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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
In New York City, a former police sergeant faced sentencing on Thursday, receiving a prison term ranging from three to nine years. This verdict follows his involvement in a tragic incident where he threw a picnic cooler filled with ice and drinks at a suspect who was fleeing on a motorized scooter. The suspect, 30-year-old Eric Duprey, crashed and subsequently died as a result.
The ex-officer, Erik Duran, aged 38, was found guilty of manslaughter for Duprey’s death, which occurred in 2023. Duran defended his actions by stating he aimed to protect fellow officers from the oncoming scooter. His sentencing marks a notable moment, as he is the first former NYPD officer in at least two decades to receive a prison sentence for a fatality occurring while on duty.
Addressing the Bronx court, Duran expressed his remorse: “I took this job to save lives. I felt terrible once I saw Eric Duprey crash.” He insisted that he did everything possible to help Duprey after the accident and never intended for such a tragic outcome.
In a heartfelt moment, Duran offered an apology to Duprey’s family, speaking in Spanish while a court interpreter translated his words. Duprey’s mother, Gretchen Soto, was visibly emotional, shedding tears during the proceedings. Earlier, she conveyed her profound grief to the court, saying, “There are no words to express what I feel.”
Duprey’s mother, Gretchen Soto, wept as Duran spoke. Earlier, she told the court: “There are no words to express what I feel.”
Judge Guy Mitchell said he did not accept the ex-sergeant’s defense that his actions were justified, concluding that Duran hurled the cooler because he “was upset that Mr. Duprey was getting away.” If there was no cooler, the judge said, Duprey “would have driven by” Duran and “could’ve been captured another day.”
Duran was immediately taken into custody after sentencing. His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said he will ask a court to free Duran on bail while he appeals.
“Nobody’s above the law,” a woman shouted in a courthouse hallway after the sentence was announced.
Afterward, Soto and Duprey’s partner, Pearl Velez, said they did not accept Duran’s apology.
“How you gonna say sorry now?” Velez said.
Duran’s union, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said thousands of officers signed an online petition calling for him to be spared prison.
“Today will forever be the darkest day of our profession,” union president Vincent Vallelong said. Duran’s prison sentence, he said, “puts in the back of a police officer’s mind that they can lose their freedom” for making a split-second decision.
Officers in NYPD jackets packed the courtroom gallery, while a couple dozen protesters outside demanded justice for Duprey.
Duran’s sentence, less than the maximum of five to 15 years, matched what prosecutors with state Attorney General Letitia James’ office had sought. Prosecutor Joseph Bianco said the ex-sergeant recklessly caused Duprey’s death and attempted to cover up his actions.
Defense lawyer Andrew Quinn argued for no prison time, calling Duprey’s death the “unintended and tragic consequences” of a “reckless decision” Duran made in a span of 2.5 seconds.
Duran grew up in the Bronx and led a “model, exemplary life” prior to Duprey’s death. A married father of three, he joined the NYPD because he wanted to make the borough “cleaner and safer for the kids who came after him,” Quinn said.
“He is now the cooler cop,” Quinn said.
Duran was part of a narcotics policing unit that conducted a “buy-and-bust” operation in the Bronx on Aug. 23, 2023. Police said Duprey sold drugs to an undercover officer, then tried to flee on a scooter.
Surveillance video showed Duprey driving the motorized scooter on a sidewalk toward a group of people. As he approached, the then-sergeant — who wasn’t in uniform — picked up a bystander’s cooler and threw it.
The container struck Duprey, who lost control of the scooter, slammed into a tree and crashed onto the pavement. Duprey was not wearing a helmet. He sustained fatal head injuries and died almost instantly, according to prosecutors.
They argued Duran had enough time to warn others to move, but instead hurled the cooler because he was angry.
Duran, however, testified at his trial that he made a quick decision to keep other officers safe from the scooter speeding toward them.
“He was gonna crash into us,” Duran said then, adding “all I had time for was to try again to stop or to try to get him to change directions.”
Duran opted to have Judge Mitchell, not a jury, decide the case.
Duran worked for the NYPD for 13 years before the crash, which spurred his suspension. He was fired after his conviction in February.
Duprey was a delivery driver and had three young children. Soto, who said she was on a video call with him right before he died, has disputed the police claims that he sold drugs and fled from officers.
She told the judge Thursday her son “is not just a name, not just one more case.”
“It is an unjust incident,” Soto said through a Spanish interpreter. “As a mother, I have to miss him now every day.”
Ali Larter made her Hollywood debut in films such as “Varsity Blues,” where she gained attention with her memorable whipped-cream bikini scene, and the “Final Destination” series, where she portrayed the resilient Clear Rivers. While she is currently recognized for her role as the charismatic Angela Norris in “Landman,” Larter boasts a diverse and expansive career that spans both film and television.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Larter has showcased her versatility on the small screen, portraying a range of characters from a super-strong mother grappling with multiple personalities to a skilled undercover operative, a compassionate doctor, and a no-nonsense sports agent. Her ability to transition seamlessly from sweet and innocent roles to those with more complexity is evident. Over time, her on-screen evolution has seen her move from teenage roles to those of a mother. Here are five television series where Larter has made a significant impact, appealing to fans of “Landman” and beyond.
“Heroes” marked a pivotal moment in Ali Larter’s television career, enhancing her reputation in the geek community established by her “Final Destination” performances. Although her tenure as Niki Sanders was limited to the first few seasons, her character resonated with audiences. “Landman” enthusiasts who appreciate intricate storytelling will likely enjoy “Heroes,” a series about a dispersed group of superpowered individuals discovering one another, despite its early decline in popularity (with some fans abandoning it by Season 2).
As Niki, Larter played a mother with a partner in prison, haunted by a traumatic past. After witnessing her adoptive father murder her sister, Jessica, Niki developed dissociative identity disorder, leading to the emergence of multiple personalities. Struggling with alcoholism and gambling debts owed to the mob, she strives to raise her son, Micah (Noah Gray-Cabey), responsibly. The discovery of her super strength dramatically alters her life, bringing both challenges and opportunities.
Heroes
NBC
“Legends” ran for two seasons, capturing audiences with its style and sophistication. Reminiscent of “Burn Notice” and “The Pretender,” it explored the psychological toll of assuming multiple identities, appearances, and histories to fulfill government duties. Unlike the glamorous portrayal of espionage in the “James Bond” films, “Legends” offered a poignant look at a spy’s struggle with his fragmented identity.
Niki is a mom, with a significant other in jail, who suffered through abuse as a child. After watching her adoptive father kill her sister Jessica, she develops dissociative identity disorder, producing two distinct, different personalities over the course of the show in addition to her own. An alcoholic and gambler who’s deeply in debt to the mob, Niki does what she can to raise her son Micah (Noah Gray-Cabey) the right way. When she discovers she has super strength her life changes, both for better and for worse.
Legends
TNT
“Legends” was a two-season wonder that had style, grace and sophistication. Like “Burn Notice” mixed with “The Pretender,” it played with the psychological burden of taking on numerous personalities, looks, backstories, and faces all in the name of keeping your government satisfied. What’s playful in movies like the “James Bond” series is pretty devastating here, making you feel sorry for a spy with no central identity of his own.
Martin Odum (Sean Bean) works undercover for the FBI, which means he has to be a different person with a different look for every single case he works. He starts to lose his grip on reality when a stranger (Billy Brown) causes him to question his very existence. Ali Larter is Crystal McGuire, Odum’s long-ago love interest, who is as deadly, tough and professional as he is. The twosome have to get along and work in the field together, or face some pretty dire and deadly consequences.
The Rookie
ABC
While “The Rookie” is still going since its debut in 2018, Ali Larter only appeared during the second season of the long-running program. Her role may have been brief, but her character made an undeniable impact upon John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) during their sparkling romance.
Larter played Dr. Grace Sawyer, John’s former flame, who has taken up a job working at Shaw Memorial Hospital. She starts helping John with his cases, but quickly finds the romance they kindled back in college didn’t peter out. There’s a fly in the ointment, of course — Grace is separated but not divorced from her husband. Though she and John get back together for a while, in the end Grace decides to get back with her husband and work things out for her son’s sake. While John never sees her again, he’ll undoubtedly always remember Grace fondly. Larter hasn’t appeared on another show quite like “The Rookie” since, so her recurring part here will definitely please longtime fans.
Pitch
Fox
A short-lived but much-beloved baseball drama that died a quick death on Fox, “Pitch” was all about the first female pitcher to make it into the major leagues. A solid decade after its cancellation, the show is still fondly remembered by baseball fans who loved the soapy drama it provided while also enjoying its true-to-life sports-based action scenes.
Ali Larter played Amelia Slater on the show, the tough-talking agent of the show’s central athlete, Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury). It’s Amelia’s job to make sure Ginny gets her due in every way possible, including financially. Over the course of the show, she helps Ginny deal with an injury, romantic conflicts, and other challenges, while helping her keep her confidence up — a very demanding process in and of itself. She also protects Ginny from snakes who would gladly use her for their own gain, and pops up on the PR front as she tries to solve a variety of crises caused by Ginny’s newfound fame.
Entourage
HBO
Ali Larter doesn’t have any other major television roles under her belt as of this writing, so we turn to one of her one-off guest spots to round the list out — mostly because “Landman” fans will probably adore the cynical, party-hearty ways of “Entourage” if they’ve never watched it before.
Larter only appears once on the show — as herself, attending an afterparty thrown for Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier, who disappeared from Hollywood after the show wrapped) for the premiere of his movie “Head On.” She’s looking for Vincent but can’t find him, and approaches his friends to track him down. Reacting to a come-on from Salvatore “Turtle” Assante (Jerry Ferrara), she rejects him — then tells Eric Murphy (Kevin Connolly) to go f*** himself on top of it when he tries to talk her down.
If you’re watching the show just to see Larter, that’s all you’ll get. But if you dive in looking for some juicy bromance or a whole lot of jaw-dropping party boy antics, then “Entourage” will definitely please you. It might not be a show exactly like Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman,” but it’s still satisfying in its own special way.
If you or anyone you know may be the victim of child abuse, or needs help with addiction issues, contact the relevant resources below:
A miner in Mexico has been miraculously rescued after enduring nearly two weeks trapped beneath the earth, officials have announced. This “astonishing rescue” comes as a beacon of hope in a story fraught with tension and uncertainty.
The ordeal began on March 25 when a structural failure led to a dam breach, flooding the El Rosario mine in Sinaloa, a northern Mexican state. This catastrophic event trapped Francisco Zapata Nájera and three of his colleagues underground. Although divers located Zapata Nájera earlier this week, the challenging conditions of heavily flooded mine areas delayed his rescue by 21 agonizing hours.
“The extraordinary efforts of the Mexican Army’s Emergency Response Battalion, coupled with the unwavering faith and resilience of a miner, culminated in this incredible rescue after 13 grueling days,” remarked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on X. “I am confident that every Mexican holds you in their hearts today.”
Out of the 25 miners present when the disaster struck, 21 managed to escape immediately. In a dramatic twist, five days post-incident, rescuers succeeded in pulling one more survivor from the depths, 985 feet below the surface.
In a poignant image, rescue teams are seen transporting Francisco Zapata Nájera to safety, marking a significant moment in the search for the remaining miners following the mine collapse in El Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico, on April 8, 2026.
Sheinbaum confirmed that another miner has been found dead and one more is still missing.
In a video released Wednesday, clapping could be heard from a crowd that gathered as Zapata Nájera was removed from the mine, seeing daylight for the first time this month.
Rescue teams transport miner Francisco Zapata Najera on a stretcher following his rescue on April 8, 2026.(Stringer/Reuters)
His condition was stabilized and he was sent in a Mexican Air Force helicopter to a hospital in Mazatlán, where he will be treated by specialists, officials said.
Mexico’s deadliest mining accident took place in February 2006 at the Pasta de Conchos mine in Coahuila, where an explosion killed 65 workers.
Rescue teams are seen leaving the El Rosario mine on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.(Stringer/Reuters)
In August 2022, 10 miners died when the El Pinabete coal mine in Coahuila flooded.
In a surprising turn of events, ‘White Lotus’ actress Alexandra Daddario and her husband, Andrew Form, have decided to part ways after three years of marriage. This news follows a similar announcement from another Hollywood couple, as ‘Pretty Little Liars’ star Janel Parrish and her husband, Chris Long, have also separated.
Sources with insider information shared with E! News that Janel Parrish and Chris Long have been living apart for several months now, bringing an end to their nearly eight-year marriage. Despite efforts to reach out, Janel’s representatives have yet to comment on the situation.
Janel and Chris, a chemical engineer by profession, exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony in Hawaii back in 2018, following two years of dating. In a now-deleted Instagram post from September, Chris, 41, had commemorated their seventh wedding anniversary, as noted by TMZ.
E! News reached out to Janel’s rep but has not yet heard back.
Janel and Chris—a chemical engineer—tied the knot in a ceremony in Hawaii in 2018 after two years of dating. Back in September, Chris, 41, celebrated the pair’s seventh wedding anniversary in a since-deleted Instagram post, per TMZ.
And while Janel, 37, has not shared any peeks into their former romance for over a year, she previously celebrated their third anniversary in a sweet tribute with photos from their nuptials.
“Three years ago today, I married you,” Janel wrote in a 2021 post. “Still the easiest and best decision I ever made. I love you.”
That same year, she shared some playful selfies of the duo in honor of her “hunky hubby” for his birthday.
Background: The home on South Pickens Bridge Road in Washington County, Tennessee, where the incident occurred (Google Maps). Inset: Dustin Machen (Washington County Sheriff”s Office).
A Tennessee man has been accused of a horrifying crime involving his mother, after allegedly setting her and her home ablaze in retaliation for being evicted. Authorities report that Dustin Tayler Machen, 32, faces multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated arson.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office revealed on Thursday that Machen has been charged with attempted especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, and interference with a 911 call. Currently, Machen is held at the Washington County Detention Center without the option for bail.
The troubling incident unfolded early Thursday morning, prompting deputies to rush to a residence on South Pickens Bridge Road in Washington County, Tennessee, following an arson report. Sheriff Keith Sexton described the scene upon their arrival as a house “completely engulfed” in flames.
The report was made by the victim herself, who identified her son, Machen, as the perpetrator. Sheriff Sexton explained to local ABC and CBS affiliate WJHL that the victim was in the process of evicting her son when the incident occurred. “He left the residence, returned with a container of gasoline, and proceeded to pour it on both the victim and the house,” Sexton elaborated.
“She was in the process of evicting her son,” Sexton told area ABC and CBS affiliate WJHL. “At which time he left the residence, came back with a container of gasoline, proceeded to pour the gas on the victim and the house.”
The suspect allegedly set his mother on fire “as she attempted to leave the residence” and “destroyed” her cellphone “to prevent her from calling 911.” She managed, however, to make it out of the home and get to a neighbor’s house where she called 911.
The mother suffered burns to her arms and was brought to a local hospital. The extent of her injuries was not immediately available.
Machen was found nearby and arrested. “Deputies happened to see him,” Sexton said to the local outlet, adding that the suspect had previous charges relating to domestic violence against his mother. “We had deployed a drone, which located a backpack that had some of his personal items and other things in there, but he was out in the field … just watching the fire.”
The defendant was expected to appear in court on Friday.
Washington County, Tennessee, is located in the northeastern part of the state.
US Vice President JD Vance on Friday warned Iran not to “play” the US as he headed overseas for negotiations aimed at ending their war.
US President Donald Trump has tasked the member of his inner circle who has seemed to be the most reluctant defender of the 6-week-old conflict with Iran to now find a resolution and stave off the US president’s astonishing threat to wipe out its “whole civilisation.”
Renowned for his cautious stance on foreign interventions and his vocal opposition to indefinite military engagements, Vance embarked on a diplomatic mission to facilitate discussions with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, this past Friday.
Vice President JD Vance walks to speak with the Press before boarding Air Force Two, Friday, April 10, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., for expected departure to Pakistan, for talks on Iran (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
As he boarded Air Force Two en route to Pakistan, the vice president expressed optimism about the impending negotiations, stating, “We’re anticipating a positive outcome. However, the results remain to be seen.”
Referencing Trump’s stance, Vance remarked, “Should the Iranians engage in sincere negotiations, we are more than willing to extend a welcoming hand.” He warned, though, “If they attempt to deceive us, they’ll find our negotiating team less accommodating.”
Vance noted that Trump provided “very clear guidelines” for the discussions, though he chose not to elaborate further. He refrained from answering questions posed by accompanying journalists.
Vance’s diplomatic journey occurs amidst a fragile and temporary ceasefire that teeters on the brink of collapse.
The chasm between Iran’s public demands and those from the US and its partner Israel seem irreconcilable. And in the US, where Vance might ask voters in two years’ time to make him the next president, there is growing political and economic pressure to wrap it up.
Vice President JD Vance walks off Marine Two to walk and board Air Force Two, Friday, April 10, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., for expected departure to Pakistan, for talks on Iran (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Vance is joined by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who took part in three rounds of indirect talks with Iranian negotiators aimed at settling US concerns about Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic weapons programs and its support for armed proxy groups in the Middle East before Trump and Israel launched the February 28 war against Iran.
The White House has provided scant detail about the format of the talks – whether they will be direct or indirect – and has not provided specific expectations for the meeting.
But the arrival of Vance for negotiations marks a rare moment of high-level US government engagement with the Iranian government.
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the most direct contact had been when President Barack Obama in September 2013 called newly elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.
The two sides face a steep climb in making headway
Almost immediately after the White House and Iran announced a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday evening, the sides found themselves at odds over terms of the truce.
Iran insisted that an end to the Israeli war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon, and the Israeli operations there continued.
The US, meanwhile, demanded that Iran make good on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Republic had closed the critical shipping waterway in response to Israel’s intensifying attacks against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (AP)
Trump on Thursday said Iran was “doing a very poor job” of allowing oil tankers to pass through, writing on social media, “That is not the agreement we have!”
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Vance, Witkoff, Kushner and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “have always been collaborating on these discussions” and said Trump was optimistic that a lasting deal can be reached during the two-week ceasefire.
“President Trump has a proven track record of achieving good deals on behalf of the United States and the American people, and he will only accept one that puts America first,” Kelly said.
High stakes for peace — and for politics
It’s the highest-stakes moment thus far for Vance, who spent much of last year as more of a background player in the Trump White House, especially as others like Elon Musk and Rubio took turns as ever-present advisers for the president.
But Vance’s portfolio is fattening fast, first with a mission to root out fraud in government programs at home and now to help solve a US war in the Middle East, where complicated doesn’t even begin to describe things.
Vance, who served in the Iraq War while in the Marines and spent two years as a US senator for Ohio and a little more than one as vice president, has little diplomatic experience.
Vice President JD Vance boards Air Force Two, Friday, April 10, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., for expected departure to Pakistan, for talks on Iran (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
On Wednesday, he dismissed speculation that the Iranians requested that he join the talks, telling reporters: “I don’t know that. I would be surprised if that was true. But, you know, I wanted to be involved because I thought I could make a difference.”
Jonathan Schanzer, a former Treasury Department official who is now executive director of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank, said Vance, with little experience on Iran policy, is an interesting choice to lead the delegation.
Trump has noted his vice president was “less enthusiastic” than other top senior officials in the Republican administration, making Vance an intriguing interlocutor for the Iranian side, Schanzer said.
“I think they probably prefer him knowing that his perspective on foreign intervention is one of scepticism,” Schanzer said of the Iranians.
“I do think that he’s going to need some help. I don’t think he’s ever been engaged in negotiations with this kind of weight, this kind of seriousness. This is as serious as it gets.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a joint news conference with Ecuadors Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld at the Palacio de Carondelet, in Quito, Ecuador, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) (AP)
The White House has pushed back against the characterisation that Iran wanted Vance in the talks, casting it as an effort to hurt negotiations.
The White House has not detailed who will be in the talks besides Vance, Witkoff and Kushner, but Kelly said officials from the National Security Council, State Department and Pentagon “will also play a supportive role”.
During early rounds of indirect nuclear talks with the Iranians before the war, Democrats and some nuclear experts questioned whether Kushner and Witkoff had enough technical knowledge.
The White House has not said whether the pair, whom Trump has entrusted with some of his most difficult negotiations since returning to office, had a nuclear expert with them for those talks.
Negotiating peace is a tall order for any vice president
It’s not unusual for vice presidents to take on important negotiating roles for the president, said Joel Goldstein, a professor of law at Saint Louis University who is an expert on the history of the vice presidency.
But, he said, “I don’t recall a situation where a vice president has been sent to negotiate a ceasefire or peace in connection with a war the United States was involved with.”
Vance and Rubio are seen as the Republican Party’s strongest potential 2028 presidential contenders, though neither has given a clear answer about whether he intends to run.
The vice president’s team is not thinking about the negotiations with an eye to future political considerations, according to a person familiar with discussions who was not authorised to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
As vice president, Vance inherently would carry any baggage of the administration if he eventually does run for president, Goldstein said. But stepping in to lead negotiations even further identifies him with the conflict.
“The fact that he’s involved in the negotiations in a very visible way, that means that, if things go south, that people will be pointing fingers at him,” Goldstein said.
At the same time, Goldstein said, “If things go well, then it will be something that he could point to.”
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BUCHANAN COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) — The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) has reported the death of an inmate at Keen Mountain Correctional Center, following what appears to have been an assault by another inmate.
According to a news release from VADOC, the event took place early on Thursday morning.
Jurors were presented with chilling testimony regarding the final words spoken by former FedEx driver Tanner Horner to Athena Strand before he allegedly committed the tragic murder of the 7-year-old girl.
In court on April 9, police interview footage revealed Horner’s account of instructing the young girl to get into his truck after he arrived at her home in Wise County, Texas, to deliver a package containing Barbie dolls intended as her Christmas gift.
According to The New York Post, Horner recounted telling investigators their final exchange went, “Just get in the back of the van. We’re going to the hospital.”
Horner initially professed that panic set in after accidentally striking Athena with his truck. However, prosecutors challenged this narrative, presenting to the jury a surveillance image from the truck showing Strand unharmed and kneeling behind the driver’s seat.
Wise County District Attorney James Stainton, in his opening statements as noted by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, asserted, “She was very much alive and very much uninjured when he put her in the truck. The first thing Tanner Horner says to Athena when he picks her up and puts her in his truck, he leans down and says, ‘Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you.’ He says that twice. … That’s the first thing out of his mouth. He made good on it.”
Tanner Horner Allegedly Claims His Alter Ego Zero Killed Athena Strand
While speaking to investigators, Horner allegedly claimed that an alter-ego he referred to as Zero “took over” and killed the young girl.
Sgt. Job Espinoza, the lead investigator in the Texas Rangers’ search for the missing girl, testified April 8, per CBS News, that investigators would often play into the idea of the alter ego, addressing “Zero” directly as they tried to get information on Athena’s whereabouts.
“His demeanor, physical demeanor changes,” Espinoza testified. “His head goes into a sideways motion. His eyes roll into the back of the head, and he pretends to turn it to ‘Zero.’”
Horner told investigators he “listened to a little voice” inside his head when he decided to take Athena, describing it as like a “dream” or out of body experience.
At one point during an interview with investigators, per Court TV, Horner described Athena as a “sweet kid” who had been “worried I was a kidnapper.”
“I tried to break her neck, make it as painless as possible, but it didn’t work. She started crying,” he told them in videos played in court. “I didn’t want her to see it coming. I couldn’t take it if she was sitting there in pain. I wanted to do it as quick as possible but it didn’t work.”
After strangling the child to death, Horner told investigators he “tossed” her into a bamboo field—although her naked body was ultimately found in a river 12 or 13 miles away from her home.
Investigators have said the 7-year-old showed signs of possible sexual assault. Horner, however, denied those claims telling investigators during an interview, “You’re going to ask if I sexually assaulted her, and I did not.”
He was not charged with any sexual-related offenses.
Horner told investigators during the interview that if he said too much to authorities that “Zero is going to hurt me” and tried to shift the blame for the killing onto the alter ego.
“I didn’t do it, but he did, and that’s what f–ks with me,” Horner told police after his arrest, according to The New York Post. “I’m wondering who the hell’s been in my head this whole time.”
Tanner Horner Pleads Guilty to Capital Murder, Aggravated Kidnapping
Horner pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing Athena just as his trial was set to begin on April 7. Jurors are now tasked with determining the 34-year-old’s sentence.
While prosecutors are advocating for the death penalty, Horner’s defense team is asking for a sentence of life in prison.
They told the jury in opening statements that his mother drank while pregnant and alleged that he suffered from multiple mental illnesses during his difficult life that may have played a role in his actions.
For over three and a half decades, I have dedicated myself to the field of personal training, with the past 25 years spent teaching at TRAINFITNESS, the UK’s frontrunner in fitness education. Over time, I’ve observed a recurring challenge among older adults: maintaining full-body strength. Surprisingly, despite frequent visits to the gym, many individuals over 60 find themselves dissatisfied with their progress. However, achieving and preserving strength is entirely within reach with the right strategy. Here are five daily exercises that can help you enhance your strength from the comfort of your home, no gym required.
As we age, particularly from 30 to 60, our muscles naturally diminish, losing about 3% to 8% per decade. This muscle decline, known as sarcopenia, speeds up even more after 60. Interestingly, the most noticeable change isn’t just a decrease in muscle mass but a significant drop in power—the ability to generate force swiftly. Power loss happens at nearly twice the rate of strength reduction. This explains why everyday activities like standing up from a chair, reacting quickly to prevent a fall, or climbing stairs with groceries become increasingly challenging. Your muscles are still present, but they no longer exert the same effort or respond as promptly.
By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, you can effectively combat the natural decline in strength and power. Each movement is designed to target different muscle groups, ensuring a balanced and comprehensive approach to strength-building. With consistency and commitment, you can regain the vigor and agility that may seem lost with age.
Why Gym Sessions Stop Working After 60
Shutterstock
Between the ages of 30 and 60, you lose between 3% and 8% of your muscle each decade, and the rate of muscle loss accelerates after you hit 60. This is known as sarcopenia. Surprisingly, the biggest change people notice isn’t loss of muscle mass but loss of power. Power, the ability to produce force quickly, declines at about twice the speed of strength. That’s why sitting to standing becomes harder, why you don’t have the same reaction time when you’re about to fall, and why you’re out of breath after carrying the weekly grocery shopping up the stairs. Your muscles are still there; they just don’t work as hard and don’t respond as fast.
Your muscles also need a bigger stimulus. You can’t do the same exercise you did ten years ago. You have to do more weight, sets, or repetitions to get results. Your muscle mass will also be lower because of sarcopenia, so it will be harder to pick up that weight.
Additionally, your brain changes. Brain-to-muscle communication is impaired. Motor units, made of a motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates, begin to disappear, and the remaining motor units discharge more slowly. This means that even if you’ve retained muscle mass, those muscles don’t react as fast or as forcefully as they used to.
This is often why gym sessions fail over-60s. A lot of trainers have a standard program for everyone: progressive overload, which involves gradually increasing the number of sets, reps, or the weight over time. This is excellent for people under the age of 60. But after 60, it’s too much work and recovery is too slow. You need more time to recover from workouts and the stress they put on your muscles, joints, and nervous system.
Also, many gym sessions focus on isolating muscle groups. One day is chest day, another is legs, another is back, and so on. The issue here is that muscles should also be worked together. When you stand up from a chair, it isn’t just your quads; it’s your quads, glutes, core, and stabilizer muscles all working together. In your everyday life, you also integrate muscles to carry your shopping, to push your pram, and so on. If you train muscles in isolation on a machine, your strength doesn’t transfer. It only works in that machine. This is why you’re still out of breath, but don’t get stronger and don’t have more muscle power to carry your weekly shopping.
There’s also a psychological aspect. If the gym environment is intimidating for you, especially with reduced mobility or when you’re self-conscious about how you move, you may be reluctant to attend or fully commit to a session. Many people over 60 will have done a gym session and feel they can’t keep up, they feel out of place, and they wonder why they never get better.
Why Daily Home Exercises Work Better
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Daily movement beats sporadic intensity every single time for older adults. Your muscles respond to frequent, moderate stimulus much better than occasional heavy sessions when recovery capacity is reduced. Training at home every day, even for just 15-20 minutes, keeps your nervous system engaged, maintains muscle protein synthesis at a consistent level, and avoids the recovery debt that comes from hammering yourself two or three times a week.
At-home exercises naturally favor bodyweight and functional movements. These patterns (squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, carrying) are the exact movements you need in daily life. You’re not training your chest in isolation; you’re training the ability to push yourself up from the floor. You’re not doing leg extensions, you’re practicing the squat pattern that lets you get on and off the toilet independently.
The consistency factor can’t be overstated. When exercise happens in your own home, there’s no commute, no waiting for equipment, no feeling intimidated by younger gym-goers. You can do it first thing in the morning before your day starts. This removes almost every barrier to consistency, and consistency is what drives results.
Your joints also benefit from daily movement. Synovial fluid, the lubricant in your joints, is produced through movement. Daily exercise keeps your joints moving smoothly, reduces stiffness, and helps manage conditions like arthritis far better than sitting still for days, then doing one intense session.
There’s a learning component too. When you repeat movements daily, your nervous system gets better at performing them. Balance improves, coordination sharpens, and movement quality goes up. This doesn’t happen with gym sessions twice a week because the gaps between sessions are too long for your nervous system to build the patterns effectively.
Sit-to-Stand (Chair Squats)
This targets your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core. These are the muscles that let you get up from chairs, off the toilet, and out of the car. Losing strength here is one of the first signs of declining independence.
Sit in a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart
Move to the edge of the seat
Lean forward slightly so your nose is over your toes
Push through your heels and stand up without using your hands
Lower yourself back down with control, don’t just drop into the seat
Tap the seat lightly and stand back up
Avoid These Mistakes:
Don’t use momentum to throw yourself up. You want slow and controlled both ways.
If you can’t stand without using your hands yet, use them, but work towards letting go.
Recommended Sets and Reps: 10-15 reps for 2-3 sets
Form Tip: Control the movement in both directions. A slow lower is just as important as a strong push-up.
Wall Push-Ups
This works your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Upper body pushing strength matters for getting up from the floor, pushing open heavy doors, and maintaining good posture.
Muscles Trained: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core
How to Do It:
Stand facing a wall, about arm’s length away
Place your hands flat on the wall at shoulder height, slightly wider than shoulder-width
Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels
Bend your elbows and lean towards the wall, keeping your core tight
Push back to the starting position
Avoid These Mistakes:
Don’t let your hips sag or stick out. Your body should move as one solid unit.
If you’re struggling, step closer to the wall to make it easier.
Recommended Sets and Reps: 10-15 reps for 2-3 sets
Form Tip: Think of your body as a plank. Everything moves together; nothing bends at the hips.
Single-Leg Stands
This targets your hip stabilizers, glutes, and all the small muscles in your feet and ankles. Balance and stability are what prevent falls, and single-leg work is the most effective way to train both.
Muscles Trained: Hip stabilizers, glutes, foot and ankle muscles
How to Do It:
Stand next to a wall or sturdy surface you can hold if needed
Lift one foot slightly off the ground, just a few inches
Hold this position, keeping your standing leg straight but not locked
Focus on a point in front of you to help with balance
Switch legs
Avoid These Mistakes:
Don’t hold your breath. Breathe normally throughout.
If you can’t balance yet, lightly rest your fingertips on the wall, but try to use less support over time.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Hold for 20-30 seconds per leg, repeat 2-3 times each side
Form Tip: Pick a fixed spot on the wall in front of you and keep your eyes locked on it. This makes balancing significantly easier.
Glute Bridges
This strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Weak glutes are behind most lower back pain in older adults, and they’re needed for walking, climbing stairs, and getting up from lying down.
Muscles Trained: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back
How to Do It:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart
Your feet should be close enough that you can almost touch your heels with your fingertips
Push through your heels and lift your hips towards the ceiling
Squeeze your glutes hard at the top
Lower back down with control
Avoid These Mistakes:
Don’t push your hips too high and arch your lower back. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top.
Focus on squeezing your glutes, not lifting as high as possible.
Recommended Sets and Reps: 12-15 reps for 2-3 sets
Form Tip: Think about driving through your heels and clenching your glutes at the top. If you feel this in your lower back, you’ve gone too high.
Farmer’s Carry (Walking With Weight)
This works your grip, forearms, shoulders, core, and legs. Grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of overall health in older adults, and carrying weight trains your entire body to work as a unit.
Muscles Trained: Grip, forearms, shoulders, core, legs
How to Do It:
Hold a weight in each hand (shopping bags, water bottles, light dumbbells, whatever you have)
Stand tall with your shoulders back
Walk forward with normal steps, keeping your core tight
Don’t let the weights pull your shoulders down or forward
Walk for a set distance or time
Avoid These Mistakes:
Don’t use weights that are too heavy. Start light.
If your shoulders are rounding forward or you’re leaning to one side, the weight is too heavy.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Walk for 30-60 seconds, rest, repeat 2-3 times
Form Tip: You should be able to walk with perfect posture the entire time. If your form breaks down, go lighter.
How to Structure Your Daily Routine
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Do all five exercises in the order listed. The sequence matters because it moves from lower body to upper body to balance to posterior chain to full-body integration. This gives each muscle group time to recover between exercises that stress them.
Start your day with this routine. Morning is best because your willpower is highest and nothing has come up yet to derail your plans. The entire routine takes 15-20 minutes once you’re familiar with the movements.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Warm up first. March on the spot for 2-3 minutes, do some arm circles, rotate your hips gently. Nothing elaborate, just get your body moving before you start the exercises.
Begin with the lower rep ranges (10 reps, 20-second holds, 30-second carries) and build up as you get stronger. Don’t rush to add reps. Quality beats quantity every time.
Rest between sets. 30-60 seconds is plenty. Use this time to breathe, reset your posture, and prepare for the next set.
You should feel challenged but not destroyed. Moderate fatigue is normal. Sharp pain, dizziness, extreme breathlessness, or chest pain are not. Stop immediately if any of these happen.
When to Slow Down or See a Doctor
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If you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, recent surgery, a history of heart problems, severe joint pain, or you’ve been completely sedentary for years, get clearance from your doctor before starting. This isn’t medical advice, it’s common sense. Most doctors will be supportive of this type of programme, but they need to know what you’re doing.
Signs to slow down: persistent joint pain that lasts beyond the session, extreme fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest, dizziness during or after exercise, or if you’re so sore you can’t function the next day. Some muscle soreness is normal when you start, especially in the first week. Pain that stops you moving properly is not.
What to Expect After 4-6 Weeks
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After the first week, you’ll notice movement feels easier. Getting out of bed, standing from chairs, walking up stairs. Your nervous system adapts fast, and even though you haven’t built much muscle yet, your existing muscles are firing more efficiently.
By week two or three, everyday tasks require less effort. You’re not bracing yourself before you stand. You’re not out of breath after one flight of stairs. Your balance feels more solid. These aren’t dramatic changes, but they’re noticeable.
At the four-week mark, other people start commenting. You’re standing taller, moving more confidently. Your posture has improved without you consciously thinking about it. Your core is stronger and your body naturally holds itself better.
By six weeks, the physical changes become visible. Your legs look more solid, your core is tighter, and you’ve likely lost some fat around your midsection. More importantly, things that were hard at the start, like 15 chair squats or 30-second single-leg stands, now feel manageable.
The people who see the best results do three things consistently. First, they show up every single day. Not most days, every day. Missing one day occasionally won’t ruin your progress, but the people who get strong are the ones who make this non-negotiable.
Second, they focus on quality. They move slowly, they control every rep, and they don’t rush through the routine just to tick it off. A perfect set of 10 beats a sloppy set of 15.
Third, they track their progress. They write down how many reps they did, how long they held the balance, how the carries felt. This keeps them accountable and lets them see improvement when it feels like nothing is changing.
The people who don’t see results are the ones who skip days, rush through the movements, or give up after two weeks because they don’t look different yet. Strength builds slowly, especially after 60. You need patience and consistency. There’s no shortcut, but the payoff, independence, confidence, better quality of life, is worth every single rep.
Abby De La Rosa recently shared a touching moment she described as an “Easter miracle” involving her son Zillion, who is on the autism spectrum. The radio host took to Instagram Stories to post a photo of her family celebrating the holiday, featuring Nick Cannon and their children Zion, Zillion, and Beautiful.
In her post, De La Rosa reflected on Zillion’s journey with autism, marking the third year since his diagnosis. “3 years on our ASD journey down! We love you Zilly!” she expressed, highlighting the family’s ongoing experience.
Adding to the celebration, De La Rosa posted a video capturing a special moment from Easter Sunday. In the clip, Zillion can be seen taking a bat from his twin brother to hit a piñata, a significant step for him in terms of participation and engagement.
De La Rosa noted that Zillion’s involvement during the festivities was a new development, showcasing the progress he has made. Her heartfelt posts serve as a reminder of the small but meaningful milestones families experience on their journeys with autism.
According to De La Rosa, Zillion stepped in and participated in a way he had not before.
“An Easter miracle, to say the least. After nearly 5 years of piñatas, yesterday was the first time ever that Zillion was fully engaged. My heart couldn’t take it… definitely happy tears. #autismawareness #autismawarenessmonth #asd,” she wrote.
Cannon and De La Rosa first publicly revealed Zillion’s diagnosis in April 2024 in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day. In a joint message, they spoke about their son and the impact he has had on their lives.
“Today our family recognizes World Autism Awareness Day which is beyond meaningful to us because our amazing 2 year old, Zillion, was recently diagnosed with ASD,” they wrote.
“Our beautiful boy experiences life in 4D and teaches us something new everyday! His love, strength and brilliance light up every room he enters! We are blessed that God had placed such an amazing spirit under our guardianship and we have accepted this assignment wholeheartedly!”
A few months later, in August 2024, De La Rosa shared that Zillion had a “verbal breakthrough”.
“No one talks about the challenges of having a child with special needs. Some days are good others are so so hard on my mommy heart but yesterday we had another verbal break through [sic]!” De La Rosa wrote across the video.
“I like to always record Zillion when we play just to see if I catch anything and yesterday for the first time I caught him saying his brothers[sic] name not once but TWICE!!!!,” she continued. “Thank you lord Jesus!!”
Zillion and his twin brother Zion were born in June 2021. De La Rosa and Cannon later welcomed their daughter Beautiful in November 2022.
