The Sydney awards show, which was planned for December 17, now got cancelled after a terrible shooting that shocked the whole city.

The 2025 GQ Australia Men of the Year Awards were supposed to take place at the Overseas Passenger Terminal but organisers said that the event would not happen.

However, they sent their thoughts and best regards to the victims, their families and everyone affected by the tragedy.

The shooting also caused the cancellation of the Sydney premiere for Sam Worthington’s new movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash.

The red-carpet event was expected to feature the actor, director James Cameron and other stars but organisers said that it would not go ahead out of respect for the people who got hurt in the attack.

Police said in the matter that the two men, Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, opened fire near Bondi Pavilion.

They used powerful weapons and targeted people in the area. Moreover, 14 people died at the scene and two more died later in hospital, including one of the shooters.

42 others were taken to the hospital, including four children, as five people were in serious condition, including two police officers.

For the unversed, organisers have not yet announced new dates for the GQ Awards or the movie premiere yet.

Sydney is mourning the victims and trying to recover from the shocking events that shook the city.

Director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were found dead Sunday in their Los Angeles home, sources told CBS News, in what police called an apparent homicide.

Rob Reiner was 78 and Michele Singer Reiner was 68.

“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,” their family said in a statement obtained by Variety.  

Firefighters were called to a Brentwood home Sunday afternoon, where they found two bodies. Authorities did not immediately explain the circumstances surrounding their deaths. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that the Robbery Homicide Division responded to the home but did not provide further details on the investigation other than to say it was an “apparent homicide.”

In a news conference Sunday night, police would not confirm the identities of the deceased.

Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Allen Hamilton said the LAPD was “not seeking anyone as a suspect, or as a person of interest or in any other manner, and we will not be doing that until we conduct our investigation and move forward.” Hamilton also noted LAPD has not identified a suspect “at this time.”

“No one has been detained. … No one is being interviewed,” he said.

The Reiners’ careers and family history

The famed director is known for movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally…,” “A Few Good Men,” “Stand By Me” and “This is Spinal Tap.” A sequel, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” was released this fall. 

His wife was a photographer who took the photo of President Trump used on the cover of his book “The Art of the Deal,” according to Variety. 

The couple married in 1989 and had three children. Reiner was previously married to the late director Penny Marshall, and is the adoptive father of her daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.

The son of legendary comedian and actor Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner rose to fame playing Archie Bunker’s son-in-law, Michael Stivic, better known as “Meathead” on CBS’ “All in the Family.” Reiner won two Emmy Awards for the role. 

The family of Norman Lear, the legendary producer of “All in the Family” who died in 2023 at age 101, said Lear “often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary.” In a statement provided to The Associated Press, the Lear family said, “Norman would have wanted to remind us that Rob and Michele spent every breath trying to make this country a better place, and they pursued that through their art, their activism, their philanthropy, and their love for family and friends.”

In “When Harry Met Sally…,” Reiner famously featured a brief appearance from his mother, Estelle, who delivered the iconic line, “I’ll have what she’s having.” It was also during the filming of “When Harry Met Sally…” that Rob Reiner first met Michele. In a 2016 interview with AV Club, he said meeting her was what made him change the ending of the movie to have Harry and Sally end up together.

Hollywood, political leaders react

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement Sunday night: “This is a devastating loss for our city and our country. Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice. An acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist, he always used his gifts in service of others.”  

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that he and his partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, were “heartbroken by the tragic loss of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.”

“Rob was the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love, with projects as wide-ranging as ‘The Princess Bride’ to ‘A Few Good Men.’ His boundless empathy made his stories timeless, teaching generations how to see goodness and righteousness in others — and encouraging us to dream bigger,” Newsom said.

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement, “Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.”

Former House Speaker and current Rep. Nancy Pelosi called word of the Reiners’ deaths “devastating. It’s hard to think of anyone more remarkable and excellent in every field and endeavor they pursued. Rob was creative, funny, and beloved. And in all of their endeavors, Michele was his indispensable partner, intellectual resource, and loving wife.”

Actor Sean Astin, the newly elected president of the Screen Actors’ Guild, called Rob Reiner “one of those most significant figures in the history of film and television.” He said Reiner’s impact on American culture “simply can’t be overstated.”  

• Inflation drops to single-digit from 38% peak.
• Primary surpluses and reserves strengthen external buffers.
• Ratings agencies upgrade Pakistan’s outlook this year.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has that said Pakistan is shifting away from aid-based support towards trade and investment-led engagement, with a focus on deeper economic partnerships with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

In an interview with CNN Business Arabia, Aurangzeb said the strategic shift, which he said has been clearly articulated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reflects Pakistan’s renewed economic confidence and reform momentum, aimed at long-term economic sustainability.

He said Pakistan has remained on a comprehensive macroeconomic stabilisation programme over the past 18 months, delivering what he described as “tangible and measurable” results. Inflation, which he said had peaked at an unprecedented 38%, has declined to single-digit levels. 

Aurangzeb also pointed to primary surpluses, a current account deficit “well within” targeted limits, a stabilised exchange rate and foreign exchange reserves improving to around 2.5 months of import cover, which he said reflected strengthening external buffers.

The finance czar cited two external validations of Pakistan’s improving outlook. He said all three international credit rating agencies have upgraded Pakistan’s ratings and outlook this year, and that Pakistan has completed the second review under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF), with the IMF Executive Board granting its approval earlier this week, developments he said signalled growing international confidence in Pakistan’s economic management and reform trajectory.

The finance minister said macroeconomic stabilisation has been achieved through a coordinated approach combining disciplined monetary and fiscal policies with an ambitious structural reform agenda. He said reforms are being pursued across taxation, energy, state-owned enterprises, public financial management and privatisation to consolidate stability and lay the foundations for sustainable growth.

On taxation, the finance minister said Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio has improved from 8.8% at the start of the reform programme to 10.3% in the last fiscal year, with a clear path towards 11%. 

He said the government’s objective is to reach a level of tax collection that ensures fiscal sustainability over the medium to long term by widening the tax base and bringing previously undertaxed but economically significant sectors, including real estate, agriculture, and wholesale and retail trade, into the formal net.

He said the plan also includes deepening compliance by reducing leakages through production monitoring systems and AI-enabled technologies, alongside reforms in people, processes and technology to transform tax administration.

In the energy sector, Aurangzeb highlighted efforts to improve governance in distribution companies, bring in private-sector expertise, advance privatisation and reduce circular debt, which he said has long constrained the power sector. He said rationalising the tariff regime is essential to make energy more competitive for industry, supporting industrial revival and economic growth.

The senator acknowledged the longstanding support of GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, noting their role in supporting Pakistan through financing, funding and cooperation at international financial institutions such as the IMF. He said the relationship is now evolving towards a new phase centred on trade expansion and investment flows.

He said remittances continue to play a vital role in supporting the current account, with inflows reaching about $38 billion last year and projected to rise to $41–42 billion this year, with more than half originating from GCC countries.

Looking ahead, Aurangzeb said Pakistan is engaging GCC partners to attract investment in priority sectors including energy, oil and gas, minerals and mining, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. He also expressed optimism about progress on a Free Trade Agreement with the GCC, saying discussions are at an advanced stage.

Reiterating the government’s direction, the finance minister said Pakistan’s future lies in fostering trade and investment partnerships rather than reliance on aid, arguing that foreign direct investment into productive sectors would support higher GDP growth, generate employment and deliver shared economic benefits for Pakistan and its partners. 

He said the government is fully mobilised to translate the vision into reality.