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TRENDING:

Slow vaccine rollout exposes shortcomings of fragmented US, Massachusetts health systems

The problems plaguing the US vaccination drive ? decentralization, lack of coordination, and consumer confusion ? are especially stark in Massachusetts.
COVID-19 has prompted new cooperation among rival hospitals COVID-19 vaccine news, resources, and guidance

A vaccination site in Roxbury, but for whom?
Officials heralded the opening of a mass vaccination site in Roxbury ? the heart of Black life in Boston -- but the residents who snagged the first appointments at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center Tuesday afternoon were overwhelmingly white.

The experts are sounding warnings about coronavirus variants. Here?s what you need to know.

?What variants are telling us is that the virus is wily: it has the potential [to] evade our defenses," Dr. Tom Frieden, a former CDC director, said in a tweet Tuesday.
Mass. reports 1,963 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 45 new deaths Moderna?s simple fix to vaccine supply: more doses in each vial

Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick who died after Jan. 6 insurrection lies in honor
Slain Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick lay in honor Tuesday night in the US Capitol, allowing his colleagues and the lawmakers he protected to pay their respects and to remember the violent attack on Congress that took his life.

Biden urges Senate Democrats to go big on his relief package, warns against smaller plan
The president addressed Senate Democrats a day after meeting with a group of Republican senators who are pushing a much narrower, $618 billion bill.

Mitch McConnell calls Marjorie Taylor Greene a ?cancer?
Coronavirus at a glance |
Massachusetts
Cases
Today
14-day trend
Deaths
Today
14-day trend
Mass. vaccinations
1st doses administered:
2nd doses administered:
United States
Cases
Deaths
Other resources:
SOURCES: Mass. Dept. of Public Health, CDC, Johns Hopkins University

Will Boston lose its competitive edge in a WFH world?

Massachusetts hasn?t yet registered any high-profile departures of companies complaining about taxes, high costs, or overregulation. And the region's top-flight industries ? including education and health care ? are largely in-person operations.

Amazon says Jeff Bezos will step down as CEO of the company
Bezos, 57, will become the company?s executive chair. He?ll be replaced in the fall by Andy Jassy, who runs Amazon?s cloud-computing business.

The Boston Archdiocese?s list of priests accused of abuse does not include cases settled with alleged victims
Their exclusion has angered survivors of abuse, particularly in light of Cardinal Sean P. O?Malley?s longstanding pledge to be transparent about clergy sexual abuse after decades of secrecy.

Opinion

Renée Graham

Cicely, Cloris, and two paths to Hollywood immortality

Both esteemed actresses, Leachman had more opportunities while Tyson used her talents to exalt Black women.
Michael A. Cohen

The GOP?s post-Trump pivot isn?t happening
Scot Lehigh

Be bold enough to pursue bipartisanship, Mr. President
EDITORIAL

It?s time for the GOP to take out the trash
MARCELA GARCÍA

A new day, or an old story, for the undocumented?

Project Takeout: Get takeout. Save restaurants you love.
Ordering dinner will help small local businesses survive the pandemic. But that?s just the start.

3 restaurants we supported this week Learn more about Project Takeout

Larry Edelman
The GameStop frenzy is losing steam. Wall Street still has issues
Whenever asset prices lose touch with reality, flaws in the market are exposed.

Danny Amendola clarified his stance on the Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick debate
On Tuesday, Amendola said he ?loved? playing for Belichick the coach, but had issues with his unrelenting approach as a general manager.

Even as he reaches Super Bowl, Tom Brady takes the high road with Patriots

FBI says 2 agents killed, 3 wounded, suspect dead in Florida

The agents had arrived to serve a federal search warrant in connection with a case involving violent crimes against children.
FBI agent killed in Florida studied criminal justice at Northeastern

Small plane with 3 aboard crashes in Leicester
The single-engine Piper PA-46 crashed about three miles northwest of Worcester Regional Airport Tuesday around 5 p.m., the FAA said.

Senate confirms Alejandro Mayorkas as homeland security secretary

The Senate has confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas as President Biden?s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, making him the first Latino and immigrant to hold the post.
Pete Buttigieg is confirmed as transportation secretary

Mom of pepper-sprayed 9-year-old speaks out against police
The mother of a 9-year-old girl who was handcuffed and pepper-sprayed by Rochester, N.Y., police said the officers involved should be fired.

SpaceX?s Starship launches and again crashes in test of prototype
On Tuesday, a test flight of SpaceX?s Starship, a huge next-generation spacecraft that Elon Musk, the founder and chief executive of the private rocket company, dreams of one day sending to Mars, came to an explosive end.

Two new COVID-19 cases reported at Middlesex jail
Since Massachusetts began vaccinations of incarcerated individuals on Jan. 21, 166 inmates at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction in Billerica have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, officials announced Tuesday night.

Recommended Reads

What?s behind the dip in coronavirus cases? We ask specialists

It is unclear precisely why cases are dropping, though more cautious behavior and state-imposed restrictions on restaurants and other gathering spaces could be playing a role.

MATTHEW GILBERT
12 binge-worthy TV shows to get you through a snow day
Stuck at home? Make some new discoveries.

Uber buys Boston-based alcohol delivery service Drizly for $1.1 billion
Uber Technologies announced it is buying Boston-based alcohol delivery service Drizly for $1.1 billion in cash and stock. The deal comes amid a massive shift in consumer behavior accelerated by the pandemic, as shoppers increasingly turn to delivery apps to fulfill their everyday needs.

metro

Some communities get buried in snow while others spared with rain and drizzle
Chelmsford, Lowell, and Wilmington had among the top snowfalls from the storm that arrived midafternoon Monday, with totals spanning 18 to 24 inches, officials said.

Small plane with 3 aboard crashes in Leicester
Dave Epstein | Weather

Why such a wide range of snow in Monday?s storm?

Sports

Too close for comfort, but this time the Cathedral boys? basketball team closes out victory
After squandering fourth-quarter leads in two recent losses, this time the Panthers made the key plays at the finish for a Catholic Central League victory over Bishop Fenwick.

Boston College football welcomes four mid-year transfers

NWHL teams pledge to aid injured Bishop Feehan hockey player A.J. Quetta

business

Larry Edelman
The GameStop frenzy is losing steam. Wall Street still has issues
Whenever asset prices lose touch with reality, flaws in the market are exposed.

State?s pension fund soared to new record amid strong markets in 2020

Will Boston lose its competitive edge in a WFH world?

politics

McCarthy meets with Greene; GOP faces Cheney decision
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met late Tuesday with hard-right Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene as Republicans wrestled over how to handle a bipartisan outcry over her embrace of outlandish conspiracy theories.

House Dems make case for conviction; Trump denies charges

Elizabeth Warren to join Senate Finance Committee, responsible for tax legislation

lifestyle

DEVRA FIRST
What is the future of Boston?s Black-owned restaurants?
These businesses entered the pandemic at an economic disadvantage. It?s time for everyone to invest in them, and not just during Black History Month.

PROJECT TAKEOUT

Takeout containers were once an afterthought. Now they?re essential ? and expensive
TRAVEL

Love, pizza, tennis, and a new hotel in Old San Juan

arts

MOVIES
?A Glitch in the Matrix? wonders if reality really is the real deal
Rodney Ascher?s new documentary looks at an oddball theory about existence: It?s a simulation.

TELEVISION

Early returns don?t inspire support for ?Mr. Mayor?
A.Z. MADONNA

?Viola Mom? is the classical clown of TikTok

rhode island

RI BUSINESS
Wedding planners, fitness centers push to relax COVID-19 restrictions
Now that the restaurant curfew has been lifted, other industries are hoping their businesses will be next.

ACLU sues R.I. attorney general over public records fee
CORONAVIRUS

CVS Health to offer COVID-19 vaccine at some R.I. locations

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

Boston Globe launches ?Fresh Start? initiative: People can apply to have past coverage about them reviewed
Similar to ?right to forget? programs that have cropped up across the country, the undertaking is meant to address the lasting impact that stories about past embarrassments, mistakes, or minor crimes, forever online, can have on a person?s life.

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

Three recipes that take the guesswork out of braising chicken

Inspired by dishes from around the world, these recipes work wonders.
COMFORT ZONE

Where to find and skate the Boston area?s best wild ice

Check out these seven great stops when the mercury drops.
A.Z. MADONNA

?Viola Mom? is the classical clown of TikTok

New York Philharmonic player Rebecca Young is earning new fans and racking up likes with her irreverent takes on the classics.

?This work must be in an institution.? Amanda Gorman portrait gifted to Harvard

Ghanaian artist Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne painted the piece in just five days.

19 mysteries and thrillers to lose yourself in this winter

Nothing takes the mind away from the twists and turns of reality like the twists and turns of a good mystery novel.
IN THE FAMILY WAY

Pandemic socializing means pods, smaller groups, and sometimes exclusion. Here?s how to help your child (and maybe even yourself)

Dealing with a pandemic is bad enough; questioning your social worth doesn?t make it any better. How to cope? We talked to three experts for ideas.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

EDITORIAL

It?s time for the GOP to take out the trash
MARCELA GARCÍA

A new day, or an old story, for the undocumented?
Lee Pelton and Mneesha Gellman

State should expand college education for the incarcerated
Joan Vennochi

Marty Walsh softened the picture from tough union brother to peacemaker who gets to yes
Marcella Bombardieri

Community colleges have a big local impact ? they deserve local funding
IDEAS | DAVID H. ROSMARIN

The psychologist will see everyone now

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
The Pandemic

Helping health care workers: The Emotional PPE Project covers what masks don't

On the Cover

Music's first responder: How Yo-Yo Ma consoled a reeling nation
Your Week Ahead

Five things to do online and in person, Feb. 1-7
Cooking

Three recipes that take the guesswork out of braising chicken

sports

NWHL teams pledge to aid injured Bishop Feehan hockey player A.J. Quetta

Reports: NBA preparing to strengthen facemask standards during games

Danny Amendola clarified his stance on the Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick debate

metro

Slow vaccine rollout exposes shortcomings of fragmented US, Massachusetts health systems

Stop the presses: Student editor?s tale is one for the ages

John J. Sweeney, crusading labor leader, is dead at 86

Nation

What to know if you?re signed up to get the vaccine

Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick who died after Jan. 6 insurrection lies in honor

SpaceX?s Starship launches and again crashes in test of prototype

World

China strips license from second lawyer for Hong Kong activists

WHO team visits Wuhan research lab at center of speculation

Rohingya refugees fear returning to Myanmar after coup

politics

Senate confirms Alejandro Mayorkas as homeland security secretary

Ginni Thomas apologizes to husband?s Supreme Court clerks after Capitol attack fallout

Senate confirms Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary

business

Uber buys Boston-based alcohol delivery service Drizly for $1.1 billion

Raytheon to sell large property in Connecticut

More automakers drop opposition to California?s fuel standards

lifestyle

Where to find and skate the Boston area?s best wild ice

7 questions with Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. founder Paul Wengender

Recipe: This won?t be your average Super Bowl Sunday but add some fun with these mini taco cups

marijuana

Northampton drops controversial fees on marijuana companies

Marijuana trade group drops lawsuit against state after backlash

2 years after legalizing cannabis, has Canada kept its promises?

opinion

A crisis for one is a threat to all

The GOP?s post-Trump pivot isn?t happening

Be bold enough to pursue bipartisanship, Mr. President

food & dining

What is the future of Boston?s Black-owned restaurants?

Takeout containers were once an afterthought. Now they?re essential ? and expensive

7 questions with Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. founder Paul Wengender

travel

Love, pizza, tennis, and a new hotel in Old San Juan

JetBlue is introducing all private seats in business class for forthcoming Boston flights to London

When travel resumes, politics is ?absolutely? likely to affect where people want to go and where they?ll feel welcome

Books

19 mysteries and thrillers to lose yourself in this winter

Finding oneself in ?Surviving the White Gaze?

Every book is arguably a journey, but as the pandemic grinds on, those that are explicitly about journeys hold special appeal

Movies

?A Glitch in the Matrix? wonders if reality really is the real deal

Sundance from the sofa: First impressions from a virtual film fest

A dozen or so great moments in screen overacting

Television

Early returns don?t inspire support for ?Mr. Mayor?

Michaela Watkins and Rob Corddry of ?The Unicorn? talk TV marriages, Boston humor, and beer runs

12 binge-worthy TV shows to get you through a snow day

music

?Viola Mom? is the classical clown of TikTok

Tony Bennett?s family reveals singer?s battle with Alzheimer?s disease

Online concerts replace the BSO season that might have been

Theater/Dance

Actor Denis O?Hare on ?King Lear,? Trump, and the one role he never wants to play again

Boston Ballet revisits Yakobson gems and previews new work for spring

We, the jury: How courtroom dramas have primed us for Trump?s impeachment trial

globe local

Celebrating Darwin, a NASA mathematician, and a gift of masks

These maps show how Massachusetts was affected by the storm

Salem State freezes undergraduate tuition, fees

Obituaries

John J. Sweeney, crusading labor leader, is dead at 86

Hal Holbrook, actor who channeled Mark Twain, is dead at 95

Louis W. Cabot, former president and chairman of Cabot Corp., dies at 99