Air Defense Upgrade: Iraqi PM al-Zaidi chaired an Air Defense Command meeting on boosting airspace protection and speeding contracts for advanced foreign systems, as recent strikes keep spilling into Iraq. Anti-Corruption Crackdown: Baghdad’s Integrity Commission says it seized nearly $7m and gold bars from a detained electricity ministry undersecretary, while separate cases recovered $20.34m and 60kg of gold tied to the former deputy oil minister, plus another $26m-plus haul in the wider sweep. Oil Routes & Prices: Iraq says August exports have rebounded to about 2 million bpd, and lawmakers say Baghdad is holding talks with the US and Iran to keep Hormuz tanker passage uninterrupted; meanwhile, the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline transit fee is reported at $1.62 per barrel under a one-year extension. Currency Watch: The dinar’s parallel USD rates in Baghdad/Erbil/Basra stayed above the central bank peg, and the telecom minister reiterated that redenomination is finalized, drawing criticism. Diplomacy & Business: Iraq seeks economic openness with EU partners (including Italy) and Japan investment, while Iran’s central bank chief met Iraqi officials to tackle business hurdles. Regional Security: Drones were intercepted over Erbil, underscoring Baghdad’s struggle to rein in Iran-backed attacks. US-Iran Backchannel: Reports say the Trump administration used Iraq’s KRG leader Nechirvan Barzani as a secret go-between to contact IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi. Energy Diversification: Lebanon hosted talks on reviving the Kirkuk-Tripoli pipeline as an alternative Mediterranean export corridor.