Mike Church Show News For Monday, October 5th 2026

Here's what to listen to for this hour.

The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia, and is urging Moscow to share accurate information quickly as details remain unconfirmed.

A State Department official told Fox News that the US is aware of reports of a death in Irkutsk Oblast, a region in southern eastern Siberia, and is watching the situation closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies.

The official stressed that many details have not been confirmed and called on Russian authorities to reveal what they know.

Former CIA officer Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital that the US intelligence community is likely to be collecting all source intelligence on the incident.

"I would also expect our embassy in Moscow to be engaging with their diplomatic counterparts at an official level because we might have people in Russia who might be at risk," Hoffman warned.

"Washington will be speaking to all of our allies and partners in the region and sharing what we know." Pneumonic plague can be treated with common antibiotics, especially when treatment begins early, the official said.

Appropriate therapy should begin as soon as plague is suspected, and patients can be treated with intravenous or oral antimicrobials depending on the severity of the illness and other factors, according to the CDC.

Cases of pneumonic plague occur naturally in many parts of the world according to the State Department official.

The official said the safety and security of US citizens remains the department's top priority, and encouraged Americans traveling overseas to enroll in Smart Travel Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive updates.

Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia launched a counteroffensive against the Houthis on Sunday in an effort to win back territory from the rebel group.

The head of Yemen's presidential council said in a speech, "We have exhausted all opportunities for de-escalization with the Houthi militias," Rashad Al-Almani said.

One of the key objectives of the operation is to regain control over the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports.

When the Houthis took over the territory on the Red Sea coast close to the strait, it gave them and Iran, which backs them, powerful leverage over the US, its Gulf allies, and the world economy.

President Trump is caught between wanting to help Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his friend and ally, and avoiding getting entangled in a new front in the Middle East.

Here's what to listen to for this hour.

The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia, and is urging Moscow to share accurate information quickly as details remain unconfirmed.

A State Department official told Fox News that the US is aware of reports of a death in Irkutsk Oblast, a region in southern eastern Siberia, and is watching the situation closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies.

The official stressed that many details have not been confirmed and called on Russian authorities to reveal what they know.

Former CIA officer Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital that the US intelligence community is likely to be collecting all source intelligence on the incident.

"I would also expect our embassy in Moscow to be engaging with their diplomatic counterparts at an official level because we might have people in Russia who might be at risk," Hoffman warned.

"Washington will be speaking to all of our allies and partners in the region and sharing what we know." Pneumonic plague can be treated with common antibiotics, especially when treatment begins early, the official said.

Appropriate therapy should begin as soon as plague is suspected, and patients can be treated with intravenous or oral antimicrobials depending on the severity of the illness and other factors, according to the CDC.

Cases of pneumonic plague occur naturally in many parts of the world according to the State Department official.

The official said the safety and security of US citizens remains the department's top priority, and encouraged Americans traveling overseas to enroll in Smart Travel Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive updates.

Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia launched a counteroffensive against the Houthis on Sunday in an effort to win back territory from the rebel group.

The head of Yemen's presidential council said in a speech, "We have exhausted all opportunities for de-escalization with the Houthi militias," Rashad Al-Almani said.

One of the key objectives of the operation is to regain control over the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports.

When the Houthis took over the territory on the Red Sea coast close to the strait, it gave them and Iran, which backs them, powerful leverage over the US, its Gulf allies, and the world economy.

President Trump is caught between wanting to help Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his friend and ally, and avoiding getting entangled in a new front in the Middle East.