Armenia links peace efforts to trade with Azerbaijan and Türkiye
Armenia’s foreign minister has said it is time for Yerevan and Ankara to move from dialogue to concrete action in their long-stalled efforts to norm...
Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal charges in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, as prosecutors move forward with plans to seek the death penalty.
Luigi Mangione, 26, entered a not guilty plea on Friday to federal charges related to the killing of Brian Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealth Group's insurance unit UnitedHealthcare. The plea was entered during an arraignment before U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett in a packed Manhattan courtroom.
Mangione, dressed in a tan jail-issued t-shirt, had previously pleaded not guilty to separate state-level charges in New York over the same incident, which occurred on 4 December outside a midtown Manhattan hotel hosting a company investor event.
The shooting and subsequent five-day manhunt drew national attention, particularly after investigators discovered shell casings at the scene inscribed with the words "deny," "delay," and "depose"—a phrase some associate with criticism of U.S. health insurance practices.
Although the killing was broadly condemned by public officials, some members of the public expressed sympathy for Mangione, citing frustrations over the high cost of healthcare and the power wielded by insurers in claim decisions.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors formally announced their intention to pursue the death penalty, stating that Mangione poses an ongoing threat due to what they described as his plan to target the health insurance industry and provoke wider opposition through violence.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously declared the Justice Department’s intent to seek capital punishment earlier this month, a move Mangione’s defence team called "unapologetically political" and contrary to protocol for death penalty cases.
Should Mangione be convicted in federal court, a separate penalty phase would follow, during which the jury must unanimously agree on whether to recommend the death penalty. If they do, the judge would be required to impose it.
Mangione is currently being held at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn as he awaits trial.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck offshore near Taiwan’s north-eastern county of Yilan late on Saturday, shaking buildings across the island, including in the capital Taipei, authorities said.
Brigitte Bardot, the French actress whose barefoot mambo in And God Created Woman propelled her to international fame and reshaped female sexuality on screen, has died at the age of 91, her foundation said on Sunday.
Iran is engaged in a “comprehensive war” with the United States, Israel, and Europe, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Saturday.
Japan’s tourism sector has experienced a slowdown after China’s government advised its citizens to reconsider travel to Japan, following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan.
Ukraine’s military has rejected Russian claims that its forces have captured the towns of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region, calling the statements false and part of a disinformation campaign aimed at foreign partners.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 29th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles on Sunday, in what state media described as a test confirming the country’s nuclear deterrent and readiness to respond to security threats.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Sunday praised the country’s armed forces as “invincible warriors” during a year-end ceremony honouring the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, held in the coastal city of La Guaira.
At least 13 people were killed when an Interoceanic Train carrying around 250 passengers derailed in southern Mexico, authorities said on Sunday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow in Yunnan province on Sunday, following a ceasefire that ended nearly three weeks of clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
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