The Boston Globe

First responders worked the scene of an explosion at a chemical plant in Newburyport.

One worker missing after ‘violent explosion’ tears apart Newburyport factory, officials say

A search is being launched for a worker who was inside a chemical factory early Thursday when it was rocked by a “violent explosion,” officials said.

A firefighters on the site of a chemical explosion at a pharmaceutical plant at Opportunity Way in Newburyport.

See photos of the scene after an explosion at a Newburyport chemical plant

Always dreamed of escaping to a remote, weathered shack on the Cape Cod coast? Now you can.
For those hoping to trade the demands of modern life for a no-frills shanty with sweeping views of the Atlantic, a place to reconnect with nature, revel in solitude, and concentrate on creative pursuits, here’s your chance.

There are 300,000 edible plant species on earth. Why do we eat so few of them?

In a world of enormous diversity, we can do better than the boring banana.

Travel

CHRISTOPHER MUTHER

An exclusive peek inside guest rooms at Boston’s newest luxury hotel
Singapore-based Raffles opens this summer. Here’s what to expect.

Galleries are tucked here and there along Route 30 through Vermont’s scenic Stone Valley.

Exploring Vermont’s scenic Stone Valley, where life slows down

The valley gets its name from the rich history of slate, granite, and marble production that once occurred here. Today, it’s cow and sheep and goat territory, with things to see and do along the way.

Former Proud Boys extremist group leader, three other members convicted of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was convicted on Thursday of orchestrating a plot for members of his far-right extremist group to attack the US Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election.

Opinion | Marcela García: The Proud Boys’ Latino connection, explained

Clarence Thomas had a child in private school. Harlan Crow paid the tuition.
Crow paid for private school for a relative Thomas said he was raising “as a son.” “This is way outside the norm,” said a former White House ethics lawyer.

In Nantucket, another round in long-running debate over short-term rentals

A measure going before the Town Meeting this weekend would sharply restrict short-term rentals on the housing-starved island, and some worry it will force them to sell their family homes.

Tell us: Should restrictions be placed on short-term rentals?

In the Seaport, a glut of liquor licenses reflects the rise of chains and continued inequities

A hard cap on liquor licenses often means the way for a new place to open is to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars buying one from an existing establishment.

Mayor Wu announces $16.5 million in federal funds to help homeless people

The announcement will come days after city officials cleared tents from the Mass. and Cass area, which is the epicenter of the city and region’s opioid and homelessness crises.

Boston formally drops COVID-19 vaccine requirement for city workers

Customers shop during opening day festivities at a Trader Joe's in Allston in 2017.

Back Bay could soon get a new, bigger Trader Joe’s

Bus drivers in three districts plan to strike amid stalled contract negotiations

From left, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula in a scene from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."

Odie Henderson Review | ★★

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’: Things that make you go meh

A mediocre villain and unwieldy shifts in tone make Vol. 3 the least engaging of the trilogy.

After 25 years apart, we’re living together again

Now I want to get married, but he’s not ready.

Stephen Curry (right) scored 50 points in the Warriors' Game 7 win over the Kings, a feat that got a lot of people's attention.

Where does Steph Curry rank among the all-time NBA greats? There’s not a simple answer.

Circumstances can change so drastically across the eras that accurate comparisons become problematic.

On Basketball: The Celtics came up with the correct response in Game 2

Opinion

Kamiya Parkin of Boston, center, celebrated with friends at the University of Massachusetts Boston commencement ceremony at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in 2022.

Carola Suárez-Orozco and Marcelo Suárez-Orozco

The solution to declining college enrollment? Immigrants.

New data estimates indicate they make up a stunning 31 percent of all students in colleges and universities, a 58 percent increase from 2000 to 2018.

Same olde, same olde from Old Sturbridge Village charter foes

KIMBERLY ATKINS STOHR

The rush for Supreme Court scoops comes with a consequence: undermining ethics reform efforts

US civics and history scores sink to new lows in Nation’s Report Card

IDEAS | DANI PENDERGAST

Inspiration is a beast. You have to feed it.

High Med. Low

Select a county:

More recent News

Senate Democrats pressure Republicans on debt limit impasse, spending cuts
In a hearing Thursday, Senate Democrats focused on what they say will be painful reductions in government services if a debt ceiling bill recently passed by the House becomes law.

New York City subway rider choked homeless man to death, medical examiner rules

Jordan Neely died from compression to his neck as a result of the chokehold, according to a spokesperson for the city's medical examiner.

With wildlife, the best of intentions can do more harm than good
People are "naturally attracted to these animals and they don’t consider the consequences,” said Dr. Scott Marshall, R.I. state veterinarian. “Leaving it alone actually is giving it the best chance to survive,” said R.I. DEM's Michael Healey.

FOOD

A Lego restaurant is popping up in Boston
Block off time (and save your pennies) for an unusual $80 dining experience.

‘Does Montgomery ever rip into his team?’ and other questions about the Bruins answered
Globe sports reporter Matt Porter answered questions about the Bruins and his coverage of the team.

Jennifer Coolidge sends Marblehead High’s ‘Legally Blonde’ cast a video message congratulating them
Coolidge played Paulette in the 2001 film. “I’m so excited for you. It’s such a great show."

Photo Illustration

Boston thrives off the dreams of young people. But can they make it here?

Baby boomers and Gen Xers benefited from economic conditions that do not exist for millennials. And by many measures, the path ahead for Gen Z is even more fraught.

Tell us: How have things changed in Boston since you were in your early 20s?

DEBT

SAVINGS

HOUSING

REALITY CHECK CALCULATOR

Boston Globe Spotlight Team

Send The Boston Globe a confidential news tip
Do you have a tip about something that needs to be investigated? Do you have documents or data we should dig into? We want to hear from you.

Recommended reads

The sign for a Bed Bath & Beyond store is reflected in raindrops on a car window. The company, which filed for bankruptcy, was seen in Dedham.

Beth Teitell | Commentary

‘Everyone is like a zombie.’ What it’s like in Bed Bath & Beyond right now.

The housewares chain has filed for bankruptcy protection, and its stores are forlorn and disheveled. But a wave of nostalgia has prompted tributes from some people.

Ransom note about Ana Walshe sent to detective early in investigation, court records show
The vague note was sent by e-mail to a detective from a Gmail account with the username “Richard Walker,” court records show, a few days after Ana Walshe was reported missing by her co-workers in Washington, D.C.

Carlson’s text that alarmed Fox leaders: ‘It’s not how white men fight’
A text message sent by Tucker Carlson that set off a panic at the highest levels of Fox on the eve of its billion-dollar defamation trial showed its most popular host sharing his private, inflammatory views about violence and race.

Smugglers dumped millions in drugs off Maine’s coast. Struggling fishermen saw a jackpot.
The fishermen called the illicit haul “sea hash.” But what would they do with it?

Culture & Lifestyle

Patti LuPone (left), Lakecia Benjamin (center), and Cécile McLorin Salvant (right).

Celebrity Series announces 23-24 season, first with new artistic director

From left: Stephanie Hsu, Michelle Yeoh, and Ke Huy Quan in "Everything Everywhere All at Once." The film will screen on three Saturdays this month at the Museum of Science’s IMAX theater.

Eight ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month around Boston

From left: Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Kari Buckley, Eddie Shields (seated), Nael Nacer, and Helen Hy-Yuen Swanson in "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" at Central Square Theater.

A masterful ‘Angels in America’ at Central Square Theater

Nora Fischer in the BSO and Celebrity Series production of Osvaldo Golijov's “Falling Out of Time” at Symphony Hall.

At Symphony Hall, ‘Falling Out of Time’ was in synch with the moment

Special Projects

Main marathon 10th anniversary gif

Their lives were rerouted after the Marathon bombing. Here’s where they are now.

Five lives were lost; many more, changed.

Boston, MA—12/14/2022 - Commuters wait for the T to arrive at Ruggles Station. (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)

Boston doesn’t work if the T doesn’t work

With the MBTA engulfed by issues, everyday riders are feeling the pain.

Brittany Tee, Soomaiiah Quraiishi, and Reina Morales Rojas are among thousands of people thought to be missing from Massachusetts.

How the missing become the uncounted

Inside the government’s flawed approach to finding missing persons.

Two Weeks in America

Two Weeks in America

We sent a dozen journalists on the road across this complex country. They found it’s better than you think.

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Opinion, ideas, and commentary

IDEAS | STAFFAN GNOSSPELIUS

A friend in need — and help that goes without saying

After a woman was injured on the Harvard Station platform by a piece of falling equipment, a small section of the waiting area was taped off.

Fixing the T means communicating honestly about it

Drivers queued to get fuel near a gas station in Havana on April 24. "This is hell!" said Lazaro Diaz, a 59-year-old Cuban courier who waited in line for a day hoping to get gasoline, in the longest fuel shortage crisis that Havanans say they have experienced in years.

Jim McGovern and Patrick Leahy

Biden should remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list

The Netflix series “Queen Cleopatra” is part of a project called “African Queens.” Executive producer Jada Pinkett Smith said her goal is to “represent Black women.”

Cleopatra wasn’t Black. So what?

Mass shooting survivor Wilson Garcia shed a tear as he talked about his wife and son, who were killed in Friday's shooting.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott dehumanizes mass shooting victims

A new fire escape was added as part of the renovations to the historic Harvard Lampoon building.

IDEAS | RENÉE LOTH

How to fix a funny building

Metro

With wildlife, the best of intentions can do more harm than good

People are "naturally attracted to these animals and they don’t consider the consequences,” said Dr. Scott Marshall, R.I. state veterinarian. “Leaving it alone actually is giving it the best chance to survive,” said R.I. DEM's Michael Healey.

Should the Massachusetts State Lottery expand to include online play?

Read two views and vote in our poll.

Boston formally drops COVID-19 vaccine requirement for city workers

Alongside similar steps at the state and federal level, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is formally dropping the vaccine requirement for city workers, ending — for now — an intense political and legal battle that dominated her early months in office.

Mayor Wu announces $16.5 million in federal funds to help homeless people

The announcement will come days after city officials cleared tents from the Mass. and Cass area, which is the epicenter of the city and region’s opioid and homelessness crises.

Sports

A stunned Bruins bench at the end of Game 7 against the Florida Panthers as they lost in overtime. Coach Jim Montgomery looks on with his dejected players.

‘Does Montgomery ever rip into his team?’ and other questions about the Bruins answered

Globe sports reporter Matt Porter answered questions about the Bruins and his coverage of the team.

Stephen Curry (right) scored 50 points in the Warriors' Game 7 win over the Kings, a feat that got a lot of people's attention.

Where does Steph Curry rank among the all-time NBA greats? There’s not a simple answer.

Circumstances can change so drastically across the eras that accurate comparisons become problematic.

Seaweed covers the Atlantic shore in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis, Aug. 3, 2022. A 5,000 mile-long flotilla of seaweed stretching from Africa to the Gulf of Mexico is slowing the boats in the around-the-world Ocean Race as they make their way from Brazil to Newport, Rhode Island.

Newport bound, around-the-world regatta runs into giant seaweed flotilla

A seaweed flotilla stretching from Africa to the Gulf of Mexico is slowing the boats in the Ocean Race as they make their way from Brazil to Newport, where they are expected to arrive May 10.

Blue Jays at Red Sox | 6:10 p.m. (NESN)

Game 33: Blue Jays at Red Sox lineups and notes

Christopher L. Gasper

He’s MVP, but so what? Joel Embiid is still hampered, and the Celtics took advantage.

ben volin | on football

Ranking the 16 AFC teams: Patriots have a ways to go to reach the top

Business

California startup with MIT roots harnessing AI to target age-related diseases

Integrated Biosciences says its rapid screening speeds the search for compounds that kill “zombie” cells.

Back Bay could soon get a new, bigger Trader Joe’s

The beloved purveyor of viral ready-made meals and lower-cost brand-name dupes was approved for a package store and liquor license for a proposed location at 500 Boylston Street.

Video game hall of fame winners helped extend the medium’s reach to girls, grandparents

US claims for unemployment aid jump, but remain low

magazine

Smugglers dumped millions in drugs off Maine’s coast. Struggling fishermen saw a jackpot.

How do I avoid a blowup with a relative who hates me?

Glazed Maple Whole-Wheat Muffins

Treat mom to maple-glazed muffins and a Spanish egg tortilla on Mother’s Day

A colorful illustration of some popular foods of summer. From left to right: a lobster, a soft serve ice cream cone, a cup of Del's frozen lemonade, a hotdog and a cheeseburger.

24 perfect foods worth a New England road trip this summer

metro

Sabrina Pilet-Jones, assistant farm manager/education coordinator, left, and volunteer and Santander employee Kenneth Allien at the Urban Farming Institute in Mattapan.

How urban farmers are changing their practices as warmer winters and erratic storms threaten their crops

Bill requiring election audits passes the N.H. House

One worker missing after ‘violent explosion’ tears apart Newburyport factory, officials say

sports

Marcus Smart credited Jaylen Brown with setting the tone early against the 76ers, who saw James Harden score just 12 points in Game 2 after he went for 45 in Game 1.

The Celtics came up with the correct response in Game 2, and turned in a masterpiece to even the series

The Celtics emerged with a few battle scars from a physical defensive effort, but it was worth it

Ava Venturelli does damage for No. 1 Taunton softball against No. 2 King Philip in a marquee matchup of Hockomock League unbeatens

business

Toronto-Dominion Bank and First Horizon Corp. have agreed to terminate their previously announced merger amid uncertainty about the possibility of regulatory approvals.

TD Bank, First Horizon agree to terminate $13 billion merger

In Nantucket, another round in long-running debate over short-term rentals

Nobel economics laureate joins BC faculty

politics

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Senate Democrats pressure Republicans on debt limit impasse, spending cuts

Former Proud Boys extremist group leader, three other members convicted of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Debt ceiling breach could wipe out 8 million jobs, White House warns

Nation

New York police officers responded to a subway train on Monday in New York.

New York City subway rider choked homeless man to death, medical examiner rules

Suspect in Atlanta mass shooting has been charged with murder, records show

Clarence Thomas had a child in private school. Harlan Crow paid the tuition.

World

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine’s Zelensky visits International Criminal Court

Israelis block roads in protest against Netanyahu legal plan

Eight people die in overnight fire in Czech city of Brno

opinion

Activists attended a press conference on Supreme Court ethics reform outside of the US Capitol on May 2.

The rush for Supreme Court scoops comes with a consequence: undermining ethics reform efforts

Fixing the T means communicating honestly about it

Needed: An overhaul of how workers are trained and educated

lifestyle

After 25 years apart, we’re living together again

What we can learn from spelling bee champ and basketball record-holder Zaila Avant-garde

Allston author Kayla Cottingham wants her readers to have a ‘hot ghoul summer’ in ‘This Delicious Death’

food & dining

Customers shop during opening day festivities at a Trader Joe's in Allston in 2017.

Back Bay could soon get a new, bigger Trader Joe’s

A Lego restaurant is popping up in Boston

Boston Calling announces food lineup; The Raw Bar at Island Creek Oyster Farm opens for the season

travel

The warm glow of sunset lights up Portsmouth Harbor.

Three ways to celebrate Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary

Who needs a big city getaway when there’s Vergennes?

Exploring Vermont’s scenic Stone Valley, where life slows down

Arts

Ming Smith, "Womb," 1992.

Every breath she takes: Ming Smith at MoMA

In Portland, looking back at a continent on the cusp of change

‘Sound in Space, Sound in Place’ is an aural experience

Books

The West End branch of the Boston Public Library.

The Boston Public Library released a booklist for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Here’s what’s on it.

Tell us: What are your favorite books by AAPI authors?

Independent Bookstore Day in R.I.: 7 places where you can celebrate

Movies

From left, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula in a scene from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’: Things that make you go meh

‘Good Burger 2′ filming begins in Rhode Island on May 18

Hollywood writers begin strike, late-night shows go dark

Television

Corey Mylchreest as young King George III and India Amarteifio as young Queen Charlotte in "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story."

‘Queen Charlotte’ joins the royal family of worthy spinoffs

Strong cast lends support in season 2 of ‘Single Drunk Female’

Here’s how to watch the coronation of King Charles III

music

Vance Gilbert will celebrate the release of “The Mother of Trouble,” his 14th album, with a show at Passim Sunday.

The wit and wisdom of Vance Gilbert

Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, and George Michael among Rock Hall inductees

Beer garden and performance venue to open Thursday on Boston Common

Theater/Dance

Stacy Fischer (left) and Breezy Leigh in "Joy and Pandemic" at the Huntington.

In the Huntington’s ‘Joy and Pandemic,’ the scourge of illnesses seen and unseen

From Boston to Broadway and back again, for SpeakEasy’s ‘The Prom’

‘Beautiful Noise,’ ‘1776′ bypassed in Tony nominations

globe local

Brothers Brian Worrell (left), District 4 Councilor, and state Representative Chris Worrell just opened a district office on Erie Street.

Worrell brothers, one a councilor and one a state representative, open joint Dorchester office for ‘top-notch constituent services’

Fire destroys multiple homes along beachfront in Scituate

Reading harpist returns to hometown for performance with the US Air Force Concert Band

Obituaries

Robert Patrick, early, and prolific, playwright of gay life, dies at 85

John Stobart, celebrated maritime painter, dies at 93

Vincent Stewart, trailblazing Marine general who became intelligence expert, dies at 64