Voice of America Chinese Broadcast (October 6, 2026) American scientist Carl Deisseroth and German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel jointly receive the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine - October 06, 2026
This episode of Voice of America Chinese broadcast covers multiple international and geopolitical news items, mainly including: Russian airstrikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine, causing casualties; the Yemeni government forces claiming the recapture of strategic locations around the Bab el-Mandeb strait; the FBI arresting a Chinese-American woman, Zhang Wanying, in California for allegedly spying on the son of Lai Ching-te for the Chinese government; US and German scientists jointly winning the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; US Senator Daines discussing US-China relations and China's tech security policy; and satellite imagery showing China accelerating the construction of a full-size runway on Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands, among other events.
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Hello, listeners and friends, welcome to the Voice of America Chinese broadcast. I am Unknown, broadcasting today's program from the US capital, Washington. The main contents of today's program include: Russian guided bombs and drones attacked Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, on October 5, resulting in three deaths. The Yemeni government said that Yemeni forces have recaptured territory overlooking the strategic energy chokepoint of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced, with one US scientist and two German scientists jointly winning.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram that Russian guided bombs and drones attacked Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Monday, October 5, killing three people. Terekhov said at least 29 people were injured, including three children. The regional administrative head stated that 39 injured people are receiving treatment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a Russian drone set a commercial merchant ship on fire in the Black Sea, which subsequently sank. Romanian authorities said two people died and 11 crew members were rescued. He called this a terrible attack by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters, stating that the Turkish-owned ship was transporting corn at the time. The governor of Ukraine's seaport region said on Telegram that industrial and port infrastructure was attacked, and the fire has been extinguished.
Russia's Ministry of Defense said it attacked fuel storage facilities in Chornomorsk, cargo ships, and a substation in the Kharkiv region, all of which were used for military purposes. The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 205 drones overnight, 172 of which were shot down or suppressed. The Russian side stated it shot down 199 Ukrainian drones. Border guards in Moldova stated that a shell exploded at a border crossing between Moldova and Ukraine, hitting a bus and a checkpoint, leaving a border official with minor injuries and suspending operations.
The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday that Europe has seen a surge in Russian hybrid attacks, sabotage attempts, and airspace violations in recent weeks. He told reporters in Brussels that Russian missiles and drones violated Moldovan airspace again over the weekend.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said late Sunday that long-range strikes have disabled 51% of Russia's refining capacity. Defense Minister Hemara stated that 51% of refining capacity has been destroyed, which is a major blow to the enemy's economy, its ability to launch aggression, and its capacity to supply its forces. Russian officials have not yet released loss figures, but President Putin stated on October 1 that the attacks caused Russia a loss of about 1% of its GDP.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, October 5, that the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation at a plague research center in Russia after the death of a laboratory worker. Russian authorities have quarantined dozens of people in the Irkutsk region, and the head of Russia's health regulatory agency has flown to the region to meet with officials and discuss the situation. Rubio stated that there is no need to panic, but close attention and vigilance are required.
Listening to Rubio's remarks, what we understand is based on information provided by the Russian side. Apparently, a laboratory worker at the facility was infected, and there are concerns that the outbreak may have spread internally at least, which is why we see them taking quarantine and other related measures. Although travel between the U.S. and Russia is already very limited, as with any infectious disease, once an epidemic spreads, the transmission speed can be very fast. Therefore, we are closely monitoring the development of the situation. I think this does not yet rise to the level of panic, but it is indeed worth our primary focus and maintaining vigilance, which is exactly what we are doing at present.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told Voice of America that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is closely monitoring developments with the State Department and other interagency partners, and safeguarding the safety of American citizens is our highest priority. The deceased woman had worked at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia and Irkutsk in the Far East. Irkutsk Oblast Governor Kobzev posted on Telegram on Monday that the cause of death was pneumonia of unknown origin, and investigators did not find any microorganisms related to her work. Kobzev also said that other members of the institute have not reported any new cases.
The Yemeni government said on Monday, October 5, that following the Yemeni leader's announcement Sunday of a massive offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, Yemeni forces have recaptured the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha as well as territory overlooking the strategic energy chokepoint of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio told reporters on Monday that Yemeni forces are working hard to retake areas seized by the Houthis during their recent offensive. Rubio also said that Saudi Arabia, which has constantly suffered fierce attacks by Houthi missiles and drones, has the right to defend itself against these attacks. A report published on X by the official Yemeni news agency Saba reported that government forces and allied troops took control of Mokha in western Taiz Governorate after fierce clashes with the Houthis on Monday. The report stated that troops captured the city with air support.
Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen, announced the launch of Operation Dawn of Yemen on Sunday, stating that the objective of the operation is to restore state institutions and retake the capital, Sanaa. Yemeni military spokesperson Colonel Majid Al-Nuzaili reported that there have been military operations across multiple fronts since Sunday, stating that pro-government armed militias made progress in the Dhubab area on the southwestern front. Nuzaili posted on X that the Giants Brigades and Nation Shield forces successfully took control of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, and the Dhubab airport has been taken over by government forces. He said their troops cut off the road between Dhubab and the major port city of Mokha and are consolidating control.
Nuzaili stated that government forces also launched a strategic offensive operation against the capital, Sanaa, which was occupied by the Houthis in 2014. The Saudi-led coalition includes countries that support the internationally recognized Yemeni government, such as Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Malaysia. The coalition said a total of 100 fighter jets participated in the operation, providing air support to ground forces. Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki stated that the coalition destroyed 324 high-value targets and secured air protection for the strait.
After previously denying that Yemeni government forces had made territorial gains, Houthi-controlled media confirmed the fighting that took place on the outskirts of Dhubab. Houthi rebels also claimed that Saudi airstrikes killed nine people in Yemen's Sanaa province. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree posted on X that they shot down a Saudi reconnaissance drone in Taiz Governorate. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization claimed it had driven Saudi-backed forces out of the Mawawishta district in Taiz Governorate and reached the residence of Presidential Leadership Council Chairman al-Alimi.
The Houthi rebels also claimed on Monday that a Saudi airstrike in Sana'a province killed 9 people, including a schoolgirl, but these casualties have not been independently verified. The Yemeni government said on Monday, October 5, that after Yemeni leaders announced a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Sunday, the Yemeni army had recaptured territory overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic energy chokepoint.
Next, a report on the U.S. military. The U.S. military has confirmed that one week after U.S. and British officials thwarted a plot potentially linked to Iran, U.S. forces have withdrawn all their bombers from a base in western England. A U.S. Department of Defense official told Voice of America in a statement on Monday, October 5, that while we cannot confirm the movement of our assets and forces in real-time due to operational security concerns, we can now say that all U.S. bombers deployed to RAF Fairford have been redeployed to their home stations in the United States.
The official said that U.S. bomber crews are ready to carry out strike missions at any location and at any time, including missions launched from the U.S. mainland. These bombers had previously operated from RAF Fairford, located about 150 kilometers west of London, including conducting airstrikes against Iran during the war that began in February. Iran says that the U.S. use of British military bases makes those bases legitimate targets for attack.
British authorities arrested six men near the base in connection with the incident after receiving reports of suspicious activity. Of the six men, five are British citizens and the sixth is a British-Iranian citizen; all six have been released on bail, and the investigation into the incident continues. British counter-terrorism police said that some gasoline was found in a van parked near the base, but no explosives were discovered. U.S. President Trump stated that the suspects planned to cause great destruction and that Iran might be involved. British Prime Minister Burnham said there were strong indications of Iranian involvement. Iran denied the allegations of its involvement, calling them baseless and malicious slander.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested a Chinese-American woman in California on Sunday, October 4, charging her with spying on the family of Lai Ching-te, the President of Taiwan, who resides in the United States, under the direction of Chinese officials. The Presidential Office of Taiwan condemned the CCP's transnational repression on Monday, and FBI Director Patel also responded on the X platform. Let's listen to the report by VOA reporter Liu Wenming.
The FBI criminal complaint states that Zhang Wanying, who lives in California, was directed by Chinese government officials to monitor Lai Ching-te's son, Lai Ting-yu. In September 2025, Zhang Wanying traveled to Seattle and waited outside Lai Ting-yu's home to take photos. The FBI arrested Zhang Wanying at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday, as she was planning to travel to China. Bill Essali, Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, posted a photo on his X page of FBI agents escorting Zhang Wanying inside the airport terminal, charging the 34-year-old Irvine, California resident with acting as an unregistered foreign agent.
FBI Director Kash Patel also posted on the X platform regarding foreign hostile forces, stating that the United States is no longer a place where you can safely engage in espionage. Patel said that it is not so easy to allegedly spy on the family of a foreign leader within the United States for the Chinese government and then try to fly back to Shanghai; the current FBI will find those who threaten U.S. national security, no matter where they hide, and bring them to justice.
Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui thanked the United States on Monday for protecting Taiwanese citizens and criticized China's transnational repression. Regarding the U.S. judicial authorities' uncovering of China's alleged illegal surveillance of President Lai's family, this is a typical case of transnational repression. We express our strongest condemnation for such barbaric acts that disregard human rights and suppress or threaten those who advocate for freedom and democracy, or their families. Such behavior should not be tolerated in the civilized world. In addition to thanking U.S. judicial authorities for their assistance and protection of our citizens, Taiwan will continue to cooperate with all democratic allies, including the United States, to jointly combat such illegal acts of transnational repression.
The Mainland Affairs Council of Taiwan also issued a press release stating that the CCP continues to engage in transnational repression around the world, with the number of people targeted by transnational repression against Taiwan reaching at least 126 individuals and 140 incidents. After Zhang Wanying was arrested, her personal profile on Zillow, the largest real estate platform in the U.S., was also exposed. The name of the company she worked for is JC Pacific Capital Inc, and she had been a real estate agent for ten years, with two one-star customer reviews on the webpage.
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced on October 5. American scientist Karl Deisseroth and German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel were jointly awarded the prize in recognition of their breakthrough discoveries in light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, which help scientists further understand the working mechanisms of the brain. Let us listen to what the Secretary-General of the Nobel Committee at the Karolinska Institute has to say: The Nobel Committee at the Karolinska Institute has decided today to jointly award the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and Georg Nagel for their discoveries in the fields of light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.
Let us also listen to Abdul El Manira, professor of neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute, introduce the contribution and significance of the joint research by the American and German scientists to the field of optogenetics. The impact of optogenetics extends far beyond understanding the healthy brain; it also helps us reveal how specific brain circuits are disrupted, which is of great significance for understanding conditions such as blindness, depression, addiction, and dementia.
On Monday, the three major stock indices saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average rise by 0.18%, the S&P 500 rise by 0.66%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rise by 1.05%.
Republican U.S. Senator Steve Daines stated that the United States should not seek a total decoupling from China, but should instead de-risk while maintaining engagement. He emphasized that the U.S. needs to maintain its economic and military strength, and avoid further escalation in U.S.-China relations through diplomatic communication. On the issue of Taiwan, Daines advocated maintaining the current course. Let us listen to the report by VOA reporter Yihua Lee.
Speaking at the Nixon Foundation's Great Power Strategy Summit on October 1 regarding last week's U.S.-China leaders' summit, Republican Senator Daines from Montana said that the main significance of this meeting lay in stabilizing and easing bilateral relations rather than immediately resolving all specific issues. Daines said that regarding the outcome of the summit, I think the Chinese side must have breathed a huge sigh of relief, because during this visit, nothing unpleasant happened, and the President showed great courtesy and respect to Xi Jinping. He pointed out that in Chinese culture, face is a very important issue, and Xi Jinping received respect during this visit. He said, I think the entire 72-hour process was more of a ceremonial and ritualistic arrangement with relatively little substantive content. To be honest, however, I didn't expect this visit to yield too many substantive results anyway; we just wanted to make sure that in terms of tariffs and rhetoric, this relationship could continue to cool down and ease, and right now, we are in a better place.
Turning to issues such as Ukraine and Iran, Daines stated that the U.S. and Chinese sides had quite intense discussions, but these discussions mostly took place behind closed doors, with relatively little discussion in public. Addressing criticism from outsiders that the U.S. government's position toward Beijing is not tough enough, Daines said that whether in a business environment or diplomatic setting, based on his experience dealing with the Chinese side, if the goal is to push for practical results on issues, frank and intense dialogues, tough dialogues, are best conducted behind closed doors. Prior to the U.S.-China summit in Washington, Senator Daines visited Guangzhou and Zhejiang at the end of August this year and toured local tech companies. In May of this year, ahead of U.S. President Trump's visit to Beijing, Daines also led a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit Shanghai and Beijing, and Daines was the only U.S. senator to attend the White House dinner between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Daines stated at Thursday's meeting that the United States should not seek a total decoupling from China, but should instead de-risk while maintaining engagement. Daines said that whether U.S.-China relations can remain stable depends on the one hand on the economic and military strength of the United States itself, and on the other hand on whether both sides maintain communication. He particularly emphasized the importance of maintaining direct communication between the top leaders of the two countries. Daines said that these diplomatic communication channels are crucial, and he believes an under-appreciated fact in U.S.-China relations is that President Trump and President Xi Jinping maintain frequent communication and talk over the phone.
Daines entered the U.S. Senate in 2015, having previously served as a member of the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015. While working for Procter & Gamble from 1991 to 1997, he was stationed in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, where he participated in the company's business expansion in China and assisted in establishing manufacturing facilities. Speaking about his experiences in China at the meeting, Daines said that he began interacting with China in 1991 and later moved with his family to Guangzhou, living and working in China for many years. He stated that over the past few decades he has witnessed firsthand the tremendous changes in China's economic and technological sectors, which is why he believes U.S. policymakers need to continuously understand China. On the Taiwan issue, Daines emphasized that the United States should maintain its existing course and consistency in its policy toward Taiwan, arguing that fluctuations in U.S. policy could increase the risk of miscalculation and conflict.
On October 2, House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar praised NASA for strengthening research security enforcement. Following a report released by the committee this year, NASA recently took major steps to strengthen the enforcement of the Wolf Amendment and suspended a total of $40 million across 40 grant projects to address security risks identified in the report. Listen to this Voice of America report.
The Michigan Republican federal representative said in a statement that NASA deserves recognition for taking important steps to protect U.S. research and innovation. In May of this year, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, led by Moolenaar, released a report titled Research Security in America's Space Future: NASA's Enforcement of the Wolf Amendment. This report examines NASA's compliance issues and the enforcement of the Wolf Amendment. The Wolf Amendment, passed in 2011, prohibits NASA from using federal funds to engage in bilateral research and activities with China without approval from Congress and the FBI.
The report found that hundreds of publications supported or funded by NASA were co-authored by U.S. and Chinese personnel or involved institutional cooperation, potentially violating the Wolf Amendment. Former Virginia Republican federal representative Frank Wolf, the author of the Wolf Amendment, wrote in the foreword of that report that the openness of the U.S. research environment fosters innovation and strengthens American leadership; however, he said openness does not mean a lack of rules, and when taxpayer-funded research intersects with national security risks, the United States has both the authority and the obligation to draw clear lines.
In February of this year, Moolenaar and Iowa Republican federal Senator Chuck Grassley jointly wrote a letter to the head of NASA, questioning whether the U.S. space agency might have funded bilateral cooperation with Chinese institutions. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party also issued a statement at the time saying that research funded by NASA should never rely on entities associated with the Chinese military-industrial complex. Following the release of the committee's report in May, NASA reviewed ongoing research grant projects totaling more than $40 million, checking for potential violations of Wolf Amendment regulations in bilateral research cooperation with Chinese institutions.
During the review, these grant projects were suspended. The space agency also initiated administrative enforcement actions and established a coordination mechanism between its Office of Research Security and Office of Inspector General to refer verified violations for further investigation, with potential referral to the Department of Justice for enforcement action. In addition, NASA developed and implemented an automated process to proactively identify research papers that may involve prohibited or high-risk collaborations, and established additional review procedures for grant recipients to ensure compliance.
Moolenaar said in the statement that this is crucial for proactively identifying prohibited collaborations and referring them for appropriate enforcement. He stated, I commend NASA leadership and the Trump administration for taking these necessary and concrete steps to protect taxpayer-funded research. The National Science Foundation introduced a new policy in July of this year prohibiting the use of its research funding for cooperation with institutions included on various U.S. government restricted lists.
The Chinese government is accelerating the construction of a full-size runway on Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands, which China calls the Xisha Islands, where there are territorial sovereignty disputes. If the project proceeds smoothly, it is very likely to be completed by the end of 2027, allowing for aircraft takeoffs and landings. An exclusive report from Hong Kong by Reuters on October 2nd pointed out that, according to satellite imagery, Chinese engineering personnel are currently leveling the ground on Antelope Reef, with gravel and concrete piled up on the reef, and road rollers and cranes also in operation.
Reuters cited military attachés and security analysts as saying that once the runway on Antelope Reef is completed, it could become one of China's most important offshore military bases in the region. More than a decade ago, China carried out extensive construction in the Spratly Islands, which China calls the Nansha Islands, further south in the South China Sea, implementing large-scale land reclamation projects to expand seven reefs into seven small islands, and building runways capable of handling military aircraft on some of these islands and reefs. China also deployed weapons and equipment, including radar and missiles, on these artificial islands. The Chinese government began large-scale land reclamation operations on Antelope Reef in October 2025, and as of March 2026, the total area of the reef had increased to 602 hectares.