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What We Know with Max Foster

Australian PM: Massacre Was "Horrific Act Of Antisemitism"; Rob Reiner's Son Arrested In Connection To His Murder; Police Still Looking For Gunman In Brown University Shooting; Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Found Guilty; Award-Winning Hollywood Actor & Director Dead At 78. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired December 15, 2025 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[15:00:30]

MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: The worst mass shooting in Australia in almost 30 years targets Sydney's Jewish community.

This is WHAT WE KNOW.

Australia's prime minister calls it pure evil and a horrific act of antisemitism.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

FOSTER: A nation in mourning today after the country's deadliest massacre in decades. Police say two attackers, a father and son, opened fire Sunday

as crowds celebrated the first day of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach in Sydney.

Witnesses are describing moments of sheer terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We thought it was fireworks at the start and then next second, we see people lying on the floor so a kid gets shot. It was

probably the worst feeling I've ever seen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know what I saw, I saw him shoot the gun and it just all hell broke loose. Theres just people everywhere, kids everywhere,

kids screaming, just people screaming. And yeah, just everyone everywhere. Just. Yeah. It was horrible

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, the carnage could have been even worse if it weren't for the extraordinary bravery of this by -- bravery of this bystander. Ahmed al

Ahmed rushed towards one shooter, risking his own life to wrestle a gun away from one of the attackers.

Australia's already has some of the worlds strictest gun laws, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government will go even further now

after this mass shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of terror, an act of antisemitism. We are stronger

than the cowards who did this. And I want to conclude finally, by saying that the government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary,

included in that is the need for tougher gun laws.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: CNN's Will Ripley is in Sydney with the latest on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The authorities have been very busy in the immediate hours after the attack. They went to a

house here in Sydney and police raided that house. They ended up bringing out three people, two women, one man believed to be family members of this

father and son. The father moved here to Australia back in 1988. He came first on a student visa and then around the year 2001, that was transferred

to a partner visa.

His son was born here and his son went to school here. His son reportedly at one point was studying the Koran and studying Arabic with a teacher here

who has actually gone on Facebook to publicly condemn this act of violence and distance himself, disassociate himself from this young man. No idea,

authorities say, yet, at least not publicly, how these two were radicalized.

In addition to raiding that house where the family members were taken out and briefly detained, and then they wouldn't return to their home, and they

basically have closed the blinds and been camped out in the house all day. The police went to an Airbnb, a rental property where the father and son

were believed to be staying. In recent days, neighbors told us that tactical police came, basically ordered everybody in that house to leave.

People that were staying at the rental house, there were five or six different separate rooms that were rented out separately. They had to pack

up their belongings and get out.

We know that the father was killed on the scene. Theres that video of a very heroic Muslim unarmed bystander, basically without any consideration

for his own safety, just approaching the father as he held the rifle in his hand, grabbing it from him, pointing the rifle at him, not firing, but

getting the father to walk away and go back to that bridge over there where his son was. That's where he was. The father was shot and killed by police.

The son was shot and critically injured, but he is at the hospital, expected to survive and being closely guarded by police at this hour.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Amid the violence and the grief, there is also a growing story of immense courage captured in incredible video footage of the bystander who

risked his life to stop one of the gunmen. You can see him running towards the gunfire here in the white T-shirt. He manages to disarm the gunman and

then he points the gun at the attacker, who quickly retreated.

The premier of New South Wales said his bravery no doubt saved countless lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS MINNS, NEW SOUTH WALES PREMIER: It's the most unbelievable scene I've ever seen.

[15:05:01]

A man walking up to a gunman who had fired on the community and singlehandedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the

lives of countless other people. That man is a genuine hero, and I've got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his

bravery.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, the man in question has been identified as Ahmed al Ahmed. He is the father of two. He's lived in Australia for almost 20 years after

moving from Syria. His parents had just recently joined him in Australia. His cousin Mustafa said Ahmed was having surgery after being shot several

times in the shoulder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUSTAFA, COUSIN OF MAN WHO TACKLED BONDI BEACH SHOOTER: He's a hero 100 percent. He's a hero because what we see on the -- on the -- on the social

media is like is 100 percent hero. Yeah, he has two shots, one in his arm and one in his hand.

REPORTER: And have you been able to talk to him today?

MUSTAFA: No, no, because I come -- when I see the -- what's happening and I come here to see him. But they said it's not allowed to go inside because

you have to make an operation, whatever. I'm still waiting to see him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The victims range in age from just 10 years old to an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor.

Lynda Kinkade had to watch this all unfold in her home country from the U.S.

I gather you've been on the phone to people. Just describe the atmosphere there today, Lynda.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, Max, this was the city I grew up in. I've been to Bondi Beach so many times. I've got family all throughout Sydney,

but I've got my cousin and her young family, two young daughters who live in Bondi. They're part of the Jewish community. They were at a Hanukkah

event nearby as this tragedy unfolded, and everyone in that community knows someone impacted.

I spoke to my cousin this morning again, and she said, you know, she's having recurring nightmares. She's waking up crying. It's absolutely

devastating.

And, you know, 15 people lost their lives. The youngest, as you mentioned, just 10. The eldest, 87.

Now the 10-year-old is a young girl called Matilda. And her aunt described her as just being full of joy, having the most beautiful smile.

We also heard about Peter Meagher, who is a former police officer who has been described as an absolute legend, where he works -- where he worked at

the Randwick rugby football club.

Dan Elkayam is a 27-year-old French citizen. He'd been in Australia just a year. He was from Paris. He was an engineer, where, you know, one of his

former professors described him as bursting with talent. He played in the premier league in south of the city.

Now, 40 people were also injured in this horrific attack, including two police officers. One young constable by the name of Scott Dyson (ph). He

was just four months into the job and according to New South Wales police, he was shot multiple times. He's had multiple surgeries, but it will be a

long recovery for him.

FOSTER: Gun crime, relatively rare in Australia as I understand. They've got pretty tight gun laws. You now hear the prime minister saying they're

going to tighten them even more after this. How do you view that from America, where gun crime seems completely out of control and there's no

real discussion about tightening gun laws?

KINKADE: Yeah, Max, we've reported, sadly, on countless mass shootings here in the U.S. where no matter what happens, it seems that nothing is

being done to reduce the carnage. Whereas in Australia, almost 30 years ago was a massacre, 35 people were killed at the Port Arthur massacre in

Tasmania, including young children, and after that the then prime minister, John Howard, enacted some of the strictest gun laws in the world. They

established this huge buyback of guns where people had to hand in their guns. Hundreds of thousands of guns were destroyed. They banned semi-

automatic rifles, and they made a national registration where you had to have a license to get a gun.

Well, now they are discussing making those gun laws even stricter. They're talking about taking new laws to cabinet, whereby you have to renew your

license. You can't just have it indefinitely. And there will be some sort of limitation on how many firearms you can have, because as we know, the

two suspects in this massacre had six guns that were legally registered to the father in this shooting. And so, the questions are, you know, why,

especially when you consider that the son who's currently in hospital with gunshot wounds just a few years ago in 2019, was under an assessment by

ASIO, which is our domestic terrorism organization, for having links with two radicalized individuals.

Now, he didn't pose any imminent threat at the time. No further assessment was done. But the big question is why not? And how did they have so many

guns?

FOSTER: Yeah, so many questions. Still, Lynda, thoughts with everyone you know there. Thank you for joining us.

KINKADE: Thanks, Max.

FOSTER: Prime Minister Albanese says he rejects an accusation by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that Australia fueled the fire

of antisemitism by recognizing a Palestinian state.

Mr. Netanyahu had very sharp words after the massacre.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the

cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread, and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we

saw today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Now, we'll have more on that later. But the son of legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner has been arrested in connection to the deaths

of his parents. The Los Angeles Police Department says Nick Reiner has been booked for murder after the bodies of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele,

were found at their Los Angeles area home on Sunday.

Now, Rob Reiner rose to stardom in the 1970s as an actor before going on to direct classic films, including "When Harry Met Sally", "The Princess

Bride" and "Stand By Me".

I'm joined now by CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller.

Hi, John. We're not exactly clear on the exact nature of this booking. But to hear that it was his son came as such a shock, didn't it? What do we

know about what happened?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, we know that a call came in around 3:40 p.m. yesterday to the Brentwood

neighborhood of very expensive, very wealthy, and dotted with famous names neighborhood in L.A. You might remember it from that's where the O.J.

Simpson murders unfolded in that same neighborhood.

When police got there, there was, one of the family members of the Reiners present. The Reiners were both deceased. The ambulance was there,

pronounced them dead. And very quickly they came onto and we don't know exactly based on what evidence the son as a suspect.

Now, moments ago, we just got a statement from the LAPD which lays out these facts. The Reiners were the victims of a homicide. Nick Reiner, the

32-year-old son, was responsible for their deaths. He was located and arrested at approximately 9:15 Los Angeles time last night and booked for

murder. -- as in being held in custody without bail.

Now, that's significant because at 9:15, last night was the same time that police were holding a press conference outside the murder scene where they

were saying that the Reiners were dead. No suspect had been charged, but there was no reason for people in the neighborhood to worry or be afraid,

which was kind of a head scratcher. Max, at the time, if there was nobody charged, you know, why was it safe?

That's because police knew at that point they had a suspect that they had him in custody and that they had not yet charged him.

So, what happens next? They will file these charges, so they'll send a filing -- the homicide, robbery homicide division of LAPD will send this to

the Los Angeles district attorney. They will review that and then decide. The district attorney will decide what kind of charge to bring in terms of,

whether it is murder or something else. And then they will go to an initial appearance in court.

Down the road from that, they'll have a preliminary hearing, and that's where they'll have to show more of the evidence and where we will probably

learn a little more from the charging documents tomorrow, and maybe a lot more in that preliminary hearing.

FOSTER: Yeah, what a shocker, John, thank you so much for bringing us that.

More crime, sadly, police investigating the weekend shooting at Brown University are racing against time to figure out who carried out the

attack. They're asking the public to help them with video or other information that might reveal who shot -- who shot up a classroom in an

engineering building, leaving two students dead and nine others injured.

CNN's Brian Todd is on the scene and has the latest for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The manhunt for the Brown University shooter has essentially started anew with the announcement Sunday night by

authorities that a previous person of interest who had been apprehended in connection with the shooting had to be released. Investigators saying they

had combed through the evidence collected at a hotel where they apprehended that person and a lot of other leads, and basically saying that none of it

really pointed in the right direction to arrest or charge that particular person. So they had to release that person.

We were told that they are looking for additional persons of interest right now, but that those are not hard suspects, that that is based on initial

information, tips from the public.

What was interesting on Sunday night was that the mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley, said that officials have, quote, no way of knowing whether

the shooter is still in Providence or even still in the state.

[15:15:10]

And yet authorities are saying they do not believe there's an enhanced threat to the public. And no need for a lockdown or no need for a shelter

in place. So statements at a bit of a cross purposing there when they say they have no idea where the shooter is, and yet also saying that they do

not believe there's an enhanced threat to the public at this time.

And now, as for the video evidence that they've collected right now, authorities are saying that this one piece of video, this short clip,

roughly 10 seconds long of a person walking around a corner near the site of the shooting wearing dark clothing, they say that is the best video

evidence that they have right now of the person they believe to be responsible for the shooting.

And that -- when you look at it, of course, does not give you a very good look at the person, you can't see a face. You see that person walking kind

of from behind them and above walking around the street corner dressed in very dark clothing.

Now, given that officials say that they are really appealing now for more help from the public, they said if you have cell phone video, if you have

any video, maybe a door Ring, video of anything, please give it to us and give it to us right now. They really do need the public's help in getting

some additional video evidence of this.

Now, there's also a bit of frustration you know, on the part of the attorney general, Peter Neronha, and some others regarding the lack of

video evidence and the lack of camera video that was able to be taken and analyzed from inside the actual engineering building itself here at Brown

University, where the shooting took place.

When asked why there wasn't more, good video or other good surveillance video to be had, the attorney general said, look, there just aren't many

cameras inside that building. He said, it's an old building attached to a new building, and there weren't many cameras inside there.

The mayor, Brett Smiley, said that they had reviewed all the video they could from inside that building and that basically it wasn't a whole lot of

help to them.

Brian Todd, CNN, Providence, Rhode Island.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Coming up, remembering the victims of the Bondi Beach attack in Australia.

Ahead, I'll speak with a member of Melbourne's Jewish community, wrestling with grief.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:20:26]

FOSTER: More on our top story. Australia in mourning after a deadly terrorist attack during a Hanukkah celebration. The Australian prime

minister is calling the shooting on Bondi Beach that killed 15 people and injured dozens of others an act of antisemitism. A local rabbi says it's

more important than ever for Hanukkah celebrations to go on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEVI WOLFF, RABBI, BONDI CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE: As a Jewish people, we will not be silenced. As a Jewish people, our light will not be dimmed. And the

holiday of Hanukkah will remind us and the world that a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness. And what we need to do is add in our light.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Australians are rallying to help following the shooting. The Australian Red Cross says about 40,000 people booked appointments across

the country to donate blood. That's more than four times the number on a typical day.

Max Kaiser is the executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia.

Really appreciate your time and our thoughts very much with all Australians actually, at this time right now. But how extraordinary to hear a rabbi

encouraging people still to celebrate Hanukkah. I mean, how do you read that?

MAX KAISER, EXECUTIVE OFFICER, JEWISH COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA: Yeah, I think that's been the overwhelming message that has been circulating in Jewish

communities is, although this is a time of really immense grief and sadness that, we're not going to let this defeat us, that we're going to continue

to be Jewish in public, that we're going to continue to celebrate our festivals like Hanukkah. And yes, people know Hanukkah is an eight-day,

eight-night festival.

This appalling attack took place on the first night of Hanukkah, and many people. Yeah, it's the most tragic unbelievably tragic Hanukkah that we've

ever experienced. But people are dedicated to continuing to practice our traditions and to be together at this time.

FOSTER: We're currently looking at all the flowers that have been laid out in this makeshift memorial. It's so powerful, isn't it? And all the stories

coming out of heroism from all different parts of Australia's communities.

I mean, from the outside, it looks like the whole nation is rallying around the Jewish community. Is that something that you feel?

KAISER: Absolutely. I mean, my phone has been an email inbox just been absolutely inundated. And people have been contacting us just absolute, you

know, everyone and anyone -- everyone is touched by this, and has been reaching out to give us support. And that just includes completely random

members of the public.

But also close friends, families, many of our colleagues and people from that we work with in other faith communities. Many people from the Muslim

community, many Palestinians have been reaching out and offering their support and solidarity. And it's more than touching.

FOSTER: Yeah, there's been very strong words, hasn't there, from the Muslim community around Sydney about throwing their support behind you. We

also had that extraordinary video which of Ahmed al Ahmed, you know, read what you want into his name. But this was someone that the Muslim community

is actually owning at this point because they feel a connection with him and feeling what they would have done in a similar situation.

So, when we see him sitting there with the state premier, what does that image say to you when he's lying in bed injured and the whole world talking

about him?

KAISER: Yeah, it's just the most amazing moment of bravery and human courage. For this man to step in, knowing that his own life was at risk and

not worrying about that, just wanting to do what he could to save people's lives. And yeah, that image, the imagery has gone around the world, and

he's been very rightly praised as, as a hero.

And I think that it's a small thing that at the moment people can latch on to, because obviously this event is just points to absolutely the worst

about humanity.

[15:25:07]

And we can be thrown into a pit of despair. But there's also stories not just of Ahmed al Ahmed, but others as well, who have acted with the most

amazing heroism, but certainly, yeah, Ahmed deserves all the praise that he's been getting and just an amazing human being.

FOSTER: Yeah. I mean, I've heard extraordinary stories of ambulance workers as well, rushing in during the gunfire. It has been quite

extraordinary. A big debate now about gun control, but also a big debate about antisemitism.

I mean, where are you looking at in terms of a some sort of way of moving forward into a safer Australia?

KAISER: Yeah, it's one of the big questions right now. Is what can we do to make sure that the Jewish community can feel safe again? And I think,

you know, all communities as well, and other communities have been the victims of racism of different sorts in Australia over the years. Feeling

extremely worried. And we have a real choice as a nation in terms of what path we go down next.

One path, unfortunately, is a path of, you know, more misinformation, more racism, more antisemitism, more division, and unfortunately, a path that

leads to more violence. But the other path is a path of unity and a path of coming together and recognizing that we need to work together. We need to

build we need to build trust across communities, and we need to make sure that we reject all forms of division and all forms of racism and hatred.

And that is the --

FOSTER: Okay. We seem -- Max, thank you so much for joining us. Max Kaiser joining us from Melbourne there. Appreciate your time.

KAISER: Thank you so much.

FOSTER: Still to come, Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, he's been found guilty in a landmark national security trial. We'll have the details on

that ahead for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:30:49]

FOSTER: Recapping our top story, Australia is planning to strengthen its already strict gun laws after the deadliest massacre there in decades.

Authorities say 15 people were killed when two gunmen, a father and son, opened fire as crowds gathered to celebrate Hanukkah on Sydney's Bondi

Beach.

Police shot and killed one attacker at the scene. The other was critically wounded. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it appears they acted alone

and were not part of any cell.

CNN's Nic Robertson looks at how this horrific attack unfolded about an hour before sunset, sending people fleeing for their lives.

We warn you, this report is very disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): The cold- blooded attack begins here on this footbridge overlooking Archer Park, where a mostly Jewish crowd were celebrating the first night of Hanukkah,

just 70 yards away. Panicking as the bullets begin flying.

Feet away on the iconic Bondi Beach, pandemonium and panic, people fleeing for their lives. Within minutes, the sand near Archer Park is deserted.

It's about 6:50 p.m. Police are already on their way.

The gunman, a 50-year-old father, and his 24-year-old son, continue their unrelenting fire. Then the father, in white trousers moves off the bridge,

closing in on his victims. As he walks, he continues shooting. He stops by a tree, fires another shot.

And as he does, a 43-year-old father of two, Ahmed al Ahmed, rushes the gunman, wrestles the weapon away from him. Someone else runs forward,

throws rocks at the attacker, who retreats back to the footbridge, where he reunites with his son. But now, the police shooting at them.

Soon after, the father is hit motionless on the floor. In Archer Park, the dead and injured strewn on the ground in front of the stage, where the

screen still flickers with the festive lights.

The son keeps shooting, dodging bullets for over a minute before he too is hit.

The shooting stops. Policemen raced towards the bridge and the downed attackers. Onlookers rush forward trying to stomp on the father and son.

Police and first responders have reached the dead and injured, frantic triage begins.

Already, some are dead, others given CPR.

Within 10 minutes, at least 15 killed and scores injured. Questions now: was it preventable?

Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: "Ultimately, we have a big problem", those are the words spoken from a rabbi urging the Australian government to listen to warnings from

its Jewish citizens about rising antisemitism. Sydney is one of the country's main hubs of Jewish life. Australia's prime minister is rejecting

the accusation that recognizing a Palestinian state has fueled antisemitism. But some Jewish groups in Australia say the government hasn't

gone far enough in addressing a surge in antisemitism.

Joining me now from Sydney is journalist and author of "The Palestine Laboratory", Antony Loewenstein.

Thank you so much for joining us, Anthony.

I mean, what's your view on the -- you know, what we saw swell up here?

ANTONY LOEWENSTEIN, JOURNALIST: I am shocked, but sadly not surprised. Not that Australia is used to mass shootings. We're not. The last mass shooting

was 30 years ago in Port Arthur in Tasmania, and it was not a religious attack at all.

[15:35:05]

This one apparently is.

Look, the issue of antisemitism is an important one. I speak to you as an Australian and a Jew, and antisemitism is real and has been growing

certainly since October 7th. However, and it's a very important "however", as someone who has spent years supporting Palestine and talking about

what's happening in Gaza and rightly calling it a genocide, too many of the pro-Israel groups in Australia and elsewhere are conflating blind support

for Israel with antisemitism.

And the problem here we have is that too often, and there's a rational debate, there are public protests in Australia. The Australian government

recognized Palestine, although it's worth saying that Australia still sends F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. So, to suggest that somehow the

Australian government is anti-Israel is absurd.

We live in a flawed democracy, and free speech means you're able to criticize Israel. We are not living in Israel. We are living in Australia.

And as a Jewish Australian, we have the right to support Israel or criticize Israel.

But one of the things that frustrates me is that so often we hear that elements of the Jewish community putting pressure on the Australian

government to almost censor legitimate free speech on Palestine, shutting it down, putting pressure on universities to silence legitimate criticism

of Israel.

A democracy allows criticism of a foreign state. And I think too often this is forgotten in the rush to blindly support Netanyahu and his friends.

FOSTER: He's pretty categorically blaming the Australian government for inflaming antisemitism, isn't he, by recognizing Israel? Is that what

you're talking about, the conflation here? You know, there are two separate broad, you know, obviously, massively connected issues or groups here.

There's the Jewish community and there's the Israeli government. And as you say, it's reached this sensitive area when he gets involved in

international Jewish communities. I mean, how would you describe it?

LOEWENSTEIN: I mean, Israel claims to be or is the world's only Jewish state, and Netanyahu is the current prime minister, often says that he's

the leader of the world's Jewry. I mean, it's an absurd claim. There are only roughly 15, 16 million Jews in the world. It's a very small

population. And within hours of this horrific terrorist attack in Sydney, you had Netanyahu and many members of the Israeli government publicly on

social media and elsewhere, saying that somehow this was the fault of an Australian government to recognize Palestine.

And it makes no sense on its face. We don't really know the motives of these killers. They seem to have some association with Islamic State, or at

least radical Islam. And when it happened, my first thought was its either going to be neo-Nazis who, sadly, are also rising in popularity and

strength in Australia, or Islamists. And it certainly appears to be the latter.

Look, ultimately, the question is what makes Jews and others safe? And what makes us safe is not an Israeli government credibly accused of mass crimes

and genocide, intervening in Australia. I mean, this is an absurd situation where the talking points of an Israeli government credibly accused and

wanted by the International Criminal Court are repeated by pro-Israel forces.

And I notice that there are many Jewish groups, including the one I'm involved with, the Jewish Council of Australia and others that legitimately

say that we have a right to safety and security. But our safety, in fact, is worsened by Israeli actions. You know, it's more unsafe, max, to be a

Jew in Israel than any other place on the planet. Now, none of that, none of that justifies, of course, horrific violence or terrorism in Sydney or

anywhere else. Of course, it does.

And I was celebrating Hanukkah myself privately. Not in Bondi a few nights ago. And we have the right to do that publicly or privately. But the idea

somehow that our safety is associated and connected to Israel and its existence is absurd on its face.

You cannot occupy another people, the Palestinians, for more than half a century and somehow expect that you, as jews will not be blamed for that. I

have nothing to do with Israel, nothing to do with what is going on there. But when the Jewish community and to many other forces blindly conflate

Israel and Jews, we cannot be surprised. Too many other people do not make that distance -- you know, that difference. And that worries me deeply.

FOSTER: Antony Loewenstein, thank you very much for your thoughts. Tough day for everyone there, I know. Thank you.

LOEWENSTEIN: Yeah. Thank you so much.

FOSTER: It's the final moments of trade on Wall Street. Stocks relatively flat today. The Dow Jones ever so slightly down as investors prepare for a

week of full economic data. Really this is our business breakout.

U.S. job numbers are set to release on Tuesday after delay caused by the U.S. government shutdown. The data will include both November's numbers and

some figures on October. Its unusual rollout for the jobs report, which is typically one of the closest watched economic data points for the Fed.

[15:40:04]

Spirit Airlines has secured an additional $100 million in emergency financing. The low-cost carrier hopes the money will keep it afloat whilst

it undergoes restructuring. After filing for bankruptcy.

The Powerball jackpot growing still, reaching an estimated $1.1 billion after there were no big winners on Saturday's draw. The next drawing, if

you want to know, Monday night.

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty in a landmark national security trial in Hong Kong. Lai was one of the highest profile critics of

Beijing after a series of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. He was charged under a sweeping national security law imposed on the semi-

autonomous city in 2020.

CNN's Kristie Lu stout has more from Hong Kong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 156 days of verdict for Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai, guilty of sedition and two

counts of colluding with foreign forces, Lai is the most high-profile critic of Beijing charged under the national security law that was imposed

on Hong Kong in 2020.

The trial has been widely viewed as a measure of the city's shrinking freedoms under Chinese rule. Lai had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

LU STOUT: CNN was in court for the ruling. Jimmy Lai appeared calm, wearing glasses, a blazer and a light green sweater. At one point, he

raised his hand and smiled at his wife and one of his sons, who was sitting behind me in the gallery alongside Cardinal Joseph Zen, another outspoken

critic of the Chinese Communist Party.

When the verdict was read aloud, Jimmy Lai, wearing headphones, looked straight ahead, and there was complete silence in the court.

LU STOUT (voice-over): Lai founded the now-defunct Apple Daily, once Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy newspaper, which regularly challenged the

government.

He was a fixture at anti-government protests that brought Hong Kong to a standstill in 2014 and was considered by many as a father figure to Hong

Kong's pro-democracy movement.

JIMMY LAI, HONG KONG MEDIA TYCOON: I think it's a good idea anytime, any situation that you are in to fight for your freedom. Because without

freedom, you have nothing left.

LU STOUT (voice-over): Scores of people, many supporters of Lai, stood in line for a chance to witness the verdict. Some even sleeping overnight

outside the court building to secure a spot.

Security was tight, with police officers and vehicles out in force. The trial has attracted global scrutiny with the U.S. and other countries

demanding Jimmy Lai's release.

Weeks before he was arrested, Lai appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for help. An administration official told CNN that Trump raised Lai's case

with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their talks in South Korea earlier this year.

Chinese authorities have warned repeatedly against foreign interference. Hong Kong's government insists that Lai has been given a fair trial, and

Beijing is backing that.

GUO JIAKUN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN (through translator): The central government firmly supports the Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region in lawfully upholding national security and punishing criminal acts that endanger national security.

LU STOUT (voice-over): Jimmy Lai has been in prison for the last five years. His family concerned that incarceration is taking its toll.

The Hong Kong government says Lai has been getting regular medical checkups and is receiving, quote, suitable treatment and care. Lai left court in a

prison van. He now awaits sentencing.

Collusion with foreign forces is punishable by up to life in prison. At 78 years old, life for Jimmy Lai would most likely mean life.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:47:00]

FOSTER: A jury in Massachusetts has found Brian Walshe guilty of first degree murder. This is in the death of his wife, Ana. Before the trial

began, Walshe pleaded guilty to misleading police and illegally disposing of his wife's body. He now faces life in prison without the possibility of

parole.

Jean Casarez has been following this from New York.

And it's been very difficult for you, hasn't it? Because his story has been all over the place. It was very difficult to work out. And now, basically,

he's been found guilty of lying.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And there were over 200 pieces of evidence. You know, this was just a two-week trial, but it was packed with

so much evidence, so much testimony, so much information. And it took the jury six hours of deliberation, which is not much at all.

But Ana Walshe, the victim in all of this, she was a mother of three young children. She and Brian had three boys, two, four and six. And she was from

Serbia. And her family is in Serbia to this day. She came over to the United States all by herself and started an illustrious career in the

hospitality industry, which leads me to she had gotten a dream job in Washington, D.C. with Tishman Speyer. They are global real estate company,

and Brian Walshe was left in Massachusetts with the three babies, basically raising them on his own during the week.

But the jury found beyond a reasonable doubt that Brian Walshe caused his wife's death, intended to cause his wife's death, and did it with

deliberate premeditation. And what the prosecution, they don't have to prove motive, but they had motive here because they said, first of all,

that that his wife was having a pretty serious affair in Washington, D.C. and Brian Walshe, according to the prosecution, knew about it. And he

Googled that is a fact. The man that she was having the affair with, and that was premeditation for murder.

But also, he needed money. And there were life insurance policies that would make him a millionaire if suddenly his wife disappeared and never

found again, he would have gotten the money. But the defense was saying that Ana Walshe did die, but it was sudden, unexplained death. It was the

early morning hours of January 1st, 2023, after they had a wonderful New Year's Eve with a guest at their home.

But now the sentencing will be on Wednesday. We believe that her family in Serbia will be giving some victim impact statements to be read by the court

and also possibly the children that are still in state custody at this point. They will be impounded. They will not be read in court. We don't

believe, but the children may have a statement given to the judge on what their father did to their mother -- Max.

FOSTER: Wow. Our thoughts with them. Jean. Thank you.

CASAREZ: Thank you.

FOSTER: Still to come, his films have produced some of the most often quoted lines in movie history. We'll look at Rob Reiner's legacy after the

break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:52:35]

FOSTER: Before we go today, we want to take a look back at the remarkable life of Rob Reiner. He was a Hollywood icon with wild success in acting,

directing and as a political activist.

Here's CNN's Stephanie Elam.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROB REINER, AMERICAN FILM ACTOR AND DIRECTOR: I've often said, you know, no matter what happens to me, I'll always be, you know, I could win the

Nobel Prize. They'll say Meathead wins Nobel.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rob Reiner needn't have worried. Yes, he was known for playing Meathead on "All in the Family", but

his career had a remarkable second act as a successful and versatile film director.

From the mid-`80s to the early `90s, Reiner had a phenomenal run directing a diverse range of films. He practically invented the mockumentary with his

musical comedy, "This Is Spinal Tap".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you can see.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The numbers all go to a 11.

ELAM (voice-over): There was the Stephen King coming of age story, "Stand By Me", and the modern fairy tale, "The Princess Bride".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father prepared to die.

ELAM (voice-over): And the classic romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally", which had that famous line delivered by his mom, Estelle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll have what she's having.

ELAM (voice-over): Another Stephen King adaptation, "Misery" earned an Oscar for leading lady Kathy Bates.

While his military courtroom drama, "A Few Good Men" had this famous exchange between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want the truth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't handle the truth.

ELAM (voice-over): Rob, son of TV comedy pioneer Carl Reiner, found it a challenge to step out from his father's shadow.

REINER: Getting in the door is important but having staying power and being able to sustain a career, at least on the level of or exceed your

famous father and mother, is very, very difficult. I mean, you're under an enormous pressure and scrutiny.

ELAM (voice-over): He first earned fame in his own right as the liberal Mike Stivic on the groundbreaking 1970s TV sitcom, "All in the Family".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just don't like the idea of America fighting an illegal and immoral war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, if they don't like it, they can lump it.

ELAM (voice-over): Stivic's arguments with his conservative, bigoted father-in-law, Archie Bunker, were a hallmark of the show as they debated

politics, social and cultural issues through comedy.

The show earned Reiner two Emmy Awards.

CHRIS WALLACE, TV HOST: The subjects you took on and the way that you approached them, and we're talking the `70s, were unheard of in television

at the time.

[15:55:01]

REINER: Yeah, right.

WALLACE: How much resistance did you all get from CBS?

REINER: Tremendous resistance. At first, when the first, the show first came on, they had a huge disclaimer that preceded the show. It was

basically the show doesn't reflect the views of the network, blah, blah. Basically, it was saying, we don't know how the show got on.

ELAM (voice-over): Like his "All in the Family" character, Reiner was passionate about progressive candidates and causes. He supported Democratic

presidential candidates and was an advocate for free preschool education.

Reiner would occasionally step back in front of the camera for small roles in films like "Sleepless in Seattle".

REINER: Tiramisu?

TOM HANKS, ACTOR: What is tiramisu?

REINER: You'll find out.

ELAM (voice-over): Rob Reiner was a character in his own right with an enduring body of work that reflects his generation's humor and passion.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Rob Reiner.

Now, I'm Max Foster. That is WHAT WE KNOW. Do stay with CNN. We'll have more after the break.

END

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