Dine Out Boston returns Aug. 1–15 with nearly 200 restaurants offering prix‑fixe lunches and dinners. Our picks highlight new openings, classic institutions and the best bargains.

A Dorchester man faces second-degree murder charges after police say he struck a scooter rider on Saturday; the rider later died and detectives are asking for tips.

A Hudson woman faces eight counts of animal cruelty after officers found a mother dog and seven puppies living in a hazardous detached garage. The animals are now in rescue care.

A July overflow at the Springfield treatment plant dumped millions into the Connecticut River and renewed demands for regional sewer upgrades and better alerts.

AstraZeneca says it has retooled pricing for new drug launches in response to the White House's most‑favoured‑nation push. The move could change launch timing and global price dynamics.

A herd of 100 life‑size lantana elephants will fill Commonwealth Avenue Mall Aug. 8–Sept. 13 as part of a traveling public‑art fundraiser for conservation. The display is free and open to the public.

A one‑mile stretch of Cummins Highway in Mattapan has been rebuilt with two lanes, protected bike lanes, raised crossings, a new roundabout and dozens of new trees.

Newton’s Zoning Board cleared a roughly 20,000‑sqft Walmart micro‑fulfillment center at 241–247 Riverview Ave, using a new state variance standard to allow the larger facility. The hub will operate without a storefront and requires only minimal exterior changes, city officials say.

A three‑alarm fire tore through a Dorchester triple‑decker at 359 Geneva Ave Sunday, charring the roof and damaging a neighboring home while crews fought to contain the blaze.

A BU public‑relations grad’s satirical Cockroach Janta Party morphed into nationwide protests that helped force India’s education minister to resign.

The First Circuit is weighing an appeal of Maine’s $5,000 cap on super PAC donations; the ruling could reframe campaign finance across the country.

Boston pediatric burn teams warn gel‑filled squishy toys can rupture and spray hot, sticky gel that causes serious burns and long recovery.

argenx agreed to buy Dallas‑based Forte for about $2.2 billion, folding Forte’s experimental anti‑CD122 drug FB102 into argenx’s immunology lineup.