Gingrich, Romney court Florida’s Hispanic vote

As a new poll showed Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney in a dead heat, both candidates visited South Florida to try to appeal to some of the state’s 1.5 million Hispanic voters.

Patrick’s $32.3b budget includes ‘tough choices’

The budget plan released by Governor Patrick today would eliminate 400 executive branch jobs and close a prison in Norfolk, but would also boost state aid to local schools and community colleges.

Newton library worker Peter Buchanan was lead into Newton District Court by an officer forhis arriagnment on child pornography charges.

Second child porn arrest made in Newton

A Newton library employee was arraigned today after allegedly participating in a file sharing program, an arrest unrelated to that of a Newton teacher who was charged last week.

Joslin Diabetes Center gets $10.8m to expand research

The Boston diabetes research hospital will use the largest capital infusion in its 113-year history to renovate part of its seven-story building in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area.

Exclusive Thursday Preview | G COVER

Why our pets are getting fatter

Mayor Menino’s promise to help Bostonians lose 1 million pounds this year is at once ambitious and doesn’t go far enough. Our cats and dogs need help, too.

West Newton, MA 1/23/12 Lindsay Massengale's (cq) 8-year-old yellow Lab

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Lindsay Massengale's 8-year-old yellow Lab, Kona, was always active, usually walking from two to three times a day. But without her realizing it, he had swelled to 103 pounds.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

“I was in denial,” said Massengale. But friends’ comments — and a trip to the scale for Kona — forced her to confront the truth. “Now when I look at pictures of him [before he slimmed down] I can see it.

West Newton, MA 1/23/12 Lindsay Massengale's (cq) 8-year-old yellow Lab

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Lamenting that she had become a bad parent, and with help, she changed his diet and he shrank down to 80 pounds.

Belmont, MA 1/22/12 Peter Schlicting (cq), of Belmont, complains that his mother's fat cats are FAT.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Peter Schlicting (right) has tried to tell his mother, Dorothy (left), that her cats were fat.

Belmont, MA 1/22/12 Peter Schlicting (cq), of Belmont, complains that his mother's fat cats are FAT.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Schlicting's cat Nicholas weighs 25 pounds, and is much more sociable than their other feline, Kitty Cat.

Belmont, MA 1/22/12 Peter Schlicting (cq), of Belmont, complains that his mother's fat cats are FAT.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Kitty Cat weighs 26 pounds. The vet’s assessment that her cats weighed about twice what they should hurt Dorothy Schlicting. “I didn’t like the idea of him telling me I had fat cats,” she said. “They are well-loved.”

SOLAR SLIDER FOR BG.COM The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, are seen near the city of Tromsoe, northern Norway, late Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Stargazers were out in force in northern Europe on Tuesday, hoping to be awed by a spectacular showing of northern lights after the most powerful solar storm in six years. (AP Photo/Scanpix Norway, Rune Stoltz Bertinussen) NORWAY OUT

Solar storm sparks dazzling northern lights

A storm from the broiling sun turned the chilly northernmost skies of Earth into an ever-changing and awe-provoking art show of northern lights on Tuesday.

Analysis

http://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2012/01/25/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/bb-2286--90x90.JPG Will the mistakes of Super Bowl XLII come back?

The names are different, but many of the problems the Patriots will face against the Giants are similar to the ones they encountered in their title-game loss four years ago.

“Asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.”

President Obama,  in his State of the Union address

Inside The Boston Globe

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 25: Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords gets a hug from House Cloak Room attendant Ella Terry after she resigned from the House of Representatives on January 25, 2012 in Washington, DC. Giffords resigned from Congress to focus on her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head she received last year from a lone gunman in Arizona. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Giffords officially resigns House

US military raid in Somalia frees two hostages
U.S. President Barack Obama (C) delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, as Vice President Joe Biden (L) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) look on, on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 24, 2012. REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

Editorial

Obama’s speech offers opportunity for progress
Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) tries to understand his 11-year-old son, Jake (David Mazouz), who communicates in his own way on ‘‘Touch.’’

TELEVISION REVIEW

Kiefer Sutherland lightens up with softer ‘Touch’
Tim Thomas didn’t comment yesterday on the firestorm he created Monday by declining an invitation to the White House.

Bruins not surprised by Tim Thomas’s snub
“Just stick to hockey,’’ grumbled Billy Norton, 57, a construction worker from Weymouth.

Thomas’s stance draws some shots from Bruins fans

Autism gaining greater visibility in films, TV

Dining Out

Storyville is more club than restaurant, but food still shines

Galleries

Letinsky’s images of what remains capture loss

Pine Street Inn goes into corporate catering

G Cover

One woman’s quest for a civil casino debate

Academy Awards | Wesley Morris

And the Oscar nominations go to...

Columnists

Albert Pujols, left, and C.J. Wilson joined the Angels this offseason, while Prince Fielder joined the Tigers.

Tony Massarotti

Red Sox seem to be falling behind in AL

Jeff Jacoby

Shut up, they explained

Scot Lehigh

Tim Murray investigates... himself

Brian McGrory

Money, money, everywhere in politics

Joanna Weiss

The political ad game
Mementos surround the Joe Paterno statue to pay tribute to the coach’s many contributions to the Penn State program.

Bob Ryan

His role in scandal damaged Joe Paterno’s image
Carrie Twomey at a Boston hotel Monday. She left her home in Ireland to attend a court hearing about Boston College oral history project about the conflict in Northern Ireland for which her husband Anthony McIntyre was a researcher. She says her family will be in danger if the tapes are given to British authorities.

Kevin Cullen

Caught in a tug of war
Former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe congratulated Tom Brady after Sunday’s game.

Tony Massarotti

Just how have the Patriots pulled this off?

Boston Capital

Natural gas rate cuts proposed

Alex Beam

Can fame coexist with obscurity?

Juliette Kayyem

Willfully stupid on Turkey
Quarterback TomBrady scored on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to give the Patriots the lead for good.

Dan Shaughnessy

Patriots earn Super Bowl rematch with the Giants

Metro

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The Queen Bee, a 26-foot pleasure boat, was found 20 miles off the coast of Spain last week.

After three years, Nantucket ‘ghost boat’ gets to Spain

The Queen Bee, a 26-foot pleasure boat, threw its passengers overboard off the coast of Nantucket in 2008. Last week, devoid of a captain or crew, it was found off the coast of Spain.

Nation & World

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Egyptians carried an obelisk with the names of people who died during the 18-day uprising a year ago.

In Egypt, crowds gather to mark uprising

Crowds of several hundred thousands teemed in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of the revolution.

Politics

Former Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., center arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, for President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Michele Bachmann to run again for House seat

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann announced today she will seek a fourth term in the US House following her failed presidential bid.

Business

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Specialist Michael McDonnell watches the rate decision of the Federal Reserve as she works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. The Fed said it's unlikely to raise its benchmark interest rate before late 2014, extending its time frame by at least a year and a half.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Fed likely to keep record-low rates until at least 2014

The Federal Reserve went further than ever today to assure consumers and businesses that they'll be able to borrow cheaply well into the future.

Sports

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On football

Numbers don’t show it, but Tom Brady shined

What you saw in the AFC title game was playoff football. Fantasy points don’t count. Winning does. And Brady had a terrific performance against a tough Ravens defense.

Food and dining

CHEAP EATS

Father and son team up at Seven Star Street Bistro

It’s a winning story if ever there was one.

Arts

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Galleries

Letinsky’s images of what remains capture loss

Critic Cate McQuaid reviews current shows at local art galleries.

Magazine

The cover for the January 22 2012 issue

Mother worries about her Occupy Wall Street protester son
The cover for the January 15 2012 issue

Mass. voting maps reflect State House evolution
The cover for the January 8 2012 issue

Photograph by Essdras M Suarez
The cover for the January 1 2012 issue

Bostonian of the Year: Carmen Ortiz

Opinion

“Brown and Warren have a simple message for anyone with something to say about the Massachusetts Senate race: Shut up.”

Jeff Jacoby  

Ideas

“The unipolar world isn’t necessarily better than what preceded it, either for the US or for the rest of the world. It might even be worse.”

Thanassis Cambanis,  on the trouble with American dominance