World News Today Highlights: Persian Gulf oil flows hit pre-conflict levels amid Iran war, US says

China’s foreign minister urged Iran and the US to remain rational and exercise restraint, warning against further spillover of regional tensions into Yemen and the Red Sea. The minister also backed dialogue between Iran and Gulf states based on mutual respect for sovereignty and security. China said continued hostilities were not in the interests of the parties involved or the international community.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening the door for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received a standing ovation from European lawmakers and is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday. Von der Leyen said the EU and Canada would build on their existing CETA free trade agreement through an “Alliance for the Future” focused on economic security and shared democratic values. The expanded partnership would cover advanced manufacturing, technology, defence production, the Arctic, energy, critical minerals, batteries, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity and economic security. Von der Leyen said the partnership was aimed at strengthening ties with Canada, “not against anyone else”.

The US embassy cited risks from possible Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting US interests.

China on Wednesday opened the USD 10.75 billion Pinglu Canal, creating a new maritime gateway for its southwestern provinces and strengthening trade links with ASEAN. The canal is part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, connecting inland China with Southeast Asia and other global markets. It is also the first nationally planned river-to-sea canal project since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The waterway will provide a more direct route for coal, ore, grain, new-energy materials and automobile parts to reach international markets. China’s trade with ASEAN crossed USD 1 trillion for the first time last year.

The Yemeni Armed Forces said the jet was downed over Marib using a locally made air-to-air missile. he Yemeni Armed Forces claimed Saudi warplanes carried out more than 450 airstrikes across seven provinces this week, causing civilian casualties. It said the strikes involved F-15 and Typhoon aircraft operating from Khamis Mushait and Taif airbases. In response, Yemen claimed it shot down a Saudi F-15 over Marib while it was conducting operations in support of Saudi military deployments. It also said its forces targeted two Saudi formations of F-15 and Typhoon jets, forcing them to retreat while searching for the downed aircraft. The statement said Yemen would continue defending its airspace and sovereignty. It also denied Saudi claims that Yemen had targeted Mecca, saying its operations were aimed at oil facilities and military bases away from the holy sites.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attempted drone attack on the holy site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, saying the people of Pakistan were “saddened and perturbed” by the incident. Sharif praised the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their “vigilance, courage and professionalism” and said Pakistan stood with Saudi Arabia in defending its sovereignty and the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain. He also urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, saying the region had suffered enough from conflict and that dialogue and diplomacy were the only sustainable path towards peace.

The Trump administration is preparing a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel that would include 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, potentially making it the largest US sale of such munitions to Israel in recent years, The Washington Post reported. The package includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs, 20,000 BLU-117 bombs and 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads. The deal has been informally notified to congressional committees and is being pushed for approval by the administration. The sale would be financed through the US Foreign Military Financing programme. A US official said pending arms sales were not being discussed and that all foreign weapons sales were going through the appropriate process. The proposed deal would exceed previous US sales of 2,000-pound munitions to Israel. In 2024, the Biden administration suspended one shipment over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza, but the policy was reversed by Trump after he returned to office in January 2025.

Pakistan is considering measures, including a possible ‘smart lockdown’, to reduce petroleum consumption amid rising fuel prices and tensions in West Asia, PTI reported. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review options for cutting transport-related fuel use in government and private sectors. Petrol prices were raised by Rs 4.10 to Rs 384.34 per litre, while high-speed diesel rose by Rs 6.41 to Rs 415.83. The increases came amid warnings of possible oil supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Bhutan on September 16-17 at the invitation of Bhutanese Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel, the Ministry of External Affairs said. Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with Dhungyel, receive a royal audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and call on Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. The visit comes as India places importance on its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. In August, the two countries reviewed cooperation on trans-border rivers, including flood management, hydrological data sharing and the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project. They also discussed upgrading Bhutan’s hydro-meteorological network and expanding cooperation on sharing hydrological data on transboundary rivers.

Thailand has proposed a meeting between Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and US President Donald Trump on September 17 or 18, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said. Thailand aims to finalise trade negotiations before the meeting, leaving tariff rates and any final adjustments for the leaders to discuss. The US imposed a 12.5% tariff on Thai imports in July. The US is Thailand’s largest export market, accounting for 24% of its exports so far this year.