Russian strikes hit Ukraine, Gulf tankers burn and Ebola reaches Nigeria
Russian missile and drone attacks killed at least 14 civilians in Ukraine hours after Moscow said it was ready to resume peace talks, while seven tankers were hit in the Strait of Hormuz and oil reached $112 a barrel. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck China, Ebola was confirmed in Nigeria for the first time, and Typhoon Champi shut Taiwan.
Long-range Russian attacks across Ukraine, including Kyiv, killed at least 14 civilians and injured 78 overnight into Thursday, the UN says. The strikes came hours after Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russia said it was ready in principle to resume talks with the US and Ukraine. Zelensky says the attacks show no real change in Moscow's attitude, and Moscow says it intercepted 630 Ukrainian drones aimed at the capital.
Tehran says seven oil tankers were set on fire or damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, struck by Iran or by naval mines, and Saudi Arabia intercepted drones in its airspace. Brent crude rose 3% to $112 a barrel, the highest since 18 May. Trump hinted that new strikes on Iran may come, and NPR cites a person briefed on planning who says the US and Israel are preparing a possible attack in early November.
Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case, and the WHO says the outbreak now spans three African countries and is more complex. Officials say the patients in Nigeria and Kenya both travelled through Entebbe airport in Uganda on 3 October, and they are investigating where the Nigerian patient was infected.
The quake struck 191 km east-northeast of Nagqu at a depth of 18 km. The USGS PAGER alert level is orange. Two further quakes of M5.0 and M5.2 followed in the same area.
Yemeni government forces launched hundreds of strikes on Houthi positions around Taiz, and the UN says nearly 260,000 people are displaced. Residents face food and water shortages after a Houthi blockade cut a key supply route. Reports say an attack on Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia killed one person.
Most businesses and schools across Taiwan were closed on Friday and hundreds of regional flights were canceled. Authorities reported at least one death, dozens of injuries and more than 1,200 people evacuated.
The S&P 500 fell 1.2%, its worst day since July, and the Nasdaq dropped 2.6% on steep falls in AI shares. Debate continues over whether AI is a bubble, and oil reached its highest level since May on worries about the war with Iran.
A curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in certain Paris areas now runs until Monday morning, after the worst street violence in years. Macron said only authorised union demonstrations will be allowed this weekend and is meeting student representatives, while Lyon and Nice have banned all protests. Youth protests have also turned violent in Milan.