URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — An armed suspect fired a shot during a robbery at an Urbana gas station early Friday morning, but thankfully, no one was injured.
The incident occurred at the Circle K on 1809 North Cunningham Avenue. Urbana Police Lieutenant David Roesch reported that officers arrived at the scene shortly before 5 a.m. following a call about an armed robbery.
A woman has admitted guilt this week to the charge of distributing close to 3,000 fake nursing diplomas through her educational institutions in South Florida.
Carleen Noreus, aged 52, reached a plea agreement following a trial that spanned two weeks. During the proceedings, prosecutors presented the jury with numerous pieces of evidence, including counterfeit diplomas and transcripts provided to individuals who did not complete the necessary training to qualify as registered nurses, according to court documents reviewed by News Media.
“Nursing licenses should be earned through proper education, rigorous training, and proven competence, not bought through deceit,” stated Jason A. Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, in an official release.
Quiñones further emphasized, “By distributing thousands of fraudulent diplomas and transcripts, the defendant compromised the integrity of the nursing field and jeopardized our healthcare system. The Southern District of Florida is committed to bringing to justice those who exploit professional licensing systems for profit and endanger public safety.”
President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Judge Jason Reding Quiñones as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida on Sunday. (Florida Courts)
Noreus, who has been a registered nurse since 2002, sold the phony diplomas from April 2018 to October 2025, prosecutors said. The documents she sold enabled these people to sit for the national nursing board examinations without needing to go to nursing school, according to prosecutors.
Nearly 2,300 people who obtained diplomas or transcripts from Noreus got licenses by passing the board exams and went on to work as nurses across the country, court documents said.
Both of the schools she founded as avenues to sell the diplomas were named after her and were subsequently shut down by state authorities. She was the president of Carleen Home Health School, Inc., in Plantation and vice president of Carleen Home Health School II, Inc., in West Palm Beach.
The now-defunct nursing school in Plantation, Florida, that Carleen Noreus used to sell fraudulent diplomas. (carleenhealthinstitute.org)
Prosecutors said Noreus collaborated with others in the wide-ranging, multi-year scheme.
In a statement of fact Noreus signed on Monday, she said Stanton Witherspoon, who was president of Carleen Home Health School II, paid her to falsify diplomas for entry-level nurses, registered nurses and bachelor’s-level nurses.
Additionally, Noreus admitted that she backdated transcripts issued to students to make it look as though they had received their degrees before her schools had been terminated by the state.
A stock image of a nurse in blue scrubs (Xavier Lorenzo)
Noreus pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to money laundering. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count.
Noreus was one of 13 defendants charged in the second phase of Operation Nightingale, a nationwide investigation to uncover fraudulent nursing diploma mills. The first phase concluded in 2023, resulting in 30 defendants being charged and convicted.
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CHICAGO (AP) — In a delightful surprise, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama greeted the first 100 visitors at the newly unveiled Obama Presidential Center on Friday.
Accompanied by LeVar Burton, the beloved former host of “Reading Rainbow,” the Obamas captivated 25 school children with a reading of “Where the Wild Things Are” at the Chicago Public Library branch housed within the center. A playful moment arose when Michelle Obama quipped, “Although there were no kings,” after Barack read Maurice Sendak’s line about being “king of all the wild things,” earning applause from the audience.
Guests were thrilled to shake hands with the Obamas in front of a vibrant 38-foot-tall artwork, a sprawling map of Chicago inspired by Carl Sandburg’s 1914 poem that celebrates the city as “stormy, husky, brawling, City of the Big Shoulders.”
As the initial group of visitors concluded their tour, the Obamas made a quiet exit, allowing the museum to welcome additional guests for its opening day.
The center’s unveiling coincided with Juneteenth and followed a star-studded dedication ceremony. The Obamas delivered inspiring speeches to a crowd that included three former presidents with their first ladies, numerous politicians, and a glittering array of celebrities, musicians, and sports figures. Thousands more tuned in via livestream from a nearby park.
A weekend of events is planned for the sprawling campus on Chicago’s South Side near where the Obamas lived and began his political career. It is adjacent to the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in the lakefront park, and not far from the University of Chicago.
Tickets for the general public are sold out through the end of November. But those lucky enough to score them for the first day got the unexpected thrill of meeting the Obamas themselves.
The campus includes a towering museum that covers the political and personal realms of the nation’s first Black president and first lady, while public spaces include a branch of the Chicago Public Library, a playground and athletic center, basketball courts and a picnic area with grills.
The tower’s design is meant to depict four hands coming together in solidarity. Wrapped around one side are 5-foot tall concrete capital letters, an excerpt of Obama’s 2015 speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. It begins, “You are America.”
A picturesque beach in California, where two college students tragically lost their lives, conceals a dangerous reality beneath its serene surface.
While often praised by visitors as a local gem perfect for sunbathing, picnicking, and taking in the stunning ocean vistas, this beach lacks the presence of permanent lifeguards.
On June 10, Harshita Nair, 21, and Mahial Sran, 20, both hailing from Fremont, became victims of a “rogue wave” while at a beach near Bonny Doon in Santa Cruz.
According to CalFire, the students were enjoying their day on Yellow Bank Beach, a small 100-yard stretch of sand near the more well-known Panther and Bonny Doon beaches.
This coastal area is notorious for its strong currents and tumultuous waves. CalFire noted that this recent incident was the fifth water rescue emergency within the past month along this one-mile stretch of shoreline.
American Lifeguard Association spokesman Tom Gill said the presence of lifeguards in the area could have saved the lives of Nair and Sran.
‘We calculated there to be a one in 18 million chance of drowning on an actively-guarded beach,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘So yes, I do believe life guards could have made the difference there. [The students] likely wouldn’t have been in a place where they were in danger.
Harshita Nair, 21, a legal studies major at UC Berkeley, died close to the shore in Santa Cruz
Mahial Sran, 20, a public health BS at San José State University, also died in the double horror
Yellow Bank Beach – a roughly 100yd stretch of sand close to the larger Bonny Doon Beach – where CalFire responders said the students were relaxing
‘It seemed like a rogue wave came in, but any lifeguard that would have seen that would have responded and given them the best possible chance of being rescued immediately, preventing further tragedy.’
California State Parks agency – under the remit of state Governor Gavin Newsom – is responsible for deciding where lifeguards are deployed.
Newsom’s office referred the Daily Mail to the agency, which said Panther Beach is not guarded due to the terrain, but ‘there is a continued regular mobile presence of lifeguards on this stretch of coastline.’
However, CalFire spokesman Michael Horn said Yellow Bank Beach is not visible from the route taken by those lifeguards who cruise the coastal highway.
He told the Daily Mail it would have taken firefighters a minimum of ten minutes to reach the students after the first emergency call was made.
‘911 was called [at 5pm] because somebody witnessed these young ladies getting hit by the waves and getting drawn into the ocean,’ Horn said.
‘That person called 911 very quickly.
‘From the time that they called 911 to when the responders got there – it can be anywhere between a ten to 15 minutes response time because of how remote the area is.’
He said if lifeguards had been present on the beach, they would have told the girls ‘this is a bad place for your to be, completely get out of here.’
Horn added that the Santa Cruz coastline as a whole is ‘very rural and remote,’ peppered with ‘lots of little coves and small beaches’ which are only accessible by taking a short walk from the main beaches.
‘These are not sanctioned beaches. But in California we do have a law that everybody has access to the beach, if you can get there,’ he explained.
‘So basically this is not a beach that would normally be guarded by a lifeguard in a tower.
A helicopter that was part of the recovery mission for the two women, who were on the beach when they were swept away
Eight rescue swimmers were deployed on Wednesday to search for the two missing women
‘California State Park does have lifeguards that drive up and down the coast, and they’re responsible for controlling every little nook and cranny, and it’s just a labor issue where they can’t have 700 lifeguards patrol a small area.
‘Even if a lifeguard were to have driven past, they would have gone unnoticed, since there’s no tower on the beach, and it’s slender bit of beach.’
Yellow Bank Beach is ‘a very long open stretch of sand’ which is accessible via a naturally-formed arch, which creates a beautiful slice of scenery, Horn said.
He added that Sran and Nair’s escape route from the shore was suddenly sealed off by a ‘sneaker wave’ just before sunset.
A ‘sneaker wave’ is a disproportionately large, unexpected coastal wave that suddenly surges much further up the beach than those preceding it.
Horn said the women must have been in the water or close to it at the time they were swept away because their phones, backpacks and towels were ‘relatively dry.’
By the time first responders arrived, he continued, the women were alive – but either unconscious or only partly-conscious. ‘One was face-down in the water,’ he said.
‘Resuscitation was immediately started on both patients.’
Yellow Bank Beach, which does not have a permanent lifeguard presence because of the terrain
Bonny Doon Beach, the larger beach near the spot where the incident occurred
Horn said about eight rescuers swam into the dangerous waters in an attempt to save the victims.
One of the rescuers, who did not want to be named, told the California Post he brought Sran ashore after diving into a 6ft break along with another responder.
At that point, Nair had already been pulled from the ocean close to Yellow Bank Beach.
Nair died soon after she was recovered, while Sran was rushed to the hospital where she received emergency treatment until Saturday.
The two women graduated together from Washington High School in 2023.
They were due to graduate college in 2027 – Nair in legal studies at UC Berkeley and Sran in public health and psychology at San José State University.
Nair hoped to work in law and public service to directly help communities and expand their access to opportunity.
At school, Sran was a member of the Public Health Peer Ambassadors club, which hosts productivity workshops and social events to help students studying the subject.
County Volunteer Fire Captain Kyle Breton explained in a statement that the keyhole area the girls used to enter the bay often ‘catches people unaware.’
The term ‘keyhole’ refers to a section of shoreline that allows access to a smaller stretch of sand, but only when the tide is out or waves are not crashing through it.
A warning sign at Bonny Doon beach, which is known for having a steep surf line and strong currents that combine to create dangerous conditions
‘What we’re also seeing is people go through the keyhole to get to Yellow Bank Beach and then they get trapped on Yellow Bank Beach because the tides come in,’ Breton said.
The beach is known for having a steep surf line and strong currents that combine to create dangerous conditions.
According to the National Weather Service, those unsafe conditions were generated by a long period swell, which can prompt strong rip currents.
Local authorities have shared multiple warning statements about avoiding these hazards, such as staying off waterside infrastructure and never turning your back on the ocean.
‘California State Parks’ Santa Cruz District has a robust lifeguard program covering a wide range of state beaches across Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties,’ the state’s Parks agency told the Daily Mail in a statement.
‘Serving millions of visitors annually, the district employs more than 80 lifeguards to help safeguard state beaches in both urban and remote areas.’
The agency said members of its public safety staff ‘conduct preventive and educational ocean safety contacts’ in addition to enacting ocean rescues and responding to emergencies.
As discussions around immigration policies grow more heated in Australia, the Socceroos’ diverse World Cup squad stands as a beacon of inclusivity, resonating with multicultural communities and affirming their place in the nation, according to migrant advocates.
The team delivered a surprising victory by defeating the higher-ranked Türkiye 2-0 on Sunday. The game’s first goal was spectacularly netted by 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda, who made history as the youngest Socceroo to score in a World Cup, and who is also a former refugee.
Australia’s 26-man roster, which represents at least 15 different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, has become a cornerstone of their World Cup narrative. Ahead of the tournament, the players released a video highlighting their immigrant heritage.
In the video, the players shared stories of their rich, diverse backgrounds, emphasizing how they mirror the multicultural fabric of modern Australia and declaring, “football is for everyone.”
“No matter where you come from, football is for everyone,” echoed each player, reinforcing the team’s message of unity and inclusion.
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Socceroos veteran Awer Mabil, one of four former refugee players in the squad, reinforced that message on Wednesday with a simple statement to others forced to flee their homes: “We are with you.“
Asked about the video, Mabil, who was born in a refugee camp in Kenya to South Sudanese parents, said Australia’s multiculturalism was what made it the “best country in the world”.
“It’s the best country in the world because of that: you have the whole world in one place and the Socceroos now is a representation of that, you have many different backgrounds representing one jersey,” he said.
Migrant advocates say the team’s diversity offers an important counterpoint to anti-migrant sentiment and political attacks on multiculturalism. A different kind of win.
“It sends a powerful message that African Australians belong and are an integral part of the Australian national story,” African Australian Advocacy Centre founder Noël Yandamutso Zihabamwe told SBS News.
“It gives the communities a sense of pride, visibility, and recognition on one of the biggest sporting stages.
“Especially in this World Cup, it inspires younger people to believe that their background is a strength, not a barrier to achieving success.”
Zihabamwe said his own children had jumped up and down with excitement when they saw the video.
“It shows the Socceroos are seen not as a football team but as a symbol of the diverse backgrounds that make up contemporary Australia,” he said.
His comments come a day after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson argued multiculturalism had failed and Australia should become a “monocultural society”.
Peter Doukas, chair of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia, rejected that view.
“Strength in our diversity is what we’re seeing in the World Cup,” he told SBS News.
“No one is questioning the loyalty of our Socceroos. No one is questioning their ability to represent us, and we hope that they go all the way.
“[It shows] refugees who came to Australia, not only contributing, but representing the country at the international stage.”
On Wednesday, Mabil — who paused the press conference to thank SBS commentator David Basheer and reflect on the impact the network had on his journey — said he was not surprised the Socceroos’ message about their diverse backgrounds had resonated with Australians.
“For me, it was an easy thing to do. And as players, also, we all have different stories, and it all came together.
“The reason why it went viral is because it was raw, it was not edited.
“It was just purely what the players wanted to say and all put together, and then it had an effect, because individually the Australians can feel and relate with it.”
Professional Footballers Association chief executive Beau Busch told SBS News the video was about showing the Socceroos as a “force for good”.
“We’re seeing across the world right now significant attempts to divide people,” he told SBS News.
“What the Socceroos were able to do was show a really strong message of unity, of care, of compassion, and we think that’s incredibly powerful.”
As they prepare to face the USA on Saturday morning Australian time, the Socceroos’ impact off the pitch is being celebrated.
— With additional reporting by Mahnaz Angury.
You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
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Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the civil rights division at the Justice Department, has sharply criticized both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the San Francisco Giants, accusing them of a “double standard” when it comes to religious expression. This comes amid a federal investigation probing whether Christian players felt coerced into wearing Pride-themed caps.
“Regardless of how prevalent LGBTQ culture is in San Francisco, employees are entitled to their rights,” Dhillon expressed in an exclusive conversation with The Post on Friday. “They should not be forced into compromising situations and are entitled to request religious accommodations.”
The inquiry was initiated following the Giants’ Pride Night on June 12 at Oracle Park, where four pitchers objected to donning the rainbow-themed hats. Among them, relievers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker opted to inscribe Bible verses on their caps, whereas pitcher Sam Hentges chose to forgo the hat entirely.
In the days that followed, MLB spokesperson Pat Courtney confirmed that the players were issued a warning. He stated that the inscriptions on the caps were in violation of the league’s uniform regulations and that the players had been advised against repeating such actions in the future.
Days later, MLB spokesman Pat Courtney confirmed the players had received a warning, saying the writing on the caps violated league uniform rules and that players had been cautioned against future violations.
Dhillon said the Justice Department referred the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which has primary authority over private-sector workplace discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
“They do not mind when players are putting messages that the woke left approves of onto their uniforms,” Dhillon said.
“They don’t mind when players are taking a knee and exhibiting all kinds of stuff on the job, but when people are pushing back on being forced to promote a sexual practice that is against their religion, they’re threatening them.”
The league later clarified that the warning was “not disciplinary” and “had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” noting that MLB’s uniform regulations prohibit players from writing any messages on apparel or equipment and that similar warnings have been issued for personal messages such as “Dad” or “Happy Mother’s Day.”
The controversy has sparked fierce debate in San Francisco, where the Giants’ annual Pride Night is a marquee event. State Sen. Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, accused the team of tolerating behavior that caused “pain and anger” within the LGBTQ community.
“The Giants should publicly commit to enforcing rules around uniform defacement and should not effectively create a homophobia exemption to those rules,” Wiener said in a statement.
San Francisco Mayor Dnaiel Lurie said he was “really upset and disappointed” by the players’ decision, while Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow, whose son is gay, said players have the right to their beliefs but should recognize the city they represent.
“What makes San Francisco so great is the acceptance of others — ethnicities, opinions, cultures — and that extends to the gay community,” Krukow told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Dhillon, who lived in San Francisco for nearly 25 years before joining the Trump administration, said the city’s prominent LGBTQ+ culture does not change employers’ legal obligations.
“You can celebrate gay rights — that’s fine,” she said. “But what they’re doing is forcing their workers to, on the job, wear messages that are anathema to most faiths.”
A longtime attorney who represented religious liberty plaintiffs before taking over the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Dhillon said she moved quickly after hearing concerns from lawmakers, attorneys and members of the public.
“I was getting calls and inquiries from United States senators, members of Congress, people in the public and lawyers in private practice,” she said. “I wanted to send the message very quickly, because I don’t want to see these players punished or suspended.”
Dhillon said she believes the players’ actions — writing Bible verses inside their caps or declining to wear the Pride-themed hat altogether — amounted to a “tasteful and discreet” expression of their faith.
“This is their quiet way of saying, ‘I don’t adopt this message,’” she said.
She compared the situation to being required to endorse beliefs she personally opposes.
“I’m a Sikh. If my employer told me I had to wear a hat that celebrates the caste system or says women are inferior to men, I wouldn’t do it,” Dhillon said. “These players don’t have that many options. They’re bound by contract and there are all kinds of other issues.”
Dhillon said she was encouraged that multiple Giants players were willing to publicly object despite playing in one of the country’s most liberal cities.
“I’m actually pleasantly surprised, frankly, that the San Francisco Giants have this many Christians willing to stand up for themselves,” she said. “It’s actually very encouraging.”
While MLB has said the warning issued to the players was routine and unrelated to the content of the messages, Dhillon warned the league could face legal action if it takes further steps.
“I rather suspect that Major League Baseball is going to do nothing to these players, because it’s illegal,” she said. “If they persist, they will get sued.”
Bunnie XO has finally spoken out after being caught up in rumors suggesting she had moved on with Nickelback’s lead singer, Chad Kroeger, following her unexpected separation from Jelly Roll.
Just hours before it was revealed that her husband had initiated divorce proceedings on Monday, Bunnie posted a TikTok video where she lip-synced to Nickelback’s 2001 hit breakup song, “How You Remind Me.” This choice instantly sent fans into a frenzy of speculation.
Eagle-eyed followers then dug up a separate Instagram post from last month showing Bunnie hugging and chatting with Kroeger backstage at a concert, captioned: ‘The moment I finally got to be back in his arms.’
Amid the online buzz, a source informed the Daily Mail on Tuesday that there is “absolutely no truth” to the rumors of a relationship between Bunnie and Kroeger. The source emphasized that the two barely know each other and mentioned that Kroeger, who ended his relationship with Avril Lavigne in 2015, is currently seeing someone else.
Now, the former adult entertainer is addressing the whirlwind of gossip, firmly denying any cheating and attributing the situation to unfortunate timing as the internet ran wild with divorce-driven theories.
‘The news drops, I’ve got f****** Nickelback on my page,’ she said on the latest episode of her Dumb Blonde podcast, insisting she had no idea when the split would become public and that the backlash was simply an unfortunate coincidence.
Bunnie XO has finally broken her silence after being dragged into swirling rumors she’s moved on with Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger amid her shock split from Jelly Roll; Above, in February
Just hours before news broke that her husband had filed for divorce on Monday, Bunnie shared a TikTok video of herself lip-syncing to Nickelback’s 2001 breakup anthem How You Remind Me – a choice that immediately sent fans into overdrive; Above, Kroeger in 2022
She also clarified the viral video of her hugging, explaining that it was captured during one of Jelly Roll’s concerts in Las Vegas in 2025, and noted that her playful nickname for Kroeger, “Daddy Chaddy,” was merely a humorous gesture.
‘I am not with Daddy Chaddy. There’s no f****** way in hell that that would even be a thing,” she said.
‘And no, I did not cheat on my husband and leave him for Chad, and like, none of that. Like, please.’
Bunnie doubled down on the denial, apologizing to Kroeger and his band for being pulled into the rumors.
‘This is so wrong. I am not dating Chad Kroeger. I am so sorry to Chad and Nickelback for this happening. It’s embarrassing,’ she said. ‘So there is no Chad and Bunnie XO.’
Bunnie also revealed that Jelly Roll, 41, has started seeing someone and said she is ‘happy for him,’ but dismissed speculation linking the Grammy-winner to singer-songwriter Jessie Murph.
‘That is absolutely f****** kind of disgusting, guys. Like, love you guys for trying to put together the pieces, but that’s a twenty-year age gap, and that’s just disrespectful,’ she said on her podcast.
She noted that Murph is only a few years older than Jelly Roll’s 18-year-old daughter Bailee Ann.
Bunnie denied any romance with Kroeger and blamed nothing more than catastrophic timing as the internet ran wild with divorce-fueled theories; Above, Avril Lavigne and Kroeger in 2016
Jelly Roll also publicly addressed the speculation while on stage during a show in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Thursday night, using the moment to defend his estranged wife and clarify that cheating was not a factor in their split.
‘Nobody cheated on nobody,’ he told the crowd. ‘She just did a whole podcast about it. You can go watch it. Every word of it is the truth.’
He went on to criticize the online chatter, referring to those spreading rumors as ‘liars.’
Despite the breakup and ongoing speculation, Bunnie also revealed on her Dumb Blonde podcast that she and Jelly Roll are still moving forward with plans to have a baby together.
The pair had already started IVF treatment two years ago and intend to continue with the process.
‘So, we have been the most unconventional couple that you guys have ever encountered,’ Bunnie, real name Alisa DeFord, shared.
‘We’re going to co-parent together. J is my best friend. Like, this isn’t what you guys think this is.
‘Nobody cheated on the other person. It’s literally just we served our purpose for each other.’
‘This is so wrong. I am not dating Chad Kroeger. I am so sorry to Chad and Nickelback for this happening. It’s embarrassing,’ Bunnie said, adding ‘So there is no Chad and Bunnie XO;’ Above, Jelly Roll and Bunnie in February
Jelly Roll also publicly addressed the speculation while on stage during a show in Saratoga Springs, New York on Thursday night, using the moment to defend his estranged wife and clarify that cheating was not a factor in their split
She went on to open up about the emotional toll of their fertility journey, revealing the couple experienced multiple losses while trying to conceive.
During their marriage, she said they had attempted pregnancy several times and suffered four embryo losses, describing the experience as deeply painful.
‘It wrecked me emotionally, spiritually, physically,’ she shared, adding that both she and Jelly Roll had been on hormone treatments as part of their IVF journey.
‘In a way, I kind of think J and I are trauma-bonded,’ she said.
CHICAGO — A significant fire tore through at least four businesses on the city’s West Side early Friday, causing considerable damage.
As the flames have finally been extinguished, business owners are now facing the challenging task of cleanup and reconstruction.
“There was so much smoke and chaos everywhere,” recalled eyewitness Deaysia Powell.
Powell explained that she encountered the enormous blaze at the intersection of Division and Central in the Austin neighborhood while heading home.
Aerial footage from Chopper 7 captured dramatic scenes, showing flames erupting from the building’s rooftop.
“I saw that it was Jay’s BBQ on fire, and I was so sad about it. I’m like, everybody comes here,” Powell said.
Those who live in the area say fire and smoke began spreading to other businesses nextdoor.
“I turned, and there was thick black smoke, and you couldn’t even see the fire truck,” said witness Jawan Stockdale.
The fire prompted a major response from the Chicago Fire Department just before 6:30 a.m.
Approximately 100 firefighters were at the scene. Firefighters were on ladders as they dowsed the flames with water.
CFD said there were no reports of injuries.
“They found smoke showing, there was a worker inside the building, told them there was a fire in the kitchen area,” said Chicago Fire Department Deputy District Chief Raul Ochoa. “The roof collapsed in. There were no injuries. We had no injuries to our fire personnel. The only occupant inside the structure was the one worker, who was accounted for and well.”
Community members say they are heartbroken that their beloved neighborhood businesses went up in flames and are hopeful they will rebuild.
“It was devastating. These businesses get a lot of traffic, especially the BBQ joint,” Stockdale said.
Firefighters have since cleared the area and reopened Central and Division for traffic to get by.
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In a gesture aimed at mending fences, King Charles III has reportedly reached out to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, offering a peace offering after years of family discord.
The 77-year-old king is said to have extended an invitation to Harry and Meghan to stay at a royal residence during their visit to the UK next month, as reported by the Sun.
Additionally, the report suggests that Charles has proposed security arrangements for the Sussexes, who plan to bring their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, with them. This follows Harry’s ongoing legal battle for state-funded security.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex lost their entitlement to royal security after they stepped back from their official duties and relocated to the United States in 2020, which has been a source of tension with the royal family.
Harry, now 41, has expressed concerns for his safety in the UK, citing threats from neo-Nazi and extremist groups. This is particularly poignant as Meghan Markle is biracial, adding further complexity to their security concerns.
“Megxit,” as it came to be called, left a bad taste in the royal family’s mouths, as did the couple’s infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, followed by the prince’s 2023 tell-all book, “Spare.”
However, after Harry met with his dad in his London home for “private tea” last September, the duke admitted he wanted to spend more time in his native England and bring his wife and kids with him.
The foursome will travel from California across the pond in the second week of July for a series of events ahead of the annual Invictus Games.
The reported “new conditions” ahead of the visit mean that “a safe return” can take place.
“There is a hope they will both be able to find time in their schedules to catch up when Harry is in the UK,” a source told the Sun, claiming that the father-son duo “speak regularly.”
Archie and Lili have not been to the UK since June 2022, while Markle’s last visit was three months later for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
It’s unclear whether the former actress, 44, and her father-in-law will interact during the upcoming trip.
Reps for both Charles and the Sussexes did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
Struggling to find time for the gym after turning 45? A 12-minute standing workout at home might be your perfect solution.
Once you hit the age of 45, the primary obstacle to maintaining fitness isn’t a lack of ability. It’s more about the scarcity of time and energy. Between juggling job responsibilities, family commitments, and household chores, long gym sessions often become impractical. In my nearly four decades as a personal trainer, and my role over the past 20 years educating trainers at TRAINFITNESS, the UK’s premier fitness education institution, I’ve learned something crucial. A few 12-minute standing exercises, conducted in your kitchen or bedroom, can significantly enhance your strength, balance, and energy levels—far more effectively than that elusive two-hour workout session on a Saturday.
The real challenge with exercising isn’t typically the workout itself. It’s the logistics surrounding it. Traveling to the gym, changing clothes, waiting for machines, and returning home can turn a 60-minute workout into a two-hour ordeal. For those balancing a busy life, such a time commitment can seem impossible.
Recovery presents another hurdle. Post-45, an intense workout session can leave you feeling sore for days, disrupting your routine and motivation. Many people undertake grueling workouts, only to hobble in discomfort for the rest of the week, ultimately abandoning their fitness goals.
The session itself isn’t usually the problem. It’s everything around it. Getting there, getting changed, queuing for machines, getting home. A 60-minute workout swallows two hours of the day, which is hard to find when work, family and house all want a piece of you.
Recovery is the other issue. After 45, a hard session can leave you sore for two or three days, which kills any chance of consistency. People do a punishing workout, hobble around for a week, and then give up going.
There’s also boredom. Most gym programs for adults are basically gym programs for 25-year-olds with the weights dropped, and they don’t hold attention for very long.
Consistency beats intensity at every age, and increasingly so after 45. A 12-minute session you actually do four or five times a week adds up to 50 to 60 minutes of focused work, every week, every month, every year. That’s more than most over-45s manage at the gym across a year.
The standing format is the second piece. Every move trains balance and the deep trunk muscles without ever needing a sit-up. The whole body is working, the joints stay happy because nothing is hammered, and the heart rate climbs without smashing the legs.
The third factor is friction. No kit, no commute, no excuse. It fits in the gap between getting up and making the kids’ breakfast, and people stick with it.
Trains the legs and glutes, which are the two biggest muscle groups in the body and the first to weaken after 45. Squatting also works the ankles, the hips and the trunk together, which is what protects the lower back in daily life.
Muscles Trained: Legs, glutes, ankles, hips, trunk
How to Do It:
Avoid These Mistakes:
Form Tip: Easier version, squat onto a sturdy chair or sofa, lightly touching the seat before standing back up. Use your hands on a worktop for support if needed.
Trains the chest, shoulders and triceps, plus the deep stabilizers that hold the spine in line. Pressing strength tends to vanish quickly after 45 because most people stop reaching, pushing and carrying heavy things.
Muscles Trained: Chest, shoulders, triceps, spinal stabilizers
How to Do It:
Avoid These Mistakes:
Form Tip: Easier version, do the press up against a wall instead of a worktop. The more upright you are, the lighter the load.
Trains one leg at a time, which exposes the side-to-side strength differences most people don’t know they have and rebuilds the balance that fades after 45.
Muscles Trained: Legs, glutes, balance and stability
How to Do It:
Avoid These Mistakes:
Form Tip: Easier version, hold onto a chair or worktop with both hands, and reduce the depth of the lunge. Start with a small dip and build the range over weeks.
Pulls the shoulder blades back together and strengthens the upper back, which is the antidote to the slumped posture most desk workers carry around by 45.
Muscles Trained: Upper back, shoulder blades, arms
How to Do It:
Avoid These Mistakes:
Form Tip: Easier version, stand more upright. The closer to vertical you are, the lighter the load on the arms. A sturdy banister at the top of the stairs also works well.
Builds heart-and-lung fitness without any pounding on the joints. The arm punches add upper-body work and force the trunk to stabilise against rotation, which is the muscle pattern that protects the lower back.
Muscles Trained: Heart and lungs, trunk, shoulders, hip flexors
How to Do It:
Avoid These Mistakes:
Form Tip: Easier version, march on the spot without the high knee. Keep the arm punches gentle and small.
Works the hips and inner thighs in a side-to-side pattern that’s almost never trained in normal life. After 45, the loss of side-to-side strength is one of the biggest hidden causes of hip and knee pain.
Muscles Trained: Hips, inner thighs, glutes
How to Do It:
Avoid These Mistakes:
Form Tip: Easier version, hold onto a chair or worktop and reduce the depth of the step. A small dip is fine to begin with, then build the range over weeks.
Run the 6 moves in the order above, 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of rest for each. That’s 6 minutes for the first round. Take a 30-second breather, then repeat the whole sequence for the second round. Total time, give or take, is 12 minutes 30 seconds.
The order matters. Big leg moves first, while you’re fresh. Pushing and pulling next. Then the cardio move in the middle so the legs get a brief reset, and the lateral lunge at the end while you’re warm enough to handle the range.
Four to five days a week is the realistic target. Three is the minimum for change.
Seven days is fine if you want to, because the loading is low enough that the body recovers quickly. Take a break on any day you feel run down. One day off doesn’t undo anything.
By the end of the second week, most people notice that the workout itself feels easier and that day-to-day tasks like climbing stairs and carrying shopping take less effort. The body adapts fast in the first month.
By 4 weeks, the visible changes start. The waist drops a little, the shoulders sit back more, and clothes fit slightly differently. Resting heart rate usually comes down by 4 to 8 beats per minute, which is a real measure of improved heart health.
By 6 weeks, strength gains in the moves themselves are typically 30 to 50 percent. You’ll be doing more squats, holding the press-up position longer, and feeling steadier on one leg.
The bit that doesn’t show up in the mirror but matters most is mood and energy. Twelve minutes of standing work most mornings reliably lifts both. Almost everyone who sticks with it says the same thing.
Anyone with unmanaged blood pressure, heart conditions, a recent injury, or a history of joint surgery should talk to a GP before starting. The same goes for anyone who’s been completely sedentary for a year or more.
If you have known back, knee or shoulder issues, start with the easier versions of each move and build slowly. The patterns are safe when done well, but personalized advice from a physio is worth the cost.
Warning signs to stop the workout are sharp pain rather than muscle effort, chest pain or tightness, dizziness when changing position, and numbness or tingling down a limb. Any of those, stop and get checked before carrying on.
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