Here is this morning’s roundup of the biggest world stories, from the Gaza talks and a health alert in Russia to oil markets and crypto.
US Urges Americans to Leave Russia Over Suspected Plague Case
The United States has urged Americans to leave Russia amid reports of a suspected case of pneumonic plague after the death of a lab worker in Irkutsk, according to the Sunday Guardian’s live blog on October 7. This goes further than the earlier report that 200 contacts were placed under observation, and it is the first US government travel signal in this case. A serious outbreak could affect international travel and supply chains.
Trump Claims the Strait of Hormuz, Threatens to Sink Iranian Ships
Donald Trump claimed that the Strait of Hormuz belongs to the United States and threatened to sink Iranian ships that breach the blockade, even as oil flows through the strait are recovering. The tough rhetoric keeps the shipping and oil risk premium in place. Continued tension on this route can raise freight costs on China-to-UK and China-to-US trade lanes.
Gaza Talks Enter Day 3 in Sharm El Sheikh
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas entered their third day in Sharm El Sheikh on October 7. Both sides exchanged prisoner and hostage lists, and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived, joined by Qatar’s prime minister and Turkey’s intelligence chief. Egypt’s President El-Sisi invited Trump to Egypt for a signing ceremony if a deal is reached, and officials describe the atmosphere as cautiously optimistic. Gaps remain: Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel wants Hamas disarmed. No deal has been reached yet.
Oil Bounces as Three Fresh Supply Risks Hit the Market
Brent crude rose 0.92% to $101.51 and WTI to $90.25 on Wednesday. Three fresh supply risks drove the move: a Gulf of Mexico storm becoming the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026, threatening offshore oil and gas facilities; confirmed Houthi attacks on two Saudi airports, Jazan and Najran; and a blast reported at Qeshm Island in Iran. US crude stocks also fell by 2.09 million barrels last week. These pressures keep freight and diesel costs elevated for China-to-UK and China-to-US lanes.
Market Snapshot
Bitcoin traded around $85,300–86,000, still stuck under the $87,000 ceiling that has rejected it four times since September 23. Ethereum held near $2,700, with no new crypto institutional or regulatory moves. The US Fed’s September meeting minutes are due today at 11 PM Pakistan time, the next big catalyst. US stocks hit fresh record closes on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 at 7,819. No new tariff moves between China and the UK or USA were reported.
Watch: today’s video briefings
Al Jazeera English: Three years after the October 7 attacks, a look at how Israel’s politics shifted right (published October 6).
Pakistani outlets: no suitable recent video available for this slot today.