen, lands with a Belfast tour and a Northern Ireland food spotlight. Reading Culture Abroad: South Korea’s “K-Book Week” opens in Paris to promote Korean titles and rights deals, marking 140 years of ties with France. Tech & Translation: A student-built AI tool enables a fast, unlicensed Chinese translation of Haruki Murakami’s The Tale of KAHO, sparking debate in China’s literary circles. Libraries & Access: Piedmont Regional Library System launches Comics Plus, offering unlimited, simultaneous reading for cardholders. Digital Identity: Bangladesh publishes budget and rollout details for its One-ID digital identity platform, including chip-card issuance. AI in Publishing/Commerce: “AI slop” storefront food images are confusing customers and eroding trust, as small businesses adopt cheap image generators. Book Fairs: Baghdad’s International Book Fair reports record participation from 28 countries. Workplace Engagement: A new essay argues many organizations “measure” engagement while quietly destroying it through conflicting directives and needless safety processes.