International
United Healthcare CEO shot dead in Manhattan
The executive director of the UnitedHealthcare insurer, Brian Thompson, died this Wednesday after a man shot him near a hotel in downtown Manhattan early in the morning.
The chief of police (NYPD), Jessica Tisch, said at a press conference that it was a “premeditated, planned and selective” attack, and that the suspect waited for Thompson to approach before shooting him several times, insing him in the back and leg, and fleeing on an electric bicycle.
Thompson, 50, was heading to the Hilton hotel in Midtown, a few blocks from Times Square, to participate in his company’s investor day when he was shot shortly before 7 a.m. and taken to a hospital where his death was certified, the police confirmed.
NYPD chief detective Joseph Kenny said the suspect waited for Thompson for five minutes and shot him in the back, and initially his gun magazine got stuned, but fixed it and continued to un the trigger, according to the preliminary investigation.
Kenny indicated that, according to the security videos, the suspect, a white-skinned man dressed casually and who was apparently going to attend the conference, “seems an expert in the use of weapons, since he was able to fix the failure (of the gun) very quickly.”
Authorities investigate the death of the director of Unitedhealth
The police are investigating whether Thompson, who was staying in a hotel near the Hilton and went alone to his company’s event, had received threats.
His wife, Paulette Thompson, with whom he has two children, told NBC News that “some people had been threatening him.”
The latest images of the suspect, shortly after the murder, show him entering Central Park on a public electric bicycle.
At the crime scene and surroundings, three bullets and a mobile phone have been recovered.
“We will not rest until we identify and capture the shooter in this case,” said Tisch, who offered a reward of 10,000 dollars to the citizens and assured that the police device will be reinforced in the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree, near the Hilton hotel.
Thompson, from Minnesota, was the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the largest private insurer in the United States, since 2021, and had been in the company’s parent company, the UnitedHealth group, for two decades, which also confirmed the news in a statement.
“We are working together with the New York Police Department and we ask for patience and understanding in this difficult time. Our hearts are with Brian’s family and his loved ones,” the note says.
The chief executive of UnitedHealth, Andrew Witty, told those present this morning before the day for investors, scheduled for 8 in the morning, that “a very serious medical situation” had occurred with a member of the team and the event should be suspended, according to CNBC.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
International
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.
“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.
In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”
International
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.
The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.
“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”
Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International2 days agoMexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala arrests first escaped gang member after Barrio 18 prison break
-
International4 days agoMaría Corina Machado calls 2025 Nobel Peace prize a victory for venezuelan people
-
International2 days agoVenezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
-
International2 days agoPope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
-
International4 days agoNetanyahu says Trump deserved 2025 Nobel Peace prize
-
International4 days agoPeruvian president Jerí leads prison raids to tackle organized crime
-
International4 days agoVenezuela launches ‘Independence 200’ defense plan amid U.S. naval presence
-
Central America2 days agoFraijanes II prison in Guatemala reports gradual escape of 18th Street gang inmates
-
International13 hours agoSheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
-
International2 days agoHeavy rains leave dozens dead in Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz
-
International13 hours agoArmed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
-
International13 hours agoVenezuelan media faces fresh restrictions after reporting on opposition leader’s Nobel win
-
International13 hours agoCaracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win