WORLD IN BRIEF: Shark kills woman in South Africa, UK student admits murder, Iran denies imminent collapse and other stories

Marseille braces for more unrest after ‘apocalyptic’ weekend violence

Marseille is bracing for further unrest after protests gave way to widespread looting and destruction over the weekend, leaving more than 500 business premises damaged, local business leaders said.

At least 118 police officers were injured in the violence, accounting for more than a tenth of the national total. Police have made 101 arrests in the city, about a quarter involving children, as authorities stepped up security to prevent further clashes.

Demonstrations and public gatherings were banned for eight hours on Monday, while an overnight curfew for minors is due to take effect in parts of the city from Tuesday evening. Authorities have also extended an overnight curfew in parts of Paris.

The violence has left hundreds of businesses with smashed windows and boarded-up entrances. Marseille, one of France’s most ethnically diverse cities, was among the worst-hit areas as unrest spread across the country.

UK deploys Typhoon jets to defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

The United Kingdom will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to help defend Saudi Arabia against escalating missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the government said.

The defensive mission, authorised by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, follows attacks on Riyadh and energy infrastructure along Saudi Arabia’s coast. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the aircraft would protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure but would not carry out offensive strikes against the Houthis.

The Iran-backed group has been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia, since seizing the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The conflict has repeatedly threatened regional security and vital shipping routes.

Saudi Arabia has faced renewed pressure on its air defences since a ceasefire arrangement broke down in September. The Houthis have since launched a fresh offensive against government forces and taken effective control of the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key route for global trade.

UK student admits murdering housemate in planned stabbing

Zack Coughlan, a 23-year-old robotics student, has pleaded guilty to murdering his housemate Jamie Collins, 21, after initially denying the charge during a trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Coughlan stabbed Collins more than 30 times in an alleyway near their home in Filton on 8 April before leaving him there for hours. He later cycled away on the victim’s bicycle, disposed of bloodstained clothing and other evidence, and returned home to eat pizza and play video games.

Prosecutors presented CCTV footage recorded by Coughlan himself, which captured the attack and his attempt to stage the discovery of Collins’ body. Investigators said the evidence indicated a premeditated killing. Coughlan had previously claimed he acted out of fear that Collins would kill him.

Collins’ family described him as a caring young man who was weeks away from completing his engineering and robotics degree at the University of the West of England. They said his commitment to equality and inclusion would remain his legacy. Coughlan is due to be sentenced on Wednesday.

Zelensky says US intelligence sharing has resumed after talks with Trump envoy

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s President has said US intelligence sharing on Russian missile attacks is now working following talks with President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Oslo.

The meeting came amid tensions between Kyiv and Washington over allegations that the United States had withheld critical intelligence. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the accusation as scandalous, while Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the Oslo discussions had made genuine progress towards a possible peace agreement.

Zelensky and his European allies said Russia must now respond to the proposals discussed in Norway. Witkoff is expected to travel to St Petersburg on Wednesday for talks with Russian officials, although President Vladimir Putin has yet to publicly respond to the latest developments.

Trump renewed his call for Kyiv to reach a deal, saying Russia wanted to end the war and that it was time for Ukraine to negotiate. Relations between the US and Ukrainian governments have deteriorated in recent weeks as Washington has increased pressure on Kyiv to pursue a settlement.

Iran rejects claims of imminent collapse as US says sanctions are draining IRGC funds

Iran has rejected claims that its government is close to collapse or can no longer finance its regional allies, while acknowledging that US sanctions and the war have created significant financial pressures.

Brad Cooper, US Central Command chief said military strikes and a naval blockade of Iran’s southern ports had severely weakened the country’s finances. He claimed Washington had prevented at least $25 billion in Iranian crude oil exports and helped freeze about $350 million in cryptocurrency assets.

Cooper said the financial strain had left the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struggling to pay its personnel. He also alleged that Iran-aligned armed groups across the region were withholding payments to their fighters to redirect funds to the IRGC.

Iranian authorities have disputed the suggestion that the country can no longer sustain its regional partnerships. The competing claims highlight the economic pressure on Tehran and the wider implications for groups that depend on Iranian financial and military support.

AFRICA

Sudan drone strikes kill more than 300 people, including mourners

Drone strikes in Sudan and the disputed Abyei region have reportedly killed more than 300 people, including people travelling to a funeral and civilians at a market, according to local officials and sources.

The Sudan War Observatory reported that 150 people died in strikes in two areas of West Kordofan state on Sunday evening. In Abyei, a disputed territory administered jointly by Sudan and South Sudan, 153 people were reportedly killed when drones struck a market on Monday.

A Sudanese military source told the BBC that the army carried out the Abyei attack, describing the market as a fuel supply point for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The strike has heightened tensions between Sudan and South Sudan, which both claim the oil-rich territory.

South Sudan has summoned Sudan’s ambassador to lodge a formal protest, raising fears that the conflict could spill across the border. The attacks come amid growing reliance on drones by both sides in Sudan’s war, which began in 2023 and has drawn support for the rival forces from foreign countries.

Kenya confirms ninth Ebola case as regional outbreak raises concern

Kenya has confirmed another Ebola infection, bringing the total number of cases to nine, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

The latest patient is a close family member of the first confirmed case and has already been placed in quarantine. Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth said all nine infections belonged to a single cluster, with no evidence of transmission beyond the group.

Kenya has been on high alert as an Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of Congo spreads across the region. The country’s first case was identified earlier this month in a man who travelled from the DRC to Nairobi and died in hospital on 5 October.

Health authorities are monitoring contacts and taking containment measures to prevent further spread. The latest case underscores the risk of cross-border transmission as countries in the region strengthen their surveillance and response systems.

Shark kills 65-year-old woman at popular South African beach

A 65-year-old woman has died following a shark attack at Orient Beach in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, local authorities said on Tuesday.

The woman was swimming with a group when she indicated that she was in trouble, a witness told public broadcaster reports. Other swimmers realised she had been bitten and helped bring her back to shore, where she was declared dead.

The witness said the injuries were severe, with bites to her thigh and upper arm. Authorities confirmed the fatal attack at the popular beach near KuGompo City, prompting concern among beachgoers and residents.

The incident highlights the risks facing swimmers in coastal waters, although authorities have not provided further details about the shark or whether additional beach safety measures will be introduced.

Islamic State-linked militants kill at least 48 civilians in Mali

Islamic State-linked militants have killed at least 48 people in eastern Mali in apparent retaliation for an attack on suspected informants by pro-government forces, including members of Russia’s Africa Corps, security sources and local officials told Reuters.

The attacks occurred over the weekend in at least five localities in the Menaka region. The death toll was still being assessed on Tuesday as fighting intensified between Islamic State Sahel Province and al-Qaeda-linked groups in the wider Sahel region.

Four sources said the killings appeared to be retaliation for alleged abuses committed the previous week by a pro-government militia known as MSA and Russia’s Africa Corps, which supports Mali’s military authorities. The sources spoke anonymously, citing fears of reprisals.

The violence highlights the worsening security situation in the Sahel, where armed groups continue to exploit local grievances and weak state control. Mali has faced persistent insurgent attacks despite efforts by its military government and foreign security partners to contain the violence.

South Africa warns residents against tap water after more than 400 fall ill

Authorities in South Africa have warned residents in communities east of Pretoria not to drink or cook with tap water after more than 400 people, mostly children under four, fell ill from suspected water contamination.

The health and water departments said 408 cases were recorded between 7 and 18 October across about five townships in Tshwane, which includes Pretoria. Patients reported stomach cramps and diarrhoea, while laboratory tests detected E. coli, norovirus, campylobacter, shigella and other pathogens associated with waterborne illness.

Investigators said early findings suggested residents had been exposed to contaminated water supplied by a local treatment facility. Officials also found that local authorities had failed to warn residents promptly about the danger. No deaths have been reported in the latest outbreak.

The affected water supply has been declared unfit for human consumption, and residents have been advised to use it only for flushing toilets. Water tankers have been deployed to provide safe drinking water. The incident renews concerns about water treatment and public health in the area, which recorded 29 cholera deaths in 2023.