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Evening Brief: US Airlines Cut Hundreds of Flights, Allies Deploy US System to Counter Drones, Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords

BY Guy D. McCardle

FAA cuts flights, Trump strikes obesity drug deal, and NATO arms up as tensions rise. Here’s what’s making headlines this Thursday evening.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu in Washington, D.C., June 12, 2025. (State Department)

Catching up? Here’s the Thursday evening rundown – November 6, 2025.

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US Airlines Cut Hundreds of Flights as FAA Reduces Air Traffic Amid Government Shutdown

US airlines began cutting flights at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered Thursday reductions to ease strain on unpaid air traffic controllers during the ongoing government shutdown.

The cuts, starting at 4 percent and rising to 10 percent, affect airports in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. Airlines scrambled to adjust schedules Thursday, with passengers bracing for cancellations and delays.

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United Airlines confirmed plans to reduce its flight schedule by 4 percent over the weekend, while Delta and American Airlines pledged refunds for travelers affected by disruptions. Industry analysts warned of nationwide ripple effects, including delays in cargo operations at key hubs in Memphis and Louisville.

The FAA said it imposed the reductions to maintain safety as controllers work mandatory overtime without pay. The agency’s administrator, Bryan Bedford, described the move as unprecedented.

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The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has left controllers without pay since October 1, prompting growing absences and raising concerns about flight safety and system reliability.

 

Nebraska Prison Converted to Federal Immigration Detention Center Despite Local Opposition

A former minimum-security state prison in McCook, Nebraska, has begun operating as a federal immigration detention center, Governor Jim Pillen announced Thursday.

The facility, now holding between 50 and 60 detainees, is expected to reach its 200-person capacity by Thanksgiving, with plans to expand to 300 beds early next year.

The site, previously known as the McCook Work Ethic Camp, had housed low-level offenders participating in rehabilitation and work programs. Those inmates have been relocated to other state prisons or released.

Local officials were caught off guard when Pillen announced in August that the facility would be repurposed under President Donald Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement efforts.

The new center, dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink,” has drawn criticism from some Nebraska lawmakers and residents, who argue that Pillen bypassed legislative authority. Fourteen residents, represented by the nonprofit Nebraska Appleseed, sued to block the conversion, but a judge declined to halt the project.

The change comes amid a surge in federal immigration detentions, which have increased by more than 50 percent since January, with most detainees having little or no criminal history.

 

Chief Master Sergeant David Wolfe Named Air Force’s Top Enlisted Leader

Chief Master Sergeant David Wolfe has been appointed as the 21st Chief Master Sergeant of the US Air Force, the service announced Thursday.

Wolfe succeeds Chief Master Sergeant David Flosi, who retired following the death of his wife in September.

Wolfe, who joined the Air Force in 1992, has served in roles spanning missile and space warning security and elite guard duty. He previously worked as the top enlisted adviser to Air Force Chief of Staff General Kenneth Wilsbach during his commands at Air Combat Command and Pacific Air Forces.

US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said Wolfe’s selection comes at a critical time for the service.

Wilsbach, who recently replaced General David Allvin as chief of staff, praised Wolfe as a trusted adviser and leader with decades of experience.

 

Marines Offer Up to $15,000 Bonuses to Attract and Retain Tech-Skilled Recruits

The Marine Corps is offering enlistment bonuses of up to $15,000 to recruits who join technology-related career fields or agree to longer initial service commitments, according to a new administrative message released earlier this week.

The incentives target cyber operations, cryptologic, and electronics maintenance roles as part of the Corps’ push to strengthen its technological capabilities on the modern battlefield.

Recruits in any of the Marines’ 31 career programs can also earn bonuses for extending their contracts—$7,000 for adding one year and $15,000 for adding two. Additionally, those willing to begin training at the Corps’ chosen time can receive $5,000 or $10,000 bonuses regardless of specialty.

Marine officials said the new incentives aim to remain competitive in recruiting tech-savvy Americans and to reduce high turnover rates. About 75 percent of Marines currently leave after their first enlistment.

The bonuses support the Corps’ shift from a “recruit and replace” model to an “invest and retain” approach focused on building a more experienced and deployable force.

 

US Patriot Missile Unit Returns to South Korea After Historic Air Defense Battle in Middle East

A US Patriot missile battalion that likely took part in one of the largest air defense engagements in American history has returned to South Korea after a six-month deployment to the Middle East, U.S. Forces Korea announced.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment arrived at Osan Air Base on October 30, following a short-notice deployment that began in March.

Although officials did not specify the mission, the timing indicates the unit participated in defending Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during a massive June missile attack by Iran.

US commanders said Patriot crews intercepted incoming missiles, preventing any casualties in what Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine called the largest single Patriot engagement in US history.

The battalion, part of the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, operates under US Central Command (CENTCOM) and US Forces Korea. Its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ashley Hahn, said the experience will enhance the unit’s readiness to defend South Korea against North Korean missile and aerial threats.

 

Trump Announces Drugmaker Deal to Cut Prices and Expand Access to Obesity Drugs Zepbound and Wegovy

US President Donald Trump announced a deal Thursday with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and lower prices for the popular obesity drugs Zepbound and Wegovy.

The agreement will extend Medicare coverage for the treatments starting next year and introduce lower prices through the administration’s new TrumpRx program. The drugs, which currently cost about $500 a month, will be offered at starting doses of $299 to $449, with further reductions planned over two years. If approved, new pill versions will launch at $149 a month.

The move aims to address rising public concern over high drug costs and limited access to obesity treatments. Medicare will begin covering the medications for patients with severe obesity or related health conditions, requiring $50 copays.

The TrumpRx program will allow uninsured patients to buy the drugs directly from manufacturers at discounted rates.

The announcement follows similar price-cut deals with Pfizer and AstraZeneca and comes as the administration seeks to show responsiveness to voters’ cost-of-living frustrations.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. called the initiative a major step toward making obesity treatment more accessible.

The drugs, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have proven effective for significant weight loss but remain out of reach for many due to cost and limited insurance coverage.

 

Senate Votes on Resolution to Limit Trump’s Authority to Attack Venezuela

The Senate voted Thursday on a resolution to restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to launch military action against Venezuela without congressional approval.

The measure, introduced by Senator Tim Kaine, sought to reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over war powers and respond to concerns about Trump’s growing naval buildup in the Caribbean. Although unlikely to pass, the vote allowed lawmakers from both parties to voice opposition to potential escalation toward regime change in Venezuela.

The debate follows reports of increased US military activity targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Lawmakers, including some Republicans, have demanded more transparency from the administration. Senators received classified briefings from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on recent strikes but were not told whether direct attacks on Venezuelan territory were planned.

Several Republicans joined Democrats in expressing unease over the campaign’s scope, citing its cost and unclear objectives. Supporters of the president, including Senator Lindsey Graham, defended the strikes as necessary to combat “narco-terrorist” threats.

The resolution represents a broader congressional effort to check executive war powers as tensions rise over US military operations near Venezuela.

 

Michigan Guard Chief Warns of Ongoing Chinese Efforts to Gather US Military Intelligence

Michigan National Guard commander Major General Paul D. Rogers told state lawmakers Wednesday that recent incidents involving Chinese nationals attempting to access military installations in Michigan are part of a broader, ongoing intelligence-gathering effort by China.

Rogers described the activity as “constant probing” of US military sites, including Camp Grayling and Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

Rogers cited an August 2023 case at Camp Grayling, where five Chinese nationals, then University of Michigan students, were caught taking photos near classified military equipment during a joint training exercise involving US and Taiwanese forces.

The students were later charged with conspiracy, making false statements, and destroying records after returning to China.

He also described a separate incident in which two Chinese nationals twice tried to enter Selfridge Air Base under the pretense of visiting a museum. Rogers said the repeated attempts showed intent to test security procedures. Federal officials identified the suspects through cooperation between state, local, and federal agencies.

The Camp Grayling case is one of several recent federal cases involving University of Michigan students from China accused of espionage-related or smuggling activities.

Rogers said similar incidents are occurring nationwide, reflecting what he called an “active, ongoing operation” by the Chinese government to gather intelligence in the US.

 

Poland and Romania Deploy US-Made Merops System to Counter Russian Drone Threats

Poland and Romania have begun deploying the US-made Merops drone defense system to protect NATO’s eastern flank amid rising Russian drone incursions, NATO officials said Thursday.

The mobile system, small enough to fit in a pickup truck, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and target drones even when satellite and communications signals are jammed.

Denmark will also adopt the system as part of a broader NATO effort to strengthen defenses from Norway to Turkey.

The move follows recent airspace violations, including about 20 Russian drones entering Polish territory in September and similar incidents in Romania and Western Europe. NATO officials said Merops can track and destroy drones at low cost compared to deploying fighter jets.

The system, which has seen success in Ukraine, represents the first phase of a new multi-layered defense plan designed to deter potential Russian aggression.

The deployment is part of NATO’s push to counter evolving drone warfare tactics stemming from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Alliance leaders aim to build an “Eastern Flank Deterrence Line,” a network of sensors and defenses that can adapt quickly to new technologies. Officials said the initiative will take up to five years to complete and is critical to offsetting Russia’s manpower advantage through superior technology.

 

Ukrainian Court Sentences Russian Soldier to Life in Prison for Executing Captured POW

A Ukrainian court in Zaporizhzhia sentenced Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov, 27, to life in prison on Thursday for killing a surrendered Ukrainian prisoner of war, marking the first conviction of its kind since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Kurashov was found guilty of shooting Ukrainian soldier Vitalii Hodniuk in January 2024 after Hodniuk’s unit was captured.

Kurashov, who was later taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces, pleaded guilty during the trial but later claimed innocence and expressed hope for a prisoner exchange.

Prosecutors said the case sets an important precedent, as Ukraine investigates more than 300 alleged executions of its captured soldiers by Russian troops.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission earlier reported an “alarming rise” in prisoners of war (POW) executions by Russian forces, which constitute war crimes under international law.

Kurashov, a former convict who joined a Russian “Storm V” assault unit in exchange for early release, did not speak during sentencing.

Ukrainian prosecutors called the life sentence appropriate for what they described as “one of the most serious crimes.”

 

South Africa Probes How 17 Citizens Were Lured Into Fighting in Russia-Ukraine War

South Africa’s government announced Thursday it is investigating how 17 of its citizens became involved as mercenaries in the Russia-Ukraine war after the men, aged 20 to 39, sent distress calls from Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Donbas region asking to return home.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the probe into what his office called “seemingly mercenary activities,” saying the men were deceived by false job offers promising high pay.

Officials have not confirmed which side the men fought for.

South Africa’s presidency said it is coordinating efforts to repatriate them, while Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it is reviewing the reports. The case highlights growing concerns about African nationals being misled into the conflict under false pretenses.

Similar incidents have been reported in Kenya, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, where citizens were recruited with fake employment promises.

South Africa, which maintains a non-aligned stance on the war but close ties with Russia through BRICS, has previously warned citizens that joining foreign militaries without authorization violates national law.

 

Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords in Symbolic Move to Strengthen Ties with Israel

Kazakhstan will formally join the Abraham Accords, becoming the first Central Asian nation to participate in the US-brokered initiative that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries, US officials said Thursday.

US President Donald Trump is expected to announce the move at a summit with Central Asian leaders in Washington.

While largely symbolic—Kazakhstan and Israel have maintained diplomatic relations since 1992—the decision underscores growing international support for the accords and Israel’s regional integration amid ongoing tensions over its war with Hamas in Gaza.

US officials said the move would expand cooperation between Israel and Kazakhstan in defense, cybersecurity, energy, and food technology.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met earlier with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to discuss trade, energy, and infrastructure cooperation ahead of the summit.

 

Sources: News Agencies

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