5 things you must know this morning

1. Oil surges towards $110 as Middle East war threatens Kenya with another fuel shock

Brent crude climbed as high as about $109.97 a barrel this morning, putting oil on course for its first weekly close above $100 in nearly four months. Prices have risen almost 13% this week. The immediate concern is shipping: only seven vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, compared with roughly 125 large commercial vessels per day before the Iran war. Iran-aligned Houthis have also seized Yemen's strategic port of Mocha, threatening Red Sea shipping.

Why it matters to Kenya: sustained prices around $110 could feed into Kenya's fuel import bill, pump prices, transport costs, electricity and ultimately food inflation.

LiveNow headline: Oil Nears $110 as Hormuz Shipping Collapses — What It Means for Kenya's Fuel Prices

2. Court stops IEBC's 2027 ballot-paper tender

The High Court has suspended IEBC's procurement of ballot papers and election-result forms after local firm Oilmax Ventures challenged tender requirements. IEBC demanded bidders demonstrate experience printing at least 150 million ballot papers, average annual turnover of KSh6 billion and access to KSh10 billion in working capital. The dispute now raises questions about election preparedness, local participation and who will ultimately print Kenya's 2027 ballots.

LiveNow headline: Court Stops IEBC 2027 Ballot Tender: Who Will Print Kenya's Election Papers?

This is probably the strongest Kenyan political story to develop this morning.

3. Kenya lines up KSh52bn World Bank emergency funding

Kenya could access approximately $400 million (KSh52 billion) from the World Bank within six weeks through its Rapid Response Option. The facility is designed to help Kenya deal with the economic impact of soaring energy prices as well as El Niño and regional Ebola risks. Kenya's World Bank project portfolio exceeds $7 billion.

You've already developed this for LiveNow, so don't duplicate it. Keep updating the existing story, particularly if Treasury or the World Bank releases the financing terms.

4. Kenya warned to prepare for El Niño rains that could continue into 2027

The Kenya Meteorological Department is urging government agencies and the public to prepare for heavy October–December rainfall, warning that El Niño conditions could extend into February 2027.

The better story isn't simply "Met warns of rain." Build a public-service explainer around which parts of Kenya face the greatest flooding/landslide risk, when the rains begin and what households should do now.

LiveNow headline: El Niño Could Last Until February 2027: Kenya Warned to Prepare for Heavy Rains

5. Pressure grows on government over harassment of foreigners following Ruto's crackdown

The fallout from President Ruto's foreign-trader directive continues. Authorities are now warning Kenyans against harassing foreigners after reports of people being forced from businesses and residential areas. Assistant County Commissioners have reportedly been instructed to emphasise that Ruto's directive is not a blanket ban on foreigners and that harassment could lead to prosecution.

This is a significant evolution of a story LiveNow is already following, so update rather than duplicate.

LiveNow headline: Government Warns Kenyans Against Attacking Foreigners as Ruto Crackdown Fuels Harassment Fears

Also developing this morning

Russia launched another overnight attack on Kyiv, injuring at least two people and setting a nine-storey apartment building on fire. Ukraine, meanwhile, launched drones towards Russia's Saratov region, home to a major Rosneft refinery.

Global financial markets are also reacting sharply to the Middle East crisis. Oil briefly approached $110, global bond yields surged, Asian equities fell and markets are increasingly pricing in further interest-rate increases as energy costs revive inflation fears.