Nation

Bitcoin plummets below $20,000 for first time since late 2020

Bitcoin was designed to transform the way people do transactions. The digital currency relies on a decentralized network of computers that log each transaction on a permanent record known as a blockchain. Continue reading →

Nation

US opens COVID vaccine to little kids, shots begin next week

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday recommended COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months, who were among the last Americans to qualify for the shots. Parents should be able to start getting young children immunized as soon as Tuesday. Continue reading →

Nation

Yellowstone flooding rebuild could take years, cost billions

Floodwaters this week wiped out numerous bridges, washed out miles of roads and closed the park as it approached peak tourist season during its 150th anniversary celebration. Continue reading →

World

Ukraine’s death workers: ‘If you take it all close to heart, you go mad’

From gravediggers to embalmers, funeral directors to coroners, these workers carry deep psychic wounds of war — and have few others who can relate to them. Continue reading →

World

Zelensky visits war-torn Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday morning made an unannounced visit to Mykolaiv, a southern Ukrainian city battered by the war that has been held up by Kyiv as a sign of fierce resistance. Continue reading →

World

Bruno Pereira, expert on Brazil’s Indigenous communities, dead at 41

A Brazilian expert on isolated Indigenous communities, Bruno Pereira led grueling expeditions into remote corners of the Amazon rainforest and was killed in an attack in the Javari Valley of western Brazil, authorities confirmed on Saturday. Continue reading →

LETTERS

Our challenge is to honor and preserve Olmsted’s legacy

Egalitarian public green space is the living legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision for Boston’s Emerald Necklace. But much of his work has been eroded or never fully realized. Continue reading →

EDITORIAL

There is no question: Merrick Garland must put Trump on trial

If the former president and his allies can get by with nary a scratch after plotting an overthrow of the US government, then what message will that send? Continue reading →

LETTERS

State’s old housing stock needs a boost toward net zero

We have the nation’s second-oldest housing stock, yet many state legislators and policy makers are zeroing in on requiring more expensive energy systems for new homes that will inevitably price out more families. Continue reading →

Massachusetts

‘It’s just disrespectful’: Worcester activists question bishop’s decision to remove school’s Catholic status

Black and LGBTQ+ activists in Worcester said they were shocked and disappointed by Bishop Robert J. McManus’s decision to revoke the Nativity School of Worcester’s Catholic status because the school flew the Black Lives Matter and gay pride flags. Continue reading →

Social Justice

Decades later, Juneteenth flag creator shares story behind beloved symbol

In the 22 years since Ben Haith hoisted his Juneteenth flag at Roxbury’s Dillaway-Thomas House, the banner has become an international symbol of Black liberation and solidarity. Continue reading →

YVONNE ABRAHAM

‘You don’t have to wait for Congress to save lives’ when it comes to passing statewide gun control laws

Massachusetts legislators have sent an open letter to their fellow legislators across the country that touts the common sense gun laws passed here, and urges those who want to enact similar laws in their states to use Massachusetts as a resource. Continue reading →

Tara Sullivan

Rory McIlroy is taking us on another thrill ride and The Country Club fans are totally on board

Whether he is moving up or down the leaderboard, McIlroy always moves the crowd, especially in Boston. Continue reading →

Cardinals 11, Red Sox 2

Red Sox get pounded in powerful display of Cardinals’ late eruption

St. Louis had 14 hits off five Red Sox pitchers, three of them home runs. The Sox managed only five hits, all singles. Continue reading →

Red Sox notebook

Matt Barnes trying to find the silver lining in his situation on the injured list

Barnes has used the time on injured list to strengthen his shoulder, fix his mechanics and to get mentally re-set. Continue reading →

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IDEAS

My advice to graduates is just one show: ‘The Wire’

Take it from a philosophy professor: The greatest series in TV history trades in ideas that your classes failed to convey. Continue reading →

IDEAS

Medical devices that are music to our ears could save lives

Hospitals stress staff and patients out with alarms that doctors and nurses sometimes ignore. There may be a better way. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Mark Shields, TV pundit known for sharp wit, dies at 85

A piercing analyst of America’s political virtues and failings as a Democratic campaign strategist and then as a television commentator, Mark Shields, who was born in Weymouth and raised a Red Sox fan, delighted and rankled audiences for four decades with his bluntly liberal views. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Mark Shields, TV pundit known for sharp wit, dies at 85

A piercing analyst of America’s political virtues and failings as a Democratic campaign strategist and then as a television commentator, Mark Shields, who was born in Weymouth and raised a Red Sox fan, delighted and rankled audiences for four decades with his bluntly liberal views. Continue reading →

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Arts

Baz Luhrmann on why his new movie ‘Elvis’ is a tragic tale for our time

"Elvis is the musical equivalent to Hamlet for an actor in that, in the journey, there are three Elvises: rebel Elvis, Hollywood Elvis, '70s Elvis," says the Australian director, who cast Austin Butler as the King. "To ask a young actor to climb that mountain, you have to know that they can handle anything." Continue reading →

THEATER

‘A Beautiful Noise’ aims to tell Neil Diamond’s story, inside and out

"A Beautiful Noise," premiering at the Emerson Colonial Theatre for a pre-Broadway tryout, is a "surprising entrée into Neil’s psyche," says its director. "It's a story of a man who is in crisis but is unable to articulate why." Continue reading →

COMMENTARY

‘In the heart of their hug’: Hank Willis Thomas on his ‘Embrace’ tribute to the Kings

As part of the inaugural Embrace Ideas Festival, the artist spoke in depth about his long-awaited memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. The 20-foot bronze sculpture is set to be unveiled on Boston Common on MLK Day next year. Continue reading →

TRAVEL

Grab that towel: These sandy strands have been named the best beaches in Massachusetts

Our beaches crop up on “best beach” lists all the time. Here's a look at some of the highest-rated ones around, plus parking details and other intel that will make enjoying them easier. Continue reading →

CHRISTOPHER MUTHER

These are the best — and worst — countries for LGBTQ+ travel in 2022

The study looked at 10 factors such as gay marriage, constitutional protections, adoption rights, quality of life surveys, and transgender identity laws. So where do you think the United States ranked? Continue reading →

Real Estate

Nurtured by nature: How to extend the principles of horticultural therapy to your own home garden

Outside of simple pleasures, digging in the soil can be a powerful tool for your health and well-being. Continue reading →

Real Estate

Home of the Week: How much bread for ‘The Jelly House’ in Sandwich? $2.1 million

The property includes a barn-style guest house with two units. Continue reading →