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Nick Reiner arrested after parents Rob and wife Michele found stabbed to death in LA home
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The son of Hollywood filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner is in custody after the couple was found dead at their Los Angeles home Sunday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Nick Reiner, 32, was booked into the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center, sheriff’s department records show.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed that Nick Reiner, 32, has been arrested and “booked for murder” and is being held on $4 million bail at the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center, sheriff’s department records show. Nick, who stands at six feet three inches and weighs 250 pounds, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Sunday and booked into the jail at 5:05 a.m.
It was previously reported that investigators were interviewing a family member Sunday evening regarding the deaths, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told multiple news outlets. Authorities are investigating the deaths as apparent homicides.
There was no sign of forced entry at the Reiners’ sprawling Brentwood home and the couple had injuries consistent with being stabbed, sources told the Los Angeles Times. The city’s fire department said the bodies of a 68-year-old woman and a 78-year-old man were discovered in a property on Chadbourne Avenue.
TMZ reported that the couple’s throats were “slit” following an argument at the home.
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Honoree Rob Reiner (2nd L) arrives with his wife Michele (L), and children Jake. C), Romy, and Nick (R) at the 41st Annual Chaplin Award Gala in New York April 28, 2014 (Invision/AP)
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The entrance to Rob Reiner’s residence is shown Monday. Officers removed police tape near the home, saying they are reopening the street (AP)
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” a family spokesperson said in a statement. “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
Actors Billy Crystal and Larry David were spotted at the home Sunday night, a neighbor told ABC7, adding that Crystal “looked like he was about to cry.”
Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said the death investigation was being handled by the LAPD’s robbery homicide division, and would “continue over the coming days.”
Paramedics were dispatched to the residence at roughly 3:30 p.m. Sunday, and Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived minutes later for an “ambulance death investigation.”
A sizable police presence was observed outside the home Sunday evening. Neighbors told NBC News that Reiner and his wife lived together in the home, and property records confirmed that they own the property.
Their middle son, Nick, was taken into custody Sunday night and booked into jail on Monday.
The 32-year-old, who has been open about his struggles with addiction, co-wrote the 2015 film “Being Charlie.” The movie, directed by his father, was inspired by his own experiences with drug addiction, rehab, and homelessness.
“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” he has said. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”
After he became sober, he told People in 2016: “I’ve been home for a really long time, and I’ve sort of gotten acclimated back to being in L.A. and being around my family.”
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Actors Billy Crystal and Larry David were spotted at the home Sunday night, a neighbor told ABC7, adding that Crystal ‘looked like he was about to cry’ (Getty)
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Reiner and his wife, Michele, right, with daughter Romy in 2018. The couple married in 1989 and also have two sons Jake and Nick. Reiner also had another daughter, Tracy, from his first marriage (Invision/AP)
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
Reiner was one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his work included some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and ’90s, including “This is Spinal Tap,” “A Few Good Men,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Princess Bride.”
Tributes have been paid to Reiner, who was an American actor, writer and liberal activist as well as a director. His films included “A Few Good Men” and “Misery.”
He first rose to prominence after playing Mike “Meathead” Stivic on the CBS series “All in the Family,” a role that garnered him multiple Emmy Awards.
The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, Reiner was married to photographer Michele since 1989. The two met while he was directing When Harry Met Sally and had three children together, Jake, Nick, and Romy.
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Rob Reiner, second left, poses with his wife Michele, left, and children Nick, center, Romy, and Jake at the 41st Annual Chaplin Award Gala at Avery Fisher Hall, in April 2018. Reiner and his wife were found dead Sunday (Invision/AP)
Reiner was previously married to actor-director Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981. He adopted her daughter, Tracy Reiner. Carl Reiner died in 2020 at age 98 and Marshall died in 2018.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that it was “a devastating loss for our city and our country.”
“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” she said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.
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Bystanders were seen on video confronting a gunman before his ISIS-inspired deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, could begin.
Despite their efforts to disarm him, the gunman eventually overpowered the two bystanders and killed them, according to authorities.
The bystanders were later identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The outlet reported that the Gurmans were walking by as they saw the assailant exiting a vehicle. Though Boris had the upper hand for a moment after picking up the shooter’s rifle, the attacker allegedly picked up another rifle during the confrontation and fatally shot the couple, making them the first victims of the massacre.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris and Sofia Gurman,” the family said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel an overwhelming sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness.”
RABBI KILLED IN SYDNEY HANUKKAH ATTACK HAD WARNED AUSTRALIAN PM ABOUT RISING ANTISEMITISM
Bystanders were seen confronting one of the gunmen behind the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach. (Jenny/Reuters)
In the video, obtained and verified by Reuters, an eyewitness replaying the dashcam footage recalls how the incident unfolded.
“You see the shooter here — he fired shots from here, shooting from here. And then look, this guy went and tackled him (shooter), knocking him to the ground. At that point, he had already grabbed the gun,” the witness, who was speaking in Mandarin, said in the video, according to a Reuters translation.
Authorities have identified the shooters as a father, 50, and a son, 24. The father was killed at the scene, while the son was shot by police and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Australian authorities also said that the shooters had improvised explosives and homemade ISIS flags in their vehicle.
On Sunday, the pair opened fire on families celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and leaving more than two dozen injured. The Australian government is investigating the incident as a terror attack targeting the Jewish community.
GAL GADOT, ASHTON KUTCHER CONDEMN ANTISEMITIC TERROR ATTACK AT BONDI BEACH HANUKKAH EVENT
Police teams take security measures at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday after a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community during the first night of Hanukkah. ( Claudio Galdames A/Anadolu via Getty Images)
During the deadly rampage, another bystander, Ahmed al Ahmed, an Australian immigrant, wrestled a gun away from one of the shooters. His attorney said that Ahmed does not regret intervening, despite being “riddled with bullets” and in intense pain.
“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him,” Ahmed’s attorney, Sam Issa, told The Sydney Morning Herald. “He’s not well at all. He’s riddled with bullets. Our hero is struggling at the moment.”
The outlet reported that Ahmed has undergone his first round of surgery and that Issa fears the hero bystander may lose his left arm.
“He’s a lot worse than expected. When you think of a bullet in the arm, you don’t think of serious injuries, but he has lost a lot of blood,” Issa said.
President Donald Trump praised Ahmed for his actions, calling him “a very, very brave person” and saying that he has “great respect” for him.
People attend a floral memorial in honor of the victims of a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 16, 2025. (Flavio Brancaleone/Reuters)
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The Bondi Beach attack is the worst mass shooting Australia has seen since the country implemented sweeping reforms after a shooter killed 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1996. Following the Bondi Beach attack, Australian leaders have vowed to strengthen the country’s already restrictive gun laws.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced several proposed actions, including limiting the number of guns one can possess.
“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” he said after meeting with his National Cabinet.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano, Bradford Betz and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
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Four of America’s largest retail chains have been criticised by federal health officials for their failure to promptly remove contaminated infant formula from sale.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters on Monday to Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Albertsons, stating that these companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks after a nationwide recall was initiated on 11 November. The formula is linked to a dangerous botulism outbreak, which has reportedly sickened more than 50 babies across 19 states.
“As a participant in the supply chain, your firm should take prompt and effective action when notified of a product recall,” FDA officials said in warning letters sent to the companies on Dec. 12 and posted online Monday.
The formula was found at Target stores in 20 states “well after the recall was initiated,” one letter said. In addition, it was sold at a Target store in New Hampshire on Nov. 16, despite an electronic block on the product’s sales code, the FDA noted. And at a Target store in Arkansas, single-serve packs of ByHeart formula were promoted with a “Sale!” sign and a $2 discount from Nov. 16 to Nov. 22.
Information from state and local health officials said ByHeart formula was found at Walmart stores in 21 states from Nov. 12 to Nov. 26. The formula was found in Albertsons stores in 11 states from Nov. 12 to Nov. 19, and at Kroger stores in 10 states from Nov. 12 to Nov. 19.
In addition, the companies failed to provide FDA with evidence that corrective actions have been put in place, despite multiple requests, the agency said. The companies have 15 working days to respond to the letters.
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Stephen Dexter holds a container of ByHeart baby formula, which was recently recalled by ByHeart, in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Cheyanne Mumphrey, File) Formula-Botulism Recall (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Walmart officials said in a statement that no ByHeart formula was sold after cash registers were blocked from selling the formula following the recall.
“We moved swiftly to issue a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores and clubs and online,” a company spokesperson said in an email. “We take all reports of inaction seriously and will respond to the letter.”
Albertsons officials said the company worked closely with suppliers and regulators to identify and remove the products and communicate to customers.
“ByHeart infant formula products have been removed from our store shelves,” the company said in a statement.
All of the babies in the outbreak have been hospitalized and treated with an IV medication to stop the progress of the disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the outbreak to include all babies treated for botulism after consuming ByHeart formula since it was first produced in 2023.
Steven Mandernach, executive director at the Association of Food and Drug Officials, said the FDA itself was slow to distribute information about the recall with state and local food safety officials. The agency didn’t fully share product lists until Nov. 14 — nearly a week after the initial recall of two lots of ByHeart formula on Nov. 8.
He said it was “disappointing” in an outbreak involving the sole source of nutrition for vulnerable infants.
“There probably wasn’t the sense of urgency to ensure the product was off the market that I would expect,” Mandernach said.
NEED TO KNOW
- The last pennies ever to be minted in the U.S. sold for over $16 million in an auction on behalf of the United States Mint on Friday, Dec. 12
- The pennies were sold in sets of three, which featured a 2025 penny, a 24-karat gold penny struck from the Philadelphia Mint, and a 2025-D penny struck from the Denver Mint
- The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia concluded its minting of the penny on Nov. 12, exactly one month before the auction
The last pennies to be minted in the U.S. sold for over $16 million in an auction.
Auction company Stack’s Bowers Galleries in California announced in a press release that it garnered a total of $16.76 million from a special auction of the pennies sold on behalf of the United States Mint on Friday, Dec. 12.
Among the auction were 232 sets of three coins that each featured a 2025 penny, a 24-karat gold penny struck from the Philadelphia Mint and a 2025-D penny struck from the Denver Mint, the auction company said.
The coins were particularly special as they featured a small marking of the final Greek letter Omega, which signified “their role as the capstone to a two-centuries-long legacy that first began in 1793 with the Chain Cent,” the release said.
A photo of the final pennies put up for auction by Stack’s Bowers Galleries in California.
United States Mint
The auction house noted that the pennies in particular garnered “unprecedented levels of collector interest,” which slightly delayed the auction and led to “nearly four hours of competitive bidding” among coin collectors.
Each of these sets sold for an average of $72,000 while 17 lots sold for more than $100,000 each. The most expensive sets were the first, which was sold for $200,000 and the final one — Set #232 — which sold for a whopping $800,000.
U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach holds the last penny stamped at the US Mint on November 12, 2025.
Matthew Hatcher/Getty
The final set, which included the “very last circulating penny intended for issuance struck at Philadelphia and Denver,” the final Omega penny in gold and three sets of “canceled dies used to strike this historic series,” took the top price during the auction.
Stack’s Bowers Galleries noted that the final set ranks as the “most valuable modern U.S.” currency set sold after surpassing the previous record held by a Space Flown 24-karat Gold Sacagawea dollars, which sold for $550,000 in September 2025.
“It’s an extraordinary honor to again be selected to partner with the United States Mint to offer exciting numismatic rarities to the collecting public,” Stack’s Bowers Galleries President Brian Kendrella said in a press release.
“They captured the public imagination like few rare coins we’ve ever handled. Even our staff of expert numismatists, who see the world’s most famous and valuable rare coins day in and day out, were excited by the chance to handle the very last pennies struck before the suspension of circulating production,” he added.
U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach holds the last penny stamped at the US Mint.
Matthew Hatcher/Getty
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The auction came exactly one month after the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia concluded its minting of the penny. President Donald Trump ordered the coin to be discontinued after it became more costly to produce than what it is worth.
“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” Trump wrote in a post in February, according to NBC News. “This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the U.S. Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”
The penny is the first coin to be discontinued since the half-cent in 1857, according to the AP.
A new trend of ‘micro gifting’ is growing in popularity, with a fifth of people choosing multiple smaller presents instead of big-ticket items
Brits are opting for smaller more budget-friendly presents this Christmas(Image: Getty Images)
Brits are abandoning expensive Christmas presents this year in favour of ‘micro gifting’, new research has revealed. A study found that 22% have no plans to splash out on a single costly item for anyone, choosing instead to shower their nearest and dearest with a number of smaller presents.
The research found that 39% of respondents believe micro-gifting is gaining traction, particularly amongst younger demographics, with a third convinced that Gen Z is leading the movement. The trend seems to stem from people’s desire to offer more meaningful and personalised gifts, at a lower price tag. As well as it being easier to spread the cost and budget better.
Brits believe smaller gifts are more thoughtful and personal(Image: Getty Images)
The study of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Virgin Money following the release of its autumn spending report covering September to November expenditure by credit card holders, highlights this growing trend.
Nick Martin, head of lending insights at Virgin Money, said: “Everyone loves opening presents on Christmas Day, but what really stands out is the move towards more thoughtful, personal gifts for friends and family. This trend is proving popular with both shoppers and recipients.”
Almost half (45%) also said they’d recommend ‘micro gifting’ to friends and family due to it being budget-friendly, encouraging thoughtfulness and being a fun and creative way to surprise someone.
Shoppers will buy an average of five presents per person this year(Image: Getty Images)
According to the OnePoll.com findings, 38% believe that having more smaller items to purchase makes Christmas shopping more enjoyable. What’s more, 17% would rather receive these ‘micro-gifts’ compared to 10% who would choose a single, more costly present.
Top smaller presents include chocolates, cosy socks and scented candles or diffusers. Other popular mini gifts include bath salts, food and drink sets, as well as lip balms, hand creams, or hot chocolate sets.
The research also revealed respondents will purchase an average of five presents per person this year, spending £49 in total, which is down £16 from £65 in 2024.
Virgin Money’s spend trends report revealed their credit card customers spent £1.9 billion on purchases in September, October and November this year.
Nick Martin from the brand added: “Our customer spend data shows tech and electrical goods dominated spending in autumn, likely for Christmas gifts.
“We can see people were making the most of the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, as our credit card customers made 1.2 million lifestyle purchases, the equivalent of seven per second, totalling £77m on Black Friday and Cyber Monday alone.
“Interestingly, overall spend for the quarter is down compared to the previous quarter, suggesting smaller, more thoughtful, budget-friendly gifts could be on the agenda this Christmas.”
WORLD NEWS
US military says eight ‘narco-terrorists’ killed in strikes on three boats in Pacific | World News
Eight people have been killed in US military strikes on three boats it has accused of smuggling drugs in the Pacific Ocean.
The US military’s Southern Command said the strikes targeted “designated terrorist organisations” killing three “narco-terrorists” in the first vessel, two in the second boat and three in the third.
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No evidence the vessels were involved in drug trafficking has been given, but a video showing the strikes on the boats was posted on social media.
Southern Command added that defence secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the strikes, and claimed intelligence confirmed the vessels were using known drug trafficking routes and engaged in drug trafficking.
The US military said it carried out strikes in the Pacific Ocean on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs. Pic: X/@Southcom
One of the boats targeted during the strikes. Pic: X/@Southcom
It is unclear where the vessels were from, but the strikes mark the latest in Donald Trump‘s “war” with drug cartels, which has also seen vessels targeted in the Caribbean Sea, including near Venezuela.
Over the past several months, the US has been carrying out a large-scale military build-up in the southern Caribbean, with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking.
In its first lethal strike on 2 September, the White House posted on X that it had conducted a strike against “narcoterrorists” shipping fentanyl to the US, without providing evidence of the alleged crime.
Sky’s Data & Forensics unit last week verified that in the four months up to 10 December, 23 boats were targeted in 22 strikes, killing 87 people.
US forces also seized a crude oil tanker, named Skipper, off the coast of Venezuela last week.
The government in Caracas, led by President Nicolas Maduro, who insists the real purpose of the US military operations is to force him out of office, branded the ship’s seizure a “blatant theft” and an “act of international piracy”.
Read more from Sky News:
Musk is winning the space race – and looks unstoppable
Trump wants $10bn in damages over BBC Panorama edit
On Monday, Mr Trump signed an executive order declaring fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction”.
The order instructs the State and Treasury departments to pursue the financial assets of and sanctions on financial institutions and groups involved in fentanyl trafficking.
It also calls for greater co-operation between the Pentagon and the Justice Department on fentanyl and drug trafficking issues.
The latest strikes on vessels allegedly trafficking drugs come on the eve of briefings on Capitol Hill for all members of Congress as questions mount over the Trump administration’s military actions.
Mr Hegseth, secretary of state Marco Rubio, and other top national security officials are expected to provide closed-door briefings for politicians in the House and Senate.
WORLD NEWS
Venezuelan opposition leader Machado injured on covert Nobel Prize trip | Nicolas Maduro News
President Maduro’s rival was hurt as she sped on a boat through choppy waters in secret escape from hiding to reach Oslo ceremony.
Published On 16 Dec 2025
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Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was injured as she made a clandestine dash to collect her Nobel Peace Prize last week, her spokesperson has said.
Claudia Macero said late on Monday that the right-wing opposition figure fractured a vertebra during a choppy boat ride that had formed part of a risky cloak-and-dagger journey to reach the Norwegian capital, Oslo, for the Nobel award ceremony.
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Machado has been in hiding since she was banned from running in Venezuela’s July 24 presidential election, fearing that her life is under threat from long-time Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“The vertebra fracture is confirmed,” Macero told the AFP news agency, adding that no further details would be released beyond what had been reported in the Norwegian daily Aftonbladet.
The newspaper had earlier reported that the 58-year-old Machado sustained the fracture while crossing the sea in a small fishing boat battered by high waves.
The opposition leader was examined by doctors at Oslo University Hospital during her time in the city.
Dangerous dash
Media reports in the United States said Machado’s escape last week involved wearing a disguise, including a wig, and travelling from a small Venezuelan fishing village on a wooden boat to the island of Curacao, before boarding a private plane to Norway.
Machado has said she feared for her life during the voyage, which saw US forces situated in the Caribbean alerted to avoid a strike on the vessel.
Several similar boats have been attacked in recent months in a campaign that the Trump administration asserts is a bid to avert drug smuggling into the US.
Maduro has accused Washington of seeking to engineer regime change in the hope of seizing Venezuela’s large oil reserves.
The leader of the opposition Vente Venezuela party was attempting to reach the ceremony at which she was due to be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize.
She was announced the winner of the prestigious award in October, with the selection committee praising her role in the country’s opposition movement and her “steadfast” support for democracy.
‘Broken soul’
Despite her speedy trip, Machado failed to reach Oslo in time for the ceremony. Her daughter received the award on her behalf and delivered a speech that slammed Maduro and warned of the need to fight for democracy.
Hours after the ceremony, early on Thursday morning, Machado greeted supporters from an Oslo hotel balcony in what was her first public appearance in a year.
Despite the fracture, she climbed over a barrier to greet supporters outside the hotel, AFP reported.
Machado said authorities in Venezuela would have attempted everything possible to prevent her journey to Norway.
Appearing set to challenge Maduro in the vote, the opposition leader was barred from running in the country’s presidential election in July last year.
She then announced that she would be going into hiding within Venezuela due to fear for her life while Maduro is in power.
The Venezuelan president commented dismissively on the reports of Machado’s injury on television on Monday.
Machado “says she has a broken vertebra”, he said. “What’s broken is her brain and her soul because she’s a demon – she hates Venezuela.”
WORLD NEWS
Starmer urged to stand up for BBC against Trump’s ‘outrageous’ $10bn lawsuit – UK politics live | Politics
Starmer urged to tell Trump his anti-BBC lawsuit ‘unacceptable, as president quotes Badenoch to back his ‘fake news’ claim
Good morning. Ministers are due to publish today a green paper on BBC charter renewal, setting out plans for how the corporation will be funded into the 2030s. With fewer and fewer people watching free-to-air TV, the licence fee is getting harder to justify, but there is no consensus as to what should replace it.
However, within the BBC at least, there probably is a consensus that the last thing licence fee payers want to see their money spent on is a multimillion-pound compensation payment to Donald Trump.
This has come to a head because the president has finally filed his lawsuit demanding damages worth up to to $10bn for the way a BBC Panorama documentary edited a clip from the speech he gave to supporters on 6 January 2021 before they attacked the US Capitol. Here is our overnight story by Callum Jones and Jeremy Barr.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has regularly accused the BBC of being biased on particular issues and, when news of the Panorama edit became a political controversy (more than a year after the programme was actually broadcast), she merrily joined the chorus of people attacking the BBC over the way the programme was put together. What British voters made of her comments is not entirely clear, but she seems to have impressed the president’s legal team, who quote her in the lawsuit to support their case. They say:
Conservative party leader and member of parliament Kemi Badenoch said that the distortion of the speech by the Panorama documentary was “absolutely shocking,” adding: “That is fake news, actually putting different things together to make something look different from what it actually was.” She continued: “And I do think heads should roll. Whoever it was who did that should be sacked, that’s what Tim Davie should be doing, identifying who put out misinformation, and sacking them.” Badenoch added: “The public need to be able to trust our public broadcaster .. . They should not be telling us things that are not true. This is a corporation that needs to hold itself to the highest standards, and that means that when we see people doing the wrong thing, they should be punished, they should be sacked.”
Keir Starmer has, up to now, done his best to avoid getting embroiled in this row, arguing that the BBC is operationally independent and that this is a matter for the corporation and the president to settle themselves. Although there were suggestions at one point that he and Trump would speak about the dispute, that does not seem to have happened. However, he may find it hard to remain uninvolved as this goes on. The lawsuit has been filed as there is evidence in other areas – trade policy, for example – that US-UK relations are no longer quite as warm as they were at the time of the state visit.
But Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, is more than happy to speak out. He has regularly urged Starmer to be more robust with Trump in public, over a range of issues, and this morning he said the PM should tell Trump his compensation demand is unacceptable. He said:
Keir Starmer needs to stand up for the BBC against Trump’s outrageous legal threat and protect licence fee payers from being hit in the pocket.
The Trump administration has clearly set out they want to interfere in our democracy, which includes undermining our national broadcaster.
The prime minister needs to make clear this is unacceptable.
Here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: Keir Starmer chairs cabinet.
10am: Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor and former PM, resumes giving evidence to the Covid inquiry about the economic response to the pandemic.
11am: John Healey, the defence secretary, hosts a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius.
11am: Richard Tice, the Reform UK deputy leader, holds a press conference.
2pm: Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, gives evidence to the Commons foreign affairs committee.
Late afternoon: Peers vote on the employment rights bill, with business groups urging Tory and cross-bench peers to drop their opposition to the one measure that stopped it being passed last week.
We are also getting 17 written ministerial statements today, which is what tends to happen shortly before a holiday recess, as ministers clear the decks. Today’s statements cover the BBC charter review, sentencing reform and planning reform, among other topics.
If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (normally between 10am and 3pm at the moment), or message me on social media. I can’t read all the messages BTL, but if you put “Andrew” in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word.
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Updated at 10.03 CET
“Today we have succeeded where so many others have failed,” US President Donald Trump declared jubilantly as the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a peace agreement earlier this month which, according to White House calculations, marked the eighth war ended singlehandedly by the US leader.
However, across the Atlantic, the term “peace” remains elusive in many parts of the African continent, including the DRC.
Instead of celebrating the agreement signed on December 4, people in eastern DRC remained sheltered in their homes, gripped by fear of what to expect next, as animosities continue.
In the week following the peace agreement, more than 500,000 people were displaced across the region, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Rwanda-backed forces continue offensive in DRC
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Restive times despite ‘peace’
“The signing [of the peace deal] triggered renewed fighting between rebels and DRC defense forces. The result was the rebels taking control of new territories, including the city of Uvira,” an anonymous source from a humanitarian organization operating in the DRC told DW. On Tuesday, reports indicated that M23 fighters were preparing to withdraw from the strategic city, following a request from US mediators.
“It seems more like a political agreement based on the result of American pressure than a real peace process or agreement,” the aid worker added.
But the DRC isn’t the only place where Trump’s rhetoric about ending wars and establishing order seems to be smoke and mirrors.
Thousands of people have been displaced in recent days amid clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border, despite a truce mediated by TrumpImage: Suy Se/AFP/Getty Images
Following a peace ceremony sponsored by the White House in October, more than half a million people have fled renewed border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, which also held on the other side of the hemisphere, with reports on the ground pointing to continued clashes despite reassurances issued by the Trump White House to the contrary.
Violations of the ceasefire terms between Israel and Hamas have also been recorded in recent weeks, and Trump’s perception of the US’s role in the brief war between Israel and Iran earlier this year reflects the Islamic Republic’s lack of military capabilities to retaliate against Israel rather than a true peace initiative of sorts.
Rescheduling battles and postponing clashes
Of the eight wars that Trump claims to have ended, two were not even real conflicts at all: There was no state of war between Egypt and Ethiopia nor between Serbia and Kosovo . Those ‘conflicts’ were merely diplomatic disagreements.
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict explained (Oct. 2023)
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Elsewhere, even Trump allies seem to be distancing themselves from his sphere of influence: Regarding the tensions between India and Pakistan, New Delhi seeks to reduce US involvement, while Pakistan continues to woo Trump’s administration.
The only conflict, which the Trump administration can demonstrably say it helped solve, is the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where the US’ proactive involvement effectively led to the ending of tension that lasted for almost 40 years.
“What he calls peace were mostly temporary pauses, normalization deals, or press-conference victories that ignored the root causes of conflict,” Medea Benjamin, founder of the US-based anti-war group Code Pink, said. “These were not durable peace agreements but short-term political fixes that postponed rather than prevented renewed war,” he told DW.
Not all that glitters is gold
As a man with a penchant for gold, Trump’s desire to go down in history as the fifth US president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize is no secret.
However, historian Theo Zenou argued that a greater force drives the president’s efforts during his second term at the White House: his “desire to be acclaimed worldwide as a great leader.”
“He knows there is nothing loftier than being thought of as a peacemaker. However, he doesn’t want to do the hard work of being a peacemaker, which involves overseeing lengthy processes of reconciliations between warring nations,” Zenou told DW.
Eugenio Costa Almeida, a researcher at the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-UL), said that there is a tactic to Trump’s role as a diplomat which goes beyond the dimension of personal prestige, operating “at the intersection of geopolitical strategy, economic interests, and a logic of personal and electoral leadership affirmation.”
‘America First,’ rest of the world second
However, Costa Almeida also noted that the US leader is failing to make that difficult intersection work effectively, stressing that the proliferation of peace initiatives promoted by Trump excludes key actors in the conflicts.
In the case of the DRC, he highlights that the M23 rebel group was completely left out of the peace deal, having signed a tentative agreement with the DRC government in Qatar months earlier.
For Benjamin, Trump’s peacebuilding efforts have little to do with a genuine interest in healing a fragmented world; rather, they reflect the overt desires of his political supporters.
Trump’s peace deals could mean a reduction in foreign aid spending — a key pledge from his 2024 re-election campaignImage: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
By appearing to end these conflicts abroad, the US President gets to live up to the “America First” slogan which got him elected by his MAGA supporters in the first place, allowing Trump to justify turning off military, development and other financial aid to foreign lands, Benjamin explained.
Peace as a tool of coercion
But then there is still the issue of the war at home: America’s increasingly hegemonic competition withChina.
According to the recently presented National Security Strategy Plan, combating China’s power on the international stage is now one of the US government’s top priorities.
The signing of so-called peace agreements left, right and center allows Trump to “assert global leadership, and position the United States as an indispensable mediator at a time when China is expanding its diplomatic and economic influence in Africa, as well as in other regions,” said Costa Almeida.
“Competition between global powers, especially for access to strategic resources such as critical minerals and rare earth minerals such as those in the DRC, suggests that reducing the sphere of influence of rivals such as China may be an underlying factor,” he added.
Historian Theo Zenou says Donald Trump’s desire to become recognized as a peacemaker is largely driven by his egoImage: Theodora Silver
Zenou pointed out that Trump is willing to use “all means acceptable to him” to achieve his — and the US’ — goals, saying he would not hesitate to resort to “coercion or bullying to get what he wants.”
Thus, the agreements facilitated by Trump might just serve the primary purpose among the unwitting participant nations “to curry favor with [Trump], and to secure lower tariffs or closer cooperation with the US on economic and security matters.”
Edited by: Sertan Sanderson
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Donald Trump has indicated he is considering an executive order to reclassify cannabis, a move that could significantly reshape the US cannabis industry, ease criminal penalties, and unlock substantial research funding.
The potential shift would represent one of the most significant federal changes to cannabis policy in decades, reducing oversight to the level of common prescription drugs and potentially opening doors long closed to banks and investors.
“We are looking at that very strongly,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, responding to reports of his intention to direct federal health and law enforcement agencies to treat cannabis as a Schedule III drug.
He added: “A lot of people want to see it – the reclassification – because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can’t be done unless you reclassify.”
Currently, under the US Controlled Substances Act, cannabis is listed as a Schedule I substance, alongside drugs like heroin and ecstasy.
This classification implies a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, despite many local authorities permitting its medical or recreational use.
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Reclassifying cannabis would potentially lower criminal penalties and open up the potential for research (AP)
A shift to Schedule III would place it alongside common prescription drugs such as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, and testosterone.
Such a reclassification promises to reduce federal oversight, potentially lowering taxes and making it considerably easier for cannabis producers to secure vital funding.
Federal restrictions currently deter most banks and institutional investors, forcing companies to rely on costly loans or alternative lenders.
Initial reports of Mr Trump’s potential move to loosen federal restrictions on the psychoactive drug saw cannabis-related company stocks rise.
However, US-listed cannabis-linked stocks, including Canopy Growth, Organigram Global, SNDL, Aurora Cannabis, Trulieve Cannabis, and Tilray Brands, closed down between 4 per cent and 13 per cent on Monday.
Despite this, their values remain higher than before the reclassification reports first emerged last week.
A spokesperson for Aurora Cannabis told Reuters: “Should the US move to reclassify cannabis – we see this as a meaningful step forward for the global industry and one that must also come with smart regulation.”
Trulieve Cannabis declined to comment, while others did not immediately respond.
A White House official stated on Friday that “no final decisions have been made on the rescheduling of marijuana”.
This development follows the Biden administration’s request last year for the Department of Health and Human Services to review cannabis’s classification, which subsequently recommended a move to Schedule III.
The final decision now rests with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
I love spoiling my dog with treats and toys all year, but that holds especially true for Christmas. If, like me, you often wait until the last minute to grab gifts for every person (and pet) on your list, there’s still time to make sure they have enough treats, toys, and accessories under the Christmas tree.
PetSmart makes this easier than ever with its large selection of dog toys like Lamb Chop and Kong Reindeer, delicious holiday-themed treats from Bocce’s and Blue Buffalo, and festive accessories like collars, bandanas, and harnesses. Shop the 10 picks that I’m snagging for my dog while prices start at just $4.
PetSmart Dog Christmas Gifts
- Holiday Lamb Chop, $7
- Merry & Bright Gingerbread Crinkle Dog Toy, $5
- Bocce’s Bakery Snowman Snack Soft and Chewy Dog Treats, $4 (orig. $8)
- Holiday Keepsake: Holiday Paw Print Ornament, $10
- Merry & Bright Trees Vest Harness, $20
- Merry & Bright Buffalo Bandana, $4 (orig. $8)
- Crunchy Biscuits: Blue Buffalo Santa Snack Biscuit Dog Treats, $5 (orig. $6)
- Durable Dog Toy: Kong Holiday Cozie Reindeer, $17
- PetSmart Charities Holiday Chance & Friends Dog Toy, $5
- Merry & Bright Presents Holiday Dog Collar, $13
Kong Holiday Cozie Reindeer
Petsmart
Kong is known for being a durable pet toy brand, and this fluffy reindeer is no exception. The long arms and legs make it a great option for play fetch and tug of war with your dog, and the crunchy texture under the arms and squeaker sound provide extra stimulation with pets. It’s available in three sizes, making it a great pick for any breed.
Holiday Lamb Chop
Petsmart
I have yet to meet a dog who doesn’t love a classic Lamb Chop toy, and this one has a Santa hat with snowflake details that make for a festive Christmas gift. While the soft, fluffy exterior is great for snuggling, the squeaker inside creates a fun experience for dogs to enjoy, too.
Merry & Bright Buffalo Bandana
Petsmart
While I love dressing up my dog in a holiday sweater, I recognize that it isn’t always the most comfortable option for her. This year, I’m opting for this simple bandana that she can wear all day instead. The bandana is on sale in three sizes, has a red and black buffalo print, and easily ties around the neck.
Bocce’s Bakery Snowman Snack Soft and Chewy Dog Treats
Petsmart
My dog is always begging for treats, which is why I make a point to snag a couple bags as a Christmas gift each year. Bocce’s is one of my go-to brands for tasty cookies that my dog always loves, and this chicken and pumpkin recipe is sure to be a new favorite. Since they’re currently on sale for $4 per bag, I’m stocking to make sure I never run out.
Keep scrolling through to shop for more Christmas gifts for dogs from PetSmart.
Merry & Bright Presents Holiday Dog Collar
Petsmart
Merry & Bright Gingerbread Crinkle Dog Toy
Petsmart
Holiday Paw Print Ornament
Petsmart