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TRENDING:

Will the COVID-19 vaccine be mandatory in the future?

Private businesses, schools, and perhaps even states and localities could possibly require the shots for those who don?t qualify for religious or medical exemptions.

Spending, stimulus talks advance in Congress as Pelosi and McConnell huddle

Congressional leaders scrambled Tuesday to reach agreement on a stimulus bill and a catchall omnibus funding package to keep government funding flowing, meeting to try to hammer out critical deals before a Friday deadline.
McConnell acknowledges Biden is president-elect, says Electoral College ?has spoken?

Biden to name Boston?s Gina McCarthy as White House climate coordinator

 Who is Jeffrey Rosen, who will lead the Justice Department for Trump?s endgame?

Mar-a-Lago neighbors tell Trump to spend his post-presidency days elsewhere

Neighbors of Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's private club in Palm Beach, Fla., that he has called his Winter White House, have a message for the outgoing commander in chief: We don't want you to be our neighbor.
Trump asking about special prosecutor for Hunter Biden Analysis: 42 days after the election, Trump is finally out of options to challenge his 2020 los

Winter storm warning in effect for most of Massachusetts ahead of ?significant? Wednesday storm
A winter storm warning is in effect for most of Massachusetts ahead of a storm that is expected to bring heavy snow to the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Public safety crews prepare for heavy snowfall, power outages from approaching storm
Weather | Dave Epstein

Widespread area of heavy snow in Massachusetts begins Wednesday evening

Some areas of Massachusetts may see a foot of snow or more, beginning Wednesday evening and continuing well into Thursday.

In a winter of remote learning, most kids will be losing the magic of snow days

First it was prom. Then it was high school football games. Now the pandemic is erasing yet another cherished school tradition: the snow day.

Priest who gave Sen. Ted Kennedy?s funeral homily charged in sex assault case

What you need to know about Moderna?s COVID-19 vaccine, which is likely to get cleared this week

A panel of outside experts is expected to vote Thursday on whether the FDA should authorize the Moderna vaccine for emergency use, as coronavirus deaths in the United States surpass 302,000.
FDA review confirms effectiveness, safety of Moderna vaccine, clearing way for emergency authorization Even if you get the vaccine, you should still wear a mask, experts say UMass model sees cases continuing to climb into early January

Baker tells residents to stay home for the holidays as vaccination of health workers get under way

Even as medical workers raced to dispense COVID-19 vaccines, Governor Charlie Baker warned the spike is straining the state?s health care system and implored residents to forgo holiday gatherings.
These cities and towns in Massachusetts are rolling back their reopenings Mass. reports 3,720 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 55 new deaths The latest COVID-19 numbers from Mass.
THE LATEST COVID-19 NEWS

Fauci says he feels ?very strongly? Biden and Harris should be vaccinated soon

Over-the-counter home test for COVID-19 gets US green light
The first home test for COVID-19 that doesn?t require a prescription will soon be on US store shelves.

76ERS 108, CELTICS 99
Rookie Payton Pritchard solid in debut, and other observations from Celtics? preseason loss to 76ers
The 26th overall pick in last month's draft had 16 points, and Jeff Teague had a team-high 18 off the bench in an otherwise sluggish effort for Boston.

Developers share first look at plans for tower on James Hook Lobster site
The 285-foot-tall waterfront building would be home to a "high-profile, landmark hotel," they say.

Opinion

EDITORIAL

Abortion-rights bill deserves passage ? again

The Legislature should reject Governor Baker?s restrictive amendments.
Scot Lehigh

If only we had an inoculation against ridiculousness
Andrew Bacevich

The endless war to preserve American primacy
Renée Graham

?It was reminiscent of cross burnings?
Joan Vennochi

Power, privilege, and the COVID-19 vaccine

Roslindale man arrested in Hingham after leading police on a chase to Hull

A Roslindale man was arrested on several charges including driving under the influence after he led police on a chase from Hingham to Hull early Tuesday morning, police said.

Massachusetts House speaker knocks Baker?s abortion proposal, says reps will ?overturn? it
The leader of the Massachusetts House said Tuesday that the chamber will reject changes Governor Charlie Baker proposed for a measure expanding abortion access, describing them as an attempt to ?erode? the provision lawmakers had passed.

Supreme Judicial Court rules law banning panhandling violates First Amendment rights of homeless people
The First Amendment rights of homeless people were violated by a state law that made it a crime to step onto public streets and flag down passing motorists to ask for some cash, the state?s highest court unanimously ruled Tuesday.

No room for error as door to the playoffs threatens to slam shut on the Patriots
New England needs to win its games and get a lot of help from other teams.

Real estate giant JLL beefs up life science focus with hiring of MassBio chief Bob Coughlin
Recruiting Bob Coughlin and Travis McCready within a matter of months of each other speaks to the emphasis that JLL is placing on the life sciences sector.

Christmas light display in Wilmington wins ABC?s ?The Great Christmas Light Fight,? draws massive crowds
A festive light display in Wilmington is drawing droves of visitors in the holiday spirit after it won the top prize in a national award competition last week.

A Beautiful Resistance
Jeneé Osterheldt

Black queer lives are Black lives that matter, too

Adding any other marginalized identity to Blackness is another layer of oppression to fight. Black queer people living their truths is a beautiful resistance.
The Questions, featuring Jazzul Escada See more from ?A Beautiful Resistance? Follow on Instagram
Holiday gift guides

12 gifts made in New England

8 thoughtful gifts to help comfort and heal

10 gift ideas for people who developed pandemic passions

A local shopping guide for families

Recommended Reads

THE GREAT DIVIDE

Free meal or attend class? School schedules force some low-income families to choose

Many low-income families across Massachusetts have struggled to receive their promised free school breakfasts and lunches during the pandemic because of school schedules. It?s another way the pandemic is widening existing racial and socioeconomic inequities in education.
Following parents? complaints of too much independent study, state pushes expanded instructional requirements Are school snow days officially over? We?ll find out this week

Mass., other states near historic agreement to curb transportation emissions
Massachusetts and other states on the East Coast are poised to sign a landmark agreement that would constitute one of the nation?s most ambitious efforts to fight climate change.

Medford COVID-19 outbreak ? with over 700 recent new cases ? traced back to two Thanksgiving gatherings
The outbreak stemming from Raso?s Bar & Grille, along with a second cluster traced to a large holiday gathering at a private home, have contributed to Medford?s largest surge in infections since the spring, with more than 700 new cases since Thanksgiving.

metro

In a winter of remote learning, most kids will be losing the magic of snow days
First it was prom. Then it was high school football games. Now the pandemic is erasing yet another cherished school tradition: the snow day.

MBTA pushes for more federal funding after cutting service
Weather | Dave Epstein

Widespread area of heavy snow in Massachusetts begins Wednesday evening

Sports

Gary Washburn | On Basketball
With Kemba Walker sidelined, new Celtic Jeff Teague will have a chance to play a major role
Teague scored 18 points in his Celtics' debut Tuesday night, a preseason loss to the 76ers.

Women's College Basketball

Stanford gives Tara VanDerveer her 1,099th win, most ever by a women?s basketball coach

Rookie Payton Pritchard solid in debut, and other observations from Celtics? preseason loss to 76ers

business

Biden picks former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to be energy secretary
President-elect Joe Biden has chosen Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of the politically pivotal state of Michigan, to lead the Department of Energy, three people familiar with the matter said.

Colorado startup developing supersonic plane

Real estate giant JLL beefs up life science focus with hiring of MassBio chief Bob Coughlin

politics

Federal execution numbers top states? for 1st time, report says
For the first time in history, the US government has carried out more executions in a year than all states that still conduct executions, according to an annual report on the death penalty released Wednesday.

Biden to name Boston?s Gina McCarthy as White House climate coordinator

Who is Jeffrey Rosen, who will lead the Justice Department for Trump?s endgame?

lifestyle

FOOD
5 savory thank-yous for all the cooks tied to the kitchen this year
It?s wonderful to give sweets, but folks you know making daily breakfast, lunch, and supper deserve real food in their stocking.

FOOD

Recipe: Homemade grainy, nutty digestive biscuits, similar to Graham crackers, make a fine gift

FOOD

Nothing is more comforting than steamy hot soup, especially this traditional Moroccan bowl

arts

MOVIES
A very good year for documentaries, if an annus horribilis otherwise
These films are evidence that the documentary genre serves as a touchstone of truth in this era of misinformation.

Doc Talk: Figures of speech, Berkshires bounty

An artist in control, another artist embracing the unknown at Galatea Fine Art

rhode island

RI ARTS
?A Christmas Carol? tradition continues at Providence?s Trinity Rep -- with a 2020 twist
This year, the iconic production will be available online for free from Dec. 17 through Jan. 10, 2021.

RHODE MAP

Are school snow days officially over? We?ll find out this week
CORONAVIRUS

A Latino doctor was the first person in Rhode Island to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Now he wants to be an example for his community

Newton

Special Projects

A beautiful resistance | JENEÉ OSTERHELDT

Black queer lives are Black lives that matter, too

Adding any other marginalized identity to Blackness is another layer of oppression to fight. Black queer people living their truths is a beautiful resistance.
See more from 'A Beautiful Resistance' Follow on Instagram

On the Street

In tackling the pandemic, Chelsea finds new strength

Brockton offers a gateway to a new generation

This time, Quincy Center?s revival looks legit

Revere was going through a revival before COVID-19. Can it stay on track?

See more from our business series ?On the Street?: The changing face of Greater Boston neighborhoods

More

2020 Bostonians of the Year: The Front Line
They stood up to fight the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. Meet the people leading us through a harrowing year.

Last Words: Is death the great equalizer?
Quite the contrary, a Spotlight investigation shows. Death exposes in high relief the layers of inequities, in race and income, care and opportunity, that shape life down to its final hours. It is a truth the pandemic has only underscored ? one hard to see, because it is so much easier to look away.

I knew getting prostate cancer at 48 would change me. I had no idea how much
For the past year, Mark Shanahan has been working on Mr. 80 Percent, a six-episode podcast miniseries about his experience with prostate cancer. It?s a deeply personal, sometimes harrowing, often funny story about a disease that affects millions of men. The heroes are his doctors and family, who put up with some appalling behavior. You?ll hear from both.

Comfort Zone

COMFORT ZONE

8 thoughtful gifts to help comfort and heal

These candles, blankets, and gift sets meet the stressful realities of 2020.

For this artist, the local supermarket is stocked with dating metaphors

Brooke Stewart found inspiration at the Market Basket deli counter.
CHRISTOPHER MUTHER

The ghosts of Bradlees, Spag?s, and Whalom Park have returned from the great beyond, in T-shirt form

A local company is reviving defunct department store and amusement park logos on stylish tees.

Party like it?s 1773 at this virtual Boston Tea Party event

An online celebration features a costumed dramatization of the historic event.

Painting her heroes is a ?no-brainer? for folk icon Joan Baez

John Lewis, Anthony Fauci, and Stacey Abrams are just a few of her subjects.
IN THE FAMILY WAY

A local shopping guide for families

Boston is fortunate to have so much creative talent. It?s on us to support them this season.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

Joan Vennochi

Power, privilege, and the COVID-19 vaccine
EDITORIAL

State AGs unfriend Facebook
H.D.S. Greenway

John le Carré, a consummate storyteller and friend
Abdallah Fayyad

Make public transit free
Jon Santiago

Protect essential workers by protecting MBTA service
IDEAS | DAVID SCHARFENBERG

Massachusetts? public schools are highly segregated. It?s time we treated that like the crisis it is

STAT

The Road Ahead: Charting the pandemic over the next 12 months ? and beyond
In this project, STAT describes 30 key moments, possible turning points that could steer the pandemic onto a different course or barometers for how the virus is reshaping our lives.

From a small N.C. town to big-city hospitals, how software infuses racism into U.S. health care
The racial bias can produce huge differences in assessing patients? need for special care to manage conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or depression, a STAT investigation found.

Covid-19?s wintry mix: Dry indoor air helps the virus spread
The worry is not just that people might mingle more closely inside, but that the air they breathe will make the virus more dangerous.

In the Covid-19 death of a hospital food worker, a microcosm of the pandemic
The hospital's first employee to die of Covid-19 was a kitchen worker named Marie Deus ? and her illness sparked a question. Why weren't bedside clinicians getting sick at the highest rates?

magazine
Cover Story

2020 Bostonians of the Year: The Front Line
Bostonians of the Year

The Celtics? Jaylen Brown is a leader in the NBA and outside it
Connections

The pandemic has a school nurse missing her 'frequent fliers'

Miss Conduct

I've gained weight and don't want to be on camera for holiday Zoom calls

sports

Young UMass team is chasing consistency, and other men?s college basketball thoughts

After just 79 days, the Celtics are back, and now this is Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?s team

No room for error as door to the playoffs threatens to slam shut on the Patriots

metro

Public safety crews prepare for heavy snowfall from looming storm

In a winter of remote learning, most kids will be losing the magic of snow days

MBTA pushes for more federal funding after cutting service

Nation

Hundreds of invitees skip Pompeo?s indoor holiday party at State Department

Will the COVID-19 vaccine be mandatory in the future?

US and Pfizer are negotiating deal for more vaccine doses next year

World

Fashion mogul Peter Nygard arrested in Canada

Hopes for a ?normal? Christmas fade as pandemic rages in Europe and North America

Russia?s Putin congratulates Biden on winning US election

politics

Biden to name Boston?s Gina McCarthy as White House climate coordinator

Who is Jeffrey Rosen, who will lead the Justice Department for Trump?s endgame?

Will the COVID-19 vaccine be mandatory in the future?

business

Biden picks former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to be energy secretary

Colorado startup developing supersonic plane

Real estate giant JLL beefs up life science focus with hiring of MassBio chief Bob Coughlin

lifestyle

5 savory thank-yous for all the cooks tied to the kitchen this year

Recipe: Homemade grainy, nutty digestive biscuits, similar to Graham crackers, make a fine gift

Nothing is more comforting than steamy hot soup, especially this traditional Moroccan bowl

marijuana

Two new commissioners tapped for Massachusetts marijuana agency

Chief of staff to ex-mayor of Fall River pleads guilty to extortion, bribery charges

Marijuana found concealed in shampoo bottle at Logan Airport Friday

opinion

?We?re gonna [lose] so much you may get tired of [losing]?

Abortion-rights bill deserves passage ? again

If only we had an inoculation against ridiculousness

food & dining

Recipe: Homemade grainy, nutty digestive biscuits, similar to Graham crackers, make a fine gift

Nothing is more comforting than steamy hot soup, especially this traditional Moroccan bowl

So much goodness in a bowl

travel

Shayna Seymour on Martha?s Vineyard, margaritas, and needing more Italy in her life

The Caribbean is open. Well, almost

Off the beaten track, Caribbean-style: Here?s where to social distance in paradise

Books

Heather Clark charts Sylvia Plath?s trajectory to become one of the most brilliant writers of her generation

Rian Hughes?s illustrated novel ?XX? reinvents a classic science fiction trope in a massive work of dizzying originality

Reading between basketball games, looking for tenderness and beauty

Movies

A very good year for documentaries, if an annus horribilis otherwise

Doc Talk: Figures of speech, Berkshires bounty

The Boston Society of Film Critics names its winners for 2020

Television

Caught up on the year?s best TV? Here are more to check out

This week?s TV: Last gasps of 2020, another Stephen King series, and the dogs of the year

Timothée Chalamet plays a coronavirus, impersonates Harry Styles in ?SNL? debut

music

Prince, Petty, Monk, Joni, and more: The best box sets and reissues of the year

What are Bob Dylan?s three best songs? Fans have plenty to say.

When Boston?s music scene was built on Beethoven

Theater/Dance

In ?Fosse/Verdon,? a welcome spotlight on a Broadway legend

The North Shore is missing its Scrooge. But he intends to be back next year.

Who?s Zoomin? who? Playwrights adapt by incorporating digital platforms into their scripts

globe local

Newton extends COVID-19 emergency housing relief program

What to my wondering eyes should appear, but a cherry-red helicopter with no need for reindeer

Fort Hood soldier was still alive days after he disappeared, raising possibility that suicide could have been prevented, reports show

Obituaries

Sara Leland, Boston-trained dancer for the New York City Ballet, dies at 79

Gerard Houllier, former Liverpool coach, dies at 73

John le Carré, who lifted the spy novel to literature, dies at 89