death

NEWS TODAY

Iran Threatens Protesters With Death

Jan 10, 2026 News Desk

On the 13th day of increasingly tense protests against Iran’s leadership, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene on behalf of the anti-government demonstrators. His comments came a short while after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei finally addressed the unrest with a defiant tone, blaming Trump for sparking the protests and suggesting that crackdowns will become more severe. Meanwhile, an Iranian prosecutor is threatening protestors with death. More on that later in this story.

Amid all the rhetoric, the ferocity of the unrest has reportedly compelled the U.S. intelligence community to rethink its initial assessment of the situation, recognizing that it is more serious than initially thought. Meanwhile, observers say the death toll has increased as millions of Iranians again took to the streets across the nation. Protestors are blaming a regime crackdown, while Iranian security forces say they have been the subject of attacks by unruly mobs.

As we previously noted, the protests began Dec. 28. 2025, sparked by anger over rising prices, devalued currency, a devastating drought, and brutal government crackdowns. You can catch up with our previous coverage of the unfolding events here.

Video emerging on social media shows large crowds continuing demonstrations throughout the country, with some showing damaged buildings in the aftermath of previous protests. However, getting a full picture of what is unfolding remains a challenge given the ongoing shutdown of internet and phone service in Iran.

US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) would likely act in concert for any attack on Iran, a senior IDF official tells us. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) JIM WATSON

US President Donald Trump (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) upon arrival at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images) — US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) would likely act in concert for any attack on Iran, a senior IDF official tells us. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) JIM WATSON

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SHOW BIZ

Commentary: HBO released an explosive Border Patrol documentary. Why is its star angry?

Jan 9, 2026 News Desk

You’re HBO, and your newest release is an explosive documentary about one of the most controversial sectors of the United States government: the Border Patrol. What do you do to get it as much attention as possible?

We’re seeing their strategy play out right now.

“Critical Incident: Death at the Border” recounts the death of Anastasio Hernández Rojas, a 42-year-old undocumented immigrant who died in 2010 days after immigration agents handcuffed, beat and Tasered him near the San Ysidro Port of Entry after trying to deport him to Mexico. Border Patrol at the time said they used force after Hernández Rojas, who had lived in this country since he was 15, resisted them.

The case drew international attention and Hernández Rojas’ family received a $1-million settlement from the federal government, which declined to file criminal charges against those involved in his death even though the San Diego County coroner’s office ruled it a homicide. Enter John Carlos Frey, a reporter who has pursued the story for nearly 15 years and who is one of the protagonists in “Critical Incident.”

He knocks on the doors of agents who were there when Hernández Rojas died, discovers footage that contradicts the Border Patrol’s official account and uncovers a secretive Border Patrol unit tasked with the “mitigation” of use-of-force incidents that was disbanded in 2022. The documentary includes an interview with a whistleblower who claimed bosses told him to doctor evidence to exculpate the agency in the death of Hernández Rojas. It also alleges the cover-up went all the way up to Customs and Border Protection commissioner Rodney Scott, who was Border Patrol deputy chief for the San Diego region when Hernández Rojas died.

Scott appears near the end of “Critical Incident” to dismiss those “allegations” and declines to comment about any culpability those involved may have had, citing ongoing litigation. “This case from over a decade ago was thoroughly investigated and resolved by the Department of Justice and local law enforcement,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the Times in a statement when I asked for comment about the documentary’s findings. “Efforts to malign CBP and ICE officers as lawbreakers are slanderous, irresponsible, and only reveal the media’s eagerness to mislead the American people.”

“Critical Incident” is taut, disturbing, timely and a brisk hour and a half. It deserves as many viewers as possible and a publicity campaign as ubiquitous as what HBO is currently pushing for its hit hockey romance, “Heated Rivalry.”

Instead, the network released “Critical Incident” on Dec. 29, when most Americans were lost in a haze of Christmas leftovers, “Avengers: Endgame” reruns and college football bowl games. It’s not listed alongside other recently released documentaries on HBO’s website, and I wasn’t able to find it on the network’s streaming app’s “Just Added” tab.

Director Rick Rowley was diplomatic about his documentary’s “difficult” release date, saying he has “limited insight” into HBO’s decision. He’s nevertheless confident “this film is going to have a long life because these [Border Patrol] issues are only more pressing as the days pass.”

Frey wasn’t as polite: “If I was an executive and released it on that date, I would be fired.”

Rodney Scott, commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection nominee for US President Donald Trump

An HBO spokesperson pushed back on Frey’s criticism, stating, “The documentary was actually released during one of the highest usage times on the platform and we are proud to say the film is doing very well, even showing up in the top 10 rail.”

In development for four years, Frey said “Critical Incident” was supposed to air just before the 2024 election. He showed me a text message from a senior producer attesting to that. But HBO held on to it even as a Senate committee grilled Scott about Hernández Rojas’ death during his confirmation hearing last April, which isn’t included in the documentary. The documentary didn’t air even as the Border Patrol’s invasion of cities far from the U.S.-Mexico border throughout last year made the story “Critical Incident” told more relevant than ever.

HBO “buried it on purpose,” Frey, 56, told me over breakfast in Boyle Heights. He blames the current political environment — specifically, Netflix’s proposed $82.7-billion bid to acquire HBO’s parent company, Warner Bros., which federal regulators would have to approve. The last thing executives wants to do right now, Frey argued, is anger President Trump by promoting a documentary that attacks his deportation deluge.

“They buried it on the worst day of the year when no one is watching, and of course, they’re going to deny it,” Frey said.

“That is, of course, not true,” the HBO spokesperson said .

Covering la migra is personal for Frey, who grew up in Tijuana and Imperial Beach with views of the U.S.-Mexico border fence. When he was 12, a Border Patrol agent approached his mother — then a green card holder — while her son was playing outside.

“He wouldn’t believe anything she would say and wouldn’t let her go to our house to get her documents,” Frey said. He’s of average height, deep-voiced and barrel-chested and tends to respond to questions with questions. “Why would he? The agent deported her.”

As an adult, Frey began to cover the Border Patrol in a post-9/11 era. Much like today, it was rapidly expanding, and aggressive tactics like breaking car windows when the occupants weren’t resisting and agent-involved shootings were endemic. The Hernández Rojas case entered his scope after someone reached out claiming they had footage of his death.

“The original narrative was Anastasio became belligerent, they subdued him and he died,” Frey said. “The case was closed, the Border Patrol had written it off.”

The source was initially too scared to share their recording, but Frey eventually convinced them after forwarding his stories about repeated Border Patrol abuses of power. What he saw — about a dozen Border Patrol agents circling a prone, moaning Hernández Rojas, Tasering and punching him while onlookers scream at them to stop — left the reporter “disgusted.”

The footage eventually aired on a 2012 PBS program, which made the story go national. Frey’s continued work on the case eventually caught the attention of Rowley, whose documentaries on neo-Nazi groups, the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and the War on Terror have earned him Emmy wins and an Oscar nomination.

The documentarian wanted to examine the Border Patrol’s impunity, and, he said, “Anastasio’s story is one of the only stories that takes you all the way to the top. And you have to work with John if you’re going to do the Anastasio case. He’s fearless.”

Rowley is proud of his final product but admitted that he’s “used to having more press around a film release, especially about a film about … the most important domestic issue in the country, especially in the last year.”

That’s what angers Frey the most about the release of “Critical Incident.”

“The stories I used to hear — ‘Border Patrol broke my windows, left me bloodied, grabbed me without asking any questions’ — it’s now in neighborhoods,” he said. He twisted a napkin, tossed it into the pile of twisted napkins next to his coffee cup.

“It’s a deliberate choice when you’re going to release a documentary and how. If I were HBO and I had evidence of a murder by the feds, I would’ve led with that inmy promotion. I would think that’s a selling point, especially with the [immigration] raids. Instead, they have me hugging someone in the trailer.”

Frey shook his head. “We made a good film, but half the battle is getting people to see it.”

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POLITICS

Contributor: Don’t let the mobs rule

Jan 9, 2026 Politics Desk

In Springfield, Ill., in 1838, a young Abraham Lincoln delivered a powerful speech decrying the “ravages of mob law” throughout the land. Lincoln warned, in eerily prescient fashion, that the spread of a then-ascendant “mobocratic spirit” threatened to sever the “attachment of the People” to their fellow countrymen and their nation. Lincoln’s opposition to anarchy of any kind was absolute and clarion: “There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.”

Unfortunately, it seems that every few years, Americans must be reminded anew of Lincoln’s wisdom. This week’s lethal Immigration and Customs Enforcement standoff in the Twin Cities is but the latest instance of a years-long baleful trend.

On Wednesday, a 37-year-old stay-at-home mom, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Her ex-husband said she and her partner encountered ICE agents after dropping off Good’s 6-year-old at school. The federal government has called Good’s encounter “an act of domestic terrorism” and said the agent shot in self-defense.

Suffice it to say Minnesota’s Democratic establishment does not see it this way.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded to the deployment of 2,000 immigration agents in the area and the deadly encounter by telling ICE to “get the f— out” of Minnesota, while Gov. Tim Walz called the shooting “totally predictable” and “totally avoidable.” Frey, who was also mayor during the mayhem after George Floyd’s murder by city police in 2020, has lent succor to the anti-ICE provocateurs, seemingly encouraging them to make Good a Floyd-like martyr. As for Walz, he’s right that this tragedy was eminently “avoidable” — but not only for the reasons he thinks. If the Biden-Harris administration hadn’t allowed unvetted immigrants to remain in the country without legal status and if Walz’s administration hadn’t moved too slowly in its investigations of hundreds of Minnesotans — of mixed immigration status — defrauding taxpayers to the tune of billions of dollars, ICE never would have embarked on this particular operation.

National Democrats took the rage even further. Following the fateful shooting, the Democratic Party’s official X feed promptly tweeted, without any morsel of nuance, that “ICE shot and killed a woman on camera.” This sort of irresponsible fear-mongering already may have prompted a crazed activist to shoot three detainees at an ICE facility in Dallas last September while targeting officers; similar dehumanizing rhetoric about the National Guard perhaps also played a role in November’s lethal shooting of a soldier in Washington, D.C.

Liberals and open-border activists play with fire when they so casually compare ICE, as Walz previously has, to a “modern-day Gestapo.” The fact is, ICE is not the Gestapo, Donald Trump is not Hitler, and Charlie Kirk was not a goose-stepping brownshirt. To pretend otherwise is to deprive words of meaning and to live in the theater of the absurd.

But as dangerous as this rhetoric is for officers and agents, it is the moral blackmail and “mobocratic spirit” of it all that is even more harmful to the rule of law.

The implicit threat of all “sanctuary” jurisdictions, whose resistance to aiding federal law enforcement smacks of John C. Calhoun-style antebellum “nullification,” is to tell the feds not to operate and enforce federal law in a certain area — or else. The result is crass lawlessness, Mafia-esque shakedown artistry and a fetid neo-confederate stench combined in one dystopian package.

The truth is that swaths of the activist left now engage in these sorts of threats as a matter of course. In 2020, the left’s months-long rioting following the death of Floyd led to upward of $2 billion in insurance claims. In 2021, they threatened the same rioting unless Derek Chauvin, the officer who infamously kneeled on Floyd’s neck, was found guilty of murder (which he was, twice). In 2022, following the unprecedented (and still unsolved) leak of the draft majority opinion in the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case, abortion-rights activists protested outside many of the right-leaning justices’ homes, perhaps hoping to induce them to change their minds and flip their votes. And now, ICE agents throughout the country face threats of violence — egged on by local Democratic leaders — simply for enforcing federal law.

In “The Godfather,” Luca Brasi referred to this sort of thuggery as making someone an offer that he can’t refuse. We might also think of it as Lincoln’s dreaded “ravages of mob law.”

Regardless, a free republic cannot long endure like this. The rule of law cannot be held hostage to the histrionic temper tantrums of a radical ideological flank. The law must be enforced solemnly, without fear or favor. There can be no overarching blackmail lurking in the background — no Sword of Damocles hovering over the heads of a free people, ready to crash down on us all if a certain select few do not get their way.

The proper recourse for changing immigration law — or any federal law — is to lobby Congress to do so, or to make a case in federal court. The ginned-up martyrdom complex that leads some to take matters into their own hands is a recipe for personal and national ruination. There is nothing good down that road — only death, despair and mobocracy.

Josh Hammer’s latest book is “Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West.” This article was produced in collaboration with Creators Syndicate. X: @josh_hammer

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Ideas expressed in the piece

Democrats and activist left are perpetuating a dangerous “mobocratic spirit” similar to the mob law that Lincoln warned against in 1838, which threatens the rule of law and national unity^[1]
The federal government’s characterization of the incident as self-defense by an ICE agent is appropriate, while local Democratic leaders are irresponsibly encouraging anti-ICE protesters to view Good as a martyr figure like George Floyd^[1]
Dehumanizing rhetoric comparing ICE to the Gestapo is reckless fear-mongering that has inspired actual violence, including a shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas and the fatal shooting of a National Guard soldier^[1]
The shooting was “avoidable” not because of ICE’s presence, but because the Biden-Harris administration allowed undocumented immigrants to remain in the country without legal status and state authorities moved too slowly investigating immigrant fraud^[1]
Sanctuary jurisdictions that resist federal law enforcement represent neo-confederate “nullification” and constitute crass lawlessness and Mafia-style extortion, effectively telling federal agents they cannot enforce the law or face consequences^[1]
The activist left employs threats of violence as systematic blackmail, evidenced by 2020 riots following Floyd’s death, threats surrounding the Chauvin trial, protests at justices’ homes during the abortion debate, and now threats against ICE agents^[1]
Changing immigration policy must occur through Congress or federal courts, not through mob rule and “ginned-up martyrdom complexes” that lead to personal and national ruination^[1]

Different views on the topic

Community members who knew Good rejected characterizations of her as a domestic terrorist, with her mother describing her as “one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” “extremely compassionate,” and someone “who has taken care of people all her life”^[1]
Vigil speakers and attendees portrayed Good as peacefully present to watch the situation and protect her neighbors, with an organizer stating “She was peaceful; she did the right thing” and “She died because she loved her neighbors”^[1]
A speaker identified only as Noah explicitly rejected the federal government’s domestic terrorism characterization, saying Good was present “to watch the terrorists,” not participate in terrorism^[1]
Neighbors described Good as a loving mother and warm family member who was an award-winning poet and positive community presence, suggesting her presence during the incident reflected civic concern rather than radicalism^[1]

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POLITICS

Michael Reagan’s death reverberates among Californians of both parties

Jan 7, 2026 Politics Desk

The son of a storied Republican president, Michael Reagan, who recently died, was memorialized as a stalwart supporter of his father’s legacy. But in his home state of California, Reagan was remembered as much for his community involvement — which was at times so low-key that some didn’t even realize his father was Ronald Reagan.

“The cool thing about Michael is you never would have known that he was the son of a president,” said Victor Franco, a Democratic strategist who met Reagan more than a decade ago while Franco’s kids were students at St. Mel’s Catholic school in Woodland Hills, where Reagan’s daughter was a teacher. “He was an everyday guy chatting up with the dads.”

Though Reagan would speak at career days and donate tours of the Reagan ranch near Santa Barbara for school fundraisers, Franco recalls Reagan’s presence during the fathers club’s annual chili cook-offs and barbecue competitions.

“We referred to him as our taste tester. He was always, ‘Hey, I need to taste that brisket, or I need to taste the chicken and make sure that it’s good,’” Franco said. “Even though he had the pedigree of, you know, a dad who was president, he was a regular guy to all of us, and just a really sweet, nice person.”

After battling cancer, Reagan died Sunday, according to statements released on Tuesday by organizations affiliated with former President Reagan.

Michael Reagan was lauded by former state GOP leaders not only for his work in leading the conservative movement through his nationally syndicated radio show, but also his willingness to engage in California politics.

He was “a thoughtful and compassionate conservative leader. Clearly his father’s son, he nonetheless forged his own distinct and influential voice within the conservative movement,” said former California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring. “Through his long career in radio, Michael was a tireless advocate for the everyday American who felt ignored or left behind by politics.”

Jim Brulte, a former state GOP chairman and powerful legislative leader, said Reagan was always available to aid the state party.

“He was a good man with a big heart who loved America,” Brulte said. “And he was a crowd favorite. He knew how to connect with everyone in the room.”

Conservative strategist Jon Fleischman, a former executive director of the state party, added that Reagan was as comfortable in informal settings as in the more privileged environs he grew up in as the son of the president.

Fleischman recalled going to dinner with Reagan at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant in Beverly Hills, and the celebrity chef — upon hearing that the former president’s son was dining at his establishment — greeting them.

“So Michael started doing his impressions of his dad. And I don’t know if it’s normally that easy to make Wolfgang Puck laugh, but it was a very funny moment watching him,” Fleischman said. “He basically said, ‘You sound just like your old man.’”

The move was on brand, said Fleischman, who first met Reagan in 1989 and regularly interacted with him when Reagan was hosting a talk radio show and Fleischman had started a powerful conservative website.

“This is a guy who could speak to the ballroom at the Century Plaza Hotel back in the day, and then the next day speak to six activists at a California Republican Assembly meeting at a Denny’s,” Fleischman said, recalling that whenever Reagan called, a picture of Michael and Ronald together would appear on his phone’s screen.

“He just loved people, and he loved to try to make a difference,” Fleischman said. “And I think he spent a lot of time in the latter years of his life just trying to be someone that his dad would look up to. His dad loomed, obviously, very large in his life.”

Franco, the Democratic strategist, recalled similarly fond memories about his interactions with Reagan despite their political differences, such as when he spoke about the Secret Service being alarmed that the elder Reagan was driving an old pick-up truck to ferry VIP guests around his ranch or riding horses with them.

“Michael was great to grab a cocktail with at a casino night and talk,” Franco said.

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SHOW BIZ

BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent announces ‘terrible tragedy’ after heartbreaking death

Jan 7, 2026 News Desk

BBC Breakfast presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay spoke to a mum whose daughter was killed in a car crash in 2017

BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent announced some heartbreaking news on Wednesday’s show after a guest’s daughter tragically died.

Sharon Huddleston, whose 18-year-old daughter Caitlin died in a car accident in 2017, appeared on the BBC programme on Wednesday morning (January 7), reports the Express. She shared that the coroner had attributed Caitlin’s death to driver inexperience, prompting her to campaign for graduated driving licences.

Presenter Sally outlined: “Learner drivers in England and Wales could face a mandatory wait of up to six months between sitting their theory and practical tests as part of a new road safety strategy being launched by the government today.”

Her co-presenter Jon Kay chimed in: “While some campaign groups have welcomed these proposals, others have criticised the government for stopping short of introducing what are called graduated driving licences, which is where newly qualified drivers face restrictions until they’ve got a bit more experience.”

Sharon responded: “Well, it’s great that we’ve got a road safety strategy because it’s been 14 years since we’ve had one, so that’s good news. And it’s also good news that young drivers are being addressed in the strategy, but I don’t think it goes far enough. I understand that the limited period for learner drivers is a good thing because we’re seeing like 17-year-olds pass the test within a few weeks, and then they’re on the roads.

“But the element I am passionate about because of the reason why my daughter was killed is that she was a passenger in a newly qualified driver’s car, and the coroner put the crash down to the inexperience of the newly qualified driver.

“And so the element that I am passionate about, the graduated driving licence, is the passenger safety precaution, and that’s the element that I would have liked to have seen addressed in the strategy as well.”

Jon chimed in: “There’s lots in this strategy, isn’t there, for all drivers potentially of all ages, but as far as young drivers are concerned, what it’s saying then is that you would have to, if you pass your theory test, you’re going to have to wait six months to get more practice before you take the practical test. But what you would like to see is a delay in what you can do after the test, after the practical test as well.”

Sharon continued, acknowledging it as “a very positive thing” that the issue was being addressed, but emphasised that “we need more”.

“It doesn’t go far enough for us,” she expressed. “And as I say, if this element of the safety precaution of passengers was in place in 2017, my daughter would be alive.

“You know, and this law has been campaigned for for decades now. Unfortunately, I didn’t know about it until after Caitlin was killed. It was too late.”

Sally said: “And it’s really important to make the point that, as you’ve mentioned already, the coroner said it was inexperience. That’s really key, isn’t it? It was simple inexperience that contributed to this terrible tragedy.”

BBC Breakfast is broadcast on BBC One.

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TRAVEL

Beautiful seaside town now ‘dying a death’ and ‘depressing’ as 1 in 4 shops lie empty

Jan 6, 2026 Travel Desk

Ramsgate in Kent attracts visitors with its stunning coastline and sandy beaches, but the seaside town has been dubbed ‘depressing’ by locals as dozens of shops lie vacant

An iconic British seaside town is “dying a death” as empty shops clutter the high street and daytrippers stay away.

When you picture British seaside towns, images of sandy shores, the aroma of fish and chips wafting through the air, the clang of a penny arcade and, naturally, ice cream spring to mind. Many UK coastal resorts deliver this experience, even if you have to endure the chill of a British coastal day.

But many more suffer from a series of economic challenges that make life on the British coast harder, in many ways, than that in inland towns and cities. Median pay in almost all coastal towns is lower than the counties in which they sit; funding formulas often leave coastal kids benefitting from half the cash as their city counterparts; and levels of obesity, smoking and substance abuse are higher than the national average in coastal towns, Prospect reports.

While many of Britain’s coastal towns and villages buck this trend – Broadstairs being a prime example – others are stuck in a seaside economic rut. One such place is Ramsgate in Kent.

OPINION

Milo Boyd

“The more I have visited Ramsgate over the years, the more I have noticed how empty it has become,” writes the Express’s Millie Bull. “The town was once filled with bustling independent shops, unique eateries and a steady stream of visitors.”

A report at the end of 2024 from Kent Online revealed that a staggering 65 shop units—almost one in four—sat empty. This compares with the one in seven outlets that are empty nationwide. In Ramsgate, more than half of the shops are not advertised as for sale or rent.

“This was highlighted on my most recent trip to the town when I spotted a plethora of boarded-up shops and empty display windows covered in old posters,” Millie added.

Jack Gilhooly, who owns local pet shop Sherley’s on Queen Street, fears his business, which has been in situ for more than half a century, may not manage to stay open for much longer. “The town’s dying a death. We’re really struggling, every business in Ramsgate is struggling,” he told Mail Online.

“If you stayed here for an hour, you’d see maybe 100 people walk past. You’ll get about five people coming into your store, maybe three spend money. It’s just not sustainable.”

Louise Brookes is determined to stop the rot. She set up Ramsgate Space, which tracks empty shops and finds businesses to fill them. She told Channel 4: “Empty shops matter because they touch on so many different components of local life. It impacts how people feel about the place. You go into the town centre and you don’t feel good about the place.” Ramsgate Space provides business support and advice for small companies that want to move into a retail space.

Kent County Council is also attempting to address the issue. It announced last year that the formerly derelict Old Wine Warehouse on Charlotte Court had been transformed into three distinct spaces offering a comfortable office environment with hot desks (Ramsgate Works), a café area with outside courtyard seating and gardens and an atmospheric cellar bar and performance space (Ramsgate Arts Club). The council’s No Use Empty scheme contributed £431,500 towards the project through low-cost loans.

While Ramsgate suffers, the surrounding towns of Deal, Margate, Broadstairs and Whitstable have experienced a relative revival, with Londoners flocking in large numbers to enjoy seaside weekends whilst browsing trendy vintage shops or dining at fashionable eateries.

Last year, Deal received praise from celebrated food critic Grace Dent following her visit to the Japanese-influenced restaurant The Blue Pelican. Meanwhile, Broadstairs, which earned recognition as one of Britain’s ‘coolest’ places to reside, has emerged as a tourist magnet after featuring in Sam Mendes ‘ film Empire of the Sun, which starred Olivia Colman.

The charming coastal town of Whitstable has long been nicknamed ‘Chelsea-on-sea’, whilst Ramsgate’s trendy neighbour Margate remains constantly bustling thanks to its sandy shores, retro amusement park Dreamland, and lively bars.

Speaking to the Express, one local asked: “Strange because Broadstairs and Margate are doing okay. Why isn’t Ramsgate?”

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SHOW BIZ

What happens next after Corriedale? ITV soap spoilers reveal all including arrest and death

Jan 6, 2026 News Desk

Corriedale aired some dramatic scenes last night – but there’s still more drama ahead on Coronation Street and Emmerdale as the week goes on including another death…

Corriedale wowed fans with a dramatic episode of twists and turns as Emmerdale and Coronation Street came together for a one-off special. The ITV soaps aired some huge scenes including two deaths after a horror car crash.

The episode kicked off with Aaron Dingle and John Sugden swerving down the country roads, as Aaron held a gun up to his former lover. Lisa Swain was also suffering a similar fate, being driven away from the Cobbles by her former lover Becky.

In a shocking turn of events, the cars crashed and from there, even more chaos descended when multiple vehicles ended up in the pile-up, with two dead and likely more to come.

Spoilers for the upcoming week have teased some dramatic scenes ahead. On Emmerdale, at the busy hospital, the revelations continue as the truth about what happened during the crash – and why – are revealed.

One person makes a confession, and the perpetrator is just glad to be out of trouble. However, another character is filming them – and what trouble lies ahead for them? One character is in mortal danger.

Elsewhere, a deal is struck and there is also a betrayal – and more is revealed about Celia and Ray’s operation as the truth comes out, but at what cost and where does this all leave a terrified April?

Over on Coronation Street, Weatherfield is grieving for the loss of Billy as others fight for their lives. The truth starts to come out about what happened during the fateful crash – and why it all came about too.

One couple faces a life or death situation, whilst the police investigation continues and one resident finds themselves under arrest and facing charges – but who and what are they being charged with?

There’s wars between families and big surprises revealed, as the aftermath of the crash sends shockwaves through the the residents of Coronation Street – with dire consequences for all.

Speaking about the dramatic episode, Iain Macleod: “People love Corrie and people love Emmerdale and their distinct entities. They have their own tone of voice and their own sense of humour and their way of telling stories, and they wouldn’t blend long-term at all.

“I think it’s brilliant to bring them together for this but no, there are no plans to do anything similar in the future. Sorry to be the killjoy, those of you who were hoping there was more.”

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POLITICS

Congress reacts to news of Osama bin Laden’s death

Jan 6, 2026 Politics Desk

Several congressional leaders got notice of Osama bin Laden’s death before President Obama’s formal announcement and quickly released statements praising the president and the military on the successful mission. Some, largely Republicans, took care also to give some credit to former President George W. Bush.

Lawmakers from both parties signaled that the killing does not bring an end to the fight against Al Qaeda. A few excerpts from reaction on Capitol Hill:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.): “This is the most significant victory in our fight against al Qaeda and terrorism, but that fight is not over. We will continue to support our troops and the American civilians who are fighting every day to protect our homeland.”

Photos: Osama bin Laden dead

House Speaker John Boehner, (R-Ohio) “We continue to face a complex and evolving terrorist threat, and it is important that we remain vigilant in our efforts to confront and defeat the terrorist enemy and protect the American people. I want to congratulate — and thank — the hard-working men and women of our Armed Forces and intelligence community for their tireless efforts and perseverance that led to this success. I also want to commend President Obama and his team, as well as President Bush, for all of their efforts to bring Osama bin Laden to justice.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): “The death of Osama bin Laden marks the most significant development in our fight against al-Qaeda. I salute President Obama, his national security team, Director Panetta, our men and women in the intelligence community and military, and other nations who supported this effort for their leadership in achieving this major accomplishment. It is a testament to the professionalism of our dedicated national security professionals that no American lives were lost in this operation. … Though the death of Osama bin Laden is historic, it does not diminish our relentless pursuit of terrorists who threaten our country.”

Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.): “I was advised by Vice President Biden this Sunday evening that Osama bin Laden has been killed. Though this is not the end of the threat of terrorism, it is a clear warning to our enemies that when they threaten and kill Americans, they will be pursued and held accountable. … Those who believed bin Laden and his network were invincible will now awaken to a new reality.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.): “Families who lost loved ones at the hands of Bin Laden and his terrorist organization have grieved for far too long and this sends a signal that America will not tolerate terrorism in any form. … I commend President Obama who has followed the vigilance of President Bush in bringing Bin Laden to justice. While this is no doubt a major event in our battle against terrorism, we will not relent in our fight against terror and our efforts to keep America safe and secure.”

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.): “This is a thunderous strike for justice for the thousands of my fellow New Yorkers — and citizens from all over the world — who were murdered on 9/11. It took close to ten years, but the world’s most wanted terrorist has finally met his deserved fate. New York’s heart is still broken from the tragedy of 9/11, but this at least brings some measure of closure and consolation to the victims and their families.”

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee: “Today, the American people have seen justice. The leader of the United States’ top enemy has gotten what he deserves for orchestrating the deaths of nearly 3,000 innocent Americans on September 11, 2001. …In 2001, President Bush said ‘we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.’ President Bush deserves great credit for putting action behind those words. President Obama deserves equal credit for his resolve in this long war against al-Qaeda.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate intelligence committee:”Bin Laden is responsible for the attacks of 9/11 and has been the head of al-Qa’ida and inspirational leader of extremism for more than a decade. His death presents an opportunity for a new and better day if the will is there. I truly hope this will be a turning point in our efforts to defeat global terrorism. … I was notified on Sunday of the strike and have been briefed in the past about intelligence on bin Laden’s whereabouts. It has been a very impressive CIA operation and they deserve praise.”

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), a possible GOP presidential candidate: “I want to express my deepest gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. military and intelligence community. Their persistence and dedicated service has yielded success in a mission that has gripped our nation since the terrible events of 9/11. Tonight’s news does not bring back the lives of the thousands of innocent people who were killed that day by Osama bin Laden’s horrific plan, and it does not end the threat posed by terrorists, but it is my hope that this is the beginning of the end of Sharia-compliant terrorism.”

Photos: Osama bin Laden dead

kathleen.hennessey@latimes.com

james.oliphant@latimes.com

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Guillermo del Toro reveals death of brother at Palm Springs Film Awards

Jan 6, 2026 News Desk

On Saturday, Guillermo del Toro revealed that his older brother, Federico del Toro Gómez, had died last week.

The “Pan’s Labyrinth” director shared the news while receiving the Visionary Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards alongside Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth — the stars of his latest project, “Frankenstein.”

“I’ve come to believe that everybody’s born with one or two songs to sing,” Del Toro told the crowd at the Palm Springs Convention Center. “That’s it, and we keep repeating them and repeating them until we get them sort of right. And Frankenstein was the song I was born to sing.”

Del Toro spoke of his brother when touching on his recent film’s themes of fatherhood, forgiving and being forgiven.

“Three days ago, I lost my older brother, but I’m here because the film speaks about a condition that is purely human, that is proved by the final phase in the film, which says the heart may break and the broken live on,” he said. “Even a broken heart pumps the blood and keeps you going.”

The 61-year-old filmmaker would go on to note that there were several occasions when he and his brother played out the dynamics of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature in their own lives, and that they “granted each other love and granted each other peace” many years ago.

Del Toro did not share any details regarding his brother’s death and said that he may take time off during awards season due to his family’s loss.

“I may be absent at a few functions this [awards] season, but not this one,” he said. “I’m here because [the cast and crew of ‘Frankenstein’] is family. Life gives you a family on the way.”

The governor of Del Toro’s home state of Jalisco, Pablo Lemus Navarro, shared a message on X about the elder Del Toro’s death.

“I send my condolences to the Jalisco filmmaker @RealGDT
for the passing of his brother, Federico del Toro Gómez,” Lemus Navarro wrote. “To his family and loved ones, I hope that they soon find consolation. From the bottom of my heart, I’m sending a warm and strong hug. Rest in peace.”

The director’s alma mater, the University of Guadalajara, also paid their respects to Federico on X.

“We lament the passing of Federico del Toro Gómez, brother of Guillermo del Toro, the Tapatío filmmaker and alumnus of our academic institution,” the post read. “We extend our condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace.”

Elsewhere in his speech, the Oscar-winning director spoke of the importance of believing in and making art in deeply political times.

“At a time when people tell you art is not important, that is always the prelude to fascism,” Del Toro said. “When they tell you it doesn’t matter, when they tell you a f— app can do art, if it’s that easy, that unimportant, why the f— do they want it so bad? The answer is because they think they can debase everything that makes us a little better, a little more human.”

Political realities were also front and center at the awards show during Leonardo DiCaprio’s acceptance speech for his performance in “One Battle After Another.”

The 51-year-old actor was forced to accept his award via Zoom call because he was unable to leave the Caribbean island St. Barts due to air restrictions in the area after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and amid the increasingly turbulent political situation in Venezuela.

“Leonardo DiCaprio is unable to join us in person tonight due to unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace,” a spokesperson for the Palm Springs International Film Festival told Variety. “While we will miss celebrating with him in person, we are honored to recognize his exceptional work and lasting contributions to cinema. His talent and dedication to the craft continue to inspire, and we are delighted to celebrate him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award this evening.”

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POLITICS

Hegseth censures Sen. Kelly after warning about following illegal orders

Jan 5, 2026 Politics Desk

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over the lawmaker’s participation in a video that called on troops to resist unlawful orders.

Hegseth said that the censure was “a necessary process step” to proceedings that could result in a demotion from Kelly’s retired rank of captain in the U.S. Navy.

The move comes more than a month after Kelly participated in a video with five other Democratic lawmakers in which they called on troops to defy “illegal orders.” President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days later.

In November, Kelly and the other lawmakers — all veterans of the armed services and intelligence community — called on U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders.”

The 90-second video was first posted from Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s X account. In it, the six lawmakers — Slotkin, Kelly and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan — speak directly to U.S. service members, whom Slotkin acknowledges are “under enormous stress and pressure right now.”

Afterward, Trump accused them of sedition “punishable by DEATH,” reposting messages from others about the video and amplifying it with his own words.

Kelly, along with some of the other Democrats in the initial video, have sent out fundraising messages based off the Republican president’s reaction to their comments, efforts that have gone toward filling their own campaign coffers and further elevating their national-level profiles.

Toropin writes for the Associated Press.

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The Night Manager star’s fate ‘sealed’ after heartbreaking death looms for character

Jan 3, 2026 News Desk

The Night Manager has returned to BBC One, with a tense clip from episode two showing villain Teddy Dos Santos complaining about someone making his life difficult

The Night Manager could be in for a shocking twist, with a teaser clip showing baddie Teddy Dos Santos hinting that he wants someone killed.

The BBC drama, which stars Tom Hiddleston as MI6 agent Jonathan Pine, has returned for its second series, a decade after the first series captivated audiences. The initial series followed Pine, a night manager at a Cairo hotel, who was enlisted by Angela Burr from the Foreign Office (Olivia Colman) to infiltrate the inner circle of arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie).

The second series, which premiered on New Year’s Day, picks up several years later, and a gripping snippet from the second episode shows Pine coming face-to-face with his new adversary.

Pine is now a low-ranking MI6 officer overseeing a discreet surveillance unit in London. However, things take a turn when he identifies one of Roper’s former mercenaries, with a synopsis stating it “prompts a call to action and leads Pine to a violent encounter with a new player: Colombian businessman Teddy Dos Santos.”

An exclusive preview of the second episode reveals him covertly listening in as Teddy (Diego Calva) engages in a sinister conversation with a General, reports the Express.

Teddy informs the General that a man named Alejandro Gualteros is “making my life difficult”, claiming that he has frozen his bank accounts and is attempting to inspect one of his shipments.

“That cannot happen,” he cautions.

The General reassures Teddy that he’ll handle it, to which the arms dealer responds: “Make it quick. No money. No operation.”

In a conversation between Teddy and Pine, Pine masquerades as a businessman who has spent his career in a Hong Kong bank, aiming to gain the villain’s trust.

“You’re English?” Teddy asks during their encounter at a tennis club. “I’m from Hong Kong,” Pine responds. “Swiss Bank. I’ve been there for 10 years.”

When questioned about his presence in Colombia, he coolly answers: “Let’s just say it’s getting more complex to work with our Chinese friends. So I’m seeking new opportunities.”

“You are a risk taker,” Teddy observes. “In life as in on the court,” Pine retorts with a smile.

The latest series of the drama also stars actress and model Camila Morrone as Roxana Bolaños. She portrays a businesswoman who is close to Teddy and reluctantly assists Pine in penetrating his arms operation.

The plot summary concludes: “As allegiances splinter, Pine races to expose a conspiracy designed to destabilise a nation. And with betrayal lurking around every corner, he must decide whose trust he needs to earn and how far he’s willing to go before it’s too late.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website.

The Night Manager is broadcast on BBC One.

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Tommy Lee Jones’ daughter Victoria’s mugshot from 6 months before death emerges after arrest for domestic violence

Jan 3, 2026 News Desk

THE daughter of Tommy Lee Jones was arrested over an alleged domestic violence dispute just six months before she was found dead in a hotel.

Emergency services were called to the Fairmont in San Francisco in the early hours of Thursday, where paramedics found Victoria Jones unresponsive and later pronounced her dead, TMZ reported.

It has now been revealed that Victoria was arrested in June for domestic battery and domestic violence involving elder abuse for an alleged incident that occurred at the Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa, California.

The mugshot from her arrest shows the 34-year-old former child actress red eyed and dishevelled.

She pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to appear in court later this month.

Victoria Kafka Jones was the daughter of the actor Tommy and his ex-wife Kimberlea Cloughley, who divorced in 1996.

‘RIP DEAR FRIEND’

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Sadly, Victoria was found lying on the ground of the 14th floor of the swanky hotel on New Year’s Day.

A harrowing 911 call has revealed a possible cause of death as an overdose.

Dispatch logs indicate that the call came in at 2.52 am on Thursday, prompting crews to rush to the hotel.

After assessing Victoria, medics pronounced her dead at the hotel, officials said.

Dispatch audio from Broadcastify, obtained by TMZ, described it as a “code 3 for the overdose, color change.”

TMZ reported the call was also logged as an overdose response.

A San Francisco cop who had previously dealt with Victoria told The Post she had struggled with substance abuse issues and suspected her death was “fentanyl-related.”

It remains unclear whether Victoria was staying at the hotel or why she was on the 14th floor.

Page Six has reported a string of other run-ins Victoria had with the law.

In April this year, Victoria was arrested for obstructing a peace officer, using/being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a narcotic controlled substance, for which she also pleaded not guilty.

The earliest criminal encounter is thought to be 2011 when she was arrested for theft in the amount of $50 to $500 in San Antonio, Texas — though the charges ended up being dismissed.

DAD’S ‘FIRING’

Victoria acted as a child, appearing in Men in Black II and later The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

She also made a one-episode appearance on One Tree Hill.

Speaking about his daughter while promoting The Three Burials, Tommy said, “She’s a good actress, has her SAG [Screen Actors Guild] card, speaks impeccable Spanish.

“When she was a baby, I told Leticia, her nurse, to speak to her in Spanish,” he said.

He also recalled a clash over an early call time on set in a resurfaced interview in which he joked that he had to fire his young daughter.

“She had to get up at 5 am for her part. One morning, she wouldn’t get out of bed,” he said.

“I said, ‘Honey, this is work.’ But she wouldn’t budge. So I fired her. Then, without telling me, the production staff went over and woke her and rushed her out to the set just in time.”

Although she stepped away from acting, Victoria still appeared with her father at public events, including the premiere of Just Getting Started in 2017 and the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival that same year.

Fans also flooded social media with condolences, with one writing, “Condolences. Really sad way to lose someone, especially a family member, on the first day of the year as well.”

“No father should ever have to bury their daughter. I hope Tom has a lot of love around him during this tough time,” another fan added.

“Heartbreaking. 34 is far too young. Condolences to the family.”

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Tommy Lee Jones’ daughter reportedly found dead; 911 call suggests OD

Jan 2, 2026 News Desk

Victoria Jones, the daughter of Academy Award-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, was reportedly found dead at a hotel in San Francisco on New Year’s Day. She was 34.

According to TMZ, the San Francisco Fire Department responded to a medical emergency call at the Fairmont San Francisco early Thursday morning. The paramedics pronounced Victoria dead at the scene before turning it over to the San Francisco Police Department for further investigation, the outlet said.

An SFPD representative confirmed to The Times that officers responded to a call at approximately 3:14 a.m. Thursday regarding a report of a deceased person at the hotel and that they met with medics at the scene who declared an unnamed adult female dead.

Citing law enforcement sources, NBC Bay Area also reported that the deceased woman found in a hallway of the hotel was believed to be Jones and that police did not suspect foul play.

“We are deeply saddened by an incident that occurred at the hotel on January 1, 2026,” the Fairmont told NBC Bay Area in a statement. “Our heartfelt condolences are with the family and loved ones during this very difficult time. The hotel team is actively cooperating and supporting police authorities within the framework of the ongoing investigation.”

The medical examiner conducted an investigation at the scene, but Jones’ cause of death remains undetermined. Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ and People indicated that the 911 emergency call was for a suspected drug overdose.

Jones was the daughter of Tommy Lee and ex-wife Kimberlea Cloughley. Her brief acting career included roles on films such as “Men in Black II” (2002), which starred her father, and “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada” (2005), which was directed by her father. She also appeared in a 2005 episode of “One Tree Hill.”

Page Six reported that Jones had been arrested at least twice in 2025 in Napa County, including an arrest on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and drug possession.

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A new year means new films to look forward to

Jan 2, 2026 News Desk

Fried chicken and a $45 bottle of sparkling wine?

What were you doing on New Year’s Eve?

I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times, host of The Envelope newsletter and the guy wondering how many New Year’s resolutions you’ve broken so far this year.

Let’s take a look back — and a look forward — because that’s what we’re contractually obligated to do this time of year.

Three films I’m looking forward to in 2026

Every year, some editor at The Times buzzes my inbox with a request to gather my hopes and dreams into a purely speculative list of movies I’m looking forward to seeing in the coming 12 months. That email serves as a marker that the Earth has orbited the sun once again and it’s time to buy a new planner — because I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Google Calendar know what I’m doing 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

I was asked to contribute two movies to the list last year, and I chose “One Battle After Another” and “Materialists.” So … one masterpiece that should go on to win the Oscar for best picture and the movie that seems to be the most hated film of 2025. Seriously, people will approach me at parties and say, unprompted, “You know what movie I despised? ‘Materialists.’” And then, after unloading on how much they loathed the characters in Celine Song’s romantic drama, they’ll shift gears and go on a diatribe about late-stage capitalism.

(My New Year’s resolution: find better parties.)

You could say, then, that I got one right and one wrong, though I was partly looking forward to “Materialists” because Song had regaled me with tales of her Manhattan matchmaking days over a couple glasses of wine one night and I wanted to see how she’d weave these stories into a movie. And it turned out that was the best part of the film. So there. No more emails about “Materialists,” please.

At least Song’s film saw the light of day. Looking back on our 2025 list, there are still movies that haven’t made it to theaters. The “Untitled Trey Parker/Matt Stone Film,” once scheduled for July 4, now has a title, “Whitney Springs,” but no new release date. Neither does Terrence Malick’s biblical drama, “The Way of the Wind,” which Malick has reportedly been editing for a good six years now. That movie didn’t make our 2026 list, but, fingers crossed, it might resurface sometime in the next decade when we throw together another of these.

So what movies am I looking forward to seeing when it stops raining (talk about biblical drama) and we start turning the calendar’s pages? I raised my hand for three, and I’m confident this trio will satisfy, mostly because of their directors’ track record. To see everyone else’s picks — including a few I would have chosen myself — read the full list here.

“Disclosure Day”: I liked it better when this was simply known as “Untitled Steven Spielberg UFO movie.” What more do you need to know beyond that description and a prime summer release date? That’s enough to sell a few hundred million dollars in tickets and make me giddy with anticipation. We don’t know much at the moment, other than that Spielberg is working again with “Jurassic Park” and “War of the Worlds” screenwriter David Koepp. There’s an eye-catching billboard with an image that looks alien and kind of birdlike … unless you study it while standing on your head and then it looks … human? Who knows? ALL WILL BE DISCLOSED, the tagline promises, hence the title. So we’ll just have to wait. But from all appearances, we’re not in “E.T.” territory with this one.

“The Adventures of Cliff Booth”: Do we need a stand-alone Cliff Booth movie? Quentin Tarantino thinks so, though not enough to direct the sequel he wrote to his hit 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood.” That’s OK, as Brad Pitt, who won an Oscar for playing Booth, the ass-kicking stuntman, enlisted David Fincher to sub in. It’ll be their fourth collaboration, following “Se7en,” “Fight Club” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” a track record that offers some optimism that a film elevating Booth from Rick Dalton’s loyal sidekick to a leading character is an idea worth pursuing. (Leonardo DiCaprio apparently turned down an offer to reprise Dalton in a cameo.) If nothing else, the movie’s 1977 setting, eight years after the events in “Once Upon a Time,” will give us the chance to revel in another glorious L.A. time capsule.

“Werwulf”: Robert Eggers calls his upcoming medieval werewolf movie the “darkest thing I have ever written, by far.” Let that sink in for a moment. Eggers’ filmography includes the suffocating madness found in “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse” and the chilling terror of a malevolent, shape-shifting, lustful vampire in “Nosferatu.” These are not light movies. So what are we in store for here? Apparently a member of Eggers’ sound team said he needed a hug after reading the “Werwulf” script. I couldn’t verify this, but I want this to be true. There will be blood — and fog. One other thing we know is the setting, 13th century England, which means that the film’s dialogue will be in Middle English. How fareth thoue with that? I’m sure the cast, which includes Eggers regulars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson, had fun, verraily.

There you have it: Spielberg, Fincher, Eggers. A sci-fi thriller, a sequel I still can’t believe exists and a monster movie. All three of these might miss the mark. And, honestly, any list missing the guaranteed pleasures of “Practical Magic 2” is immediately suspect.

But that’s the folly of blindly looking ahead. You never know.

Happy New Year! And, as always, thanks for reading.

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Mystery of Tommy Lee Jones’ daughter’s death at lux hotel where guest who found body ‘thought she was passed out drunk’

Jan 2, 2026 News Desk

CHILLING details have been revealed in the strange death of Tommy Lee Jones’s daughter.

Former child star Victoria Jones, 34, was found unresponsive in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The historic Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, where Victoria Jones was found dead at 34Credit: Getty

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After ‘Marty Supreme’ marketing, what will Oscar campaign be?

Jan 2, 2026 News Desk

Are you wondering, like Alixandra Kupcik, where did all the feel-good movies go?

She must have written that story before “Song Sung Blue” came out. Because Hugh Jackman passionately describing the greatness of Neil Diamond’s “Soolaimon” and then demonstrating that song’s grandeur by performing it in the new film “Song Sung Blue” is the definition of corny, feel-good comfort.

Which leads me to my question to you this day: Have you seen “Marty Supreme”? And what feelings — good, bad, uneasy, elated — did that movie arouse in you?

I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. Time to wipe down the ping-pong table?

Inside the reactions to ‘Marty Supreme’

He summited the Sphere, exhorting us to “dream big.” He shot a rap music video to debunk the conspiracy theory that he is a popular British rapper. He has popped up at screenings flanked by bodyguards sporting giant orange ping-pong balls for heads.

Leading up to the Christmas Day premiere of his new movie, “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet was front and center in a promotional tour that was unhinged, delightful and, judging from the weekend’s box office, quite successful.

“Marty Supreme,” the wildly entertaining, over-caffeinated portrait of a single-minded ping-pong player, took in $27 million over the four-day Christmas weekend, the best opening in distributor A24’s history. The numbers surpassed the opening of “A Complete Unknown,” last year’s Chalamet Christmas release that featured the actor playing Bob Dylan in his formative years.

Not everyone was on board with “Marty.” Moviegoers gave the movie a B+ rating with market research company CinemaScore. That’s good, but not great. (“A Complete Unknown,” by comparison, earned an A.)

Podcaster Claira Curtis’ experience seeing the movie at the Grove feels like an accurate representation of the “Marty Supreme” adventure: “Packed ‘Marty Supreme theater had the full range of reactions. There were people walking out halfway through. There were people clapping. There was someone coming out of it saying, ‘Eh, it was fine’ & then their friend went, ‘Are you insane? It was peak!’”

The disparate responses reflect a couple of things.

One, not everyone embraces the Safdie brand of anxiety-inducing cinema. Josh Safdie directed “Marty.” His brother, Benny, made “The Smashing Machine,” released earlier this year. Together, they made “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time,” movies that, take your pick, were exhilarating or excruciating. Or both! (Exclamation point intended. These are exclamation-point films.)

And two, the title character in “Marty Supreme” is a lot — an undeniably talented, relentless self-promoter careening toward his goals of fame and fortune with little regard to the damage he is inflicting on others. He’s despicable, but also, as played by Chalamet, winningly charming. Unless you find Chalamet annoying. Then you’re probably best-served listening to Hugh Jackman sing Neil Diamond songs.

Chalamet has channeled Marty’s earnest energy in his promotional appearances for the film.

“This is a movie about sacrifice in pursuit of a dream,” he told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.” “And it’s something I can relate to deeply. And we live in a bleak time, especially for young people, so this film is an attempted antidote to that.”

Chalamet then pivoted to the camera, the better to look into viewers’ eyes.

“And to continue to believe in yourself and to continue to dream big and to follow your dreams and not take no for an answer. That’s the spirit of ‘Marty Supreme,’ out on Christmas Day.”

Judging from the box office, Chalamet has pushed across the message. Will it work on awards voters, giving Chalamet the first Oscar of his career? As we head into the new year, the next phase of the “Marty” tour promises to be the season’s most interesting storyline. Gas up the blimp!

More coverage of ‘Marty Supreme’

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Stormzy reveals he was ‘dying a slow death’ after difficult year in heartfelt statement

Jan 1, 2026 News Desk

IT’S now the beginning of a fresh year, but last year was a tough one for Stormzy.

The famous rapper and singer, who’s real name is Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., gained mass attention back in 2014, when he broke into the music scene.

But now over 10 years on, he’s reflecting on what a tough year he had, and how since the end of 2024 he’s felt like he’s been “dying a slow death”.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Stormzy shared a statement about how it feels to gradually lose your sense of childhood wonder to reality and its twists and turns.

“Ok, I’m ready,” the star began before launching into a poetic statement.

“There’s poetry in all this chaos so lemme embrace it.

HEARTBROKEN

Stormzy left devastated as beloved Rottweiler he owned with Maya Jama dies

HARD LAUNCH

Maya Jama’s new boyfriend Ruben Dias makes first appearance on her Instagram

“Towards the end of 2024, my life took a few unexpected twists and turns and I was forced to pivot.

“These same events also robbed me of the wide-eyed innocence I once navigated the world with.

“Kinda like how you used to believe that Disneyland was powered by rainbows and fairy dust, and then one day you see a headless Mickey Mouse arguing on the phone and smoking a cigarette.

“This made me more resilient and put the final nail in the coffin of my desire to be understood – a part of me that, tbf, was already dying a slow death.”

The lengthy post continued on for eleven images in a carousel, detailing how Stormzy just wanted to get things “off [his]chest before [he] enters the New Year”.

He also shared how he is “eternally grateful” to the people in his life, whether they still work together or not.

He tied the statement off with the same words he scrawled at the start: “Ok, I’m ready.”

Stormzy opted to turn comments off on the simple text post, captioned with a repeat of “Ok, I’m ready.”

These same three words are the only ones in colour among the black and white statement, standing out in red.

It’s unclear exactly what “events” Stormzy is referring to when discussing the difficulty of 2025, but a couple of notable things happened to the star that did become public.

Back in March at the BRIT Awards, he took to the stage wearing a pair of sunglasses to scoop up an award for best British Hop Hop/Grime/Rap Act.

Clarifying to a confused audience why he was wearing shades inside the venue, he explained he had “bruised his cornea” during a game of padel.

“Sorry I’m wearing shade as well because I’ve mashed up my eye playing padel.

“I’ve got a very sore eye. I’ve got a bruised cornea.

“My eye’s sore under here, I’m not being a mad man with shades on inside.”

Then later on in the year in November, Stormzy shared a devastated post to Instagram sharing that the Rottweiler he owned with ex Maya Jama sadly passed away.

He said: “RIP my no.1 boy. Don’t have much to say, just gutted and heartbroken. I love you so so so much my boy.

“If you know me then you know how much Enzo meant to me, gonna miss you my guy.”

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SoCal tennis star’s death ‘haunts’ mom, who vows DUI reform

Dec 30, 2025 Sports Desk

The mother of a local tennis star joined Los Angeles County prosecutors on Monday in calling for stricter DUI penalties in California after they say her son was killed by a two-time drunk driver.

Braun Levi, an 18-year-old South Bay tennis standout, was struck and killed by a car in the early-morning hours of May 4 in Manhattan Beach.

According to Los Angeles County prosecutors, 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt was behind the wheel, speeding while driving on a suspended license and with a blood alcohol level almost twice the legal limit. Belt, prosecutors say, has a previous conviction for driving drunk.

“California’s current DUI laws are broken and weak and fail to protect families like ours, and it’s devastating,” Braun’s mother, Jennifer Levi, said at a news conference Monday. “His death haunts my every breath, every day.”

Although his parents were proud of his athletic and academic achievements, they were most proud of how he treated other people, Levi said. “He had a smile for everybody. He had a heart for everybody. I miss him so much.”

In light of her son’s death, Levi said she would work with state Sen. Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera), whose granddaughter died after being hit by a drunk driver last year, to write and pass a bill that will restructure the state’s DUI penalty laws and requirements, she said.

“The feeling, the sight, the smell of identifying our son’s body will never leave my mind, body or soul, so I will not be silent,” she said.

The SoCal athlete, who died a month before his high school graduation after entering the top national ranks in boys tennis, is part of a larger trend of DUI-related deaths over the last 15 years, according to a CalMatters investigative series that L.A. Dist. Atty. Nathan J. Hochman referenced.

Roadway deaths have been steadily rising since 2010, partially due to repeat drunk drivers and people driving over the speed limit, CalMatters reported. Alcohol-related deaths have increased by 50% over the last decade, according to the investigation.

“Braun should be home right now from his first semester at UVA, spending the holidays with his family, their first as a family still displaced by the Palisades fire,” said Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Pacific Palisades.

“He should be planning his future, not being remembered for the way his life was taken from him.”

California’s DUI laws, although considered to be nation-leading in the 1980s, have fallen behind the curve, Hochman said.

Hochman warned drivers, especially ahead of the New Year’s Day holiday, that his office would continue to charge them — and potentially those who over-serve alcohol at bars or parties — with serious crimes.

“We are here to prevent crimes and send crystal clear messages to would-be drunk and drug drivers, to people who want to engage in excessive speed on our roads: We will come after you,” Hochman said, calling the issue a “fight for people’s lives.”

Belt is charged with second-degree murder, felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and a misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license after a DUI. She is being held on $2-million bail and faces life in prison if convicted.

Belt’s arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 13.

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Brigitte Bardot’s death means there only THREE people still alive from Billy Joel’s huge hit We Didn’t Start The Fire’

Dec 29, 2025 News Desk

THE list of living names in Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire has shrunk to a jaw-dropping three.

Three decades after the tongue-twister song topped charts around the world, most of its human landmarks are gone.

Out of the 59 people name-checked in the 1989 mega-hit, only Bob Dylan, rock n roll singer Chubby Checker, and “subway vigilante” Bernie Goetz are still alive.

The grim-but-fascinating fact has been doing the rounds on social media after Bardot’s death was announced on Sunday.

One shocked fan admitted: “This is how I find out Chubby Checker is still alive.”

Another said: “The kind of useless trivia I’ll be physically incapable of not repeating at the next dinner party.”

SCREEN GODDESS

How Brigitte Bardot became face of swinging 60s & sparked sexual revolution

DARK TIMES

Billy Joel reveals he attempted suicide twice after affair with bandmate’s wife

Billy’s catchy banger is a whirlwind history lesson.

It rattles through headlines and pop culture moments in strict chronological order starting the year Billy Joel was born in 1949, and racing toward the late 1980s.

One of the song’s most packed lines – “Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Khrushchev” – covers 1956, the year iconic French actress Brigitte Bardot shot to global fame in And God Created Woman.

It also nods to the Hungarian Revolution in Budapest, the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama, and Nikita Khrushchev’s rise to power in the Soviet Union after Stalin’s death.

Music also runs through the song like a second timeline.

Chart topper Billy, now age 79, kicks things off with Cry singer Johnnie Ray in 1949, one of the first modern pop stars signed to a major label.

He quickly follows with Bill Haley & His Comets, whose Rock Around the Clock sent rock ’n’ roll into overdrive.

Elvis Presley turns up in 1955, Buddy Holly marks 1959 and the tragedy of the Day the Music Died, Chubby Checker dances into 1960.

Bob Dylan appears in 1961 as pop music takes a sharp turn toward protest and social change.

By the time Joel hits the mid-to-late 1960s, it’s Beatlemania and Woodstock.

Bernie Goetz gets a mention after he became a household name in 1984 for shooting four black men on a train in New York after they allegedly demanded money.

One of the men was left brain damaged and paraplegic, and the shooting became a symbol of deep racial divide in the city.

Goetz handed himself in to police nine days later and was dubbed the “subway vigilante” by local media.

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Latinx Files: Remembering Juan Gabriel five years after his death

Dec 29, 2025 News Desk

This Saturday will mark five years since Juan Gabriel died.

Of course, the iconic singer songwriter — real name Alberto Aguilera Valadez — isn’t really dead.

His body may no longer be with us, but how can someone who meant so much to people of Mexican heritage on both sides of the border cease to exist?

It’s impossible to sum up the full impact that Gabriel has had on generations of Mexicans and Mexican Americans. It’s more than the songs or the stage persona or the me vale attitude to what you thought about his sexuality. It’s the fact that for many of us he’s a connection to our families (raise your hand if your mom made you clean the house while blasting his music), to our homeland and to our culture. He gave us a shared language that affords us the opportunity to rejoice or grieve as a community.

There are profiles written about the man that are worth your time — I recommend this one published in The Times in 1999 — but for this newsletter we turned it over to our community to tell us how El Divo de Juárez forever changed their lives.

Juan Gabriel and the LGBTQ community

Juan Gabriel when asked if he was gay: "Lo que se ve no se pregunta"

Luis Octavio remembers the first time he saw Gabriel. He was sitting with his family and the singer was about to perform on the weekly Mexican variety show “Siempre en Domingo.”

But all he could focus on was the sequins Gabriel was wearing.

“It gave me a little bit of hope that maybe my jotería would be accepted just the way my abuela, my abuelo, the tíos and everybody else who saw him on that screen accepted his and saw past his flamboyance,” said Octavio, co-founder of the drag bar El Place and one of the organizers of Boyle Heights’ first pride event.

Gabriel’s sexual orientation has always been an open secret. It has always been assumed that he was gay, but it was rarely discussed, with one glaring exception.

During a 2002 interview with news program “Primer Impacto,” reporter Fernando del Rincón asked Juanga point-blank if he was gay. With daggers in his eyes, Gabriel responded with “Lo que se ve, no se pregunta.” What is seen is not asked.

Octavio told me this interview always stood out for him — he described it as iconic, which, yeah, it is — because it told Mexican queer people that being who they were was more than enough and that you didn’t owe anything to anyone.

It’s a sentiment that Nomi B, a drag queen who hosts “Noche de Gringaderas” at El Place, certainly relates to.

“We all knew he was a sister,” she said.

“I admire that he kept his life private and he was like, ‘I don’t care what you think or say about me. I’m going to keep my life private and you’re going to enjoy my music no matter what.’”

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‘Abrázame que el tiempo es malo y muy cruel amigo’

In 2000, Juan Gabriel released “Abrazame Muy Fuerte,” an operatic banger that makes the case that time is cruel, unforgiving and finite for humans. Because of this, he begs his subject to pend much of that time embraced in each other’s arms. The song was a huge hit and was used as the theme song for a telenovela that shared the same name.

A few years later, it also became my parents’ song.

Around that time, my mom developed a brain tumor. The doctors didn’t know yet if it was malignant, but my family assumed the worst. The prospect of losing our anchor became very real. My dad took it the hardest, and because he is the embodiment of the closed-off macho who tries very hard not to emote, he didn’t have an outlet to let out what he was going through.

So he did what any Mexican would do: He turned to Juan Gabriel.

I was away at college when this happened, but my sister would tell me that he’d play the song nonstop, sometimes sitting next to my mom on the couch with his eyes closed in prayer. It must’ve worked because the tumor ended up benign. Decades later, my mom is the healthiest she’s ever been.

During the pandemic, that song took on an added meaning for me. It was late last year and my parents and I decided to take a road trip. “Abrazame Muy Fuerte” came on. All three of us started singing along, and it wasn’t long before we started bawling. The painful memory came back, but with it came the realization that we still had time and we were spending it together.

That’s the thing about Juan Gabriel’s music. These aren’t just songs. They’re memories. They’re feelings we can’t express, and even if we could, why would we when Juanga’s already done it better?

When I decided to write about Gabriel, I knew that I wanted others to share some of their favorite songs. I asked friends and colleagues to contribute a song for this Spotify playlist and to write a few lines about why they picked that tune.

Illustration of a mom and a son cleaning while listening to Juan Gabriel

“Querida”— He’s just so dramatic! Like, “Yes, b—!” (Nomi B, drag queen)

“Amor Eterno” — If there’s a song that defines who Juan Gabriel is, it’s “Amor Eterno.” Since he wrote the song for Rocio Durcal, it’s Juan Gabriel as a song writer. As a singer, his emotion has made it the quintessential Mexican song about heartbreak, regret, and ultimately, trying to make sense out those emotions. With the song’s lyrics and emotions — along with Juan Gabriel being from the Juárez-El Paso borderland — it’s little wonder why “Amor Eterno” was played and sang everywhere in the days following the El Paso massacre. (Roberto José Andrade Franco, writer-at-large at Texas Highways)

“La Frontera” — When I first moved to the U.S. I felt like I didn’t belong here because I didn’t speak perfect English and nobody could pronounce my name. Listening to that song and how he talked about how everybody’s happy at the border and how everyone’s different, it made me feel safe. (Luis Octavio, co-founder of Boyle Heights drag bar “El Place”)

“Inocente Pobre Amigo” — Juan Gabriel was the first poet in my life, a staple at my parents’ home in South Gate, California. My mother owned all of his albums. And when I went away to study literature at the University of Chicago, I took them with me.

I was back in California, walking around in Boyle Heights, when he passed. I got the news alert. Then, all along César E. Chávez Avenue, shop owners blasted his songs. Juan Gabriel wrote hundreds. I know all of them.

For beginners, I recommend “Inocente Pobre Amigo,” which recounts a heartbreaking disillusion but, above all, is a song about valuing yourself. Go on YouTube. Find the version that was recorded during Juan Gabriel’s first concert in Mexico City’s Palace of Fine Arts. Watch him perform with his hands on his hips, glistening in black and gold sequins. Hear him crack jokes with the audience and watch the mariachis on stage try to muffle their laugh. Recall that some elitists thought his work was too lowbrow for the venue.

When Juan Gabriel passed in 2016, his ashes were taken to that same place. For hours on end, hundreds of thousands of people poured in to pay their last respects. I wish I’d been one of them. (Julia Barajas, Los Angeles Times staff writer)

“El Noa Noa”— It’s a song about a place where you can go and be who you are. The ambience of the bar might be different than what people are used to, but it’s about everyone being welcomed and letting them feel like they can be happy. (Melissa Befierce, Mother of Haus of Befierce and events coordinator at El Place)

“No Tengo Dinero”— For me, Juan Gabriel’s songs are tied to memories of me riding on my grandfather’s truck with my aunt and my grandmother on the roads of Campeche where we lived for a few years. Juan Gabriel’s “No Tengo Dinero” is one of his iconic songs because for many it’s always a struggle to have money, but if at least we have love, we know we’ll be alright. (Denise Florez, Los Angeles Times multiplatform editor)

“Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (Gracias al Sol)” — My mom and tías have always been huge Juan Gabriel fans. I grew up in El Paso and he of course has immensely close ties to Juárez, where his career took off. His music is the soundtrack of my childhood. There was a brief time when it was around so much, it annoyed me. But when I moved away from home, that soundtrack became so powerful and comforting. It instantly connected me with my family. My sister, mom and I have sung (poorly) along to “Querida” hundreds of times at this point. But that’s going to be almost everyone’s favorite song. It’s just kind of perfect JuanGa. But the one I’ll choose for this playlist is what I believe is the only cover he ever did: “Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (Gracias al Sol).” In the video, he’s wearing amazing rainbow-colored pants and having so much fun. He brings joy to his work and it’s infectious. He’s also a great singer, so it stays on my playlist along with the much older hits. (Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times deputy sports editor)

“Hasta Que Te Conocí” — Later brilliantly covered by Ana Gabriel, it is the perfect song about love gone sour, heightened by lyrics that are pure melodrama. (Carolina Miranda, Los Angeles Times columnist)

“Así Fue” — He was never more brilliant, more heartbreaking, more JuanGa than in that song. (Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times columnist)

“Costumbres” — Here’s an extremely on brand story: During one of my family’s chaotic Christmas parties, we were all doing what we usually do⁠—drinking tequila and singing along to a playlist of Juan Gabriel, Rocío Durcal, Alejandro Fernández and, well, you know the vibes. As always, “Costumbres” comes on, the Rocío version, and my trash-talking sister starts to sing loudly, drunkenly, and off-key: No cabe duda que es verdad que la costumbre es más grande que el amor. She looks at me and says, “That’s f— real, dude. La costumbre really is más grande que el amor.” She then scowls at her husband across the room and screams over the music, “F— you, [name redacted]!”

That is the power of “Costumbres.” That’s actually the power of 99.9% of songs written by Juan Gabriel. However, “Costumbres” is god-tier in his canon of songs that have an unbelievable ability to drag your soul. We dance to “Noa Noa,” weep to “Amor Eterno,” raise our arms up to “Querida,” and strongly consider divorce to “Costumbres.”

“Costumbres” is sung from the perspective of a person telling their partner their love has been replaced by resentment, but habit and the comfort of a warm, familiar body keeps them together no matter how many times they try to walk away. Juan Gabriel’s love songs have an uncanny ability to swim in the thick nuances of romance, its brutal pains and exhilarating joys, and as is the case with “Costumbres” the harsh realities of committing your life to someone. He seemingly had a direct line to our deepest fears about love, and expressed poetically something even as mundane as being over it but staying anyway. To quote my sister, that’s f— real, dude. And it’s why “Costumbres” along with so many other songs he penned are elevated to a place of cultural veneration and soundtrack of the most affecting moments of our lives. (Alex Zaragoza, senior culture writer at Vice)

Fernandomania @ 40: El Campeón.

The latest installment of our multi-part documentary series “Fernandomania @ 40” is out today. You can watch here.

When Fernando Valenzuela took the mound in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series, the New York Yankees had a commanding 2-0 lead over the Dodgers and Tommy Lasorda’s crew was facing the real possibility of a third World Series loss in five years to their East Coast rivals. In the end, the Dodgers won the game, 5-4, largely due to the gritty performance of their rookie left-hander. Valenzuela gave up nine hits and seven walks in a 146-pitch complete-game, spurring the team to a World Series victory and cementing his pitching legacy in Los Angeles.

Missed an episode of “Fernandomania @ 40”? You can find them all here.

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Yesterday was the MLS vs. Liga MX All Star Game at the Banc of California Stadium near downtown Los Angeles, but the most important soccer match that took place that day happened hours earlier at a park in Pasadena. That’s where members of the #LigaMXEng community got together to celebrate the beautiful game (and come to terms with how out of shape many of us actually are).

What’s #LigaMXEng? It’s a Twitter hashtag where podcasters, reporters, and fans from around the country congregate to talk about Liga MX, the most popular soccer league in the United States. More importantly, it’s entirely in English, the primary language for many of us. It’s that last part that does it for me.

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Siobhan Finneran’s rare romance update with Death in Paradise’s Don Gilet amid time apart

Dec 28, 2025 News Desk

Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran has discussed her relationship with Death in Paradise actor Don Gilet, explaining their decision to maintain separate homes in different cities

Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran, 59, has offered a rare glimpse into her relationship with Death in Paradise actor Don Gilet, 58, revealing why the pair have chosen to maintain separate households.

The duo initially crossed paths whilst working together on ITV’s crime drama The Loch, where Siobhan played DCI Lauren Quigley and Don took on the role of forensic psychologist Blake Albrighton.

Around a year afterwards, in 2018, their professional connection developed into something more romantic. Yet Siobhan calls Saddleworth home, whilst her other half, Don, is based in north London.

Despite the geographical gap between them, Siobhan insists she and the DI Mervin Wilson actor manage perfectly well, noting that Don spends most of his time abroad anyway, filming Death in Paradise in Guadeloupe.

Speaking to The Times, she said: “That’s just the way it is, isn’t it? That’s how it’s always been. And he’s out of the country for seven months a year doing Death in Paradise anyway.”

Siobhan also disclosed that she’s made the journey to the French Caribbean island, which she calls an “amazing place”, to see Don whilst he’s working.

The Protection actress was swift to reject any notion that they’re a “power couple”, confessing they can be “hopeless” when attempting to organise themselves, joking: “I’ve not heard that one before.”

She continued: “We are both off the telly. Other than that we’re pretty normal. You wouldn’t think we were a power couple this morning, both running around trying to get out of the house on time. Hopeless.”

After months of rumours, Siobhan first hinted at her romance with Don when she lovingly called the actor “my fella” during a chat with The Guardian.

Before this revelation, the couple had been photographed holding hands at various showbiz gatherings prior to making their relationship official.

Don is set to return to television screens as DI Mervin Wilson for the Death in Paradise Christmas Special.

He will be joined by guest stars Josie Lawrence, Kate Ashfield, Pearl Mackie and James Baxter for the festive episode.

The Death in Paradise Christmas Special airs on Sunday 28th December at 8.30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website.

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Key reason Nick Reiner murder case will ‘differ from movies’ with chance for ‘historically uncommon’ death penalty move

Dec 28, 2025 News Desk

PROSECUTORS at the helm of the murder case against Nick Reiner have a chance to pull a “historically uncommon” move if they pursue the death penalty, an attorney has warned.

Nick was charged with the horrific double murders of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who were found with multiple stab wounds in their home in the affluent enclave of Brentwood in Los Angeles on December 14.

A shackled Nick, 32, wore a blue anti-suicide vest during his initial appearance in court days after the gruesome killings.

A plea was not entered, as defense attorney Alan Jackson told the judge that the case against Nick was premature.

Eric Faddis, a criminal defense attorney based in Colorado, believes Nick’s legal team is teeing up for an insanity defense down the road, which he suspects they could have a hard time trying to prove.

“In order to prove that, how that works is that the defense would have to prove it’s more likely than not that [Nick] Reiner had a mental disease or defect, which caused him to not know the difference between right or wrong or to not understand the nature of his conduct,” Faddis, who is not associated with the case, told The U.S. Sun.

UNCOMMON PURSUIT

Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he has not decided whether his office will pursue the death penalty against Nick.

However, Faddis said with Hochman at the helm, it would not be surprising if the district attorney sought to sentence Nick to death.

“It’s hard to say. Historically, Los Angeles has not been the most death penalty-friendly county,” Faddis said.

“It’s not something they pursue commonly, as compared to like Utah or something like that.

“But, with Nathan Hochman at the helm, you know, he has made some unexpected moves on different cases, including the Menendez brothers’ case that he was on.

“There was sort of this social movement to try and get the Menendez brothers released. And I think a lot of people thought perhaps Hochman would go along with that, but he didn’t.”

Hochman was critical of the outpouring of supporting to free Erik and Lyle Menendez following the release of Netflix’s Monsters crime drama, which dramatized the brothers’ infamous 1989 double murders of their parents.

“So, if he did pursue the death penalty in this case, it would be historically uncommon, but not totally unexpected just based on how Hochman has made decisions in other cases.”

HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE

Reiner and Singer died minutes after they were allegedly brutally attacked by their son, according to their death certificates.

The iconic filmmaker’s time of death was recorded as 3:45 pm on December 14, while his wife’s was noted as 3:46 pm.

The grisly scene at Reiner’s Brentwood home was only uncovered after a massage therapist arrived at the couple’s front gate for a scheduled appointment on the afternoon of December 14, according to The New York Times.

After the therapist received no answer at the front gate, she decided to call the couple’s daughter, Romy, who reportedly lived in the area.

When Romy, 27, arrived and entered her parents’ home, she stumbled upon the gruesome scene and reportedly came across her father’s body first.

Reiner and Singer were found in their bed with their throats slashed and could have been asleep when they were murdered, the Daily Mail reported.

When Los Angeles police arrived at the scene at around 3:30 pm, Romy told authorities that her brother Nick lived in their parents’ home.

However, authorities were unable to locate Nick on the property.

Nick was eventually arrested at around 9:15 pm near Exposition Park, about 14 miles from where his parents were found dead, Alan Hamilton, the deputy police chief at the LAPD, said.

About an hour before his arrest, Nick was captured on a gas station surveillance footage acting nervously while buying a Gatorade.

Moments later, after exiting the gas station, the video captured three police cruisers swarming Nick at a nearby sidewalk.

Nick was seen raising his hands and surrendering to police as multiple officers approached him and took him into custody.

Timeline of Rob and Michele Reiner’s death

Rob Reiner and his wife of Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.

Timeline:

December 13, 2025: Reiner and his wife Michele attended a holiday party on the evening of December 13 with their son, Nick.
Sources conveyed to The U.S. Sun that the couple and their son were engaged in a heated public argument while at the event.
December 14, 2025: Reiner and Michele were found dead in their Brentwood home in Los Angeles at around 3:30 pm PST.
The couple’s daughter, Romy, reportedly discovered her parents’ bodies.
Online police records show Reiner and Michele’s 32-year-old son, Nick, was arrested at 9:15 pm PST on December 14.
December 15, 2025: Authorities in Los Angeles announce that Nick Reiner was arrested and charged with murder.
Nick was booked into a Los Angeles jail at 5:04 am and was being held on $4 million bail, which was later revoked.
December 16, 2025: Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman formally charged Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder.
Hochman said his office would consider the death penalty in Nick’s case.
Nick’s scheduled court appearance on December 16 was postponed due to what his attorney said was a procedural issue.
December 17, 2025: Nick Reiner briefly appeared in court. A plea was not entered.
December 23, 2025: The death certificates of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner disclosed that the couple died of multiple sharp force injuries caused with “a knife, by another.”

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Corriedale aired some dramatic scenes last night – but there’s still more drama ahead on Coronation Street and Emmerdale as the week goes on including another death…

The Night Manager has returned to BBC One, with a tense clip from episode two showing villain Teddy Dos Santos complaining about someone making his life difficult

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Three films I’m looking forward to in 2026

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Juan Gabriel and the LGBTQ community

‘Abrázame que el tiempo es malo y muy cruel amigo’

Fernandomania @ 40: El Campeón.

Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran has discussed her relationship with Death in Paradise actor Don Gilet, explaining their decision to maintain separate homes in different cities

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UNCOMMON PURSUIT

HOLLYWOOD NIGHTMARE

Timeline of Rob and Michele Reiner’s death

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