All of the headlines from today's paper.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Today's Headlines
Page one

Metro

Yankee Candle is facing more closures and cuts — but its Western Mass. flagship still has the sweet smell of success

Yankee Candle's scents are beloved. But with slumping sales, impending store closures and layoffs, and an oversaturated fragrant-candle market, the smell of decline is creeping in. Continue reading →

Rhode Island Crime

In Providence, steps toward normal in a shaken city: ‘I’m still looking over my shoulder’

More than a week after the shooting that shattered the sense of safety around Brown University, Providence is inching back toward normal, but cautiously, unevenly. Continue reading →

Politics

Warren’s push to oust Summers from Harvard reignites rivalry after new emails raise scrutiny on his ties to Epstein

The senator's push for the former Harvard professor to face consequences is the latest development in a decades-long relationship that has impacted both Cambridge and Washington. Continue reading →

Politics

Supreme Court keeps Trump’s National Guard deployment blocked in the Chicago area, for now

The justices declined the Republican administration’s emergency request to overturn a ruling by a judge that had blocked the deployment of troops. Continue reading →

The Nation

Politics

Trump referenced in some newly released Epstein documents

Tens of thousands of newly released documents from the Justice Department’s investigations of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein mix mundane exchanges with tantalizing hints suggesting investigators considered looking closer at his circle of powerful friends. Continue reading →

Nation

Trump unveils a new class of Navy battleship, names after himself

President Donald Trump on Monday said he will oversee the development of a new class of Navy battleship - named after himself. Continue reading →

Nation

Camp Mystic’s reopening plans in Texas draw outrage

Some families say the decision to let their daughters return is a vital step in their own healing from the disaster that is still under scrutiny. Continue reading →

The World

World

This Christmas will be even harder for China’s Christians

This year, Christmas will be very different for Zion - one of China’s biggest and most influential unregistered house churches - and its worshipers. Continue reading →

World

Ukraine withdraws from eastern town, complicating negotiating stance

Ukraine said Tuesday that its forces had withdrawn from the eastern town of Siversk, in a move that could complicate Kyiv's stance in ongoing peace talks with Russia, which have largely stumbled over a question of territory. Continue reading →

World

Wise man? King? In Naples, Trump joins Jesus in Nativity displays.

President Trump has likened himself to a king, a dictator for a day, and an emperor. Now, during Christmas in Naples, he can be remade as one of the three wise men. Continue reading →

Editorial & Opinion

Editorials

The disappearing snowplow

Massachusetts needs to make it more financially viable for snowplow drivers to work in the state. Continue reading →

Columns

MAGA’s racism and antisemitism problem isn’t Nick Fuentes — it’s MAGA

Of course, not being racist at all isn’t part of the debate. Continue reading →

Letters

Trying to make some kind of sense out of a tragic DCF case

Stakeholders in family law and its impact on children raise concerns in the wake of a report criticizing DCF's role surrounding the death of A'zella Ortiz. Continue reading →

Metro

Metro

Yankee Candle is facing more closures and cuts — but its Western Mass. flagship still has the sweet smell of success

Yankee Candle's scents are beloved. But with slumping sales, impending store closures and layoffs, and an oversaturated fragrant-candle market, the smell of decline is creeping in. Continue reading →

Metro

Mystified by Yankee Candle scents like Man Town or Whiskers on Kittens? This taxonomy will help you classify them.

The mental exercise of trying to describe one of Yankee Candle’s more esoteric fragrances led game designer Alex McMillan to create the game "Yankee Candles Stages of Abstraction." Continue reading →

Crime & Courts

Former Stoughton deputy chief decertified by state oversight panel over involvement in Sandra Birchmore case

“Over the last several years of his career, his interest in his reputation and what benefited him far outweighed any concern he had for the public interest,” the ruling stated. Continue reading →

Sports

Patriots

The Patriots only have two Pro Bowlers, which should serve as the perfect fuel heading into the playoffs

New England has fewer Pro Bowlers than non-playoff teams like the Ravens (six), Cowboys (five), and Chiefs (four). Continue reading →

Patriots

Morgan Moses toughs out knee injury, and other snap count observations from Patriots-Ravens

The team initially listed right tackle Moses as questionable to return with a knee injury, but he reemerged when Munford also went down. Continue reading →

Celtics

Joe Mazzulla continues to win mind games as benching starters leads to Celtics victory over Pacers

The Celtics outscored the Pacers 60-34 in the second half of Monday's win thanks to a big spark from the bench in the third quarter. Continue reading →

Business

Business

Could Trump scuttle the iRobot bankruptcy deal?

The company’s most advanced floor cleaners capture a lot of information about the people who use them. Continue reading →

Business

Circle Furniture’s 70-year legacy ends as company closes its doors this week

On Tuesday morning, employees received an email confirming they’re being laid off. Continue reading →

Business

‘The first pulse you check is your own.’ Meet the doctor leading the ER the night of the Brown shooting.

A Q&A with the surgeon who led the response to last week's shootings at Brown University. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Obituaries

May Britt, 91, dies; her marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. sparked outrage

May Britt, the Swedish-born actress whose marriage to Black entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. in 1960 drew racist reactions in Hollywood and elsewhere as the Civil Rights Movement was gathering momentum, died Dec. 11 in Los Angeles. She was 91. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Vince Zampella, Formative Designer of Call of Duty Games, Dies at 55

Vince Zampella, a key figure in the creation of Call of Duty, the bestselling video game franchise that has reproduced World War II battles, riffed on modern global conflicts and imagined the technology future soldiers will wield, has died. He was 55. Continue reading →

Arts & Lifestyle

Music

James Taylor to perform on July 3 and 4 at Tanglewood

Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. Continue reading →

Lifestyle

Jaylen Brown says he’s teaming up with a hair-growth supplement company to (hopefully) address thinning hair

The Celtics All-Star says he’s done feeling bad about his hair. "It's all a part of the journey," he told his Instagram followers Sunday. Continue reading →

Visual Arts

A mysterious fedora, a thieving cat, and other stories that made us smile in 2025

Also: A kayaker who was swallowed by a whale — and lived to tell the story — and the discovered identity of a Jackson Pollack painting's peculiarly rich blue. Continue reading →