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Lea Tran

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2026: The year of Zendaya – Boston University News Service

By Lea Tran


Boston University News Service


As we approach the high season for entertainment releases, it seems we may be seeing a few of the same faces in the projects to come: Timothée Chalamet, Robert Pattison, Anne Hatheway, to name a few. But as more trailers are released and billboards are put up, it seems that actress Zendaya might take the win for the most movie poster features in 2026. Zendaya has already had a highly covered 2026 with her engagement to Tom Holland and the misinfor...
The Week UK •

Spend a long weekend in the Lake District

The Lake District has so much to offer beyond its “spectacular panoramic views”, said Condé Nast Traveller. Famed for its impressive lakes and rugged mountains, the Unesco World Heritage site also has a “fantastic culinary scene” and “activities galore” to keep the whole family entertained, come rain or shine.For some historical sightseeing, visit the “turreted grey knuckle” of Wray Castle, a masterclass in Victorian Gothic Revival architecture built in 1840, said Condé Nast Traveller. It is als...
The Week UK •

Why AI behaves differently in different languages

A recent study conducted by Anthropic, the creator of Claude, analysed the AI chatbot’s responses across different languages. It found that if you want a friendlier tone, you may want to switch your language settings.Anthropic compared data from more than 300,000 anonymised conversations in a two-week period during May 2026, said The Decoder. The company looked into samples from the top 20 languages of Claude.ai and their three models: Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.6 and Opus 4.7. The results showed Claude...
The Week UK •

Why French adults are taking homework to the beach

This is the summer of “cerebral pursuits” in France, with “a big rise” in the sale of “holiday workbooks”, said The Times. With their “cahiers de vacances” – an adult spin-off from school revision guides – grown-ups are “brushing up” algebra, history and grammar on the beach.Holiday workbooks were originally designed to help schoolchildren to keep up with their studies over the long summer break. But the new adult versions are a real hit: you only have scan bookshop shelves to see “the scale of...
The Week UK •

Christopher Nolan’s best films of all time

Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated mythic action epic “The Odyssey” is out this week. Count down to its release by watching or rewatching some of the director’s greatest hits.The word of the summer in 2023 was “Barbenheimer”, as the blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” both hit the big screen. “Oppenheimer”, definitely the darker half of the double feature, is Nolan’s “profoundly unnerving” retelling of the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and the part he played in developing...
The Week UK •

Two major archaeological sites uncovered in Egypt

The Byzantine city, in the Dakhla oasis region, was a “remarkably preserved secret”, said the Egypt Independent. Eighteen tombs were also uncovered from the Marina el-Alamein archaeological site near Egypt’s northern coast.Aside from the historical knowledge gained from these sites, the discoveries could also attract more tourists to the country.The Dakhla oasis site could offer a “detailed glimpse” into urban development and economic activity in Byzantine Egypt, said The Independent. The ancien...
The Week UK •

The 10 best tearjerker films of all time

If you are after a good cry, these films will have you reaching for the tissues. From stories of survival and life-changing decisions to heartbreak and hope, here are some of the best tragic tales brought to the big screen.Director James Cameron became “king of the world” in the 1990s with this “wildly over-the-top weepie romance” between Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) on the so-called unsinkable ship, said Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian.Our heroine is “not suited for life in t...
Newton Beacon •

Newton to deploy 'smart meters' for more accurate electricity use data - Newton Beacon

Newton residents can expect their old electric meters to be replaced with smart meters in the coming months. 
Smart meters are digital devices that can measure electric usage on a more detailed level than older meters.
“They are basically digital meters that monitor your electricity use with a whole lot more granularity than the old meters that we have right now,” said Anna Vanderspek, electric vehicle program director for Green Energy Consumers Alliance, an energy advocacy group based in Massac...
Newton Beacon •

Council committee continues debating winter parking ban but postpones action - Newton Beacon

A City Council committee revisited Newton’s controversial parking ban on Wednesday but held off again on taking action.
It was the third time the item has been on the committee’s agenda since Feb. 18.
The winter ban prohibits cars from parking on any public roads in Newton from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.  from Dec. 1 until March 31. A violation can result in a $25 fine. Last November,  city voters narrowly voted against repealing the ban.
Chair Tarik Lucas had asked committee members to bring goals to Wed...
Newton Beacon •

Wegmans will offer delivery service to customers of Chestnut Hill pharmacy after it closes - Newton Beacon

Wegmans is offering free prescription delivery services to customers of its Chestnut Hill pharmacy, which is closing Saturday.
Jeff Freilich, who started a petition asking Wegmans to keep the pharmacy open, has been working with Julie Lenhard, the supermarket chain’s pharmacy services vice president, to spread the word about the concierge service. Lenhard would not agree to an interview, but Wegmans emailed a statement about the decision to develop this service.
“As a direct result of the custom...
Newton Beacon •

Chris Boyd campaigns for Congress on a call to invest in region's future - Newton Beacon

Chris Boyd is still waiting for his American dream.
Growing up in Bellingham, Boyd experienced firsthand the struggles of a low-income American family and remembers when the 2008 recession hit home. With his single mother providing their only income, Boyd said, his family had to rely on public assistance programs.
“Let’s make sure that we’re investing in these programs to make life more affordable so that we can actually get that American dream,” Boyd said, “because we were promised an American...
Newton Beacon •

Newton architectural photographer Peter Vanderwarker turns his lens on Boston - Newton Beacon

Photographer Peter Vanderwarker, shown here in his Newton home, has artwork on display at the Cooper Center for Active Living. Photo by Lea TranNewton photographer Peter Vanderwarker has captured monuments in Paris, colorful sites in Yellowstone and natural wonders in Costa Rica. But as the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, Vanderwarker’s new exhibit captures what he knows best: the city of Boston.
“Boston Freedom” features 11 photographs shot and chosen by Vanderwarker that...
Newton Beacon •

Committee takes up controversial overnight parking ban again - Newton Beacon

A City Council committee may decide soon whether to repeal or modify Newton’s hotly debated winter overnight parking ban.
The Council’s Public Safety and Transportation Committee heard public input March 4 and debated the measure, but ultimately decided to put the issue on hold.
Jeremey Freudberg, co-leader of the group Repeal the Ban, urged the council to act.
“Indeed the overnight parking ban is or does pose a hardship for a lot of people,” Freudberg said.
He said the council could consider ch...
Newton Beacon •

Newton teen creates award-winning app to help people with Type 1 diabetes - Newton Beacon

Aaron Prager of Newton has created an app that helps monitor Type 1 diabetes and won the Eastern Region Congressional App Challenge. Courtesy photoAs the son of two software engineers, Aaron Prager figured app development was in his future. Little did he know that the first app he made would be recognized on a national platform.
His app, BoostT1D, designed to help people with Type 1 diabetes, was chosen by Rep. Jake Auchincloss as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in the Massach...
Newton Beacon •

Wegmans’ plan to close Chestnut Hill pharmacy sparks outcry - Newton Beacon

Wegmans plans to close the pharmacy in its Chestnut Hill store next month, and local residents aren’t happy. Some are fighting back.
The supermarket chain is closing the Wegmans Pharmacy to create more space for groceries in Chestnut Hill, a Wegmans executive told a local resident in an email. Wegmans’s corporate office did not respond to repeated calls and emails from the Newton Beacon.
Deana Percassi, Wegmans’ vice president of community engagement, explained the decision to close the pharmacy...
Newton Beacon •

Snow, Well: Newton residents work at staying chill amid this brutal winter - Newton Beacon

By Kate Brodkin, Celine Hijazi and Lea Tran
In Newton Centre, the snow was so much that several businesses stayed closed a day or two after Monday’s blizzard. In Newton Highlands, pedestrians gingerly stepped through narrow shoveled strips of sidewalk. In Newtonville, residents complained about the slush and ice that is everywhere but mostly took this unrelenting winter in stride.
“I think it’s given us a lot of highlight moments,” said Kerry Murphy, a cybersecurity software engineer who works r...
Newton Beacon •

Newton-based Bricks for the Blind helps people without sight enjoy Legos - Newton Beacon

Newton resident Matthew Shifrin leads a nonprofit, Bricks for the Blind, which brings the joy of Legos to the sight-impaired. Courtesy photoNewton resident Matthew Shifrin leads an initiative to make Legos more accessible through his nonprofit Bricks for the Blind.
“It’s been really wonderful because blind people have been able to explore the world in different ways,” Shifrin said.
Shifrin, 28, who grew up and lives in Newton, was born blind. His love for Legos began when he was 13 and a family...
Newton Beacon •

In new City Hall role, Lauren Berman looks to help Newton's business community thrive - Newton Beacon

Lauren Berman is founder of All Over Newton, which fosters community connection while spotlighting local businesses. (Laney McAden / Heights Editor)Lauren Berman has organized PTO fundraisers, helped revamp Newton’s farmers market and organized a “bakery crawl” to benefit small shops. Now that she has assumed the role of the city’s economic development director, she’ll have a bigger hand in supporting businesses here.
“We want to make sure that the experience of opening a business is easy,” Berm...
Marblehead Current - News for people, not for prof •

Labor law violations cost Marblehead employers nearly $44,000 in state fines - Marblehead Current

The Attorney General’s office fined seven Marblehead employers for 17 state labor law violations between March 9, 2022, and Feb. 20, 2025, the Current has learned. 


More than 80% of all employer violations — including failing to pay minimum wage or provide earned sick time, keeping inaccurate records and child labor infractions — were issued in the past two years. Since March 9, 2022, Marblehead employers have paid nearly $44,000 in fines, records show.


The attorney general fined the Marbl...

New developments to combat the heat in Chinatown creates new fears amongst residents – Boston University News Service

By Lea Tran 


Boston University News Service


Chinatown remains one of the top neighborhoods in Boston susceptible to climate change. Residents are wary of changes as Mayor Wu shares climate change initiatives as her reelection campaign continues.


Chinatown is the hottest neighborhood in Boston with the average daytime temperature in July rising to 105.5 degrees Fahrenheit, nearly 6 degrees hotter than the Boston average of 99.5 degrees, according to data from the Boston Heat Resilience P...

Recap: Nobel Prize 2025 winners – Boston University News Service

By Lea Tran


Boston University News Service


The announcements for the winners of Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics and peace concluded on October 13. BUNS Reporter Lea Tran gives a brief recap of the winners and their achievements in each field.

By Lea Tran

Boston University News Service

The announcements for the winners of Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics and peace concluded on October 13. BUNS Reporter Lea Tran gives...
mxdwn Music •

Jake E. Lee Says He Is Aiming To Play “The Ultimate Sin” At Black Sabbath’s Final Show Rather Than “Bark At The Moon” -

From Blabbermouth, guitarist Jake E. Lee shared his desire to play “The Ultimate Sin” at the final Black Sabbath show rather than the fan-picked “Bark At the Moon.” This would be at the “Back to The Beginning” charity show on July 5 in Birmingham, featuring the last time the original line-up of Black Sabbath will perform.

Lee said to Blabbermouth, “I know people are expecting ‘Bark At The Moon’, but I don’t know. Right now, with my wrist, the arthritis and everything, that would be very challen...
mxdwn Music •

Ho9909 Announce New Album Tomorrow We Escape For September 2025 Release, Shares New Single “Upside Down” -

Ho9909 release a new single, “Upside Down,” which will also be featured on their upcoming album Tomorrow We Escape. According to ConsequenceSound, the album will be released on September 9 and it will be a blend of the hip-hop, metal and punk genres. This hybrid sound is present in “Upside Down” with instrumentals from the metal and punk but the vocal pacing takes from the hip-hop and rap genre.

The music video is highly stylized, mixing scenes of nature and urban scenery. From a press release,...
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