US embassies and consulates in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan issued security alerts in recent days, warning that persistent Middle East tensions and a complex regional security environment leave open the possibility of further escalation.

China State Railway Group said national railway freight totaled 2.69 billion tonnes in Jan–Aug, averaging 187,400 loaded cars per day. Rail shipments of coal were 1.389 billion tonnes over the period, including 928 million tonnes of thermal (power) coal. The railway increased outward coal flows from major producing regions — Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang — and worked to ensure thermal coal deliveries met demand over the summer peak. Coal stocks at power plants directly supplied by the national railway remained at elevated levels.

Nikkei on Sept. 19, citing Axios, reported Saudi Arabia has quietly sought rare assistance from Israel to avert oil-supply disruptions after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively blocked and alternative pipeline routes were damaged in attacks by Iran-aligned militias. The report says senior military officials from Saudi Arabia, the US and Israel met in Germany last week to discuss options, including Israeli support for Saudi defenses. Riyadh’s outreach comes despite strong anti-Israel sentiment in Arab publics amid Israel’s offensive in Gaza.