Saturday, August 1, 2020 View web version
Today's Headlines
Page one

Federal appeals court vacates Tsarnaev death sentence, orders new penalty-phase trial

Forcing open a painful chapter of Boston’s history, a federal appeals court on Friday overturned the death sentence of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was convicted five years ago of collaborating with his brother to plant two bombs near the Boston Marathon’s finish line, and ordered a new trial to determine whether he should be put to death. Continue reading →

Analysis

Why was Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence overturned?

Jury selection in a high profile case, not the location of the trial, led to the stunning ruling Friday. Continue reading →

As temperatures rise, a ‘nightmare’ of toxic algae plagues the hidden gems of Cape Cod

Warming temperatures, increased development, and more powerful storms that wash fertilizers, wastewater, and other damaging nutrients into Cape Cod's ponds have created ideal breeding grounds for cyanobacteria, the toxic ingredients of algae blooms that can multiply in dangerous amounts in very short periods. Continue reading →

Boston teachers overwhelmingly prefer remote-only instruction

Three-quarters of Boston school teachers overwhelmingly prefer to continue with remote learning only this fall, according to results of a union survey. Continue reading →

BU engineering student persuades book publisher to remove ‘master and slave’ language

In engineering and computer programming parlance, the terms "master" and "slave" are used to describe the control relationship between circuits or codes, to emphasize how one component can trigger others, from brake and clutch systems in cars to Bluetooth technology. Continue reading →

The Nation

national notebook

NIH funding new virus test development

The National Institutes of Health announced Friday that it was awarding nearly $250 million in contracts to seven biomedical companies to develop new coronavirus tests as communities around the country face testing shortages, backlogs and long waits for results. Continue reading →

Mail backlog raises fears of delays in ballot delivery

The US Postal Service is experiencing days-long backlogs of mail across the country after a top Trump donor running the agency put in place new procedures described as cost-cutting efforts, alarming postal workers who warn that the policies could undermine their ability to deliver ballots on time for the November election. Continue reading →

Fauci confident virus vaccine will get to Americans in 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday that he remains confident that a coronavirus vaccine will be ready by early next year, telling lawmakers that a quarter-million Americans already have volunteered to take part in clinical trials. Continue reading →

The World

Brazen killing of US citizen prompts new criticism of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws

Tahir Naseem, 57, of Illinois, was on trial in Peshawar for claiming to be a prophet. Early Wednesday, a man walked into the courtroom and shot Naseem multiple times at close range. Continue reading →

German defense minister: Planned US withdrawal ‘regrettable’

Germany’s defense minister on Friday described the planned withdrawal of some 12,000 US troops from her country as “regrettable,” while suggesting it underlines the need for Europe to do more for its own security. Continue reading →

Vietnam reports first-ever virus death after renewed outbreak

Vietnam on Friday reported its first-ever death of a person with the coronavirus as it struggles with a renewed outbreak after 99 days with no local cases. Continue reading →

Editorial & Opinion

EDITORIAL

Roberts is no GOP villain or liberal savior. He’s a dyed-in-the-wool conservative.

The onus lies on Democrats to be as effective as Republicans have been in convincing voters that the control of the Supreme Court is a crucial campaign issue. Continue reading →

OPINION

Postcards on the fate of the nation

'Voting by mail is the easiest and safest way to make your voice heard in 2020. Please request your ballot today, using this pre-stamped postcard. Thank you!' Continue reading →

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Metro

Baker cites a number of large social gatherings as a recipe for coronavirus disaster

Governor Charlie Baker said Friday that recent large gatherings in communities throughout the state were a “recipe for disaster” in potentially spreading the coronavirus, and warned residents that “we’re going to have to make some changes” if the positive test rate continues to move up. Continue reading →

Massachusetts immigrants hit hard by COVID-19 economic losses, safety concerns, new survey says

Three quarters of immigrant families in the state reported at least one lost job in their household. Continue reading →

NAACP plans local events to accompany online convention

The National NAACP Convention that had been planned as a showcase for the diversity of 21st-century Boston will instead be held online next week, but organizers plan a few in-person events here as part of “Freedom Weekend” celebrations before the virtual gatherings begin Monday. Continue reading →

Sports

It took awhile, but Christian Vazquez has caught on for Red Sox

His track to the majors was a long and winding one, but his hard work as belief in himself has paid off. Continue reading →

Bill Belichick doesn’t sound ready to hand the Patriots QB job to Cam Newton

"We’ve got a long way to go and we’ll see how things turn out," the coach said when asked about the quarterback position. Continue reading →

On Basketball

‘That could have been me:’ Jayson Tatum saw himself in Michael Brown, and he hasn’t forgotten

The Celtics star opened up for the first time about the impact of being a firsthand witness to the aftermath of Michael Brown's death at the hands of police in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. Continue reading →

Business & Tech

State Street’s gold fund is ETF land’s biggest cash machine

This year’s frenzied rush for gold is turning out to be quite a boon for State Street Corp. Continue reading →

Florida teen charged in massive Twitter hack, Bitcoin theft

A Florida teen hacked the Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities and technology moguls to scam people around globe out of more than $100,000 in Bitcoin, authorities said Friday. Continue reading →

Microsoft said to be in talks to buy TikTok, as Trump weighs curtailing app

Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions, as President Donald Trump said Friday that he was considering taking steps that would effectively ban the app from the United States. Continue reading →

Obituaries
Good Life