A McDonald’s provides normalcy in Ukraine and actor Hayden Panettiere dies: Morning Rundown

How a McDonalds in Ukraine became a refuge for residents through Russian bombardments. Tupac Shakur’s murder trial begins decades after his killing. And an NBC News review shows few cases of noncitizen voting in Texas, despite AG Ken Paxton’s allegations.

Inside the most bombed McDonald’s in the world

When Ukraine’s first McDonald’s opened in 1997, the golden arches were a symbol of post-Soviet aspiration. Now, they reflect the price of Russia’s war.

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The fast-food restaurant in Kyiv’s Lukianivka neighborhood has withstood at least nine bombardments since Russia invaded Ukraine four and a half years ago. Its walls are pockmarked from shrapnel. Some of the windows have been replaced with wooden panes, while others have bulletproof glass.

Still, the McDonald’s keeps reopening its doors after the smoke clears, serving as a refuge for customers. NBC News reporter Jane Lytvynenko and her team spent time speaking to patrons and neighborhood residents about what it means to them.

“We’re unbreakable, and the McDonald’s is unbreakable,” said one woman, who was there on opening day decades ago and has returned through the destruction. “Life goes on despite it all.”

Lytvynenko on her reporting:

It was January 2025 and I was settling in for the night in my Kyiv apartment when ballistic missiles landed nearby with such force that I lunged from the bed toward the exit to get to shelter. The primary target was Lukianivka, a neighborhood a 15-minute walk down the street.

I rushed over when it was safe. The Russian bombs hit a pipe and the area was flooded in knee-deep water. The nearby Soviet-era weapons factory was still smoking from the strike. The metro station and the McDonald’s next to it were gutted, but the restaurant eventually reopened.

Lukianivka is a neighborhood I know well — I grew up there. The McDonald’s, the most bombed one in the world, has become an island of normalcy for Ukrainians. Our story and video covering it is the first in a series on the state of the war in Ukraine. Over the next few weeks, we’ll report more on the front lines, from drones and AI, to how Russia uses prisoners of war for propaganda. Thank you for reading.

Actor Hayden Panettiere, known for ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville,’ dies at 36

Actor Hayden Panettiere has died at 36, her father said. She was best known for playing Juliette Barnes on “Nashville” and Claire Bennet on the 2000s show “Heroes.”

The cause and manner of death were not provided. Her publicist said an investigation was ongoing.

Panettiere revealed this year that she struggled with postpartum depression and addiction, which she said led to her decision to give up custody of her only child. In 2024, she described pain and grief after her younger brother died unexpectedly.

“She was an incredible light and a force of nature,” her father said.

Tupac Shakur’s murder trial begins 30 years after his death

Today, a Las Vegas jury will begin hearing the case of a former gang member accused of orchestrating the killing of Tupac Shakur nearly 30 years ago.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in the rapper’s death.

Much of the prosecution’s case against Davis draws from a 2019 memoir, in which he describes himself as the “only living eyewitness to Tupac’s killing.” His lawyers, who had argued that some events in the book were fictionalized or embellished, were unsuccessful in blocking it from trial.

Texas AG’s investigation into noncitizen voting yields few cases

For more than a year, Texas attorney general and GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton has been probing what he says is the large number of noncitizens who illegally voted in his state. So far, three people have been prosecuted, according to a review of court documents, public records and statements.

NBC News also obtained the names of 53 individuals who were referred for investigation. At least five of them were actually U.S. citizens, according to court records.

The lack of prosecutions isn’t surprising. One political researcher described widespread voter fraud as “a problem that doesn’t exist,” saying the issue is political but “not backed up by any fact.”

Read more of our exclusive reporting here.

Trump orders military to reduce joint exercises with South Korea

President Donald Trump said yesterday that he has directed the Pentagon to reduce joint exercises with South Korea, citing the country’s refusal to join the Iran war and his “very good” relationship with Kim Jong Un.

Trump said the annual military drills, which were set to begin today, send a “signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which has been “unthreatening and respectful” during his time in office.

The president added that he asked South Korea to “join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’”

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