Explosion, fire rip through Roxbury apartment building

Firefighters rescued no fewer than 15 people from third floor windows of the Roxbury apartment complex, including a child who was dropped from the top floor into the arms of a fireman.

An explosion and resulting fire destroyed a large apartment building in Roxbury early today.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

An explosion and resulting fire destroyed a large apartment building in Roxbury early today.

Boston police said they believe the disaster was the result of a deliberate act by a resident of the Wardman road building.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

Boston police said they believe the disaster was the result of a deliberate act by a resident of the Wardman road building.

At least 11 people were rushed to Boston hospitals with a variety of injuries that were sustained in what grew into a six-alarm fire.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

At least 11 people were rushed to Boston hospitals with a variety of injuries that were sustained in what grew into a six-alarm fire.

A police officer carried six-year-old Xavier Lamb  from the fire.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

A police officer carried six-year-old Xavier Lamb from the fire.

An estimated 42 apartments were damaged or destroyed, officials at the scene said.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

An estimated 42 apartments were damaged or destroyed, officials at the scene said.

Area residents said they heard the sound of an explosion shortly before 1 a.m.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

Area residents said they heard the sound of an explosion shortly before 1 a.m.

The city  was opening a shelter for displaced residents at a nearby community center.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

The city was opening a shelter for displaced residents at a nearby community center.

Nonbelievers striving for humanist connections

Harvard humanist chaplain Greg Epstein has launched a network of groups that offers the fellowship and ceremony of churchgoing without any belief in the transcendent.

Patriots 20, Cowboys 16

Brady rides to the rescue

With 2:32 left, Patriots QB Tom Brady completed 8 of 9 passes for 78 yards and threw the winning touchdown to Aaron Hernandez from 8 yards out.

Abuses alleged in retooled loans

Property owners say they are being threatened with foreclosure by lenders even after signing agreements to make lower mortgage payments and stay in their homes.

Steve Haines For The Boston Globe

No erosion of hope in Chatham

Rapid erosion has left several cottages perched on the water’s edge, their demise seemingly a matter of time, but residents have banded together in a fight to save them.

Key backing for Obama slips in N.C.

The president will visit the state today in an attempt to stem the sentiment among some African-Americans that he has not done enough to put people back to work.

Soon, fresh troopers for Mass. roads

State Police will begin their first recruit training class since 2006 today, in hopes of soon bringing 251 new troopers onto Massachusetts roadways.

Metro

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Deborah Ha  believes in casinos for the jobs and revenue, she said. But when asked if she will visit them, she said, “don’t really go to casinos.”

Bay Staters have mixed opinions on casinos

While people interviewed yesterday said they supported the legislation, most agreed that they had little intention of spending their time — or money — at casinos.

Business

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Galit Lahav worked in her laboratory at Harvard Medical School.

A quest for more effective drugs

Harvard Medical School plans to announce a new initiative today that will bring together various scientific disciplines to ultimately design better drug therapies.

Politics

political notebook

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain spoke with the media after appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press yesterday.

Cain expects to stay in top tier of GOP

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain said he “won’t be a flavor of the week’’ and that his sudden climb to the top of GOP polls will last.

Nation | World

Libyan forces tear down Khadafy compound

Libyan revolutionary forces bulldozed the green walls surrounding Moammar Khadafy’s main Tripoli compound, saying it was time to tear down the leading symbol of his tyranny.

Sports

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Patriots 20, Cowboys 16

Brady rides to the rescue

With 2:32 left, Patriots QB Tom Brady completed 8 of 9 passes for 78 yards and threw the winning touchdown to Aaron Hernandez from 8 yards out.

Health and wellness

G force

Ramping up cancer research

Dr. Susan Love, president of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and author of "Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book," will be speaking at the Lahey Clinic.

Arts

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ART REVIEW

Turkey’s dominant figure - and more

“7 Turkish Artists” is unusually intelligent and ambitious. A small show, it seeks to put us inside the mind of a country of 75 million people.

Ideas

“A string of new studies suggests that the modern chase after happiness—and even happiness itself—can hurt us. Happy, it turns out, is not always the way you want to be.”

Gareth Cook,   on the dark side of happiness