U.S. charges Russian intelligence network over murder plots.
Today's events
Kremlin murder network.
Justice charged five Russian intelligence operatives with financing terrorism and murder-for-hire — allegedly paying people to surveil and kill targets in the U.S. and attack infrastructure in European states backing Ukraine. All five remain at large.1Sep 15 · DOJSolar cell duties.
Commerce made its final rulings that solar cells from India, Indonesia, and Laos are sold below fair value and subsidized — five determinations published together, effective today. A parallel Taiwan review found no dumping.2Sep 16 · CommerceSouth Africa visas.
Rubio announced visa restrictions on foreign nationals responsible for uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, or incitement of violence against minorities in South Africa. Family members may also be barred.3Sep 15 · StateVenezuela graft plea.
A former Venezuelan industry minister and Maduro ally, Alex Saab, pleaded guilty in Miami to laundering proceeds of a bribery scheme that skimmed hundreds of millions from a state food-and-medicine program.4Sep 15 · DOJHormuz call.
Rubio spoke with Oman's foreign minister, condemning recent Iranian attacks on commercial ships and reaffirming U.S. commitment to freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and to Iran never acquiring a nuclear weapon.5Sep 15 · StateForced-labor import bans.
USTR trained representatives of more than 50 trading partners on enforcing forced-labor import bans, with Homeland Security, Customs and Labor. Twelve economies, including the EU, India, Canada and Mexico, adopted such measures by July.6Sep 15 · USTRDrone wingmen named.
The Air Force named its first Collaborative Combat Aircraft the FQ-42 Vengeance and FQ-44 Fury; 150 are in production, with 500 combat-ready systems planned by 2032 and a 1,000-aircraft fleet.7Sep 14 · Air ForceFaster human trials.
FDA opened applications for a pilot pairing drug companies with research institutions, aiming to cut the up-to-two-year path to first-in-human trials that China and Australia already run faster.8Sep 15 · FDAPaid-leave bill.
Federal agencies spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave salaries in 2025, a 435 percent rise since 2023; GAO attributed about $6.7 billion to the deferred-resignation program.9Sep 15 · GAO
Allied Governments
Houthi escalation.
The U.K. told the Security Council that Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia injured 13 more civilians and that consolidation around Bab al-Mandeb threatens shipping; more than 126,000 people are displaced.aSep 15 · UK FCDODreadnought update.
The Ministry of Defence gave Parliament its 13th annual report on the Dreadnought ballistic-missile submarine programme and the wider Defence Nuclear Enterprise, the first since May 2025.bSep 15 · UK MoDSovereign jet engine.
Britain's Ministry of Defence and start-up Alloyed took a digitally manufactured turbojet from concept to flight in under seven months, creating 60 jobs with 45 more expected.cSep 15 · UK MoD
Voices
“[The] defendants allegedly operated as part of a global assassination network that reached into the United States… to carry out killings at the behest of the Kremlin.”
AAG John A. Eisenberg, DOJ National Security · Sep 151
“The United States remains gravely concerned about racially motivated crime and government-sponsored discrimination occurring against the Afrikaners and other minority populations in South Africa.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio · Sep 153
“Alex Saab exploited the U.S. financial system to profit off the backs of the Venezuelan people.”
AAG A. Tysen Duva, DOJ Criminal Division · Sep 154
“[First-in-human] trials are completed much faster in China and Australia, threatening America's leadership in scientific innovation.”
FDA news release, Expedited IND Pilot · Sep 158
“[The program moved] from first flight to live munitions firing in just nine months — delivering lethal, adaptable combat mass to our warfighters years ahead of schedule.”
Gen. Dale White, Critical Major Weapon Systems · Sep 147
“GAO's review of payroll data found that federal agencies' use of paid administrative leave increased by 435 percent from 2023 to 2025.”
GAO-26-108477, Federal Workforce · Sep 159
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Members of Russian Intelligence Services Network Charged with Conspiring to Finance Terrorism and Commit Murder for Hire in the United States,” September 15, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/russian-intelligence-network
- Federal Register (Dept. of Commerce), “Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells … From Indonesia: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value,” September 16, 2026 — one of five same-day solar determinations covering India, Indonesia, and Laos. federalregister.gov/…/solar-cells-indonesia-final
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Announcement of New Visa Restriction Policy Targeting Foreign Nationals Involved in Race-Based Discrimination,” September 15, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/visa-restriction-policy
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Maduro Regime Ally Alex Saab Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Scheme Involving Bribery and Public Contracts for Food and Medicine,” September 15, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/alex-saab-guilty-plea
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Secretary Rubio's Call with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi,” September 15, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/rubio-call-oman
- USTR, “USTR Convenes Over 50 Trading Partners to Provide Training Related to Imposing and Enforcing Forced Labor Import Prohibitions,” September 15, 2026. ustr.gov/press-releases/…/forced-labor-training
- U.S. Air Force, “Air Force dubs Collaborative Combat Aircraft FQ-42 Vengeance, FQ-44 Fury,” September 14, 2026. af.mil/News/…/cca-vengeance-fury
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “FDA Launches Expedited IND Pilot, Begins Accepting Applications,” September 15, 2026. fda.gov/news-events/…/expedited-ind-pilot
- U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Federal Workforce: Deferred Resignation Program Largely Responsible for Sixfold Increase in Paid Administrative Leave Salary Costs” (GAO-26-108477), September 15, 2026. gao.gov/products/gao-26-108477
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “The Houthis bear full responsibility for the escalation in Yemen: UK statement at the UN Security Council,” September 15, 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/yemen-unsc-statement
- UK Ministry of Defence, “Defence Nuclear Enterprise 2026 Annual Update to Parliament,” September 15, 2026. gov.uk/government/publications/…/defence-nuclear-enterprise-2026
- UK Ministry of Defence, “New sovereign UK turbojet engine takes to the skies in under seven months,” September 15, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/sovereign-uk-turbojet-engine