Northeast
Empire State Building shines in gold, white in memory of Pope Francis after pontiff's death
The Empire State Building in New York is shining gold and white tower lights for a four-hour window Monday night and into Tuesday morning in memory of Pope Francis following his death.
The building was shining starting at 10 p.m. Monday night and will stay lit until 2 a.m. Tuesday to honor the life and legacy of the pontiff, according to the Empire State Building website.
“A defining feature of the New York City skyline since 1976, the Empire State Building lights have captured the world’s imagination for decades,” the building’s website reads. “We maintain a tradition of changing the color of the lights to recognize important occasions, holidays, and organizations throughout the year.”
VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS’ LAST VISITORS
The Empire State Building is shining gold and white tower lights to honor the life and legacy of Pope Francis following his death. (Empire State Building)
“Since 2012, the building has used a state-of-the-art LED lighting system, capable of displaying more than 16 million colors,” the website adds.
Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88, ending his 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced Monday morning.
Pope Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88. (Empire State Building)
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized,” Ferrell continued. “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
Political and religious leaders around the world mourned after learning of Francis’ death.
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
TRUMP, WORLD LEADERS REACT TO DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS
Pope Francis’ death marks the end to his 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. (Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, spent 38 days in Rome’s Gemelli hospital starting on Feb. 14 to treat a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.
The pope was still recovering when he met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.
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Northeast
Train pushes car quarter-mile on tracks; 82-year-old driver suffers minor injuries
Florida train crashes into fire truck, causing injuries
Three firefighters and at least 12 passengers were hurt in a crash in Delray Beach on Saturday, officials said. (Credit: Michael Lamendola via Storyful/ Arielle Schwartz via Storyful)
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A woman sustained minor injuries this week after her car was slammed into by a freight train in New Jersey.
The 82-year-old said she stopped her car Wednesday afternoon when she saw flashing lights warning that a train was approaching without realizing she was on the tracks, according to Patch.
The CSX train pushed the woman’s car — with her in it — a quarter of a mile before the locomotive was able to stop.
BODYCAM SHOWS CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDER SUSPECT’S INTERACTION WITH POLICE MONTHS BEFORE IRYNA ZARUTSKA STABBING
A woman sustained minor injuries this week after her car was slammed into by a freight train. (South Brunswick Police Department)
Miraculously, the woman survived with only a minor leg injury, according to the outlet. She was taken to a local hospital.
The incident happened in South Brunswick around 2 p.m.
The 82-year-old said she stopped her car Wednesday afternoon when she saw flashing lights warning that a train was approaching. (South Brunswick Police Department)
CHICAGO TRAIN FIRE ATTACK SHOWS WHY ‘DECARCERATION’ POLICIES ARE PUTTING LIVES AT RISK: EXPERT
Photos shared by the South Brunswick Police Department showed the gray four-door sedan perpendicular across the tracks directly in front of the train.
The crash forced the closure of Route 535 in both directions for hours.
The crash forced the closure of Route 535 in both directions for hours. (South Brunswick Police Department)
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the South Brunswick Police Department for comment.
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Boston, MA
Free December events in Boston: Hanukkah celebrations, new play readings, and more – The Boston Globe
Though the bitter New England wind is upon us, the holiday calendar is just warming up. This week’s schedule features a fire-and-ice Hanukkah celebration in Watertown, readings of two soon-to-debut theatrical works, and offbeat holiday film screenings at a dive bar. However you choose to get ready for the festivities, here are some no-cost and discounted events across Greater Boston and beyond for the week of Dec. 15-21.
A HOT AND COLD HANUKKAH Chabad Watertown’s Hanukkah celebration kicks off at 4:45 p.m., live performances featuring fire breathing, flaming prop juggling, and other heated tricks. Then, at 5 p.m., Chabad’s 7-foot-tall ice menorah will be lit, followed by a gelt drop, when chocolate coins will be parachuted from above for attendees to catch. Crafts and games will be set up around the venue, and free hot chocolate and doughnuts will be offered while supplies last. Dec. 15, 4-6 p.m. RSVP recommended. Arsenal Yards, 130 Arsenal St., Watertown. arsenalyards.com
HOLIDAY HORRORS There’s nothing like the gritty texture of VHS that elevates a scary movie: WickedVHS, a series of free public screenings of VHS movies at bars, screens a double feature of two creepy Christmas movies at the Model Café on Monday. Film names won’t be revealed until you’re at the event, but a few clues have been offered. The first pick is a childhood horror staple, featuring cutesy monsters who turn evil once you feed them at night; the other is a folkloric fable about Santa’s evil twin. Dec. 15. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. 21+. Model Café, 7 North Beacon St., Allston. instagram.com/wickedvhs
GONE CAROLING Caroling isn’t just an activity from the days of old: The New School of Music hosts a drop-in session for curious carolers to practice for the doorways. The session is led by NSM instructor Joe Reid, who will teach attendees a wide variety of Christmas, Hanukkah, and general winter tunes, demonstrate different ways to harmonize, and provide live piano accompaniment. Hot cider will be provided to soothe your throat, and free Christmas cookies can keep spirits high. Dec. 16, 6:30-8 p.m. New School of Music Concert Room, 25 Lowell St., Cambridge. newschoolofmusic.org
NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN THEATER The Huntington Theatre’s Winter New Play Intensive, a development program for new plays, will present its two projects this season for the first time. “Blue Train,” which has its live reading on Tuesday, is a familial drama about a son who hopes to inherit his ailing father’s beach retreat. Wednesday, it’s “Three Bears,” a sci-fi epic about two wandering spacemen attempting to reach a distant outpost before they run out of the necessary resources for their journey. Dec. 16 and 17, 7 p.m. The Maso Studio in the Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave. huntingtontheatre.org

CELEBRATORY CRAFTS Before the holidays are upon us, visit Assembly Row for some casual activities. Attendees can take part in various family-friendly crafts celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah, including ornament-crafting, snowflake-making, and drawing, and indulge in some free hot chocolate while supplies last. The J.P. Licks deck also turns into a dancefloor with tunes from DJ Axelrod, who will play house beats to keep the crowd moving and grooving. Dec. 20, 1-3 p.m. J.P. Licks Deck at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Somerville. assemblyrow.com
MENORAH AT THE MUSEUM The MFA’s Hanukkah celebration, which features discounted entry for the museum’s $5 Third Thursdays event. This month features activities and exhibitions celebrating Jewish traditions beginning at 5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., catch a performance from the Global Yiddish Orchestra, or, at 5:45 p.m., a performance from AJ Rubin that blends Jewish folk music and clowning. Among the many festivities are tours and live readings celebrating Jewish history, an interactive scavenger hunt to gather candles for a menorah, a drop-in dreidel-decorating workshop, and a face-painting booth. Dec. 18, 5-10 p.m. Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave. mfa.org
PET PORTRAITS Furry friends can get in on the festive fun at the Paws and Claus event hosted by Bond Vet, a veterinary clinic with several locations in Greater Boston. Pets will get their photos taken for free alongside a (human) Santa Claus, for a professional-looking portrait their owners can put on kitschy greeting cards. Dogs and cats can snag a free treat, and humans get hot chocolate for tagging along. Dec. 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Bond Vet, 320 Foley St., Somerville. bringfido.com
Check individual event websites for the most up-to-date information.
Send info on free events and special offers at least 10 days in advance to ryan.yau@globe.com.
Ryan Yau can be reached at ryan.yau@globe.com.
Pittsburg, PA
NFL Week 16 opening odds: Lions favorites over Steelers in final home game
The Detroit Lions (8-6) and Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) will square off in a Week 16 interdivisional battle between two teams with NFL playoff aspirations. While we know the outcome of the Lions’ Week 15 game, the Steelers have yet to play—they take on the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football”—but that won’t prevent the sports betting sites from taking a look ahead to Week 16.
The Steelers currently sit atop the AFC North, but that is more an indictment of how much of a mess the division has been in 2025, rather than praise for Pittsburgh. After starting the season with a 3-1 record, they’ve gone 4-5 since and have not recorded back-to-back wins—something they’ll be hoping to accomplish on Monday night.
While the Steelers are in a prime position to make the playoffs and potentially host a playoff game, Pittsburgh fans and analysts are frustrated with the team’s performance and have spent most of the season hoping for change.
Steelers fans have squarely pointed their fingers at the Pittsburgh coaching staff as the root of the team’s problems, blaming coach Mike Tomlin for his decisions in staffing, offseason player acquisition, and lack of change/adaptability in their scheme. While Steelers fans have started “Fire Tomlin” chants during games, no coach has come under more fire than defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
“The defensive scheme is ass. The DC needs to get the (expletive) up out of there. Teryl Austin. He was the DB coach when I was there. I didn’t think he was that great then, you know what I’m saying? Now he’s the DC. It’s an opportunistic defense. … They’ve been running the same (expletive) every year with no adjustment.”
On offense, despite the addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they’ve struggled to stay on the field and create consistent drives. While his passer rating of 96.2 is decent, the rest of his statistics are mediocre, as he has become more of a checkdown artist in his later years. Rodgers has thrown the ball beyond 10 yards on only 22.7% of his passing attempts, is averaging 5.8 air yards per attempt, and just 3.3 air yards per completion; all three stats are the lowest in the NFL. He’s coming off a 284-yard passing performance against the Ravens (his highest total on the season), but it’s also the first time in a month he’s thrown for more than 161 yards in a game.
Despite the inconsistency and underachieving play, the Steelers remain in contention for the postseason, making them a dangerous opponent for a Lions team that likely needs to win their remaining three games.
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