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TRENDING:
Trump's Impeachment Trial

Trump lawyers decry his impeachment trial as they defend his actions

Lawyers for Donald Trump, who was impeached after inciting a violent mob that attacked the Capitol, tried to frame the trial against the former president this week as politically motivated.
Analysis: The big decision that Democrats will soon face on impeachment
Live Updates

Trump’s lawyers wrap up defense after just over three hours

Mass. passes 15,000 coronavirus deaths, as state reports 46,244 new COVID-19 vaccinations

The state reported the sad milestone as it also reported that the number of vaccinations rose by 37,259 Friday.
Mass. reports 2,228 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 87 new deaths Mass. COVID-19 vaccine tracker

CDC provides roadmap for reopening schools, but stops short of mandating in-person instruction

 Biden trims ambitions on school reopening pledge

FDA told Moderna it can increase the vaccine supply in each vial
Moderna is also asking regulators to approve changes in how its vaccine is stored and to allow health practitioners more time to use up the doses.

How would Larry David handle Governor Baker’s new ‘companion appointments’?
As people vie to take grandma for her shot — and secure one for themselves — we imagined how the scenario would play out on various television shows.

They have disabilities and serious medical conditions. But under state guidelines, they don’t qualify for early vaccination

Disability rights advocates have been pleading with Massachusetts officials to revise the state’s COVID vaccine plan and expand priority to more people with underlying conditions as other states have.
What you need to know about qualifying medical conditions for the COVID vaccine

Lawmakers urge Baker to abandon plan to let companions of elderly get vaccine
The Baker administration’s decision to let the elderly and their companions be vaccinated at the same time undermines the goal of equitably protecting state residents, a group of lawmakers contend.

People offering to drive seniors to get a vaccine in exchange for a shot themselves

The state debuts new website to find COVID vaccine appointments
State officials on Friday unveiled vaxfinder.mass.gov, a website where eligible residents can find COVID-19 vaccine appointments, following a balky rollout of the initial web-based reservation system.

Charts: Who has been vaccinated in Massachusetts?

Selling love and romance in the time of COVID

Nearly a year into the pandemic, brands and industries that tend to traffic in romance are facing unique challenges this Valentine's Day.
This Valentine’s Day, a chance to celebrate togetherness at home Succulents can be romantic, too

Needham Florist forced to cancel hundreds of Valentine’s Day orders after seasonal employee tests positive for COVID-19

Just before one of the busiest days in the floral industry, the Needham Center business announced it’s putting operations on hold and refunding hundreds of orders that had been placed for loved ones ahead of Valentine’s Day weekend.
Mass. coronavirus at a glance |
Vaccinations
Daily doses:
Weekly doses:
1st dose received:
Fully vaccinated:
% of doses used:
7-day trend/avg.:
Cases and deaths
Cases
Today
Deaths
Today
Other resources:
SOURCE: Mass. Dept. of Public Health

Census delays raise questions for plans to redraw legislative, congressional districts
US Census data that Massachusetts officials need to redraw voting districts may not be released until the end of September — six months later than usual — federal officials said Friday, threatening to scramble the once-in-a-decade effort.

Shares in HubSpot soar after marketing tech firm wraps up strong year amid pandemic
HubSpot had the best performing stock of any Massachusetts software company last year. The Cambridge firm, chief executive Brian Halligan assured investors this week, is just getting started.

FORECAST | DAVE EPSTEIN
More snow is on its way to New England
There are as many as three more storms on the horizon for the region in the coming week, though it’s tough to say which of them will prove to be most significant.

RI NEWS

Judge: State ban on ‘offensive’ license plates is unconstitutional

The Tesla driver with the controversial “FKGAS” plate will be able to keep it.

R.I. to launch a state-run COVID-19 vaccine portal and hotline by Feb. 17

Two weeks worth of appointments will be made available to book the day the website goes live, according the the state’s Department of Health.
Here’s how these public health leaders would grade Rhode Island’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout Take a look inside a COVID-19 field hospital in Rhode Island

MIT grad student wanted for questioning in slaying of Yale student believed to be in Georgia

MIT graduate student Qinxuan Pan, a person of interest in the murder of a Yale graduate student, may be in Georgia where a relative last saw him wearing a black backpack as he walked away from their car, the US Marshals Service said Friday.

Capitol attacker dubbed ‘Doobie Smoker’ arrested, FBI says

A California man seen wearing American flag pants and allegedly smoking marijuana during the assault on the US Capitol has been arrested in Virginia.

Opinion

Grading Massachusetts on COVID-19 vaccination
EDITORIAL

Do your job, Senate

By failing to convict Donald Trump at his last impeachment trial, the Senate invited the Jan. 6 insurrection. Now GOP senators need to rectify their mistake.
Graham Allison and Hugo Yen

Why Massachusetts scores an ‘F’ on its vaccination report card
IDEAS | MICHELLE DUBARRY

Streets that aren’t deadly — if we want them
Scot Lehigh

Time will reverse the probable impeachment verdict
IDEAS | KELLY HORAN

Shot to the heart: A love letter can light a fire in a pandemic winter

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

FOOD
Memories of Border Cafe come flooding in as word spreads that it has closed for good
When news broke that the Border Cafe in Cambridge would not reopen due to the pandemic, regulars said they felt like they'd been sucker-punched.

Border Cafe, The People’s Republik join list of Boston-area restaurants to close amid COVID-19

Worcester Red Sox unveil concession lineup for Polar Park
The emphasis will be on local flavor, with Coney Island Hot Dogs, Wonder Bar Pizza, and offerings from other Worcester-area restaurants.

Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson
In a lengthy social media post, Justin Timberlake says that he wants to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson “because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed.”

Hearing loss biotech Decibel makes a lackluster public debut
The Boston company, which is working to develop gene therapies, raised $127 million in an IPO, but its stock price closed up just three cents on Friday.

DEVRA FIRST
In Chinatown, empty tables where banquets should be
Lunar New Year is usually one of the neighborhood’s busiest times. Instead, restaurants are struggling to survive.

Patriots could overhaul defensive line, but Lawrence Guy should stay a big part of it
Free agent options for supplementing the D-line include big-name players such as J.J. Watt and Ndamukong Suh.

Dinner with Cupid
Blind date: ‘We were both math nerds in high school’
Will these former mathletes add up to a couple?

Maryland approves country’s first tax on Big Tech’s ad revenue
The tax on companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon, will generate as much as an estimated $250 million in the first year after enactment, with the money going to schools.

Recommended reads

Vaccine hunters’ dash for leftover doses highlights rise of gray market

Though the state has detailed guidelines for who’s allowed to get a COVID-19 shot, there are major loopholes. People who show up at the right place and the right time can get their dose even though they’re not yet eligible.

A Beautiful Resistance | Jeneé Osterheldt
The Black history I carry with me: Tanisha Sullivan
Tanisha Sullivan is president of the Boston Branch of the NAACP.

‘No one should have to go through this’: A fired employee sues Wayfair, accusing it of caregiving and age discrimination
Richard DiBona's case is among an “explosion of litigation” involving caregiving during the pandemic.

metro

Census delays raise questions for plans to redraw legislative, congressional districts
US Census data that Massachusetts officials need to redraw voting districts may not be released until the end of September — six months later than usual — federal officials said Friday, threatening to scramble the once-in-a-decade effort.

Trump’s lawyers wrap up defense after just over three hours
RI HEALTH

In Rhode Island, a record number of drug overdose deaths

Sports

It’s not perfect, but Westford Academy teams continue dominance in the pool during virtual season
While many of the teams' routines aren't possible during the pandemic, a strong senior group and coach Caitlin Klick-McHugh have kept the positive momentum going for the Grey Ghosts.

Denny Hamlin seeks historic third consecutive victory in NASCAR’s crown jewel at Daytona

Worcester Red Sox unveil concession lineup for Polar Park

business

Maryland approves country’s first tax on Big Tech’s ad revenue
The tax on companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon, will generate as much as an estimated $250 million in the first year after enactment, with the money going to schools.

Biden: Governors, mayors need $350 billion to fight COVID-19

Amazon sues New York attorney general to block COVID-19 charges

politics

Trump team glosses over his Jan. 6 tirade
Donald Trump’s legal team thoroughly distorted his remarks from the rally that prefaced the storming of the Capitol last month, seizing on the one instance when Trump spoke of peaceful protest in his “fight like hell” tirade of anger and grievance.

Elizabeth Warren hits back in tweet after being featured in Trump defense video

Trump's lawyers say he did not know Pence was in danger

lifestyle

Filmmakers Collaborative to host moviemaking workshops for students through February break
The FC Academy winter session of pro-led courses and workshops for high schoolers and middle schoolers will take place Tuesday, Feb. 16, through Friday, Feb. 19.

I feel like ‘the girlfriend who got pregnant’

An ode to the romance tropes we love to hate (but secretly just love)

arts

MOVIES
‘Barb and Star’ land very few laughs on this Florida trip
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo can't lift this buddy movie to high comedy.

TELEVISION

Expect something different in final season of ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’

Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson

rhode island

RI HEALTH
In Rhode Island, a record number of drug overdose deaths
The state is trying to distribute 10,000 naloxone kits as the COVID-19 pandemic makes another public health crisis -- substance abuse and addiction -- worse.

RI BUSINESS

R.I. bar owners still hesitant about business during COVID-19

CORONAVIRUS

Take a look inside a COVID-19 field hospital in Rhode Island

Newton

Special Projects

A Beautiful Resistance celebrates Black History Month

A Beautiful Resistance, in a special collaboration with Reebok, celebrate Black History Month. Black Joy. Black Wellness. Black Futures.
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

COMFORT ZONE

Everyone loves Dr. Rick from those Progressive ads. He’s the creation of a Boston ad agency

The self-help coach keeps homeowners from turning into their parents — and helps them pronounce "quinoa."
COMFORT ZONE

What to stream at Boston SciFi Film Festival

The popular event serves up bountiful fare for "people who really appreciate sci-fi."
COMFORT ZONE

Walking through Gloucester with some of history’s greatest artists

Cape Ann Museum offers a series of tours that explore the city's rich history as a creative magnet.
COMFORT ZONE

Something to smile about: Newton company’s transparent mask is a revelation

Marissa and Adam Goldstein, parents of two sets of twins, pioneered a mask that is in demand by lip-readers and teachers, among others.
COMFORT ZONE

What to watch with your tweens? It’s an age-old question

Here are some shows that parents and their pre-teens might enjoy together.
IN THE FAMILY WAY

My parents are vaccinated! Can they see their grandkids now?

Here’s how to navigate grandparent interactions in a post-vaccination world.

Opinion, ideas, and commentary

Renée Loth

Political extremism is not just a national security threat but a mental health emergency
MICHAEL A. COHEN

Truth is beauty
EDITORIAL

Congress must seize a once-in-a-generation chance to address child poverty
RENÉE GRAHAM

‘Stop the Steal’ fueled white fears about their country being stolen

IDEAS | JOELLE RENSTROM

The Perseverance Mars mission isn’t just about science — it’s about ethics
IDEAS | DAVID SCHARFENBERG

Inside the race to develop a vaccine for our other pandemic: Hate

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
Connections

How a cat helped me see what it takes to make marriage last
Your Home | Winter Warmers

Reworking a century-old Maine home for modern day
Style Watch

A gas fireplace transforms a little used living room
Your Week Ahead

Five things to do online, Feb. 8-14

sports

Novak Djokovic hurt, Serena Williams advances in Melbourne, where fans no longer will be allowed

Scouting Red Sox outfielder Franchy Cordero: Huge potential, huge questions

Bruins managing to avoid COVID as new safety measures are put in place

metro

R.I. bar owners still hesitant about business during COVID-19

MIT grad student wanted for questioning in slaying of Yale student believed to be in Georgia

Take a look inside a COVID-19 field hospital in Rhode Island

Nation

Cassidy seen holding draft statement indicating support for Trump’s acquittal

Trump team glosses over his Jan. 6 tirade

The latest COVID-19 numbers from Massachusetts

World

UK tabloid invaded Meghan’s privacy, judge says

Australia report says make Google and Facebook pay for news

Head of Tokyo Olympics committee resigns, but gender issues remain

politics

Trump lawyers decry his impeachment trial as they defend his actions

Trump's lawyers outline timeline of Jan. 6

CDC provides roadmap for reopening schools, but stops short of mandating in-person instruction

business

Shares in HubSpot soar after marketing tech firm wraps up strong year amid pandemic

FDA told Moderna it can increase the vaccine supply in each vial

Selling love and romance in the time of COVID

lifestyle

Where to keep kids busy during February vacation

In Chinatown, empty tables where banquets should be

Memories of Border Cafe come flooding in as word spreads that it has closed for good

marijuana

Should psychedelic drugs be decriminalized in Mass.? Advocates see opening

Northampton drops controversial fees on marijuana companies

Marijuana trade group drops lawsuit against state after backlash

opinion

Mass. vaccine rollout has been a process of steps forward and backward

Do your job, Senate

Why Massachusetts scores an ‘F’ on its vaccination report card

food & dining

In Chinatown, empty tables where banquets should be

Memories of Border Cafe come flooding in as word spreads that it has closed for good

At Home Kitchen in Needham, inventive dishes, speedily delivered

travel

Matt Smith of Club Passim is about to hit the airwaves and grew up hitting the road

A Black history tour in Rhode Island, women’s wellness in Hawaii, and a pillow to go

Despite hardship, St. Pete’s arts scene continues to flourish

Books

Angst spreads in ‘The Lonely Century’

Ethan Hawke on comic books to and his many copies of ‘Godot’

Godly women and an ungodly scandal in ‘Doomed Romance’

Movies

‘Barb and Star’ land very few laughs on this Florida trip

‘Sweding’ turns Hollywood classics into DIY entertainment

12-year-old Reyn Doi plays a villain and steals scenes in “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar”

Television

Expect something different in final season of ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’

The sins of the AIDS crisis, in a new telling

This channel goes to the dogs, in a good way

music

Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson

Boston musicians on the Black composers to hear now

‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ songwriter Jim Weatherly dies

Theater/Dance

A Strindberg adaptation unfolds before an all-seeing camera in ‘Julia’

It’s a golden age for actors in their golden years

Amazon project would deliver two new theaters to the Seaport

globe local

As more seniors age at home during pandemic, health care aides are in growing demand

Should school districts permanently eliminate snow days?

From his basement, a Concord tavern favorite serenades his grateful crowd

Obituaries

Chick Corea, pioneering jazz fusion keyboardist, dies at 79

Larry Flynt, pornographer and self-styled First Amendment champion, dies at 78

Mary Wilson, founding member and linchpin of the Supremes, dies at 76