DUBAI, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said on Friday that four oil tankers had caught fire and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, while attempting to use what it described as unauthorised routes, Iranian state media reported.

In its latest statement, the IRGC Navy said a fourth vessel, a tanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil, had hit a mine, suffered a powerful explosion and was burning.

An IRGC Navy statement had said earlier that one of the tankers, which was also carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil, had hit a naval mine.

By Antoni Slodkowski

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 30 (Reuters) - An informal poll by the United Nations Security Council on Friday showed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan extended her lead as frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general, two people close ‌to the process said.

Grynspan got 11 votes in favor and 4 against on the 15-member council, marking her strongest showing in seven closed-door ballots conducted in recent months to replace Antonio Guterres as he finishes his second five-year term this year.

CAIRO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Friday it had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthis over Saudi Arabia's Medina region, but the Iran-aligned group denied carrying out any attack towards the kingdom.

Medina is home to one of Islam's holiest sites and is visited by millions of Muslim pilgrims each year.

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday he would be holding "important" talks in Turkey as part of diplomatic efforts after more than 4-1/2 years of war with Russia.

The Ukrainian president, speaking in his nightly video address, indicated discussions were linked to the resumption next month of talks aimed at moving towards a resolution of the conflict.

"Important negotiations will take place in Turkey. We are also working to ensure that all available diplomatic opportunities are pursued," Zelenskiy said.

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Seven people, including five children, have died and seven others were injured after torrential rains triggered flash floods in eastern Syria, authorities said on Friday.

Four people remain missing and rescue teams are continuing to search flooded areas, Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh said in a statement on X.

The five children drowned in pools of water formed by the floods, while another person died in a traffic accident, Saleh said, without providing details of the seventh death.

By Rick Noack

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Pakistan’s military is “cautiously optimistic” about its mediation between Iran and the United States, its spokesman said on Friday in his first interview since a high-level delegation visited Tehran this week.

Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir — Pakistan's chief mediator in its efforts to de-escalate the now eight-month-old Iran war — has been to Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday alongside Saudi and Turkish officials.

Oct 30 (Reuters) - The United States ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia effective October 23 due to safety risks, the US embassy in Riyadh said on Friday, citing Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure.

US government employees require special authorisation to use Saudi airports following recent missile and drone attacks, the embassy said, warning US citizens of potential further attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions.

By Valentini Anagnostopoulou

ATHENS, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Dockworkers went on strike across Europe and beyond on Friday, disrupting shipping and ferries as they protested against the use of their ports for arms shipments and the number of seafarers killed in wars from the Gulf to the Black Sea.

Strikers across 113 ports in 22 countries also called for pay rises, better working conditions and the right to have doctors on board vessels crossing war zones.

By Andrea Shalal

ATLANTA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged fellow G20 foreign ministers on Friday to work together for greater geopolitical stability and economic prosperity, warning that a series of crises posed serious threats to the global economic order.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's participation in the two-day gathering in Atlanta has roiled many G20 ministers, aggravating deep riftsoverthe wars in Ukraine and the Middle East that experts and diplomats say could thwart real progress at the meeting.

BRASILIA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, the Brazilian presidency said on Friday.

The confirmation came shortly after Lula was re-elected president of Brazil, last Sunday.

Lula is scheduled to arrive in Antalya on Nov. 10 for the Nov 11-12 leaders' summit at the annual UN climate negotiations. On Nov. 13, he will travel to the Philippines for the ASEAN summit, which he was invited to attend for the second consecutive year.