Russia open to Trump-Putin call as questions grow over plague lab worker's death

Russia said Wednesday it is open to scheduling a phone call between Presidents Trump and Vladimir Putin to discuss the unexplained death of a plague research center employee, though no call has been arranged yet. The offer follows U.S. calls for transparency about the Oct. 2 death. Darya Shipilova, 28, died at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, with Russian authorities citing "pneumonia of unknown origin" as the cause. Initial media reports suggested pneumonic plague, and the WHO has requested more information. Russia says no plague was found among 200 screened contacts and that precautionary measures are being eased. The lab also handles bioterrorism response planning, and experts note its history as a cover for a biological weapons facility. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan have implemented border precautions, while Russia's reassurances have not quelled speculation about secondary infections or the cause of death.