GOP-led House passes $46b tax cut proposal

By Jonathan Weisman

The House approved a 20 percent tax cut for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. But the bill was unlikely to go far in the Senate.

■ Correction: Because of a reporting error, a review of the film “Think Like a Man’’ in the “g’’ section, which was printed in advance, misidentifies the CBS show “Person of Interest.’’

MIT seeks to invest $450m at Hanscom

By Bryan Bender

The Department of Defense has quietly approved an MIT proposal to build a $450 million research facility at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford.

By Neil MacFarquhar and Rick Gladstone

The secretary general of the United Nations gave a dark appraisal of the Syria conflict, accusing its government of failing to carry out its peace plan.

By Amir Shah

Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, condemned photographs of US soldiers posing with the bloodied remains of three suicide bombers as “disgusting.”

By David Jolly and Mark Lewis

The man on trial for killing 77 people last year in twin attacks said Thursday that he was justified in shooting young people at a political camp.

opinion | scot lehiigh

Bill Maher, Ted Nugent pollute the political dialogue

By Scot Lehigh

Maher and Nugent have each made highly offensive comments about women, and the presidential campaigns seem pleased to have their support.

Joan Wickersham

Spaulding Rehab puts climate change in concrete terms

By Joan Wickersham

Climate change predictions have influenced Boston’s new Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital to locate critical power and data equipment above the first floor.

editorial

Pennies: MIT physicist takes on the zinc lobby

Jeff Gore, a physicist at MIT, is making a valiant effort to persuade Americans to dump the penny.

Police to keep up search for missing girl

By Zachary T. Sampson

After searching unsuccessfully for hours by air, land, and sea, authorities did not rule out any causes in the disappearance of a 2-year-old girl at a Rockport beach.

DEDHAM

A large brush fire in Dedham sent a thick plume of black smoke over the Boston area Thursday evening.

BOSTON

A former Salvadoran military commander accused of plotting the killings of six Jesuit priests in 1989 was released on bail again Thursday, after his lawyer complained that a legal mix-up led to concerns that he was applying for a passport, in violation of his bail terms.

By Chris Reidy

Friendly’s Ice Cream LLC, the Wilbraham company that operates the Friendly’s restaurant chain, said John M. Maguire has been named its chief executive.

Ford to build another Chinese auto plant

By Keith Bradsher

Ford Motor announced Thursday that it would build a $760 million assembly plant in Hangzhou.

IMF urges direct aid for EU banks

By Martin Crutsinger

The head of the International Monetary Fund says the officials managing Europe’s debt bailout fund should consider providing financial support directly to European banks.

Paul Bogart, 92, director of Emmy-winning television shows

By Douglas Martin

Paul Bogart, a puppeteer who bumbled into the new medium of television in 1950 and rose to be an Emmy-winning director, has died.

By Daniel E. Slotnik

NEW YORK - William Finley, a character actor who appeared in many films by Brian De Palma, most memorably as the title character in the 1974 rock opera “The Phantom of the Paradise,’’ died on Saturday in New York City. He was 71 and lived in Manhattan.

Obituaries

Levon Helm, 71, drummer and singer for the Band

By Jon Pareles

Levon Helm, the drummer and singer who brought an urgent beat and a genuine Arkansas twang to some of The Band’s best-known songs, has died.

On Hockey

Bruins doing little to help themselves

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Unable to establish solid, productive net-front presence, the Bruins do not have the look of a confident team now.

Celtics notebook

Kevin Garnett: Celtics are underestimated

By Frank Dell’Apa

Garnett is linking the Celtics with fellow underdogs and believes the team can still achieve much this year.

NBA Roundup

Report: Dwight Howard done for year

Orlando’s All-Star center will undergo a season-ending surgery Friday morning in Los Angeles to repair a herniated disk.

names

Rob Gronkowski set to help Del Frisco’s celebrate

By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

Who better to help Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House celebrate its one-year anniversary than the Pats tight end?

names

BSO receives $7.5 million donation from two Chestnut Hill couples

By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

The Boston Symphony Orchestra announced on Thursday that it has received a $7.5 million donation from longtime trustees.

names

Pete Hamill speaks at Boston University

By Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

Novelist and celebrated journalist Pete Hamill reflected on his life and work during a talk this week hosted by the Friends of the Libraries at Boston University.