Nation

New Orleans’s levees pass Ida’s test while some suburbs flood

The levees, floodwalls, and floodgates that protect New Orleans held up against Hurricane Ida’s fury, passing their toughest test since the federal government spent billions of dollars to upgrade a system that catastrophically failed when Hurricane Katrina struck 16 years ago. Continue reading →

Nation

Demand surges for deworming drug for COVID, despite no evidence it works

Prescriptions for ivermectin have seen a sharp rise in recent weeks, jumping to more than 88,000 per week in mid-August from a prepandemic baseline average of 3,600 per week, according to researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue reading →

Nation

State mask bans face federal civil rights inquiries

The Education Department on Monday opened civil rights investigations into five Republican-led states that have banned or limited mask requirements in schools, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions. Continue reading →

World

EU proposes new restrictions on unvaccinated US visitors

In June, the European Union urged its member countries to reopen their borders to travelers from the United States, hoping to give a boost to the continent’s ailing tourism sector in the crucial summer season. Continue reading →

World

North Korea restarted plutonium-producing reactor, UN agency warns

North Korea appears to have restarted a reactor​ in its main nuclear complex, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said in a report, an indication that the North has been ramping up its nuclear weapons program while talks with the United States remain stalled. Continue reading →

World

Can Afghanistan’s leading broadcaster survive the Taliban?

Over the past two decades, the Afghan broadcaster Tolo has been known for provocative programs such as “Burka Avenger,” in which an animated superheroine uses martial arts to vanquish villains trying to shut down a girls school. Continue reading →

EDITORIAL

With election reforms stalled on Beacon Hill, some would-be voters are left out

Only a permanent fix to state election laws and same-day registration will solve the problem. Continue reading →

OPINION

How Boston Latinos got more engaged in city politics

Representation matters because it begets more representation. Once people of color have seen what their government can do for them, they stay engaged in politics, and thus are more likely to vote in more people of color. Continue reading →

OPINION

Biden faces vexing questions about counterterrorism

Losing to the Taliban is bad enough, but surrendering Afghanistan to an incendiary mix of extremists — Taliban, Al Qaeda, the Haqqani network, and ISIS — undermines US counterterrorism goals. Continue reading →

K-12

Despite Delta concerns, thousands of Mass. students are going back to in-person school this week

Even though there are concerns that the highly transmissible Delta variant could complicate the safety of in-person learning, Massachusetts school leaders have chosen to keep remote learning off the table as an option this year. Continue reading →

Boston Mayoral Race

Mayoral candidate Essaibi George talks bolstering police while touring Bowdoin-Geneva

City Councilor and mayoral candidate Annissa Essaibi George said Monday the city needs scores more police officers, emphasizing a key difference between herself and her competition with roughly two weeks to go before Boston’s preliminary election. Continue reading →

Weather

Heavy rain and possible flooding are predicted Wednesday and Thursday in New England from remnants of Hurricane Ida

Storms could hit hardest in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, Rhode Island, and northern Connecticut on Wednesday into Thursday. Continue reading →

RED SOX Notebook

Red Sox COVID-19 outbreak grows to five players, including Martín Pérez, Matt Barnes

The starter-turned-reliever is the fourth member of the team to test positive since Friday, joining Kiké Hernández, Christian Arroyo, and strength coach Kiyoshi Momose. Continue reading →

ben volin | on football

Why Cam Newton is a far less risky choice than Mac Jones to start the season

It makes more sense for Bill Belichick to start his veteran at quarterback and see how things go for the first month of the season. Continue reading →

RAYS 6, RED SOX 1

Offense quiet, defense deficient as Rays again beat COVID-wracked Red Sox

Two more defensive miscues played a part in Tampa beating the Red Sox for the eighth time in the teams’ last 10 meetings, all but burying any division title hopes for Boston. Continue reading →

Business

As Sept. 1 nears, the rush to find an apartment in Boston is as competitive as ever

After a year where tenants held a rare upper hand, Boston’s rental housing market is returning to its tight and pricey form. Continue reading →

Business

Boston startup aims to turn touchless sanitizer dispensers into home decor

Shimmy is counting on regular hand hygiene becoming a long-term habit for consumers. Continue reading →

Biotech

As RNA remains hot, Flagship’s Laronde raises $440m for a new class of medicines

Laronde is based on a proprietary molecule its scientists call “endless RNA,” which the company hopes will allow humans to produce their own proteins for weeks or months to treat diseases. Continue reading →

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Music

In Boston, a unique Spotify playlist for each college

Sounds of Spotify Schools creates playlists tailored to each campus by analyzing what student subscribers are listening to. Continue reading →

ASK MATTHEW

Must we have so much texting on TV?

It can be irritating when a character is reading a text and you just can’t make it out. It’s like watching a foreign language movie without subtitles. Continue reading →

Lifestyle

Ballroom Thieves’ Devin Mauch emerged from lockdown as an ex-drummer with a new artistic passion

For this New England musician, the pandemic was a chance to get off the tour bus, dive into nature, and start making art with fire. Continue reading →