Nick Reiner, son of the late famed movie director Rob Reiner, has been formally indicted in relation to the murder of his father and mother Michele. 

A Los Angeles County grand jury indicted the 32-year-old on murder charges in relation to the stabbing killings of his parents inside their LA home last December.

The indictment was returned on July 20 and unsealed on Wednesday, when Reiner entered a not guilty plea.

Reiner was arrested hours after their bodies were found inside their $13.5 million Brentwood home having been stabbed to death. 

He is facing two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait.

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced the charges, alongside another allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon when he allegedly killed the ‘This is Spinal Tap’ director, 78, and his mother, 70.

Reiner remains held on no bond and is next set to appear in court for a pretrial hearing in September. 

Nick, who has a long history of mental health and substance abuse issues, had earlier been seen having a loud argument with his father at a holiday party thrown by Conan O’Brien hours before his parents’ bodies were found, reportedly by his younger sister Romy.

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced the charges, alongside another allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon when he allegedly killed the ‘This is Spinal Tap’ director, 78, and his mother, 70

Nathan Hochman, the LA County District Attorney, has said that the death penalty is on the table for Reiner if he is convicted.

He previously said: ‘This case is a death penalty eligible case. Along those lines, we take the process in which we determine whether or not the death penalty should be sought extremely seriously. That goes through a very rigorous process.

‘We will be looking at all mitigating and aggravating circumstances, and we have invited defense counsel to present to us both in writing and in a pleading any arguments they would like to make in consideration going forward or not going forward with the death penalty. So that is an ongoing process.’

In a heart-wrenching essay in April, Nick’s older brother Jake shared his horror at finding out that his beloved parents, who were married for 36 years, had been murdered and that his younger brother Nick was charged with their slayings.

He described how his sister Romy, 28, gave him the terrible news, which he said was ‘too devastating to comprehend.’

‘The only thing I could focus on was that I needed to get to my childhood home. I needed to get to my sister. I needed to figure out what the hell just happened,’ he recounted.

‘I was robbed of so many things that day,’ Jake, 34, continued. ‘My parents won’t be at my wedding, they won’t get to hold their future grandchild, and they won’t get to see me have the successful career I’m still seeking. It simultaneously breaks my heart and enrages me.’

As he was still reeling from the news of his parents’ deaths, Jake said he was horrified to then learn that his brother Nick was the alleged murderer.

Rob Reiner (second from left) and his wife Michele Singer Reiner (left) are pictured in April 2014 with their kids Jake, Romy and Nick 

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Nick  had earlier been seen having a loud argument with his father at a holiday party thrown by Conan O’Brien hours before his parents’ bodies were found, reportedly by his sister

‘We lost more than half of our family that night in the most violent way imaginable,’ he wrote.

‘Sure, any loss of a parent is devastating, but nothing compares to losing both of them at the same time and, on top of that, having your brother be at the center of it. It’s almost too impossible to process.’

‘Every day since then has been horrendous,’ he continued. ‘Every meeting we take, every person we talk to, every tear we shed, every movement we make is connected to our parents being murdered.’

‘When you are not living through a tragedy the specific way Romy and I are, it’s hard to wrap your head around just how horrific this has been,’ Jake explained.

‘Because they weren’t your parents, it might be easier to move forward or even forget for a moment about what happened that day,’ he wrote. ‘But for us, it’s every single day.’

Jake also paid touching tributes to his parents, saying that they were ‘the center of my life.’

While his famous father was a Hollywood legend, Jake described his mother, Michele, as ‘the engine, the backbone, and the heart of our entire family.’

Remarkable images have revealed the incredible moment that the sun is blocked by the moon in this evening’s solar eclipse.

In the UK, first contact – the moment the moon’s shadow first appears on the sun – occurred at 18.08 in Scotland, with the last glimpse ending just after 20.00.

Spectators in Europe had to wait a little longer for the moon’s orbit to cover the sun, although large parts of northern and central Spain, a section of Portugal and areas in Greenland and Iceland experienced the rare total eclipse.

In the UK however, it will have reached its peak of 96 per cent after about an hour of its first glimpse, although the specific moment of peak coverage will depend on where a viewer is in the UK.

At the eclipse’s peak, the country descended into relative darkness and the temperature dropped, with many viewers taking in the rare spectacle at popular lookout points.

If you missed this eclipse, the next chance to see such a significant natural phenomenon won’t come to the UK until 2050, and you’ll have to wait until 2090 for the next totality.

Meanwhile, take in the extraordinary moment from this evening with a selection of the most striking pictures…

A view of the total eclipse, as the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, as seen from on board the Ambassador cruise ship Ambition, off the coast of Greenland

A view of the Solar Eclipse at 93 per cent in Blackwood, Wales – the next full solar eclipse in the UK is not expected for another 66 years

The Eiffel Tower is silhouetted as the moon partially covers the sun during a solar eclipse, as seen from Paris, France

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A composite image of seven separate photographs taken with a single fixed camera shows stages of a solar eclipse before, during and after totality, as seen from Arija, Spain

The Moon passes in between the Earth and the Sun 7.13pm, during the solar eclipse as seen from King’s Stairs Gardens in Bermondsey, south London

The International Space Station, with a crew of seven onboard, is seen in silhouette as it transits at roughly five miles per second across the backdrop of the sun being partially blocked by the moon and some clouds

The partial solar eclipse in Katowice, southern Poland

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People observe a partial solar eclipse at Northala Fields in London

People watch the solar eclipse during the European Athletics Championships Birmingham 2026

People view a partial solar eclipse beside St Michaels Tower on Glastonbury Tor, in Glastonbury

A partial solar eclipse is seen above Wetstraat / Rue de la Loi from the EU district in Brussels, Belgium

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A plane flies during a partial solar eclipse in Prague, Czech Republic

People watching the solar eclipse at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, London

A family gathers on the moor to watch the solar Eclipse through home made welding glasses in Blackwood, Wales

Passengers on board the Ambassador cruise ship Ambition watching the start of the total solar eclipse off the coast of Greenland

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Meanwhile, holidaymakers test their protective glasses ahead of a solar eclipse, at El Arenal beach in Mallorca

People gathering to watch the solar eclipse on Calton Hill, Edinburgh, the first total solar eclipse visible over mainland Europe since 1999

Hundreds of residents and tourists pack the steep, grassy slopes of the historic Krakus Mound  during the late afternoon to watch a solar eclipse in Krakow, Poland

After 18 seasons in the NBA, former UCLA standout Russell Westbrook officially retired on Wednesday. The 37-year-old guard, who suited up for both Los Angeles franchises during his career, shared the announcement in a video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan.

Originally from Long Beach, he spent two years playing college basketball at UCLA before the Seattle SuperSonics selected him fourth overall in the 2008 NBA draft. Prior to his rookie campaign, the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and was rebranded as the Thunder.

Westbrook spent his first 11 years in Oklahoma City, establishing himself among the premier guards in the league. During the 2016-17 campaign, he earned Most Valuable Player honors after becoming only the second player in league history to average a triple-double across an entire season—a feat he ultimately accomplished four times.

A nine-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA selection, Westbrook claimed two scoring titles and led the league in assists on three occasions. Following his tenure in Oklahoma City, he played for the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards before being traded to the Lakers in 2021.

His time with the Lakers spanned under two seasons before a trade sent him to the Utah Jazz in February 2023. After agreeing to a contract buyout, he joined the Clippers, where he remained through the 2023-24 season. He subsequently moved to the Denver Nuggets before finishing his career with the Sacramento Kings during the 2025-26 season.

In his final year with Sacramento, Westbrook appeared in 64 games, including 58 starts, posting averages of 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per contest. Over his 18-year career, he accumulated totals of 27,176 points, 10,351 assists, and 9,025 rebounds.

He steps away as the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209. He also finished fifth on the league’s career assists list and became the first guard in NBA history to gather more than 9,000 rebounds. Joining LeBron James, he is one of only two players ever to record at least 25,000 points and 10,000 assists. While Westbrook never won an NBA championship, he was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and earned a gold medal representing the United States at the 2012 London Olympics.

The One Show has been bringing the nation together each weeknight for the past 20 years.

The beloved BBC show is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.

For two decades, The One Show has seen countless celebrities appear on the infamous green sofa from the likes of Tom Hanks, Cher, Kate Winslet and Tom Jones.

However, viewers have also seen a plethora of famous faces front the programme since it first aired back in 2006, including the first two presenters it ever had.

Initially, it was commissioned for a four-week trial run, with Adrian Chiles and Nadia Sawalha hosting the first episodes.

On X, someone unearthed the opening scene of the very first episode as Adrian welcomed viewers. In the introduction, he said: “Welcome to the very first One Show, live from the heart of the UK.

“Every day for the next four weeks, we’ll be telling all manner of stories. Good ones, funny ones, happy ones, sad ones, about all sorts of people all over the country.”

Nadia added: “I promise you that by the time we’re done, there won’t be a nook or cranny of this spectre dial we haven’t had a poke around in.”

They captioned the post: “I never knew Nadia Sawalha hosted the first year of The One Show?!! I wonder if she’ll be back for its 20th anniversary?”

People were quick to comment on the post, with many in disbelief over seeing the Loose Women star fronting the BBC series all those years ago.

One person said: “Was a pilot series, then Myleene Klass replaced Nadia when it went full-time, then Christine Bleakley came in. Wonder if Chris Evans, Jason Manford or Jermaine Jenas will make an appearance.”

Someone else added: “God, it feels like Alex Jones has been there foreeeeeeeeever.” As another shared: “She did the four-week pilot, before it became ‘always on’ the following year. I’m sure she was replaced by Mylene for a few weeks and then Christine.”

Nadia presented the show for its four-week run before she was replaced by Myleene Klass and later Christine Lampard before Alex Jones took over and has remained a staple on the programme for 16 years.

Speaking about being a long-running staple on the show, Alex commented: “I can’t believe it. Ultimately, it’s not about us who host it. The show itself is an institution, and it’s really found a way into people’s hearts. Especially since the pandemic I think, it’s become part of Britain’s daily routine.

“People switch on at 7pm and they know that they will get really good guests but also there’s always interesting VTs or we’re out around the UK celebrating individuals who’ve done something amazing in their community. It’s impossible to turn The One Show on and say I hate everything. I just don’t believe that you can.”

The One Show is available to watch weekdays on BBC One from 7pm

Darlington Borough Council has published a draft Cultural Strategy for 2026 to 2030, setting out how culture could improve residents’ lives while supporting tourism, investment and economic growth.

Its proposed vision is for Darlington to be a place where, by 2030, “culture enriches lives, involves people and is central to identity and prosperity”.

The strategy identifies five priorities for the next four years, including celebrating Darlington’s contribution to the birth of the modern passenger railway, developing a more accessible and diverse cultural offer, and encouraging children and young people to engage with culture.

Council officials also want culture to thrive across the borough and attract more visitors to the town centre, while developing a thriving theatre offering that involves people of all ages.

A council report said the strategy was “extremely important” and that a strong cultural offer could provide both “economic and social benefits” to Darlington.

“Culture should be viewed not only as the commissioning of arts and events but also as a way of building on the area’s heritage, creating a shared identity, supporting tourism and creative industries, improving quality of life and encouraging community engagement,” it added. 

Building on railway heritage

Darlington has several historic buildings and cultural attractions which the council says provide a strong foundation for the strategy.

The Grade II-listed Darlington Library reopened in September 2023 following a multi-million-pound restoration. Forum Music Studios has also secured capital investment from Arts Council England to upgrade its facilities and improve accessibility and sustainability.

Hopetown Darlington opened in July 2024, featuring new attractions and restored heritage railway buildings celebrating the town’s role in railway history.

The strategy follows the S&DR200 year-long international festival, which marked the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The new strategy aims to build on that increased profile through further programmes at Hopetown and other railway heritage attractions.

Focus on children and young people

Encouraging children and young people to participate in culture is another central part of the proposed strategy.

Going forward, the council will work to decide where resources should be focused to benefit residents, visitors and potential investors, while supporting the development of Darlington’s cultural sector.

The strategy is intended to support the council’s wider ambition for Darlington to be one of the best places to live, learn, work and invest in the UK. It said culture could contribute to a “strong and sustainable economy” while helping create healthy communities and opportunities for all.

Tomasz Schafernaker, Louise Lear and Darren Bett are understood to be considering voluntary redundancy as the BBC prepares to cut £80 million from its budget over the next two years.

Louise has been a regular on the show for nearly 30 years, while Tomasz joined the BBC back in 2000.

Darren has also had a lengthy run at the broadcaster as one of the original members at BBC News 24 in 1997.

The potential departures come as part of wider changes announced by new director general Matt Brittin, with the cuts contributing to some of the 2,000 job losses expected to come over the next three years.

An insider told The Times: “It’s the end of an era for our weather presenting.

“The audience wants a bit of digital and TV – including a good old fashioned forecast.”

The source suggested the traditional weather bulletin is becoming “less relevant,” with a growing focus on digital formats.

What other changes are the BBC planning for its weather coverage?

Last week, bosses revealed they were planning to shake up the local weather presenters, with insiders saying roles were being cut from 11 to around four.

The BBC have said that “across the wider Weather team the proposals would result in a net reduction of three posts in all.”

The broadcaster aims to increase digital output across its app, website, and social channels to reflect changing audience habits.

A new BBC weather centre is also planned at the Met Office headquarters in Exeter.

Mr Brittin told staff that the savings would result in programme cancellations and job losses.

In news and nations divisions alone, around 550 positions are set to be cut, generating £160 million in savings.

A further 700 roles will be lost from the BBC’s corporate departments.

Newsquest has contacted the BBC for comment.

Would you be sad to see the BBC’s veteran weather presenters leave? Let us know in the comments.

Breaking news guys, the sales of colanders are UP.

John Lewis said colander sales have increased nearly 40% compared to last year, as Nasa recommends the kitchen item as a way to watch the eclipse by viewing the shadows it casts on the ground.

A spokesperson said: “Colander sales have surged nearly 40% compared to last year, as shoppers prepare for tonight’s eclipse. We’ve still got plenty of stock for anyone wanting to view this solar phenomenon safely, and, unlike eclipse glasses, you can use it to strain your spaghetti for dinner afterwards.”

I do love that there’s potentially people out there who have never owned a colander before but decided the eclipse markes the perfect occasion to invest. Think of all the pasta you can drain now!

By HARRY BAMFORTH, LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE REPORTER

Updated: 19:58 BST, 12 August 2026

England and Wales have seen as many wildfires in 2026 so far as there were in the whole of last year, new figures have revealed, as the Prime Minister is set to convene an emergency meeting about the extreme weather facing the country.

Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), the same as last year’s record-breaking total.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the New Forest fire is a “great concern”.

“There is obviously a significant problem of wildfires in the South,” he said.

Burnham confirmed that he is considering a ban on disposable BBQs after the wildfire prompted further warnings about using them in high risk areas.

HIWFRS said: “It only takes one careless action to start a wildfire.

“A single discarded cigarette, campfire or barbecue can rapidly escalate into a serious wildfire, causing widespread damage to wildlife and the countryside, endangering firefighters and putting additional pressure on already stretched emergency resources.”

People are advised to take home litter, avoid smoking and using barbecues, and not to light campfires or bonfires.

The fire service also warned drivers not to park on dry grass as the underside of vehicles can reach over 400C.

The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have announced a huge change to the rules ahead of the 2027 competition.

The annual music competition is set to return in May, with Bulgaria as hosts after singer Dara was crowned the winner of this year’s event with her song Bangaranga.

But it’s now been announced that new rules will mean that the ‘winning broadcaster will automatically be ineligible to host’ the competition if their state is involved in an ‘armed conflict’ or ‘sensitive geopolitical situation’.

The changes were made after a review by Eurovision bosses. The rules around hosting were first called into question in 2022, when the United Kingdom stepped in to host on behalf of winners Ukraine, due to their conflict with Russia.

Israel’s involvement in the contest has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, with Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia all boycotting the contest this year.

This year, Israel’s contestant Noam Bettan was heavily booed by the audience in Austria during his performances in the semi-finals and the final.

Outside the venue, Vienna became a focal point for large-scale demonstrations, with more than 1,000 musicians and cultural figures signing open letters urging organisers to bar Israel from the contest altogether.

Security was significantly tightened ahead of the final following days of unrest in the Austrian capital.

Despite the mounting pressure, Eurovision chiefs stood firm, defending Israel’s inclusion and maintaining that the competition must remain ‘neutral’.

While Israel briefly led during the voting drama, the combined jury scores ultimately saw them slip into second place.

Scenes of jubilation erupted among the Bulgarian delegation as they won and confetti poured from the ceiling, marking a landmark moment in the nation’s Eurovision history.

Across the Austrian capital, pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets waving Palestinian flags and holding signs saying ‘don’t mention Palestine’ and ‘united by genocide’ ahead of the final.

One protester, Viktoria Eibensteiner said: ‘I think it’s very important to show a symbol of Austria being against war crimes, about not offering a stage for Israeli crimes in Palestine, in Lebanon, wherever.

‘We want to take a stance against genocide, against war crimes, and that’s why we’re here today, it’s a celebration that serves to counteract the Eurovision Song Contest and the normalisation of war crimes.’

Israel’s involvement in the contest has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, with many countries boycotting the contest this year. Pictured: Israel’s 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael

Jamil Sawalmeh, the Country Director for ActionAid Palestine, said: ‘Justice cannot be a song Europe sings for some and silences for others.

‘As Eurovision takes centre stage across Europe today, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues, with Palestinians facing bombardment, forced displacement and deepening suffering, while the Israeli Government steps up its assault on Palestinian life and rights in the West Bank.’

The boycotts were a financial blow to Eurovision, which is funded largely by participating broadcasters, and to public broadcasters at a time when many are under financial pressure from government funding cuts and competition from social media.

Long a forum for good-natured and sometimes more pointed national rivalries, Eurovision has found it hard to separate pop and politics in recent years.

Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Tensions rose again after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people, and Israel’s subsequent campaign in Gaza that has left more than 70,000 people dead.

The last two Eurovision contests have seen pro-Palestinian protests both outside the venues and inside, forcing organisers to clamp down on political flag-waving.

Several performers and countries have called for the exclusion of Israel, which has competed in Eurovision since 1973, one of a few non-European countries to do so.

The 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden, and last year’s event in Basel, Switzerland, saw pro-Palestinian protests that called for Israel to be expelled over the conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza and allegations it ran a rule-breaking marketing campaign to get votes for its contestant after Israel finished second last year.

When organisers declined to kick Israel out, five countries announced in December that they would not participate this year.

The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, has toughened voting rules in response to the vote-rigging allegations, halving the number of votes per person to 10 and tightening safeguards against ‘suspicious or coordinated voting activity’.