All of the headlines from today's paper.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Today's Headlines

A Western Mass. lesbian bar required KN-95 masks. When it changed the rules, all hell broke loose. Last Ditch Bar in Greenfield wanted to build community. They got a firestorm instead. Read more.

Page one

Crime & Courts

The South Coast is facing another surge in ICE activity. Lawyers say this time seems different.

The arrests, lawyers and advocates for immigrants say, appear more indiscriminate than operations last year. Continue reading →

Politics

He praises Mamdani, says he’s not a socialist, and wants a ‘big tent’ for Democrats. Where does Dan Koh fit in?

Dan Koh won the Sixth District's Democratic nomination without ascribing himself to a particular wing of his party, and even now, still doesn’t. Continue reading →

Rhode Island Politics

Providence is poised to have a pro-Palestinian mayor, leaving its Jewish community at a crossroads

Concerns about antisemitism come amid the rise of democratic socialist candidates winning elections across the country. Continue reading →

Housing

As building slowdown drags on, cities hold the line on affordable housing requirements

While inclusionary zoning has created thousands of new affordable homes across Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, the economics of homebuilding have shifted significantly over the past few years. Continue reading →

Investigations

Heat-pump contractor accused of ‘staggering fraud’ of nearly $8 million from Mass Save

A total of 220 jobs performed by the South Shore firm are being reviewed. So far, less than 10 percent of the work inspected was done correctly, according to a lawsuit. Continue reading →

The Nation

Politics

Hackers say they stole thousands of sensitive FBI personnel records

A prolific criminal hacking group said Tuesday that it had stolen a large tranche of sensitive personnel information belonging to thousands of FBI officials in what would amount to a stunning breach of private data for the nation's top law enforcement agency. Continue reading →

Nation

$1 billion donation to University of Oregon makes history

The unscheduled phone call turned out to be worth $1 billion. Continue reading →

Politics

China’s Xi arrives in Washington, kicking off his state visit with rare planeside welcome from Trump

Trump’s decision to greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews just outside Washington rather than receiving him at the executive residence shows how far the US president is going to honor China’s leader. Continue reading →

The World

World

Iran will not be bullied, president says in defiant UN speech

Iran's president delivered a defiant speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, vowing his country would defend itself until "its last breath" and would not give up its civilian nuclear program. At the same time, he left the door open for negotiations with the United States. Continue reading →

World

A knock at the door, then gunshots: Mass shooting at a house party in South Africa kills 11

Three gunmen barged into a small house in an impoverished neighborhood in South Africa and opened fire on a group enjoying a party inside, killing at least 11 people including a pregnant woman. Continue reading →

World

The winner of this rivalry gets ice cream. But so does the loser.

There are two ice cream shops that matter in Ramallah, the crowded, chaotic and overcaffeinated seat of Palestinian self-government. Seemingly everyone in town has picked a side. Continue reading →

Editorial & Opinion

Letters

Two tall orders for Mayor Wu: policy agenda and state lawmakers

The notion that Boston is expected to bow and scrape to Beacon Hill smacks of a perverse delight in the dominance of state government. Continue reading →

Letters

Students in poorest communities are starved for recess time

When I surveyed kindergarten teachers in 2016, I found that each week kindergartners in low-income districts had a whopping 100 fewer minutes less for free play and recess than students in high-income communities. Continue reading →

Op-eds

BSO musicians approved new contract, but that doesn’t mean they are happy

This agreement does not signal new trust in management. Rather, it challenges management to prove itself trustworthy. We will see. Continue reading →

Metro

K-12 Education

Boston’s non-exam high schools suffer from dwindling enrollment, poor student outcomes, report finds

Boston’s competitive exam schools, led by Boston Latin School, command much attention. But the vast majority of public school students attend one of the city’s 31 other high schools. Continue reading →

Metro

‘People are really coming together’: Rockport rallies in support after historic building, pizza shop destroyed by fire

The building dated to 1866 and had been home to Rockport House of Pizza & Roast Beef for nearly 50 years. Continue reading →

Maine

‘Deeply wrong and shameful’: Two months after Maine ICE shooting, status of investigations remains unclear

Agent’s ex-wife said she was contacted by state and federal investigators in July. Continue reading →

Sports

Red Sox

Red Sox unveil their playoff formula in narrow win over Guardians

Sonny Gray (18th win), Aroldis Chapman (35th save) and Jarren Duran (2 for 3, 20th stolen base) deliver in a 1-0 victory over the Guardians. Continue reading →

Patriots

Patriots’ confidence in Drake Maye hasn’t wavered: ‘We’re a team. We stick together.’

Maye is facing another sizable challenge Sunday against the Jaguars’ defense. Continue reading →

Red Sox

Sonny Gray proves doubters wrong with strong first season starting for the Red Sox in big-market Boston

Gray is lined up to start in next week’s Wild Card Series, likely in New York against the Yankees – affording him one more opportunity to dispel a narrative about his career. Continue reading →

Business

Technology

This solar startup revolves around an artificial sun

Local startup Fourth Power uses hot graphite and tin rather than lithium to store power for use when the real sun isn't shining. Continue reading →

Retail

Samuel Adams brewery workers in Jamaica Plain vote to unionize

Bartenders, brewery tour ambassadors, and other workers are fighting for wage increases. Continue reading →

Media

Will viewers tune into a new regional TV news station? Spectrum News bets they will with NECN revival.

The organization is making what is in local context a massive investment in its journalism as it looks to fill out a staff of 50 across New England. Continue reading →

Obituaries
Arts & Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Words long used in the Caribbean and Bermuda are now part of the Oxford English Dictionary

Many applauded the formal recognition of these words as a way to preserve tradition for younger generations on the Caribbean islands. Continue reading →

Movies

Four takeaways from Bill Burr’s Rolling Stone interview

Ahead of "The Social Reckoning" hitting theaters next month, Burr sat down for a wide-ranging chat with Rolling Stone about working on the film, letting go of his anger, and more. Continue reading →

Movies

Jay Baruchel takes a big leap in ‘The Stunt Driver’

This biopic of Canadian stuntman Ken Carter documents his attempt to jump the Saint-Laurent River. Continue reading →