Dad of two allegedly carjacked and killed by teen, left dead on suburban street
A 15-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with murder after an Uber driver was found shot to death early New Year’s Day after a carjacking in a suburban Atlanta community, authorities said.
The victim was identified as Cesar Tejada, 58, of Grayson, Georgia, who was working as an Uber driver at the time of the shooting, according to a release from the Lawrenceville Police Department. Authorities said that Tejada was a father of two.
Police responded around 5:20 a.m. Jan. 1 to a report of a person lying in the roadway in the suburban community of Lawrenceville, which is approximately 30 miles northeast of Atlanta. Officers found Tejada suffering from a gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators determined that Tejada had picked up the suspect around 4:13 a.m. and transported him to Groveland Parkway. Police said the suspect exited the back seat, shot Tejada and left him in the road before fleeing the scene.
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Using FLOCK camera technology and working in partnership with Uber, detectives tracked Tejada’s vehicle back to the area where the trip originated. Officers later detained the suspect, identified as 15-year-old Christian Simmons, after observing him walking in the roadway near his residence, police said.
Simmons has been charged as an adult with murder. Police initially withheld his identity due to his age.
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, an Uber spokesperson said the company is saddened by Tejada’s death.
“We’re saddened by this devastating loss, and our condolences go out to the driver’s family during this incredibly difficult time,” the spokesperson said. “We’ve been in contact with the Lawrenceville Police Department to help support their investigation.”
Uber confirmed the rider account associated with the incident has been permanently banned. The company said it employs former law enforcement professionals to assist with investigations and offers in-app safety features such as an emergency assistance button, GPS trip tracking and rider verification.
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Police described Tejada as a husband and father of two and extended condolences to his family. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Lawrenceville Police Department.
Police uncover chilling double death of local dentist, wife in quiet suburb
Police are investigating after a dentist and his wife in Columbus, Ohio, were both found shot to death inside their home just a month before celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.
Police responded to the house around 10 a.m. Tuesday for a wellness check, and found Spencer and Monique Tepe dead with apparent gunshot wounds. Two young children were found at the house unharmed.
The owner of Athens Dental Depot, Dr. Mark Valrose, where Spencer works, called 911 and asked dispatchers to send officers for a wellness check at the couple’s residence. Valrose said people at the business were becoming concerned after Spencer didn’t show up to work.
Fox News Digital obtained the 911 records through a public records request. Police are seeking the public’s help as they search for a suspect.
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According to WSYX, police don’t believe their deaths were a murder-suicide. Officials added there wasn’t a firearm recovered at the scene and there were no signs of forced entry.
Valrose called 911 on Tuesday at 9:03 a.m. to raise the alarm about Spencer and Monica. An officer with the Columbus Police Department arrived at the Tepe household at 9:22 a.m., but didn’t get an answer after knocking.
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“Spencer works with me and he did not show up to work this morning and we cannot get ahold of him or his family,” Valrose said. “He is always on time and he would contact us if there is any issues whatsoever…we’re very, very concerned because this is very out of character and we can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.”
In a separate 911 call from one of Spencer’s friends who went to their home, the caller said “there’s a body.”
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“We just came here and he appears dead. He’s laying next to his bed, off of his bed in his blood. I can’t get closer to see more than that,” the caller said. “I can tell he’s obviously not breathing or anything.”
In a statement on Facebook, Athens Dental Depot said Spencer will be “deeply missed.”
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the sudden passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. Spencer Tepe, as well as his wife Monique. He will be deeply missed by our team and the many patients he cared for over the years. Our thoughts and sincerest condolences are with their families and loved ones during this very difficult time,” the business said.
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Rob Misleh, Spencer’s brother-in-law, told WSYX that the couple was going to celebrate their five-year anniversary next month after getting married in 2021.
Country star’s health test results left doctors asking ‘how are you alive?’
Jelly Roll is opening up about the start of his weight-loss journey and the steps he took to be the healthiest version of himself.
In a recent interview with Men’s Health, the 41-year-old country star spoke about taking matters into his own hands and deciding to live a healthier lifestyle.
He first started working with podcast host and founder of the weight loss movement, “The Ultimate Human,” Gary Brecka, before finding Ways2Well, a wellness clinic which works to treat the underlying problems, rather than focus on just treating the symptoms.
“The first couple of blood panels were like, how are you alive?” he says.
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Jelly Roll, whose birth name is Jason Bradley DeFord, shared that his insulin levels were “super high,” his testosterone was so low that is was similar to that “of a preteen boy,” his cholesterol was high and so were his A1C levels.
“When I went in there for the test, it was bad. Bad. The world opened up when I seen it on paper. I was like, ‘That’s my testosterone level?’ I mean, dude, we’re talking a 57,” he said. “You can’t get it up without T…I was married to a smoke show, and I was still struggling.”
The “Save Me” singer emphasized that his main goal wasn’t to lose weight but was “wanting to know what’s happening within me,” although he knew that weight loss would likely follow.
While he knew getting his physical health in check was an important step in his journey, he also understood that he needed to tackle his mental health, and admitted to seeking “therapy about my overeating.”
JELLY ROLL FELT HE WAS MONTHS AWAY FROM DEATH BEFORE BEGINNING DRAMATIC 300-POUND WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY
“I started treating my food addiction like what it was: an addiction. Why did I treat cocaine a certain way? I went to meetings for cocaine and found a sponsor and detoxed off of it and s— myself and went through real hard life-changing emotional choices to get off cocaine and codeine,” he explained. “I didn’t look at the food addiction different. Once I started treating food like an addiction, it started changing everything for me. When I started really looking at the source of why I was eating. What was I eating for?”
He explained that in the eighth grade he began going down the wrong path, adding he “thought I was something I wasn’t,” and that in his youth, “I’d let you kill me to prove to you, I was tough.”
This path eventually led him to go to prison for drug-related crimes and aggravated robbery. During his time in prison, Jelly Roll found religion, got his GED, began songwriting and began turning his life around.
“It took 12, 15 years of being in and out of the system and going through s— and dealing with drugs and drug addicts to realize, man, that was never actually who I was,” he said.
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“The way shame sometimes shows itself is not always the way we expect it to be,” he later added. “We think shame is somebody in the streets on their knees, with their head down. But shame sometimes is pride. Sometimes shame is just bravado. Behind real bravado, I can normally find shame. I can normally find guilt. I can normally find insecurity. I was the biggest, the loudest, the toughest, the meanest, the growliest, the fattest. There’s normally deep inside of that a really, really small, insecure human. I was that, for sure. Then a by-product of that was I got fat as f—.”
Jelly Roll has previously spoken about his progress, sharing on “The Joe Rogan Experience” in December 2025 that he has lost 300 pounds since starting his weight-loss journey in 2022 at over 500 pounds.
In December 2024, he told his wife, Bunnie XO on her podcast, “Dumb Blonde,” that he is doing this publicly in order “to be honest about my struggles with it with people.” He then shared a very specific goal he has in mind.
“I wanna be on the cover of ‘Men’s Health’ by March of 2026,” he said. “That’s my new goal. So I wanna have one of the biggest transformations.”
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The singer described being at his heaviest as being a “never-ending sadness,” saying it felt like he “was a prisoner to my own body,” and that “every decision I made in life had to be based on my weight.”
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“When this journey started, I couldn’t get a full mile in in that 30 minutes,” he told Men’s Health. “Now I could put on a pair of tennis shoes, walk out that door, do a mile loop around Hollywood Boulevard, and be back in 12 minutes and 25 seconds.”
Swalwell vows to revoke licenses of federal immigration agents who wear masks
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California., on Wednesday promised to revoke the driver’s license of federal immigration agents who wear masks.
Swalwell, who is running for governor, appeared on MS NOW where he was asked about what he brings to the table as leader of the state.
In response, Swalwell said one of the governor’s duties is to protect the state’s most vulnerable populations.
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“If the president is going to send ICE agents to chase immigrants through the fields where they work, what I’m going to is make them take off their masks and show their faces, that they show their identification, and if they commit crimes, that they’re going to be charged with crimes,” he said.
“If the governor has the ability to issue driver’s licenses to people in California, if you’re going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, you’re not going to be eligible to drive a vehicle in California,” Swalwell added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The White House noted that California has issued driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, some of whom have been involved in deadly collisions.
“Fang Fang’s former lover wants to give drivers licenses to criminal illegal aliens and simultaneously punish law enforcement officers for enforcing the law?” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, referencing Swalwell’s connection to alleged Chinese spy, Christine Fang, who worked on his congressional campaign and targeted up-and-coming politicians in California.
What an absolute clown.”
A California law banning ICE officers from wearing masks while conducting operations was supposed to go into effect on Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security has vowed not to comply with the measure and the Trump administration is suing the state over the issue. The law is on hold and a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 12.
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Critics of the immigration operations argue that masked agents pose a danger to communities and could result in brutal law enforcement tactics while failing to hold authorities accountable.
Federal authorities have said that ICE and other immigration officers have faced death threats, as well as their families, and doxxing.
On Friday, Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said the state doesn’t have the authority to regulate federal authorities.
“In the meantime, California has agreed to put the law on hold and not enforce its unconstitutional mask ban, which is designed to allow radical leftists to dox federal agents enforcing immigration laws,” he wrote on X.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department, criticized Salwell over his remarks.
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“What’s even dumber about this is that Swalwell has a law degree and he even once made a living as a prosecutor,” she wrote on X. “He knows about federal supremacy and that it is not possible for a state prosecutor to do any of the things he is promising. Oh, and he won’t ever be governor, either.”
Ex-Viking says he saw Somali fraudsters buy sports cars, force Islam on public
Former Minnesota Viking and University of Minnesota football player Jack Brewer said he’s seen high-end business involving the “elite” Somali population in Minnesota up close. In the process, he witnessed a demographic and class transformation in his home state.
“You go to one of them, and they have Bentley and Maserati dealerships in Minnesota. I know because I’ve done business with them, and I’ve been endorsed by them as an athlete,” Brewer told Fox News Digital.
“Now, you go in there, and some of their main customers are these Somali fraudsters buying high-end cars in a state that gets four months of sunlight and decent weather. They’re driving around sports cars like you would see in Beverly Hills or South Beach Miami, all off the back of the American taxpayer.”
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Images of empty daycare centers have become a sudden cultural flashpoint across the nation. Minnesota is embroiled in a growing scandal after revelations that potentially billions in taxpayer dollars were distributed fraudulently through members of the state’s Somali population.
Brewer recalls the moment he began to see that reality take shape, when the Somali population began to suddenly boom across his state 28 years ago. He witnessed this as a husband to a Muslim American legal immigrant.
“I have been in Minnesota a long time. My wife was born and raised there, from a family of immigrants that came from the Middle East, came to America, assimilated and not just assimilated but actually made me more patriotic,” Brewer said.
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“I saw Somalians coming there in droves. They had their own section of town and slowly started taking over the city of Minneapolis.”
The Somali population in Minneapolis and St. Paul grew significantly starting in the early to mid-1990s, driven by refugees fleeing Somalia’s civil war, with substantial numbers arriving after 1991 and continuing through the 2000s.
The collapse of Somalia’s government in 1991 led to widespread conflict, forcing millions to flee the country. At the time, Brewer was just a child in Grapevine, Texas. By the time he transferred from SMU to the University of Minnesota, the Somali population was estimated at approximately 15,000 people, according to the Minnesota State Demographic Center.
By the time Brewer joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2002, at least 5,123 Minnesota students reported speaking Somali as their primary language at home, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Over the years, Brewer, as a pro athlete with endorsements, witnessed the transactions involving local Somali immigrants who were attaining wealth. He began to witness their growing influence on local culture and religion.
“You turn on your TV. Have you ever seen a mayor on television waving a foreign country’s flag and dancing and trying to rally people to support Somalia over supporting America? … When you walk through Minneapolis, you hear Islamic sirens going off because they’ve come in here with that culture, trying to bring in Islamic culture,” Brewer said.
“This is a spiritual battle like we haven’t seen in a long time.”
A recent investigation by activists Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo found that federal counterterrorism sources confirmed millions in funds for Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program, Feeding Our Future and other state-sponsored organizations were sent to Somalia and that the terrorist group Al-Shabab may have obtained that cash.
Approximately 40% of households in Somalia get remittances from abroad. Thorpe and Rufo reported that, in 2023, the Somali diaspora sent $1.7 billion to the country, which was higher than the Somali government’s budget that same year.
In the Land of 1,000 Lakes, political power and welfare funds found their way to the Somali population.
The state saw the rise of several prominent Somali politicians, including U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, state senators Omar Fateh and Zaynab Mohamed and St. Louis Park Mayor Nadia Mohamed, all Democrats.
“These people have embedded themselves into the political world, where now they are leveraging the federal government to fund their campaigns, to send money overseas to Somalia and to build luxury condos and create a lifestyle for people in Somalia off the back of the American taxpayer,” Brewer said.
“For me, as a former Minnesota Viking, as a former Gopher, I got my undergraduate and my master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota. I was a captain on both of those teams. It’s one of the most embarrassing times I’ve ever had for a state that I’ve proudly said helped turn me from a boy into a man.”
Brewer, a business owner, added that he’s moved many of his assets out of the state in recent years.
“I’ve pulled back many of my investment interests in the state and moved business interests elsewhere because of what we’ve seen post-George Floyd,” he said.
Somali residents previously told Fox News Digital they are angered the entire community has been saddled with what they say is an unfair reputation, blaming a small minority of fraudsters and criminals for the negative attention against the entire group.
“Somalis in Minnesota are hard-working folks. Many of them work two jobs, and yet about 75% are still poor,” Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein previously told Fox News Digital.
“There are entrepreneurs, successful restaurants — people in trucking, IT and even corporate America — making significant changes. But those positive stories don’t get much attention.”
About 36% of Somali Minnesotans lived below the poverty line from 2019 to 2023, more than triple the U.S. poverty rate of 11.1%, according to Minnesota Compass, a statewide data project. Somali-headed households reported a median income of around $43,600 during that period, far below the national median of $78,538.
Najma Mohammad, a hair stylist who came to the U.S. as a child, previously told Fox News Digital, “Most people think just because some people are bad and Somali, that every Somali is bad, which is just a stereotype.”
Brewer stands behind the state’s patriotic Muslim legal immigrant population, which he is connected to personally through his wife’s family.
“Witnessing their family — the way they do business, the way they love this country, what they stand for, their patriotism — I’ve learned from it. I’ve become better from it. I’ve loved my country more from witnessing my in-laws. So, I know what’s possible,” Brewer said.
“They did that by moving to Minneapolis and building their businesses. It can happen, and it does happen. That’s what this country was built upon.”
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But he also wants to see President Trump take drastic measures in response to the recent developments.
“I would put a freeze on all immigration until we get a handle on the depth of this fraud and the depth of the corruption that has taken place.” Brewer said. “We need to get all these foreign terrorists out of our country. That should be a collective effort between our armed forces, our local law enforcement, our communities, our leaders, our churches — everyone — to protect our land.”
Vitamin C breakthrough reveals eating a common fruit daily might transform skin
Eating more vitamin C may do more than boost immunity this winter — it could also strengthen skin from the inside out, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand found that people who increased their vitamin C intake by eating two kiwis a day for eight weeks showed notable increases in their skin’s vitamin C levels, along with signs of improved skin density and cellular renewal — both of which are linked to collagen production.
Vitamin C from food travels through the bloodstream into the skin, boosting collagen-related markers and skin renewal, the researchers said.
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“We were surprised by the tight correlation between plasma vitamin C levels and those in the skin,” lead author Margreet Vissers said in a university news release.
“This was much more marked than in any other organ we have investigated.”
“Our study shows that the skin is extremely good at absorbing vitamin C from the blood circulation,” she added.
The study is the first to show that vitamin C delivered through the bloodstream makes its way into all layers of the skin and is associated with measurable improvements in skin function, according to Vissers.
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Twenty-four healthy adults in New Zealand and Germany took part in an eight-week dietary intervention. During that time, they ate two kiwis a day, according to the research paper, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology in October.
The scientists measured vitamin C levels in the blood and skin before and after the intervention — and used imaging and lab tests to assess changes in skin density and cell renewal.
After eight weeks, participants saw skin density rise by nearly 50%, skin cell renewal increase by about 30% and skin vitamin C levels climb substantially, according to the study.
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Healthy adults should aim for about 250 milligrams of vitamin C per day to maintain adequate levels in the blood plasma — the liquid portion of the blood that carries nutrients throughout the body — the researchers said.
They recommend eating it regularly because the body does not store vitamin C, according to the news release.
“Because the improvement in density was on a cellular level, any cosmetic improvement would be difficult to appreciate with the naked eye.”
While the study focused on kiwifruit, they said similar benefits are expected from other vitamin C–rich foods, including citrus fruits, berries, bell peppers and broccoli.
Vitamin C is known for playing a key role in collagen production, which is why it is frequently used in skincare products, but the nutrient is water-soluble and does not penetrate the skin’s outer barrier efficiently, Vissers noted.
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Dr. Brian Toy, a board-certified dermatologist at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California, said the findings are interesting — but noted the study did not show improvements in skin elasticity or protection from ultraviolet (UV) damage.
“Because the improvement in density was on a cellular level, any cosmetic improvement would be difficult to appreciate with the naked eye,” Toy told Fox News Digital.
Toy, who is also a clinical professor at the University of Southern California and was not involved in the research, added that the study was small and focused on people who already had low vitamin C levels.
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“If a patient suffers from low vitamin C, dietary changes and supplement use would be advised regardless,” Toy said.
While food alone likely won’t replace traditional skincare or result in dramatic cosmetic changes, the findings add to growing evidence that diet can influence skin health, experts say.
The research was partially funded by Zespri International, a major kiwifruit producer.
Toy noted that industry-funded research is common and said the Journal of Investigative Dermatology is a reputable, peer-reviewed publication.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the study’s authors for comment.
Fitness icon still fits into ’80s leotards at 68, reveals simple daily habit
At age 68, Denise Austin is still able to fit into the same leotards and swimsuits she wore more than 30 years ago.
The fitness guru and founder of Fit Over 50 magazine continues to spill her secrets for lasting weight loss through her popular fitness app. On the platform, she provides signature workouts, wellness plans and words of encouragement.
The mother of two told Fox News Digital that she posts her then-and-now photos not to boast but to remind her followers that real, long-term results come from showing up every single day.
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“I saved all of my leotards from back in the day, from the ‘80s and ‘90s, which I used to wear on my videos and on my TV show,” she laughed. “I’m so happy I kept them all because [my daughter] Katie loves to wear them. My other daughter, Kelly, loves to wear them too.”
“It’s a testament to me being 68 now and keeping it up,” said Austin. “That’s all it takes, keeping it up, keeping up with your workouts. And to me, I think it’s a really cool thing. It’s nostalgic for me, and it shows me that if you do start exercising, it does matter and you’ll feel good. And it’s all about feeling good for me.”
WATCH: DENISE AUSTIN SHARES THE SIMPLE HABITS THAT KEEP HER FIT AT 68
“I want to feel healthy,” she continued. “If you have money, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have good health. And no matter who you are, you just have to do something for yourself. Did you know that just standing up burns more calories than sitting down? So I tell people to get up throughout the day. If you’re on your phone, walk and talk while you’re on the phone. The more you move, the better it is for your circulation, which also helps your whole body.”
Austin hosted the No. 1 exercise show on television for 24 years. She has sold more than 25 million fitness tapes and DVDs, making her one of the most successful home-workout creators of all time.
According to the star, she works out 30 minutes a day, every day. She prioritizes exercising in the morning to get it done immediately. Austin pointed out that it gives her energy for the rest of the day.
But her exercise routine doesn’t end once the sun rises.
“Throughout the day, I have these little squeezing-in exercises that you can do anywhere,” she explained. “Like right now, wherever you are, pull in your abdominals and tighten up the tummy muscles. Keep the abdominal muscles tight for five seconds. That’s equal to one sit-up. So you could be doing isometric exercises throughout the day. If you’re standing in line at the grocery store, squeeze your buttocks.”
“If you don’t squeeze it, no one else will,” she said with a grin.
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The one workout Austin never skips — and urges everyone else to embrace — is simple: walking.
“Walking works,” she stressed. “It really shows results. You can walk off your weight. I tell everyone to start with a 20-minute walk. Go around the block, see how fast you can go.
“Do two blocks next week. Always increase it. Ultimately, it’s best to do a 30-minute walk. Then you work in your heart, you’re burning fat, you’re seeing a difference in your weight loss. Thirty minutes is science-backed. You will see a difference if you do it regularly, at least three days a week. You have to do it three days a week.”
“I try to walk almost every single day,” she said. “I love to get out and walk. It’s great for your mind. It helps your mood, it improves your attitude, and you just feel better. And when I walk with my daughters, they talk more, they share more. You just feel free when you’re out walking.”
Austin advised that if you want to boost your walking routine, add some stretching when you’re home and even dedicate five minutes to weights.
“Then you’ll have a complete cardio workout,” she said. “Heart disease is the number one killer for us women. Exercising is so great for you. And of course, conditioning your muscles helps with stretching for flexibility.
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“I have some days when I dedicate myself to stretching. Other days are for walking. Some days are for weights. So if you can line up your week with all three components of a well-balanced workout, it really makes a difference. You’ll lose inches, tighten up your tummy, and you’ll just feel so much better.”
At age 65, Austin walked the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway show in Miami. She still calls it the “thrill of my life.” Austin was accompanied by her daughter Katie, an SI Swimsuit model and fitness influencer.
“I was 65 in a bikini!” she said. “I really did watch a lot of calories for two weeks. They just told me two weeks before my walk. So, I only had two weeks to prepare. I didn’t do chips and guacamole for two weeks. I didn’t do my red wine. I just really ate as well as I could for two weeks. But that was a once-in-a-lifetime situation. I don’t do that anymore. I enjoy my wine and food, and it’s a part of my life.”
In addition to staying active, Austin emphasized the importance of clean eating centered on fresh, whole foods. She prefers preparing meals at home, but when she and her husband head out for a date night, they keep things balanced by sharing a dish or dessert.
WATCH: DENISE AUSTIN SAYS FITNESS IS KEY EVEN WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SHOTS
“Food is medicine — the right foods,” said Austin. “It’s a part of taking care of your body. And portions do matter. When you’re out grocery shopping, make sure you read the labels. I’m not into a lot of ingredients, things you can’t pronounce. I prefer lots of fruits and vegetables. I have avocado in the morning with my eggs. I like to have cottage cheese now with some chia seeds on top and blueberries.
“If you could shop in the perimeter of the grocery store, that’s usually the healthiest foods, from produce to healthy meats,” she noted. “And I’m a big believer in balance. I have good carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. I make sure I have protein in every meal. Protein, as you age, is so important. And I’m a real believer in fiber and drinking plenty of water.”
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It’s never too late to start or try again, she insisted.
“If you haven’t exercised in a long time, and let’s just say you’re 68, like me, the best thing that I would tell everybody is to start small but start now. This is where your health can go either way. You can join my program, go to the gym or just go for a walk. It doesn’t matter. Just make a plan.”
Mamdani garners backlash for referencing Knicks star Jalen Brunson during speech
New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani made reference to New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson during the mayor’s inaugural speech on Thursday, and even appeared to make a gesture that resembled Brunson’s signature celebration.
The move garnered mixed responses on social media.
The reference came around nine minutes into the speech, when Mamdani proclaimed “excellence is no longer the exception,” adding that the city “expects greatness” from “our point guard at Madison Square Garden.” During that remark, the mayor covered his face with his hand, appearing to replicate Brunson’s celebration, but then transitioned the gesture into a wipe of his face.
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Images of the moment spread across social media, with some Knicks fans appreciating the reference, but many others in the city and around the country criticizing Mamdani for his democratic socialist agenda.
Former Kansas City Chiefs preseason player Chris Manno was one of the many to criticize Mamdani, suggesting Brunson will “loathe” the new mayor.
“The Captain is gonna loathe this clown soon as he learns how much of his next contract will be going to support those who don’t feel the need to work in that corrupt city,” Manno wrote in a response to the clip on X.
The cryptocurrency influencer account Dr. Evil of Crypto suggested Brunson would not align with Mamdani’s values.
“Brunson is a conservative, religious, family-oriented man. He would never associate with this hateful, vile person,” the influencer wrote in an X response. Brunson’s religion and political views are not publicly disclosed as he hasn’t made any statements addressing them. Brunson went to the private Catholic university Villanova for his college career.
The New York City local news aggregator account City Desk NYC called Mamdani’s gesture “clown behavior.”
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“Mamdani’s Brunson cosplay is peak clown behavior. He’s out here stealing Jalen’s celebration while his policies steal New York’s future,” the account wrote in an X response. “Brunson delivers wins. Mamdani delivers excuses.”
Several other users mocked or condemned Mamdani for the gesture.
However, other users praised Mamdani for the gesture and reference during the speech.
Brunson received 27 votes in the recent mayoral election on write-in ballots.
Back in October, the Knicks sent a cease-and-desist letter to Mamdani’s campaign after he used a logo similar to the team’s for a campaign ad, Fox News Digital confirmed at the time.
Mamdani posted the logo on Instagram with the caption, “This is our year. This is our time. #NewYorkForever.” The location for the post was Madison Square Garden. It has since been deleted.
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In a statement, the Knicks made it clear they “do not endorse Mr. Mamdani for Mayor.”
“The NY Knicks have sent NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a cease-and-desist letter for using the NY Knicks logo to promote his candidacy. The Knicks want to make it clear that we do not endorse Mr. Mamdani for Mayor, and we object to his use of our copyrighted logo. We will pursue all legal remedies to enforce our rights.”
Iran threatens to make US forces fair game as deadly protests spread
As nationwide protests continued to spread across Iran on Friday, the regime’s hardline Parliament speaker warned the U.S. that American forces and bases in the region would be considered “legitimate targets” if Washington intervenes in the country’s ongoing political unrest.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comments after President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that the U.S. would take action if Iran uses force against demonstrators. It comes as protests entered a sixth day and appear to be spreading, with Iranian opposition groups claiming at least eight deaths.
“The disrespectful President of America should also know that with this official admission, all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism,” Qalibaf wrote in Persian on X.
“Iranians have always been united and determined to act in the face of an aggressor enemy,” he added.
IRANIAN PROTESTERS CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES AS TEAR GAS FILLS TEHRAN STREETS AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST
Qalibaf’s threat emerges as the United States maintains a substantial military presence in the region.
Roughly 40,000 active-duty U.S. troops and War Department civilians are deployed across the Middle East, according to Military Times, citing Pentagon officials. Forces are stationed in countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria, according to Reuters.
Trump said earlier Friday that the United States is “locked and loaded and ready to go” if Iranian authorities violently suppress demonstrators.
“If Iran shoots and ‘violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
US AIRSTRIKE ON NUCLEAR FACILITIES FOLLOWS YEARS OF IRANIAN PLOTS ON AMERICAN SOIL
The Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) claimed Friday that protests have spread to at least 44 cities across 19 provinces, with at least eight people killed in clashes with security forces over the past two days. The group said the youngest victim was 15 years old. The claims could not be independently verified.
According to the NCRI, demonstrations and street fighting intensified overnight, with protesters blocking roads, throwing stones and setting fire to police vehicles in multiple cities, including Marvdasht, Semirom, Darreh-Shahr, Ramhormoz and Azna.
The group also claimed demonstrators burned a statue of slain Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Lali, in Iran’s Khuzestan province.
Funerals of those killed in the uprising turned into angry demonstrations against the clerical dictatorship, NCRI reported.
In Zahedan, in Iran’s southeast near the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, demonstrators rallied after Friday prayers, chanting slogans including “Death to the dictator” and “Death to Khamenei.”
The unrest marks Iran’s most significant protests since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. Iranian officials say the current unrest has not reached the same scale or intensity.
EXILED PRINCE WARNS IRANIAN MILITARY OF ‘FINAL CHANCE’ TO STAND UP TO THE REGIME
In recent demonstrations, some of the most severe violence has been reported in western Iran, where videos circulating online appear to show fires burning in streets and the sound of gunfire during nighttime protests.
In a message to the protesters, the President-elect of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, said that the protesters have “struck fear into a weakened enemy.”
“Scenes of your courage, valor, and steadfast resistance captivate the conscience of the world,” Rajavi said. “Therefore, from here, I say to the clerics, the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij forces, and their intelligence agents: whatever measures you take, you will not be able to silence a people who have resolved to overthrow the clerical regime.”
“You may kill, you may wound, you may arrest and imprison, but you will not escape the relentless wrath of this nation. And let this stand as an explicit warning to all those who order and carry out these crimes and killings: the courts of a free Iran are awaiting you.”
Meanwhile, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of Iran’s former shah, praised Trump’s “decisive leadership” and tough stance against Iran’s ruling clerics.
Pahlavi said Iranians are risking their lives to end 46 years of rule by the Islamic Republic.
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“[The people] have entrusted me with a message along with a great responsibility: to strive for the revival of the relationship that Iran once had with America; a relationship that brought peace and prosperity to the Middle East,” Pahlavi wrote on X.
“I have a clear plan for a stable transition in Iran and enjoy the support of my people to achieve it. With your leadership in the free world, we can leave behind a lasting legacy of enduring peace.”