News

Evening Brief: US Marine Corps Reaches 2026 Retention Goal, UK Tests DragonFire Laser Weapon, Kremlin Confirms Upcoming US Envoy Visit

BY Guy D. McCardle

Marines hit retention goal, UK tests laser weapon, Ukraine peace talks gain traction. Here’s what’s making headlines this Wednesday evening.

The DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon successfully engaged a target during a test at the MOD’s Hebrides Range. Image Credit: UK Ministry of Defence.

Midweek wrap: Here’s your Wednesday evening brief, November 26, 2025.

Advertisement

 

US Marine Corps Reaches 2026 Retention Goal Weeks into Fiscal Year

The US Marine Corps met its fiscal year 2026 retention goal less than a month into the new fiscal year (FY), continuing its trend of strong reenlistment numbers under the Talent Management 2030 initiative.

Commandant General Eric Smith and Sergeant Major Carlos Ruiz credited early action and improved retention systems, encouraging Marines to submit reenlistment packages early for 2027.

Advertisement

While the overall goal has been achieved, several military occupational specialties remain open, including counterintelligence, reconnaissance, explosive ordnance disposal, and amphibious combat vehicle operations. Marines are encouraged to consider lateral moves or reserve opportunities.

The Corps has consistently surpassed recent retention targets, with FY 2025 goals reached months ahead of schedule and total reenlistments climbing to 15,429—exceeding the previous year’s 13,776. Leaders are preparing for the next retention cycle, with a new plan expected in January.

Advertisement

 

Drugmakers Agree to Major Medicare Price Cuts Under Trump Administration’s Negotiation Program

Pharmaceutical companies have agreed to reduce Medicare prices for 15 widely used prescription drugs following months of negotiations, the Trump administration announced this week.

The price cuts, part of a Medicare negotiation program established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, are projected to save the government about $8.5 billion annually once they take effect in 2027.

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the deals reflect the administration’s effort to make health care more affordable for seniors.

The latest round covers drugs treating diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and cancer, including popular GLP-1 medications Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. The combined total of negotiated drugs now stands at 25. Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs will vary by plan, though new rules cap annual expenses at $2,000.

Officials said the program’s second year achieved deeper discounts than the initial round launched under the Biden administration. Pharmaceutical companies continue to challenge the law in court, arguing it stifles innovation.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is piloting expanded Medicare coverage for obesity-related GLP-1 drugs and plans to negotiate prices for another 15 medications next year.

 

US Forces Japan Halts Solo Military Police Patrols After Viral Video Shows Civilian Detained in Okinawa

US Forces Japan (USFJ) has suspended unilateral military police patrols in Okinawa pending an investigation into a viral video showing US officers forcefully detaining an American civilian outside a bar near Kadena Air Base.

The footage, shared on social media Sunday, shows officers slamming Kareem Farrakhan El, a former Marine captain visiting Okinaw, to the ground and attempting to handcuff him as he protested their actions.

USFJ spokesman Colonel John Severns said Wednesday that Lieutenant General Stephen Jost, the USFJ commander, ordered the investigation and retraining of patrol members. He confirmed the civilian was not affiliated with the US military.

US Military Police arrests civilian
Viral footage shows U.S. military police detaining an American civilian outside a bar near Kadena Air Base. (Screenshot via Facebook)

The incident occurred during one of the patrols, which had been operating independently since September to enforce an off-base alcohol curfew.

Under the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, US military police have no jurisdiction over Japanese civilians or residents unaffiliated with the military.

The incident has sparked widespread criticism online and renewed scrutiny of US policing practices in Okinawa, where public sensitivity to American military conduct remains high.

 

House Panel Calls Anthropic CEO to Testify on Chinese AI-Driven Cyberattack Using Claude Code

The House Homeland Security Committee has invited Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to testify on December 17 about how Chinese state actors allegedly used the company’s Claude Code AI model in a major cyber-espionage campaign—the first known instance of an artificial intelligence (AI)-orchestrated cyberattack.

Committee Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) also called on Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian and Quantum Xchange CEO Eddy Zervigon to appear at the same hearing on the future of AI and cybersecurity.

Lawmakers say the hearing will explore how adversaries could use AI tools for autonomous cyber operations and how industry and government can respond at “machine speed.”

Garbarino warned that foreign adversaries’ use of commercial AI for near-fully automated hacking “should concern every sector of critical infrastructure.”

The panel also plans to examine how cloud providers and quantum-security firms are adapting to defend against emerging AI-enabled threats.

Executives have until December 3 to confirm their participation.

 

UK Tests DragonFire Laser Weapon, Shoots Down High-Speed Drones in Breakthrough Trial

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence successfully tested its DragonFire laser weapon in Scotland, destroying drones flying at 650 kilometers per hour (403 mph) in what officials called a major step toward integrating directed-energy systems into the military.

The test at the MOD Hebrides range marked one of Europe’s most advanced demonstrations of laser-based air defense technology.

The ministry also awarded a £316 million ($413 million) contract to MBDA to install DragonFire on Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers. Each shot from the system costs about £10 and can hit a target the size of a £1 coin from a kilometer away, offering a cheaper and faster alternative to missile-based interceptors.

Developed as part of NATO’s push into directed-energy defense, DragonFire uses concentrated light to burn through targets at the speed of light.

The UK joins countries such as Israel, Germany, and China in deploying or developing similar systems as drone and missile threats rise globally. The US continues to invest heavily in the technology, with more than $1 billion in annual funding for laser and microwave defense programs.

 

Kremlin Confirms Upcoming US Envoy Visit as Ukraine Peace Talks Gain Momentum

The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that US special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow next week as diplomatic efforts accelerate to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Moscow has not officially received Washington’s peace proposal but has reviewed a version obtained through informal channels. Talks involving US, Russian, and Ukrainian representatives were held earlier this week in the United Arab Emirates.

Ushakov and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov both cautioned against overstating progress, with Peskov saying it is “too early” to suggest a peace deal is near.

The proposal, initially seen as favorable to Russia, has been revised following US-Ukrainian discussions in Geneva.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the plan as potentially “workable” and hopes to meet with US President Donald Trump soon.

Meanwhile, Russian drones struck the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, wounding at least 19 people, while Ukraine claimed a successful strike on a Russian missile equipment plant.

In Europe, leaders voiced growing unease over being sidelined in peace negotiations, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisting that any deal must secure Ukraine’s independence and defense capabilities.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas added that Russia has shown “zero indication” it is ready for a genuine ceasefire.

 

Israel Returns 15 Palestinian Bodies as Ceasefire Holds Amid Fresh Violence in Gaza and West Bank

Israel handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinians on Wednesday, a day after Hamas returned the remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or, as part of a US-brokered ceasefire that remains fragile amid continued clashes in Gaza and the West Bank.

Two hostages, including one Israeli and one Thai national, remain unreturned.

Mediators from Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt met in Cairo to plan the next phase of the ceasefire, which includes forming an international stabilization force to disarm Hamas and a UN-mandated authority to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction.

In Gaza, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes and raids that killed several suspected militants, while local hospitals reported at least one civilian death from Israeli fire in central Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry said 69,775 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, including 345 since the truce took effect.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the West Bank’s Tubas governorate, using helicopters and airstrikes to target what they called “terror infrastructures.”

The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet stated that the operation involved airstrikes, ground troops, and Border Police units to dismantle terror infrastructure seeking to gain a presence in the area.

Palestinian officials condemned the action as a step toward annexation.

Rising settler violence and recent deadly attacks have fueled fears that the unrest could undermine the ceasefire.

As regional diplomacy continues, Indonesia confirmed preparations to deploy peacekeepers to Gaza under the proposed international force, and Pope Leo XIV announced his first foreign trip to Turkey and Lebanon following renewed Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut.

 

Military Seizes Power in Guinea-Bissau After Contested Election, President Arrested

Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau announced on state television Wednesday that they had overthrown President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, suspended all government institutions, and closed the country’s borders.

The declaration followed heavy gunfire near the presidential palace and came three days after national elections in which both Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa claimed victory before results were released.

A military spokesperson, Dinis N’Tchama, said the coup was triggered by an alleged plot to manipulate election results involving politicians, a drug trafficker, and foreign nationals.

Embaló told French media he had been deposed and detained by the army chief of staff but was not mistreated.

The military also halted media operations and suspended the electoral process.

The coup adds to a series of recent military takeovers across West Africa.

Guinea-Bissau, long a hub for drug trafficking, has faced chronic instability since independence, with four previous coups and multiple failed attempts.

Embaló, who came to power in 2020, had faced a legitimacy dispute after opposition groups claimed his term expired earlier this year.

 

Myanmar Junta Grants Amnesty to Thousands Ahead of Election, Unclear if Suu Kyi Included

Myanmar’s military government announced Wednesday that it has granted amnesty to more than 3,000 political prisoners and dropped charges against over 5,500 others ahead of next month’s national election.

State media said the move aims to ensure “eligible voters” can participate freely in the December 28 vote.

Authorities said the amnesty covers prisoners convicted under the incitement law, often used to jail critics for spreading so-called false or fear-inducing information. It was unclear if former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, serving a 27-year sentence following what her supporters call politically motivated prosecutions, is among those freed.

The military’s announcement follows years of violent suppression and mass arrests since its 2021 coup. Rights groups estimate more than 22,000 political prisoners remain in detention.

Critics say the upcoming election will not be free or fair, as Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy has been disbanded and independent media silenced.

 

South Korea Successfully Launches Largest Satellite Yet on Homegrown Nuri Rocket

South Korea launched its largest satellite to date early Thursday aboard the domestically developed Nuri rocket, marking the country’s fourth successful launch and a milestone in its expanding space program.

The three-stage rocket lifted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung and placed a 516-kilogram (1,137-pound) science satellite and 12 microsatellites into orbit about 600 kilometers (372 miles) above Earth.

Officials confirmed the main satellite established contact with a ground station in Antarctica about 40 minutes after launch, verifying that it was operating normally.

The launch was the first to be assembled by private firm Hanwha Aerospace under a technology transfer from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, signaling growing commercial participation in South Korea’s space sector.

Science Minister Kyunghoon Bae called the launch a “turning point” for the nation’s space ambitions, which include next-generation rockets, lunar exploration, and deep-space missions.

The Nuri program, which began in 2021, aims for two more launches by 2027 to strengthen South Korea’s independent space capabilities and narrow the gap with regional powers China, Japan, and India.

 

Sources: News Agencies

Advertisement

What readers are saying

Generating a quick summary of the conversation...

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR