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

COVID-19 cases have peaked in Massachusetts

Data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health show the seven-day average of new cases is now 30 percent lower than the Jan. 11 peak.
14,384 confirmed cases and 86 deaths. See today’s COVID-19 data from Mass. Town-by-town COVID-19 data in Massachusetts Mass. reports dip in new public school coronavirus cases with 28,151 among students and 4,758 among staff

What happens after Omicron? Some experts predict a lull but say the virus could have more tricks up its sleeve

The surge fueled by the Omicron variant will likely fade in the weeks ahead in the United States, experts say, and encouraging case declines have already emerged in Massachusetts and other states in the Northeast. The question is, what comes next?
THE LATEST COVID-19 NEWS

Experts say the world needs to be vaccinated to end pandemic

Nearly half of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Massachusetts are ‘incidental’ cases, new state data show

New state data show 51 percent of COVID hospitalizations in Massachusetts on Tuesday were patients who were seriously ill from the virus, while 49 percent of patients were admitted for other reasons but happened to test positive upon admission.

Biden may break climate provisions out of Build Back Better

In a rare press conference on Wednesday, Biden said Democrats may have to split the social spending plan into multiple bills, but noted that he is confident he can win support for the proposed $500 billion in climate-focused spending.

Maura Healey launches campaign for governor, promising to ‘continue with what’s working and fix what’s not’
The Democrat framed herself as an experienced public servant prepared to extend her purview from legal issues to kitchen-table ones, and get the Massachusetts economy “back on track.” Though she has built a reputation as a progressive, Healey resisted such labels, instead striking a moderate tone.

Jan. 6 committee requests interview with Ivanka Trump

The committee sent a letter Thursday to Ivanka Trump requesting a meeting to discuss her father's actions, including a telephone call they say she witnessed as he tried to pressure Mike Pence to reject the 2020 election results, among other issues.
Georgia DA asks for special grand jury for probe into alleged Trump attempts to interfere with 2020 election

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mass. CEO Andrew Dreyfus to step down

Andrew Dreyfus, the chief executive of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, will step down at the end of 2022 after nearly 12 years leading the state’s biggest health insurer.

Kim Janey starts a new chapter in academia

Jon Ossoff, Susan Collins spar in unusually personal floor debate over voting rights legislation

This Vermont town was named among the best places to travel in February

Conde Nast Traveler released a list of the best places to travel in February, and amid the idyllic images of sunny Costa Rica and palm-fringed California lies one New England destination.
TABLES

Eleven Madison Park and Per Se alums will open Twelve in Portland over Memorial Day weekend

Plus, enjoy a Taste of Israel from Jan. 25 until Feb. 5. Read on for more restaurant news you can use.

Tufts Medical Center will close its pediatric hospital after more than a century of treating sick kids

The organization said it will refer children who need hospitalization to Boston Children’s Hospital, its longtime competitor and the dominant pediatric hospital in the state.
Babies on a boat: When a floating hospital helped cure Boston’s children

Introducing our new climate initiative

To report on the most pressing issue of our time, the Globe’s climate team is expanding and rethinking its coverage.
Explore the new section, 'Into the Red' Sign up for email updates Share your ideas with our climate team
Opinion
Kimberly Atkins Stohr

A high court loss for Boston could come at a high price — unless it acts fast

The city can end the policy that put it — and First Amendment religious jurisprudence — in this precarious position.
IDEAS | Beth Humberd, Carlo Dallapiccola, Scott Latham, and Adrian Staub

College COVID restrictions have become overkill

RENÉE GRAHAM

André Leon Talley’s inspiring belief in belonging

Samantha Joseph

Protecting our right to pray safely

IDEAS | JULIAN FRIEDLAND

Another thing to worry about

Mass. coronavirus at a glance | on
Total
.
Doses Administered
Boosters Administered
 
Fully Vaccinated:
Percent of population:
Cases and deaths
.
Total cases:
Total deaths:
Other resources:
NOTE: Mass DPH releases data Monday-Friday. Fully vaccinated means Mass. residents with 2 doses of Moderna/Pfizer vaccine or a dose of J&J. Boosters include Pfizer or Moderna. Mass. population of 6,892,503 is used to calculate vaccination percentages. SOURCE: Mass. Dept. of Public Health
DEVRA FIRST | PROJECT TAKEOUT

We thought we’d be past this by now. We were wrong. Support your local restaurants.

We’re bringing back Project Takeout. Call it Project Take Two.
Browse a map of reader-recommended takeout spots Tell us: Where is your favorite place to order from? 3 places we supported this week Explore the full project

More recent stories

Mother of slain Lynn man shocked to learn Adam Montgomery is a suspect in her son’s killing
Adam Montgomery is jailed on child abuse charges and eyed in the disappearance of his 7-year-old daughter Harmony.

During a crisis, zoning laws are hindering construction of affordable housing units
“We’re a good actor in the neighborhood, and I just never envisioned this would be such an uphill battle,” said the executive director of Foster Forward, a nonprofit serving young people who have aged out of foster care

‘Education is the ladder to success’: Pine Manor’s merger with BC yields new institute serving underrepresented students
Boston College will soon offer a two-year associate’s degree program and free summer academy through a new institute formed as part of its integration agreement with Pine Manor College.

Final season of ‘Ozark’ gets underway Friday
The first seven episodes arrive on Jan. 21 (the second seven will be available later in the year), and they are easy to breeze through.

Deputy Director Tom McCarthy steps down from R.I. health department
The deputy director of the state health department is stepping down just a week after state health director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott resigned.

A television reporter in West Virginia was struck by a car live on air: ‘My whole life just flashed before my eyes’
The video has spread across social media, prompting comments that praised her composure and raised safety concerns for multi-media journalists who report on the ground by themselves.

THE GREAT DIVIDE ⟶

See the latest from our education team focused on race, class, and opportunity in schools.

RHODE ISLAND ⟶

See the latest from Globe Rhode Island.

NEWTON ⟶

See the Globe’s expanded Newton coverage in partnership with Boston University.

Recommended reads

A Boston moms group met for a primal scream. Here’s what happened.

With Omicron picking off day care and playdates and sanity, it’s especially hard to be the parent of a young child right now. Cue the primal screams.

Everett Schools superintendent accuses mayor of racism and sexism
Priya Tahiliani has accused Mayor Carlo DeMaria of subjecting her to “blatant and overt acts of discrimination and retaliation” because she is an Indian-American woman who has hired administrative leaders who are not white.

Mass General Brigham backs extra tax on some real estate transactions to fund affordable housing
In an unusual public stance, the state’s largest private employer says the high cost of living in Massachusetts contributes to health disparities and staffing shortages.

Larry Edelman
Mass. businesses back financial relief on jobless claims clawbacks
Employers are urging a compromise solution on $2.7 billion in overpayment to hundreds of thousands of laid-off workers in Massachusetts.

video

Culture & Lifestyle

THE TICKET

Things to do around Boston this weekend and beyond

CHRISTOPHER MUTHER

Welcome to the game you didn’t want to play: Roll the dice and hope COVID doesn’t ruin your vacation (again)

‘Frida: Immersive Dream’ heading to Boston next month

RI BUSINESS

Here’s how a boutique distillery in Rhode Island is making the country’s first oyster-distilled vodka

Special Projects

Under the wheel

This is the story of Anthony Pledger and his mother, of Anthony’s lives and deaths, of Anthony and me.
Spotlight team report

How Brigham Health helped create a Chinese hospital for elites — and almost nobody came

In a deal worth millions with Chinese developer Evergrande, a Harvard teaching hospital risked its reputation on what would become a near-empty shell.
Jeneé Osterheldt

A Beautiful Resistance

Black joy, Black lives, as celebrated by culture columnist Jeneé Osterheldt.

‘On the Street’: The changing face of Greater Boston neighborhoods

The changing face of Greater Boston neighborhoods.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

Kimberly Atkins Stohr

A high court loss for Boston could come at a high price — unless it acts fast

IDEAS | Beth Humberd, Carlo Dallapiccola, Scott Latham, and Adrian Staub

College COVID restrictions have become overkill

RENÉE GRAHAM

André Leon Talley’s inspiring belief in belonging

Samantha Joseph

Protecting our right to pray safely

IDEAS | JULIAN FRIEDLAND

Another thing to worry about

IDEAS | THOMAS ARNETT

A better way to do online learning

Metro

Judge grants prosecutors’ request to dismiss charges against MIT professor accused of concealing ties with China

In a motion filed Thursday, prosecutors asked US District Judge Patti Saris to dismiss the four-count indictment charging Gang Chen, a naturalized US citizen born in China, with wire fraud, failing to report a Chinese bank account, and making a false statement on his tax return.

Mother of slain Lynn man shocked to learn Adam Montgomery is a suspect in her son’s killing

Adam Montgomery is jailed on child abuse charges and eyed in the disappearance of his 7-year-old daughter Harmony.

Mass. reports dip in new public school coronavirus cases with 28,151 among students and 4,758 among staff

The 32,909 total cases were 15,505 fewer, or a reduction of about 32 percent from last week's report. The decrease in school cases comes as data shows that cases statewide have peaked after an Omicron-fueled surge.

Should Massachusetts guarantee anyone serving a life sentence the chance for parole?

Read two views and vote in our online poll.

Sports

Sports Log

With time dwindling in snail-paced negotiations, players seek to make MLB a counteroffer in resumption of talks

The players’ association asked Major League Baseball on Thursday to schedule the negotiating session on Monday, 11 days after clubs gave the union a proposal in the snail-paced negotiations.
Australian Open

Daniil Medvedev overcomes hostile crowd, Nick Kyrgios to advance at Australian Open

Medvedev kept his composure, taking a quick trip to the locker room after losing the third set and recovering to win 7-6 (1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 Thursday on a rowdy Rod Laver Arena.
Men's college hockey notebook

Northeastern goalie Devon Levi, Boston College forward Jack McBain invited to join Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey team

Both players are expected to accept the invitation and suit up for Canada at next month's Beijing Olympics.
Local men's college basketball

Tommy Amaker tries to navigate Harvard men’s basketball through the uncharted challenges of a pandemic

JIM CLARK | BOYS' HOCKEY NOTEBOOK

Switching places works out best for Fionn McGowan and Cambridge hockey

mlb

MLB rejects Rays’ plan to split season between Tampa Bay and Montreal, team says

Business

Bank of Russia seeks to outlaw mining and trading of crypto

Russia’s central bank proposed a blanket ban on the use and creation of all cryptocurrencies within one of the world’s biggest crypto-mining nations, citing the dangers posed to the country’s financial system and environment.

US jobless claims rise to 286,000, highest since October

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in three months as the fast-spreading Omicron variant disrupted the job market.
HOUSING

During a crisis, zoning laws are hindering construction of affordable housing units

Biden taps Leventhal as Danish ambassador

STAT

‘Health equity tourists’: How white scholars are colonizing research on health disparities
A STAT investigation shows that researchers with little or no background or training in health equity research are rushing in to scoop up grants and publish papers.

Winter is coming, again: What to expect from Covid-19 as the season looms
STAT spoke with infectious disease experts and others about what to expect from Covid-19 as the seasons change.

DISTANCED: Pandemic stories of Black life in the rural South
Photographer Bethany Mollenkof spent six months documenting the impact of Covid-19 on residents of rural Black communities in the South.

Groundbreaking arm amputation surgery makes a ‘phantom’ hand seem real
The procedure aims to restore proprioception, the ability to sense where our limbs are in space and how fast and forcefully they’re moving.

magazine
Love Letters

Three of us are crushing on the same girl. It’s getting weird.

MISS CONDUCT

My husband gave me a present and I gave it away

PERSPECTIVE

The power of having a great role model, whether you’re 9 or 99

COOKING

Recipes: Four ways to use ginger with fish, beef, pork, and chicken

metro

East Bridgewater man indicted in wife’s murder, assault of her mother

Experts say the world needs to be vaccinated to end pandemic

What happens after Omicron? Some experts predict a lull but say the virus could have more tricks up its sleeve

sports

Return of Nick Foligno leaves Oskar Steen as the Bruins’ odd man out vs. Capitals

In the midst of more postponements, MIAA will not extend cutoff date to qualify for state hockey tournament

Boston figure skating pair in lead after short program at Four Continents event in Estonia

business

Biden’s team says it’s on alert for Omicron disruptions in China

Fed takes key step in deciding on US digital-coin issuance

EU faces major rebuttal over plan to call gas and nuclear power ‘green’

politics

Jan. 6 committee requests interview with Ivanka Trump

Ukrainian officials accused of helping Russia sanctioned by US

Jon Ossoff, Susan Collins spar in unusually personal floor debate over voting rights legislation

Nation

Mass. reports dip in new public school coronavirus cases with 28,151 among students and 4,758 among staff

Experts say the world needs to be vaccinated to end pandemic

What happens after Omicron? Some experts predict a lull but say the virus could have more tricks up its sleeve

World

She flew around the world in 155 days. She’s only 19.

Biden’s team says it’s on alert for Omicron disruptions in China

EU faces major rebuttal over plan to call gas and nuclear power ‘green’

opinion

The quality of mercy is strained, constrained

A Patriots vs. Bills do-over in the Trumpadrome

Access to health care is at heart of campus abortion issue

lifestyle

Eleven Madison Park and Per Se alums will open Twelve in Portland over Memorial Day weekend

This Vermont town was named among the best places to travel in February

Help! My Expedia tour credit is about to expire

food & dining

Eleven Madison Park and Per Se alums will open Twelve in Portland over Memorial Day weekend

This Vermont town was named among the best places to travel in February

Mike & Patty’s famous breakfast sandwiches are now at Flourhouse, their little Newton outpost

travel

This Vermont town was named among the best places to travel in February

Help! My Expedia tour credit is about to expire

A romantic weekend in Portsmouth

Arts

‘Vernacular Glamour’ excavates the material world

‘The Embrace,’ Boston’s long-awaited tribute to the Kings, will be unveiled on MLK Day 2023

At the MFA, a sleeping giant awakens

Books

New novel ‘Devil House’ looks at our true crime obsessions

Jabari Asim: an ‘eclectic, voracious’ reader

Science, fiction, and fantasy blend in ‘A Snake Falls to Earth’

Movies

Death becomes him

The Danish documentary ‘Flee’ is the latest reminder that animation doesn’t have to be just for children

‘Flee’ goes from Afghanistan to Denmark, with a lifetime in between

Television

Final season of ‘Ozark’ gets underway Friday

Have an old Colonial on the South Shore in need of renovation? HGTV is casting for a new season

In HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age,’ old money vs. new money makes for a richly rewarding drama

music

Sound the cannons, light up the fireworks: Tanglewood is back!

Rage Against the Machine backs out of Boston Calling 2022

Garth Brooks to perform at Gillette Stadium for the first time

Theater/Dance

‘Pretty Woman: The Musical’ is pretty ordinary

Tig Notaro is back on tour, and it’s not the end of the road after all

Lasting lessons in Lyric Stage’s ‘Mr. Parent’

globe local

Should Massachusetts guarantee anyone serving a life sentence the chance for parole?

Wouldn’t it be nice? Fifty-four years after we married, it still is.

A flying squirrel makes a surprise appearance in someone’s home

Obituaries

Hardy Kruger, German-born Hollywood star, is dead at 93

Sara McLanahan, who studied single motherhood, dies at 81

Ray McNamara, firefighter who survived an explosion to inspire others, dies at 79