The Headlines - A Massacre in Australia, and Rob Reiner Is Found Dead in ‘Apparent Homicide’

Episode Date: December 15, 2025

Plus, the hunt for the gunman in a shooting at Brown University. Here’s what we’re covering:Australian Police Plan to Charge Suspect in Bondi Massacre by Victoria Kim, Yan Zhuang, Jin Yu Young and Livia Albeck-RipkaPolice Say They Are Still Searching for Brown University Gunman by Mitch Smith, Qasim Nauman, Mark Arsenault and Thomas Gibbons-NeffRob Reiner, Actor Who Went on to Direct Classic Films, Dies at 78 by Julia Jacobs3 Americans Killed in ISIS Attack in Syria, Trump Says, Vowing to Retaliate by Abdi Latif Dahir, Christina Goldbaum, John Ismay and Eric SchmittIslamic State Camps Pose a Dangerous Problem for Syria’s Leaders by Alissa J. RubinCanadians Rush to Buy Stockpiles of Boycotted U.S. Liquor by Michael LevensonTune in every weekday morning, and tell us what you think at: [e-mail]. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Will Jarvis in for Tracy Mumford. Today's Monday, December 15th. Here's what we're covering. What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of anti-Semitism, an act of terrorism on our shores. In Sydney, Australia, authorities say they've concluded that a father and son were responsible for a massacre this weekend

at a Jewish holiday celebration. And the Jewish community are hurting today. Today, all Australians wrap our arms around them. At least 15 people were killed, and dozens more were rushed to hospitals. After the two men opened fire yesterday at Bondi Beach, a popular tourist spot that was packed with people celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. You just hear the gunshots, and they're just so loud. And we didn't know which way that they were shooting.

So we were like running on the open road. Videos from the scene showed people running for cover as the gunmen opened fire from a pedestrian bridge. At one point, a bystander, who officials called a genuine hero, snuck up and tackled one of the shooters from behind. The man wrestled a long gun from the attacker, who then retreated. Police say they shot and killed one of the men at the scene, the 50-year-old father. Authorities expect to bring criminal charges against the son, who's 24. But they haven't released their names or provided details about the men's exact ideology. Mass shootings like this are extremely rare in Australia, which put in place strict gun laws after a deadly attack in the 90s. The government

melted down as many as a million guns, according to some estimates, and essentially banned many types of rifles. Police say one of the suspects in yesterday's shooting was a member of a gun club who had a recreational hunting license that allowed him to have a weapon. The shooting comes at a time when many Jewish Australians were already on edge, since the October 7th attacks in Israel in the ensuing war in Gaza, Jewish groups say there's been a wave of anti-Semitic violence in Australia, including arson attacks that have targeted an Israeli restaurant, a daycare center, and a synagogue. Meanwhile, in Providence, Rhode Island.

Are they still in this community? Have they left the state? Honestly, we have no way of knowing. And the investigation is ongoing. Officials say they're still searching for a gunman who opened fire on campus at Brown University, killing at least two students and injuring nine others. The attack happened shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday when a person wearing a mask burst into a lecture hall where dozens of students were studying for a final econ exam.

An eyewitness told the times the gun. Gunmin started shouting something, then opened fire, as students scrambled for cover behind the seats of the auditorium. Hours later, law enforcement officials said they'd detained a person of interest, though late last night, they announced they hadn't found enough evidence to charge that person with any crime. Obviously, we have a murderer out there, frankly, and so we're not going to give away the game plan. But the fact of the matter is, is that a law enforcement has the tools necessary to solve this case. Authorities say they're searching for more video footage that could lead them to a suspect. Brown University says it's canceled classes and exams for the rest of the semester.

In Los Angeles, police say they're investigating an apparent homicide after the Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner was found dead yesterday, along with his wife, Michelle. Officers found the bodies at the Reiner's home in Brentwood, a wealthy, L.A. Enclave. As of last night, police said they were trying to get a search warrant for the home and had not identified a suspect. Riner, who was 78, was the son of a pioneering TV comedian who created the Dick Van Dyke Show. He was drawn to theater in high school and later became a popular sitcom actor before going on to direct a slate of beloved films. Inconceivable! You keep using the horde. I don't know what you think it means.

There was the Princess Bride and the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, and he dabbled in a range of genres. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. From romantic comedies like when Harry met Sally. You want answers. I want the truth. You can't handle the truth.

To the courtroom drama, a few good men. Reiner also led a prominent political life. He was a champion of liberal causes like gay marriage, and in the 90s he spearheaded a ballot initiative to boost taxes on tobacco to pay for early childhood development programs. In a statement, former President Barack Obama mourned the deaths, saying that even beyond his success in Hollywood, Reiner had a quote, deep belief in the goodness of people and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action. The Times has learned that in an unprecedented,

arrangement, the Trump administration has been providing the names of all air travelers in the U.S. to immigration officials. Under the program, which was started in March but hadn't been previously reported, the Transportation Security Administration is providing a list multiple times a week to ICE officials. The list tells them who will be coming through airports so that agents can arrest anyone with a deportation order. Airline passengers have long been subject to federal scrutiny, for example, passenger information is typically compared against terrorist watchlists. But this is the first time the TSA has gotten involved in domestic immigration or criminal matters. It comes as the White House has been trying to boost cooperation between federal

agencies to carry out President Trump's goal of the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history. Earlier this year, the IRS agreed to hand over the addresses of migrants to ICE, though that move was blocked in federal court. For the moment, it's not clear. how many arrests have been made as a result of the TSA's work with ICE. Immigration activists have criticized the cooperation with a director at the group Human Rights First telling the Times, quote, this is another attempt to terrorize and punish communities

and will make people terrified to ever leave their homes. And finally, some Canadians have been on a shopping spree lately. getting American liquor while they can. Earlier this year, when President Trump announced stiff new tariffs on Canada and threatened to make it the 51st state, many Canadian provinces protested by pulling U.S. spirits from their shelves. In the second quarter of this year, Canadian imports of American liquor plunged by 85%, according to the head of an industry group.

Now a number of provinces have decided to sell off their remaining reserves and donate some of the proceeds to charity. But after what's on the shelves is gone, they say the boycott will continue. The brief buying window has led to daily lines at government-run liquor stores in Manitoba, according to the head of the province. He said Jack Daniels and Bacardi seem to be particularly popular, along with barefoot wine. The owner of a pub and restaurant in Winnipeg said that while there had been what he called a lot of patriotism around the movement to buy Canadian,

he's eager to get his order of Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey that's on the way. He told the Times, quote, I'm anxiously looking forward to being able to serve a proper old-fashioned. Those are the headlines. I'm Will Jarvis. We'll be back tomorrow.