International

The Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires declares Nicolás Maduro persona “non grata”

The Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires, the legislative body of the Argentine capital, approved a resolution that declares “persona non grata” to the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. This is “because of the serious human rights violations against Venezuelan citizens in their country.”

The resolution, which was promoted by legislators Claudio Romero and Emmanuel Ferrario, of the conservative Republican Proposal (Pro), was processed “at the request of the Venezuelan diaspora in Argentina.” Likewise, it counted on the vote in favor of the majority of the members of the chamber, according to a statement from the institution, made up of sixty deputies.

However, the legislators of the Left Front abstained and the Union for the Homeland (kirchnerist) legislators voted against.

“In the City of Buenos Aires we are not going to tolerate dictators, people who come to violate human rights, people who make atrocities in their country in the name of a revolution that does not exist, people who use torture as a method of government,” said legislator Romero.

Elisa Trotta, general secretary of the Argentine Forum for the Defense of Democracy (FADD, an organization created in 2020), welcomed the decision adopted by the Buenos Aires Legislature, considering that it represents a strong message of support for the more than 220,000 Venezuelans “who have had to escape from their country and settle in Argentina.”

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“Autocrats, like Maduro, must know that their crimes will not go unpunished and that the world is not their backyard to walk around with their hands stained with blood,” added Trotta, an Argentine Venezuelan diplomat.

The resolution was approved 45 days before the presidential elections that will take place in the Caribbean country.

“Venezuelans are in the streets, accompanying the national liberation movement led by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González (anti-Chavist opponents),” added Trotta, who declared that “the world is watching and will not allow the will of citizens to be expressed at the polls on July 28 to be stolen.”

Six citizens opposed to the Government of Venezuela have been in asylum since March 26 in the residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas.

On May 30, the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, Diana Mondino, demanded from Venezuela “the immediate issuance of safe-conducts,” in compliance with the 1954 Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum, so that this group can leave the country.

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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.