All of the headlines from today's paper.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Today's Headlines

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Page one

Higher Education

Stand and fight? Or cut a deal? Wealthy donors have mixed feelings about Harvard’s standoff with Trump.

Some major donors — including the kind with buildings named after them — have been frustrated with the university’s response, believing the school should make a deal, not pitch a fight. Continue reading →

Politics

Bernie Sanders’ message used to divide Democrats. Now, on an anti-Trump rally tour, it’s galvanizing them.

The independent Vermont senator’s stubbornly consistent case to cure what ails the party is landing differently now. Continue reading →

Retail

As Mass. considers generational ban on nicotine sales, what’s been Brookline’s experience?

The town in 2020 became the first in the nation to pass a lifetime ban on selling tobacco products to anyone born since the start of 2000. Now, the state could follow Brookline's lead. Continue reading →

Immigration

Appeals court orders that Tufts student detained by ICE be returned to Vermont

A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered that Rümeysa Öztürk be transferred to Vermont from Louisiana, where she has been held since being taken into custody in March. Continue reading →

Politics

Johnson rules out aggressive Medicaid cuts as GOP moderates waver

Speaker Mike Johnson has dropped one of the most aggressive options the GOP was considering to cut Medicaid costs to help pay for President Trump's domestic agenda, bowing to pressure from politically vulnerable Republicans and underscoring the deep party divisions imperiling the plan. Continue reading →

The Nation

Nation

Biden assails Trump in BBC interview: ‘That’s not who we are’

Six months after his party lost the presidential election, former president Joe Biden is stepping back into the public spotlight with a scathing condemnation of his successor and his handling of international affairs. Continue reading →

Nation

Another Navy jet falls into sea, marking fourth major mishap in months

A Navy fighter jet failed to land on an aircraft carrier and plummeted into the Red Sea on Tuesday, marking the fourth major mishap involving the vessel and the third loss of a fighter jet deployed with it since the warship left home last year. Continue reading →

Nation

Three former Memphis officers acquitted in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he fled a traffic stop

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, fled a traffic stop after he was yanked out of his car, pepper-sprayed, and hit with a Taser in Jan. 2023. He died three days later after the beating. Continue reading →

The World

World

Black smoke pours from Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected as conclave opens

The cardinals participating in the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history took just one round of voting Wednesday evening. Continue reading →

World

What to know about the conclave to elect the next pope

One hundred and thirty-three cardinals are sequestering themselves behind the Vatican’s medieval walls for the start of a conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis. Continue reading →

World

Pakistan claims to have downed Indian warplanes, vows response to strikes

India and Pakistan were on the brink of direct conflict Wednesday for the first time since 2019, after India launched its deepest and deadliest strikes inside Pakistan in decades and Islamabad claimed to have downed several Indian warplanes. Continue reading →

Editorial & Opinion

Editorials

In Trump’s White House, corruption is the coin of the realm

President Trump has woven his family’s crypto investments and US crypto policy into a single, seamless fabric that almost certainly will enrich him and his family. Continue reading →

Letters

No mystery why juvenile detention is on the rise

It is increasing because the legal system lacks a commitment to diversion and healing and because of the inertia of the punishment-based model of justice. Continue reading →

Letters

Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump, meet Thomas Paine

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Everything in President Trump’s agenda is grounded in one thing: common sense." This brought Paine's 1776 pamphlet to one reader's mind. Continue reading →

Metro

Boston Mayoral Race

Josh Kraft releases plan for BPS, featuring more exam school seats, hybrid School Committee, central office changes

Kraft’s plan features several proposals that take aim at areas of frustration for BPS families. Continue reading →

Transportation

Logan Airport relatively calm during REAL ID rollout

“We may see some slightly longer TSA lines, but will be watching whether or not we need to encourage passengers to get here early," a Massport official said. Continue reading →

Politics

Mass. Senate will ‘explore’ ban on cellphones in public schools, top Democrat says

Senate President Karen Spilka planned to tell Boston-area business leaders that the idea has broad support. Continue reading →

Sports

Red Sox

Is Alex Cora softening his stance on playing Rafael Devers at first base?

A day after there seemed no plans to broach the subject with Devers, the Red Sox manager said, "Obviously, things might change." Continue reading →

Celtics

Jayson Tatum’s struggles on full display as Celtics fall into 0-2 hole, and other takeaways from loss to Knicks

The Knicks overcame a 20-point second-half deficit again. Continue reading →

Celtics

Yes, it happened again: Celtics head to New York down 2-0 to Knicks after giving up another 20-point lead

Daunting potholes have materialized on the Celtics' path to becoming the first team to repeat as NBA champions since 2018. Continue reading →

Business

Business

New Hampshire enacts law allowing state treasurer to invest in Bitcoin

Proponents celebrated their legislative victory as a "precedent" for other states to follow, while critics said the state shouldn’t "gamble" with taxpayer money. Continue reading →

AI/Robotics

Amazon’s newest robot, made in Massachusetts, gains a sense of touch

Designed and manufactured at Amazon’s robotics operations outside Boston, the new bot, dubbed Vulcan, can place an item in a storage bin while carefully nudging other items out of the way. Continue reading →

Real Estate

Former Fujifilm site in Bedford will soon become a pharmaceutical factory

A joint venture of Boston-based Bain Capital Real Estate and New York-based real estate developer Botanic Properties will redevelop the property into a 154,000-square-foot facility capable of producing medicines and other therapies. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Obituaries

Philip Sunshine, 94, dies; physician who pioneered treatment of premature babies

Philip Sunshine, a Stanford University physician who played an important role in establishing neonatology as a medical specialty, revolutionizing the care of premature and critically ill newborns who previously had little chance of survival, died April 5 at his home in Cupertino, California. He was 94. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Robert Monks, who championed shareholder activism, dies at 91

The Boston-born lawyer also ran for US Senate from Maine several times. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Stephen Mo Hanan, who played three roles in ‘Cats,’ dies at 78

In addition to "The Pirates of Penzance" and other Broadway credits, Mr. Hanan had many regional theater performances, including the double role of Voltaire and Dr. Pangloss in “Candide” at the Huntington Theater. Continue reading →

Arts & Lifestyle

Arts

A major country star stepped in to help buy a space for a Jack Kerouac center in Lowell

The space, the St. Jean Baptiste Church, has a number of ties to Kerouac. Continue reading →

Television

With ‘Hacks’ and ‘Paradise,’ Julianne Nicholson’s snowball of a career keeps picking up speed

The Emmy winner known for drama is now showing her silly side on HBO’s "Hacks." Continue reading →

Lifestyle

Retired friends disappear from life

Advice from R. Eric Thomas. Continue reading →