Daily Links — Weekend Edition, September 20, 2026
The weekend desk lands right on the September 30 pivot: Washington confirms the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq will be completed by the end of the month, and al-Aboudi says Iraq will keep ending the coalition's military mission on the agreed timings and mechanisms. The relationship is being rebuilt on the diplomatic side too — Iraq's new ambassador to the U.S., Krikor Der Hagopian, has presented his credentials to President Trump, and France's president says he's working to build a pipeline to carry Iraqi gas and oil to the European market. On the wider board: Washington grants the Iranian delegation UN visas ahead of a Gulf-leaders meeting with Trump, Russia seizes Nestlé's assets, a reported AI 'near-miss' over a China-to-Iran shipment, and Trump bars several outlets from the White House. Here's the weekend drop.
Iraq & the Dinar
- Washington confirms that the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq will be completed by the end of September — Channel 8 (Arabic)
- Al-Aboudi: we will continue to end the coalition's military mission according to the agreed timings and mechanisms — Kurdistan 24 (Arabic)
- French president: we are working to establish a pipeline to transport gas and oil from Iraq to the European market — Iraqi News Agency (WAA)
- Iraq's new ambassador to the U.S., Krikor Der Hagopian, presents his credentials to President Trump — Channel 8 English (X)
Money & Markets
Around the World
- Washington grants a visa to the Iranian delegation to attend UN meetings, ahead of a Gulf meeting with Trump on the Middle East — Nina News
- WW3 near-miss? An AI reportedly 'hallucinated' nuclear-weapons components aboard a Chinese vessel bound for Iran — ZeroHedge
- Russia seizes the assets of Swiss food giant Nestlé — ZeroHedge
Home Front
- Trump bans CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House — The Epoch Times
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