Mourners have gathered at the Chabad of Bondi to say goodbye to Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was gunned down during the Bondi Beach massacre.

The father-of-five, age 41, died shielding his family when two men opened fire on hundreds of Jewish Australians as they celebrated the first day of Hanukkah at the iconic Sydney beach just after 6.40pm on Sunday.

He was one of the 16 people killed, including one of the gunmen.

Rabbi Schlanger’s wife, Chaya, was grazed by a bullet and released from hospital on Monday.

Their two-month-old baby remains at the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick after being struck in the leg by shrapnel during the terror attack, and will not be able to attend his father’s funeral.

Ahead of the service on Wednesday morning, police officers lined Wellington Street which has been closed off for the funeral – the Chabad was packed and some had to wait outside.

Chief Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, who is also the father in law of Rabbi Schlanger, could not stop crying as the casket was removed from the hearse.

Mourners were seen embracing outside – one had an Australian flag around her shoulders, while another broke down in tears and blamed Anthony Albanese and foreign minister Penny Wong for the massacre.

‘What is needed is education, it’s not about stopping a bullet, I just feel so frustrated and so does everyone,’ he said, choking on his words as he fought back tears.

The service began with a rabbi saying: ‘We are crying in unbearable pain… in the wake of the horrific terrorist attack perpetrated in our city … We mourn the loss of every precious life.’

He pledged to continue celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach – an event has been going for 31 years, and 18 Rabbi Schlanger had been involved for 18 years.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger (pictured) was laid to rest at a service at Chabad of Bondi on Wednesday

Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s family are pictured arriving at the Chabad of Bondi for his funeral

Mourners can be seen crying over Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s casket before the funeral

Pictured: Chief Rabbi Yehoram Ulman is pictured in tears as the coffin of Rabbi Eli Schlanger arrived at the Chabad of Bondi synagogue

Rabbi Eli Schlanger is pictured being unloaded from the hearse on Wednesday morning

‘Eli was ripped away from us in the midst of doing what he did best – spreading love and joy, caring for his people with needless self-sacrifice. 

‘In life and death, he towered above as one of the holiest souls. This is a massive loss for the entire Jewish nation. For us, the loss is unspeakable.’

He said every soul who knew Rabbi Schlanger touched would be ‘forever grateful’ to have known him.

He told the rabbi’s five children that their father would always be with them.

Prayers were read from the Torah by different Jewish leaders.

Rabbi Schlanger’s father-in-law Chief Rabbi Yehoram Ulman gave a heartbreaking eulogy to the packed, becoming overwhelmed with emotion at several times throughout.

He said: ‘When those animals who look like humans try to destroy is, they try to make us dormant.

‘They want us to never go to Bondi Beach again because this is what’s happened, but that’s not the answer.

‘Eli lived and breathed this idea – we can never allow them to not only not succeed, but every time they try something, we become greater and stronger.’

Rabbi Eli Schlanger was killed in the Bondi Beach massacre on Sunday. He is pictured with his wife and four of his five children

Mourners are pictured in tears as they arrive for the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger

Mourners can be seen embracing moments before the funeral at Chabad of Bondi

Mourners are pictured arriving at the synagogue for the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger

As rabbi Ulman struggled to choke back tears, loved ones could be heard sobbing with him, with one mourner reaching out to hand a tissue to him as he bravely continued on.

‘What I say today will be such an understatement of what you meant to everybody. You became a son to us as much as she’s our daughter, you became everything to me my hands, my feet.’

Rabbi Ulman said Rabbi Schlanger never wanted to be in the limelight.

‘Any time he went to visit chief rabbis of Israel, he refused to be in any photos, they all loved him in his own right. Everyone just fell in love with him.

‘Eli was the best husband, the best father, the best son,’ Rabbi Ulman said, again struggling to get out the words.

‘Our community suffered our own 7th of October, proportionately that’s what it is,’ he added.

Rabbi Ulman said he wished he had told Rabbi Schlanger how much he loved him, and how much he meant to him.

‘It should’ve been said more. And to all of us I’m saying: “Don’t leave things for tomorrow, you’ve got something to say to those close to you, say it today”.’

He added his wife saw his son-in-law as her best friend, and prompted a laugh from the grief-stricken crowd when he added ‘second to me of course’.

Rabbi Ulman spoke of Rabbi Schlanger’s selflessness, describing how he would drive three to four hours each way to speak with prisoners.

‘I promise every day of your life, special milestones, he will be with you, even more than all of us physically present,’ he said.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s two-month-old son (pictured) remains in hospital and will miss his father’s funeral

Rabbi Yossi Friedman speaks to people gathering at a flower memorial by the Bondi Pavilion at Bondi Beach on Tuesday

Flowers are seen at a makeshift memorial on Wednesday at the Bondi Pavillion following the massacre on Sunday

He continued: ‘It is unthinkable that we talk about you in past tense. Everything we did together. We are told it’s forbidden to bring in coffin into a synagogue and to hold funeral in a synagogue.

‘One exception is a great leader among the Jewish people, and a holy martyr who gave his life.’

‘Eli, Eli, i never thought that it’s going to happen, but the second part I always knew, I knew that there’s nobody greater than you.’

On Tuesday, a close friend of Rabbi Schlanger’s wife Chaya told Sky News said the baby is ‘not out of the woods’.

‘The sheer horror and evil for somebody to shoot at babies, at women, at old people, it’s horrific,’ friend Sorella said.

‘Chaya was hiding, trying to protect herself and, more importantly, her two-month-old baby. She does not recall getting hit because of the adrenaline, but suddenly somebody next to her said, “You’ve got blood on your back”,’ Sorella said.

‘At the same time as Chaya was hit by a bullet, she was also trying to keep her husband alive and begging the local nurse and surfer to keep doing CPR.’

Rabbi Schlanger was originally from the UK, but led the Chabad mission in Bondi for nearly two decades.

He was one of the organisers for the Chanukah by the Sea event targeted by the gunmen.

His cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis, on Monday described the moment he received news of the massacre.

He told the British Jewish News: ‘I left shul this morning and saw messages from my wife and sister on the family WhatsApp group. 

‘They recognised one of the names people were being asked to pray for. It quickly became clear what had happened.’

Rabbi Lewis said his family was only just coming to terms with the sudden loss.

‘We are just beginning to process this,’ he said. ‘It makes no sense at all. How can a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to spread happiness and light, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?’

‘Eli loved helping people, encouraging people to do mitzvot (good deeds). He was so bubbly, almost eccentrically so.’ 

Following the attack on Sunday, the alleged gunmen were quickly identified as father and son, Naveed Akram, 24, and Sajid Akram, 50.

Sajid was shot dead by police, while Naveed is recovering from bullet wounds in hospital.

He is under police guard and is likely to face criminal charges on Wednesday.

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Donald Trump, the US President, is seeking up to $10billion (£7.5billion) in damages in response to the editing of a speech he made which was featured in a Panorama episode

00:15, 17 Dec 2025Updated 00:17, 17 Dec 2025

Donald Trump is seeking damages in response to the editing of a speech(Image: AP)

Donald Trump could be forced to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth if he goes ahead with his $10billion lawsuit against the BBC. Lawyers for the broadcaster are said to be considering launching an aggressive defence. And they could make the US president face questions about his actions during the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021. It is something no congressional committee, prosecutor or journalist has ever been able to do, with Mr Trump so far managing to avoid scrutiny over his supporters’ actions that day. A source close to the case told the Mirror: “The moment Trump filed this case, he opened the door. He thinks he can attack the BBC for $10bn. But he could expose himself to questioning that could finally pin down what he did, what he knew and when.”

READ MORE: Donald Trump addressing world with mystery announcement in unusual moveREAD MORE: Donald Trump’s team in chaos over top aide’s explosive interview on Epstein, alcohol and Elon MuskTim Davie stepped down as director general of the BBC in the wake of the scrutiny(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Mr Trump has launched two actions worth $5bn (£3.7m) each against the BBC over its editing of a speech he made on the day of the riot in Washington, DC. One is for defamation and the other for violation of trade practices. The corporation has apologised but refused to pay damages, and Mr Trump claims it was part of a deliberate attempt to damage his 2024 election prospects. A BBC spokesperson said: “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case.” The US legal source told the Mirror: “Trump thinks this lawsuit puts the BBC on trial – in reality, it puts him on the stand. He has finally walked into a process he cannot control with a Tweet or a rally.” The BBC will be preparing discovery demands requiring Mr Trump to turn over internal communications about the Panorama episode, as well as emails, memos, drafts and briefing notes covering January 6. Every answer, every document, every sworn statement would be legally binding, with perjury charges looming over any falsehood. Our source added: “If Trump wants billions, he’s going to have to pay for it in disclosure. He’s never faced questioning like this. The evidence demands will be relentless. No one has ever been able to pin Trump down on his movements during the riot. If the BBC’s legal team deposes him, that changes. They’ll have him answering for every minute.”

The dispute centres on Panorama’s edited version of Mr Trump’s January 6 speech, which appeared to show him urging supporters to march on the Capitol and “fight like hell”, while omitting his instruction to protest “peacefully”. BBC lawyers have told Mr Trump’s team the suit has no merit. Panorama did not air in the US and was geo-blocked online, so American viewers could not access the broadcast. The corporation has also reportedly pointed out that Mr Trump cannot demonstrate “overwhelming, reputational harm”, given that he went on to win the 2024 election.

Mr Trump could face questions about his actions during the Capitol riot(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Gregory Germain, professor at Syracuse University College of Law, claims Mr Trump’s case is doomed. “The facts were not false,” he said. “Editing video to change the order of quotes to make a point is what video editors do every day.” Still, Mr Trump’s lawsuit – officially filed in Florida on Monday – could cause a headache for the BBC. The location is significant: It is the same court district where former wrestler Hulk Hogan’s defamation case led to Gawker Media filing for bankruptcy. Media analyst Michael J Socolow compared the BBC case to two of Mr Trump’s previous court battles, against ABC and CBS. ABC paid £11.2m last year after anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly stated Mr Trump had been found “liable for rape”, despite claims the case had weak prospects of success.

Paramount, CBS’s parent company, settled its lawsuit for £12m amid claims the broadcaster deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris – a payment which insiders said was made to clear the path for a corporate takeover rather than for legal reasons. Other outlets have taken a tougher stance. The Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal is currently barred from Air Force One while it fights its own £7.4billion suit accusing it of a “deliberate smear campaign” over its coverage of Mr Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. A White House official said BBC journalists could face similar reprisals. The Beeb must weigh the cost of litigation against the political fallout of a settlement which would be funded by licence-fee payers. “If they fight the lawsuit, that could be seen as validating the charge that it has a bias against the American president,” said Prof Socolow. “If they settle, it hands cash from the British citizenry directly to an American president.” He added: “They need a very sophisticated political persuasion campaign much more than a sophisticated legal defence.” On January 6, 2021, thousands of Trump supporters stormed the home of the US legislature in protest at their man’s defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Mr Trump claimed at the time the election was a fix but denies having inspired the rioters.

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Police investigating a deadly shooting at a US university have released a new image and video clips of a “person of interest”.

It comes as the manhunt for a gunman who killed two Brown University students and injured nine more in a classroom continued for a fourth day.

The shooting on Saturday afternoon unfolded on the first floor of the engineering and physics building while exams were taking place.

A law enforcement official said the attacker fired more than 40 rounds from a 9mm handgun in Providence, Rhode Island.

The new image showed a man dressed in dark clothing, wearing a black hat and face mask, walking down a street that day.

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In all of the videos made public, the suspect’s face was either covered by a mask or turned away. He is described as stocky and about 5ft 8in (173cm) tall.

Authorities have released a video timeline showing the movements of the person of interest, including of him before the attack, in the hope that someone might recognise him.

The clips showed a man walking briskly, and at one point running, between 2pm and 3pm local time, along several different streets, about a block away from the building where the attack would later take place.

The shooting happened at 4.03pm, and another clip showed the same person from a distance walking from the building’s car park towards the street, even as police cars with flashing lights arrived at the scene.

The final clip showed the man walking along that street about three minutes after the shooting.

Authorities on Sunday released a man who had been detained in connection with the attack.

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Manhunt under way for university gunman

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Video of ‘person of interest’ in Brown shooting

Police have said there was no clear video of the gunman from inside the building.

Attorney general Peter Neronha said there were cameras in the newer part but “fewer, if any, cameras” where the shooting happened “because it’s an older building”.

The attack and the gunman’s escape have sparked concerns about campus safety, including the absence of security cameras, and led to calls for improved door locks.

More details about victims emerge

The students who were killed were Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman from Brandermill, Virginia.

Ms Cook was vice president of the College Republicans club at Brown University and Mr Umurzokov, whose family came to the US from Uzbekistan when he was a child, was an aspiring neurosurgeon.

The Reverend R Craig Smalley described Ms Cook as “an incredibly grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her”.

In a GoFundMe post, Mr Umurzokov’s family described him as “incredibly kind, funny, and smart”.

“He always lent a helping hand to anyone in need without hesitation, and was the most kind-hearted person our family knew,” they said.

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A Canadian lawmaker who was denied entry to the occupied West Bank, alongside fellow politicians and civil society leaders, has dismissed Israel’s claims that the delegation posed a threat to public safety.

Jenny Kwan, a Canadian MP with the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), questioned whether Canada’s recognition of an independent Palestinian state earlier this year contributed to Israel’s decision to block the group.

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“How is it that members of parliament are a public safety concern?” she said in an interview with Al Jazeera. “How is it that civil society organisations who are doing humanitarian work… [are] a security concern?”

Kwan and five other MPs were among 30 Canadian delegates denied entry to the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Tuesday after Israel deemed them a risk to public safety.

The delegation, organised by nonprofit group The Canadian-Muslim Vote, was turned back to Jordan at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing, which connects Jordan with the West Bank and is controlled by Israel on the Palestinian side, after an hours-long security check.

Kwan said another female MP in the group was “manhandled” by Israeli border agents while attempting to keep an eye on a delegate who was being taken for additional interrogation.

“She was shoved – not once, not twice, but multiple times – by border agents there,” Kwan said. “A member of parliament was handled in that way – If you were just an everyday person, what else could have happened?”

The delegates had been expected to meet with Palestinian community members to discuss daily realities in the West Bank, where residents have faced a surge in Israeli military and settler violence.

They were also planning to meet with Jewish families affected by the conflict, said Kwan, who described the three-day trip as a fact-finding mission.

“I reject the notion that that is a public safety concern,” she said of the delegation’s mission.

Lack of information

Global Affairs Canada, the country’s Foreign Ministry, did not respond to Al Jazeera’s questions about the incident.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said on Tuesday afternoon that the ministry was in contact with the delegation and had “expressed Canada’s objections regarding the mistreatment of these Canadians while attempting to cross”.

The Israeli military did not respond to Al Jazeera’s repeated requests for comment.

In a statement to Canada’s public broadcaster CBC News, the Israeli military agency that oversees affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory, COGAT, said the Canadian delegates were turned back because they arrived “without prior coordination”.

COGAT also said the group’s members were “denied for security reasons”.

But the delegates said they had applied for, and received, Israel Electronic Travel Authorization permits before they reached the crossing. Kwan also said the Canadian government informed Israel ahead of time of the delegation’s plans.

“I’m not quite sure exactly what kind of coordination is required,” Kwan told Al Jazeera.

“We followed every step that we’re supposed to follow, so I’m not quite sure exactly what they mean or what they’re referring to.”

Canada-Israel ties

Canada, a longstanding supporter of Israel, faced the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after it joined several European allies in recognising an independent Palestinian state in September.

“Israel will not allow you to shove a terror state down our throats,” Netanyahu said in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

The recognition came after months of mass protests in Canada and other Western countries demanding an end to Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, which has killed more than 70,000 people since October 2023.

Rights advocates also called for action to stem a surge in deadly Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Against that backdrop, members of the Canadian delegation questioned whether their entry refusal was part of an Israeli effort to prevent people from witnessing what is happening on the ground in the Palestinian territory.

“‘What are they trying to hide?’ is the question that comes to mind,” Fawad Kalsi, the CEO of the relief group Penny Appeal Canada and one of the delegates, told Al Jazeera on Tuesday.

Kwan, the Canadian MP, raised a similar question, saying, “If people cannot witness” what is happening on the ground in the West Bank, “then misinformation and disinformation will continue”.

She added that she also saw foreign doctors being turned back to Jordan at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing as they tried to bring medicine and baby formula into the West Bank.

“If we as members of parliament could face denial of entry,” she said, “imagine what is going on on the ground with other people, and the difficulties that they face, that we do not know about.”

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Prosecutors in Los Angeles will file murder charges against Nick Reiner over the deaths of his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele.

Nick Reiner is facing two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance alleging multiple murders, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.

He could be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty if found guilty. He will be brought to court to formally face charges after he is medically-cleared by prison officials, Mr Hochman added.

The charges came two days after the couple were found dead in their home in Brentwood, California, with multiple stab wounds.

During a news conference, Mr Hochman said no decision had been made about whether prosecutors would seek the death penalty.

The suspect, 32, was also accused of using a “dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife”.

He was expected to appear before a judge later on Tuesday for an arraignment hearing, where he will be formally charged.

Rob Reiner directed several iconic films in a variety of genres, including This is Spinal Tap, Misery and A Few Good Men.

Michele Singer Reiner was an actress, photographer and producer, and the founder of Reiner Light, a photography agency and production company.

LA Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell told the news conference: “This case is heartbreaking and deeply personal, not only for the Reiner family and their loved ones, but for the entire city.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy.”

During the news conference, officials declined to say how the suspect was located, attributing his arrest to “good, solid police work”.

District Attorney Hochman added that it is too early to say whether any “mental illness” played a role in the crime, and speculated that it could come up at trial.

“If there is evidence of mental illness, it will appear in court, in whatever details the defence seeks to present,” he said.

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FIFA introduced a new category of ticket prices called “Supporter Entry Tier” tickets on Tuesday, following uproar from national supporters’ associations about the cost of World Cup entry for traveling fans. 

World football’s governing body said the discounted $60 (roughly €51) tickets would be available for all 104 matches of the tournament, including the final. This is significant as original plans for final tickets foresaw no prices below $4,000 for supporters buying via their national football associations. 

The competition in the US, Mexico and Canada between June 11 and July 19 next year looks sure to be the most expensive World Cup for supporters ever, comfortably outstripping even the record prices in oil-rich Qatar in 2022. 

Ticket prices for the thrilling final in Qatar peaked at roughly $1,700, less than a quarter of July’s costliest ticketsImage: Tom Weller/dpa/picture alliance

How many $60 tickets are available and for whom? 

The new tier of tickets will make up 10% of the tickets allocated to Participating Member Associations (PMAs), FIFA said.

In other words, of the limited number of tickets FIFA allocates to the national associations competing in a given match to sell to loyal fans, 10% will be priced this way. 

“In total, half of each PMA’s ticket allocation will fall within the most affordable categories: 40% under the Supporter Value Tier and 10% under the new Supporter Entry Tier,” FIFA said in a statement.

FIFA said it would be up to individual national associations to define the eligibility criteria and application process. 

“They are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams,” it said.

The earliest chances to vie for World Cup tickets were reserved for customers of competition sponsorsImage: Li Muzi/Xinhua/picture alliance

As an example, let’s take Scotland, whose FA had published itemized data on its ticket allocation for its first World Cup since 1998. Its football association has just under 4,000 tickets to distribute among fans, at various prices ranges, for its three group games in Massachusetts and Miami — in stadiums that seat more than 60,000. So on that basis, taking FIFA’s 10% figure at face value, it should now have between 370 and 390 tickets costing $60 for each game.

FIFA also said it would waive the administrative fees paid by fans applying for knockout stage tickets, in the hope that their national team advances, when issuing refunds if their team failed to progress to the latter stages. 

With the group stage draw set, fans have certainty at least about how their country’s journey through the competition will startImage: Jia Haocheng/REUTERS

Hundreds for a group stage match, thousands for the final

The reduced price comes a week after sharp criticism of the World Cup ticket prices from the Football Supporters Europe (FSE) group, which described the prices as “extortionate” and calculated that a hypothetical supporter following their country in every game to the final in July would have to spend “a minimum of $6,900” if buying tickets from their national football association.

The three-country World Cup in North America, which for the first time will feature 48 teams rather than 32, is expected to bring in billions in revenues for FIFA. 

FIFA says demand is high, with more than 20 million ticket applications received in its latest sales phase. 

Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, the cheapest group stage tickets for supporters of countries other than co-hosts the US, Mexico and Canad ranged from $140 to $265, with higher prices typically applying to games involving more presitigous and well-supported teams. 

Eight years ago when vying for the rights to hold the competition, the hosts had pledged that hundreds of thousands of tickets costing $21 would be made available for group stage games. The most expensive tickets for the 1994 World Cup in the US sold for $475, rather than the $8,680 currently foreseen for the coming year.

The current phase of the ticket applications began on December 11 and will run until January 13 when the draw is scheduled to take place.

Edited by: Kieran Burke

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Erika Kirk described her meeting with Candace Owens as “very productive” after the right-wing commentator promoted conspiracies about her husband Charlie Kirk’s deadly shooting.

In the wake of Kirk’s assassination, his widow took over his conservative youth group, Turning Point USA, and his friend, Owens, started to spread unfounded theories about his September death. Kirk has denounced Owens’ conspiracies about her late husband.

“Had a very productive conversation with [Owens]. More to come from both of us,” Kirk wrote on X Monday night.

Owens said she thought the four and a half hour meeting was productive as well.

“We agreed much more than I had anticipated. Of course, we also disagreed on various points and people as well. Most importantly, we were able to share intel and clarify intent,” Owens wrote on X Monday night.

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Erika Kirk described her meeting with Candace Owens as ‘very productive’ after the right-wing commentator promoted conspiracies about her husband Charlie Kirk’s deadly shooting (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

The Independent has reached out to Turning Point USA for comment.

Tyler Robinson — a 22-year-old who Utah Governor Spencer Cox said had a “leftist ideology” – is accused of shooting Kirk in the neck while the conservative activist was attending an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Authorities claim Robinson acted alone and he’s the only person charged in Kirk’s death.

Prosecutors said Robinson texted his roommate and supposed romantic partner — who authorities say is a biological male transitioning to female — “I had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Owens has speculated that French or Israeli government agents had a role in Kirk’s assassination. Owens has called Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide, which the Middle Eastern country vehemently denies. She is also currently being sued by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte over unfounded claims that the first lady was born a man.

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In the wake of Kirk’s assassination, Owens started to spread unfounded theories about his September death (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The commentator has even suggested Turning Point USA associates may have been involved in Kirk’s assassination.

Before their meeting, Kirk told Owens to end the conspiracies about her husband’s death.

“Stop. That’s it. That’s all I have to say. Stop,” Kirk said at a recent CBS News town hall.

In a podcast Tuesday afternoon, Owens gave more details about her meeting with Kirk.

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Tyler Robinson is accused of shooting Kirk in the neck while the conservative activist was attending an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on September 10 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I said one of the reasons why I really want to sit down is because I want to walk out of here and feel confident saying to my audience, ‘Hey, there’s stuff going on behind the scenes, but Tyler Robinson shot Charlie Kirk,’” Owens said.

Owens said Turning Point officials at the meeting called their lawyer, “and what I got from the lawyer did not make me feel that Tyler Robinson shot Charlie Kirk.”

She said the lawyer told her more evidence will come out during a court hearing in May. At this point, Owens said, “I don’t believe that Tyler Robinson pulled the trigger.”

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NEED TO KNOW

• The Clallam County Coroner’s Office said that they made a shocking discovery after analyzing the remains found inside of a sneaker that washed onto the shore in Washington on Dec. 9
• The soft tissue and bones inside the shoe belonged to a bear, not a human
• The shoe was found the shore of Port Williams Beach on Tuesday, Dec. 9 and reported to police just before 8:30 a.m.

Remains found in a shoe that washed up on a Washington beach were identified — and the results aren’t as grizzly as they seem.

The Clallam County Coroner’s Office (CCCO) confirmed to PEOPLE that the remains found inside a white sneaker that washed onto the shore of Port Williams Beach, in Sequim, Wash., on Dec. 9 did not belong to a human as initially believed, but instead to a bear.

The shoe was found by a person who reported the finding to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) on Tuesday, Dec. 9, just before 8:30 a.m., according to KIRO 7 and The Sequim Gazette. The shoe was found approximately 50 feet from the Port Williams Beach boat launch at Marly Nelson County Park, according to the outlet.

A deputy responded and confirmed the presence of soft tissue and bones inside the shoe. The footwear was described as a white Puma sneaker that had green and blue “Sharpie” marker colorings on the outside. It was noted to be a women’s size 5-5.5, per local outlets.

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on the incident.

The shoe and the remains were sent to the CCCO, which then sent it to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office for further forensic examination. A state forensic anthropologist confirmed that the remains inside the shoe were a bear paw on Dec. 11. 

A stock image of a grizzly bear.

Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty

The CCCO also said that it determined that there was no human biological matter present inside the shoe or on the outside of the shoe which was “clean.”

It is unclear how the bear remains may have gotten there, and CCSO investigators, per KOMO News, have found no related items in the surrounding area.

The CCCO said there is no additional information on the incident. 

 Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

There are at least 25,000 bears — including the grizzly and black bear species — that roam the state of Washington, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Grizzly bears are protected from hunting at both the state and federal levels because they are a rare species. According to the department, “there are about 1000 black bears for every one grizzly bear in Washington.”

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Nick Reiner will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder. 

If convicted, the 32-year-old could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.

During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said no decision has been made on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty. 

‘He also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous weapon, that being a knife,’ Hochman said. 

The latest announcement comes two days after Nick’s parents, famed director Rob Reiner and his photographer wife Michele, were found savagely murdered with their throats slit in their $13.5 million Los Angeles mansion on Sunday. 

Nick was arrested in connection with their deaths later that day, and dramatic arrest video captured the moment cops swooped in to arrest him at a busy intersection in the downtown area of the city, about 15 miles from the family’s Brentwood home. 

He was arrested without incident Sunday evening, and there was no indication that he would resist or flee, Los Angeles deputy police chief Alan Hamilton said.

Reiner, 78, had a ‘very loud argument’ with his son at a Christmas party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien on Saturday – just hours before the double murder, TMZ previously reported.

Nick Reiner, seen in September, has been formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said no decision has been made on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or be sentenced to death

Several witnesses told the outlet Nick, who has a track record of alleged violence and substance abuse, was acting erratically at the bash.

Reiner reportedly brought the 32-year-old, who lived on his parents’ property, to O’Brien’s holiday party to ‘keep an eye on him.’

Guests at the A-list packed holiday party alleged that Nick displayed ‘antisocial behavior,’  including staring at attendees.

At the party, sources also told People that he was ‘acting crazy’, and ‘kept asking people if they were famous.’

Romy Reiner, 27, the late couple’s youngest child, who lives across the street from them, was the one who discovered her parents’ lifeless bodies the following afternoon.

Her brother Nick, the couple’s middle child, was arrested on Sunday night for allegedly fatally stabbing them in their bed.

Police were able to locate him after he checked into a motel close to Santa Monica’s famous pier.

During a raid of his room, authorities reportedly found a shower ‘full of blood,’ more blood all over the bed, and the windows blacked out with bedsheets.

Michele and Reiner, seen with their children, Jake, Romy and Nick in 2014, were found savagely murdered with their throats slit in their $13.5 million Los Angeles mansion on Sunday

The LAPD said he was found with ‘good, solid police work’, with arrest logs showing he was taken in around six hours after the first 911 call was made Sunday afternoon. 

A witness earlier told the Daily Mail how they saw five unmarked police cars surround Nick, who appeared to remain calm as armed homicide officers and US Marshals approached and slammed him to the ground.

Police said Nick was taken into custody ‘without issue’, with no indication he was going to resist or flee, before being moved to a police station for questioning.

‘He didn’t see them coming,’ bystander Kevin Cheatham, 34, told the Daily Mail, adding that Nick appeared to remain ‘cool’ and calm.

Cheatham said he was standing across the street at the intersection of Exposition Boulevard and Vermont Avenue on Sunday when he saw a ‘normal looking guy’ wearing a backpack, jacket, beanie, and blue walking by himself.

He said he noticed the man walking across the sidewalk alone when cops arrived, and kept watching while police and a K9 unit arrived at the scene 30 minutes later.

Reiner is pictured with his son Nick (right), who has now been arrested in connection with the deaths of his parents

It is unclear whether Nick took the metro or a taxi to the area from the Pierside Hotel in Santa Monica, where staff reportedly discovered a shower ‘full of blood’, blood all over the bed, and the windows blacked out with bedsheets.

But Cheatham claims Nick had been on the move, ‘going westbound on Exposition on foot’ when police pulled up on him.

‘I’m assuming they caught him surprised. He wasn’t attacked, he was approached. He was minding his own business,’ the witness said.

Nick had been living in the guest house of his parents’ mansion, a source close to him told the Daily Mail.

‘It had been like a revolving door all his adult life,’ the source claimed.

‘He would do meth and not sleep for days and then have outbursts, breaking things, punching walls. He was a ticking time bomb. His drug use was getting worse and his parents wanted him out.’

Nick is currently being held in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles, where his bail was initially set at $4 million before being rescinded.

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Christian Horner is nearing a return to Formula One, which could end up subseqeuntly earning a big payday for the likes of Anthony Joshua and Rory McIlroy

22:54, 16 Dec 2025Updated 22:54, 16 Dec 2025

Christian Horner is reportedly looking for a way back into Formula 1 (Image: PA)

Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is reportedly considering a comeback to Formula 1 with Alpine, potentially buying shares from Anthony Joshua and Rory McIlroy. The 52-year-old officially parted ways with Red Bull in September after agreeing on a severance package following his dismissal as team principal in July.

Horner led the F1 team since its inception in 2005, guiding them to eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ championship titles. His departure came after a contentious 18 months that began when a female employee accused him of sexual harassment – an accusation he denied and which became public in February 2024.

Horner was twice found to have done no wrongdoing, first by an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, and then by another lawyer who dismissed the complainant’s appeal.

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According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the Englishman could make a return to F1 in 2026. It is suggested that the earliest he can rejoin the sport is in the spring, once his gardening leave from Red Bull concludes.

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Previously linked with Aston Martin, Horner saw his former colleague, Adrian Newey, promoted to team principal instead.

However, reports suggest that Horner isn’t just eyeing a return as team principal; he’s also interested in acquiring a stake in a racing team. Horner is said to be in discussions with Alpine, where his good mate Flavio Briatore holds the reins.

The Renault Group owns the majority of Alpine, but since 2023, an American consortium, Otro Capital, has held a 24 per cent stake.

Horner’s possible return to F1 could potentially benefit Anthony Joshua and other sports stars(Image: Getty)

Famous sports stars and celebrities are among Otro’s investors, including pugilist Joshua, golfer McIlroy, footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold and actor Ryan Reynolds.

However, it’s rumoured that the consortium is considering selling their shares, which could potentially be snapped up by Horner and a group of investors.

Joshua, who is already worth a colossal £113million and set to earn £70m for Saturday’s fight with Jake Paul, could have his coffers boosted even more if his stake with Otro is bought by Horner and other investors.

If Horner does make the move to Alpine, he’ll be joining after one of the team’s most dismal seasons.

The Oxfordshire-based side ended up at the bottom of the constructors’ championship table, with drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto finishing 18th and 20th in the drivers’ standings.

When quizzed about the potential deal, Horner reportedly didn’t deny being in discussions with Alpine, but chose not to comment further.

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