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Quote:Nick Reiner, the son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner, has been booked on murder charges in a case involving the death of his parents, announced Los Angeles County Chief Jim McDonnell.
“We have our robbery/homicide division handling the investigation. They worked throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner, a suspect in this case,” said LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.
“He was subsequently booked for murder and is being held on $4 million bail,” McDonnell added.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a medical aid request shortly after 3:30 p.m. and found a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman dead inside. Reiner turned 78 in March.
Detectives with the Robbery Homicide Division were investigating an “apparent homicide” at Reiner’s home, said Capt. Mike Bland with the Los Angeles Police Department. Investigators were questioning a family member
Nick Reiner was eventually arrested overnight. He was booked early Monday morning and lodged in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s jail around 7:00 a.m. on Monday.
Quote:Rob Reiner and his son Nick got into an argument at a party hosted by the comedian Conan O’Brien the night before the acclaimed director and his wife, Michele, were found dead, according to multiple reports citing unnamed sources.
Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested on Sunday night and is in custody on murder charges, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD).
The Context
The acclaimed film director and his wife were found dead inside their Los Angeles home on Sunday evening.
Rob Reiner was one of Hollywood’s most prolific directors, known for movies including When Harry Met Sally..., Misery and A Few Good Men.
Rob Reiner and Michele had three children together: Romy, Jake and Nick. Nick Reiner had a long and documented struggle with addiction. At the age of 18, he had cycled in and out of treatment facilities and experienced homelessness. Rob and Nick Reiner explored this struggle with addiction and their relationship in the semi-autobiographical 2016 film, Being Charlie.
What To Know
Nick and Rob Reiner got into an argument at a Christmas party held by O’Brien, with The New York Times reporting that Nick Reiner had alarmed guests with his behavior during the party in West Los Angeles on Saturday night, citing two attendees who asked not to be named to preserve relationships.
The Times also reported that Nick Reiner had hovered at the fringes of the gathering, and that he appeared anxious and uncomfortable in a way that unsettled them.
TMZ, citing Reiner family sources, said father and son had been in a "very loud argument." The outlet reported that following the confrontation, Rob and Michele left the party, but it was unclear if Nick had done the same.
NBC News reported that Nick Reiner had been disruptive and made other guests uncomfortable with his behavior at the party, citing unnamed people familiar with the situation. One person told the outlet that their son's behavior had left Rob and Michele Singer Reiner upset and embarrassed.
An unnamed source also told People that Nick had been "freaking" out attendees at the party and was asking people if they were famous.
Quote:Rob Reiner's adopted daughter has said "I'm in shock" in a brief statement issued following the deaths of her father, filmmaker Rob Reiner, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead at their Los Angeles home on Sunday.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” Tracy Reiner, the director's 61-year-old adopted daughter from his marriage to his late ex-wife Penny Marshall told NBC News. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
...
A man who answered the phone early Monday at a number listed to Nick Reiner’s brother, Jake Reiner, 34, declined to comment when reached by Newsweek. “We’re not giving any comments at this time,” he said. “Thank you.”
Newsweek contacted the LAPD and attorneys for Reiner for comment via email outside of normal office hours on Tuesday.
Reports have emerged that Nick and Rob Reiner got into an argument at a Christmas party held by comedian Conan O’Brien the night before the acclaimed director and his wife were found dead. Nick Reiner alarmed guests with his behavior during the party in West Los Angeles on Saturday night, The New York Times reported citing two attendees who asked not to be named to preserve relationships.
TMZ, citing Reiner family sources, said father and son had been in a "very loud argument" before Rob and Michele left the party.
Rob Reiner, 78, was a prominent figure in American film and television for decades, he had a successful acting career but was best known for directing popular movies, including The Princess Bride and A Few Good Men. He later became a prominent figure in local and national Democratic politics.
Michele Singer Reiner, 68, was a photographer and producer, collaborated on several projects and was involved in advocacy work alongside her husband.
Tracy, who was born in 1964, is Reiner’s eldest child. She pursued a career as an actress and producer, credited in films such as When Harry Met Sally, which was directed by her father, A League of Their Own, directed by her mother, and Apollo 13.
Quote:Authorities are continuing to search for the gunman who killed two students at Brown University in Rhode Island, amid speculation over whether he shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he carried out his shooting spree.
The claim that the Arabic cry of "God is great" accompanied the shooting was posted on X by far-right political activist Laura Loomer.
There is no independent confirmation of this claim, which has gained traction on social media—as have other theories about the perpetrator— including that he was a disgruntled leftist.
Newsweek has contacted the Providence Police Department for comment.
Why It Matters
The post by Loomer and other social media users alleging that "Allahu Akbar" was heard, would point to an Islamist and terrorism motive for the shooter who is still at large. However, amid the unsubstantiated rumors that have proliferated on social media, police are continuing their search for the shooter and have not yet revealed a motive.
What To Know
On Saturday, a gunman opened fire at the Brown University campus in Providence, Rhode Island, killing two students and wounding nine more. The dead have been named as Ella Cook, from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, from Uzbekistan.
The shooter escaped, but a man detained over the weekend was released because of a lack of evidence, after President Donald Trump had referred to him as "the suspect."
Law enforcement officials have not publicly identified any suspect but did release images on Monday of a "person of interest" taken two hours before the shooting, of someone in a black mask.
As speculation grows about the shooter’s identity, Loomer posted on X a Fox News clip in which the reporter outlined the circumstances of the shooting, and that "the gunman yelled something, but we don't know what this individual yelled and began shooting.”
Quote:"America’s Most Wanted" co-host Callahan Walsh says investigators are up against steep challenges in the Brown University shooting case as the search for the gunman enters a fourth day.
"The fact that there's very little information is very concerning," Walsh said Tuesday, pointing to a shortage of evidence on "Fox & Friends."
Authorities released video of the suspect, believed to be about 5 feet, 8 inches tall with a stocky build and dressed in dark clothing, but Walsh said the footage offers almost nothing for the public to work with.
"There's a lot of people that match that description, unfortunately," he said, adding that the grainy video is unlikely to generate an identification from anyone who doesn’t already know the suspect personally.
Walsh also touched on that point Monday on "Jesse Watters Primetime," noting that the suspect’s face is covered, and no distinguishing features are visible in the footage.
On Tuesday, he added that the scarcity of usable surveillance footage is especially striking because the campus is equipped with hundreds of cameras.
"[With] over 800 cameras on that campus and hardly one shot of this individual, it's astonishing. It's really mind-blowing," he said.
"That's why I believe the guy does have a serious connection to the school. He knew where he was going. He knew what he was doing."
Walsh's comments came after a person of interest detained in connection with the attack was cleared and released. He said that development poses another setback, forcing law enforcement to "restart" the investigation.
Quote:President Donald Trump said no motive has been identified for the suspected gunman who remains at large after opening fire inside a classroom at Brown University in Rhode Island Saturday.
Although police originally detained a man in a Rhode Island hotel in connection with the fatal shooting that took the lives of two students, authorities announced Sunday that they had released the man and the hunt for the suspect resumed Monday.
"We're going to see what happens," Trump told reporters Monday. "Hopefully they're going to capture this animal."
When asked why the FBI, who is supporting local law enforcement in Rhode Island with their investigation into the matter, had struggled to identify the shooting suspect, Trump said that doing so is always difficult and that the issue lies with the school.
"This was a school problem. They had their own guards," Trump said. "They had their own police, had their own everything. But you'd have to ask that question really to the school, not to the FBI. We came in after the fact, and the FBI will do a good job, but they came in after the fact."
Two students died in the shooting, and another nine were injured. One of the victims of the shooting was identified as Ella Cook, a sophomore from Alabama who served as vice president of the Brown University College Republicans, according to authorities.
The other victim was identified as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, authorities said. Umurzokov and his family are naturalized citizens from Uzbekistan now living in Virginia, according to The New York Times.
Quote:Authorities near Boston said no suspect is in custody in the shooting death of an MIT professor at his home.
Nuno F. G. Loureiro, 47, died Tuesday morning at a local hospital after he was shot Monday night in Brookline, according to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office.
"Our deepest sympathies are with his family, students, colleagues, and all those who are grieving," Sarah McDonnell, Deputy Director of MIT Media Relations, told Newsweek in a statement. "Focused outreach and conversations are taking place within our community to offer care and support for those who knew Prof. Loureiro."
Why It Matters
The professor's death comes on the heels of another college shooting in recent days, at Brown University in Rhode Island's School of Engineering and Physics departments. Gun violence remains a primary public safety concern, especially after several high-profile shootings this year, including the assassination of Democratic Minnesota House Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah.
What To Know
The Norfolk District Attorney's Office told Newsweek that Massachusetts State Police officers responded to a call from the Brookline Police Department on Monday night, after reports of a man being shot on Gibbs Street.
Loureiro was taken to the hospital, but was pronounced dead Tuesday morning, the office said.
Loureiro was the director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center and a professor in the university’s nuclear science and engineering and physics departments, MIT said. The school said it is offering support services to students, colleagues and others affected by his death.
According to his MIT faculty biography, Loureiro studied in Portugal and London and completed postdoctoral work at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. He was previously a researcher at the Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion at IST Lisbon before joining MIT in 2016.
In January, the professor was among 11 MIT faculty members awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers by former President Joe Biden, for his work on the generation and amplification of magnetic fields in the universe.
In June, Loureiro was quoted in an announcement from MIT on its new facility designed to accelerate research into fusion energy.
“LMNT is the start of a new era of fusion research at MIT, one where we seek to tackle the most complex fusion technology challenges on timescales commensurate with the urgency of the problem we face: the energy transition,” he said in a press release. “It’s ambitious, bold, and critical — and that’s exactly why we do it.”
FBI Thwarts Anti-ICE, Pro-Palestine Group Accused of Planning New Year’s Eve Bombings in Los Angeles
Quote:A leftist extremist group was allegedly building bombs and choosing targets for New Year’s Eve terror attacks in Los Angeles, but federal officials have foiled those plans.
Four alleged members of a leftist offshoot of the group called Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF) were arrested after federal officials disrupted the credible terrorist threat that involved improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Fox News reported Monday.
In a social media post early Monday, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel detailed the case:
The subjects self-identified as members of a radical offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an extremist group motivated by pro-Palestinian, anti-law-enforcement, and anti-government ideology. They were allegedly planning coordinated IED bombing attacks on New Year’s Eve, targeting five separate locations across Los Angeles.
In the days since, @FBINewOrleans arrested an additional FIFTH individual believed to be linked to this radical TILF subgroup — also allegedly planning a separate violent attack.
The four suspects were charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi also addressed the alleged plot, stating, “The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles.”
“This was an incredible effort by our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the @FBI to ensure Americans can live in peace. We will continue to pursue these terror groups and bring them to justice,” Bondi concluded:
On what appears to be the group’s Instagram page, TILF states, “Liberation through decolonization and tribal sovereignty.”
A photo posted there shows a woman holding a sign reading, “Death to ICE”:
Per the Fox article, “Turtle Island” is an “indigenous name” referring to North America.
Video footage shows a leftist claiming the “original tribes on the Americas” called it by that name because a map of America looked like a turtle. She then claimed Native Americans called it “Turtle Island,” saying it was America’s “decolonized name.”
“Turtle Island Liberation Front is looking for reparations and land back for these indigenous groups in which the land was observed,” she added:
TILF’s Facebook page said the group is “up against fascist colonizers. There are no morals for us to appeal to, no sense of justice or what’s right. We cannot vote ourselves out of a mass colonizer occupation. The only way out is through resistance. Stop marching parades, fight back.”
“Freeing the world from American Imperialism is the only way to a safe and peaceful future,” the group claimed.
Quote:A New Iberia, Louisiana, man arrested in connection with an alleged New Year’s Eve terror plot has been identified as a former U.S. Marine and ex-police officer, according to federal court records.
First reported by KATC TV, Micah Legnon, 29, is accused of having ties to the Turtle Island Liberation Front, an alleged extremist group authorities say was planning coordinated attacks in Southern California.
Legnon was charged with one count of threats in interstate commerce, court records show. He was referenced during an FBI news conference Monday announcing the arrests of four suspected members of the group, though he was not named at the time.
Why It Matters
The Department of Justice and the FBI said Monday that the Turtle Island Liberation Front group was a far-left, anti-government extremist group, and that the operation moved quickly to prevent the attacks from taking place. The group describes itself as a political organization seeking the "liberation of occupied Turtle Island and liberation of all colonized people across the world."
The term Turtle Island is used by some Indigenous peoples when referring to North America.
What To Know
The affidavit, unsealed Tuesday, alleged that Legnon used aliases "Kateri" and "Black Witch" when communicating online about the alleged New Year's Eve plot.
FBI Special Agent Paul Seller, who wrote the affidavit, said that Legnon had met with two other defendants on November 26 in or around Los Angeles and discussed what was known as "Operation Midnight Sun." A document with that title outlined five target locations, Seller wrote, with space left for five more.
The handwritten plan allegedly stated that there would be teams on the ground in those locations, ready to plant and detonate IEDs placed in backpacks. Graffiti would be left behind by one team member at each location, the document said.
According to the document, the suspects planned to conceal their identities and use burner phones that would be submerged in concrete after the attacks. Their personal phones were to be left at home, streaming a long movie, in an attempt to create alibis, according to the document.
New Year's Eve was selected as the date because fireworks would be going off at the same time, making it less obvious bombs had also exploded. The plan also laid out instructions on building the pipe bombs themselves, Seller said.
Quote:FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday responded to the release of internal FBI emails showing bureau officials raised early concerns about whether there was sufficient probable cause to search Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, arguing that the documents highlight internal resistance to pursuing a raid.
The emails, released by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, detail deliberations in 2022, when Joe Biden was president, as the FBI and the Justice Department weighed how to recover classified documents believed to remain at Trump’s Florida home. The correspondence shows FBI officials urging prosecutors to consider less intrusive options, including working through Trump’s attorney, before seeking a search warrant.
Patel posted on X, "It’s true - we just turned over documents to Capitol Hill to be made public showing the FBI told DOJ they did not have probable cause for raiding President Trump’s home in Mar A Lago but DOJ 'didn’t give a damn' and did it anyway."
The Justice Department has not commented publicly on the document release. Newsweek has reached out to the DOJ via email on Tuesday night for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump was later charged by special counsel Jack Smith with offenses related to the handling of classified materials but pleaded not guilty. The charges were dropped in July 2024 when federal judge Aileen Cannon, who oversaw the case, issued the order on the grounds that special counsel Jack Smith was not properly appointed.
What To Know
Patel, a Trump ally who now leads the FBI, said the records demonstrate that agents warned the Justice Department that probable cause had not been firmly established and that pursuing a warrant could be counterproductive.
In a letter accompanying the production, the FBI told Grassley that the materials were provided in response to congressional oversight requests and related to the investigation into Trump’s handling of classified information after leaving office. The bureau said the documents were released with limited redactions to protect sensitive law enforcement and personal information and offered to brief lawmakers further.
The emails reveal that FBI officials in the Washington Field Office argued as early as June and July 2022 that Trump’s attorney, Evan Corcoran, had previously cooperated with investigators and represented the most effective path to securing the remaining records. Agents noted that weeks spent debating a search warrant had slowed efforts to recover classified materials and suggested renewed outreach to Corcoran could resolve the issue more quickly.
At the same time, the correspondence shows prosecutors pushing for a broad search, expressing concern that documents may have been moved throughout the Mar-a-Lago property. Justice Department officials resisted narrowing the scope of a potential warrant, citing uncertainty over where classified materials were stored.
The emails also reference internal discussions about other potential witnesses, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, whom investigators believed could shed light on why records were transferred to Florida. Prosecutors drafted multiple versions of a warrant affidavit as they refined their approach.
Authorities ultimately obtained judicial approval to search Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. During the search, agents recovered more than 300 documents bearing classified markings. Prosecutors later alleged that Trump directed aides to move boxes of records around the property and concealed them from his attorney, claims Trump has denied.
Corcoran returned a set of classified documents earlier in the investigation and later enlisted another attorney, Christina Bobb, to sign a sworn certification stating all classified materials had been returned. Subsequent evidence led investigators to conclude that additional records remained on the premises.
Quote:A federal judge in Washington said Tuesday he is unlikely to order the Trump administration to immediately halt work on a planned $300 million White House ballroom, as he considered a lawsuit alleging the project exceeds presidential authority.
Why It Matters
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon made the comments during a hearing on a request by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for a temporary restraining order to stop construction at the site of the former East Wing. Leon said he expects to issue his decision within a day.
What To Know
The National Trust said the administration failed to seek public input and did not consult required advisory bodies, including the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. The group said it filed suit to force compliance with procedural requirements intended to protect public participation in decisions affecting the White House.
Trump has made significant changes to the White House since returning to office in January, including installing gold-colored decorations in the Oval Office and paving over the Rose Garden lawn to create a patio modeled after his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The proposed ballroom would be far larger than those alterations.
Images of heavy machinery demolishing the White House’s 120-year-old East Wing drew criticism from preservation advocates, who say the administration moved forward without proper oversight. The lawsuit claims the project has already caused irreversible damage to the historic site.
The administration said in a court filing Monday that the project is lawful and consistent with past presidential renovations, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s construction of the East Wing. The filing said the ballroom is needed for state functions, its design remains in development and no above-ground construction is planned until April, making an emergency order unnecessary.
A Justice Department attorney argued at Tuesday’s hearing that the preservation group lacks standing to sue and that underground construction must continue for national security reasons that were not detailed in open court. The attorney also said President Trump is not subject to the federal laws the group claims he violated.
Quote:A bipartisan effort to overturn a major executive order issued by President Donald Trump just got the backing of two prominent Senate Republicans.
Last Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 232 to 194 to advance the Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would repeal Trump’s Executive Order 14251. That vote included 22 House Republicans who broke party lines to vote to repeal the president's move to restrict union rights at federal agencies.
The effort then moved to the upper chamber of Congress and Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have signed on, Fox News first reported.
"Collective bargaining rights and workplace protections have lifted up federal employees across the United States for decades, protecting them from unsafe working conditions and political retribution," Murkowski said in a statement to Newsweek.
Newsweek reached out to Collins' press representatives for comment on Tuesday afternoon.
Why It Matters
The executive order from the president curbs union bargaining rights and protections, which negotiators say affect working conditions, pay talks and workers’ ability to address grievances. Proponents of the repeal argue these rights are essential for a fair and effective federal workforce, while opponents say that loosening restrictions undermines agency efficiency and national security.
What To Know
The Senate version of the legislation that passed the House last week was introduced by Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia back in September. The successful House version was introduced by Representative Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat, who ultimately forced a vote on it by using a mechanism known as a discharge petition. That procedure means lawmakers can force a vote on a piece of legislation against the wishes of the leadership on the condition that it has majority support in the House.
Trump signed Executive Order 14251 in March 2025, excluding select federal agencies and subdivisions from the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, which generally guarantees collective bargaining rights.
The rationale, as outlined in the order, was national security. Affected agencies included the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, Justice and others with key national security or intelligence functions.
While the House version passed with double-digit Republican support, it's unclear whether it will be successful in the Senate. Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who is generally seen as one of the more pro-union GOP senators, voiced some skepticism in comments to Fox News.
"I don't know," Hawley said. "The public sector unions and private sector unions seem to be two different things."
Quote:Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed members of the House and Senate Tuesday as congressional investigations continue into a Caribbean military strike in September that killed two survivors of an earlier attack on a boat suspected of carrying cocaine.
Hegseth told reporters after the briefing on the second September 2 strike: "Of course we're not going to release a top secret full unedited of that to the general public."
Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York said that not all senators got to see the unedited strike video, adding, "The administration came to this briefing empty-handed."
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said, "I think the video should be given to everybody in Congress."
Then Graham continued to another question, "The least of my concerns is this frickin' video. Release it, make your own decisions. This is lawful. I have every confidence that what they're doing is no different than what [President George H.W.] Bush did [in Panama]."
Why It Matters
Pressure has been building on Hegseth to release the full video of the strike, in which U.S. personnel were ordered to attack an already-struck vessel believed to be linked to drug smuggling by Venezuelans into the U.S. The defense secretary has defended the action in the Caribbean, part of a string of operations aimed at alleged cartel members. Some lawmakers have raised concerns that the White House is preparing for a wider conflict with Venezuela and have called for greater accountability.
What To Know
Hegseth, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others, briefed the House and the Senate amid congressional investigations into the military strike in September that killed two survivors. Overall, they defended the campaign as a success that had prevented drugs from reaching American shores.
Rubio told reporters the campaign is a "counter drug mission" that is "focused on dismantling the infrastructure of these terrorist organizations that are operating in our hemisphere, undermining the security of Americans, killing Americans, poisoning Americans."
But lawmakers have been focusing on the September 2 attack on two survivors as they sift through the rationale for the broader U.S. military buildup in the region that increasingly appears pointed at Venezuela. On the eve of the briefings, the U.S. military said late Monday it attacked three more boats believed to have been smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing eight people.
Senators on both sides of the aisle said the officials left them in the dark about Trump's goals when it comes to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro or committing U.S. forces directly to the South American nation.
The closed-door sessions come as the U.S. is building up warships, flying fighter jets near Venezuelan airspace and seizing an oil tanker as part of its campaign against Maduro, who has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.
Trump's Republican administration has not sought any authorization from Congress for action against Venezuela. But lawmakers objecting to the military incursions are pushing war powers resolutions toward potential voting this week.
Quote:Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday confirmed that the man who led an attack that killed two U.S. Army soldiers and one civilian in Syria had been killed by "partner forces" during the attack.
"The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces," Hegseth wrote in a message posted on X. "Let it be known, if you target Americans—anywhere in the world—you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."
Why It Matters
The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad created an opportunity for the U.S. and Syria to start fresh as new leadership in the country seeks closer ties to the Pentagon to build stronger security cooperation.
The U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Syria under Assad, but the Trump administration has courted closer ties between the two countries, even hosting interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Washington last month where he held talks with President Donald Trump.
The interim government and its military forces have committed themselves to helping the U.S. fight the presence of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS). Hundreds of U.S. troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition to fight the designated terrorist organization and find themselves amid a complex pivot in a vulnerable country.
In 2019, ISIS was defeated on the battlefield in Syria, but the group’s sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in the country. The United Nations (U.N.) says the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
What To Know
Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin first reported on the attack, which occurred Saturday, saying that a senior U.S. official had confirmed multiple injuries from an "ambush" in Syria.
U.S. Central Command later confirmed the attack and identified the assailant only as an "ISIS gunman."
Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, then confirmed not only the attack, which took place in Palmyra, but the deaths of two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian U.S. interpreter. Three other people were wounded.
Parnell said the attack took place as the soldiers conducted "a key leader engagement" in support of "on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region."
The names of the soldiers and identifying information about their units are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin.
The wounded service members were taken by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan to receive treatment.
Quote:Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said redistricting mid-decade could lead to violence from people who feel they are not represented.
Host Kristen Welker said, “On domestic policy and redistricting, President Trump is threatening the primary and all of the Indiana lawmakers who voted against his redistricting plan and the new map that would have benefited Republicans. Do you support Republicans trying to redraw maps mid-decade?”
Paul said, “You know, it’s this escalation on both sides. Both sides are doing it, and so is one side going to sit quietly and not do it? You can argue who started it. But I do think this, and this is a negative aspect of both parties doing this, I think it will lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country. Because think about it, if 35% of Texas is Democrat, solidly Democrat, and they have zero representation or like my state, we are a very Republican state, we have one Democrat area in Louisville, and we have a Democrat congressman. We could carve up Louisville and get rid of the one congressman, but how does that make Democrats feel? I think it makes them feel like they’re not represented. So, I don’t know, I think it’s bad, but it’s really not one party or the other doing it, it’s both parties doing it since the beginning of time. But in general, when it becomes so extreme, like if California has no Republican representatives after this is done, or has one left, I think that makes people so dissatisfied, they think, well, the electoral process isn’t working anymore, maybe we have to resort to other means. I think it could happen to both sides.”
Welker said, “I have to follow up because what you’re saying is significant. You are concerned that redistricting could lead to more political violence?”
Paul said, “I am concerned that if there are no representatives, like no Republican representatives in California or no Democrats in Texas, that it would be so thoroughly one-sided that people will feel like their vote isn’t counting. So I think it’s a mistake.”
He added, “I think there is the potential, if people feel they have no representation and are disenfranchised, that it can lead and might lead to violence in our country.”
VENEZUELA
Quote:President Donald Trump has ordered a "total and complete blockade" of oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social Tuesday night, echoing his previous sentiments about the country, President Nicolás Maduro and the drug trade.
"The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping. For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of Venezuela," Trump said in the post.
The president said that a large Armada has been assembled surrounding Venezuela, with more resources expected to arrive.
On Monday, Maduro accused the U.S. of “kidnapping” crew members after the seizure of an oil tanker by U.S. forces on December 10.
Quote:Tuesday on MS NOW’s “The Weeknight,” Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) accused President Donald Trump of wanting to go to war with Venezuela.
Gallego said, “If you look at the facts, it clearly is regime change movement. Look at the amount of people they’re using, the amount of manpower, staff, the amount of aircraft carriers, platforms to go after maybe $10,000 boats. You have F-35s, the most exquisite platform we have in Latin America right now. It makes zero sense. This is a whole movement, largely led by Marco Rubio, to topple Venezuela.”
He continued, “These guys want to get us into a war. They want to create a justification for us to be in a war.”
He added, “At some point, there may be bombing runs that happen, a couple of planes go down, next thing you know, we have to go to war. Maybe we send in troops or special operations troops, and they get ambushed. Guess what? Now we’re in a war.”
Gallego added, “I’m hoping this doesn’t happen. But I’m telling you right now, if you look at what they have done there, all the assets they have down there, all the actions they’re doing and they’re taking, this is absolutely an effort to get us involved in a war in Venezuela.
Quote:Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of “kidnapping” crew members after the seizure of an oil tanker, calling the act a threat not only to his country, but to global trade and respect for international law.
Maduro said he believes the American people will restrain the "warmongers" pushing for a war over oil in South America, as tensions over resources have come to the forefront in the U.S.-Venezuela standoff.
Newsweek contacted the U.S. State Department via email outside of working hours for comment.
Why It Matters
U.S. forces seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on December 10, calling it “the largest one ever seized” and signaling a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas.
The U.S. is leading an aggressive military counter-narcotics campaign in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific while increasing pressure on Maduro’s regime, which it views as illegitimate and linked to drugs and corruption.
Venezuela, in turn, says the U.S. is using the campaign as a pretext to unlawfully seize control of the country’s oil reserves, the largest in the world concentrated in the Orinoco River Basin. Maduro called the tanker seizure an "act of piracy."
What To Know
Maduro vowed that Venezuela would stand firm against "attacks, threats and now robberies," on Monday during his weekly program Con Maduro, broadcast on the state‑run channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).
He said 96 percent of Venezuelans reject the U.S. seizure and consider it "a theft of the nation’s assets," a Venezuelan government website reported Monday.
Venezuela accused the U.S. of orchestrating a cyberattack on its state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela on Monday. The oil ministry said operations were unaffected and that "the U.S. has attempted to affect national stability and steal Christmas from the Venezuelan people."
The M/T Skipper seized by U.S. Coast Guard, was a sanctioned crude-oil tanker previously identified as part of an oil shipping network supporting Lebanese group Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, both U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.
Venezuela's oil exports fell sharply after the incident, with several tankers reversing course, Reuters reported this week, but oil already headed to China, Venezuela's largest buyer, could limit the seizure's impact on the Chinese market.
CHILE
Quote:Chilean conservative former lawmaker José Antonio Kast obtained a sweeping nationwide victory against communist former minister Jeannette Jara in Sunday’s presidential runoff election.
Kast, who won in every Chilean state, will take office as next president of Chile on March 11, 2026, succeeding far-left President Gabriel Boric and shifting Chile towards the right.
Sunday marked the Chilean left’s largest defeat since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990 and confirmed late-November polls that forecast a conservative presidential landslide in Chile. The runoff election saw 13.4 million voters head to the polls to choose their next president. Voting in Chilean elections is compulsory for all eligible voters under penalty of a fine.
According to official results from Chile’s Servel electoral authority, Kast, a conservative lawyer and former lawmaker, obtained a sweeping 58.16 percent of the votes against communist former minister Jara, who obtained 41.84 percent. At a regional level, Kast reportedly won in every single one of Chile’s 16 regions (states), with Jara only securing victories in 32 out of the country’s 346 municipalities.
Kast, 59, ran a campaign centered around tackling Chile’s “emergency” problems by curbing illegal migration, cracking down on growing violent crime in the country, and reinvigorating Chile’s economy.
The conservative president-elect’s now successful 2025 presidential campaign marked the third time he ran for president after past unsuccessful attempts in 2021 and 2017. In 2021, he ran against current President Boric, and although Kast won in the first round of the election, he ultimately lost. Jara announced on social media that she spoke with Kast over the phone and wished success to the new president-elect for the good of Chile. Moments later, Kast met with Jara.
Outgoing President Boric held a telephone conversation with President-elect Kast on Sunday evening in which Boric invited him to the Chilean presidential palace for a meeting on Monday to begin the presidential transition. The Chilean government published a video of both sides of the call on social media.
“And rest assured that Chile is greater than you, than me, than all of us who have come before, and that it is built on the foundation of what everyone has done before. I hope that this will also inspire you when it is your turn to take the helm. Thank you very much, José Antonio. See you tomorrow,” Boric concluded at the end of the call.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Kast in a social media post expressing that the United States looks forward to partnering with his administration to strengthen regional security and “revitalize our trade relationship.”
Local outlets reported that leftist groups protested in Santiago against the conservative candidate’s overwhelming victory on Sunday night. According to the Chilean outlet The Clinic, the protest took place before Kast had issued his victory speech and saw the group of leftists yell insults against Chile’s carabineros gendarmerie officials and attempt to stage roadblocks.
Law enforcement officials dispersed the protest by deploying a water cannon truck, with some of the protesters reportedly throwing stones against police vehicles.
HONDURAS
Quote:Honduras reached its second week on Monday without final results from the National Electoral Council (CNE) officially determining who won on November 30.
The extremely slow vote count resumed on Sunday after a new 135 hour-long pause amid accusations of fraud and alleged “interference” from President Donald Trump, levied by the ruling socialist government of President Xiomara Castro. Conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, who received President Trump’s endorsement, remains in the lead at press time.
Honduras’ 2025 presidential election has been widely marked by an extremely long vote counting process that, two weeks after the election, still has not finished.
Out of several competing candidates, the November 30 election mainly saw a three-way race between politician Nasry Asfura of the conservative National Party of Honduras (PNH), former vice president Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party, and former Defense Minister Rixi Moncada of the currently ruling far-left Liberty and Refoundation (Libre) party.
Although there are no definitive results at press time, all preliminary results published by CNE over the past two weeks indicate that the election is an extremely narrow competition between Asfura and Nasralla, with Moncada in a long-distant third place and with no possibility of overtaking either opposing candidate. Over the past two weeks, the extremely narrow vote difference between Asfura and Nasralla has progressively widened, with the difference being as narrow as some 500 votes at one point and Nasralla briefly overtaking Asfura before new updated vote counts placed the conservative candidate back in the lead.
CNE’s most-recent update, dated December 9, indicates that Asfura has a 43,184 vote lead over Nasralla. Asfura, a longtime conservative politician and former Mayor of Tegucigalpa, received President Donald Trump’s endorsement days before the November election — an act that appeared to offend both Nasralla and Moncada.
At press time, the December 9 vote update stands as the most recent count published by CNE, who once again suspended the vote count process after the update, resuming it once more after 135 hours on Sunday, December 14.
The newspaper El Heraldo pointed out that the December 9 update does not reflect the results of a special vote count of 2,700 vote tallies flagged with “inconsistencies.” The special count was reportedly scheduled for Sunday but, at press time, has not taken place and was delayed due to various “administrative obstacles.”
One of the main obstacles, local outlets pointed out, involves CNE councilwoman Marlon Ochoa, who represents Libre at the electoral authority. Ochoa has reportedly refused to sign the authorization to start the special vote count following orders of the ruling socialist party.
On Saturday, Asfura called for a public, televised review of the vote tallies that includes the participation of civic society, international organizations, and observers.
CANADA
Quote:Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he will be abstaining from his regular winter trip to Florida, and noted that many other Canadians are engaged in the "snowbird" boycott that is hurting the state’s economy as well as the popularity of President Donald Trump.
"They’re hurting down there right now. They’re hurting on all fronts—their economy especially," Ford said during a press conference on Monday. "President Trump has the lowest approval rating of any president in their first year in, God knows, probably a hundred years. So this is taking effect."
Why It Matters
The boycott of U.S. products and travel, sparked by Trump’s tariffs as well as his repeated reference to the nation as a "51st state," has already had a notable effect on tourist figures and led to significant impacts for many U.S. businesses, including alcohol companies whose products remain off the shelves in several Canadian provinces.
What To Know
Ford, a conservative politician who has taken a hard-line stance against many of Trump’s economic policies and clashed with the U.S. president as a result, made the comments during a conference where he unveiled a multibillion-dollar plan to turn Niagara Falls—which sits on the border of Ontario and New York—into a "world-class" tourist destination.
Responding to a reporter’s question about the "organic boycott" of U.S.-bound tourism from Canada, Ford said this winter would be his first time not visiting the Sunshine State, but encouraged other Canadians to decide for themselves.
"That’s my personal choice. Maybe some families have gone to Florida their whole lives—go to Florida, that’s great," he said. "But I encourage people to stay here and support local tourism. You can’t let one tyrant change your life."
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
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My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
