WORLD NEWS
Engineer becomes first wheelchair user to go to space
Watch: Moment German engineer becomes world’s first wheelchair user to go into space
An engineer from Germany has become the world’s first wheelchair user to go into space.
Michaela Benthaus, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a mountain bike accident seven years ago, had reached out to a retired space engineer online to see if her dream of being an astronaut was still possible.
He then helped organise the historic 10-minute flight with Blue Origin, the space tourism company founded by Jeff Bezos.
Ms Benthaus and five others blasted off from Texas on Saturday and reached a point just above the so-called “boundary” of space, known as the Kármán line.
“It was the coolest experience!” she said after landing in a video shared by Blue Origin.
“I didn’t only like the view and the micro-gravity, but I also liked going up. That was so cool, every stage of going up.”
New Shepard, Blue Origin’s reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle, took off from the company’s Texas launch pad at 14:15 GMT.
Ms Benthaus, who works at the European Space Agency, said she had “really, really figured out how inaccessible our world still is” for people with disabilities following her accident.
She made her own way from her wheelchair into the capsule, using a bench extending from the hatch.
Hans Koenigsmann, the retired SpaceX manager who helped organise the trip, was strapped in nearby to offer assistance during the flight if needed.
“I met Hans the first time online,” Ms Benthaus said. “I just asked him, like, you know, you worked for so long for SpaceX, do you think that people like me can be astronauts?”
Koenigsmann said Ms Benthaus “basically inspired me to do this. “It’s her drive that kind of convinced me I should do that, too, and to just experience something that I’ve seen from the outside for a long time,” he said.
Blue Origin said ground support equipment was added to help Ms Benthaus enter and exit the capsule.
“Michi’s flight is particularly meaningful, demonstrating that space is for everyone, and we are proud to help her achieve this dream,” Phil Joyce, senior vice-president of New Shepard, said.
The cost of the mission, which is the 16th suborbital space tourism launch carried out by Blue Origin, has not been revealed.
The company has taken dozens of tourists to space. In April, pop star Katy Perry, Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sánchez and CBS presenter Gayle King were among six women blasted into space aboard a Blue Origin rocket for a flight that lasted about 11 minutes.
The high-profile flights come at a time when private space companies are fiercely competing for dominance in space tourism.
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Preparations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan are underway, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. The announcement comes after representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey participated in high-level U.S.-led talks in Miami.
“In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order,” Witkoff wrote on X. “We also discussed regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy, water, and other shared resources, as essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability, and long-term prosperity.
“We reviewed next steps in the phased implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, underscoring the importance of sequencing, coordination, and effective monitoring in partnership with local Gazan institutions and international partners.”
NETANYAHU ADVISOR EXPRESSES ‘DEEP FAITH’ IN TRUMP’S GAZA CEASEFIRE PLAN FRAMEWORK APPROACH
A drone view shows Palestinians walking past the rubble after Israeli forces’ withdrawal from the area amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza City Oct. 11, 2025. (Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo/Reuters)
In addition to looking forward to the next phase, the group reflected on the implementation of the first part of the ceasefire, which Witkoff said “yielded progress.”
During the first phase, humanitarian aid went into the Gaza Strip, hostilities were reduced and there was a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. Additionally, all living hostages and most deceased hostages were released. The last remaining hostage is Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.
Israeli soldiers watch the northern Gaza Strip from southern Israel July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
1 HOSTAGE REMAINS WITH HAMAS AFTER LATEST BODY IS ID’D
The U.S.-led talks on the second phase of the plan were proceeded by a similar meeting in Cairo, which reportedly included Turkey and Egypt’s intelligence chiefs, as well as Qatar’s prime minister.
“During the meeting, [they] also agreed to continue strengthening coordination and cooperation with the Civil Military Coordination Center to eliminate all obstacles to ensure the continuity of the ceasefire and to prevent further violations,” a Turkish source told Reuters, adding that they also discussed countering alleged Israeli ceasefire violations.
Palestinians walk on a street with rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Feb. 17, 2025 (Reuters/Mahmoud Issa)
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The second phase of the deal involves the deployment of an international stabilization force and the development of an international body to govern Gaza. It also includes the disarmament of Hamas. Additionally, Israel will move further from the so-called “yellow line” ahead of the international force taking over, according to The Times of Israel.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
WORLD NEWS
‘Intifada’ chant and extremist symbols will be banned by Australian state under new law after Bondi shooting
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An Australian state is moving to ban public displays of Islamic State group flags and extremist symbols after the Bondi Beach mass shooting driven by antisemitism killed 15 people.
Under draft laws to be debated by the of New South Wales Parliament, publicly displaying the IS flag or symbols from other extremist groups will be offenses punishable by up to two years in prison and fines.
The state’s premier, Chris Minns, also said chants of “globalize the intifada” will be banned and police would be given greater powers to demand protesters remove face coverings at demonstrations.
“Hate speech or incitement of hatred has no place in our society,” Minns said Saturday.
The Arabic word intifada is generally translated as “uprising.”
A member of the Jewish community stands at a floral memorial in honour of the victims of the mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025. REUTERS/Jeremy Piper (REUTERS/Jeremy Piper)
While pro-Palestinian demonstrators say the slogan describes the worldwide protests against the war in Gaza, Jewish leaders say it inflames tensions and encourages attacks on Jews.
“Horrific, recent events have shown that the chant ‘globalize the intifada’ is hate speech and encourages violence in our community,” Minns told reporters. “You’re running a very risky racket if you’re thinking of using that phrase.”
New South Wales politicians are expected to debate the reforms on Monday after the premier recalled parliament.
Police said Sunday’s attack, targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Australia’s most famous beach, was “a terrorist attack inspired by (the) Islamic State ” group. Police said they found two homemade IS flags in the vehicle used by the two suspects.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to introduce measures to curb radicalization and hate, including broadening the definition of hate speech offenses for preachers and leaders who promote violence, and toughening punishments for such crimes. The proposals would also designate some groups as hateful, and allow judges to consider hate as an aggravating factor in cases of online threats and harassment.
Albanese has also announced plans to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws.
The attack has raised questions about whether Australian Jews are sufficiently protected from rising antisemitism.
Australia has 28 million people, including about 117,000 who are Jewish. Antisemitic incidents, including assaults, vandalism, threats and intimidation, surged more than threefold in the country during the year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel launched a war on Hamas in Gaza in response, the government’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal reported in July.
NEED TO KNOW
- Ralph Macchio has ideas about how the Karate Kid can live on forever
- Macchio, 64, spoke to PEOPLE about his hopes for the future of Karake Kid at the 24 Hour Plays Annual Gala
- “I just think there’s needs to be a reset” he says of the franchise post-Cobra Kai
Karate Kid can live forever — at least according to Ralph Macchio, if it gets a “reset.”
Macchio, 64, spoke to PEOPLE about his hopes for the future of Karate Kid at the 24 Hour Plays Annual Gala on Dec. 12 in Brooklyn, NY.
When asked about the future of the Karate Kid franchise, Macchio says, “There’s been discussions.”
“I think there came between the series and the movie with Jackie Chan all that colliding the same time. I just think there needs to be a reset. Finding the perfect way to launch, because the fan base — it’s never gone away. It hasn’t gone away since 1984. But, you want to service and be organic and be true to the integrity of the characters. So that’s always a challenge once you are on the long game.”
The Karate Kid.
Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
However, he shares that there is “nothing set in discussions all the time.”
“Me and the guys who write that show and other actors involved, we’re all open to communicating. But something isn’t coming tomorrow. I don’t have that secret yet, but maybe we do a few other things. And Cobra Kai never dies. Karate Kid lives forever.”
The 24 Hour Plays Annual Gala is a charity event that features actors racing against the clock to write, rehearse and perform new plays in 24 hours. Proceeds from the event support its non-profit activities throughout the year, including education programming with students from middle school to college, professional development for emerging artists through The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and its partner productions worldwide.
Ralph Macchio in Season 1 of ‘Cobra Kai’.
Courtesy of Netflix
After Kobra Kai, Macchio was happy to take part in the 24-hour challenge of rehearsing and performing in the play.
“I’m feeling great. I’m not gonna necessarily say it’s a bucket lister, but I’d like to challenge myself. Coming off of the last seven years of what I’ve had with the Cobra Kai series and the Karate Legends movie and all that high-end kind of stuff, it was just like, let’s get my hands dirty and let’s cross over without a net. That’s how it felt. But a lot of love in the room and live theater and not everything’s perfect, but it was perfect for that moment.”
Bonnie Blue revealed how she managed to sway her father’s view of Andrew Tate when she joined him on a podcast
Bonnie Blue has no regrets about meeting Andrew Tate(Image: bonnie_blue_xox/Instagram )
Bonnie Blue has revealed how she changed her father’s opinion about controversial influencer Andrew Tate. The pair caused a stir when they appeared on the Disruptors podcast earlier this year, with Tate making typically outrageous comments.
He described Blue as the “end result of feminism” and claimed women would be happy to sleep with the enemy if World War Three broke out. Blue then dropped a bombshell of her own, saying: “I would have f***** Hitler to survive.”
She also took a swipe at stay-at-home mums who criticise her marathon sex stunts, telling Tate that her actions were empowering women. Despite Tate’s notorious misogynistic views, Blue insisted she had no regrets about joining him on the podcast.
She also shared how she managed to sway her father’s negative perception of Tate. She told the Daily Star: “When I first told my dad I was going to do an interview with Andrew Tate, he was like, ‘Oh you’re not doing an interview with that guy, I’ve seen him online, I’ve seen his clips and what the news say about him.’
“And I said, ‘Dad, imagine if you didn’t know me and you saw all the press around me and someone said they were coming to meet me, you’d probably say the exact same.’
READ MORE: Andrew Tate’s vile Ariana Grande remark that left fans furious and saw him branded ‘gross’READ MORE: Andrew Tate’s surprisingly small net worth after his inflated claims don’t add up
“‘But you know me so you know those things aren’t true, you know I’m not what I’m made out to be online.'” Her father responded: “That makes sense.”
Blue added: “The one thing I’ve learned about what you read online, it doesn’t mean they’re like that in person, it doesn’t mean what’s in the press is always true.”
She had nothing but praise for Tate’s behaviour before and during the podcast, saying: “I actually don’t regret doing the podcast at all.
Blue made a shocking comment about Adolf Hitler(Image: YouTube/Disruptors Podcast)
“I know everybody has different experiences with people but for me, he turned up early for the podcast, he shook my hand, offered me a drink.
“He said, ‘Let me know if there’s anything I ask which you don’t want or don’t feel comfortable with,’ and to me, he was nothing but respectful. My encounter with him was nothing but positive.”
Tate, a former world champion kickboxer, is set to face Misfits heavyweight boxing champion Chase DeMoor in Dubai on Saturday night.
Tate made degrading comments about women on the podcast(Image: YouTube/Disruptors Podcast)
The bout is slated for six three-minute rounds, a rule set DeMoor claimed Tate insisted upon. Knockouts are permitted and if the fight goes the distance, it will be scored by three ringside judges.
DeMoor has far more experience in the boxing ring than Tate with 14 fights to his name. This will be his seventh outing of the year alone as he puts his title on the line.
Sealing of deal postponed despite decades of preparation.
European farmers are protesting against the EU-Mercosur deal.
That is as signing has been postponed until January, due to disagreements in Europe.
The European-South American deal, planned for more than 25 years, would create the world’s largest free-trade zone.
So, why is there division?
Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault
Guests:
Pieter Cleppe – Editor-in-chief at BrusselsReport.eu
Ciaran Mullooly – Member of the European Parliament for the Independent Ireland group
Gustavo Ribeiro – Founder and editor-in-chief of the Brazilian Report online newspaper
Published On 20 Dec 2025
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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvo on Saturday warned against US military action in Venezuela, saying such a move would spark a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
He made the comments at a summit for the five-member South American economic bloc Mercosur, which was taking place at the Iguacu Falls in southern Brazil.
At the same summit, Argentine President Javier Milei hailed Washington’s attempts to exert pressure on Caracas.
Venezuela was suspended from the bloc in 2016.
Both Argentina and Brazil are full members of the five-country Mercosur bloc, whose leaders met at the Igaucu FallsImage: Evaristo Sa/AFP
What did Lula and Milei say about US intervention in Venezuela?
Brazil’s left-wing president warned of negative consequences for the Americas if the US was to engage in military operations in Venezuela.
“An armed intervention in Venezuela would be a humanitarian catastrophe for the hemisphere and a dangerous precedent for the world,” Lula said in opening comments to the Mercosur summit.
Meanwhile, Milei, who is a close ally of US President Donald Trump and a fierce advocate of austerity and free market reforms, hailed Washington’s approach to Caracas.
“Argentina welcomes the pressure from the United States and Donald Trump to free the Venezuelan people. The time for a timid approach on this matter has run out,” said the Argentine president, who also attended the summit.
US ups pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro — but what’s the goal?
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What is the US campaign against Venezuela?
The United States has been engaging in a months-long campaign to destroy Venezuelan boats in the Caribbean it accuses of trafficking drugs.
The strikes have killed at least 90 people.
The US government has accused, without providing evidence, the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of having links to the Cartel de los Soles criminal organization.
Earlier this week, Trump ordered a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. He has also suggested he could begin targeting sites in Venezuela in air strikes.
European farmers have warned of unfair competition from global agricultural powerhouse Brazil and other South American states [FILE: March 2014]Image: picture alliance/dpa
Lula urges EU to sign Mercosur deal
In his comments at the Mercosur summit, Lula also called on the European Union to show “courage” and sign a trade deal with the South American bloc.
“Without political will and courage on the part of leaders, it will not be possible to conclude negotiations that have dragged on for 26 years,” Lula said.
“We have in our hands the opportunity to send the world an important message in defense of multilateralism, and to reinforce our strategic position in a global environment that is more and more competitive,” he added.
The deal has been opposed by groups representing European farmers, especially in France and Italy, which argue that the bloc’s agricultural sector would be exposed to unfair competition.
On Thursday, the EU delayed the signing of the free trade deal with Mercosur to January.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
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The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is proposing a ban on chants of the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which many consider to be an antisemitic call for violence against Jews.
This comes less than one week after a deadly mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that killed at least 15 people.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said that with the ban, police would be given more powers to demand that protesters remove face coverings during demonstrations, according to The Associated Press.
FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE WARNED AUSTRALIAN LEADERS ABOUT DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM MONTHS BEFORE BONDI BEACH ATTACK
Rabbi Yossi Friedman leads a tribute for the victims of a mass shooting during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 20, 2025. (Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)
“Hate speech or incitement of hatred has no place in our society,” Minns said Saturday, the AP reported.
“Horrific, recent events have shown that the chant ‘globalize the intifada’ is hate speech and encourages violence in our community,” Minns told reporters. “You’re running a very risky racket if you’re thinking of using that phrase.”
The proposed ban would also prohibit public displays of ISIS flags or extremist symbols. Offenses could be punishable by up to two years in prison and can include fines, according to the AP.
Police inspect at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 15, 2025. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)
AUSTRALIA MOVES TO TIGHTEN GUN LAWS AFTER HANUKKAH MASS SHOOTING LEAVES 15 DEAD AT BONDI BEACH
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday that intelligence further confirmed that the Bondi Beach shooting was inspired by ISIS.
“We’ve been informed that the Office of National Intelligence has identified a regular online video feed from ISIS that reinforces that this was an ISIS-inspired attack,” Albanese told reporters, according to the Times of Israel. He also announced a gun buyback plan and a “day of reflection” following the deadly attack.
The announcement of NSW’s proposed ban comes after Albanese pledged to introduce measures to curb radicalization and hate, including broadening the definition of hate speech offenses.
A woman kneels and prays at a flower memorial to shooting victims outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, a day after a shooting. (Mark Baker/AP Photo)
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Australia had faced rising antisemitism prior to the attack at Bondi Beach, with a number of incidents occurring after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks against Israel.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a prominent member of the Jewish community who was killed in the Bondi Beach attack, wrote a letter to Albanese about his concerns regarding rising antisemitism. Schlanger implored the prime minister “not to betray the Jewish people.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
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The United States is interdicting and seizing a vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, three U.S. officials told Reuters Saturday.
It comes just days after President Donald Trump announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
This would mark the second time in recent weeks that the United States has seized a tanker near Venezuela and comes amid a large U.S. military build-up in the region.
The officials, who were speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not say where the operation was taking place but added the Coast Guard was in the lead.
The Coast Guard and Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Venezuela’s oil ministry and state oil company PDVSA did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
A screen grab shows US forces seizing a crude oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on December 10 (US Attorney General Pam Bondi)
“I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump said on Tuesday.
In the days since U.S. forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week, there has been an effective embargo in place, with loaded vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil staying in Venezuelan waters rather than risk seizure.
Since the first seizure, Venezuelan crude exports have fallen sharply.
While many vessels picking up oil in Venezuela are under sanctions, others transporting the country’s oil and crude from Iran and Russia have not been sanctioned, and some companies, particularly the U.S.’ Chevron, transport Venezuelan oil in their own authorized ships.
China is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude, which accounts for roughly 4% of its imports, with shipments in December on track to average more than 600,000 barrels per day, analysts have said.
For now, the oil market is well supplied and there are millions of barrels of oil on tankers off the coast of China waiting to offload. If the embargo stays in place for some time, then the loss of nearly a million barrels a day of crude supply is likely to push oil prices higher.
Since the U.S. imposed energy sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, traders and refiners buying Venezuelan oil have resorted to a “shadow fleet” of tankers that disguise their location and to vessels sanctioned for transporting Iranian or Russian oil.
The dark or shadow fleet is considered exposed to possible punitive measures from the U.S., shipping analysts have said.
As of this week, of more than 70 oil tankers in Venezuelan waters that are part of the shadow fleet, around 38 are under sanctions by the U.S. Treasury, according to data from TankerTrackers.com. Of those, at least 15 are loaded with crude and fuel, it added.
Trump’s pressure campaign on Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela, which have killed at least 100 people.
Trump has also said that U.S. land strikes on the South American country will soon start.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has alleged that the U.S. military build-up is aimed at overthrowing him and gaining control of the OPEC nation’s oil resources, which are the world’s largest crude reserves.
NEED TO KNOW
- Harry Connick Jr. recalled how the late Rob Reiner gave him his big break composing music for When Harry Met Sally
- Connick Jr. said the director was “rarest of rare” and that he was “kind, patient, and clear” with his vision for the songs
- He shared the piece of advice Reiner gave him, which was: “If you ever want to do anything in this business, do it yourself”
Harry Connick Jr. sang “It Had to Be You” in When Harry Met Sally — but he says none of it would be possible without Rob Reiner, who gave him his big break.
The musician and actor, 58, recalled getting the chance to work with the late director, 78, in a tribute piece published in Rolling Stone on Dec. 18.
Rob and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Brentwood, Calif., home on Dec. 14. Their son Nick Reiner has since been charged with first-degree murder in connection with their deaths.
Connick Jr. recalled that he had been just 21-years-old when Rob called him and invited him to Los Angeles to “play some solo piano underscoring” for the 1989 film starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan — which the musician noted he had “no idea what that meant” at the time.
Director Rob Reiner watches Harry Connick Jr. sing for the movie ‘When Harry Met Sally’ (1989).
Hulton Archive/Getty
He said that when he got there, the Sleepless in Seattle actor directed him on how to underscore the scenes with Crystal and Ryan, using a green strip and red strip queue, and encouraged him to “play anything you want.”
“I played improvised pieces for scene after scene. Mr. Reiner guided me through each one, pushing and pulling me to connect with what was unfolding on the screen,” he shared. “I was scared of him — he was so precise with his vision — but he was also kind, patient, and clear.”
The Hope Floats star said he also played “Winter Wonderland” by Ray Charles for the soundtrack album, and was instructed once again by Rob to play it however he wanted. So he opted to play a unique, “New Orleans piano-style version,” and noted that Rob told him, “Great. Let’s move on.”
“‘Who was this man? He was letting me sing and play anything I wanted. Was every film like this? Did every director work this way?’ ” the musician remembered thinking of Rob. “Turns out, no. He was the rarest of rare.”
During the recording of When Harry Met Sally’s main anthem, “It Had to Be You” he recalled the director asking him to end the song with a high note — which he said he managed to accomplish despite it being “really high for me” — and seeing Rob smile at him through the control room and tell him, “That’s it! That’s the one!”
He said that he called his father from his room at the Sunset Marquis and held a walkman up to the phone as he played him the music, which he “loved.” When his father asked him about what the Stand by Me director thought of it, Connick Jr. recalled feeling “giddy” as he told him, “I think he liked it.”
“Rob Reiner was a gentleman — a brilliant, generous gentleman. I’ll always remember him in the studio that day — loud and strong, precise and deliberate,” he shared, adding that the Hollywood director also offered some advice: “If you ever want to do anything in this business, do it yourself. Don’t expect anyone to do anything for you.”
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in ‘When Harry Met Sally’ (1989).
Castle Rock/Nelson/Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
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“True, unless it involved Rob Reiner. He did something for me — he changed my life — and I’ll be forever grateful,” the Independence Day actor said. “Thank you, Mr. Reiner. You’ll always be in my heart.”
The tribute piece comes days after he shared an Instagram video commemorating Rob and Michele after their deaths on Dec. 14. He captioned the clip, “my heart is broken. i love you, rob and michelle. sending all of my love to your family and friends.”
“I have no words to describe how sad I am,” he said in the video. “My heart is breaking for their friends and family. Rob Reiner has been in my life a long time. He was the one who gave me my big break when I was a kid … and his kindness and words of wisdom have stayed with me to this day.”
WORLD NEWS
MORE Epstein files are released as sickening details emerge from pedophile’s grand jury records
The Department of Justice has released two more batches of the Epstein files on Saturday, including grand jury transcripts from cases against Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
In one document from a grand jury hearing ahead of Epstein’s 2019 trial, which never occurred because he died in jail, there were horrific details about what young girls were asked to do.
An FBI agent testified that a 14-year-old girl went to his home in Palm Beach, Florida, to massage him in her underwear. The girl was paid $300 per session, according to the agent’s testimony.
The girl told the agent about how the massage room had lotions and moisturizers. She also detailed how the walls had sketches or paintings of naked females on them.
A library in the home was straight out of Beauty and the Beast, according to the hearing’s transcript.
This comes after a judge ruled on December 9 that the DOJ was legally allowed to release grand jury materials from Maxwell’s sex trafficking investigation.
Because grand jury proceedings are secret by their very nature, it was unclear whether the DOJ would be able to release these documents as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that was signed by President Donald Trump last month.
US District Judge Paul Engelmayer said the grand jury materials had to be released because of that law, but he said mechanisms needed to be put in place to protect victims from disclosures that could ‘identify them or otherwise invade their privacy’.
Pictured: Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell together in an undated photo released by the Department of Justice on Friday
Pictured: The front of Epstein’s mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. A transcript of a grand jury proceeding released Saturday revealed that a 14-year-old girl massaged Epstein there while in her underwear
The files dumped on Saturday afternoon were far less redacted than what was released on Friday.
Democrats, including Congressman Ro Khanna, one of the authors of the law compelling the release of the Epstein files, were particularly furious with one document that contained 119 pages of grand jury testimony was entirely blacked out.
By contrast, the documents released on Saturday had much more context to them. One of the disclosures shows a series of notes left for Epstein throughout 2005 with messages like ‘has girl for tonight’ and ‘she can be here tomorrow from 2pm to whenever’.
One note left for the disgraced financier conveyed the message that a girl he was seeing ‘would like to speak to you. I belive (sic) about college.’