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Today's top stories
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner's son Nick has been arrested in connection with his parents' deaths. Police say the 32-year-old, who was one of Rob's four children, was booked for murder on Sunday and is due to appear in court for charges.
- 🎧 Nick was just 15 when he began spending years in and out of rehab and addiction treatment centers due to his drug usage, NPR's Mandalit del Barco tells Up First. Around 10 years ago, Nick decided to co-write a screenplay based on some of his experiences, titled Being Charlie. Rob produced and directed the movie. Last night, NPR spoke with cinematographer Barry Markowitz, who shot Being Charlie and some of Rob's other films. He described the Reiners as close-knit and said he had just seen Nick and the family in Los Angeles just 10 days ago.
- ➡️ President Trump disparaged Rob yesterday on Truth Social, saying he and his wife reportedly died due to the anger he caused others through a "disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME." Rob was a prominent supporter of the Democratic Party and a vocal critic of Trump.
Police in Providence, R.I., have released new images of a person they suspect to be the gunman behind the mass shooting at Brown University. Authorities are asking for the public's help in identifying the person who killed two students and injured nine others. They identified the students who died as 18-year-old MukhammadAziz Umurzokov and 19-year-old Ella Cook.
- 🎧 Authorities are not confident about whether the suspect is still in the area, which has led to them giving the community mixed signals, according to reporter David Wright of Ocean State Media. Officials have been warning people in the community that the suspect is still out there and is armed and dangerous. Simultaneously, local officials have also worked to reassure a very shaken community that the streets are now safe. Some parents have kept their children home from school out of caution. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has urged parents to continue sending their children to school, promising that the city has increased its police presence to keep them safe.
The two suspects in the mass shooting during a Hanukkah event at Sydney's Bondi Beach were motivated by the Islamic State group, according to Australian authorities. The suspects, a father and son pair aged 50 and 24, killed 15 people and injured dozens more when they opened fire on Sunday night at the celebration. The father was shot and killed by police, and the son is currently in the hospital in the custody of authorities.
- 🎧 Reporter Kristina Kukolja is at a makeshift memorial not too far from where the attack happened. She says there is a sea of hundreds of people paying their respects to those who died. She describes a serene feeling with the sound of waves in the background, but the reminder of tragedy remains with the heavy police presence. New South Wales Police said that improvised explosive devices and two homemade Islamic State flags were found in a car linked to one of the men involved in the attack. Counterterrorism investigators are now looking into why the suspects traveled to the Philippines last month, and the places they may have gone together.
Today's listen
Today marks Jane Austen's 250th birthday, and her fans are celebrating her and her works. From her most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice, to her other love stories, including Emma and Sense and Sensibility, readers and moviegoers alike have immersed themselves in the fictional worlds she has created. To honor today, NPR's Throughline host Rund Abdelfatah is taking co-host Ramtin Arablouei on a tour of Austin's worlds with a bet on the line that you can take part in. Rund bets that if she manages to make Ramtin an Austen convert by the end of the episode, he has to pick out one of the movie adaptations of her books to watch. If you also find yourself becoming an Austen fan after listening to the podcast episode, you can take on the task of watching a movie adaptation too. Read the episode's transcript here.
Plus, read about how fans are celebrating their favorite Jane Austin characters.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Editor's note: This story contains mention of suicide.
After years of being a caregiver for someone with active suicidality, Jo Lambert made a promise that she would teach others what she learned so people wouldn't feel powerless. In 2023, she teamed up with five others who had experienced suicidality. They used their experiences to create a short film about suicide prevention, which was commissioned by a U.K. program. They used Lambert's poem, "Hold the Hope," which asks for emotional safety in the face of intense despair and suicidal feelings, to narrate the film. It serves as a reminder that the proper support can give people hope for their future.
- ❤️ Lambert and her boss, Justine Trippier, a psychiatric nurse, use the film as part of prevention awareness training sessions. It has made their sessions more engaging for attendees who want to share their experiences.
- ❤️ This year, Lambert worked to bring the poem to life in the form of a song with composer Joe Waymouth. She wants to use the song to reach different audiences.
- ❤️ The song and film on their own are not enough to teach people about how to support a loved one in crisis, as it is not a substitute for statutory training, Lambert said.
- ❤️ Research shows that highlighting the experiences of those who have survived suicidality by seeking assistance can play a significant role in preventing suicide attempts by others.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or be in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
3 things to know before you go
- iRobot, the U.S. firm that makes the Roomba robot vacuum, will be taken over by its main manufacturer based in China. The company filed for bankruptcy about two years after its failed merger with Amazon.
- Can a couple have separate beds and separate bank accounts without it being a red flag? Therapist Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile argues that ignoring relationship norms can actually strengthen a partnership. Check out why with this comic strip.
- Ford Motor Company is discontinuing production of its flagship full-size electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning. The company is shifting its focus to meet customer demand.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
Copyright 2025 NPR
