The Boston Globe

New coronavirus variant, more adept at evading immunity, now dominates in the Northeast

The XBB variant's rapid spread shows that it is more adept than its predecessors at evading the immunity that comes from vaccines and infections.

US announces new COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers from China

Once Baker’s heir apparent, Karyn Polito will leave office with him. Some in the GOP hope it’s not for good.
Twice elected lieutenant governor under Charlie Baker, Karyn Polito stunned both Republicans and Democrats when she decided last December to not run for Baker’s seat after he opted against seeking reelection.

As traffic deaths spike, Massachusetts eyes new safety laws

A national road safety group says Massachusetts is “lagging dangerously behind” in addressing a spike in road fatalities, even as state lawmakers complete work on a highway safety bill,

Southwest delays draw federal scrutiny as CEO says airline will run reduced schedule for several days

Travel woes continued at airports across the country Wednesday as Southwest Airlines marked another day of widespread cancellations and delays.

At Rhode Island’s T.F. Green airport, some Southwest passengers still trying to get home

Been left stranded by Southwest Airlines? Here’s what you need to do.

National Guard checks homes in Buffalo for blizzard victims

10 men convicted in connection with 2019 shooting of Sox legend David Ortiz

Clockwise from top left: Tom Brady; Davisville Middle School in Rhode Island; Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky; COVID-19 vaccinations in Massachusetts; a fire burning in Mariupol, Ukraine.

The Globe’s 10 most read stories of 2022

With the year drawing to a close, we took a look back at the stories that resonated with readers the most.

How a plastic flamingo prank at a Watertown office took the Internet by storm
A months-long, flamingo-based office prank at a Watertown children's book publisher has been dubbed the Internet's "favorite story of the year."

12+ ways to celebrate New Year’s in Boston, whether you want to stay out late or never leave the couch
The details on the free First Night, where to party like a time traveler, what to watch if you're staying in, plus events that'll get you home early.

12 New Year’s Eve comedy shows to leave you laughing all the way to 2023

Lake Street Dive, shown at Roadrunner in June, return to the venue for a New Year's Eve show.

No Bosstones, no problem: Music fans have plenty of choices on New Year’s weekend

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Caspian, Tower of Power, and Lake Street Dive are just some of the bands who'll be throwing down in and around the city.

The Bruins jerseys for the 2023 NHL Winter Classic include a number of throwback features.

Your guide to the 2023 Winter Classic at Fenway Park

From game details, to throwback jerseys, to other fan events, here's what you need to know.

Trent Frederic rips one, Patrice Bergeron tips one as Bruins beat Devils again

Closer Kenley Jansen was the marquee signing of the offseason, but couldn't the money have been better spent on another part of the team?

peter abraham | on baseball

The Red Sox roster needed a lot of retooling this offseason. Here’s where things stand.

Chaim Bloom has had three months to rebuild a last-place team. The good news is that he still has time to work on it.

Former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber agrees to one-year deal to join Red Sox

Dick Flavin signs copies of his book "Red Sox Rhymes: Verses and Curses" at Fenway Park on July 21, 2015.

Dick Flavin, Fenway Park announcer and poet laureate of the Red Sox, dies at 86

Many may recall Flavin as a witty social satirist who delivered the closing segment on the six o’clock evening news for WBZ-TV in the 1970s and 80s. He later authored a bestselling book of poetry titled “Red Sox Rhymes: Verses and Curses,” published in 2015.

Opinion

Republican candidate for New York's 3rd Congressional District George Santos, left, fist bumps campaign volunteer John Maccarone while campaigning on Nov. 5 in Glen Cove, N.Y.

George Santos should be investigated

The congressman-elect’s web of lies merits genuine concern of malfeasance, and Congress must launch an ethics inquiry.

IDEAS | REBECCA TAYLOR

The enduringly lovely, dark, and deep lines published by Robert Frost 100 years ago

Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s message on migrants is lost in his meanness

Real ID was a real mistake and Congress should scrap it at last

SPECIAL PROJECT

Globe Opinion’s 2022 Top 10

Now that Ramses Ja and Q Ward own the White Lives Matter trademark, what do these long-time social justice supporters plan to do with the power that comes with ownership?

The Emancipator

What’s next for the White Lives Matter trademark?

Now that podcasters Ramses Ja and Q Ward own the White Lives Matter trademark, what do these long-time social justice supporters plan to do with the power that comes with ownership?

High Med. Low

Select a county:

Special reports

Boston, MA—12/14/2022 - Commuters wait for the T to arrive at Ruggles Station. (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)

Boston doesn’t work if the T doesn’t work

Members of the 2001 Patriots team that won the franchise’s first title.

Darkness on the edge of the Patriots dynasty

The 2022 Top Places to Work in Massachusetts

More recent News

On Long Island, George Santos faces an investigation and public dismay
Days after Representative-elect George Santos admitted to misrepresenting his background, a district attorney on Long Island said she planned to look into whether he could face criminal charges.

All over the region, Sears stores are being reborn
New uses for old locations of the iconic midcentury retailer are popping up across Greater Boston.

chad finn

Cautiously optimistic about the Patriots’ future, and a few other scattered thoughts
Their priorities over the final two weeks should be to send Mac Jones into the offseason on a positive note, get a look at some young players, and go 0 and 2 with dignity.

Your guide to the 2023 Winter Classic at Fenway Park
From game details, to throwback jerseys, to other fan events, here's what you need to know.

LOVE LETTERS

Years after our breakup, he tells me I ruined his life
Why would he say this to me years later — and why do jerks like him continue to accuse others of ruining their lives after all they’ve done wrong?

In the fall radio ratings, WEEI rallied but The Sports Hub still reigned
The Sports Hub posted some exceptional numbers, while WEEI drew some of its best ratings in years.

Boston Globe Spotlight Team

Send The Boston Globe a confidential news tip
Do you have a tip about something that needs to be investigated? Do you have documents or data we should dig into? We want to hear from you.

Recapping 2022

Hanging out with Xander Bogaerts during spring training stands out among the memories of 2022 for one Globe staff member.

Looking back at 2022: Globe Sports staff recalls their top memories of the year

Clockwise from top left: Ben Hellerstein, Dwaign Tyndal, Katie Rae, Paul Kirshen, and Oliver Sellers-Garcia (center).

Was 2022 good for the climate fight? Five Massachusetts climate leaders weigh in.

A photo collage with the year 2022 in large yellow characters. It's set on a backdrop of cutout photos with what appears to be Scotch tape keeping them together. Among the photos: Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars, President Biden, Amber Heard in court, Queen Elizabeth, Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, Nancy Pelosi, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Dave Barry’s 2022 Year in Review

Recommended reads

Michael O'Brien of Southborough sent an iPhone to his daughter, but the phone was missing. FedEx initially denied O’Brien’s claim for $1,200. But after the column appeared and prompted lots of reader support for O’Brien, FedEx took responsibility for the lost phone and paid the claim.

Consumers have saved more than $1 million in five years of The Fine Print

Since 2017, money was returned — or canceled benefits restored — to scores of consumers who turned to the Globe in frustration after being treated unfairly by a corporation, company, or insurer.

Photos: The 6 most expensive homes that sold in Rhode Island in 2022
The highest home sale in 2022 was much less than 2021, with a price tag of almost $18 million.

Speed restrictions plague MBTA, quietly slowing down commutes, new data show
It’s not your imagination. MBTA trains hit the brakes far more often than the T might have you believe.

Inflation, COVID continue to hurt community college enrollment
Community college enrollment has been falling for years, tumbling 37 percent between fall 2012 and fall 2022, a decline that has left just 63,449 students enrolled, according to data from the state.

video

Culture & Lifestyle

Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of the Buccaneers' game against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz.

‘What I realized is you gotta be really sure.’ Tom Brady says he’s not contemplating retirement

From "Titicut Follies," Frederick Wiseman's 1967 controversial documentary revealing the conditions inside the Bridgewater State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Bridgewater, Mass.

National Film Registry gives props to two docs with Massachusetts ties

First Night Boston will again take place in and around Copley Square this year.

12+ ways to celebrate New Year’s in Boston, whether you want to stay out late or never leave the couch

Hilary Knight, design sketch of Eloise poses for the Plaza Hotel, 1999. Collection of the artist.

At Norman Rockwell Museum, ‘Eloise and More’ is an enchanting look at the artist who drew her

Special Projects

Two Weeks in America

Two Weeks in America

We sent a dozen journalists on the road across this complex country. They found it’s better than you think.

Top Spots to Live in Greater Boston in 2022

A guide to 36 Greater Boston communities where demand — and prices — are surging.

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.

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Opinion, ideas, and commentary

Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s Election Night event on Nov. 8.

Boston police union needs to accept new realities of policing

President Biden walked with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky through the colonnade of the White House on Dec. 21.

The message of Zelensky’s fatigues

George Santos spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting in Las Vegas on Nov. 19. Santos says he never claimed to be Jewish. Except he did.

George Santos — the lying-est Republican who ever lied (since Trump)

IDEAS | EVAN SELINGER

People for the enlightened treatment of animals

Voters walked past a sign in support of Yes on Question 1 outside an East Boston polling location on Nov. 8.

Bruce A. Percelay

Passage of the millionaire’s tax will leave everyone the poorer for it

IDEAS | ADRIANA BARTON

The ‘Mozart effect’ is bunk. But your brain on music is still a wondrous thing.

Metro

The Globe’s 10 most read stories of 2022

With the year drawing to a close, we took a look back at the stories that resonated with readers the most.

RI CLIMATE CHANGE

Look for R.I. to make gains in renewable energy, forest conservation, and clean transportation in 2023, experts say

There’s been a lot of activity in the past few years in Rhode Island to address climate change. What will happen in 2023? Globe Rhode Island asked some experts from around the state.

What is your definition of art?

On the Rhode Island Report podcast, Tracy MacDonald, producer of ART inc. on Rhode Island PBS, talks about art ranging from blown glass to Lego blocks to prosthetic eyes.

Once Baker’s heir apparent, Karyn Polito will leave office with him. Some in the GOP hope it’s not for good.

Twice elected lieutenant governor under Charlie Baker, Karyn Polito stunned both Republicans and Democrats when she decided last December to not run for Baker’s seat after he opted against seeking reelection.

Sports

The Bruins jerseys for the 2023 NHL Winter Classic include a number of throwback features.

Your guide to the 2023 Winter Classic at Fenway Park

From game details, to throwback jerseys, to other fan events, here's what you need to know.

UConn's Aaliyah Edwards had 23 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.

Women's college basketball

No. 8 UConn women rout No. 21 Creighton with only seven players

It was the second time in three weeks UConn suited up only seven players.

Harvard coach Tommy Amaker's team is 9-5.

Men's college basketball

Chris Ledlum has 27 points and 15 rebounds as Harvard tips Maine in overtime

The Crimson moved to 9-5 with a victory on the road..

GEORGE BOSSI WRESTLING TOURNAMENT

Merits of Doughboy Wrestling Club experience on display at George Bossi Lowell Holiday Tournament

Jean Segura, Marlins agree to two-year, $17 million contract

Bruins 3, Devils 1

Trent Frederic rips one, Patrice Bergeron tips one as Bruins beat Devils again

Business

How a plastic flamingo prank at a Watertown office took the Internet by storm

A months-long, flamingo-based office prank at a Watertown children's book publisher has been dubbed the Internet's "favorite story of the year."

Google employees brace for a cost-cutting drive as anxiety mounts

The worries have grown as Google’s tech industry peers have handed out pink slips amid a souring global economy.

These tech moguls lost a combined $433 billion this year

Three biotech trends to watch in 2023

magazine

Here's a New Year's resolution: Stop giving unsolicited advice

A photo collage with the year 2022 in large yellow characters. It's set on a backdrop of cutout photos with what appears to be Scotch tape keeping them together. Among the photos: Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars, President Biden, Amber Heard in court, Queen Elizabeth, Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, Nancy Pelosi, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Dave Barry’s 2022 Year in Review

Fish Poached in Tomato-Garlic Broth

Three healthy — and flavorful — fish dishes for the New Year

Dance into 2023 at the Boston Salsa & Bachata 6th Annual New Year’s Eve Gala on Saturday.

YOUR WEEK AHEAD

Five things to do for fun in and around Boston, Dec. 26-Jan. 1

metro

A view of a Southwest Airlines plane at Logan Airport this week.

Southwest delays draw federal scrutiny as CEO says airline will run reduced schedule for several days

Dick Flavin, Fenway Park announcer and poet laureate of the Red Sox, dies at 86

Roxbury lights up the night for Kwanzaa

sports

Jordan Hawkins (center) led UConn with 22 points.

No. 2 UConn takes charge in second half, drops Villanova in men’s college basketball

Neymar sent off for Paris Saint-Germain after dive in first game since World Cup

US men’s team tripped up by Slovakia in world junior hockey championship

business

Traffic joins Route 93 Southeast Expressway on a ramp from Albany Street in the South End.

As traffic deaths spike, Massachusetts eyes new safety laws

Treasury Department outlines rules for new corporate taxes

Americans’ wallets set for hit from winter home-heating bills

politics

The committee is set to dissolve Jan. 3. It waited until October to issue a subpoena to Trump, who promptly sued the panel to try to block it.

Jan. 6 committee withdraws its subpoena of Trump

Court to unveil recount results in 3 close Arizona races

Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin says he’s been diagnosed with lymphoma

Nation

George Santos campaigned on Nov. 5 in Glen Cove, N.Y.

On Long Island, George Santos faces an investigation and public dismay

Social Security denies disability benefits based on list with jobs from 1977

After Jan. 3, special envoys will need Senate approval

World

Ukrainian servicemen walk near a destroyed bridge across the Inhulets river in Kherson region, Ukraine, on Dec. 3.

Russia launches massive missile barrage across Ukraine

Netanyahu’s hard-line government prepares to enter office

Massive fire at Cambodia hotel casino kills at least 16

opinion

A TSA employee checked documents for passengers in line at a security checkpoint at Logan Airport in 2010. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005; the Department of Homeland Security announced this month that enforcement of the Real ID law would be delayed until 2025.

Real ID was a real mistake and Congress should scrap it at last

People for the enlightened treatment of animals

In Washington visit, Zelensky stays the course

lifestyle

Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of the Buccaneers' game against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz.

‘What I realized is you gotta be really sure.’ Tom Brady says he’s not contemplating retirement

12+ ways to celebrate New Year’s in Boston, whether you want to stay out late or never leave the couch

Is this fashion? It is now.

food & dining

Duck with sticky rice.

Pagu can make your New Year’s Eve extra special

Bins of bliss at the Nuts Factory

There’s a lot you can do with these energy bars

travel

Porto Venere Regional Nature Park in Portovenere, Italy.

Christopher Muther’s favorite pictures and memories from trips he took in 2022

Allegra Goodman on her new book, travel fantasy, and worst vacation experience

Classic films at Coolidge, cowhand culture in Canada, and culinary tours in Spain

Arts

Hilary Knight, design sketch of Eloise poses for the Plaza Hotel, 1999. Collection of the artist.

At Norman Rockwell Museum, ‘Eloise and More’ is an enchanting look at the artist who drew her

Wellesley show celebrates Ralph Coburn, a minimalist who left a major mark

Apparent rift between Wampanoag tribe, Plymouth museum is seen in new light following theft

Books

Ms. Piñon received a literature award from Spain's Prince Felipe during the Prince of Asturias awards ceremony in Oviedo, Spain, in 2005.

Nélida Piñon, provocative Brazilian novelist, is dead at 85

Readers offer their choices for the best books of 2022

Douglas Brinkley’s ‘Silent Spring Revolution’ details the impact of activists and presidents from JFK to Nixon on environmental protection policy

Movies

From "Titicut Follies," Frederick Wiseman's 1967 controversial documentary revealing the conditions inside the Bridgewater State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Bridgewater, Mass.

National Film Registry gives props to two docs with Massachusetts ties

‘Miracle on 34th Street’: A Christmas classic turns 75

Same script, different cast: ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’

Television

Lily Collins in a scene from "Emily in Paris."

Hate-watching ‘Emily’ while loving the Paris setting

The off-the-rails world of ‘Paul T. Goldman’

Is HBO’s ‘Barry’ overrated?”

music

Lake Street Dive, shown at Roadrunner in June, return to the venue for a New Year's Eve show.

No Bosstones, no problem: Music fans have plenty of choices on New Year’s weekend

New Orleans guitarist Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington dead at 79

12 New Year’s Eve comedy shows to leave you laughing all the way to 2023

Theater/Dance

Lamont Price is headlining two New Year’s Eve shows at Cinema Salem.

Comedy headliner Lamont Price will let the most wonderful time of the year linger a bit longer

Southie native David Lindsay-Abaire has fashioned a ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ that sings

A ‘Solstice Celebration’ for everyone

globe local

Northeast Dental Assisting teacher Erin Selvitella and senior Sebastian Cadavid, of Saugus, who was recognized for performing CPR in the community.

Northeast Metro Tech senior named a Heartsaver Hero for saving a woman’s life

Making spirits bright for the homeless

The Argument: Should Massachusetts lift its ban on Sunday hunting?

Obituaries

FILE - Blues guitarist and singer Walter 'Wolfman' Washington performs with the Joe Krown Trio at the Louisiana Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, on April 29, 2011. New Orleans music legend Walter “Wolfman” Washington, a cornerstone of the city's musical nightlife for decades, has died of cancer, just days after turning 79. Washington died on Dec. 22, 2022, at Passages Hospice, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

New Orleans guitarist Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington dead at 79

Joe Mersa Marley, Bob Marley’s grandson, has died

Nélida Piñon, provocative Brazilian novelist, is dead at 85