(NEW YORK) — The two U.S. soldiers who were killed in an attack in Syria were members of the Iowa National Guard, state officials said over the weekend.
On Monday, the soldiers were identified as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa.
“Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement.
“I ask that all Iowans stand united in supporting them and lifting them up in prayer during this incredibly difficult time,” she added. “Please pray also for the fast and full recovery of our wounded soldiers.”
An American civilian was also killed, the office said in a statement, adding that three others were injured in the attack.
The two soldiers who died were attacked while they were “conducting a key leader engagement as part of their assigned mission in the ongoing counter-ISIS and counter-terrorism efforts in the region,” the governor’s office said.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the loss of two of our own,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, in a statement.
About 1,800 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, began deploying to the Middle East in late May 2025, the governor’s office said.
“Our priority right now is supporting the families of our fallen and wounded Soldiers,” Osborn added. “The entire Iowa National Guard grieves for this terrible loss, and we stand together to support the Soldiers and their families.”
Rob Reiner speaks onstage at the screening of ‘Misery’ during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for TCM)
(LOS ANGELES) — Director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday, according to a statement from their family.
Senior law enforcement sources told ABC News the victims were stabbed to death in their Brentwood-area residence.
Reiner’s son, Nick Reiner, 32, was taken into custody on Sunday night on unspecified charges and is being held on $4 million bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time,” the Reiner family said.
Officials said during a press conference Sunday night that they have not identified a suspect and nobody is currently in custody.
“This is a devastating loss for our city and our country,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “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.”
Rob Reiner — a famed director, producer and actor — is known for massive Hollywood hits, including “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally…,” “Stand By Me,” “This is Spinal Tap,” “A Few Good Men” and many more.
Officers were called to the home at 3:40 p.m. PT, the LAPD said in a statement, calling the investigation an apparent homicide.
A man and woman were found deceased inside the home, the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to ABC News earlier on Sunday. Their ages were reported as 78 and 68 years old.
The senior leadership of the LAPD’s robbery and homicide unit responded to the scene.
A neighbor told ABC News that actors Billy Crystal and Larry David were seen at the house after police had arrived.
“Billy looked like he was about to cry,” the neighbor said.
There are two houses that the Reiner family owns across the street from each other. Rob and his wife lived in one and a daughter with kids lived in another, according to the neighbor.
“They’re a big presence on the block. They’re always having parties,” she said.
Rob Reiner and Singer married in 1989 and share three children, Jake, Nick and Romy.
Rob Reiner was previously married to Penny Marshall, who died in 2018.
Rob Reiner — the son of comedian Carl Reiner and actress and singer Estelle Lebost — first became famous on the Norman Lear television sitcom “All in the Family.”
He played the role of Meathead, Archie Bunker’s son-in-law, from 1971 to 1978.
“The Lear Family is devastated by the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner,” the family said in a statement on Sunday night. “Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world.”
“Lyn Lear had remained very close with them and said, ‘The world is unmistakably darker tonight, and we are left bereft,'” the statement added.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed Reiner’s death, saying he is “heartbroken by the tragic loss.”
“His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others – and encouraging us to dream bigger,” Newsom said in a statement. “Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Person holding Powerball ticket ((Photo by John Carl D’Annibale/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A $1.1 billion Powerball jackpot could provide someone with plenty of spending money just 10 days before Christmas.
The total would be the sixth-largest jackpot in the game’s history, and the 12th-largest in U.S. lotto history including Mega Millions. The drawing will be just before 11 p.m. ET on Monday.
While the annual payment is worth $1.1 billion, the lump sum payment would be $503.4 million — both before taxes.
The numbers drawn on Saturday, when the jackpot had crossed $1 billion, were: 1, 28, 31, 57 and 58 with a Powerball of 16.
While no one won the big prize, two winners in Pennsylvania and North Carolina took home $2 million each, and five winners cashed in their tickets for $1 million each.
But if you’re counting on the money for a little holiday pocket change, you might want a backup plan. The odds of winning the jackpot are just 1 in 292.2 million.
One of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting at Brown University has been identified by her church as Ella Cook. (Cathedral Church of the Advent)
(NEW YORK) — One of the victims killed in Saturday’s shooting at Brown University has been identified as Ella Cook, a Brown student and a parishioner at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama.
The church’s Rev. Craig Smalley announced Cook’s death in his service on Sunday morning, calling Cook “incredibly grounded and generous and faithful” and a “bright light” in the church and in her community.
“Many of you heard about the tragedy, which happened at Brown University. … And sadly, tragically, one of those people is one of our parishioners,” Smalley said during the service.
“She was engaged and involved in our worship and in our community, and as she served here at the church and in the wider community, in all sincerity, just a tremendous and bright light in there at Brown University as well, in the time that she was there, was such a light and such a witness,” Smalley added.
Cook was one of two people killed in the deadly shooting at the Ivy League school on Saturday afternoon in a building on campus where exams were taking place, according to university officials.
Nine others were injured in the brazen attack, officials said.
And for those of you who knew her, who know her, she was a just incredibly grounded and generous and faithful and bright light, both here at the Advent, over many years, as she was engaged and involved in our worship and in our community, and as she served here at the church and in the wider community, in all sincerity, just a tremendous, a tremendous and bright light in there at Brown University as well, in the time that she was there was such a light and such a witness.”
The tragedy began unfolding around 4:05 p.m. when police received a call from Brown University about an active shooter incident near the engineering building. The university alerted students and faculty to shelter in place shortly after.
Brown University President Christina H. Paxson released a letter after the shooting, saying, “This is a deeply tragic day for Brown, our families and our local community.”
“There are truly no words that can express the deep sorrow we are feeling for the victims of the shooting that took place today at the Barus & Holley engineering and physics building.”
According to police, the gunman fled the campus. A person of interest was detained and then released by police on Sunday.
No charges have been filed yet in the case and police have not commented on a possible motive.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan walks into the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse on May 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — The federal trial is set to start on Monday for a Wisconsin judge accused of concealing an undocumented man to prevent his arrest by immigration authorities.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was charged in a two-count federal indictment that alleges she obstructed official Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings and knowingly concealed the man from immigration authorities at a courthouse in April.
She has pleaded not guilty.
Opening statements are expected to get underway on Monday in the Milwaukee trial, following jury selection last week.
Prosecutors have told the court they expect to have 25 to 28 witnesses.
Dugan could face up to six years in prison if convicted as charged.
According to federal prosecutors, Dugan encountered federal agents who were at the Milwaukee County Circuit Court on April 18 to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was appearing in her courtroom on a battery charge.
Prosecutors say that after speaking to the agents, Dugan directed them to the chief judge’s office down the hall and then sent Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a non-public door in an alleged attempt, authorities claim, to help him evade arrest on immigration violations.
Dugan’s lawyers have called her arrest “virtually unprecedented” and sought to dismiss the case, arguing she has judicial immunity for official acts and her prosecution is unconstitutional. Judge Lynn Adelman denied the motion, finding there was “no basis for granting immunity simply because some of the allegations in the indictment describe conduct that could be considered ‘part of a judge’s job.'”
The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan in the wake of her arrest, stating in an order it was “in the public interest that she be temporarily relieved of her official duties.”
Flores-Ruiz, a native of Mexico, was later arrested and charged with unlawful reentry into the U.S.
He was sentenced to time served earlier this month after pleading guilty to the charge, federal court records show. DHS said last month he had been deported.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media at Parliament House Canberra on December 14, 2025 in Canberra, Australia. (Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — The Australian government is “prepared to take whatever action is necessary,” after a shooting that left 15 people dead and more than 40 injured at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during a press conference on Monday.
Albanese said Sunday would be remembered as a “dark day in Australia’s history,” after authorities said two gunmen — one of whom was killed during the incident — opened fire on an event marking the first night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
At least 15 people were killed and more than 40 people were injured in the attack, a NSW Health spokesperson said in a statement to media on Monday afternoon. Twenty-seven patients are being treated at eight hospitals in and around Sydney, the spokesperson said.
The prime minister encouraged everyone in Australia to put a candle in their windows on Monday evening to show “that light will indeed defeat darkness.”
Albanese said he planned to “put on the agenda of the national cabinet tougher gun laws,” with details to include “the number of guns that can be used or licensed by individuals” and whether or not licenses for guns should be reviewed after a period of time, he added.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said in a separate press conference that he believes it’s time for a “change to the law in relation to firearms legislation in New South Wales.”
The alleged shooters were father and son, aged 50 and 24, officials said during a news conference. The father was killed and the son is hospitalized with unspecified injuries, according to officials. Their names were not released.
NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed there is a 24-year-old male who is in the hospital at the moment and will likely face criminal charges.
Six firearms were collected from the scene, officials said, adding that the father had a gun license and six licensed firearms. Officials said investigators are working to determine whether the six firearms collected from the scene were licensed to the father.
Two improvised explosive devices were also discovered at the scene and were removed to be rendered safe by a bomb disposal unit, according to officials at the news conference.
Speaking to reporters on Monday about the two suspects, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the son is an Australian born citizen and the father arrived in 1998 on a student visa.
Albanese said the son was investigated by authorities in 2019 for links to Islamic State, but that “that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.”
Albanese on Sunday called the attack “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism” and “an act of terrorism.” The prime minister called for “national unity” in response to the shooting.
A bouquet is left outside of the engineering and physics building at Brown University, the site of a mass shooting yesterday that left at least two people dead and nine others injured, on December 14, 2025, in Providence, Rhode Island. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Federal and local law enforcement officials in Rhode Island were continuing their search early on Monday for an assailant who fatally shot two Brown University students on Saturday in an academic building in Providence.
A person of interest in the case, who had been taken into custody early on Sunday, was released later in the day, after authorities said that there was no basis to continue detaining them.
“Tonight, we announced that the person of interest is being released. The investigation has been ongoing and remains fully active between all agencies,” the Providence Police Department said in a statement early on Monday. “Since the first call to 911, we have not received any specific threats to our community.”
Two people were killed and nine were injured in the shooting, according to officials. The injured victims were transported to local hospitals amid a day of “devastating gun violence,” Christina H. Paxson, the university’s president, said in a statement posted early on Sunday.
“Every year, emergency responders and students drill for the unthinkable — a shooting at our schools,” Gov. Dan McKee said in his own statement. “Yesterday, that action became all too real when a gunman opened fire on a classroom of innocent Brown University students.”
The FBI and other law enforcement officials shared a short video clip of someone whom they described as a person of interest. The individual in the clip is seen dressed in dark clothing, including what appeared to be a hood, as they walk along Hope Street and take a corner heading north.
The person’s right hand appeared to be in their jacket pocket as they walked northward along Waterman Street before exiting from the frame.
Officials said they still believe the person seen in that video is a person of interest in the shooting.
The person of interest who was detained and released on Sunday was initially caught at about 3:45 a.m. at a hotel in Coventry, about 28 miles south of Providence, according to law enforcement sources and Coventry police.
Law enforcement sources described the person of interest as a man in his mid-20s from Wisconsin. At the time the person was detained, the individual was allegedly in possession of two guns, according to sources.
There was “no basis” to keep the person detained, Attorney General of Rhode Island Peter Neronha said.
“Sometimes you head in one direction and have to regroup and go in another,” Neronha said. “That’s exactly what’s happened over the last 24 hours or so.”
Washington Dulles International Airport. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — One of the engines on a United Airlines flight taking off from Dulles International Airport in Virginia failed as it lifted off Saturday, sparking a fire near the runway, officials said.
No one was injured and the plane later landed safely, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
It happened on United Flight 803, a Boeing 777-200ER jet with 275 passengers and 15 crew members aboard, according to the airline.
During takeoff at about 12:20 p.m., the left engine failed and a piece of engine cover separated and caught fire, sparking a mulch fire near the runway, according to Duffy and airport officials.
The plane, which was headed to Tokyo and had about 16 hours’ worth of fuel aboard, dumped fuel over Virginia from 5,000 feet and landed back at Dulles at about 1:30 p.m., according to officials.
The airline said passengers would be accommodated on another plane later Saturday.
Police officers stand along a security cordon at a crime scene at Bondi Beach following a terrorist attack. (Claudio Galdames Alarcon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Security is being ramped up for the first night of Hanukkah in New York City and Los Angeles as law enforcement agencies went on high alert following a mass shooting at a Jewish celebration in Bondi Beach, Australia, Sunday that killed 11 people in what New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said was an attack “designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah.”
The New York City and Suffolk County, New York, police departments announced on Sunday that extra officers are being deployed to local Hanukkah events.
New York law enforcement officials said that while there have been no credible threats locally connected to the mass shooting in Australia, extra officers will be patrolling public Hanukkah celebrations “out of an abundance of caution.”
Hanukkah, which lasts eight days and is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays, begins at sundown on Sunday.
“We are closely monitoring the horrific attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, during a Hanukkah celebration,” the NYPD said in a statement. “We are in touch with our Australian partners, and at this time, we see no nexus to NYC.”
On Long Island, New York, the Suffolk County Police Department said it also plans to beef up security at public Hanukkah events, and noted it is monitoring developments following the mass shooting in Australia.
“While there are no threats locally, the department is in constant contact with its law enforcement partners,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina and County Executive Ed Romaine said in a joint statement posted online. “As always, the department has stepped up patrols around religious institutions during the holidays and has now enhanced those efforts. We are reaching out to Jewish community leaders and ask anyone who sees suspicious activity to call 911.”
In California, the Los Angeles Police Department said it is providing extra patrols at Jewish facilities, schools, synagogues, and at Hanukkah events in the city.
“While there is no known threat to Los Angeles at this time, the LAPD remains vigilant and committed to protecting our diverse communities. As part of this commitment, the LAPD will provide extra patrols at Jewish facilities, schools, synagogues, and at Hanukkah events throughout the city,” the LAPD statement said, in part.
“We stand in solidarity with the Jewish Community in Australia and here in Los Angeles, and our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted by this senseless act of violence,” the statement also said.
Beverly Hills also will assign extra patrols to all religious institutions and high-profile areas of the city, Beverly Hills Police Department Chief Mark Stainbrook told ABC News, adding that there is no known threat to the city. He further said that the city will focus surveillance cameras and drones on those high-profile areas of the city and any Hanukkah events. They will also have extra private security at events which are often used in Beverly Hills to augment sworn police, according to Stainbrook.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said they likewise will increase their vigilance.
“We are actively assessing any potential threats to Los Angeles County and have increased patrol checks at critical facilities. All patrol personnel will be briefed to ensure heightened situational awareness and continued vigilance,” an LASD spokesperson told ABC News, in part. “In addition, we will be reaching out to our faith-based partners and community leaders to encourage the public to promptly report any suspicious activity.”
Two gunmen opened fire at Australia’s Bondi Beach Sunday in an attack that targeted a Jewish event, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said, adding that police had designated the shooting as a “terrorism event.”
“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah,” Minns said at a press conference on Sunday.
Police enforce a cordon at Bondi Beach after a mass shooting on December 14, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (George Chan/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — At least 11 people were killed on Sunday as two gunmen opened fire at Australia’s Bondi Beach in an attack that targeted a Jewish event, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said, adding that police had designated the shooting as a “terrorism event.”
“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah,” Minns said in the beginning of a press conference on Sunday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attack as an “act of evil antisemitism.”
Another 29 other people were injured in the shooting, the New South Wales Police Force said, adding that two of the injured were police officers.
A suspect was also killed and a “second alleged shooter is in a critical condition,” police said in a statement issued at about 9 p.m. local time.
As gunfire erupted along the popular waterfront on Sunday evening, hundreds of beachgoers could be seen fleeing from the north side of the beach, according to a video taken at the scene at 6:42 p.m. and verified by ABC News. Police said the first call for a report of shots fired came in at about 6:45 p.m.
“The scenes in Bondi are shocking and distressing,” Albanese said in a statement. “Police and emergency responders are on the ground working to save lives. My thoughts are with every person affected.”
Police in their first social media message urged the public to avoid the area. Anyone who was there was told to seek shelter.
“Two people are in police custody at Bondi Beach; however, the police operation is ongoing and we continue to urge people to avoid the area,” police said in a subsequent message about 40 minutes later. “Please obey ALL police directions. Do not cross police lines.”
Photos from the scene showed a heavy police presence and emergency response, including several people being transported by stretchers.
The Australian Jewish Association described the shooting as happening at an event being held at the beach to mark the beginning of Hanukkah celebrations.
“Please pray for the Australian Jewish community,” the organization said in a statement.
Sussan Ley, a minister who leads Australia’s opposition party, said in a statement that the shooting amounted to “hateful violence striking at the heart of an iconic Australian community.”
“This attack occurred as our Jewish community came together at the Chanukah by the Sea celebration,” Ley said. “This was a celebration of peace and hope for the future, severed by hate.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a statement condemning the shooting in Sydney, calling it a “terrorist attack” on the Jewish community.
“At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach,” he said.
Albanese in his statement said he was in contact with New South Wales officials, including the local premier.
“We are working with the NSW Police and will provide further updates as more information is confirmed,” he said. “I urge people in the vicinity to follow information from the NSW Police.”
“This is a massive, complex investigation that has only just begun,” Minns said.
