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Disney celebrates 100 years of characters with animation special ‘Once Upon a Studio’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Disney is celebrating 100 years of dreams coming true. One hundred years of Mickey and friends, can you imagine?The giant animation showed its powers through a short film with familiar voices.Disney Plus premiered “Once Upon a Studio” Monday.It reunited 85 iconic characters, from tiny Tinkerbell to Aladdin’s genie and the late Robin Williams, who voiced genie was honored through magic.Even though Robin passed in 2014, his voice lives on through his blue Disney character.Studio execs opened up the vault and were able to get outtakes from the 1992 film.They showed Robin’s children how they wanted to honor their father and they eventually gave the green light.

A 6-year-old Palestinian-American was stabbed 26 times for being Muslim, police say. His mom couldn’t go to his funeral because she was stabbed, too

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Joliet, Illinois (CNN) — Loved ones and strangers united in grief Monday at the funeral of a 6-year-old Chicago-area boy who was killed because he was Muslim, officials say.Wadea Al Fayoume was stabbed 26 times Saturday by his family’s landlord in Plainfield Township, Illinois, the Will County Sheriff’s Office said.Courtesy Will County Sheriff’s OfficeHis 32-year-old mother, Hanaan Shahin, also suffered more than a dozen stab wounds, the sheriff’s office said.Shahin’s serious injuries prevented her from attending her son’s funeral Monday, said Ahmed Rehab, executive director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago office. In accordance with tradition, deceased Muslims are buried as soon as possible after death.The mother “will be feeling Wadea’s loss more than anyone, but she is forced to mourn alone rather in the warm embrace of family and community at this time,” Rehab said, adding she “is fighting serious bodily injuries at the hospital, not to mention t...

Brightline introduces new travel passes for frequent riders

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Brightline has unveiled two innovative travel options aimed at enhancing the journey experience for travelers between Orlando and Miami.The centerpiece of Monday’s announcement is the All-Station Shared Pass, designed to meet the evolving needs of passengers who frequently travel between Orlando and Brightline’s five South Florida stations. The pass eliminates peak fares throughout the week, delivering cost-effective and hassle-free travel. “The All-Station Shared Pass is designed for guests who plan to travel frequently between South Florida and Orlando, and want ultimate flexibility to book trips on demand with consistent fare rates and no unexpected fees or blackout dates,” said SVP of Marketing & Commercial Strategy Barbara Drahl. “The pass can be shared to book rides for friends, family, and colleagues, putting guests in control to embark on adventures, business meetings, and cherished family getaways with ease.”Starting at $1,199 for SMART Service, the Al...

2 shot dead in Brussels ‘terrorist attack’ with suspect on the run

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

BRUSSELS — A shooter killed two people near the center of Brussels on Monday evening, in what senior Belgian officials have condemned as a “terrorist attack.”Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that he had passed on condolences to his Swedish counterpart “following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens.” Police said a suspect fired gunshots near Place Sainctelette and Boulevard du Neuvième de Ligne shortly after 7 p.m. and patrols were immediately dispatched to the scene. A third person was also injured by gunfire. The shooter remains at large. Two people were confirmed dead, said Brussels police spokesperson Ilse Van de Keere. “The investigation is ongoing,” she added.Sweden was playing Belgium in a football match at the national stadium in northern Brussels, with hundreds of supporters following their team. The game has now been abandoned. Sweden has been on the front line of blowback from hard-line Islamists, due to repeated Quran burnin...

Healey: Mass. Will No Longer Guarantee Shelter In ‘New Phase’ Of Crisis

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

While its right-to-shelter law will remain in place, Massachusetts may not be able to guarantee shelter for immigrant families as soon as the end of this month when the state’s shelter system reaches capacity, Gov. Maura Healey said Monday.There are close to 7,000 families enrolled in the state’s emergency shelter system, Healey said Monday — more than double the number of individuals enrolled at this time last year, and up significantly from the 5,600 families being housed when Healey declared a state of emergency in August.“We do not have enough space, service providers or funds to safely expand beyond 7,500 families. We expect to hit that limit at the end of the month,” Healey said during a State House press conference. “From that point on, we’ll no longer be able to guarantee shelter placement for new families entering.”At over 23,000 people, the rapidly growing number of people in emergency shelter housing has now exceed...

Boston police announce passing of K-9 Dexter

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

The Boston Police Department has announced the passing of retired K-9 Dexter.Police say he proudly serviced for more than 7 years and retired in January 2022. “Dexter will be missed by all at BPD and we send our condolences to his former handler & family during this sad and difficult time,” the department wrote.

Police investigating after bicyclist struck, seriously injured in Lowell

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Police are investigating after a bicyclist was struck by a semi-trailer truck in Lowell on Monday afternoon, officials said.Officers responding to a report of a bicyclist struck at the intersection of Broadway and Adams streets around 12:30 p.m. found a man suffering from serious injuries, according to Lowell police.He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital before being transported by helicopter to a hospital in Boston for further treatment.The driver of the truck that hit him remained on scene and spoke with investigators.No additional information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Leader of local non-profit chapter describes escaping violence in Israel and efforts to send aid

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

A Boston woman who was in Israel for volunteer work is back in the United States after escaping violence that broke out in the country last week.“You’re afraid you are going to die,” Jewish National Fund-USA Boston President Rhonda Forman said. “You’re just afraid you’re going to die.”Forman told 7NEWS she was still reeling from what she witnessed in Israel, where she was volunteering at a rehabilitative hospital just miles from the Gaza Strip, where Hamas fighters launched a series of attacks, including violent assaults on civilians and rockets being fired into the nation.Left feeling numb after getting to safety, she said one of her fellow workers was killed in such an attack.“On the road that I drove every single day, her car was hit by a rocket,” she said. “That hit me very hard personally because that Saturday morning, I would have been on the road at that sae time.”Forman was north in Tel Aviv when Hamas launche...

Rite Aid goes belly up

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Rite Aid has filed for bankruptcy protection and plans to sell part of its business as it attempts to restructure while dealing with losses and opioid-related lawsuits.The company said Rite Aid stores will continue to fill prescriptions, and customers will still be able to visit its locations or shop online while it goes through its voluntary Chapter 11 process. But that process also will allow it to speed up its plan to close underperforming stores.Going through Chapter 11 will help “significantly reduce the company’s debt” while helping to “resolve litigation claims in an equitable manner,” Rite Aid late Sunday.Rite Aid Corp. said in its federal bankruptcy filing that it runs more than 2,000 stores. Most of its locations are on the East and West Coasts.The Philadelphia company, which is marking its 60th birthday this year, has posted annual losses for several years and has been cutting costs and closing stores as it dealt with long-standing financial ...

Northeastern opens gleaming new lab, research space

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:09 GMT

Northeastern University on Monday officially opened it’s new EXP Center on Huntington Ave. an 8-story scientific research and creation space with labs ranging from robotics, to drug discovery to wireless communications.Among the specs for the new facility, Northeastern said the new center boasts 375,000 square feet including a 15,000 square foot maker-space, a 12-ton ceiling mounted crane inside a two-story robotics lab, 21 3-D printers, and 10 chemistry teaching labs.“You will plant the seeds for new companies and new branches of industry and that is so exciting,“ said Gov. Maura Healey, a Northeastern alumna  during Monday’s ceremony.Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun looked toward the future in his remarks.“We are here today not to celebrate the building, but to celebrate a commitment to a better world and this is something that will endure for many many generations to come,” he said.Students are already at work at the one of the many labs in Northeastern University’s new EXP ...