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Revitalize Your Walking Endurance Post-60 with These 5 Effective Chair Exercises, Outpacing Traditional Treadmill Workouts

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Revitalize Your Walking Endurance Post-60 with These 5 Effective Chair Exercises, Outpacing Traditional Treadmill Workouts

For individuals over 60 looking to enhance walking endurance, the decline is often less about age itself and more about the reduced efficiency of muscle coordination. While many opt for treadmills due to their repetitive nature, they might not always be the best solution for regaining the strength and coordination essential for prolonged walks. As a trainer with years of experience guiding clients through this stage, I’ve observed that the most rapid improvements stem from specific exercises aimed at fortifying the legs and reinforcing controlled, repeatable movement patterns.

Chair exercises emerge as an ideal foundation for this purpose. They offer a low-impact, supportive environment that boosts confidence and prioritizes muscle engagement without the concerns of balance or fatigue from extended standing. With the body supported, movements become more controlled, gradually leading to stronger and more efficient motion.

Consistency is another crucial element in this process. Engaging in short, daily sessions that target the legs and core tends to be more effective than sporadic, lengthy workouts. Regularly stimulating these muscle groups encourages them to better support walking strides, thereby improving endurance.

Chair exercises provide the perfect starting point. They reduce impact, improve confidence, and allow you to focus on muscle engagement without worrying about balance or fatigue from standing too long. When the body feels supported, you can move with better control, and that control leads to stronger, more efficient movement over time.

Another key factor involves consistency. Short, daily sessions that activate the legs and core outperform longer, occasional workouts. When those muscles receive regular stimulation, they begin to support your walking stride more effectively, which leads to better endurance.

The following exercises target the muscles used in walking: quads, hips, calves, and core. While also improving coordination and control. Sit tall, move steadily, and focus on smooth, consistent movement.

Seated March With Hold

This movement closely mimics the mechanics of walking while keeping the body supported. I use it often because it trains the hip flexors and upper legs to lift and control each step without relying on momentum. That control becomes essential for improving walking endurance.

Lifting one knee at a time forces the core and legs to work together. Holding briefly at the top increases time under tension and strengthens the muscles responsible for lifting the leg during each step. Over time, this translates directly into a smoother, more efficient walking pattern.

How to Do It

  • Sit tall with feet flat
  • Lift one knee toward your chest
  • Hold for 2–3 seconds
  • Lower slowly
  • Alternate legs continuously

Seated Leg Extensions With Tempo

This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, which play a major role in supporting each step you take. I include it frequently because stronger quads help reduce fatigue and improve stability during longer walks.

Extending the leg and lowering it slowly keeps the muscle under tension throughout the movement. That controlled effort builds endurance and strength at the same time. Over time, this helps the legs handle longer periods of walking without tiring as quickly.

How to Do It

  • Sit upright with feet flat
  • Extend one leg forward
  • Lower slowly over 3–4 seconds
  • Keep your core tight
  • Alternate legs.

Seated Heel Raises

The calves play a crucial role in pushing the body forward during walking. I’ve seen many clients struggle with endurance simply because their calves fatigue too quickly. That’s why this exercise remains a staple, it rebuilds that push-off strength.

Raising your heels while seated allows you to focus entirely on the contraction. Holding briefly at the top increases intensity, while lowering slowly keeps the muscles engaged. Over time, this improves walking efficiency and reduces fatigue.

How to Do It

  • Sit tall with feet flat
  • Lift your heels off the ground
  • Hold briefly at the top
  • Lower slowly
  • Repeat steadily.

Seated Knee Extensions With Hold and Flex

This variation increases intensity by adding a hold and muscle contraction at the top. I use it because it strengthens the legs while improving muscle control, both key factors in walking endurance.

Extending the leg and tightening the thigh at the top forces the muscle to stay fully engaged. That sustained contraction builds endurance and improves the muscle’s ability to handle repeated effort. Over time, this leads to stronger, more reliable movement.

How to Do It

  • Sit upright with feet flat
  • Extend one leg forward
  • Tighten the thigh at the top
  • Hold for 2–3 seconds
  • Lower slowly and alternate.

Seated Toe Taps

This final movement improves coordination and rhythm, both of which play a major role in walking efficiency. I often finish routines with this exercise because it ties together strength and timing.

Tapping your toes in an alternating pattern keeps the legs moving continuously. This builds endurance while reinforcing a steady pace. Over time, this helps improve walking rhythm and reduces fatigue during longer periods of movement.

How to Do It

  • Sit tall with heels on the ground
  • Lift one toe at a time
  • Alternate quickly but with control
  • Keep your core engaged
  • Continue steadily.

Starmer’s Security Vetting Controversy: Unveiling the Overruled Decision for US Ambassador Role

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Starmer’s Security Vetting Controversy: Unveiling the Overruled Decision for US Ambassador Role

Keir Starmer is currently navigating a new controversy involving Peter Mandelson, amid reports that the peer did not initially pass security vetting for his role as the US ambassador.

Mandelson, a key figure in New Labour’s development, reportedly faced a setback in January 2025 when he was initially denied developed vetting clearance, just weeks following the Prime Minister’s formal announcement of his appointment.

As reported by the Guardian, the Foreign Office intervened by invoking a seldom-used authority to override the security officials’ recommendation.

Despite Parliament’s demand for the government to disclose documents related to the vetting process, the information regarding Mandelson’s initial clearance denial had not been previously made public.

Starmer has previously stated that Mandelson underwent ‘security vetting, carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role.’

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: ‘Last September, Keir Starmer told Parliament three times that ”full due process” was followed over the appointment of Lord Mandelson. 

‘We now know the Prime Minister misled the House. The Prime Minister must take responsibility.’ 

Mandelson is said to have been initially denied clearance in January 2025 - weeks after the PM had officially announced his appointment

Mandelson is said to have been initially denied clearance in January 2025 – weeks after the PM had officially announced his appointment 

Keir Starmer is facing a fresh Mandelson storm today amid claims the peer failed security vetting before becoming US ambassador

Keir Starmer is facing a fresh Mandelson storm today amid claims the peer failed security vetting before becoming US ambassador

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir 'misled the House' over Mandelson's vetting process

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir ‘misled the House’ over Mandelson’s vetting process

A three-page 'due diligence' report supplied to Sir Keir on December 11, 2024 flagged the ties between Mandelson and Epstein

A three-page ‘due diligence’ report supplied to Sir Keir on December 11, 2024 flagged the ties between Mandelson and Epstein

The claims risk reviving the furore that already came close to exploding Sir Keir’s premiership in February.

Labour MPs have been up in arms that Mandelson was given the key job despite long-standing ties to Epstein.

The Guardian cited multiple sources for the claim, and it is not known whether the PM was aware his pick for ambassador had not been approved by the UKSV agency. 

It is also not clear who in the Foreign Office made the apparent decision to overrule UKSV, or whether Mandelson himself knew of the issue. 

Olly Robbins is believed to have been the permanent secretary at the time, while Deputy PM David Lammy was Foreign Secretary. 

In another potentially incendiary claim, the Guardian said senior Government officials have been considering whether to withhold documents about the refusal from Parliament. 

Labour MPs rebelled to insist on the publication of a huge range of material about the process, and the cross-party Intelligence and Security Committee is meant to be having the final say on what is too sensitive for publication. 

At an event in East Sussex on February 5, Sir Keir said: ‘There was a due diligence exercise that culminated in questions being asked because I wanted to know the answer to certain issues.

‘That’s why those questions were asked. The answer to those questions were not truthful.

‘There was then, I should add, security vetting carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role, and you have to go through that before you take up the post.

‘Clearly, both the due diligence and the security vetting need to be looked at again.

‘I’ve already strengthened the due process. I think we need to look at the security vetting because it now transpires that what was being said was not true. And had I known then, what I know now, I’d never have appointed him in the first place.’

On September 16 last year, Yvette Cooper – by then Foreign Secretary – and Sir Olly wrote to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in response to questions about the vetting.

‘Peter Mandelson’s security vetting was conducted to the usual standard set for developed vetting in line with established Cabinet Office policy,’ the letter said.

However, it did not mention that UKSV had initially refused clearance. 

It previously emerged that Sir Keir did not speak to Mandelson personally before appointing him as US ambassador.

The PM is said to have left his aides to ask questions about his ties to Epstein.

That was despite being presented with evidence that their friendship had continued after the financier was jailed.

National security adviser Jonathan Powell also expressed misgivings during the process.

However, Sir Keir went ahead, after apparently agreeing with chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on three questions that Mandelson needed to be asked.

Mr McSweeney resigned in February saying he took full responsibility for the appointment going ahead. 

Mandelson was arrested on February 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, having been accused of passing sensitive information to Epstein during his time as business secretary under Gordon Brown.

He was subsequently bailed, but later handed his passport back and freed under investigation. He has denied any criminal wrongdoing or acting for personal gain.

A toxic timeline

1999 The year that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor said he first met Jeffrey Epstein, introduced by Ghislaine Maxwell. He visited Epstein’s private island in February.

2002 An article in New York Magazine said Lord Mandelson attended a party at Epstein’s Manhattan home alongside Donald Trump. First emails in the Epstein files between Mandelson and Epstein begin, when he wrote a memo encouraging Tony Blair to meet Epstein.

2003 Mandelson wrote a message to Epstein describing him as his ‘best pal’. Bank statements appear to show that from 2003 to 2004 Epstein paid £54,750 into accounts of which Mandelson was believed to be a beneficiary.

2006 As police in Florida suggest Epstein should be charged with four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, Lord Mandelson tells him: ‘I am here whenever you need.’

2008 Epstein is sentenced to 18 months in prison. Mandelson urges him in an email to ‘fight for early release’.

2009 Mandelson stays at Epstein’s Manhattan apartment while the paedophile is in jail, an internal report by JP Morgan bank suggests.

Epstein is released in July. Two months later, he sent Mandelson’s now husband Reinaldo Avila da Silva £10,000. On June 13 the files suggest Mandelson leaked Epstein a sensitive No10 document proposing £20billion of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans.

2010 Files suggest Mandelson forwarded minutes of a meeting between chancellor Alistair Darling and US treasury secretary Larry Summers five minutes after he received them. On May 9, he appears to give Epstein notice of a €500billion euro bailout by the EU.

2013 The last known time that Mandelson visited Epstein at his New York mansion.

2016 Documents show Mandelson remained in contact with Epstein until at least 2016.

2019 Epstein, arrested on sex trafficking charges, is found dead in his cell. In November, Andrew gives his Newsnight interview.

2022 Maxwell is jailed for 20 years in February after being convicted for her role in helping to lure and groom underage girls for Epstein to abuse.

December 2024 Keir Starmer announces he is appointing Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States. 

February 2025: Mandelson takes up his post as the UK’s envoy in Washington.

September 2025: Mandelson is sacked from the job as Sir Keir accuses him of not being up-front about his links to Epstein. 

2026 – Mandelson is arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has denied wrongdoing. It comes after he resigned from the House of Lords and was booted out of the Privy Council. 

New Study Reveals Vaping Poses Cancer Risk, But Less Than Smoking

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New Study Reveals Vaping Poses Cancer Risk, But Less Than Smoking

Researchers have found that vaping can contribute to the development of cancer, though it still poses less risk than smoking traditional cigarettes.

In the UK, over 5.5 million people currently use e-cigarettes, which have been widely regarded as a safer option compared to smoking. These devices have been promoted by health authorities as part of efforts to reduce smoking rates.

In a notable move in 2023, the Conservative government announced plans to distribute vapes to more than one million citizens as part of their anti-smoking initiatives.

However, emerging research indicates that these colorful and often sweetly flavored vapes may not be as harmless as initially believed. The potential health risks associated with vaping are becoming a growing concern.

But a growing body of research suggests vapes – in all their brightly coloured and sweetly flavoured varieties – may not be as risk-free as once thought. 

The latest review from researchers at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand found that vaping may raise the risk of a range of cancers, including of the nose and lung.

Analysing chemicals produced when vape liquid is heated, as well as their effect on the body, the team found that ‘vaping presents an unquantifiable cancer risk’.

As cancers can take 15 years or more to develop after exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, however, they added that it could take ‘many years’ to determine just how large that risk is.

Vaping is likely to cause cancer but not as much as cigarettes, researchers have claimed

Vaping is likely to cause cancer but not as much as cigarettes, researchers have claimed

While vapes do not contain tar, carbon monoxide or many of the other potentially hazardous chemicals found in cigarettes, studies have found low levels of toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde, which has been linked to cancer, as well as small metal particles, in the devices.

Studies have also shown that people who vape are more likely than non-vapers to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD – a chronic lung condition that which can trigger organ failure. 

Vaping is still safer than smoking cigarettes, and can be an effective tool for giving up smoking, concluded the authors of the recent paper, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal. 

However, they added, it’s ‘difficult to identify any benefit of vaping for its own sake’.

Ian Shaw, a professor in physical and chemical sciences at the University of Canterbury and the study’s lead author, said: ‘Vaping for its own sake adds to life’s cancer risks and is therefore unacceptable’.

He added: ‘It will take many years to collect clinical data to determine whether vaping causes cancer because it takes at least 15-years for cancers to develop after exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

‘In our paper, we used knowledge of the chemistry of the vaping process to determine the chemical composition of ‘vape smoke’ and then assessed the carcinogenic risk of each of the ‘vape smoke’ chemicals from published animal and other toxicity studies. 

‘From this, we predicted the cancer risk to vapers based on the published levels of these chemicals in ‘vape smoke’ and concluded that vaping presents a cancer risk.

‘However, it is likely that the vaping cancer risk is lower than the cigarette smoking cancer risk. 

‘Therefore, using vaping for smoking cessation is acceptable because this will lower the overall cancer risk, but vaping for its own sake adds to life’s cancer risks and is therefore unacceptable.’

Around 5.4 million Britons aged over 16 are believed to currently vape – more than the number who now smoke cigarettes. 

The NHS say vaping is ‘less harmful’ than smoking and is ‘also one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking’.

However, they add: ‘Vaping is not completely harmless and we don’t know yet what the long-term effects may be.’

The study compared levels of harmful chemicals inhaled from cigarette smoke and vapes.

It found cigarettes usually produce much higher amounts of acrolein – a toxic irritant linked to lung and heart damage – and acetaldehyde, a chemical associated with cancer risk, meaning smokers are exposed to larger doses of these substances. 

Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing chemical, was found at similar levels between cigarettes and vaping, while propionaldehyde was also found at similar levels.

Overall, the findings suggest vaping may expose users to lower levels of some toxic chemicals than smoking, but it does not remove exposure completely.

Experts commenting on the findings said the research was important in highlighting that vaping is not risk-free.

Andrew Waa, co-director of ASPIRE Aotearoa tobacco control research centre at the University of Otago, said: ‘For people who smoke, vapes may help them to quit their nicotine addiction completely or at least switch to vapes. 

‘However, simply because vapes are available, a proportion of those who ‘switch’ might have otherwise quit their addiction. In this case they may be exposed to more harm.’

George Laking, assicuate professor at Te Aka Mātauranga Matepukupu Centre for Cancer Research, University of Auckland, called the report was ‘refreshing’.

He added: ‘The main problem with vaping nicotine in my view is that it is addictive and this in turn is allowed to be profitable. I worry that physical hazards of vaping can be a distraction from the underlying cycle of addiction and profit. 

‘Any work that puts hazards of vaping into context will raise the level of the public conversation.

‘I became interested in vaping because of my work as an oncologist for lung cancer, that remains overwhelmingly caused by smoking cigarettes, that are still many times more dangerous than vaping.’

The new research comes just weeks after researchers in Sydney, Australia, found that vaping was linked to mouth and lung cancer.

After analysing the available literature into the potential harms of vaping that were published between 2017 and 2025, they concluded that vaping is not risk free.

The most concerning studies, they noted, are the ones that show that vaping can cause changes to a user’s DNA, increasing the risk of cell malfunction linked to cancer. 

They said vapes cause tissue damage to the respiratory tract, which has been linked to the development of lung cancer, and it also causes changes to the oral microbiome. This drives inflammation and increases the risk of oral cancer.

The risks, they found, are highest for those who smoke both traditional cigarettes and use vapes, approximately half of the smoking population; the toxic combination increases their risk of lung cancer four-fold.

Tragic End: Former Virginia Lt. Governor Involved in Heartbreaking Murder-Suicide in Annandale

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Tragic End: Former Virginia Lt. Governor Involved in Heartbreaking Murder-Suicide in Annandale

In a tragic turn of events in Fairfax County, Virginia, authorities believe that a former Lieutenant Governor of the state, Justin Fairfax, shot and killed his wife, Cerina Fairfax, on Thursday morning. The grim discovery unfolded after one of their teenage children reportedly made a distress call to 911, according to police reports.

Brian Pontarelli Takes Legal Action Against Alleged Affair Partner

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Brian Pontarelli Takes Legal Action Against Alleged Affair Partner

Rulla Pontarelli‘s spouse, Brian Pontarelli, initiated legal action against his purported lover, Beth Walker, on Monday, accusing her of breaching a contract.

RHORI Star Rulla Pontarelli's Husband Brian Sues Alleged Mistress for Breach of Contract After She Seemingly Shares and Deletes Video of Them

Credit: Noam Galai/Bravo

Beth, who works as a medical aesthetician, allegedly shared a collection of photos and videos that appeared to feature or allude to Brian, their alleged 2 1/2-year affair, and the show The Real Housewives of Rhode Island. In response, Brian submitted legal documents, asserting that Beth violated a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) she was reportedly required to sign.

The announcement was made by Mr. Housewives on Instagram on April 15, where he posted a snapshot of Brian’s court filing from April 13 at the Providence/Bristol County Superior Court.

Mr. Housewives also highlighted some of Beth’s earlier posts, noting that at least two have since been removed.

RHORI Brian Pontarelli Sues Alleged Mistress Beth Warren for Breach of Contract

Mr. Housewives also gave a nod to Beth’s past posts, at least two of which have been deleted.

In one now-deleted IG post shared in March, Beth hinted that she and Brian had been involved in a “2 ½ year relationship” as she featured a foot emoji that seemed to confirm she was talking about the foot surgeon.

In another post from March in which she was out for drinks, a bartender was heard asking, “What’s the drink, Brian?,” before a man gave his order.

“If the drink looks good…it’s getting posted,” Beth had written in the caption of the also-deleted video, again including the foot emoji.

In other IG posts, Beth seemed to refer to Brian as “a monster” and tagged Bravo in an apparent effort to get the network’s attention.

The Real Housewives of Rhode Island season one airs Sundays at 9/8c on Bravo.

Lauryn Hill and Her Children Shine in Latest Denim Tears Campaign

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Lauryn Hill and Her Children Shine in Latest Denim Tears Campaign

Lauryn Hill and her children are taking the spotlight in a new high-profile fashion campaign.

The iconic singer partners with several of her children for the Spring/Summer 2026 collection from Denim Tears, offering a rare glimpse into her family life as part of a significant brand launch.

The campaign showcases Hill alongside her children—Selah Marley, YG Marley, Sara Marley, John Nesta Marley, and Micah Hill.

Captured in striking black-and-white photography, the images present Hill and her family in a minimalist setting, allowing the denim apparel to be the focal point.

The eagerly anticipated collection will be available online starting April 17 at 11 a.m. ET. Additionally, early access will be granted in-store beginning April 16 at African Diaspora Goods in New York and at the brand’s Atlanta residency at Lenox Square.

Hill has six children in all. She shares five children with Rohan Marley — Zion, Joshua, John, Selah, and Sara . She welcomed her youngest son, Micah, in 2021.

Her experience as a young mother, particularly during the height of her career, became a defining part of her story and inspired her song “To Zion,”.

Photos: @liammacrae @justinsarinana

In a 1999 interview with The Guardian, she said, “That song is about the revelation that my son was to me. I had always made decisions for other people, making everybody else happy, and once I had him that was really the first decision that was unpopular for me…And it was the best decision that I could have ever made because I’m the happiest and healthiest that I have ever been.”

Hill continues to balance her career with motherhood. She recently returned to Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, for the 2nd Annual gMAC Harlem Renaissance Fashion Show, where her daughter Sara Marley took on a hosting role. The event raised funds for scholarships, college visits, and academic enrichment.

“This was a wonderful event,” Hill said after the show.

She then introduced her daughter, adding, “This is my daughter, Sara Marley, for those who don’t know. She was a wonderful, fabulous host. This was a wonderful event. We should have done this every year!”

Judge Unseals ATF Report in Assassination Case of Charlie Kirk Involving Tyler Robinson

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Judge Unseals ATF Report in Assassination Case of Charlie Kirk Involving Tyler Robinson

Suspect’s note in Kirk case ‘nothing short of confession,’ attorney says

Recently unveiled court documents from Provo, Utah, shed new light on the Charlie Kirk murder case, revealing crucial evidence such as DNA profiles, fingerprints, and an ominous confession letter. The suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, allegedly wrote this note to his partner before the failed murder attempt, bolstering the prosecution’s case against him significantly. Also discussed are cases involving an undocumented immigrant accused of murder and a fireworks company executive facing legal charges.

The Utah judge presiding over the case against Tyler Robinson, the alleged would-be assassin of Charlie Kirk, has released a ballistics report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. While the report couldn’t definitively link a bullet fragment to the suspected firearm, it did confirm a match with a spent casing, adding another layer to the investigation.

Prosecutors have presented evidence indicating that DNA matching Robinson’s was found on the gun, a towel, and three of the four bullets, further implicating him in the crime.

Although the findings of the report were previously discussed in court, the newly available document offers additional insights. It details the examination of a “deformed/damaged” bullet jacket fragment along with four pieces of lead, contributing further evidence to the ongoing case.

The tested material includes a “deformed/damaged” piece of the bullet jacket as well as four lead fragments.

Tyler Robinson wearing shirt and tie in court and Charlie Kirk wearing Freedom T-shirt at event

Tyler Robinson, left, is accused of fatally shooting Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, right, at a public speaking event at Utah Valley University in September. (Bethany Baker/Reuters)

It was attached, in part, as an exhibit alongside a defense motion filed under seal on Jan. 9, asking the judge to block the government from further testing until a defense expert had a chance to examine and photograph the evidence.

Judge Tony Graf ruled that there was no basis to keep the filing classified, finding that it did not contain any “private or inflammatory information.”

An appendix to the ATF report explained that “inconclusive” findings mean that was “an examiner’s opinion that there is an insufficient quality and/or quantity of individual characteristics to identify or exclude.”

Two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News last month that the reason the ATF was unable to match the bullet to the rifle is because when the bullet impacted Kirk’s body it hit bone and broke on impact. 

Experts said this is not uncommon.

Read the filing:

“It is not a win for the defense,” said retired FBI supervisory agent Jason Pack. “It is simply a gap the prosecution is now working to address by bringing in the FBI with more advanced technology.”

Ballistics are rarely the only piece of evidence in a homicide case, he added. And the inconclusive finding only applied to the fragment, not the casing or the rifle found near the scene.

“The defense here is doing exactly what good defense lawyers are supposed to do, protecting their client’s ability to challenge evidence before it gets further altered,” Pack told Fox News Digital. “That is not a sign the prosecution’s case is weak.”

The ATF also examined a .30-06 cartridge case that investigators wrote “was identified as having been fired in the Exhibit 1 rifle.” That’s the suspected murder weapon, Robinson’s Mauser.

“We are a long way from trial, and the public should pump the brakes before drawing big conclusions from a single pre-trial motion about a single bullet fragment​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​,” Pack added.

Roof barrier of Loose Center at Utah Valley University where alleged assassin took fatal shot at Charlie Kirk

Area where Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin took the fatal shot from the roof of Losee Center at UVU. (Stepheny Price/Fox News Digital)

Robinson is accused of shooting Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in September 2025. He allegedly climbed to a rooftop across the courtyard from where Kirk was speaking and fired a single shot from his grandfather’s Mauser rifle.

Gruesome video shows the bullet struck Kirk in the neck in front of a crowd of roughly 3,000 people. He died from the injury.

An aerial view of Utah Valley University campus showing marked locations of Tyler Robinson's suspected movements

An approximation of the suspected movements of Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, based on court documents, video from the scene and conversations with law enforcement. (Fox News Digital)

Prosecutors have said campus police found marks left behind on the gravel rooftop moments after the shooting “consistent with a sniper having lain [there] — impressions in the gravel potentially left by the elbows, knees and feet of a person in a prone shooting position.”

Police recovered the rifle wrapped in a blanket in a patch of woods near campus. And prosecutors have said that text messages between Robinson and his romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, allegedly discuss wanting to retrieve the rifle.

Kathryn Nester exiting Utah County District Court in Provo

Kathryn Nester exits Utah County District Court in Provo, Utah on Monday, September 29, 2025. Nester is representing Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (Alec Thornock/Fox News Digital)

“Stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet,” Robinson allegedly wrote in the hours after the murder. “Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still.”

Twiggs is cooperating with investigators and has not been charged with a crime.

Robinson is due in court Friday for a hearing on his motion to exclude news cameras from future proceedings.

He could face the death penalty if convicted of the top charge against him, aggravated murder.

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Former Lieutenant Governor Accused of Murdering Wife Amid Contentious Divorce, Police Say

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Former Lieutenant Governor Accused of Murdering Wife Amid Contentious Divorce, Police Say

Background: The home in Annandale, Virginia, where the shooting took place (WSET/YouTube). Inset: Justin and Cerina Fairfax in a photo Justin Fairfax posted in May 2023 (Justin Fairfax/Facebook).

Authorities report a tragic incident involving Virginia’s former lieutenant governor, who fatally shot his wife before taking his own life after receiving divorce-related court documents.

Justin Fairfax, 47, shot and killed his wife, Cerina Fairfax, before fatally shooting himself, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis stated, describing the situation as an apparent murder-suicide during a press conference streamed by Richmond CBS affiliate WTVR. Both the husband and wife were pronounced dead at the scene of their Annandale, Virginia, home.

According to Police Chief Davis, “It appears that former Lieutenant Governor Fairfax was recently served with documents linked to an upcoming court case,” describing the couple’s divorce as “complicated or messy.” On Wednesday evening, Justin and Cerina Fairfax were at home with their two teenage children.

Investigators suspect the couple was in the basement when Justin Fairfax shot his wife. He then moved to the main bedroom upstairs, where he used the same firearm to commit suicide. Their eldest child made the emergency call to 911.

Chief Davis noted that this was not the first police visit to the residence.

“In January, Mr. Fairfax contacted the police, claiming his wife assaulted him,” Davis explained. Despite being separated, Justin and Cerina Fairfax continued living under the same roof, albeit in different rooms. “Officers responded and found several cameras installed throughout the house. Mrs. Fairfax had set them up during the divorce proceedings. After reviewing the footage, we confirmed that the alleged assault did not take place,” the police chief stated.

No one was arrested. “So that’s the only time that the Fairfax County Police Department has ever been at the Fairfax home,” Davis added.

The police chief acknowledged that the couple’s divorce proceedings appeared to be no secret, given their notoriety. In addition to serving as lieutenant governor of the commonwealth from 2018 to 2022, Justin Fairfax ran for governor in 2021, losing the Democratic primary election. Cerina Fairfax was a dentist.

“I think it’s fair to say that Justin Fairfax, before he was lieutenant governor, while he served as lieutenant governor, and even afterwards, was a rising star politically, not just in Northern Virginia, but in Virginia,” Davis said. “So it’s high profile in nature. It’s tragic in nature, certainly a … fall from grace for a relatively high-profile family that seemingly had a lot of things going in their favor.”

He added that it is “tragic for the children to lose both parents, extra tragic for them to actually be in the home when it occurred.”

After his failed 2021 governor bid, Justin Fairfax returned to practicing law. He has faced sexual assault allegations dating back to 2004 and 2000, though he denied any wrongdoing.

Tragic News: Former Virginia Lt. Governor Involved in Apparent Murder-Suicide

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Tragic News: Former Virginia Lt. Governor Involved in Apparent Murder-Suicide


A tragic incident unfolded Thursday morning in Virginia, involving a murder-suicide at the residence of former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the victims; however, it has been confirmed that a man and a woman were found dead from gunshot wounds inside the home. It appears that the couple’s son was the one who alerted law enforcement to the scene.

While details remain sparse, various media outlets are suggesting that Fairfax allegedly shot his wife before fatally turning the weapon on himself at their Annandale, Virginia home.

News of this devastating event first surfaced on social media early Thursday, with reports indicating that Fairfax and his wife, Cerina, were in the midst of divorce proceedings. According to the police chief, the shootings arose from a domestic dispute linked to the couple’s ongoing separation.

Though the couple’s two children were present at the time of the shootings, they were unharmed in the incident.

Initial accounts from local media suggest that it was Fairfax’s son who contacted the police, initially suspecting that his mother might have been stabbed.

News of the incident broke early Thursday on social media, with accounts reporting that Fairfax and his wife, Cerina, were in the process of divorcing. The police chief said the shootings were related to a domestic dispute connected to the couple’s ongoing divorce. 

The couple’s two children were home at the time of the shootings, but were not harmed during the rampage.





BREAKING: Murder suicide – former VA Dem Lt Gov @LGJustinFairfax kills wife then himself in Annandale, VA. Police are zip lipped. 

Just after midnight Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife and then shot himself in the head. They were going through divorce. 

Police dispatched shortly after midnight to the home of former VA Lt. Gov Justin Fairfax at 8106 Guinevere Drive Annandale VA. Both he and his wife declared dead at the scene from GSWs.

Early reports from local media indicate that it was the Fairfax’s son who called police believing his mother had possibly been stabbed. 

Fairfax County police responded to the home in Annandale, Virginia, shortly after midnight, where they found a man and woman dead inside, Capt. Chris Cosgriff said earlier. There is no threat to the community, and detectives are investigating, according to police.

The police chief revealed that Fairfax shot his wife several times, then moved to another part of the house and killed himself with the same gun.

The name Justin Fairfax is likely familiar to longtime readers of RedState. Fairfax served as lieutenant governor during the Ralph Northam administration, and he was planning on his own run for governor when a woman stepped forward with accusations of sexual assault. Here’s some of streiff’s reporting at the time:





Last Friday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam was on the verge of being forced from office over a 35-year-old photo that surfaced of him in either blackface or a KKK robe and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax looked to be in the catbird’s seat to succeed Northam. On Sunday, Dr. Vanessa Tyson let it be known that Fairfax had engaged in forcible sodomy with her at the DNC convention in 2004 (there was a lot of that going around there). 

Fairfax never did resign despite losing support from many in his party, but his dreams of occupying the governor’s mansion did not come to be.

Exposing the Unfiltered Reality: Why a Trump-Opposing Family Chose Canada Over the U.S.

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Exposing the Unfiltered Reality: Why a Trump-Opposing Family Chose Canada Over the U.S.

When River and Theo Berg loaded their five children into a car and set out for the US-Canada border, they were in search of a sanctuary from the America shaped by Donald Trump’s presidency, hoping to carve out a better future.

Fast forward a year, and the couple finds themselves without employment and reliant on charity alongside River’s Veterans Affairs disability payments. They share a cramped two-bedroom apartment, burdened by a $10,000 debt.

Nonetheless, they insist they have no regrets. Despite the challenges, they feel a greater sense of security away from the US and have no intention of returning.

On March 3 of the previous year, the family of seven departed the US. As they approached the border, the agents were puzzled by the couple’s extensive list of reasons for seeking asylum in Canada, notably the safety concerns for their gender-fluid and transgender children, Wren, aged 13, and Milo, aged 14.

Though the agents allowed them to cross without passports, they cautioned that it was uncommon for Americans to gain asylum status successfully.

If you had asked River, who now identifies as nonbinary, a few years ago if they’d be sleeping on used furniture in the living room of a two-bedroom apartment instead of their gorgeous three-bedroom Illinois home, they probably would have told you no. 

But that’s the reality for the mother, who is currently suffering their eighth miscarriage on top of it all, just a year into their asylum claim.  

‘We’re not living the life of luxury,’ they told the Daily Mail. ‘We knew this was going to be hard.’ 

River and Theo Berg packed their five kids into the car and drove to the US-Canadian border to claim asylum on March 3, 2025

River and Theo Berg packed their five kids into the car and drove to the US-Canadian border to claim asylum on March 3, 2025 

One of the reasons they left the US was to protect their transgender son, Milo, (pictured) and their gender-fluid child Wren

One of the reasons they left the US was to protect their transgender son, Milo, (pictured) and their gender-fluid child Wren 

Both parents are currently jobless and relying on the generosity of their new community to get by

Both parents are currently jobless and relying on the generosity of their new community to get by

The family has settled in London, Ontario, and is now navigating a whole new governmental system, including Ontario Works, a welfare program for those living in the province. 

‘Does it help? Yes. Is it sustainable and livable? No, it’s not,’ the mother candidly said. 

Currently, neither parent is working as River navigates their health problems. Theo found a part-time job at FedEx, but that has since fallen through. He is now trying to pick up handyman jobs to help the family stay afloat. 

The only income the couple currently has is River’s VA disability checks. The family has not received Ontario Works checks since November, and are waiting to get back on it.

Both River and Theo are military veterans and proudly served their country, which they said made their decision to leave the US even harder.

They went from paying $800 a month for a rent-to-own house that had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large backyard and a basement to paying $1,640 CAD (roughly $1,200 USD) for a two-bedroom that doesn’t quite feel like home yet. 

‘I miss home,’ River admitted. ‘And not even just – there’s no home in particular, but just the familiarity. I grew up in the US, it’s what I grew up with. 

‘But at the same time, I would gladly do it again. I would go back a year and do the same thing, I would not change it.’ 

The family has found themselves accumulating around $10,000 worth of debt since their move, mainly due to people reporting the family after seeing River’s TikTok videos about their journey. 

They also decided to leave the US due to River's health problems

They also decided to leave the US due to River’s health problems  

After moving to Canada, River also discovered they were nonbinary

After moving to Canada, River also discovered they were nonbinary

They falsely claimed the parents were abusing their children, making loads of money off TikTok, and driving while intoxicated. 

‘It’s totally false,’ River told the Daily Mail. 

Their social worker was able to quickly dismiss the claims. However, that didn’t stop the temporary pause on benefits each time, forcing the family to pile their debt on credit cards to survive. 

‘I’m tired of people scaring me from telling my story,’ River said. They have largely stopped posting on TikTok about their journey.

And despite receiving some welfare to help pay for groceries, the Berg family is not eligible to receive child benefits like others normally would through Ontario Works or refugee benefits. 

In the US, they would have been eligible for SNAP or WIC, but they cannot in Canada, making the country’s high-priced groceries an even bigger burden. 

They have resorted to neighborhood apps, like Facebook groups and Nextdoor, to ask locals for help and to take any grocery items their neighbors may not need. 

Their Easter dinner was funded by their kind-hearted neighbors, who brought them a ham and cupcakes. 

The family now lives in a two-bedroom apartment (pictured) in London, Ontario. The parents sleep in the living room

The family now lives in a two-bedroom apartment (pictured) in London, Ontario. The parents sleep in the living room 

The children share the two rooms, which are filled to the brim with their favorite things, like stuffed animals and posters. Milo and Wren are pictured inside their room

The children share the two rooms, which are filled to the brim with their favorite things, like stuffed animals and posters. Milo and Wren are pictured inside their room 

There's a bed on the floor of the living room. 'We're not living the life of luxury,' the mother told the Daily Mail

There’s a bed on the floor of the living room. ‘We’re not living the life of luxury,’ the mother told the Daily Mail

The hallways of their Canadian home are filled with art the children made

Their youngest, Gwen, two, has a pile of stuffed animals in her tiny sleeping space

The hallways of their Canadian home are filled with art the children made 

River and Theo are pictured with their family, including two of Theo's children from a previous relationship

River and Theo are pictured with their family, including two of Theo’s children from a previous relationship

‘We didn’t have anything,’ the mother told the Daily Mail. ‘We’re very thankful.’ 

They’ve gone to food banks and churches for help. All the furniture in their home is used and was largely acquired through Facebook Marketplace.

It’s a far cry from their life in the US, but none of that would change the parents’ decision to leave America behind – they believe their life in Canada is still safer than living under Trump’s ‘corrupt’ thumb. 

River said the US political scene has ‘gotten worse.’ 

During a previous interview in March 2025, River told the Daily Mail that those who are ‘not white, not male,’ will ‘be a target,’ adding that they believed the country was ‘literally going to be Nazi Germany.’

They still stand by that statement, but believe things have deteriorated even further. 

‘I don’t even think it’s male and white [anymore]. I think it’s more of the upper class and the government – the corrupt government,’ they said. 

‘Would white males be more protected in the long run? Yes, but also, I feel like just because they’re not coming for you now doesn’t mean they won’t come for you [later].’ 

They left behind their 'forever' home in Illinois, which had three bedrooms and a large backyard

They left behind their ‘forever’ home in Illinois, which had three bedrooms and a large backyard

Much like their apartment, their home was full of little trinkets that represent the family

Much like their apartment, their home was full of little trinkets that represent the family 

Their transgender son, Milo, is talking about potentially going on hormone replacement therapy as part of his transition. It’s something that he might not have had access to in America. 

‘In the US, he wouldn’t even be able to think about it until 18,’ the veteran said. ‘And even then, who knows what the laws will be.’

Twenty-seven states across the US have enacted laws that have limited youth access to transgender healthcare. The majority are located in the South and Great Plains, including Florida and Texas, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

River’s home state of Illinois has not enacted any policies that would limit children from accessing transgender-specific healthcare – although surrounding states have – which could hinder their asylum claim.

Despite the detractors calling River a ‘pedophile’ for supporting their son’s transition, they continue to support his decision. 

River reiterated that they are not pushing their son to fully physically transition as a minor. That conversation will wait until he’s an adult. But since he came out as transgender at the age of 12, they have made an effort to have informative conversations with him.

Since moving to Canada, the mother has also come to terms with their own nonbinary identity. 

Now, River also exists in a gray area within the US, and so does their healthcare. River said their seventh miscarriage, which took place in the US, left them rattled and fearing what was to come for women’s and LGBTQ+ healthcare. 

River said their new life is a far cry from their life in the US, but none of that would change the parents' decision to leave America behind, as they believe it is still safer than living under Donald Trump's 'corrupt' thumb

River said their new life is a far cry from their life in the US, but none of that would change the parents’ decision to leave America behind, as they believe it is still safer than living under Donald Trump’s ‘corrupt’ thumb

Border agents were confused at their asylum request, but let them through, warning them that Americans rarely made successful claims

Border agents were confused at their asylum request, but let them through, warning them that Americans rarely made successful claims

They went to three hospitals after having more than 40 blood clots, only to be told that their Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), the pregnancy hormone, was at zero. They claim they were dismissed by doctors and told they were crazy. 

‘The thing is, I had progesterone issues, so as soon as I start bleeding, it leaves my body pretty quickly,’ they told the Daily Mail. ‘I was sick, I was throwing up, and they were not helping me at all, and it was just really horrible.

‘So, I’m afraid for my life if I were to go back to the US.’ 

The family wants to have another child. River is documenting new US laws and bills that could potentially harm them reproductively if they were to return to America to help build their case before Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). 

Ohio recently proposed a state house bill that would force women to get a fetal life certificate once a heartbeat is detected. If the mother were to miscarry, have a stillbirth or get an abortion, they would have to get a fetal death certificate. 

In December, Texas signed into law a policy that restricts access to abortion-producing drugs, no longer allowing it to be mailed to patients in the already very restrictive state. 

River said their friends in Canada don’t understand why Americans don’t stand up against the Trump Administration, but the mother-of-seven argued it’s not that easy. 

‘I know there’s protests and things like that, but also at the same time, I can’t stay there and fight,’ they said. ‘And I already did my dues being in the Army. 

‘I have my children, and if anything were to happen to me there, they won’t have me.’ 

The family has started a GoFundMe page and an Amazon Wishlist to help with their children and expenses as they await an IRB hearing to see if their petition for asylum is successful. 

The Berg family’s wait time has dropped considerably after Canada passed the Strong Borders Act (SBA) late last month. 

At its peak, they were estimated to wait 60 months – five years – before going before the IRB. Now, it’s under 12 months.  

The SBA essentially bars Americans from making a claim at the border, and any non-American will be turned away until they can prove the US denied their claim there due to the Safe Third Country Act (STCA). 

The law states that an asylum seeker must claim refuge in the first safe country they come upon. So a Mexican native traveling through land borders would have to claim in the US and be denied before being able to make a claim in Canada. 

In tandem with the STCA, the Strong Borders Act essentially forbids asylum claims from people entering through the US-Canada border, as they will ‘continue to be returned to the US,’ the Canadian government said. It backdates to June 3.

The STCA doesn’t affect Americans, as they already live in a country Canada designates as safe. However, it thwarts most of their asylum claims anywhere because of that.

Berg told the Daily Mail there was no way the family would return to the US and they don’t regret their decision. ‘I would gladly do it again. I would go back a year and do the same thing, I would not change it,’ they said 

If their claim is denied, they don't know what they'll do, but they do know one thing for certain: 'We're not going to go back to the US'

If their claim is denied, they don’t know what they’ll do, but they do know one thing for certain: ‘We’re not going to go back to the US’

‘Canada’s asylum system is not a shortcut to immigrate to Canada,’ Jeffrey MacDonald, an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) spokesperson, told the Daily Mail. 

‘Claim referral to the IRB doesn’t guarantee that a person will be granted protection and allowed to stay in Canada long-term. Asylum claimants must prove that they have a well-founded fear of persecution or face a risk of serious harm in their home country or where they usually live.’ 

The IRB does, however, take into account ‘well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, political opinion, nationality or membership in a particular social group,’ as well as those who ‘are at risk of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment,’ MacDonald said. 

An increasing number of American citizens are claiming asylum in Canada since Trump retook office. More than 1,800 did in 2025, the Daily Mail exclusively revealed.  

The Berg family’s case will be a landmark case if approved, as only four Americans have ever been granted refuge in Canada outside of war times. Three were minors, while the fourth was a gay activist who left the country before his claim was fully processed.

If their claim is denied, the Berg family does not know what they’ll do, but they do know one thing for certain: ‘We’re not going to go back to the US.’ 

‘Honestly, we knew the risk that [a denial] could happen, and we decided to go with the risk anyway, because it’s better to try and to keep my kids safe than to not try and be stuck.’

The couple will find out six weeks beforehand when they are due to go before the IRB. In the meantime, the family is prepping their statements and collecting community statements from American and Canadian friends to vouch for their case.

More than 1,800 Americans fled the US for Canada in 2025, the first year of Trump's second term

More than 1,800 Americans fled the US for Canada in 2025, the first year of Trump’s second term

‘I have to prepare my 14-year-old, who has autism and ADHD. [He’s] very high functioning, but he hates talking in front of people,’ River told the Daily Mail. 

‘I have expressed to him how important it is for him to talk and to tell a story, and to tell how it would affect him if he could not be who he wanted to be, and get the help he would need.’

River pointed to the statistics about declining mental health among LGBTQ+ youths in the US, especially those who do not have access to gender affirming healthcare. 

With laws becoming more restrictive, the Trevor Project found there was a 72 percent spike in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youths.  

‘I don’t want to ever lose a kid over that,’ River said. 

In fact, they’re so serious about keeping their children out of the US, the parents have made a backup plan they hope to never use: to turn their children over to child services in Canada if they are forced to return home. 

‘There’s no way they’re going back,’ the mother said.  
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