NPR News Now - 3am ET, October 07 | The latest headlines from NPR

Episode Date: October 7, 2026

The latest headlines from NPR at the top of this hour. The stories you hear are written, reported and fact-checked by NPR journalists.  Learn more about the standards of our journalism at npr.org/ethics. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

This is NPR News Now. The latest headlines every hour. Live from NPR News, I'm Jail Snyder. President Trump's remarks that Iran should take out Los Angeles or San Diego are not sitting well with Democrats. Virginia Congressman James Walkenshaw sits on the House National Security Committee. He says Trump should choose his words more carefully. My immediate thought was, there he goes again. And he says something for effect in a rally attempting to get an applause line, perhaps, but it causes fear and anxiety for millions and millions of Americans.

The White House says the president was simply raising security concerns with a spokesman dismissing the criticism as a media freak out. Trump made the comment at a rally in Nebraska Monday night drawing a swift rebuke from California's Democratic leaders and some Republicans. Russia's health authorities say no cases of plague have been detected among workers at a Siberian infectious diseases lab where a technician died under mysterious circumstances last week. The case has prompted global concern over an outbreak of the plague or some other pathogen, as NPR's Charles Mainz reports. Russia's Consumer Health Watchdog, Rospatrebnazor, has already insisted the death of a female lab technician that an anti-plague research facility in Russia's Irkuzk region was due to

a form of pneumonia. Now a subsequent investigation finds no pathogens linked to her work in her body. A claim Rastrebnozor said extended to other workers the woman had contact with. Separately, Russian authorities formerly told the World Health Organization there were no cases of plague in Irkutsk. Under global health rules, Russia is required to respond to WHO requests for information about outbreaks. Russia had previously told the WHO it was investigating whether pneumonic plague had caused the woman's death. Charles Baines, MPR News. Moscow. With the U.S. pushing for more information about the lab workers, death President Trump told

reporters Tuesday that he will soon speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. NPR has learned that FBI teams at track foreign spies have been hit with deep cuts around the country. MPR's Ryan Lucas has exclusive reporting. The cuts FBI counterintelligence squads are so significant that in some of the Bureau's field offices, they only have 50 to 60 percent of positions filled. And in some field offices, the number of counterintelligence squads has been reduced by half. That's according to five people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution. One source called the cuts terrifying in light of the growing threats. The staff reductions are a ripple effect of Director Cash Patel's focus on violent crime and immigration enforcement. Agents and analysts are

being pulled off of hunting foreign spies and instead put on violent crime or immigration work. In response to questions, the FBI says it maintains a robust counterintelligence effort. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. And you're listening to NPR News. The candidates for Iowa governors squared off in a debate as they try to replace Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, who is not seeking re-election. The race is competitive in a state that usually votes Republican, Sheila Brummer of Iowa Public Radio Reports. The rivals for governor sparred over the economy. education and traded personal attacks. Democrat Rob San, the state auditor, says it's time for change.

And I'm offering us a return to what Iowa is, people working together even when they disagree. Republican Zach Lane, a businessman previously worked for the conservative group Americans for prosperity. President Donald Trump endorsed him, and Lane praised a recent executive order he says will lower diesel prices for farmers. This will save $100 per fill up when you're talking about holling grain. Polls show sand with an edge over, I will last elected to Democrat as governor 20 years ago. From NPR News, I'm Sheila Brummer in Sioux City, Iowa. Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins says she is not President Trump's favorite senator.

And during a debate Tuesday night against her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson, Colin sought to distance herself from Trump, saying she has voted against Trump during his presidency more than she did when Democrat. Joe Biden was president. Democrats hope to flip Colin's seat as they try to take control of the Senate. Oscar winner Eva Marie Saint has died. Saints family announced that she died Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 102 years old. She won her Academy Award as supporting actress for her first movie on the waterfront and played a spy in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest opposite Carrie Graham. This is NPR News.