Daily Links — Friday, September 18, 2026
Friday's headline out of Iraq: al-Zaidi is set to visit Washington next week and meet with Trump — a direct sit-down right as the September 30 arms-control deadline bears down. On the financial track, Deputy PM Talabani calls for a banking overhaul in coordination with the Central Bank, the finance minister partners with the World Bank to accelerate automation and reforms, and the September payroll list moves to electronic submission. There are Iraqi doubts about how the announced U.S. withdrawal actually gets implemented, and the deputy cabinet will likely be completed after September 30. On the money side, the Venezuela story turns concrete — reports it's preparing to hand over $4 billion in gold to the U.S. and granting a New York firm $1 billion in gold-mine rights — plus Japan rolling out its own 'CLARITY Act' for crypto. Here's everything on the desk.
Iraq & the Dinar
- Al-Zaidi to visit Washington next week and meet with Trump — Kurdistan 24 (Arabic)
- Deputy PM Talabani calls for a banking overhaul and CBI coordination — Channel 8
- Iraqi finance minister partners with the World Bank to accelerate automation and economic reforms — Channel 8
- The American withdrawal: an announced agreement, and Iraqi doubts on implementation — Al-Maaloumah (Arabic)
- Deputy: the ministerial cabinet is likely to be completed after September 30 — Al-Maaloumah (Arabic)
- September payroll list set for electronic submission to Baghdad — Channel 8
Money & Markets
- Report: Venezuela's interim government is preparing to surrender over $4 billion in gold bars to the U.S., to be taken to New York (per the Financial Times) — X
- Venezuela grants a New York firm gold-mine rights in a $1 billion deal — The Epoch Times
- Japan presents its own version of the CLARITY Act: crypto recognized as a financial asset, banks allowed to hold digital assets, and crypto tax cut from 55% to 20% — X
Around the World
Links are shared for discussion. Not financial advice — always do your own research.