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Boston-area native called up to serve with Israeli armed forces as fighting between Israel and Hamas continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

A Boston-area native who now lives in a suburb of Tel Aviv is going off to war as a member of Israel’s armed forces as fighting continues between Israeli forces and Hamas militants following this weekend’s surprise attack by Hamas. Ben Mendales, 38, grew up in Lexington. His father recently spoke with 7NEWS about the situation. “We’re out of our minds,” said Ben’s father, Sam. “He’s down there. The only consolation is he was promoted, I think, into a logistics job out of combat but I don’t know.” Ben did three years of active duty in the Israeli army after becoming a citizen 19 years ago. Now 5,500 away from his hometown in Lexington, Ben is a captain in the Israeli Army Reserves while working a day job as a business consultant with Ernst & Young. “He said to me on his way down to his unit, ‘God, I’ve got a project I’ve got to get done by the 15th and I don’t know how am I going to do it,’” Sam Mendales said. Ben now has a bigger project as Hamas ro...

Ultimate guide to getting your house — and trick-or-treaters — ready for Halloween

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

Editor’s note: Digital premium subscribers have unlimited access to every recipe in this roundup, all published on news sites within our network. Subscribe for nationwide coverage from award-winning sites like the Baltimore Sun, New York Daily News, Orange County Register and more.If you’re ready to start prepping for Halloween, look no further: We rounded up some of the best resources we could find on the spooky holiday.Need Halloween decoration inspiration? We’ve got it. How about Halloween costume ideas that won’t break the bank? Check. And, of course, we’ve got you covered on horror movies to watch this month. Read on — if you dare.Halloween decorationsAn interesting trend emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, writes Brittany Anas for the Denver Post: “Homeowners began taking an interest in the Hollywood-quality monsters and props and incorporating them into their own front-yard haunts.” In fact, one Colorado company, Distortions Unlimited, saw direct-to-consumer sales in the pa...

On Netflix: Four short Roald Dahl tales adapted by Wes Anderson add up, splendidly

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

Michael Phillips | Chicago Tribune (TNS)The new Wes Anderson adaptations of Roald Dahl stories, now streaming on Netflix, outpace and out-satisfy so many of Anderson’s feature-length projects, the question simply is this: Why? What is it about Anderson’s visual, narrative, emotional and adaptive approach to this material — his second Dahl effort, following the stop-motion-animated “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — that works so well?A few guesses. For one, I think, the short form flatters and crystallizes Anderson’s every decision, and even the multilayered framing devices and nesting-doll stories within stories deepen our enjoyment. The longest of the quartet, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” runs 41 minutes. The others run about 17 minutes apiece: “The Swan,” “The Rat Catcher” and “Poison” — and that’s probably the ideal order for viewing, if you begin with “Henry Sugar.”Beyond that, there’s a more vital level of comic invention afoot here than I’ve seen since my favorite Anderson featur...

Bruins notebook: B’s set to celebrate their history prior to season opener

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

The celebration of all things Black and Gold begins in earnest on Wednesday afternoon as the Bruins officially kick off their centennial season with a “gold carpet” entrance for a host of legends prior to Boston’s season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.While the B’s are keeping a lid on just who’ll be a part of the pregame ceremony, you can bet many big names will be in attendance. The hockey glitterati are scheduled to make their grand entrance starting at 4:15 p.m. at The Hub on Causeway.Prior to the game, there will be a “Rafters Reunion” with the alumni. The club is asking fans to be in their seats by 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. game.Matt Grzelcyk sounded like any guy you’d find in a Bruins’ sweater in the Garden balcony when the subject of the grand reunion came up. The Charlestown native literally grew up in the Bruins’ universe, with his father John being a long-time member of the bull gang.“It’s unbelievable, just even getting a c...

More presumed human remains recovered from submersible that imploded, killing 5, Coast Guard says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

The Coast Guard has recovered remaining debris, including presumed human remains, from a submersible that imploded on its way to explore the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five onboard, deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean’s surface, officials said Tuesday.The Coast Guard said that the recovery and transfer of remaining parts was completed last Wednesday, and a photo showed the intact aft portion of the 22-foot (6.7-meter) vessel. Additional presumed human remains were carefully recovered from within Titan’s debris and transported for analysis by U.S. medical professionals, the Coast Guard said.The salvage mission conducted under an agreement with the U.S. Navy was a follow-up to initial recovery operations on the ocean floor roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) away from the Titanic, the Coast Guard said. The new materials were offloaded at an unnamed port. The Coast Guard previously said it recovered presumed human remains along with parts of the Titan after the debris field was lo...

Police search for killer of retired Vermont college dean who was shot on trail near campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

CASTLETON, Vt. (AP) — Students and residents in a small Vermont university town were being told to lock their doors and stick together as police searched Tuesday for a killer who shot a retired dean on her favorite walking trail last week.Honoree Fleming, a retired dean and professor of education at Vermont State University in Castleton, was found shot to death Thursday afternoon about a mile (1.61 kilometers) south of campus. Police said Monday they don’t know if the community of roughly 4,500 people is in any further danger or whether Fleming was targeted. “I recommend to the public to be vigilant, have some awareness,” said Maj. Dan Trudeau, commander of the Vermont State Police’s criminal division. “If you’re out, be with a friend.” Detectives have been interviewing people who live near the wooded Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail or were in the area between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday. One witness reported seeing a man walking northbound on the trail toward campus after gun...

Star witness Caroline Ellison says FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried hoped to be US president someday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Caroline Ellison, the tech executive who ran Sam Bankman-Fried ’s hedge fund while sometimes dating him, testified Tuesday that he directed her to commit crimes before his cryptocurrency empire collapsed last November. She also revealed that her former boss and boyfriend thought he might be U.S. president someday.With Bankman-Fried looking on from his seat in the courtroom, Ellison, 28, testified at the New York City trial that she committed fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering along with Bankman-Fried and others.“He directed me to commit these crimes,” she said of Bankman-Fried, when asked by a prosecutor about his involvement.Repeatedly, Ellison made clear that Bankman-Fried was behind the biggest financial moves in his companies, to the point that bitcoins he created were sometimes called “Sam’s coins.”She described him as “very ambitious” and envisioning eventually leading huge companies and using his money influentially.He even thou...

Markets rise amid interest rate optimism while energy stocks fuel TSX gains

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index gained more than 250 points Tuesday amid a broad-based rally led by energy stocks, while U.S. markets also rose on hopes that interest rates may have reached their peak. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 255.13 points at 19,501.20.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 134.65 points at 33,739.30. The S&P 500 index was up 22.58 points at 4,358.24, while the Nasdaq composite was up 78.60 points at 13,562.84.U.S. markets rose for the second day this week as comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials indicate the central bank could be done raising interest rates, said Anish Chopra, managing director with Portfolio Management Corp.On Tuesday, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said she doesn’t think rates need to rise any further, echoing remarks on Monday from the Fed’s vice chair and the Dallas Fed president. The central bank’s next rate decision is Nov. 1.U.S. Treasury yields somewhat eased Tuesday...

Transport Canada invests $150M to build new container terminal in Contrecoeur, Quebec

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

MONTREAL — The federal government has announced an investment of up to $150 million toward a container terminal in Contrecoeur, Que., which is about 70 kilometres northeast of Montreal. Transport Canada says the multimillion-dollar investment would help increase the container capacity at the Port of Montreal and meet the growing need for cargo transportation. Federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez says the expansion is important in preventing product shortages such as those seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.The funding comes from a government fund earmarked toward supply chain improvements and will help build infrastructure for the port expansion including a 675-metre-long dock, a rail network connecting to the existing network and a container handling yard.Transport Canada says the upgrade will strengthen global trade link while providing Canadian companies with the port infrastructure to remain competitive. It adds the new terminal will increase the annual value of trade , gen...

Canadian author living with mitochondrial disease launches clothing line to make a difference

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:25 GMT

As an author and an advocate, Thomas Zachos has been working to inspire others who may feel different after living with mitochondrial disease.His latest venture where he hopes to make a difference is through his new clothing line called Thomas and Co.Mitochondrial disease is described as if the mitochondria is the powerplant to the body, having the diseases could be similar to a power outage, affecting parts of the body like the brain and heart.Zachos hopes with his new clothing brand, people will hear his story and feel inspired.“The goal here is to empower people and to bring bold courage into people’s lives and spread the message that we are here to help you with whatever you are suffering with,” Zachos told CityNews.“Mental Health is a big aspect and is something that I struggled with growing up and going through this journey. My journey took a lot more time, I think. However, there is a crossing where there is a light at the end of the tunnel,, and we just wan...