Possible Plague Crisis in Siberia: Five Hospitals Placed Under Quarantine

Possible Plague Crisis in Siberia: Five Hospitals Placed Under Quarantine After Lab Tech Dies Following Test Tube Accident Containing Plague Bacteria

Jim Hᴏft

A 28-year-old technician at Russia’s Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute is dead, nearly 200 people are under medical observation, and five hospitals in the region have been reportedly slammed shut for quarantine, while the Kremlin’s health agency insists this is nothing but “pneumonia of unknown origin.”

The Moscow Times identified the dead woman as Darya Shipilova, a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East.

She was hospitalized in Shelekhov on September 29 with severe pneumonia, placed on a ventilator, and died on October 1, overnight into October 2, by some accounts.

The account that set off the alarm: Shipilova told medical staff she had accidentally broken a test tube of live Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague, while handling samples on September 25. That is four days before she was admitted, DW reported.

Meduza, citing regional media, reported both that version and a competing claim that she fell ill after a trip. Neither has been officially confirmed.

Alexei Tsydenov, head of neighboring Buryatia, went further than Irkutsk officials were willing to go. He publicly said the woman had died of plague, then edited the post to say she “may have” died of it.

Irkutsk’s own governor, Igor Kobzev, would only call it a “particularly dangerous infection” and convene an emergency anti-epidemic commission.

According to Charter97’s report citing the regional outlet People of Baikal, three Irkutsk city hospitals, Hospitals No. 1, No. 3, and No. 10, along with the Ivanomatreninskaya Children’s Hospital and a maternity hospital were reportedly placed under quarantine.

Those reports have not been independently confirmed by Russia’s federal health authorities, and officials have offered conflicting accounts of what exactly killed Shipilova.

Meanwhile, workers at the massive Irkutsk Aluminum Plant in Shelekhov have been ordered to wear masks as a precaution.

CNN reported that plant director Artem Fominikh acknowledged that “many rumors and conflicting reports” were circulating and confirmed the mask requirement.

At least 197 people who may have crossed paths with Shipilova were identified. About 189 of them were hospitalized for observation, 114 in one facility, 63 in another, 12 at the anti-plague institute itself, according to figures carried by The Moscow Times, REN TV, and bne IntelliNews. As of the latest official statements, no secondary cases have been confirmed.

Pneumonic plague is the form that matters. It is the only form that spreads person to person, through respiratory droplets. The CDC says the incubation period after inhalation can be as short as one day.

The World Health Organization puts the usual window at one to seven days. Untreated, it is frequently fatal, and the clock for antibiotics is measured in hours, not days. A September 25 broken vial and a September 29 collapse sit squarely inside that window.

Shelekhov is not a village. It is an industrial town built around the Irkutsk Aluminium Plant, a Rusal facility with more than 2,000 workers. ]

Terry James: Post-Rapture Scenario on Earth

Post-Rapture Scenario on Earth

Terry James

Every indicator on the prophetic spectrum is at this moment pulsing within the spiritual watchers’ “end-times alert system.” That system is centered in the following words of Christ:

And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:37)

And Jesus told us what to “watch” for in the following:

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28)

Since the signals the Lord gave (see Matthew 24 and other places) are growing stronger with each news cycle—with the nations in the Middle East, particularly Israel, and those involving Russia and Ukraine portending global war—the instant of Rapture might happen literally at any moment.

I say this because Jesus, as we’ve looked at many times, said things will be going along relatively as usual when He breaks again into human affairs (is “revealed,” as the Scripture puts it in Luke 17:28–30). In other words, there will be no world war or other earth-shattering condition at the time of the Rapture the Apostle Paul prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 4:16–18.

Because all signals that point to this late hour of the Age of Grace are registering with those who truly “watch,” as Jesus commanded, we should warn others about things that might happen once all believers leave the planet. At that time, the Holy Spirit will also leave the earth in His position as the restrainer of evil (2 Thessalonians 2:6–7).

So, this commentary is to give some thought to how things are now that show the lateness of the age, and what is likely to come next.

I must thank here Keith, a frequent emailer who sent his well-studied thoughts about what is now taking place and will likely transpire from the Rapture of the Church forward. Although I would somewhat more temper my own thinking regarding what that future holds, Keith is pretty well on the mark. Here is his scenario as he wrote it, with some slight editing.

Israel and America are the MOST HATED NATIONS at the UN. The UN voted heavily against America and Israel. They hate Israel because the Jews are God’s chosen people that are the proof of His existence. The world hates God. They also hate America because they think it is a CHRISTIAN NATION even though America is no longer Christian. America still has a Christian culture but most are not saved. The world community hates Christ. It is because they hate both branches (Jews and Christians) of God’s chosen people that they hate both Israel and America.

Most of the world’s nations are ruled by leftists and socialists. Only a few countries have conservative leaders. Those are Israel, America, Argentina, and a few other Latin American countries, and a few Eastern European countries (once under Russian dominion in the Cold War; they know the dangers of socialism). But almost all Western European countries, including Britain, are ruled by socialists. They really hate Trump and Netanyahu for resisting their globalist agenda. The main reason America resists the globalists is because of the large Christian population that keeps the pressure on Trump to resist the globalists.

Once God takes America’s Christian population out at the Rapture, the political balance will immediately be flipped. America will suffer the biggest population bite, and will probably lose anywhere from 10% to 25% of its population to the Rapture. Some members of Congress, including House Speaker Mike and other Republicans that are saved will evacuate in the Rapture. Ted Cruz will also evacuate. Both the House and the Senate will lose enough members to flip both the House and the Senate to Democrat. I think Trump (most likely unsaved) will probably be left behind. Since all Democrats in Congress are leftists, they will most all be left behind. That leaves them in control. Donald Trump probably will face immediate impeachment unless he caves to the left after the Rapture. There will be immediate martial law after Rapture. At that time, America’s national debt of $40 trillion will suddenly explode violently. America can’t pay the debt. So the nations of the world will likely INVADE America to SEIZE THE ASSETS from the American people to COLLECT THE DEBT which we cannot pay.

I think the SUDDEN DESTRUCTION that happens will probably be NUCLEAR WAR immediately following the Rapture—where Russia nukes our big liberal cities, which happen to contain the highest concentration of sin (homosexuals, crime, vices, corruption). The world can finally get it revenge on America after Rapture. (Keith, a frequent emailer, who is a dedicated student of Bible prophecy)

As I say, this is my emailer friend’s scenario, based upon his consistent and ongoing observation of news, and with a good knowledge of eschatology from a biblical perspective. I can’t say I agree totally—not that I disagree with things he believes that might happen, but somewhat with specific order of things that will occur, et cetera. For example, his is based upon the Rapture occurring before the Trump administration is completed. (I won’t say the Rapture will happen within the next two years, although I certainly anticipate it could occur before that time.)  

When Christ calls all believers from this planet, there is no way any of us can fully imagine the ramifications. Jesus Himself said it will bleed into the worst time of all human history.

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)

The Rapture of all believers from the earth will not be a mere historical incident—if it indeed is scheduled prophetically, as many Christians question or doubt, even those in pastorates around the nation. Be assured by God’s Holy Word: It will happen, and it will be devastating to all left behind, beyond the horrors described above, or even by scenarios presented in my friends Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins’ Left Behind novels about that coming time of judgment and wrath from Heaven. 

U.S. Deploys Additional Patriot Missiles to Saudi Arabia, Qatar as Trump Weighs Renewed Iran Attacks: Report

U.S. Deploys Additional Patriot Missiles to Saudi Arabia, Qatar as Trump Weighs Renewed Iran Attacks: Report

Garrison Vance

The United States has dispatched two additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar over the past few weeks, according to an Axios report published on October 2, 2026. The deployments were intended to assure Riyadh and Doha of protection if U.S. President Donald Trump relaunches large-scale attacks on Iran, the report stated.

One battery was sent to Saudi Arabia last month to defend a major oil facility, and the other was deployed to Qatar to protect a natural gas site, according to the report. U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins declined to comment when contacted by Axios, the report said. No independent confirmation of the deployment details was provided by officials, according to the report.

The deployments come as Washington is sending more warships and troops to the Middle East ahead of a potential resumption of large-scale strikes against Iran after the midterms, according to an AP report [1]. Trump told reporters on Thursday that he has “to make a decision: either Iran signs a very fair deal, or it won’t exist any longer” [1].

The Saudi battery arrived last month, while the Qatar battery was deployed over the past few weeks, according to the Axios report. The systems are intended to guard oil and gas infrastructure, the report stated. The deployments reflect a broader pattern of U.S. efforts to bolster air defenses for Gulf partners as regional threats escalate.

In September, Saudi Arabia sought missile interceptors from allies and regional partners as Yemeni attacks strained its air defenses, according to a NaturalNews.com report [2]. The appeal, reported on Sept. 16, reflects a widening gap between the volume of incoming drones and ballistic missiles and the supply of defensive munitions available to Saudi forces [2]. The AP report cited regional officials who said the kingdom turned to allies for help defending its airspace after the U.S., its main security provider, declined to intervene directly [2].

CENTCOM declined to confirm or deny the deployments through spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins, according to the Axios report. The report remains the primary source for the deployment details, as no other officials have publicly confirmed the information. The lack of official confirmation leaves questions about the operational status and exact timing of the battery arrivals.

Washington would need access to Saudi airspace to wage renewed attacks on Iran, Axios reported. Riyadh is unlikely to grant that access without confidence that its oil infrastructure is protected, according to the report. The Patriot deployments may address that condition, officials said, according to the report.

In early August, Saudi and Qatari leaders lobbied Trump against a massive assault on Iran that would have targeted its energy infrastructure, the report stated. The leaders feared retaliation against their own oil and gas facilities. U.S. officials said those appeals weighed heavily in Trump’s choice to abandon the strike in favor of an economic strangulation and isolation campaign against Iran, according to the report [1].

The strategic calculus extends beyond the immediate region. According to a Middle East Eye report, Gulf states have feared that a U.S. attack on Iran could spoil their chance at extracting concessions from a weakened Islamic Republic [3]. The U.S. and its Gulf partners agree Iran has been weakened, but they differ over how to capitalize on it, the report stated [3].

Trump is weighing reviving his bombing campaign against Iran within weeks, according to the Axios report. Trump told TIME on October 1 that he rejected Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to nuclear talks if Washington ended hostilities and lifted its naval blockade, calling it “not good enough” [1]. Trump also told TIME, “We’re stocking up at levels we’ve never done before,” according to the report [1].

Washington is deploying warships, fighter jets, and troops to the Middle East ahead of a possible return to war, according to the Axios report. Another carrier strike group carrying thousands of Marines is due in the region by late November; one U.S. official said it could bring the total to three carrier strike groups and “much more firepower,” the report stated [1].

Patriot batteries and their interceptors have been heavily depleted and stretched thin among U.S. allies, according to the Axios report. The U.S. military is drawing ammunition away from other regional commands toward the Middle East, prompting fears over readiness in other theaters, the report said. The depletion is not a new problem. In 2024, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States had run out of Patriot missiles to send to Ukraine, stating that requests for additional batteries would not be met because there were no more available to spare [6].

Deadly, Record-Breaking Floods Hit Spain And Greece

Deadly, Record-Breaking Floods Hit Spain And Greece

Stefan J. Bos

Several countries around the Mediterranean have been battered by deadly flooding caused by heavy rain for days, with record-breaking rainfall inundating parts of Spain’s Catalonia region.

In the area around Barcelona, emergency services received thousands of calls for help Sunday morning after at least two people died and one person remained missing, authorities said.

Catalonia’s regional weather service Meteocat said Barcelona and surrounding municipalities experienced exceptional rainfall, with several monitoring stations breaking long-standing records.

At Barcelona’s Can Bruixa station, 213 liters per square meter (8.4 inches) of rain were recorded, making it the wettest day in the station’s 39-year history.

Elsewhere, nearly 288 liters per square meter (11.3 inches) were measured at Vilassar de Mar, while Mataró received more than 250 liters (9.8 inches) and Granollers nearly 250 liters (9.8 inches) per square meter.

DEADLY CATALONIA FLOODS

One man died after a wall collapsed at a campsite in Tordera, north of Barcelona, while another person died in Montornès del Vallès, authorities said. Emergency workers were also searching for a missing person in Pineda de Mar.

The torrential rain flooded homes, submerged vehicles and severely disrupted transportation. Local train services were suspended, flights at Barcelona airport were canceled or delayed, and roads were inundated.

Authorities issued emergency alerts warning residents of Barcelona and surrounding communities about the danger of flooding as the Besòs River rose to dangerous levels.

In Granollers, firefighters rescued people trapped inside vehicles at a flooded roundabout, while images from L’Hospitalet de Llobregat near Barcelona showed residents standing knee-deep in water.

Flemish resident Mark Meesen, who experienced the storm in Barcelona, described the conditions as “apocalyptic,” saying streets turned into small rivers and traffic and street lights went out. He recalled that at one point the rain was so intense he could barely see through his windshield.

RECORD RAINFALL

The Barcelona area experienced its wettest Saturday in at least two decades, according to Meteocat data, while some individual monitoring stations recorded their wettest day since observations began there decades ago.

Conditions later improved in Barcelona, where sunshine returned, while the heaviest rain moved north toward Girona and the French border.

Other parts of Spain were also affected, including areas around Bilbao in the Basque Country. A 102-year-old woman had earlier died in flooding in Madrigueras in central Spain.

The violent weather extended across the Mediterranean to Greece, where days of heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding on the island of Crete.

Meteorologists reported up to 500 liters per square meter (19.7 inches) of rain in the Rethymno region, while about 22,000 lightning strikes were recorded across Crete and the southern Aegean Sea within 24 hours.

CRETE FLOODING

Streets were flooded, homes damaged and electricity supplies disrupted, while several people became trapped in vehicles.

Authorities evacuated tourists from parts of southeastern Crete as a precaution while heavy rain continued.

Along parts of the coast, parked vehicles were swept into the sea, while eight workers were reported stranded in the popular Samaria Gorge.

In Ierapetra on Crete’s southern coast, tourists were evacuated, and one woman was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

On the Greek island of Rhodes, a 58-year-old German tourist died Friday after being struck by lightning, while her husband suffered minor injuries. Greek forecasters said the heavy rainfall was expected to continue for several more hours before conditions gradually improved.

The flooding marked another weather-related setback for the region after a record-breaking summer of extreme heat affected much of Europe.

Iran "Decision Week": Trump Teases "Easy Way Or Hard Way"

Iran "Decision Week": Trump Teases "Easy Way Or Hard Way" As Tankers Burn, Rial Craters And Tehran's Oil Minister Quits

TYLER DURDEN

Seven months into the war, the Iran story has settled into a familiar loop: Tehran sets conditions, Washington rejects them, a tanker catches fire, oil stays at $100, repeat... then a modest de-escalation before markets open on Monday morning and reversal around Friday's closer. 

This weekend, though, felt different. Nearly every piece of the puzzle moved at once, and the man at the center of it all made clear that he has a decision to make.

"We have a decision that I'll make about Iran. Iran's been decimated. So the only question is, it'll either be the easy way or the hard way," President Trump told reporters outside the White House on Saturday. Asked what was coming, he offered the kind of non-answer that tends to precede actual answers, or even more non-answers: "If I told you, you'd have a major story, right? But you'll see."

Here is what happened over the weekend, and what to watch in the week ahead.

The Camp David War Council

The "you'll see" makes more sense in light of what happened on Friday. CBS News confirmed that the administration's entire Iran brain trust met at Camp David: Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine. Axios first reported the unannounced session, which Vance chaired. Two items were on the agenda: the Iran war, and the Saudi-Houthi war in Yemen that is now spilling into global oil routes (more below).

The White House has not said what was decided. One person familiar with the meeting told Axios that "things were decided or at least deeply discussed," which is a remarkably candid way of saying nothing, right about par for the course for an Axios "scoop." For context, the last time this crowd quietly decamped to the Maryland mountains to talk Iran was in June 2025. You may recall what followed (spoiler: it involved B-2s).

Meanwhile, the military is moving into position regardless. The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the USS Makin Island amphibious group are heading to the Middle East with about 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines, due by the end of October. Bloomberg notes that this could give the US three carrier strike groups in the region, a concentration not seen since the opening phase of the Iraq war in 2003. Hegseth, for his part, called the US blockade of Iranian ports "ironclad."

We flagged the build-up when the third carrier was first announced in "Supertanker Ablaze After Iran Attack In Hormuz As US Deploys 10K More Troops & Third Carrier To Mideast" (Oct 1). Trump himself had been dropping hints for days:

On timing, Trump told TIME last week that heavier strikes are "possible" after the Nov. 3 midterms. And according to Bloomberg, Iranian officials themselves see little chance of a deal before the vote and a "high chance of escalation" after it. So "decision week" may yet turn into "decision month" (this is still Washington, after all).

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