fb-pixel Skip to main content
The Boston Globe
TRENDING:

BILLS 38, PATRIOTS 9

Cam Newton got benched once again, and he couldn?t hide frustration with his play: ?I just want to win?

Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham combined for just 78 passing yards on Monday night, doing nothing to quiet questions about the best choice to start Sunday's finale against the Jets.
Dan Shaughnessy

Bill Belichick is living a worst-case scenario after moribund Patriots get crushed by Bills

Watch: Bill Belichick botches challenge, throws sideline phone in frustration during Patriots-Bills
BEN VOLIN | INSTANT ANALYSIS

After loss to Bills, no one?s scared of Bill Belichick and the Patriots anymore

The curse of the incidental illness: Seen as side effects to coronavirus vaccinations, ailments may have little to do with them
There's a lack of public understanding that many problems that occur after vaccination probably aren?t tied to immunization itself.

Larry Edelman
Mass. workers won?t miss jobless payments despite Trump?s delay in signing relief bill
The Baker administration said Monday that new or extended federal benefits would kick in for the week ending this Saturday. But Massachusetts residents, like those of many states, will likely have to wait a week or more for their checks.

Here?s more information on Governor Baker?s $668 million pandemic aid plan
LATEST COVID-19 NEWS

Fauci warns of ?surge upon surge? as air travel hits highs amid holidays

Stimulus checks, jobless benefits, and other things to know about the federal relief bill

The $900 billion pandemic relief package from the federal government has implications for Massachusetts residents and business owners. Here?s a brief overview.

Sanders, Markey to block defense bill override vote until Senate gets a say on $2,000 relief payments

Two progressive New England senators said they have a plan to counter any hesitancy on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell?s part to push the vote on cash relief payments forward: blocking a vote on the defense bill veto override.
Fate of Trump?s $2,000 checks now rests with GOP-led Senate House votes to override Trump?s veto of defense policy bill

Quincy representative Ronald Mariano in line to become Massachusetts Speaker of the House by mid-week

Lawmakers are poised to elect Ronald Mariano of Quincy as the next speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Wednesday, just two days after the longest-serving speaker in state history, Robert A. DeLeo, announced his resignation.

The dying wish of a decorated Marine convicted of murder: a commutation and a final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery

Joe Labriola died in July at 75. But his posthumous bid for clemency, and the honor of being buried in the country's most revered military cemetery, is now before Massachusetts? parole board, who will weigh his military service and his 1973 conviction for murder.

Trump mum on Nashville bombing, following familiar pattern
As of Monday, three days after authorities identified the Nashville bombing suspect, President Trump still had not commented personally on the event. He spent the day at Trump International Golf Club as part of a winter vacation that is scheduled to continue through Sunday.

Nashville bomber left hints of trouble, but motive elusive

Biden warns of Trump officials? ?roadblocks? to transition
President-elect Joe Biden is warning of massive damage done to the national security apparatus by the Trump administration and ?roadblocks? in communication between agency officials and his transition team that could undermine Americans? security.

Pence is sued by Republican congressman in long-shot effort to reverse Biden?s victory over Trump
Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas is seeking a court order that would force the vice president to acknowledge what Gohmert claims is Pence?s power to disregard states? chosen Democratic electors and instead select competing slates of GOP electors on Jan. 6.

Opinion

OPINION

Words of the year

Every year, new words enter the public lexicon, and 2020 was no exception.
Ed Gaskin and Liz Walker

Encourage skeptical Black Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine
EDITORIAL

Virtual medical appointments are here to stay, but so is surprise billing
Joan Vennochi

With Speaker Mariano, progressives get what they deserve
IDEAS | COLIN WOODARD

Maine can finally get out of Massachusetts? shadow
A BEAUTIFUL RESISTANCE | Jeneé Osterheldt

Claiming land and water on Martha?s Vineyard

If you?re willing to see, the walls have something to say

In protest, there is community and joy rising

Black queer lives are Black lives that matter, too

To be Black, Bostonian, and proud

With every sip, a labor of love

Hilaria Baldwin responds to allegations questioning her Spanish heritage
The controversy was sparked by a tweet over the weekend about the Boston-born wife of Alec Baldwin.

How two nontraditional newsrooms in Vermont are winning readers
With dramatic cutbacks at two major papers in Vermont, the nonprofit VTDigger and alternative weekly Seven Days have stepped up.

QUICK BITE
Where to order your New Year?s take-home feasts
Say good riddance to 2020 while supporting one of these restaurants.

7 things to do if you?re off this week

Weather | Dave Epstein
Rain is expected to end 2020, and begin 2021
Two approaching storms may bring rain to southern New England, one near the end of the year and the other early in the next year.

TECH LAB
Will your data get lost in the clouds?
Online storage services are highly reliable. But it pays to have a Plan B in case of outages like Google's and Amazon's recent ones.

Fire at Black church in Springfield under investigation as ?potential hate crime?
Investigators are first working to rule out any accidental causes, but they believe the fire may have been intentionally set and possibly linked to three other fires in the neighborhood in the past three weeks.

A woman falsely accused Black hotel guests of stealing her phone. A viral video has sparked a police investigation
A confrontation in which a man said a woman tackled his 14-year-old Black son in a New York City hotel lobby as she falsely accused the teen of stealing her phone is under investigation, city prosecutors said Monday.

Ohio police officer fired in fatal shooting of Andre Hill
A white Ohio police officer was fired Monday after bodycam footage showed him fatally shooting 47-year-old Andre Hill ? a Black man who was holding a cellphone ? and refusing to administer first aid for several minutes.

Recommended Reads

The Globe?s 10 most-read stories of 2020

2020 was a year unlike any other in recent memory. Here?s a look at our top 10 most-read stories.
See more from our 2020 Year in Review

?They just sort of showed up?: The Amish find a home in Vermont?s Northeast Kingdom
The Brownington Amish ? Vermont?s sole Amish church district or settlement ? have become a colorful fixture, their revived farms giving a boost to the region?s flagging agriculture even as their energies and skills give sharp competition to local building contractors.

Holyoke, state in tussle over giving relief cash to struggling families
School has been remote since March, and the goal of the program was to help families cover additional costs, from higher utility bills to increased child care needs. But the state rejected the proposal.

metro

Wellesley
Wellesley candidates for local offices may pull nomination papers until Jan. 8
Wellesley volunteers interested in serving in elected local town offices may pull nomination papers until Jan. 8, the town said in a statement.

Weather | Dave Epstein

Rain is expected to end 2020, and begin 2021

The dying wish of a decorated Marine convicted of murder: a commutation and a final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery

Sports

Patriots
If Tom Brady returns next season, he and the Buccaneers will invade Foxborough
The Patriots are scheduled to host Tampa Bay, and possibly the six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, in 2021.

Cam Newton got benched once again, and he couldn?t hide frustration with his play: ?I just want to win?

Devin McCourty, David Andrews among the injured for the Patriots

business

The curse of the incidental illness: Seen as side effects to coronavirus vaccinations, ailments may have little to do with them
There's a lack of public understanding that many problems that occur after vaccination probably aren?t tied to immunization itself.

Job cuts put off at Southwest after stimulus signing
Larry Edelman

Mass. workers won?t miss jobless payments despite Trump?s delay in signing relief bill

politics

Sanders, Markey to block defense bill override vote until Senate gets a say on $2,000 relief payments
Two progressive New England senators said they have a plan to counter any hesitancy on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell?s part to push the vote on cash relief payments forward: blocking a vote on the defense bill veto override.

Biden warns of Trump officials? ?roadblocks? to transition

Georgia Senate races near finish with Trump a central player

lifestyle

COMFORT ZONE
Hikes and hot chocolate: Winter walks and warm-up stops on Cape Cod
This is the perfect time of year for a hike along the beach, followed by a hot beverage, a warm-from-the-oven pastry, or a melty slice of brick-oven pizza.

The Hilaria Baldwin accent controversy, explained

Hilaria Baldwin responds to allegations questioning her Spanish heritage

arts

COMFORT ZONE
The music that got these Bostonians through 2020
Some songs and artists captured anguish and anxiety; others reflected hope, humor, and connection. All of them hit the spot.

TELEVISION

Fosse?s handiwork evident in ?Pippin? video

The 55 best books of 2020

rhode island

CORONAVIRUS
COVID-19 vaccine to be delivered to Central Falls Housing Authority later this week
COVID-19 rate drops in Central Falls, Rhode Island?s coronavirus hot spot, offering residents a year-end glimmer of hope.

RI CRIME

R.I. Supreme Court denies emergency petition to end cash bail and release nonviolent defendants

RHODE MAP

Did a LaSalle Academy graduate talk some sense into President Trump?

Newton

Special Projects

A beautiful resistance | JENEÉ OSTERHELDT

With every sip, a labor of love

In Vermont, a winemaker is cultivating a legacy that pays homage to the Black folk who built this country and is celebrating life and the future of farming.
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

Cooking | Magazine

Recipes: Spanish-inspired pork, sauteed vegetables, and almond cake

A few key ingredients pack outsized flavor into these dishes.

Min Jin Lee on the ?deep moral conscience? of ?The Great Gatsby?

The "Pachinko" author has a new introduction to Fitzgerald's classic, which enters the public domain on Jan. 1.
HOLIDAYS

9 light displays for oohs and aahs by automobile

These festive drive-through destinations serve up holiday magic the safe way.

Catch these online classical concerts before year?s end

Highlights include multicultural takes on "Messiah" and creatively staged vocal concerts.
MUSIC REVIEW

With sleigh bells jingling, the Pops puts on a holiday show in your home instead of theirs

Though the virtual concert can?t compare to experiencing a Holiday Pops show live in Symphony Hall, its mere existence is something to applaud in a season when so many traditions have been disrupted.
COMFORT ZONE

These thoughtful, last-minute gifts arrive in an instant, no mailing required

And many benefit local businesses, to boot.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

Christopher Koller

The need for primary care teams
EDITORIAL

Cleaning up government can start on Capitol Hill
EDITORIAL

Business needs a break on unemployment taxes
Jimmy Tingle

The other pandemic
Joan Wickersham

Why ?War and Peace? is my book of the year
IDEAS | JOSH BERNOFF

Social media broke America. Here?s how to fix it

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

Diagnosed with leukemia at age 8, he?d need two bone marrow transplants. Help came from unexpected places.
Perspective

My COVID anxiety has evolved into a persistent funk. Now what?
Miss Conduct

Miss Conduct: What the pandemic taught me
Cooking

Recipes: Spanish-inspired pork, sauteed vegetables, and almond cake

sports

Bills do a number on Patriots to complete sweep, first AFC East rival to do that since 2000

Watch: Bill Belichick botches challenge, throws sideline phone in frustration during Patriots-Bills

Friars on fire: San Diego to add Yu Darvish from Cubs in reported seven-player deal

metro

Newton special election for vacant City Council seats set for March 16

Wellesley candidates for local offices may pull nomination papers until Jan. 8

Rain is expected to end 2020, and begin 2021

Nation

Trump mum on Nashville bombing, following familiar pattern

Fate of Trump?s $2,000 checks now rests with GOP-led Senate

Ohio police officer fired in fatal shooting of Andre Hill

World

UK warns of ?bumpy? post-Brexit transition despite deal

China sentences lawyer who reported on outbreak to 4 years

Mired in crises, North Korea?s Kim to open big party meeting

politics

Biden warns of Trump officials? ?roadblocks? to transition

Georgia Senate races near finish with Trump a central player

After unemployment aid lapses, Trump signs massive pandemic relief bill

business

The curse of the incidental illness: Seen as side effects to coronavirus vaccinations, ailments may have little to do with them

Job cuts put off at Southwest after stimulus signing

Mass. workers won?t miss jobless payments despite Trump?s delay in signing relief bill

lifestyle

Hikes and hot chocolate: Winter walks and warm-up stops on Cape Cod

The Hilaria Baldwin accent controversy, explained

Hilaria Baldwin responds to allegations questioning her Spanish heritage

marijuana

A high-stakes lottery will decide the future of marijuana in Rhode Island

COVID can?t cancel canna-Christmas

Rockland gives green light to a fourth marijuana business

opinion

Virtual medical appointments are here to stay, but so is surprise billing

Encourage skeptical Black Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine

With Speaker Mariano, progressives get what they deserve

food & dining

Legal Oysteria closes in Charlestown; Pammy?s offers Sunday supper; and more restaurants head into hibernation

Recipe: This single-layer chocolate cake topped with chocolate cream is an elegant ending to a holiday dinner

This year I will dine with the many ghosts of Christmas Eves past

travel

Hikes and hot chocolate: Winter walks and warm-up stops on Cape Cod

Tranquil trails for winter hiking

5 destinations to satisfy your wanderlust post-pandemic

Books

The 55 best books of 2020

Overcoming ?Trump fatigue? with a fictional take on the president

A new poetry collection about a Cambridge women unjustly hanged as a witch, and new National Endowment for the Humanities grants for local writers

Movies

?Promising Young Woman? pushes buttons as it turns the tables

Doc Talk: Accursed Mountain State, Belgium abandoned

Tom Hanks, Texas, 1870: ?News of the World? -- as usual, he?s the right man for the job

Television

Fosse?s handiwork evident in ?Pippin? video

Ratings juggernaut ?60 Minutes? rolls on

Page one: Getting a head start on the books slated to be TV series in 2021

music

The music that got these Bostonians through 2020

Top 10 jazz albums of 2020

Top 12 best pop albums of 2020

Theater/Dance

Boston record label Dead & Mellow marks a first year in which nothing went according to plan

Williamstown Theatre Festival re-creates its lost summer season on Audible

This virtual ?Christmas Revels? is a virtual triumph

globe local

Newton special election for vacant City Council seats set for March 16

Wellesley candidates for local offices may pull nomination papers until Jan. 8

Day or night, a winter wonderland awaits

Obituaries

Lauren Corduck, who founded Oneinforty to raise cancer risk awareness, dies at 49

Nancy Harrington, who achieved a trio of firsts as Salem State?s president, dies at 81

Hank Adams, prolific Native American rights advocate, dies