News Wrap: European Union inflation hits 10 percent, Cubans protest lingering power outage

Judy Woodruff:

In the day's other news: Russia's President Vladimir Putin sharply escalated the war in Ukraine, signing treaties to illegally annex four regions. He vowed to defend the newly seized territory by — quote — "all available means."

Meanwhile, Russian fire rained down on Ukrainian cities, killing 30 people in Zaporizhzhia.

We will have a detailed report after the news summary.

The war in Ukraine has sent natural gas prices and overall inflation soaring across the European Union. New numbers today show the E.U.'s inflation ran at 10 percent in September compared with prices a year ago. In Brussels, E.U. energy ministers approved a windfall profits tax on fossil fuel companies, but they could not agree on curbing gas prices.

Kadri Simson, European Energy Commissioner:

I believe we could impose a price cap on all Russian imported gas, including LNG. However, some member states see this as a sanction. And we don't yet have a consensus on this step.

Judy Woodruff:

Germany has been a leading opponent of capping prices over concerns that it could limit gas supplies.

A suicide bomber in Afghanistan attacked an educational center in Kabul today, killing 19 people and wounding nearly 30. It happened in a Shiite area, as hundreds of teenage students were taking practice entrance exams for college. Some of the students were among the dead. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Rare public protests have broken out in Cuba over lingering power outages from Hurricane Ian. The storm caused an island-wide blackout this week and some areas are still in the dark. Overnight, several hundred people protested in Havana demanding power be restored. They banged pots and pans, started fires, and complained that their food is spoiling.

Jorge Luis Cruz, Havana Resident (through translator):

This isn't working. Enough of this. All my food is rotten. Why? Because we don't have electricity. And this will not last in the end. This does not work, brother.

Judy Woodruff:

Cuban utility officials say only about 10 percent of Havana's two million people had electricity as of Thursday.

Back in this country, Congress gave final approval to a short-term spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. It will finance federal agencies into mid-December, and it also includes military and economic aid for Ukraine. President Biden later signed it into law.

On Wall Street, major stock indexes finished a miserable month. The Dow Jones industrial average was down another 500 points today to close at 28725. The Nasdaq fell nearly 162 points. The S&P 500 slid almost 55. For the month, the Dow and the S&P lost nearly 9 percent or more. That is their worst September in 20 years. The Nasdaq slid 10.5 percent. That's the most in September of 2008.

And Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson had her ceremonial induction today, as the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. President Biden and Vice President Harris attended the brief investiture ceremony. Jackson had been confirmed by the Senate in April and formally joined the High Court in June. The court begins its new term on Monday.