The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) discussed the establishment of a Public Service Council (PSC) to reorganize the work of public servants, as well as review the services offered to people. The subject came up during Tuesday’s meeting of the KRG’s Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, as part of the government’s reform program. Government reform is one of the main goals outlined in the new KRG cabinet’s mandate, with the intended purpose of creating “a stronger, more diversified economy that delivers prosperity for everyone.”
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said on its website. The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on Zarif for acting on behalf of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Javad Zarif implements the reckless agenda of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and is the regime’s primary spokesperson around the world,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Zarif brushed off the sanctions on Twitter, saying the US move indicates Washington sees him as a “threat”. “It has no effect on me or my family, as I have no property or interest outside of Iran,” he said.
A 16-year-old American has received a $3 million prize after winning a competition for players of the video game Fortnite. Three other Americans also became millionaires as individual players in the competition. Kyle Giersdorf was declared the individual winner of the competition earlier this week in New York City. Giersdorf is from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In the game, he is known as “Bugha.”