International

Russia reports the first Ukrainian drone attack against the North Ossetia region

For the first time in the last two years, Ukrainian forces attacked the North Ossetia region, in southern Russia, local authorities reported on Saturday.

According to the local governor, Sergey Maniaylo, three fixed-wing drones were destroyed that intended to attack a military airfield.
The incident left no casualties or damages, the official said.

The Russian Ministry of Defense in turn reported the shooting down of 25 Ukrainian drones throughout the night.

The attacks were aborted in six regions and the annexed Crimean peninsula.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two naval drones that were heading for the peninsula, according to the military note.

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This attack was a special operation of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, “Ukrainska Pravda” reported on Saturday.

“It is a planned work of Ukrainian intelligence and the successful application of improved national media,” a Ukrainian intelligence source told this media.

He confirmed that this is the first attack against the Mozdok air base, added that the target area in the territory of the aggressor state is expanding, and pointed out that the aforementioned means are Ukrainian.

“The military facilities of the enemy participating in Russia’s genocidal war against the Ukrainians should not be safe,” he stressed.

Ukrainian air defense forces shot down a Kh-59 guided missile and nine of the thirteen Shahed attack drones launched by Russia during the night, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Lieutenant General Mikola Oleshchuk, reported on Saturday.

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In a message on Telegram he specified that the Russians attacked with a Kh-59 guided missile from the Russian region of Kursk and launched thirteen Shahed-131/136 attack drones from Kursk and Cape Chauda, in the occupied region of Crimea.

He specified that mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and electronic warfare units of the Ukrainian Air Force shot down nine Shahed drones and the Kh-59 missile over the regions of Kharkov, Zaporiyia, Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk.

Russian investigators have opened a criminal case for terrorism after the Ukrainian attack on a town in the region of Jerson controlled by Russian forces, which left 22 dead and 15 injured last night, the Russian Investigation Committee reported on Saturday.

“According to the information available now, as a result of the inhuman and selective attack on a civilian infrastructure facility, 22 civilians died and 15 people were injured,” an official note says.

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International

Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms

Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36, her representative confirmed to CNN.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to everyone who knew her, and to the millions who saw her on screen,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement to CNN.

The circumstances surrounding her death were not immediately known. ABC was the first outlet to report the news.

Panettiere rose to prominence in the late 2000s with her role as Claire Bennet in the television series “Heroes.” Her character was a cheerleader with the ability to heal herself, becoming one of the show’s most recognizable figures.

She later starred in the musical drama series “Nashville,” portraying Juliette Barnes, a young country music star whose career and personal life were central to the series.

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Panettiere also appeared in the 2011 horror film “Scream 4” as Kirby Reed. She later returned to the franchise more than a decade later in “Scream VI.”

Her other notable film credits included “I Love You, Beth Cooper” and “Remember the Titans.”

Panettiere’s career spanned television and film, with roles that made her a familiar face to audiences from the 2000s onward.

International

Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

Luigi Mangione admitted Friday to fatally shooting Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurance group in the United States, during an appearance before a federal judge.

The case shocked the U.S. business community and dates back to December 2024, when Mangione opened fire on Thompson, 50, on a Manhattan street. Prosecutors have described the attack as being motivated by Mangione’s opposition to the U.S. health insurance system.

“On the morning of December 4, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died,” Mangione said as he pleaded guilty to a federal stalking charge related to his pursuit of the executive.

Mangione, 28, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, and prosecutors have indicated that they will seek a life sentence.

In addition to the federal charges related to stalking Thompson, Mangione also faces a murder case brought by the state of New York.

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Following his guilty plea in federal court, Mangione’s defense asked a state court to dismiss the state charges, arguing that prosecuting him again for the same conduct would violate protections against double jeopardy.

“We have just filed our motion in state court to explain why the charges should be dismissed under New York’s protections against double jeopardy,” Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said Friday.

Both the federal and state cases could result in a life sentence. Two other federal charges that initially carried the possibility of the death penalty were dismissed by a judge earlier this year.

International

ICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns

Plans to equip U.S. immigration agents with gloves capable of delivering electric shocks are raising concerns over potential abuses by a law enforcement agency that critics accuse of using excessive force and providing inadequate training to its personnel.

The plan involves the potential purchase of electric-shock gloves for agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency primarily responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s campaign to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.

Democratic Representative Maxwell Frost criticized the proposal on X, arguing that the agency has already faced accusations of excessive force during immigration enforcement operations.

“As if assaulting and shooting people in the streets wasn’t enough,” Frost wrote. He also criticized the reported $20 million potential expenditure on the devices and called for greater restrictions on ICE.

The agency has faced growing scrutiny following a series of deadly shootings during immigration enforcement operations. Among the incidents were the deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota in January who were participating in protests against the agency.

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Critics have focused on the tactics used by ICE agents when detaining immigrants, as well as allegations that training standards for newly recruited personnel have been lowered.

According to a procurement plan first reported by the Associated Press, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, could spend between $10 million and $20 million on the devices.

The gloves are described by the agency as tools intended for “distraction and de-escalation,” rather than lethal weapons. The system, known as GLOVE, stands for “Generated Low-Output Voltage Emitter.”

The device is manufactured by Compliant Technologies, a Kentucky-based company that describes its products as advanced non-lethal tools designed to protect and assist law enforcement and other personnel.

The proposal comes amid an intensifying national debate over ICE’s enforcement methods and the use of force during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.