Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te has ordered sweeping security reforms after a knife and smoke grenade attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei. The suspect, Chang Wen, 27, set fires and struck multiple sites before dying from a fall.
Published On 20 Dec 202520 Dec 2025
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Mario Lubetkin on Washington’s revived sphere-of-influence doctrine, Venezuela, and China’s growing footprint.
The United States is reviving a policy first set out in the 1800s that treats Latin America as its strategic sphere of influence. As Washington expands maritime operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, critics warn of legal violations and rising regional instability.
Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin joins Talk to Al Jazeera to discuss US strikes, Venezuela, migration pressures, and China’s growing role in the region — and whether diplomacy can still prevent escalation in a hemisphere shaped once again by power politics.
Published On 20 Dec 202520 Dec 2025
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THE slashing deaths of Hollywood star Rob Reiner and his wife have sparked a raft of questions, many of which stem from their alleged killer son, Nick.
Here is a look at five mysteries that leave glaring holes in the murder investigation, from hazy information about Nick’s mental health to debates on his unconfirmed motivation.
Nick, 32, is accused of murdering his parents, filmmaker Rob, 78, and his wife Michele, 68, after a chaotic weekend that spiraled from a celebrity bash to a late-night arrest near the University of Southern California.
The couple was found dead at their Brentwood home on Sunday with their throats slashed.
Nick was arrested later that night and is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, meaning he could face the death penalty if convicted.
However, his fate is still hanging in the balance, as his arrest is complicated by missing hours, unclear motives, and unanswered questions about what he did while his parents lay dead.
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Here is what has been revealed about the case and what remains to be revealed.
On Saturday night, Rob, Michele, and Nick were all said to have attended a star-studded holiday party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien.
And according to several insiders, the night reportedly went sideways for the trio.
Guests present at the party claimed that Nick behaved erratically the entire night
According to the Wall Street Journal, there was one awkward moment where Nick interrupted Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader during a private conversation and was told to butt out.
Nick was said to have asked Hader odd questions like ” What’s your name? What’s your last name? Are you famous?”
One witness told the Daily Mail, “Nick just stood there and stared before storming off.”
Tensions escalated when multiple attendees saw Rob, Michele, and Nick locked in a heated argument.
At one point, a guest suggested calling the police, Daily Mail reported.
“They got into an argument, the father and son. It got so bad and loud someone wanted to call the police to report it,” an insider told the outlet.
Rob Reiner and his wife of Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.
Timeline:
But O’Brien reportedly intervened before anyone rang 911, the insider claimed.
“But Conan stepped in and said, ‘it’s my house, my party, I’m not calling the police.’ He talked them out of calling the police.”
“When the s**t was hitting the fan, somebody said we need to call the police. The conversation was about getting this kid put into a mental-health hold,” the source told the Mail.
Nick eventually stormed off the party.
Outlets have also reported that Rob confided to friends that he is scared of Nick.
“I’m petrified of him,” Rob told his friends.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m afraid of my own son. I think my own son can hurt me.”
No official details have been released saying Nick was on drugs or drunk at the time of the alleged killings.
But questions are swirling because he has a documented history of substance abuse, and the hours after the party, and after he is believed to have fled the family home, are still largely unaccounted for.
Nick had a substance abuse problem for years, his parents also tried to help him recover from it.
According to a TMZ report, Nick was receiving care from a Los Angeles-based rehab facility that focuses on mental illness and substance abuse, and costs $70,000 a month.
Nick had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and a report claims his behavior became increasingly “alarming” as doctors worked to fine-tune his treatment.
Things got worse three to four weeks before the murders after doctors changed his medication, leaving him even more unstable.
“Nick was out of his head,” a source told TMZ, with the report also alleging his substance abuse made his condition worse.
Nick’s defense could try to lean on mental health in court, but that doesn’t mean he will walk free.
One avenue his attorney, Alan Jackson, could explore is having him declare mentally unfit for trial, which would pause the proceedings while he is evaluated and treated.
That’s different from an insanity defense, which argues he wasn’t legally responsible at the time of the alleged killings.
Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer Daniel Rubin told Fox News the defense strategy will depend on “the weight and admissibility” of evidence, witness testimony, the events before the deaths, “the defendant’s mental health issues,” and any mitigating factors.
Rubin said if Reiner is found mentally incompetent, a judge can order a formal competency assessment by specialists.
“If he is found ‘incompetent,’ he will need to be medicated or treated to the point where he will be able to assist in his own defense and understand the proceedings,” Rubin added.
This process could take several weeks to several months.
If a judge finds him unfit, the case typically goes on ice while doctors work to restore competency, and it can restart if he stabilizes.
Even if he’s never restored, that doesn’t mean he goes home; he could still be held in a secure hospital setting rather than a prison.
And if he’s found fit and later convicted, prison is still very much on the table.
If Nick already has cash or there is a trust that allows discretionary payouts, it’s possible funds could be used toward his legal bills while the criminal case is pending – because he’s presumed innocent and the inheritance question isn’t “final” yet.
Some reports say that, until there’s a conviction or a civil finding, he isn’t automatically treated as disqualified in every setting.
But any move to use estate or trust cash could trigger an immediate probate war, with other relatives or beneficiaries pushing to freeze payouts while the murder case is pending.
If Nick is convicted, California’s so-called “slayer statute” would likely kick in, a law that blocks someone from inheriting from a person they feloniously and intentionally killed.
In that scenario, he’d be treated as if he died before his parents for inheritance purposes, meaning he wouldn’t collect from their estate.
If he’s barred, the money would typically flow to other heirs or whoever is next in line under the will or trust.
Rob and Michele’s combined estate has been estimated at around $200 million, making the financial stakes enormous as the case heads toward court.
COPS investigating the deaths of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife have shared more details about the scene that greeted them at the couple’s sprawling home.
Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were allegedly murdered by their 32-year-old son, Nick, on December 14.
Both deaths have been ruled as a homicide by Los Angeles County medical examiners.
And, both died from multiple sharp force injuries. Only one cause of death has been listed on their reports.
Cops on the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners spoke briefly about the scene at the $13.5 million Brentwood home.
Dominic Choi said the couple were found in the master bedroom of the home.
“Officers conducted a thorough search of the residence to determine whether there was any additional victims or suspects,” he said.
“No one else was located.”
Los Angeles Fire Department was among the first agencies to rush to the Reiner home.
The first call was made at 3:30pm and a unit was requested to respond to a Code two situation, as per dispatch audio obtained by People.
A code two situation is where trucks respond with lights flashing and no sirens.
This was then upgraded to code three, where crews respond with sirens and flashing lights.
The Reiners died on December 14, according to the medical examiner’s report.
A masseuse called the couple’s 27-year-old daughter, Romy, on Sunday when they weren’t let into the home.
She found her dad’s dead body before suddenly charging out of the home, as reported by the New York Times.
Romy didn’t see her mom’s body before learning that she was also dead.
FAMED actor, director and producer Rob Reiner, 78, died on December 14 alongside his wife Michele Singer, 68, in an apparent homicide.
Here is a look at the prodigious list of achievements the Hollywood powerhouse earned before his tragic and sudden death.
Director’s Beginnings
Hollywood Career
Personal Life
Nick was arrested near the Expo/Vermont metro station in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles at around 9:15pm – around six hours after Romy rushed to the scene.
Around one hour before he was arrested, he bought a Gatorade from an Arco gas station.
He was reportedly fidgety before buying the drink and kept looking behind him.
At around 4am on Sunday, he checked into the Pierside Santa Monica hotel – located around four miles from the family home.
Nick has been charged with two counts of first degree murder.
Prosecutors are still considering the death penalty.
Nick made his first court appearance on Wednesday and wore a blue suicide vest.
He had been on suicide watch while in custody, according to reports.
In the court hearing, he waived his right to a speedy arraignment, and his next scheduled appearance is January 7.
Rob Reiner and his wife of Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.
Timeline:
Nick did not enter a plea at the court hearing.
His lawyer, Alan Jackson, told the lawyer it was “too early” to enter a plea.
Outside court, Jackson later told reporters the case involves “complex and serious issues” that needed to be dealt with “thoroughly and carefully”.
Nick’s siblings, Jake and Romy, described the deaths of their parents as a “horrific and devastating” loss.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” they told TMZ.
“They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”
Jake and Romy didn’t mention Nick in their statement.
Nick allegedly killed his parents after attending a Christmas party held on December 13.
But at the shindig, Nick and his dad reportedly had a bust-up, family sources told TMZ.
Nick also had a tense moment with Bill Hader at the party, according to Page Six.
He reportedly stared at the ex-Saturday Night Live star before storming off.
Nick also quizzed A-listers at the bash, reportedly asking if they were famous.
At the party hosted by Conan O’Brien, Reiner expressed concern for his son’s well-being.
Nick has been candid about his battles with drug addiction.
His stints in rehab facilities began when he was just 15.
Nick, also a producer, co-wrote the 2015 film Being Charlie and the inspiration behind it was his relationship with his dad during his addiction.
Charlie, played by Nick Robinson, becomes addicted to drugs and his dad in the movie urges him to get help.
The movie follows Charlie’s battle as he fails at different rehab programs.
“It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows,” Reiner said.
“And then making the movie dredged it all up again.”
Reiner said making the movie with Nick helped the two become closer.
“I said it to his face. I’ll say it on the air: He was the heart and soul of the film and any time I would get an opportunity to work with him I would do it,” he told NPR.
Police in the UK have said they will arrest people who hold placards or chant the phrase “globalise the intifada,” arguing that the slogan now carries heightened risk in the wake of recent attacks on Jewish communities, Anadolu reports.
The term “intifada,” an Arabic word meaning “uprising,” came into widespread use during the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1987.
In a joint statement, London’s Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police said the move followed Sunday’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
Fifteen people were killed on Sunday when two suspected shooters—father and son—opened fire along the beach in Sydney, the New South Wales capital and Australia’s largest city by population.
The two forces also referred to a knife attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, northern England, on Oct. 2, in which two people were killed.
“Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed—words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests,” the police said.
They added: “We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as ‘globalise the intifada,’ and those using it at future protests or in a targeted way should expect” the two forces “to take action.”
The statement said frontline officers would be briefed on what police described as an “enhanced approach,” and that powers under the Public Order Act would be used, “including conditions around London synagogues during services.”
“Visible patrols and protective security measures around synagogues, schools, and community venues have been stepped up in London and Greater Manchester. We are intensifying investigations into hate crime, and Counter Terrorism Policing continues to operate 24/7 to identify and disrupt threats,” it added.
The UK’s chief rabbi told the BBC this week that chants of “globalise the intifada” had helped lead to the two attacks.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in parliament on Wednesday that his government has increased funding for Jewish security.
“I’m pleased to do that, but I’m sad to do that,” he said, adding that he has ordered a review of protest and hate crime laws.
KIERAN Hayler has pleaded not guilty to raping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl while he was married to Katie Price.
The 38-year-old is accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against the girl.
He allegedly attacked the girl in West Sussex between June 2016 and October 2016 when he was married to Katie, 47.
She is not a member of his or Katie’s extended family.
Hayler appeared at Lewes Crown Court today where he pleaded not guilty to the four alleged offences.
The ex-stripper, who was charged in October following a probe by Sussex Police, was bailed to next appear at the same court in April.
His Honour Judge Stephen Mooney set a provisional trial set to last one week for next October.
A representative for Hayler previously said: “Kieran Hayler strongly denies the allegations made against him in its entirety.
“Mr Hayler is fully engaged and has been co-operating with the police throughout the investigation and will continue to do so.
“He looks forward to his name being cleared believing in the judicial system to do so.”
Hayler, who has worked as a stripper and actor, married Katie at a luxury resort in the Bahamas in 2013.
He was her third husband following her marriages to singer Peter Andre and cage fighter Alex Reid.
Katie and Hayler split in 2018 following cheating allegations on his side and formally divorced in 2021.
He got engaged to Michelle Penticost but the pair separated in February this year.
Sussex Police said: “We can confirm Kieran Hayler, 38, of Northchapel in West Sussex, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.
“The offences are alleged to have occurred at an address in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016.
“Hayler remains released under investigation and is due to appear before Crawley magistrates’ court on November 19.
“The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has received support from specially trained officers as our enquiries continue.”
ROB Reiner’s daughter has broken her silence over her dad’s death – revealing she saw him just one day before the film director and his wife Michele were murdered.
Tracy Reiner, 61, said the brutal double killing left her devastated – before paying her respects to the “the greatest family ever”.
Tracy, who was adopted by Rob during his marriage to Penny Marshall, said she was left speechless.
The actress said: “I came from the greatest family ever.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
She added that she had seen her late dad at a family gathering just one day before horror knife attack.
The iconic director was married to Marshall from 1971 to 1981, during which time he adopted Tracy.
Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were found dead by their other daughter Romy, 28, with their throats slit at their sprawling $13.5million Brentwood mansion on Sunday afternoon.
The Hollywood icon’s youngest son Nick has been charged with murder in connection with the grisly killing.
A source revealed to The U.S. Sun that Rob and Michele got into a heated public argument with Nick at a Hanukkah party on Saturday evening.
The clash is believed to have continued overnight at the family’s home where Rob and Michele were found dead at around 3:30pm local time.
The party was hosted by Conan O’Brien, according to TMZ.
Nick, 32, was booked into a Los Angeles jail on Monday morning, according to online records viewed by The U.S. Sun.
He has since been charged with murder and is being held at Parker Center Jail on $4 million bail, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell announced during a press conference on Monday.
Nick, who reportedly lives in the Los Angeles area, is rarely seen in public since he opened up about his struggles with drug addiction in 2016.
He admitted to first going to rehab at the age of 25 and said his addiction issues even led him to being homeless at one point in his life, according to People.
“When I was out there, I could’ve died. It’s all luck. You roll the dice and you hope you make it,” Nick said.
In 2015, Nick and his father worked on the semi-autobiographical film, Hey Charlie, which centered around the entitled, drug-addicted son of a renowned actor turned political candidate in California.
Rob told the Los Angeles Times at the time that he had to push past trauma and tough memories during filming.
“It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows,” the beloved director told the outlet then.
“And then making the movie dredged it all up again.”
Fellow Hollywood stars paid tribute to both Rob and Michele.
Ex-Monty Python member Eric Idle said he had spoken to Rob the night before his death.
Paying his respects, he said: “Rob Reiner was a lovely man. I spoke to him last night for over an hour. I always enjoyed his company.
“I met him at his Dad’s in 1975. He was telling me about filming at Stonehenge and his thoughts for the future … I shall miss him.
“A clever, talented and very thoughtful man. So awful.”
Ben Stiller said Rob was one of his favourite directors, and called him “a kind caring person who was really really funny”.
Josh Gad, who voiced Olaf in Frozen, described Rob and his wife’s deaths as a “devastating” loss.
Actor John Cusack, who starred in Rob’s 1985 film The Sure Thing, said he “saw the soul in others”.
ROB Reiner and his wife of Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.
Timeline:
The gruesome homicides of Rob and his wife, Michele, 68, shocked the world of Hollywood after reports emerged that the couple were discovered with multiple lacerations.
The Misery director and his wife, who had been married for 36 years, had their throats slit by a family member following a heated argument, according to TMZ.
Romy, 28, told authorities that a family member “should be a suspect” because they’re “dangerous,” the outlet reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the deaths as an apparent homicide.
Alan Hamilton, the deputy police chief of the LAPD, told reporters on Sunday evening that authorities would interview several family members of the Reiners as the investigation continued.
Hamilton said the property showed no signs of forced entry.
Rob, who was raised in the Bronx by famed actors Carl and Estelle, was a huge presence in the film industry after more than five decades as one of Hollywood’s top directors and actors.
His career as an actor began in the early 1960s, but it was not until the 1970s that Rob gained recognition after portraying Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the TV comedy All in the Family.
Throughout the 70s, Rob continued to make guest appearances on several TV series, including The Partridge Family.
However, it was in the director’s chair where Rob flourished into a star in the world of film.
He helmed a string of hit movies, including, When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and the Academy Award nominated film A Few Good Men, among others.
It was on the set of When Harry Met Sally that he met the photographer and his eventual wife, Michele Singer.
“I look over and I see this girl, and ‘Whoo!’ I was attracted immediately,” Rob told The New York Times in 1989.
The couple wed in 1989, the year the film was released.
After their marriage, Michele began helping her husband with producing films, including Shock and Awe and Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.
FAMED actor, director and producer Rob Reiner, 78, died on December 14 alongside his wife Michele Singer, 68, in an apparent homicide.
Here is a look at the prodigious list of achievements the Hollywood powerhouse earned before his tragic and sudden death.
Director’s Beginnings
Hollywood Career
Personal Life
Rob and Michele are survived by their children, Romy, Jake, Nick, and Tracy, the director’s daughter, whom he adopted from his previous wife, Penny Marshall.
Tributes have been paid to the actor and director and his wife following their deaths.
“Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as The Princess Bride to A Few Good Men,” California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X.
“His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger.
“Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”
Former US president Barack Obama spoke warmly about the couple.
“Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” he said.
“But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.
“Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired.”
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described Rob as someone who was creative and funny.
She also hailed him as an actor who could make fans laugh and cry when they watched his films.
Pelosi described Rob’s wife as an “indispensible partner and intellectual resource.”
Published On 15 Dec 202515 Dec 2025
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Rob Reiner’s son Nick has been taken into custody after the deaths of the director-writer and his wife, Michele, according to US media reports.
The LA Police Department said in a statement on Sunday that they were investigating the deaths of two people in an apparent homicide.
More to come…
Dec. 15 (UPI) — An individual detained by police as a person of interest in the Brown University shooting will be released, authorities said late Sunday as the investigation into the crime continues.
The person of interest was taken into police custody early Sunday following a tip that led police to a Hampton Inn in the Rhode Island town of Coventry.
The announcement of the person’s imminent release was made before midnight Sunday in a social media statement from Providence Police.
“We know that this is likely to cause fresh anxiety for our community, and we want to reiterate what we said earlier, which remains true, which is ever since the initial call a day and a half ago, we have not received any credible or specific threats to the Providence community,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said during a late Sunday press conference about the individual’s release.
“And so the status of safety in our community remains unchanged and we believe that you remain safe in our community.”
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha explained that evidence initially pointed toward the individual taken into police custody, but as the investigation has continued, the evidence “now points in a different direction.”
“So, what that means is that this person of interest needs to be — and should be — released,” he said.
Police are continuing to investigate and develop leads as they hunt for a suspect, he said, as he asked the public to be patient as investigators comb through the facts.
“There is too much at stake for the victims of this horrific crime and their families to take chances with respect to this investigation,” he said.
Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez added that neither the individual’s apprehension nor their release was the result of an error, noting that such developments are part of the investigative process.
“Investigations will tell us whether something is valid or not, whether something needs to be ruled out. It’s not a mistake. It’s just how investigations work,” he said. “And our responsibility is to make sure that we conduct the proper investigations.”
Two people were killed and eight were injured in a late Saturday afternoon shooting at the Brown University campus as students were taking exams in the Barus and Holley Engineering Building.
Police had initially taken another person into custody, but later released them after determining they were not a suspect.
Authorities have released a short, 10-second clip from surveillance video showing a person of interest in the shooting.
During the Sunday press conference, Perez said the individual seen in the clip is not the person who was detained and is being released.
“I would describe that person as a person of interest,” Neronha added.
“There are a lot of unknowns in this case, and that’s one unknown … that what we’re working towards,” he said.
Brown University said in a late Sunday statement that Providence police have kept officials informed of their search efforts.
“We know that this update may prompt numerous questions,” the university said in a statement. “We continue to make every effort to ensure the safety and security of the campus. We are also advising every member of the Brown community to be vigilant in their own activities on campus.”
Hong Kong’s highest court has found former media mogul Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition and conspiring to collude with foreign powers. The 78-year-old is known as the territory’s most outspoken critic of Beijing and could face life in prison.
Published On 15 Dec 202515 Dec 2025
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Los Angeles police are investigating an apparent homicide at the Brentwood home of Rob Reiner, where two people were found dead Sunday afternoon.
The bodies of a 78-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman were found at the home in the 200 block of Chadbourne Avenue, according to Police Capt. Mike Bland.
Law enforcement sources told The Times that a family member was being questioned in connection with the death. .
The sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation, confirmed that there was no sign of forced entry into the home. The names of the victims have not been released.
Margaret Stewart, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman, said the department was called to the residence around 3:30 p.m. for medical aid. Inside the home, fire personnel discovered the bodies of the man and woman.
Rob Reiner and wife Michele Reiner attend the 46th Kennedy Center Honors gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington in December 2023.
(Kent Nishimulra / AFP via Getty Images)
Reiner, 78, has had a five-decade-long career in Hollywood.
Early in his career, he played Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the iconic sitcom “All in the Family” from 1971 to 1979, alongside Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker.
As a director, Reiner helmed a string of hits including “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Princess Bride” and “This Is Spinal Tap.” His work took a dramatic turn when he directed the 1986 adaptation of Steven King’s novella “Stand by Me.”
Reiner was finally nominated for an Academy Award for 1993’s “A Few Good Men,” which starred Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, though the movie lost to Clint Eastwood’s western “Unforgiven.”
Reiner also was a leading political voice in Hollywood.
He was a co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the organization that led the fight to overturn Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage. He’s also been active in children’s issues through the years, having led the campaign to pass Proposition 10, the California Children and Families Initiative, which created an ambitious program of early childhood development services.
Proposition 10 was considered landmark policy. Reiner enlisted help in the effort from Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams, and his own father, comedy legend Carl Reiner.
Reiner was married to Penny Marshall, star of “Laverne & Shirley,” from 1971 to 1981. He met photographer Michele Singer on the set of “When Harry Met Sally” and the two married in 1989, the year the movie came out.
Michele Singer Reiner began producing films over the last decade, including “Shock and Awe,” “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” and “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” all directed by her husband. She also produced “God & Country,” a look at Christian nationalism in the U.S.
By Sunday evening, law enforcement had swarmed Reiner’s sprawling estate in Brentwood, though an eerie quiet hung over Chadbourne Avenue, which had been sealed from the public with yellow crime scene tape.
Police cars were stationed at either ends of the block where the Reiner residence is located while a chopper circled overhead.
Officers spoke to a young man inside of the sealed off area, who left the scene around 7:30 p.m. in a white Tesla and declined to speak to the media.
Councilmember Traci Park, whose Westside district includes Brentwood, said in a statement that the LAPD had increased patrols in the neighborhood “out of an abundance of caution.”
“As we continue to wait for more updates, I want to express my profound concern and sadness at the news coming out of Brentwood,” Park wrote in the statement. “We are in close contact with LAPD as the homicide unit continues their investigation.”
This breaking news story will be updated.
Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.
Published On 14 Dec 202514 Dec 2025
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Police in Australia say they are responding to a developing incident at Sydney’s Bondi Beach after media outlets reported a shooting incident.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported shots at the beach on Sunday, saying multiple people had been injured. Television networks Sky and ABC aired footage showing people lying on the ground.
The New South Wales (NSW) police said two people were in custody, adding that the operation was ongoing.
“Anyone at the scene should take shelter,” they posted on X, calling on the public to avoid the area.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was aware “of an active security situation in Bondi”.
“We urge people in the vicinity to follow information from NSW Police,” said the spokesperson.
More to come…
Specialist rape and sexual offence investigation teams will be introduced to every police force in England and Wales by 2029, the government has pledged.
It is part of a long-delayed plan aimed at halving violence against women and girls within a decade.
The strategy – which will include funding for undercover units operating online, and a roll out of domestic abuse protection orders – is due to be unveiled on Thursday, after being pushed back three times this year.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the measures will help to “bear down on abusers, stopping them in their tracks. Rapists, sex offenders and abusers will have nowhere to hide.”
The government says the new teams will have officers with specialist investigation skills for working on rape and sexual offence cases.
More than 50% of police forces already have these teams in place, but the government says every force will have dedicated officers by 2029.
It says staff will have the right training to understand the mindset of abusers and victims.
Announcing the move, the home secretary said: “This government has declared violence against women and girls a national emergency.
“For too long, these crimes have been considered a fact of life. That’s not good enough. We will halve it in a decade.”
Also announced is a roll out of domestic abuse protection orders, which have been trialled over the last year, across England and Wales.
They can ban individuals from contacting a victim, visiting their home or posting harmful content online, and can also be used in cases involving coercive or controlling behaviour. Breaching an order is a criminal offence.
There will also be almost £2m in investment for special undercover units of police officers operating online – to target those harassing women and girls on the internet.
A report released earlier this month found that more than a quarter of police forces in England and Wales had not implemented basic policies for investigating sexual offences.
It said sexually-motivated crimes against women in public remained widespread, criticised the limited nature of data on them, and called for urgent action to prevent predators from offending.
The publishing of the government’s strategy has been long delayed. It was initially expected to be announced in the spring.
In Labour’s general election manifesto last year the party pledged to use “every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence”.
On Tuesday, the chairs of three Commons select committees raised their concerns over repeated delays in publishing the plans.
The BBC has previously been told that changing attitudes among boys and young men will be at the centre of what is proposed.
It is understood it will be built around three goals: preventing radicalisation of young men, stopping abusers, and supporting victims.
Some domestic abuse survivors have told the BBC the time for talking is over – and these measures must be implemented quickly.
Chile has nearly 15.8 million registered voters, and this year, for the first time since 2012, all of them are required by law to vote in the presidential race.
Kast is believed to have the upper hand in Sunday’s run-off.
Though he came in second place during the first round of voting in November, he is expected to sweep up additional support from conservative candidates who did not make the cut-off for the second vote.
But some voters expressed scepticism about the emphasis on crime in this year’s race.
Daniela Ocaranza, a mother who lives in a low-income neighbourhood in Santiago, considers the heightened focus on crime to be a ploy.
She volunteers at an organisation that fights for affordable housing, and she thinks politicians are leveraging the uptick in crime to convince the voters to put more resources into security.
“Crime has increased,” Ocaranza acknowledged. “But this happens in all countries.”
She said the media is partly to blame in raising fears. It shows “you the same crime 30 times a day — morning, noon and night — so the perception is that there is more”.
“But there are many other things that are more important,” Ocaranza stressed, pointing to issues like education, healthcare and pensions. They are areas that she sees best addressed by Jara, whom she will be voting for on Sunday.
For his part, Johnson said politicians draw up hardline policies to appease residents who want urgent action taken.
But he noted that research has shown punitive measures don’t typically produce results. In the meantime, he warned that the outsized fears about crime can have real-world ramifications.
“Today, there are fewer people consuming art, going out to see theatre, going out to restaurants. So it doesn’t just limit someone’s quality of life but also economic development,” Johnson said.
“Fear is extremely harmful. It might even be more hurtful than the actual crime.”
Hungary’s government has moved state-run juvenile detention centres under direct police supervision in response to an abuse scandal at a facility in Budapest. The decision comes after a video showing physical abuse at the centre was published by a former lawmaker and opposition activist, sparking public outrage.
Incident Details
The video led to the resignation of the acting director of the Budapest juvenile centre. Prosecutors have detained three people connected to the state-run facility and are investigating the former director for alleged involvement in prostitution, money laundering, and human trafficking. The government cited failures in the social care system’s management of these centres as a key factor in the decision to place them under police oversight.
Political Fallout
Opposition leader Peter Magyar, head of the Tisza party, has called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to resign and urged early elections. Magyar also announced a demonstration for Saturday in Budapest to protest the scandal. This incident follows a previous controversy that led to the resignation of President Katalin Novak, marking a rare political setback for Orban, who has been in power since 2010.
Current Status
The five state-run juvenile detention centres are now under direct police supervision. Prosecutors continue investigations into the abuse allegations, and further details are expected. Public demonstrations and political pressure are mounting ahead of upcoming elections.
With information from Reuters.
GRAMMY-nominated opera singer Jubilant Sykes was fatally stabbed at his California home as his cops arrested his son on suspicion of murder.
Officers responded around 9.20pm on Monday to a 911 call reporting an ongoing assault at a Santa Monica residence.
They found Sykes, 71, inside his own home with “critical injuries consistent with a stabbing.”
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Cops say his son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, was found in the home and taken into custody without incident.
He was booked on suspicion of homicide, and the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration.
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Authorities recovered a weapon and say the attack appears to have been an isolated domestic incident.
Lieutenant Lewis Gilmour of Santa Monica Police Department told the Daily Mail Jail that Micah is being held on a $2 million bail.
Investigators are still determining what led to the stabbing.
Police say the victim’s wife made the 911 call, and Micah Sykes reportedly had a history of mental health struggles.
Lieutenant Gilmour added: “The family reports the suspect had prior mental health issues. However, it is unknown if that contributed to the incident.”
Years before his father’s tragic death, Micah Sykes’ behaviour reportedly had already raised serious concerns.
In 2017, a Southern California woman secured a restraining order after alleging Micah had become threatening and unpredictable, according to Rolling Stone.
A petition obtained by the outlet reads: “Micah shows signs of mental instability. His behaviour is unpredictable. Micah poses a real threat… and he has been violent with his own family members.”
The filing claims he confronted the woman outside a church, declaring his love for her and insisting she felt the same.
When someone stepped in, Micah allegedly asked the man, “Do you have a sharp object in your back pocket?”, according to Rolling Stone.
He was later arrested following an attempted break-in at the man’s father’s home and placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold.
The restraining order was officially granted in October 2017.
Jubilant Sykes, a Los Angeles native, was a celebrated baritone nominated for best classical album at the 2010 Grammy Awards for “Bernstein: Mass.”
He performed at major venues including the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Apollo Theater, the Hollywood Bowl, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Arena di Verona.
He once told NPR: “My singing is like breathing – it’s an extension of me. I don’t think of it is extraordinary. It’s my passion.”
Orchestra Santa Monica said he served as an artistic advisor and performed and narrated with the group.
Music director Roger Kalia said: “Jubilant was a true inspiration—his artistry, generosity, and kindness touched countless lives.”
His management team, ACM 360 Artists, said in a statement: “We are saddened to share news of the tragic passing of Grammy-nominated baritone, actor, husband, father, and beloved friend, Jubilant Sykes
“Jubilant’s remarkable artistry touched millions, and his voice was rightly described as ‘art at its highest expression.’”
Neighbours described Sykes as modest despite his international career, often seen gardening or shaping a tree in front of his home into a heart.
Anyone with information is asked to contact SMPD Detective Peter Zamfirov at 310-458-8451 or the department’s 24-hour Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.
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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident rather than a mass shooting event.
Published On 10 Dec 202510 Dec 2025
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A shooting at Kentucky State University in the United States has left one person dead and another in critical condition, police said. The suspected shooter, who is not a student, has been taken into custody.
The Frankfort Police Department said on Tuesday that officers responded to reports of “an active aggressor” and secured the campus, which was briefly placed on lockdown. Authorities said there was no ongoing threat.
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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident rather than a mass shooting event.
“Today there was a shooting on the campus of Kentucky State University. Two individuals were critically injured, and sadly, at least one of them is not going to make it,” Beshear said in a post on X.
“This was not a mass shooting or a random incident… the suspected shooter is already in custody, which means that while this was frightening, there is no ongoing threat,” he said.
“Violence has no place in our commonwealth or country. Please pray for the families affected and for our KSU students,” he added.
The shooting that took place today at Kentucky State University appears to be an isolated incident – not a mass shooting. The suspect has been arrested, and there is no ongoing threat. Two individuals were critically injured, and I am sad to share that one has now passed away.1/2 pic.twitter.com/4G1BgJNVQj
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) December 9, 2025
Earlier on Tuesday, a stabbing at a central North Carolina high school left one student dead and another injured, authorities said.
Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough said officers at North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem responded shortly after 11am local time (16:00 GMT), following reports of a dispute between students.
“We responded to an altercation between two students,” Kimbrough said at a news conference, adding that “there was a loss of life”.
In an email to families and staff, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Don Phipps confirmed that one student died and another was injured.
Sheriff’s office spokesperson Krista Karcher later said the injured student was treated at a hospital and released.
Kimbrough declined to take questions at the news conference, citing an ongoing investigation, and did not provide details about the potential charges.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein called the incident “shocking and horrible” in a post on X, saying he was praying for the students involved and their loved ones.
The stabbing that took place at North Forsyth High School is shocking and horrible. I am praying for all students in the community and their loved ones.
North Carolinians need to be safe wherever they are — especially in school. I have spoken with Sheriff Kimbrough to offer my…
— Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor) December 9, 2025
Grammy-nominated gospel singer Jubilant Sykes was stabbed to death in his Santa Monica home late Sunday, and his son was taken into custody at the scene, police said.
The 71-year-old, a prominent singer as well as an actor, was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived at the residence, according to Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmore. There, they also discovered his son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, still inside the Delaware Avenue home. He was booked on suspicion of homicide.
Over his career, Jubilant Sykes performed in venues around the world and across genres — opera, gospel, spirituals, show tunes, folk and pop — working with figures including Renée Fleming, Terence Blanchard, Carlos Santana, Julie Andrews and Brian Wilson. His resume included the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and the Metropolitan Opera. In 2010, he earned a Grammy nomination for his recording of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass.”
On Sunday, Sykes’ wife, Cecelia, initially reported the incident as an assault. She told investigators her son had a history of mental illness, though detectives have not determined whether it played a role in the killing.
“The suspect was cooperative and taken into police custody without incident,” Gilmore said. “The entire tragedy took place within the confines of the family home.”
Police had not received any recent domestic calls involving the family prior to the incident, and the motive remains under investigation, police said.
“She wasn’t really aware of an altercation or an argument that led up to the stabbing,” Gilmore said, adding that Cecelia Sykes did not report feeling endangered during the incident. “I know the suspect had free access to the house. It is unclear if he was living there on a full-time or part-time basis, but it is the family home and he was allowed to be there.”
Police believe only the couple and their son were inside at the time.
Jubilant Sykes was born in Los Angeles in 1954, and his unique first name came courtesy of his mother.
“She named me that simply because she wanted me to be jubilant,” Sykes told The Times in 1996. “And when it comes to music, I am.”
He grew up in the city and sang soprano as a boy until his voice changed. Sykes later said he lost interest in music for a bit until a music teacher showed him how to use his new teen voice.
“I can’t remember ever not singing,” he told The Times in 1999, recalling music filling the house and piano lessons as a child.
After graduating from high school, Sykes majored in music at Cal State Fullerton.
“I just threw myself into it, totally clueless,” he said years later.
His shift toward classical singing was cemented after he won first place in the Metropolitan Opera’s Los Angeles regional auditions, leading to a debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1990.
He also appeared on film soundtracks and took occasional acting roles, including in the Cuba Gooding Jr. film “Freedom,” and in the musical “1776” at New York City Center. In Southern California, he performed on the opening-night bill for the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center in 2008 and a 2006 performance with Carlos Santana at the Hollywood Bowl.
In addition to his wife and son, Jubilant Sykes is survived by two more sons.
An investigation of Sunday’s stabbing is underway, according to Gilmore.
Details on Micah Sykes’ bail and his first court appearance were not immediately available.
Goa Police said Monday that owners of a nightclub were 25 people were killed in a fire over the weekend fled to Thailand mere hours after the blaze began. Photo by EPA
Dec. 9 (UPI) — Police investigating Sunday’s devastating Goa nightclub fire said the establishment’s owners have fled to Thailand, according to reports.
Twenty-five people were killed and six injured in the blaze at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, located in India’s southwestern coastal state of Goa.
Authorities have arrested at least four people in connection with the fire and have issued arrest warrants for nightclub owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, who are brothers.
A Monday statement from Goa Police said the brothers had fled to Phuket a few hours after the fire began, The Times of India and Financial Express reported.
The Luthra brothers had departed on a 5:30 a.m. local-time Sunday IndiGo flight, authorities said.
Goa Police said that after a formal complaint was recorded against them, officers raided their Delhi addresses. Lookout notices for the brothers have since been circulated by the Bureau of Immigration, Goa Police said.
Authorities are now coordinating with Interpol to arrest the two men.
The fire erupted shortly before midnight Saturday.
A magisterial inquiry into the fire found major procedural lapses by local authorities, All India Radio News reported.
Failing to seal off the premises, permitting it to operate illegally since March 2024, was named among the lapses.
WASHINGTON — Pamela Smith, who was catapulted into national attention after President Trump moved to federalize Washington’s police force and who worked to confront rising violence in the nation’s capital, is stepping down as the city’s police chief, Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday.
Smith, appointed in 2023, had been brought in to stabilize a department facing staffing shortages and a city shaken by post-pandemic crime. But her tenure unfolded amid a fierce battle over authority, as Trump asserted federal control over the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed National Guard troops and federal agents alongside the city’s officers.
In announcing her resignation, Bowser praised Smith for “stepping up” at a moment of “significant urgency,” crediting her with helping drive down violent crime, cutting homicides to an eight-year low and launching major policing initiatives, including a Real-Time Crime Center and new technology upgrades.
“Chief Smith got all of this done while navigating unprecedented challenges and attacks on our city’s autonomy,” Bowser said.
The mayor did not say why Smith is leaving. She also did not announce who would take over the department or whether the change in leadership might affect the city’s broader public-safety strategy at a moment when Washington continues to recover from historic levels of violence.
The announcement comes after Bowser said she would not seek a fourth term. Smith and Bowser have been under tremendous pressure from constituents over the police force’s performance during the federal law enforcement intervention.
In a statement, Smith said she was confident the police force “is in a strong position and that the great work will continue” and that the role has been both a challenge and a reward.
“I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved together, and I thank the residents of this city for their trust and partnership,” Smith said. “While my aspiration has always been to see zero percent crime, we are not there yet. Nonetheless, we have made tremendous progress, and there remains important work ahead.”
Smith, a longtime federal law enforcement official and former head of the U.S. Park Police, assumed command during one of Washington’s most volatile years in nearly two decades, as homicides surged, carjackings hit record highs and frustration mounted among residents and lawmakers.
The spike in 2023 violence prompted congressional hearings and led city leaders to expand police authority, including authorizing drug-free zones in areas with persistent crime. Lawmakers also rewrote parts of the city’s criminal code in an effort to stem the rise in violent offenses.
The city began to see improvement in early 2024. Overall crime fell by about 17% in the first 10 weeks, a drop Smith attributed to the new law and to targeted deployments in neighborhoods experiencing repeated trouble. She also imposed temporary youth curfew zones in parts of the district.
Pointing to the city’s crime, Trump issued an emergency order in August that federalized the police force and sent in hundreds of National Guard troops. Trump has hailed the operation as a resounding success that has brought down crime, although rates already were on the decline.
The moment a deadly fire broke out at a nightclub in Goa, India, was caught on camera. The blaze killed at least 25 people, including four tourists. Authorities are investigating safety violations and the venue’s operators.
Published On 8 Dec 20258 Dec 2025
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Dec. 7 (UPI) — British police have arrested four protesters who threw a custard and apple crumble at the display case housing the crown jewels in the Tower of London.
Take Back Power said in a news release that members of the new nonviolent protest group, which appears to be an offshoot of the climate change group Just Stop Oil, had “smothered the dessert over the display case around 9:50 a.m. local time Saturday morning.
The protesters then held a sign reading “Democracy Has Crumbled — Tax The Rich” before they were “taken into custard-y” by police, the group said.
Take Back Power said police arrested the two members who actually threw the dessert as well as two others present at the time.
The particular display case targeted, the BBC noted, houses the Imperial State Crown worn by King Charles III during formal ceremonies.
Take Back Power identified the two protesters involved in the protest action itself as 21-year-old Miriam Cranch, a retail worker from Leeds, and Zahra Ali, a 19-year-old student from London.
Unlike the climate change protests that have swept through global cultural sites in recent years, Take Back Power instead called for a tax on Britain’s ultra-wealthy.
“Britain is broken because the super-rich are pocketing billions, whilst working people struggle to get by,” Cranch said in a statement.
“This wealth inequality is leading us towards civil unrest, and it doesn’t have to be this way. Billionaires should not pay a lower tax rate on wealth they generate doing nothing, than those of us working jobs. It’s time ordinary people get a say on how to tax wealth with a permanent House of the People.”
Directly remarking on the wealth amassed by the British monarchy, Ali said that homeless people have died “on the very streets that King Charles passed on his way to the coronation.”
Take Back Power has launched a fundraising campaign to aid its efforts, so far raising about $75,000 since Friday.
“The super-rich are not paying their fair share because the tax system is rigged,” the group said in the fundraiser. “Since 2008, the wealth of the super-rich has increased four times faster than average household wealth, while more than a third of us now earn less than needed to make ends meet. The scales need balancing. We need to tax the rich.”
The protest at the Tower of London has drawn a lot of interest, particularly in the wake of theft of France’s Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre Museum in October.
The creation of Take Back Power comes after three years of headline-making protest actions by climate change demonstrators.
However, the art news website Urgent Matter reported last month that climate change groups many of the world’s most visible climate change protest groups have coordinated an end to their direct-action campaigns in the past year.
Such climate change groups had cited a lack of effect of their protests, mounting legal costs and the “evolving landscape of climate activism.”
