The man hailed as a hero following the dramatic incident in Bondi has now been identified as Ahmed, a 43-year-old local who acted without hesitation when it mattered most. As details continue to emerge, community members are praising his courage and quick thinking during a moment of chaos that could have ended far worse.

Witnesses say Ahmed stepped in immediately after realizing others were in danger, putting his own safety aside to help those around him. His actions helped bring calm to a frightening situation and ensured that several people were able to reach safety before emergency services arrived.

Authorities have since acknowledged Ahmed’s role, describing his response as selfless and brave. While officials continue their investigation into the incident, they emphasized that community cooperation and individual responsibility played a key role in preventing further harm.

Since the update, messages of gratitude have poured in from across the country, with many calling Ahmed a true example of everyday heroism. READ MORE BELOW

Chicago PD Ordered to Ignore Border Patrol Agents Trapped By Violent Mob

Chicago police officers responding to assist federal agents who were surrounded by a crowd of protesters near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility were allegedly instructed to stand down, according to dispatch audio recordings and internal messages reviewed by reporters.

The Department of Homeland Security said the incident occurred Saturday on the city’s South Side, where a group of federal agents conducting a routine patrol “were attacked and rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.”

The agents were patrolling about 15 miles from ongoing anti-ICE demonstrations outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Broadview, a Chicago suburb, when the attack began.

According to federal officials, after agents attempted to escape their vehicle, a woman armed with a semi-automatic weapon allegedly tried to drive into them. She was shot by officers and later taken into custody.

Local police officers were initially preparing to assist the agents but were reportedly instructed to stand down by the department’s chief of patrol, according to the New York Post.

“Younger male Hispanic wearing all black … wanted for the hit-and-run, this guy fled from the scene,” a female dispatcher says in response to a call for assistance from the surrounded ICE agents, per audio shared by ExxAlerts on the X platform.

“When the offending vehicle crashed, they ran the federal agent off the road, they fled on foot westbound,” the dispatcher added.

In the dispatch recording, a male voice can be heard instructing the dispatcher to direct responding officers to approach the scene but to “stay put” a few blocks away and wait for further instructions. The dispatcher then relays those orders over the radio.

The male voice can then be heard moments later saying tersely: “Per the chief of patrol: Clear everybody out, we’re not responding over there.”

The female dispatcher then instructs Chicago PD officers responding to the distress call, “per the chief of patrol, all units clear out from there, we’re not sending anybody out to that location.”

But then, a male police officer can be heard responding over the sound of a wailing siren: “We’re going to clear out as soon as we can, we’re like blocked in over here, so we’re going to do the best we can to get out of here as soon as we can.”

An internal Chicago Police Department memo obtained by Fox News confirmed that officers were instructed not to intervene, verifying the apparent stand-down order heard in the dispatch recordings.

“PLEASE CHIEF OF PATROL NO UNITS WILL RESPOND TO THIS AS RELATED FROM 04-Oc5-2025/12:34:44…CALLER IS 1 OF APPROX 30 ARMED PATROL AGENTS (ICE) WHO ARE BEING SURROUNDED BY A LARGE CROWD OF PEOPLE REQUESTING CPD,” said the dispatcher.

The Chicago Police Department disputed reports of a stand-down order, saying that its officers were present at the scene and provided assistance during the incident.

“To clarify misinformation currently circulating, CPD officers did in fact respond to the shooting scene involving federal authorities on Saturday to maintain public safety and traffic control,” the department told Fox in a statement.

“The Chicago Police Department will always respond to anyone who is being attacked or is under the threat of physical harm,” the department added. “For incidents involving federal immigration enforcement, CPD supervisors will respond to the scene and determine the appropriate course of action in accordance with City law.”

Trump officials said that 10 vehicles had surrounded the federal agents. Video posted online shows at least one vehicle ramming an ICE truck.

“Today in Chicago, members of our brave law enforcement were attacked — rammed and boxed in by ten vehicles, including an attacker with a semi-automatic weapon,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X in response to the attack.

She went on to pledge that more resources would be sent to Chicago.

Actor Rob Reiner, Wife Found Dead; Son Is Primary Suspect

Filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead Sunday at their home in Los Angeles, authorities said. Multiple sources familiar with the family said the couple was killed by their son, though police have not confirmed that account.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call for medical assistance at the residence at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, according to a department spokesperson. First responders found a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman deceased at the scene. Sources identified the victims as Rob and Michele Reiner.

Police said the couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, is alive and is being questioned. No arrests have been announced, and the investigation remains ongoing, People magazine reported.

Rob was a director, producer and actor whose career spanned decades and included some of Hollywood’s most widely known films, including This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992). He first gained fame as an actor portraying Mike Stivic on the television sitcom All in the Family in the 1970s.

Reiner was born in the Bronx in 1947. He was the son of comedian and filmmaker Carl Reiner and actress and singer Estelle Lebost, People noted. Rob met Michele while directing When Harry Met Sally…. The couple married in 1989 and had three children together.

Reiner was a vocal critic of Republicans and especially President Donald Trump, though there is no evidence to suggest that could have been a motive for the killings.

Reiner was previously married to actress and director Penny Marshall, who died in 2018 at the age of 75 from complications related to diabetes.

In a 2016 interview with People magazine, Nick Reiner spoke publicly about his long struggle with drug addiction, which he said began in his early teens. He described cycling in and out of rehabilitation programs starting around age 15 and said that as his addiction worsened, he became increasingly estranged from his family.

Nick said his substance abuse eventually led to periods of homelessness, during which he lived on the streets in several states, People added.

Nick Reiner told People that his experiences during that period of addiction, including sleeping outdoors for nights or weeks at a time, later served as the inspiration for the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, which he co-wrote.

“Now, I’ve been home for a really long time, and I’ve sort of gotten acclimated back to being in L.A. and being around my family,” Nick told the outlet at the time.

Those who knew the Reiners have begun responding to the news.

“Personally, I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of Rob and his wife Michele. I knew Rob and have tremendous respect for him,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said, Fox News reported.

A family spokesperson told Variety, “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.”

Los Angeles Fire Department officials responded to a residence in the 200 block of Chadbourne Avenue at approximately 3:30 p.m., where two bodies were found, according to Fox News Digital.

Officials posted on X Sunday evening: “On December 14th, at 3:40 pm, LAPD officers responded to a death investigation in the 200 block of S. Chadbourne Ave. Inside the residence, officers discovered 2 decedents. The identity of the decedents has not yet been confirmed.”

Later, the LAPD added: “Robbery Homicide Division (RHD) responded to the residence, which has been identified as the home of Rob Reiner. At this time, no further details are available as this is an ongoing RHD investigation, into an apparent homicide.”

Actors Billy Crystal and Larry David were seen arriving separately at the residence Sunday evening, ABC 7 reported. Both men remained at the home briefly before leaving. A neighbor told the outlet that Crystal appeared visibly distressed, Fox noted.

Voting rights groups that support the Democratic Party are preparing for what they call a possible crisis if the U.S. Supreme Court weakens a key part of the Voting Rights Act, one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation in the country.

The case that is causing the worry is Louisiana v. Callais, where the result will decide the future of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which says that redistricting plans can’t make it harder for racial minorities to vote.

Politico reported that two well-known voting rights groups warned that eliminating or limiting Section 2 would allow Republican-controlled legislatures to redraw up to 19 congressional districts in their favor.

Fair Fight Action and the Black Voters Matter Fund put together a new analysis that was only shared with POLITICO. It says that if Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is struck down, it could almost guarantee that Republicans will keep control of the House of Representatives.

The groups that wrote the paper say that it is still feasible to have a verdict before the midterm elections next year, even if it is not likely. The groups found 27 congressional seats across the country that may be redrawn to help Republicans if the current legal and political situation stays the same. Nineteen of these changes are directly related to the possible loss of Section 2 protections.

LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, said that doing so would “clear the way for a one-party system where power serves the powerful and silences the people.” She did not address the constitutional issue of drawing congressional districts based only on race, which is what the high court is looking into.

For years, Republicans have tried to reduce or do rid of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which says that voting laws and redistricting can’t be based on race. They say that the rule unjustly helps Democrats by making districts with a lot of Democrats and a lot of Republicans.

The Supreme Court has turned down those arguments before, but voting rights supporters are worried that the next Louisiana v. Callais case could be a turning point.

On the other hand, Democrats might potentially try to take advantage of any changes to the statute by redrawing district borders in states that are very Democratic and yet have VRA safeguards. Politico stated that analysts think these kinds of chances would be few and far between compared to the larger redistricting benefits that Republican-controlled legislatures could get.

The Voting Rights Act is utilized in redistricting to stop racial gerrymandering that makes it harder for minority voters to have their voices heard. States usually follow the rules by designing districts that provide racial and ethnic minority groups a fair chance to vote for the candidates they want.

Politico said that many experts on election law think that the Supreme Court could limit the VRA’s reach in its next decision. This could lead to big changes in how Congress is represented in the South.

The article says that this kind of decision might lead to Democrats being kicked out of states like Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi. A lot of other states, like Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida, would probably still have at least one Democratic member of Congress, but the number of Democrats in Congress would go down a lot.

The research is coming out at the same time as Republicans are pushing for redistricting across the country before the November elections. The White House strongly supports this plan, which might help the GOP keep its tiny majority in the House. Redrawing the lines in the middle of the cycle is rare, although it has happened before and has already made six more Republican-leaning districts in two states.

Several other states run by Republicans are likely to do the same, and that number might climb a lot if important protections in the Voting Rights Act are taken away.

In response, Fair Fight Action and the Black Voters Matter Fund are telling Democrats to come up with a “aggressive and immediate” plan to fight Republican redistricting moves that are already happening.

Justice Dept. Dares Anti-Trump Judge to Hold Admin Officials In Contempt

The Justice Department told U.S. District Judge James Boasberg it has provided all the information it is willing to share about the deportation flights to El Salvador in March and said that if he finds the response insufficient, he should move ahead with the criminal contempt proceedings he has threatened.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said under oath in a filing Friday evening that she ordered the flights to continue, despite what Boasberg views as clear instructions to halt the planes, The Washington Times reported.

Two senior lawyers, one from Homeland Security and one from the Justice Department, said they offered her legal advice but declined to disclose the details.

Tiberius Davis, a Justice Department attorney, said they continue to believe the judge’s orders were not clear and that Noem did not intentionally defy the court. He said that if Judge Boasberg disagrees, he should proceed with a referral for criminal contempt rather than compel testimony from Noem or other officials, the Times reported.

“Accordingly, if the court continues to believe its order was sufficiently clear in imposing an obligation to halt the transfer of custody for detainees who had already been removed from the United States, the court should proceed promptly with a referral,” Davis wrote.

He argued that requiring Noem to testify would violate separation-of-powers principles, adding that the appropriate time for a defendant to testify would be at trial.

“It would be prejudicial and constitutionally improper to compel testimony in advance of a referral for prosecution, particularly when all of the facts that are necessary for a potential referral are already known and have been presented under oath,” Davis wrote.

The dispute centers on the flights of Venezuelan migrants the government said were members of Tren de Aragua, along with Salvadorans, who were transported to El Salvador on three flights on March 15.

The Venezuelans were removed under the Alien Enemies Act, which allowed the government to bypass standard immigration procedures. One of the migrants was Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a repeat offender who had a previous immigration order of removal signed by judges.

Boasberg had ordered the planes grounded during a hearing that day without any thought regarding the logistical challenges or the fact that the planes were already in international airspace, according to the administration.

Speculation often erupts online whenever Melania Trump appears in public wearing her signature oversized sunglasses. Critics have pushed unfounded conspiracy theories — including claims of a body double — but experts say the reality behind her eyewear is far more human and somber. Throughout her time in the public eye, Melania has faced constant scrutiny over her fashion choices, particularly her habit of wearing sunglasses at formal or solemn events.

One notable moment came in 2019 during the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, when photos of her wearing dark shades sparked backlash and revived baseless rumors questioning her presence. Fashion psychologist Dawn Karen has explained that such speculation misses the point. According to Karen, the sunglasses likely serve as emotional protection rather than a fashion statement or secret signal. Melania has spoken openly about feeling targeted and bullied, and covering her eyes may provide a sense of control and distance amid relentless public scrutiny.

Karen also notes that Melania often pairs sunglasses with wide-brimmed hats, which together function as psychological armor. Limiting visual engagement with crowds can help manage stress without withdrawing entirely from public duties. Despite criticism, Melania has also received praise for her elegance and style. Recent winter looks earned positive attention on social media, and her return to overseeing White House holiday décor was widely described as tasteful and festive.

While online chatter continues to fixate on conspiracy theories, experts suggest the focus should shift. Melania’s sunglasses appear less about secrecy and more about maintaining dignity and self-protection in an unforgiving spotlight — revealing more about internet speculation than about the woman herself.

Republicans Examining Ways to Block Mamdani From Taking Office

After Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral election—making him the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor-elect—Republican leaders in Washington, D.C., signaled plans to try to block him from taking office.

President Donald Trump has accused the 34-year-old Ugandan-born politician of being a communist, after previously warning that he would withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani won. Mamdani secured his win last week with a decisive margin, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly 10 percentage points, though Mamdani barely won a majority of votes overall.

But some Republican lawmakers have vowed to block him from taking office. Some Republican lawmakers have demanded investigations into Mamdani’s naturalization process, calling for him to be stripped of his US citizenship and deported. They have accused him of involvement in communist and “terrorist” activities and figures linked to terrorism.

“If Mamdani lied on his naturalization documents, he doesn’t get to be a citizen, and he certainly doesn’t get to run for mayor of New York City. A great American city is on the precipice of being run by a communist who has publicly embraced a terroristic ideology,” Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) said in an October 29 news release, after asking US Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the mayor-elect, the Economic Times reported.

“The American naturalization system REQUIRES any alignments with communism or terrorist activities to be disclosed. I’m doubtful he disclosed them. If the information is confirmed, put him on the first flight back to Uganda,” Ogles added.

Meanwhile, a campaign finance watchdog has filed two criminal referrals against Mamdani, accusing the leftist socialist of taking illicit donations from overseas contributors.

The Coolidge Reagan Foundation sent the recommendations to the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office last week. They say that Mamdani may have broken the Federal Election Campaign Act and the New York Election Code.

The recommendations were made after the New York Post reported earlier this month that Mamdani’s campaign got about $13,000 in donations from at least 170 people who live outside the US, including one from his mother-in-law in Dubai.

“These are not isolated incidents or clerical errors,” Dan Backer, a national campaign finance expert and president of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, said in a statement.

“This was a sustained pattern of foreign money flowing into a New York City mayoral race which is a clear violation of both federal law and New York City campaign finance rules,” Backer added. “Mamdani’s campaign was on notice for months that it was accepting illegal foreign contributions, and yet it did nothing meaningful to stop it.”

The Coolidge Reagan Foundation has previously filed complaints against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and the Democratic National Committee.

The watchdog told Bragg and the DOJ to look into and arrest Mamdani for the campaign cash that may have come from Australia, Turkey, France, Canada, Germany, and other countries.

The group said that Mamdani’s campaign had shown a “systematic failure to comply” with the rules about campaign money.

The Federal Election Campaign Act says that it is against the law to “accept or receive” donations from people who are not US citizens in any federal, state, or local election.

People who knowingly accept donations from other countries could face big fines and jail time.

“The law is crystal clear that foreign nationals may not participate in American elections, and that includes making contributions,” Backer continued. “Yet Mamdani’s campaign repeatedly accepted donations from individuals abroad, some even tied to regions and individuals openly sympathetic to hostile actors.”

“Whether through negligence or intent, this conduct undermines the integrity of the democratic process.”

Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York City sent back about $9,000 in donations from people outside the U.S., the Post reported.

Democrat Policies to Blame For High Electric Rates: Report

State-level policies play a significant role in electricity costs, and states led by Democrats tend to have higher power prices than those governed by Republicans, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Research (IER).

The report, titled “Blue States, High Rates. Electricity Prices: Elections Have Consequences,” was first shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation. It found that electricity prices are generally higher in states with Democratic leadership, based on average cost per kilowatt-hour.

It comes as Democrats are attempting to campaign ahead of the 2026 midterms by making “affordability” an issue for working-class Americans.

According to the analysis, nine of the 10 states with the highest electricity rates are governed by Democrats. The report attributes the higher costs to state policy decisions affecting energy production, regulation, and power supply, the outlet said, citing the data.

By contrast, the report found that states with lower electricity prices are predominantly Republican-led. According to IER, 80% of the states with the most affordable electricity rates per kilowatt-hour are governed by Republicans.

The analysis showed that 20 of the 25 states with the lowest electricity prices are classified as red states, while four are blue states and one is considered politically mixed. The report was produced in partnership with Always on Energy Research.

“This is a blue state problem,” IER President Tom Pyle told the Caller, arguing that prescribing any blame to President Donald Trump for soaring electricity costs is incorrect.

“[America needs to] put an emphasis on providing dispatchable electricity generation, namely by keeping coal plants open, even building new coal plants, nuclear and particularly natural gas. I think the administration is doing everything they can in spite of what the blue states have been doing over the years. Other words, Trump’s trying to save them from themselves,” he said.

The Institute for Energy Research said its analysis relied on data from the Energy Information Administration and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to compare electricity prices across states and assess the impact of policy decisions on energy costs.

According to the report, several states—most of which are led by Democrats—have implemented policies aimed at phasing out coal and restructuring power grids to meet specific emissions targets. The report argues that these policy choices have contributed to higher electricity costs in those states, noted the Caller.

“More than almost any other product, electricity prices are a direct result of state energy policies because states have the exclusive power to decide which resources supply their grids,” the report says. “Electricity prices are especially high in traditionally liberal areas of the country. In total, 86% of states with electricity prices above the national average in the continental U.S. are reliably blue, having voted for the Democratic nominee for president in the 2020 and 2024 elections.”

IER went on to document that the Lawrence Berkeley National Labs report confirmed that “each of the top five most expensive states for electricity have mandates requiring 100% of their power to come from renewable or carbon-free sources, making their electricity unnecessarily more expensive.”

The report identifies emissions targets, the early retirement of coal and nuclear power plants, restrictions on natural gas development, and policies such as net metering requirements as factors that have contributed to higher electricity prices.

Affordability has emerged as a central theme in recent Democratic political messaging and was a prominent issue in the November gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia. The IER report notes that electricity prices tend to be higher in states led by Democrats, which it says reflects the impact of those states’ energy policy choices, the Caller says, citing the data.

“Americans pay dramatically different electric bills depending on which party controls their state capitol. High electricity prices are not an inevitability; they are a choice,” the report states. “And in state after state, they are a choice made by left-wing policymakers who have prioritized climate symbolism over working families’ budgets.”

Texas Teacher Resigns After Horrific Charlie Kirk Posts

A teacher with the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District resigned while in the middle of a formal termination process stemming from social media comments she made about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. District officials confirmed that Jennifer Courtemanche resigned on Nov. 24, months into a hearing process that had been initiated by the school board.

Courtemanche’s social media posts went viral after Texas Rep. Briscoe Cain shared screenshots questioning Kirk’s death and suggesting it may have been the result of his actions, The Houston Chronicle reported.

“Could this have been the consequences of his actions catching up with him?” Courtemanche wrote in one post.

“I’ll bet if the victim had been Black or brown or a Democrat influencer, he’d have been singing a different tune,” she wrote in another. “Could Kirk have baited just one too many people?”

Courtemanche previously listed Baytown’s Lee High School as her place of employment on her Facebook page, which has since been restricted.

The English language arts teacher described herself in her social media bio as a “child of God” and a “work in progress.”

Courtemanche, who retained legal counsel, had initially told district officials she did not intend to voluntarily resign.

The Goose Creek CISD Employee Handbook states that employees may face discipline, including termination, if electronic communications violate state or federal law or interfere with their ability to perform job duties.

Despite public calls for her resignation, including from Cain, district officials noted that Texas law requires a multi step process before a teacher can be terminated.

The Goose Creek CISD Board of Trustees voted during a Sept. 22 meeting to propose Courtemanche’s termination.

Under state law, teachers may request a hearing before an independent examiner appointed by the Texas Education Agency.

The examiner has 60 days to conduct an evidentiary hearing and issue a recommendation, after which the school board determines whether good cause exists to terminate the contract.

District officials said that process would have continued had Courtemanche not resigned.

The district also reviewed comments made by another teacher regarding Kirk’s death but determined those remarks did not rise to the level of good cause for termination.

Following Kirk’s killing, the Texas Education Agency announced it had received more than 350 complaints against teachers for social media comments related to the incident.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath warned school leaders that free speech does not extend to promoting or celebrating violence.

“While the exercise of free speech is a fundamental right we are all blessed to share, it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives,” Morath wrote in a letter to superintendents

Erika Kirk had a powerful moment this week when she fiercely called out people who have been exploiting Charlie Kirk’s death and attacking her family since he was fatally shot.

During a segment on Fox’s “Outnumbered,” Kirk spoke about the tragic death of her late husband, his work to start TPUSA, and the “horrible smears” that have been levied against her and other TPUSA members since Charlie’s death in September.

“Here’s my breaking point. Come after me, call me names, I don’t care. Call me what you want, go down that rabbit hole, whatever. But when you go after my family, my Turning Point USA family, my Charlie Kirk Show family, when you go after the people that I love and you’re making hundreds and thousands of dollars every single episode going after the people that I love because somehow they’re in on this, no!” Kirk charged.

“Can my children have one thing? Everything was public. Can my babies have one thing where we hold it sacred, where my husband is laid to rest, where I don’t have to be worried about some secular revolutionary coming and destroying my husband’s grave while my daughter is sitting there praying?” she shot back.

The truth is more disturbing than the iceberg.
More than 1,500 people vanished into the black Atlantic, yet almost none were ever seen again. No rows of skeletons. No mass grave on the seabed. Just shoes. Clothing. Silence. What really happened to all those bodies in the crushing dark, 12,000 feet down be… Continues…

Down in the lightless cold where the Titanic rests, nature finished what the disaster began. Bacteria and deep-sea creatures consumed the soft tissue of the dead, while the immense pressure and chemistry of the water quietly erased their bones. Below the calcium carbonate compensation depth, the very substance that forms human skeletons dissolves. What’s left behind are eerie traces: boots still paired, coats folded where a body once lay, a child’s shoe alone in the silt.

For many, this knowledge deepens the horror; for others, it offers an unexpected peace. The ocean did not preserve a graveyard of frozen faces. Instead, it reclaimed them, folding thousands of lives back into its endless dark. As the Titanic herself slowly rusts into nothing, the tragedy endures not in bones or steel, but in memory—fragile, human, and painfully alive.