Patriots 27, Steelers 24

Pittsburgh, PA - 12/17/2017: Eric Rowe celebrates with Devin McCourty after Rowe tipped a pass in the end zone leading to interception securing Patriot's victory. The New England Patriots vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Jim Davis / Globe staff

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Patriots survive a wild finish and clinch AFC East

New England took over the No. 1 seed in the AFC thanks to some late heroics.

Dan Shaughnessy

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/shaughnessy.jpg When will Patriots? opponents learn?

When you are the Patriots, you always prepare for the inevitable moment when the opponent loses his mind.

Tara Sullivan

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/04/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/tara_sullivan_20171204.jpg This game had everything. Including Gronk

Fresh off a forced respite, Rob Gronkowski was a one-man wrecking crew Sunday.

Chad Finn

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/2164b95bf33f491c82a03e0c361354d8-2164b95bf33f491c82a03e0c361354d8-0.jpg That was one of the most thrilling wins in years

It wasn?t quite the equal of the Super Bowl comeback, but it was close.

Sean P. Murphy | The Fine Print

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2012/03/02/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Advance/Images/18letters.jpg When ?public? buildings cease being fully public

Under regulations that took effect Nov. 20, you need either a driver?s license, passport, or state or college identification card to enter the 21-story tower next to the State House.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Clipboard-11711.jpg MBTA extends shuttle busing stints on Red, Green lines

A protest and wintry weather forced the transit agency to cancel weekend work projects this fall.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/b575813e-e36b-11e7-a65d-1ac0fd7f097e.jpg MSNBC paid woman who said Chris Matthews harassed her

The company declined to identify the comments, other than to say they were sophomoric, inappropriate, made in poor taste and never meant as propositions.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Foreign/Images/894051974.jpg Prince Harry interviews Obama for radio show

In a video clip on the BBC website showing Harry and President Barack Obama warming up ahead of the chat, Obama joked: ??Do I need a British accent???

Cavaliers 106, Wizards 99

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/da705af39e49409fad9bc6f508867488-da705af39e49409fad9bc6f508867488-0.jpg LeBron James?s night: triple-double, mismatched sneakers, and Trump talk

James made a statement with his shoes ? one black, one white, with the word ?equality? in capital gold letters on the back of each.

globe santa

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/globesanta-11720.jpeg Sixty years ago a $1 Globe Santa gift made news

?I hope I will help a small girl or boy,? read the letter from the 10-year-old and her mother, published in the Globe on Dec. 9, 1957.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/12-17-17_xmas-party_09.jpg Christmas in the City brings joy to homeless children

Applause, cheers, and high-fives greeted children as they gamboled down a red carpet, through a tunnel of twinkling lights, and into a hangar-like space filled with tables.

STAT

stat

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/PregnancyPt1V2_Illustration_MollyFerguson_112917-2048x1152.jpg Pregnant women who need medications face a risky guessing game. A federal task force is now trying to help

Few drugs have been approved as safe and effective to use during pregnancy, and most of those are for conditions specific to pregnancy.

Mayor Walsh signs ban on plastic bags for Boston

Dorchester MA 12/17/17 Deborah Branting a Back Bay resident who has been hoarding plastic bags when she learned about Mayor Marty Walsh who signed off on a ban on plastic bags in Boston where in the fall all plastic shopping bags will cost .5 cents at the South Bay Plaza. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff) topic reporter:

Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff

Marty Walsh said he signed the bill despite concerns about the ban?s impact on the city?s low-income residents and seniors. The ban goes into effect next year.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2012/07/17/BostonGlobe.com/Regional/Images/maeda_26weride_we2.jpg Troubled contractor for T?s paratransit service gets ax

?We need to move past the existing contract,? said MBTA general manager Luis Ramirez.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/9c3b2b5b9a344ba4bf32f10b16d32702-9c3b2b5b9a344ba4bf32f10b16d32702-0.jpg Sudden power outage creates ?nightmare? at Atlanta airport

The outage halted all outgoing flights, and arriving planes were held on the ground at their point of departure.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/62c20bde-78f5-4853-a6c4-bd24e6a28d5b.jpg Outage also impacts flights at Logan

Nearly two dozen flights between Boston and Atlanta were canceled Sunday.

Nearby residents call it an eyesore, but Richard and Lola Eanes are happy with the energy savings their solar setup delivers.

John Tlumacki/Globe staff

?Solar monster? sparks suburban scrap

A Beverly couple?s ground-mounted grid of energy-soaking panels has pitted neighbor against neighbor.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/11/11/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/AFP_TI2OQ.jpg US soldier ambushed in Niger fought to the end

An American soldier killed in an ambush in Niger with three comrades wasn?t captured alive by the enemy or executed at close range.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Politics/Images/1b315a77bd294a87874ffa5d3889566c-1b315a77bd294a87874ffa5d3889566c-0.jpg President Trump says he?s not planning to fire special counsel Mueller

The president did add to the growing conservative criticism of Mueller?s move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump transition officials.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Politics/Images/c0230d3ff60745d1b6c9fad18161fdd6-c0230d3ff60745d1b6c9fad18161fdd6-0.jpg John McCain returning home to Arizona, will likely miss tax vote

His daughter Meghan McCain tweeted Sunday: ??My father is doing well and we are all looking forward to spending Christmas together in Arizona.??

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/10/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/Rex_Senate_Republicancrafted_tax_cu_9252768N-4843.jpg Collins says tax reform includes proposals she fought for

Senator Susan Collins says the tax reform overhaul now contains proposals she backed concerning state and local taxes, retirement savings and medical expenses.

This year, First Night festivities will be broadcast live on NBC Boston, NECN, and Telemundo Boston.

Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff/File 2012

First Night?s midnight harbor fireworks show is back

The midnight show will return after being scrapped last year for lack of funds.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/9ee4b5e573564905b7365efb439b7523-9ee4b5e573564905b7365efb439b7523-0.jpg A marijuana cream won best in show at a cannabis convention

Over 70 submissions, entered by more than 50 growers, were judged on their aroma, ash, effect, appearance, cure, and taste.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/150-11721.jpg Boston parents demand delay in implementing earlier school start times

Parents angry over earlier start times planned for dozens of Boston?s public schools gathered at a West Roxbury tree lighting Sunday to protest and demand that city officials postpone the changes.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/WebGraphics/Sports/BostonGlobe.com/2016/01/20moresports/seasonticket_90.jpg The Season Ticket podcast

Guest host Chad Finn chats with NFL analyst and former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.

Follow:   iTunes   |   Stitcher   |   RSS

 

Opinion & Ideas

Ideas | Sharon Begley

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/14/BostonGlobe.com/Ideas/Images/AP_132860394523.jpg Does mental illness show up in tweets?

The flaws of in-person exams are no surprise to experts.

Newsletters

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/05/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/MichaelCohenNewsletterHP-3632.jpg Truth and Consequences

Opinion columnist Michael Cohen takes a candid and no-holds-barred look at the current political moment. Sign up now.

Special reports

Magazine | A nonfiction novella

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/11/01/BostonGlobe.com/Magazine/Images/muck1105altimage-2940[1].jpg He put BSO on the map ? then landed in a world of trouble

One hundred years ago, one of the world?s top conductors was ensnared in a scandal involving patriotism and sex. It almost toppled Boston?s famed orchestra.

Breaking News Alerts

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Confidential tips

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/05/22/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/spotlight.jpg Have an investigative news tip?

Do you know about wrongdoing that needs to be exposed? Call the Globe Spotlight team: 617-929-7483 or [email protected].

STAT

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2017/12/15/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/metoo%20biomedical%20science.jpg In wake of #MeToo, a new spotlight on harassment in biomedical science

Dr. Reshma Jagsi published a survey last year on harassment in the lab, and has found her research has gotten a second life.