On Sunday afternoon, the LAPD responded to a call at a Brentwood home owned by director and actor Rob Reiner, where two individuals, a man and a woman approximately 78 and 68 years old, were found deceased. The deaths are being investigated as an apparent homicide by the Robbery Homicide Division. A large police presence was noted at the scene. Further details are unavailable as the investigation is ongoing.
A JetBlue flight from Curaçao nearly collided with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker on Friday, with the pilot reporting the military plane crossed their flight path and didn’t have its transponder on. The incident, involving JetBlue Flight 1112 en route to New York City, prompted the pilot to halt ascent and report the near miss to air traffic control. JetBlue has reported the incident to federal authorities, and the FAA previously warned U.S. aircraft to exercise caution in Venezuelan airspace due to increased military activity. The Pentagon referred questions to the Air Force, which has not yet commented.
Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner and father of two, has been identified as the bystander who heroically disarmed one of the Bondi Beach attackers. Video footage verified by the BBC shows Mr. Ahmed tackling the gunman and seizing his weapon, sustaining bullet wounds to his arm and hand in the process, and is currently recovering in hospital after surgery. The shooting, which occurred during a Hanukkah celebration and has been declared a terrorist incident targeting the Jewish community, resulted in fifteen fatalities and dozens injured. Police have confirmed the attackers were a father and son, with the father dead at the scene and the son in critical condition.
Following the shooting at Brown University, Providence police detained a person of interest in their 20s, identified by sources as 24-year-old Benjamin Erickson, who is from Wisconsin. Authorities found a small Glock handgun with a laser sight and a revolver at a hotel in Coventry where Erickson was apprehended, approximately 17 miles from Providence. The incident, which occurred during final exams, resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries, with one victim already discharged and the others in stable or critical but stable condition. The university has canceled all remaining classes and exams for the semester, and the attack has reignited discussions on gun control, with various political figures commenting.
The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.1 billion, with a cash value of $503.4 million, after no one won Saturday night’s drawing. This marks the second time this year the game has reached or exceeded $1 billion. A winner on Monday would claim the sixth-largest jackpot in Powerball history, ending a 42-drawing streak without a top prize winner. The odds of winning are nearly 1 in 292.2 million, and the next drawing is scheduled for Monday at 10:59 p.m. ET.
A shop owner, identified as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, is being hailed a hero after he bravely tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen during the Bondi Beach shooting. Video footage shows al Ahmed running towards the attacker from behind, wresting the shotgun away before pointing it back at him. Despite being shot twice during the incident and requiring surgery, al Ahmed’s quick actions have been widely praised as potentially saving numerous lives. Both the Premier of New South Wales and the Prime Minister of Australia have lauded his bravery, calling him a genuine hero.
The Brown University shooting during final exams left students traumatized, including survivors of previous school shootings. For some, the familiar terror reignited past trauma, as both Mia Tretta and Zoe Weissman had previously survived school shootings. Weissman, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, expressed anger and disbelief at experiencing gun violence again. This incident, with its tragic toll, has reignited the debate surrounding gun control in the US, given the frequency of mass shootings.
A California jury recently awarded $40 million to two women who alleged Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based baby powder caused their ovarian cancer, finding the company failed to warn consumers despite knowing of the product’s dangers for years. The plaintiffs, who both used the product for decades, underwent extensive cancer treatments. Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal the verdict, maintaining their products are safe and do not cause cancer, though they stopped selling the talc-based powder in the U.S. in 2020. The company faces tens of thousands of similar lawsuits and has previously attempted to resolve the litigation through bankruptcy, a strategy that has been unsuccessful.
A terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi beach resulted in at least 12 deaths, including one alleged gunman, with dozens of shots fired at a park hosting a Jewish festival. Police are investigating a possible third gunman and have declared the shooting a terrorist incident, also locating potential explosive devices nearby. The attack was described by officials as a targeted act of antisemitism, occurring on the first day of Hanukah. Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area and have confirmed that the attack was deliberate.
Authorities in Germany have arrested five men suspected of planning an Islamist-motivated attack on a Christmas market in the Dingolfing area of Bavaria. The suspects, which include individuals from Egypt, Syria, and Morocco, were believed to be planning an attack using a car. The arrests were made due to the cooperation of security authorities, preventing a potential attack. This incident underscores the heightened security measures at German Christmas markets following past attacks, including in Berlin and Magdeburg.
John Q. Hosedrinker