National and international media news & headlines compiled by CLG

White House on high alert and ‘assessing options’ as plague breaks out in Russia with hundreds put into quarantine | 4 Oct 2026 | The White House is monitoring a plague outbreak in Russia after a lab technician died and hundreds of people she came into contact with were placed in quarantine. An official with the Trump administration told Axios on Sunday that the administration is “aware, monitoring the outbreak, and assessing options.” Darya Shipilova, 28, was reportedly working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia when she was exposed to pneumonic plague. Shipilova told medical staff she had accidentally broken a test tube holding live bacteria, according to news outlet Lyudi Baikala. Three hospitals in the region have been placed under secure measures, as a mask mandate has been put in place.

Nearly 200 People Under Observation After Irkutsk Lab Worker Dies From Plague | 2 Oct 2026 | Health authorities in Siberia’s Irkutsk region have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation after a laboratory worker died from plague, according to media reports and a statement by a regional leader Friday. Alexei Tsydenov, head of the neighboring republic of Buryatia, confirmed that the woman had died from an unspecified form of plague. Irkutsk officials had previously described the illness only as a “particularly dangerous infection.”

Fauci diary reveals alarm that U.S. had aerosolized Ebola virus: ‘Never should have been done’ | 27 Sep 2026 | Dr. Anthony Fauci privately sounded the alarm when he learned the U.S. Army had conducted an experiment a decade ago that aerosolized the lethal Ebola virus, which is not normally transmitted by air, and then shared the results publicly amid an ongoing outbreak in Africa, according to diary entries obtained by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul. The then-top scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease was particularly concerned in 2016 that the Army medical research arm’s experiment seemed to show that exposure to aerosolized Ebola caused more damaging effects in subjects that had been vaccinated. This was almost four years before he championed shutting down the U.S. economy and social life over the COVID-19 virus outbreak. Fauci wrote he believed such research should be kept secret, preferably classified, so that it didn’t undermine public confidence in vaccination in the African countries suffering an outbreak of the virus.

U.S. increasing Middle East military buildup –A third aircraft carrier and some 9,000 additional troops are on their way to the region, an American official told AP | 2 Oct 2026 | Washington is sending more warships and troops to the Middle East as U.S. President Donald Trump is considering the resumption of large-scale strikes against Iran after the midterms, AP has reported. In a Time magazine interview published Thursday, Trump said that new attacks on the Islamic Republic were “possible” after the U.S. election on November 3, but declined to reveal any further details. In its article on Thursday, AP said that a third aircraft carrier and some 9,000 additional service members, including 7,000 sailors and 2,000 marines, are currently on their way to the area of the conflict with Iran. It would increase the U.S. military presence in the Middle East to more than 20,000, which is “an unusually high number,” it stressed.

U.S. claims it ‘kicked out’ Iranian diplomats | 4 Oct 2026 | The U.S. has expelled two more members of the Iranian delegation that attended the UN General Assembly in New York after they allegedly ignored an order to leave the country, AFP and Axios reported on Saturday, citing a State Department official. U.S. and Iranian negotiators separately met with mediators last month without reaching a breakthrough, leaving the Middle East bracing for a potential resumption of hostilities. American media reported that after the sides failed to reach an agreement on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other diplomats to leave the country earlier than planned.

U.S. removes all B-1 bombers from UK air base amid safety concerns after suspected terror plot | 4 Oct 2026 | The United States has decided to remove all of its B-1 bombers from an air base in the United Kingdom following a suspected terror plot in the country. Around a dozen American bombers were stationed at the RAF Fairford air base, located northwest of London, until the Pentagon made the move on Sunday. The air base was used as a hub for launching bomber strikes in Iran. This comes one week after five male suspects were arrested over an alleged terror plot that unfolded at the base. The suspects were released on bail by police in England.

Urgent warning issued for Americans in the UK after attempted ‘terrorist attack’ as citizens are told to ‘exercise caution’ | 27 Sep 2026 | The U.S. government has issued a warning for Americans to “exercise caution” in the UK after an attempted terrorist act near an air force base. The U.S. Embassy in the UK said the agency had been made “aware” of the arrests of five men in Fairford who were “looking to do big damage” to U.S. forces and warned citizens to remain cautious on Sunday. “The U.S. Embassy is aware of arrests on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act near the Royal Air Force base in Fairford, UK,” the agency said in a release. RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, is the U.S. Air Force’s command outpost for operations from Europe and has been used for American strikes on Iranian missile sites that have been attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Suspect in FlyDubai incident was previously identified as security risk – officials | 4 Oct 2026 | The co-pilot of the FlyDubai plane who allegedly attacked the plane’s captain and attempted to crash a flight bound for Israel on Wednesday is an Omani national who was previously suspended from flying by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk, according to senior intelligence and law enforcement officials. Multiple sources familiar with the investigation identified the suspected attacker as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami. The officials told ABC News that Al Hammami, while working as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air in 2024, was found to be in possession of extremist materials. The suspect was allowed to continue working for the airline in an administrative role, the sources said.

Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe in attempted ‘terrorist attack,’ UAE says | 3 Oct 2026 | The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel, attempted ​to carry out a “terrorist attack” with an axe during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday. The co-pilot was identified as ‌Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. A second source briefed on the investigation confirmed the co-pilot’s name. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identity. Disaster was averted on Wednesday after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, who had attacked the captain in what Israeli officials said was an apparent attempt to crash the plane ​carrying more than 170 passengers and crew.

Russian military still pounding strategic Kiev bridge | 2 Oct 2026 | The Russian military has struck a strategic bridge in Kiev in a series of drone attacks over two days. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the crossing was used to transport troops, military equipment, and supplies to the front. The Pivdennyi Bridge (Southern Bridge), one of Kiev’s main crossings over the Dnieper River, carries up to 90% of transit road traffic between Ukraine’s left- and right-bank regions, Strana dot ua reported, citing a local official. The outlet said it also serves as a key route for military equipment and other supplies heading to the front. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that a “road and railway bridge” in Kiev had been hit in overnight strikes, saying it was “facilitating troop movements and the logistical delivery of military cargo for the Ukrainian military units in Donbass.”

Russia strikes data centers, logistics sites in Ukraine – MOD | 27 Sep 2026 | The Russian military has targeted mobile operator data centers, as well as multiple warehouses and critical infrastructure sites across Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said. The ministry gave an update on the latest round of long-range strikes against Ukraine on Sunday, providing a detailed list of targets. In Kiev Region, the Russian military hit a large warehouse belonging to the Zammler Group, the ministry said. The warehouse has been used to store and distribute Western military aid flowing to Ukraine, it added.

Weapons stolen from Ukraine front line handed to notorious neo-Nazi unit | 28 Sep 2026 | Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) has announced the transfer of weapons worth about 100,000 confiscated from an alleged smuggling ring to the notorious Azov Corps. The cache, including about 17,000 rounds of ammunition, grenades, single-shot anti-tank grenade launchers, land mines and other weapons, according to the Ukrainian agency, was handed over this week, having been seized in May. A criminal group had used a humanitarian vehicle to transport the weapons stolen from the front line to Ivano-Frankivsk Region in Western Ukraine, the DBR has alleged. The weapons were intended for sale on the black market, but will instead be used by Azov, the agency said, describing its members as “defenders of Ukraine.”

Kremlin responds to U.S. invitation to Putin to attend Miami G20 | 24 Sep 2026 | The Kremlin has responded to the invitation the U.S. has extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, Florida, in December. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed earlier today that Washington had invited Putin to attend the gathering. Russia is “grateful and appreciative,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti on Wednesday night. Peskov added that a decision on Putin’s possible attendance will be made and relayed through diplomatic channels.

Bolsonaro beats expectations in Brazil presidential vote, will face Lula in runoff | 4 Oct 2026 | Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio ‌Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday’s first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent. The election, which centered around the cost of living, corruption and insecurity in Brazilians’ daily lives, follows a string of wins across Latin America by right-wing parties aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro’s stronger-than-expected performance, at 47% of votes versus Lula’s 45%, is expected to buoy his campaign and may bolster Brazil’s currency and stock market, ​which have risen on the prospects of the business-friendly challenger.

Would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks texted mystery persons about his 3D printer, communicated in code | 2 Oct 2026 | President Trump’s would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks, exchanged messages with an “unknown contact” about 3D-printed “parts” and seemingly chatted in code words with another unidentified individual, FBI documents released Friday show… The messages are among dozens included in the newly-released documents that were “deemed pertinent” to the investigation of the July 13, 2024, Trump assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., the FBI noted. Judicial Watch also obtained bizarre communications described by the FBI as a “chat thread” between Crooks and a recipient whose name is redacted. The conversation occurred between May 21, 2023, and January 3, 2024, and is largely comprised of one– or two-word messages and character strings. “Hello…Hello red…Hello red… Hdudhdbdbbd… 7888ejdj…Yolo…Ddodjjf…890… Hdjd…Djdj…red…Yup red… Hello… Jhhhuuh… Hhdj… Jjjjjjjjjjjj…Hello red…Red red,” are among the messages sent by Crooks. Between February 6, 2024, and February 27, 2024, Crooks snapped aerial photos of PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively, as well as railroad tracks and other locations arounds Western Pennsylvania.

Federal judge rules Flock camera searches unconstitutional | 4 Oct 2026 | federal judge in Oklahoma has ruled that a law enforcement officer violated a woman’s Fourth Amendment rights by searching her vehicle’s history through Flock Safety’s license-plate reader network without obtaining a warrant first. The decision, which was issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Hill, marks one of the most significant legal challenges to Flock’s expanding surveillance system. The ruling does not establish a nationwide legal precedent, but it could give momentum to growing concerns over how police departments use automated license-plate databases to track people’s movements.

Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson outvoted as deportation stay gets approved | 29 Sep 2026 | The Supreme Court on Tuesday handed the Trump administration an interim victory in its ongoing immigration crackdown, clearing the way for officials to continue deporting illegal aliens to third countries while the justices consider a legal challenge to the policy. The justices granted the administration’s request to stay a February ruling from a federal district court in Massachusetts that imposed additional procedural requirements before illegal immigrants could be removed to countries other than their own. The high court also agreed to hear the administration’s challenge, treating its emergency application as a petition for review and ordering the parties to prepare for arguments during the court’s December session. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson said they would have denied the administration’s request for a stay.

Supreme Court lets Trump admin move forward with mass voter verification system | 25 Sep 2026 | An order issued Friday by the Supreme Court temporarily allows the Trump administration to move forward with a mass voter verification system. The emergency order allows states, for now, to use the Department of Homeland Security program, called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, in their efforts to verify the eligibility of voters on their rolls. Because existing law blocks most states from systematically purging voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election, the immediate impact of Friday’s order on the upcoming midterms is likely limited, the Associated Press reported. States’ use of the SAVE program is voluntary. The court’s order puts on hold a federal judge’s June ruling that had deemed the Republican administration’s recently revamped version of SAVE illegal.

Frank LaRose applauds Ohio legal victory that ensures only U.S. citizens can register to vote | 23 Sep 2026 | Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Wednesday night a legal victory in his state, saying that a court has upheld state law that ensures only United States citizens can register to vote in Ohio. LaRose noted that the state is still challenging another lawsuit against a state law that requires a person to present proof of citizenship before registering to vote while applying for a state driver’s license. “Huge legal victory for election integrity in Ohio tonight,” LaRose posted on X. “Just got word that we effectively upheld our state law that ensures only U.S. citizens can register to vote in Ohio! This comes just two days after another legal win preventing the Ohio Democratic Party from funneling unlimited campaign contributions to their candidates from radical billionaires like George Soros,” he continued.

Vance announces Obamacare fraud crackdown – 750K enrollees get the boot | 22 Sep 2026 | Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday announced a major crackdown on fraud linked to the Obamacare exchanges, saying that the government would remove roughly 750,000 people from the system. “We are stopping Obamacare enrollment for about 750,000 people who we believe are fraudulently enrolled in the program,” Vance said. He also announced additional verification efforts for another 419,000 people to confirm their residential status and income eligibility. In the same event, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz also announced a “temporary national moratorium” on new Obamacare brokers for several months.

Suspect in Pittsburgh doctor’s murder had been released without bail on prior burglary charge – court docs | 25 Sep 2026 | A Pittsburgh pediatrician is dead, and his wife is hospitalized after a home invasion stabbing attack in their Edgewood, Pennsylvania home, according to authorities. Allegheny County police have arrested 32-year-old Elijah Hemingway of Pittsburgh. He has a rap sheet in the county courthouse going back to 2016, with his most recent prior arrest coming in July in connection with a burglary that took place in February, according to court records. He was released without bail on that charge. On Thursday, authorities brought seven new charges against him in connection with the attack — including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary, and trespassing.