Crowds lined the streets to pay their respects as Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, was repatriated at at RAF Brize Norton after a ‘tragic accident’ in Ukraine last week



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China has accused the US of “bullying” Venezuela, after Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

In a phone call on Wednesday, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi told his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gil, that Beijing supported Caracas in defending its sovereignty.

Mr Wang labelled Washington’s military presence in the area – which includes the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier and its support group – as “unilateral bullying”.

“China believes the international community understands and supports Venezuela‘s position in defending its legitimate rights and interests,” Mr Wang said.

Image:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the international community supports Venezuela’s position. Pic: Reuters.

The message of support came as the US president declared late on Tuesday that he had ordered the “blockade” on oil tankers into and out of the South American country.

He said the US military would remain in place until Venezuela returns “all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us”.

In the social media post following months of escalating tensions in the Caribbean, Mr Trump said Venezuela was surrounded by the “largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America”.

“It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us,” he said.

Image:
Mr Trump doubled the reward offered for the arrest of Mr Maduro to $50m. Pic: Reuters

The US military seized a Venezuelan oil tanker on 11 December, in an escalation of the crisis involving the country that is rich in fossil fuels.

Mr Trump’s campaign has included more than two dozen strikes on boats in the both the Caribbean and the Pacific that the US says were trafficking drugs, killing at least 90 people.

Mr Trump has repeatedly accused Caracas of using boats to smuggle drugs into the US, defending American actions as being in the interest of national security.

The US has released no evidence to support its assertions that those killed in the boats were “narco-terrorists”, as the administration has called them.

Image:
Mr Trump’s campaign has killed at least 95 people in 25 known strikes on vessels.

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Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

Venezuela’s government has accused Mr Trump of “violating international law, free trade, and the principle of free navigation” with “a reckless and grave threat” against the South American country.

Washington has announced sanctions on numerous oil tankers, shipping companies and family members of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Image:
Mr Maduro has accused Mr Trump of seeking to overthrow him. Pic: Reuters.

“The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using oil from these stolen oil fields to finance themselves, drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping,” Mr Trump said.

The statement seemed to confirm Mr Trump’s goal was to remove Mr Maduro from power and likely replace him with a friendlier regime.

Mr Maduro has been in power since 2013, and was re-elected in 2024 in a contest marred by accusations of fraud.

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Trump’s three aims for Venezuela

He has accused Mr Trump of seeking to overthrow him after the US president approved CIA operations in the South American country.

Read more:
Is this what the beginning of a war looks like?
Analysis: Trump says the quiet part out loud on Venezuela
US military says eight ‘narco-terrorists’ killed in strikes

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Analysis: Trump pressure on Venezuela

Mr Trump doubled the reward offered for the arrest of Mr Maduro to $50m (£37.2m) in August.

In October, Mr Trump appeared to confirm reports that Mr Maduro had offered a stake in Venezuela’s oil and other mineral wealth to ease mounting pressure from the United States.

“He’s offered everything,” Mr Trump said at the time. “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States.”

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Mr Trump has said the US will move its campaign against Venezuela beyond the water and start strikes on land.

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about one million barrels a day. It has relied on oil revenue to support its economy.

Since the Trump administration began imposing oil sanctions on Venezuela in 2017, Mr Maduro’s government has relied on a shadowy fleet of unflagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains.

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The board decision comes a day after Affinity Partners, a fund backed by Trump’s son in-law Jared Kushner, pulled out of the deal.

Warner Bros Discovery’s board has rejected Paramount Skydance’s $108.4bn hostile takeover bid and accused the studio giant of misleading shareholders about its financing.

In a letter to shareholders on Wednesday, the Warner Bros board wrote that Paramount “consistently misled” Warner Bros shareholders that its $30-per-share cash offer was fully guaranteed, or “backstopped”, by the Ellison family, led by billionaire Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, whose son David runs Paramount Skydance.

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Paramount has been in a race with Netflix to win control of Warner Bros and its prized film and television studios, HBO Max streaming service and franchises like Harry Potter. After Warner Bros accepted the streaming giant’s offer, Paramount launched a hostile offer to outdo that bid.

“It does not, and never has,” the board wrote of the guarantee of Paramount’s offer, noting that the offer posed “numerous, significant risks”.

The board said it found Paramount’s offer “inferior” to Netflix’s $27.75 per share offer, which is a binding agreement that requires no equity financing and has robust debt commitments, the board wrote.

The board also said the offer could be terminated or amended at any time before the deal’s completion, which is not the same as a binding merger agreement.

Warner Bros has not yet set a date for a shareholder vote on the deal, but it is expected to happen sometime in spring or early summer, its chairman, Samuel Di Piazza, said in an interview with CNBC.

The Ellisons have cited their relationship with United States President Donald Trump as a reason why the deal would face an easier regulatory path.

“The Warner Bros Discovery Board reinforced that Netflix’s merger agreement is superior and that our acquisition is in the best interest of stockholders,” its co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement.

Netflix is already talking with the US Department of Justice and the European Commission, its other co-CEO, Greg Peters, told CNBC while expressing confidence in how regulators would view the deal.

Netflix has told Warner Bros it would keep releasing the studio’s films in cinemas in a bid to ease fears that the deal would eliminate another studio and major source of theatrical films, according to people familiar with the matter.

Paramount’s case

Paramount last week took its case directly to Warner Bros shareholders, arguing it had arranged “air-tight financing” to support its bid with $41bn in new equity assured by the Ellison family and RedBird Capital and $54bn of debt commitments from the Bank of America, Citi and Apollo.

The board decision came a day after Affinity Partners, a fund backed by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and one of the funding sources of the Paramount offer, pulled out of the deal. The amount Affinity Partners was contributing to the offer was not disclosed in Paramount’s latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“With two strong competitors vying to secure the future of this unique American asset, Affinity has decided no longer to pursue the opportunity,” the firm said in a statement.

“The dynamics of the investment have changed significantly since we initially became involved in October. We continue to believe there is a strong strategic rationale for Paramount’s offer.”

The Warner Bros board countered that Paramount’s latest offer included an equity commitment “for which there is no Ellison family commitment of any kind” but rather the backing of “an unknown and opaque” Lawrence J Ellison Revocable Trust, whose assets and liabilities are not publicly disclosed and are subject to change.

“Despite having been told repeatedly by WBD how important a full and unconditional financing commitment from the Ellison family was, … the Ellison family has chosen not to backstop the PSKY offer,” the Warner Bros board wrote.

“A revocable trust is no replacement for a secured commitment by a controlling shareholder.”

Paramount had submitted a total of six bids to acquire the entire Warner Bros studio, including its television networks, such as CNN and TNT Sports.

It has previously said the Ellison family trust – which Paramount says contains more than $250bn in assets, including about 1.16 billion shares of Oracle – is more than adequate to cover the equity commitment.

Warner Bros had raised questions about Paramount’s financial condition and creditworthiness. The offer relied on a seven-party, cross-conditional structure with the Ellison Revocable Trust providing 32 percent of the required equity commitment while capping its liability at $2.8bn, Warner Bros said. It noted that the trust’s assets could have been withdrawn at any time.

On Wall Street, Paramount Skydance’s stock tumbled on the news. It was down 3.8 percent from the market open. Warner Bros Discovery was down 0.4 percent while Netflix was surging – up 2.8 percent.

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So it appears Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, agrees with many of us: she thinks Donald Trump’s cabinet is bonkers.

From that bombshell Vanity Fair interview, which featured some truly terrifying close-up photos, we learned that Wiles considers JD Vance to have been “a conspiracy theorist for a decade”. She believes Elon Musk to be an “odd, odd duck”. Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, is, in Wiles’ view, “a right-wing absolute zealot”.

Pam Bondi, the attorney general, “whiffed” her handling of the Epstein files, Wiles said. And Trump? He has “an alcoholic’s personality”, and is “wrong” about Bill Clinton having visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.

It was pretty incendiary stuff from a woman previously known for her calmness and aversion to drama. Wiles, who appears to retain the support of Trump, has responded by calling the Vanity Fair article “a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest president, White House staff, and cabinet in history”, without pointing to any quotes or reporting that was incorrect.

The whole thing might have served as a useful distraction for Trump though, because – whisper it – things are not actually going that well.

A long overdue jobs report found this week that 41,000 jobs were lost across October and November. Manufacturing jobs are at a 3.5-year low, according to CNN, despite Trump promising a “manufacturing renaissance”, and pledging that his tariffs would create “millions and millions of blue-collar jobs and jobs of every type”.

“If we’re judging by these numbers, Americans are completely dissatisfied with the way things are happening in this country.”

It’s not ideal. And it gets worse.

The unemployment rate hit 4.6% in November, a four year high. Recent Republican election losses have sparked fears over next year’s midterm elections. Trump’s own party defied him over releasing the Epstein files; health subsidies are due to expire at the end of next year, which would send insurance premiums soaring for 22 million Americans; and Trump’s vendetta-driven lawsuits against the New York attorney general, Letitia James, and the former FBI director, James Comey, have been thrown out by courts.

The Trump administration isn’t having a great time of it, in other words. And people are starting to take notice. Fifty-seven percent of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, an area which was supposed to be his strength: only 36% approve.

An NBC poll found that more than half of low- and middle-income Americans have changed which groceries they buy to stay within their budgets, and a majority of Americans plan to spend less on Christmas or holiday gifts. Regarding his overall performance, 54% of Americans disapprove of Trump: just 43% approve.

“If we’re judging by these numbers, Americans are completely dissatisfied with the way things are happening in this country,” Emmitt Riley III, a professor of politics at Sewanee: The University Of The South and the chair of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists, told me this week.

Riley said there’s good reason for that.

“If we think about the rate of inflation, if we think about the cost of living, if we think about how Americans are experiencing rising costs in groceries, rent, cars, what have you, then we would have to give him an F.”

Even his support among his base has dropped. In April, 78% of people who consider themselves Maga Republicans strongly approved of Trump – that’s fallen to 70%.

“It appears that Americans who – for whatever reason – believed that a billionaire would be a champion for the poor and working class have now grown sour on the actual implementation of the Trump agenda,” Riley said.

Trump’s response appears to be to tell people not to believe their own eyes and bank accounts, that, actually, the economy is doing great. The president has dismissed concerns about prices as a “hoax” and a “con job”, even as his vice-president this week asked people for “a little bit of patience” before they see an economic upturn.

With Trump due to deliver a live address from the White House on Wednesday night, perhaps he will adopt a more contrite tone. But this is Donald Trump, so I wouldn’t bet on it.

And while we’re discussing the lived experience of White House policies, I should point you to the stunning work of my colleagues, who have been documenting the impact of the Trump administration on real people.

One day in Trump’s America

‘We’re back at stage one’: Trump cuts rock Louisiana town plagued by gun violence

She has stage four cancer. Her husband is a federal worker. Will she survive the Trump administration?

The chaotic life of an immigration lawyer in Trump’s America: ‘Some days you break down in tears’

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The prime minister has said Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must “pay up now” to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action.

Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that the £2.5bn he made from the sale of the club would be used to benefit victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But there has been a delay in releasing the funds, which are currently frozen in a British bank account, due to a standoff over how exactly they should be used.

Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons on Wednesday: “My message to Abramovich is clear: the clock is ticking.”

The government wants the money to be used for humanitarian aid, but Mr Abramovich insisted it should be used for “all victims of the war” – meaning that Russians could also benefit.

The oligarch cannot access the money under UK sanctions but the proceeds from the Chelsea sale still legally belong to him.

Updating MPs, Sir Keir said the UK had issued a licence “to transfer £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea Football Club that’s been frozen since 2022.”

And, in a warning to Abramovich, he said: “Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don’t we’re prepared to go to court and ensure that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin’s illegal war.”

And Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC Mr Abramovich “needs to honour that commitment, pay that money”.

Asked if a legal battle could drag out the process for years, Ms Cooper said: “I’m urging him not to try and pursue further court action.”

But she confirmed the government will take the matter to court if he does not act.

Mr Abramovich’s representatives declined to comment.

The Treasury said that under the terms of the licence, the money must go to “humanitarian causes” in Ukraine and cannot benefit Mr Abramovich or any other sanctioned individual.

The government first threatened to sue Mr Abramovich in June.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “It is unacceptable that more than £2.5bn of money owed to the Ukrainian people can be allowed to remain frozen in a UK bank account.”

Mr Abramovich – a Russian billionaire who made his fortune in oil and gas – was granted a special licence to sell Chelsea following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, providing he could prove he would not benefit from the sale.

He is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, something he has denied.

It is understood that Mr Abramovich has 90 days to act before the UK considers taking legal action.

On Thursday, EU leaders are set to review proposals to use proceeds from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s huge budget and defence needs. Russia has fiercely opposed the proposals.

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12/17/2025December 17, 2025

Merz: EU must use Russian assets to increase pressure on Putin

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on the European Union to use frozen Russian assets to assist Ukraine, “increase pressure on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin” and “send a clear signal to Russia.”

Ahead of an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, the European Commission has proposed a €90 billion ($106 billion) loan to Ukraine to sure up the country’s finances for the next two years — money which is to be taken from €200 billion worth of Russian assets frozen in the bloc.

“This issue is about no more and no less than the security and sovereignty of Europe,” said Merz in the lower house of Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, on Wednesday. He said it must be made clear to Putin that a continuation of his invasion of Ukraine is “pointless” and that he should engage in “serious negotiations.”

“We intend to use Russian assets to finance the Armed Forces of Ukraine for at least two more years. This step is not about prolonging the war, but about bringing the war to an end as soon as possible,” Merz wrote late on X.

However, Merz and the European Commission have hurdles to overcome within the EU where the more pro-Russian leaders of Hungary and Slovakia have already said they would vote against such a plan.

Belgium, where around €185 billion worth of Russian assets are frozen with financial services provider Euroclear, has also expressed concern regarding its own liability should Moscow take legal action against the use of its assets.

On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned that the legal situation is “anything but simple.”

“Italy obviously considers the principle that Russia should be the first to pay for the reconstruction of the nation it has attacked to be sacrosanct, but this result must be achieved on a solid legal basis,” she told the Italian parliament. “If the legal foundation for this initiative isn’t solid, we would be handing Russia its first real victory since the start of this conflict.”

Also on Wednesday, the AFP news agency reported that the United States has been putting pressure on European countries to oppose the plan.

“The US administration is pressuring European countries to abandon the idea of using Russian assets to support Ukraine,” a senior Ukrainian official was quoted as saying, adding that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected in Brussels on Thursday where he wants to “motivate European countries to adopt this decision.”

German chancellor pledges security guarantees for Ukraine

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NEED TO KNOW

• Influencer Mary Magdalene was drunkenly carted back to her hotel by police weeks before her death at 33, per a newly surfaced video
• The internet personality fell from the ninth floor of a high-rise apartment on Dec. 9
• Gongora had over 400,000 followers across several Instagram accounts and was known across social media for her extensive cosmetic procedures and tattoos covering much of her body and face

Denise Ivonne Jarvis Gongora, a Mexican-Canadian influencer using the name “Mary Magdalene” online, was drunkenly carted back to her hotel by police weeks before she fell to her death at age 33 from the ninth floor of a high-rise apartment on Dec. 9.

In a newly surfaced video, recorded on Nov. 20, police and bystanders can be seen loading Gongora into a cart in Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, where she says, “I don’t know what’s happening,” and later, “I’m drunk,” as they walk her towards her hotel. At the end of the clip, an officer assists Gongora as she gets into her bed.

The 33-year-old internet personality had over 400,000 followers across several Instagram accounts and was known across social media for her extensive cosmetic procedures and tattoos covering much of her body and face. She also shared her elaborate psychedelic paintings and adult content on the subscription-based platform OnlyFans.

At 1:50 p.m. on Dec. 9, Gongora’s body was discovered in the parking area of the apartment by the building’s staff, the day before she was scheduled to check out of the building while on vacation in Patong, a beach town in Phuket Island, Thailand, local outlet The Phucket News previously reported.

Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene/instagram

The incident set into motion an investigation by the Patong police, who discovered a pair of flip-flops believed to belong to Gongora left behind on the ninth floor of the building, the outlet reported.

On Dec. 8, the day before her death, Gongora shared a haunting final post to one of her Instagram accounts: two images from the final scene of The Truman Show, including the character’s lines, “And in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening and good night.” Gongora also included what appeared to be a blurry childhood photo of herself at the end of the carousel.

In the days after her death, Gongora’s brother Ivan — who uses the handle “skinny_fists” — shared a series of photos and videos with his late sister over the course of her life, including written tributes to the late internet star.

“You are so funny and so creative way more than ill ever be,” he wrote in one post. “I love you much more than words will ever say. You are my world. I wish things were different. Thank you for everything I love you sis.”

Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene/instagram

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“I jus wanna hangout with you one more time and tell you that I love so much you mean the world to me,” he penned in another tribute.

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By RACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Updated: 12:17 EST, 17 December 2025

Nick Reiner made his first court appearance in Los Angeles today on homicide charges for his parents’ double murder.  

Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their $13.5 million Los Angeles mansion on Sunday.

Their son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of his Hollywood legend father and photographer mother.

Prosecutors added special circumstances of multiple murders and use of a dangerous weapon, a knife, meaning, if he is convicted, Nick could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or even the death penalty.

Romy Reiner, the couple’s daughter, allegedly fled the family’s home in anguish after finding her father slain on a blood-soaked bed and told police her brother Nick should be a suspect.

Nick had long struggled with drug addiction, and during a 2016 interview to promote Being Charlie, the film he worked on with his dad, Nick told Access Hollywood, ‘I get crazy. You don’t want to set me off.’

Follow along for the latest updates. 

Breaking:Nick Reiner arrives at court

Nick Reiner was spotted by reporters at the Los Angeles courthouse, where he is due to appear before a judge after being charged with the double murder of his parents.

The hearing was scheduled to begin at 11.30am ET/8.30am PT, but appears to have been delayed.

Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the killings of his Hollywood legend father, Rob Reiner, and photographer mother, Michelle Singer Reiner.

Prosecutors added special circumstances of multiple murders and use of a dangerous weapon, a knife, meaning, if he is convicted, Nick could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or even the death penalty.

Nick is being represented by renowned defense attorney Alan Jackson. He was arrested on Sunday and is being held without bail.

Jackson was pictured arriving at court this morning.

Nick Reiner, who is accused of murdering his parents Rob and Michele Reiner, was placed under suicide watch at the Los Angeles jail facility he’s being kept in after he was taken into custody on Monday.

The 32-year-old has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and has no bail in connection with Sunday’s killing of the couple, officials said.

Nick ‘is under supervision of the jail mental evaluation team’ at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, a law enforcement insider confirmed to Daily Mail Monday.

Nick was being housed as of Monday evening in the area for inmates who have ‘suicidal ideation,’ the insider said.

The hotel room Nick Reiner left ‘covered in blood’ and frantically ‘cleaned up’ after his parents’ murder… as detectives hunt for the missing knife

New photos obtained by the Daily Mail have revealed the hotel room Nick Reiner allegedly left covered in blood following his parents’ horrific murder.

Rob Reiner’s son checked into room 207 at The Pierside Santa Monica around 4am on Sunday.

It is a $400-a-night boutique hotel about 1,000ft away from the world-famous Santa Monica Pier, and a five minute walk to the LA Metro line that goes directly to the Exposition park area where Nick was eventually arrested by cops.

Nick Reiner could face the death penalty

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced on Tuesday that the office is charging Nick Reiner with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his parents.

‘These charges will be two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple murders,’ Hochman said.

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

‘These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.’

Hochman continued by saying officials would take the ‘thoughts and desires of the family into consideration,’ when pursuing the death penalty against Reiner, however, no decision had been made yet whether prosecutors will seek it.

Nick Reiner will appear in court after medical evaluation

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Nick Reiner will make his first court appearance after he gets medical clearance.

‘He is going through medical clearance, something that everybody who gets arrested and gets held in a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department jail goes through,’ Hochman said at Tuesday’s press conference.

‘Once he is medically cleared, he will be brought to court to be arraigned on these charges. At that point, he will enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.’

Earlier on Tuesday, Nick’s lawyer Alan Jackson said his client had not been medically cleared to be transferred from the jail to the courthouse, but did not disclose any further details about his condition or the case.

Police said that there was no indication that Nick was under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest.

Reiner allegedly had complicated history with substance abuse and mental health issues prior to his arrest and had been living in a guest house on his parent’s property.

Watch: Alan Jackson tells reporters Nick Reiner was not medically cleared on Tuesday

Billy Crystal breaks silence on Rob Reiner’s death

Rob Reiner’s close friend Billy Crystal has broken his silence to pay tribute to the famed director and his wife Michele following their brutal murders.

The When Harry Met Sally star was seen with his wife Janice outside the Reiners LA mansion on Sunday after being called to the home by the couple’s daughter Romy who found her parents’ bodies.

Crystal joined with other notable comedy legends and stars in a statement shared to the Associated Press on Tuesday evening.

The friends and colleagues who included Albert Brooks, Larry David, Martin Short and director Barry Levinson, among others, praised Reiner, 78, as ‘a great comic actor’ and a master story teller’.

‘There is no other director who has his range.’

Nick Reiner calmly buys drink hours after parents murder

Footage has shown Nick Reiner calmly buying a drink at a gas station just moments before he was arrested for the murder of his parents.

The screenwriter, wearing a black cap and a red backpack, is seen queuing up and purchasing the drink before cops apprehended him over the killings of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner.

Who is Nick Reiner? Hollywood director Rob’s son accused of murdering his parents

Police have arrested Nick Reiner in connection with the death of his parents, director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer.

The 32-year-old, the couple’s youngest son, was detained Sunday night before being booked for felony murder Monday morning. He is being held on a $4 million bail bond, Los Angeles Sheriff’s records show.

Hollywood actor and director Reiner, 78, and his wife, who was 70, were found slain in their $13.5 million home with fatal knife wounds, including slashes to their throats, according to sources.

Being Charlie star Nick Robinson breaks silence

Nick Robinson, who played a version of Nick Reiner in the semi-autobiographical movie Being Charlie, has broken his silence following Rob and Michele Reiner’s murder.

‘RIP Rob Reiner. He showed me so much kindness and grace as a young actor,’ Robinson, 30, wrote on his Instagram Stories on Monday.

‘An incredible artist with such a capacity for empathy and warmth,’ he added.

Robinson included several photos of Rob within his tribute post.

Nick Reiner’s attorney, Alan Jackson, arrives at courthouse

Nick Reiner’s star defense lawyer, Alan Jackson, arrived at Los Angeles Superior Court.

The hearing is scheduled for 11.30am ET/8.30am PT.

Rob Reiner’s family members came together on Tuesday to share their grief over the iconic filmmaker and his wife’s murders over the weekend.

Lucas Reiner, the brother of the late Rob, was pictured greeting other members of the extended family after inviting them over to his home in Los Angeles in photos shot by the Daily Mail.

The grieving relatives hugged each other closely on the same day that Rob’s son Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of murder for allegedly slaying his parents.

Rob Reiner’s final film release ‘paused’

The release of Rob Reiner’s final film Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale has reportedly been paused following his tragic death.

According to Variety, production company Bleecker Street who acquired US distribution rights to the concert film have now put its release on hold.

With a source telling the publication that the decision was made until ‘the best path forward is decided with those closest to Rob and his family.’

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Nick Reiner seen in court in first appearance since arrest for parents’ violent murder: Live updates

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Nine-year-old Aria Thorpe’s cause of death has been revealed by a coroner, after her mum described her as her “world” and aa 15-year-old boy appeared in court charged with murder

Aria Thorpe died from a single stab wound according to her post mortem

A nine-year-old, described by her family as the “funniest little girl”, died from a single stab wound, a post mortem found.

A 15-year-old boy appeared in court charged with murdering the schoolgirl, named by police as Aria Thorpe. They said Aria’s tragic death had caused a “huge amount of shock and upset” to her family and the wider community.

Her mum, Victoria Hull, a hairdresser who previously described her children as “my world”, was left “devastated” by the tragedy and her aunt, Jordan Hull said the family had been in “extreme pain”. A heartbreaking message from one of her pal’s was left outside her nome in Weston-super-Mare simply saying: “Aria thank you for playing with me.”

READ MORE: Weston-super-Mare: Boy, 15, charged with murder of 9-year-old Aria ThorpeREAD MORE: Aria Thorpe: Images of tragic young life cut short at 9 as boy, 15, chargedAria Thorpe on a family holiday with her mum Victoria Hull

Aria’s uncle Ashely Nicholls, posted a TikTok video on Wednesday, and said: “The last 24 to 36 hours have been an absolute nightmare…We ask for a little bit of privacy to protect the family and give time to process and mourn the loss of honestly, the happiest, funniest little girl…

“Most people will never experience what happened in that room and watch your partner just completely break down and be hysterical…it’s just so raw still.

A heartbreaking note from Aria’s friend to thank her for playing (Image: PA)

“There has been great support from family and friends and people that know the family. You can’t even imagine what everyone’s going through, it’s just absolutely crazy.”

Forensic officers at the scene in Lime Close, Weston-super-Mare(Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)

Aria died 10 days before Christmas at a house in Weston-super-Mare, on Monday teatime.

Forensic tent outside a house where a nine year old was stabbed to death(Image: SWNS)

Aria died 10 days before Christmas at a house in Weston-super-Mare, on Monday teatime. A post-mortem examination found the preliminary cause of Aria’s death was a single stab wound, Avon and Somerset Police said.

The teenage accused, who cannot be named due to his age, appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. He spoke only to confirm his name and address during the brief hearing, which his dad attended.

Flanked by three dock officers and wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit, the teenager was remanded into custody by District Judge Nicholas Wattam and told his next court appearance would be at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

The teen was arrested less than half an hour after police were alerted to Aria’s death. He was found by officers at Worle railway station, half an hour away from the crime scene.

Superintendent Jen Appleford, reads a statement to the media outside Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters (Image: PA)

Announcing he had been charged, Chief Supt Jen Appleford, outside Avon and Somerset Police headquarters gave an update on Wednesday saying: “This remains an incredibly difficult time for Aria’s family, who we continue to support and update around our investigation. It is impossible to adequately describe how traumatic the past 36 hours have been for them and we’d like to reiterate in the strongest possible terms their request for privacy.

“The tragic loss of such a young girl has caused a huge amount of shock and upset, with there being a profound sense of loss felt throughout the community. We are working closely with partner agencies and schools across the Weston area to make sure those affected receive access to any support they need.

“We are grateful to local residents for the patience shown while we have been carrying out enquiries in the area. This work will need to continue over the next few days, but if anyone has any issues then please do not hesitate to speak to officers on the cordon who will be happy to help.”

Aria had celebrated her ninth birthday with a KPop Demon Hunters party just two weeks ago. And the night before she died, had been excitedly discussing her Christmas wishlist with a best pal.

Weston-super-Mare MP Daniel Aldridge described Aria’s death as an “utterly heartbreaking tragedy”. In a statement posted on the school’s website, the Trust which oversees Becket Primary School, where Aria was a pupil, said, “Our school and Trust community are devastated by the tragic death of one of our pupils, Aria Thorpe.

“We are working closely with professional agencies to ensure appropriate support is provided to our children, staff and families as they come to terms with this heartbreaking news. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Aria’s family during this incredibly difficult time.”

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The UK government has demanded that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich gives £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea Football Club to be used for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, or face legal action.

Sir Keir Starmer announced at Prime Minister’s Questions at lunchtime that the Treasury is issuing a licence for the transfer of the frozen funds to a foundation to be used to provide aid in Ukraine.

If he does not do so within 90 days, the government will take him to court in the UK.

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The prime minister said: “My message to Abramovich is this: the clock is ticking, honour the commitment that you made, and pay up now.

“And if you don’t, we’re prepared to go to court, so every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin’s illegal war.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby the government has “tried every possible avenue to get him to do the right thing”, but it has “come to nothing”.

Mr Abramovich rose to prominence in the UK when he bought Chelsea Football Club in 2003, before pumping billions into the club, winning several trophies including multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League.

He made his billions in the post-Soviet Russian era, and has been said to be an ally to Vladimir Putin.

However, when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Mr Abramovich was sanctioned by the Boris Johnson government due to his links to the Russian leader.

As part of this, he was forced to sell his stake in Chelsea, and he announced that the frozen proceeds would be earmarked “for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine”, including “providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery”.

Image:
Roman Abramovich, pictured cheering on Chelsea in 2021. Pic: Reuters

But the £2.5bn received for the sale has stayed in the deep freeze ever since, not available to support Kyiv and kept in an inaccessible account.

Asked by journalists if Mr Abramovich has given a reason for not agreeing to transfer the funds for use in Ukraine, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “He disputes that the funds should be used exclusively for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine.

“He wants to spend them more widely. And negotiations on this have not resulted in an agreed outcome.”

Ms Cooper said the government has been “very clear” the proceeds from the Chelsea sale “need to go into humanitarian support in Ukraine”.

“It is the Ukrainian people who have suffered as a result of Putin’s aggression as a result of this war, and that is where this funding needs to go,” she added.

Downing Street said Mr Abramovich would need to set up the foundation and arrange the transfer in line with the licence, otherwise legal action would be taken – although the spokesperson would not say under what legislation they would take action under.

This move from the UK government is in line with a wider European push for Moscow to foot the bill for deaths and destruction triggered by its invasion.

Sky News has contacted Mr Abramovich’s last known legal representatives in the United States and Belgium for comment.

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