The Boston Globe

MFA to return stolen 17th-century painting to heirs of Jewish collector

The Museum of Fine Arts has agreed to return a 17th-century Dutch painting to the heirs of a Jewish collector, putting to rest long-standing concerns over the artwork’s spotty ownership history.

In first COVID-19 data report since Friday, Mass. reports 24,512 confirmed cases; 78 deaths reported Friday

Here’s a look at the latest coronavirus numbers in Massachusetts, including case numbers, deaths, demographics, and more.

THE LATEST COVID-19 NEWS

Mayor Wu says more than 94 percent of Boston city workers vaccinated

5:35 p.m.
SJC extends jury trial pause in Mass. by two weeks
5:19 p.m.
In first COVID-19 data report since Friday, Mass. reports 24,512 confirmed cases
4:27 p.m.
Holocaust Museum criticizes RFK Jr. for Anne Frank comment

Man fatally shot on street in Revere

A 31-year-old man was fatally shot in Revere Monday morning, authorities said.

Special grand jury to be seated in probe into whether Trump, others broke law by pressuring Georgia election officials

A request for a special grand jury by the Georgia prosecutor who’s investigating whether former president Donald Trump and others broke the law by trying to pressure Georgia officials to throw out Joe Biden’s presidential election victory has been approved.

Artist Agnieszka Pilat with Spot and one of her paintings of the Boston Dynamics robot.

How the Boston Dynamics robot Spot became one artist’s muse — then, her assistant

Artist Agnieszka Pilat has found an unlikely assistant in Spot, the dog-like Boston Dynamics robot, who she's collaborated with on a number of paintings.

The Biden administration is warning of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here’s a rundown of what to know.

Tensions are escalating between Russia and Western countries amid concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine, and the United States is putting troops on heightened alert for a potential deployment to Europe.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes engineered a stunning comeback against the Bills.

Christopher L. Gasper

This weekend proved that an elite quarterback is the most important thing an NFL team can have

Before you hit me with examples of teams that won Super Bowls with lesser quarterbacks like Joe Flacco and Nick Foles, take a closer look at those Super Bowl seasons.

Bills coach Sean McDermott went with some dubious strategy on the kickoff with 13 seconds left.

Ben Volin | On Football

NFL Divisional Round review: Terrible coaching decided an incredible weekend of football

The four games were all decided on the last play, but they also raised a rather important question: Can’t anyone coach around here?

Tourists visit the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to consideration of race in college admissions

The court said it will take up lawsuits claiming that Harvard, a private institution, and the University of North Carolina, a state school, discriminate against Asian American applicants.

A timeline of lawsuits challenging admissions policies at Harvard and UNC

Greedy jobs are often on-demand, deadline-intense, and client-facing. They hog your life and won’t let go. But they can be very lucrative. And they’ve led to a shocking pay disparity for well-educated women.

THE BIG IDEA | KARA MILLER

‘Greedy jobs’ have led to a shocking pay disparity for well-educated women

Women now outpace men in college enrollment. But even those with more education and higher incomes are unlikely to hold the levers of power any time soon.

Two men walked along Lynn Shore Reservation as surf kicked up in the aftermath of a snowstorm.

FORECAST | Dave Epstein

A significant storm could develop along the coastline this weekend

The weather will be relatively quiet through much of the workweek, but that all changes as we head into the weekend with the possibility of a significant storm system developing.

Opinion

Firefighters protest Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's vaccine mandate at Florian Hall on Jan. 21.

Unions run Boston — and they want the new mayor to know it

Her COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers is worth the fight, even as it shows how hard it is to shake the power of unions.

MARCELA GARCÍA

A simple card that drives conservatives crazy

The West End’s lesson for Mayor Wu

IDEAS | TANYA MOZIAS SLAVIN

Teach children about the Holocaust, and tell them the whole story

The Boston Police gang database gets overdue attention

Project Takeout Illustration

DEVRA FIRST | PROJECT TAKEOUT

We thought we’d be past this by now. We were wrong. Support your local restaurants.

We’re bringing back Project Takeout. Call it Project Take Two.

Browse a map of reader-recommended takeout spots 3 places we supported this week Explore the full project

More recent stories

Harmony Montgomery was last seen alive in Manchester, N.H., living in car with father in Dec. 2019, prosecutor says

Harmony Montgomery was last seen alive with her father and stepmother in November and December 2019, when she was living with the adults in a car parked on a Manchester street along with two other children, authorities said Monday.

Man shot in South Shore Plaza in Braintree dies from injuries

The 26-year-old man wounded in a shooting Saturday at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree has succumbed to his injuries at an area hospital, officials said Monday.

Family of Black woman found dead in Connecticut apartment questions police response

Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, died after a man she had met recently online called police on Dec. 12 to say he awoke to find Smith-Fields unresponsive. Smith-Field’s family said police never notified them of her death.

Bike lane traffic cones on Mass. Ave. bridge tossed into river by vandals

The bike lanes on the bridge are part of an effort to increase safety for bikers in one of the Boston region’s most difficult to areas to navigate on wheels.

Joe Yukica, former coach at Boston College and Dartmouth, dies

Coach Yukica helped set Eagles path toward bowl games.

Three skaters rescued after falling through ice at Spy Pond in Arlington

Three skaters fell through the ice in separate incidents at Spy Pond in Arlington on Sunday.

Recommended reads

Provincetown Town Manager and former Holyoke mayor Alex Morse posed with his goldendoodle, Oliver, in Provincetown.

Was losing the best thing that ever happened to Alex Morse?

The wunderkind Holyoke mayor turned failed western Mass. congressional candidate turned Provincetown manager is only 32. Given his age and obvious ambition (mayor was his first job out of college), many wonder what’s next for Morse.

SHIRLEY LEUNG

Is it a case of finders keepers if the state mistakenly overpays you in jobless benefits?

Massachusetts mistakenly overpaid jobless claims by billions during the pandemic, and now must go through the painstaking process of taking back the money from thousands of people. Is that fair?

‘A lot of people are going to miss her’: Wilmington woman mourned following MBTA crash

The family of a woman killed at a Wilmington railroad crossing Friday demanded accountability in the case Sunday, a day after investigators said a worker failed to return a safety system to its normal operation, keeping gates from lowering for an approaching train.

THE FINE PRINT

Have a problem with your property tax bill? Here’s what you should know.

If you want to challenge your property tax bill, time is running out. In most cities and towns, you only have until Feb. 1 to file the necessary paperwork.

video

Culture & Lifestyle

Artist Agnieszka Pilat with Spot and one of her paintings of the Boston Dynamics robot.

How the Boston Dynamics robot Spot became one artist’s muse — then, her assistant

Thrity Umrigar (”Honor”) is in conversation with Ellen Barry at 7 p.m. Thursday at Belmont Books.

Author readings around Boston Jan. 23-29

Kate McKinnon as Fox host Laura Ingraham during the cold open of the most recent episode of "Saturday Night Live."

This season, viewers who complain ‘SNL’ isn’t what it used to be might have a point

Kofi Boakye, 22, is preparing for his second shot at the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night.

An enterprising Berklee pianist’s next gig: Live at the Apollo

Special Projects

Into the Red illustration.

Into the Red: How the Globe will cover climate change

To report on the most pressing issue of our time, the Globe’s climate team is expanding and rethinking its coverage.

Under the wheel

This is the story of Anthony Pledger and his mother, of Anthony’s lives and deaths, of Anthony and me.

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

High-rise towers sit on the fringe of Charles River Park in the West End in this 2005 photo.

The West End’s lesson for Mayor Wu

Students at the Drancy Shoah memorial outside Paris work on deportees' files during a workshop dedicated to Holocaust remembrance.

IDEAS | TANYA MOZIAS SLAVIN

Teach children about the Holocaust, and tell them the whole story

There are currently 3,406 individuals in the Boston Police Department gang assessment database.

The Boston Police gang database gets overdue attention

In 2015, City of Boston housing inspectors found more than 30 violations at this Allston rental. This image shows a point at the base of the house where rats burrowed inside.

Gordon Schnell and Elizabeth Soltan

A tool to help level the playing field for low-income tenants

President Bill Clinton speaking on welfare reform at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, October 1996. It's time for Congress, and the states, to correct some of the reforms that resulted from Clinton's promise to “end welfare as we know it.”

Ending welfare as we know it — again

The Muddy River as it emerges beneath Perkins Street from its source in Jamaica Pond.

IDEAS | MILES HOWARD

Set the underground rivers free

Metro

Was losing the best thing that ever happened to Alex Morse?

The wunderkind Holyoke mayor turned failed western Mass. congressional candidate turned Provincetown manager is only 32. Given his age and obvious ambition (mayor was his first job out of college), many wonder what’s next for Morse.

Man shot by Burlington police has died, DA says

Paul Courtemanche, 42, was shot by police after allegedly charging at officers with a knife outside his apartment building in Burlington on Sunday, officials said.

Woman, 88, identified as victim in fatal fire at Arlington senior development

Bridget Doyle, one of two women injured in the fire, was later pronounced dead at an area hospital, officials said.

R.I. opened a design contest for its new license plate and 900 people responded

Finalists will be selected by a panel of DMV staff by the end of February, and then Rhode Islanders will vote online to pick their favorite.

Sports

Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of the favorites remaining in the men's draw in Melbourne.

Australian Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas edges Taylor Fritz, ends US men’s hopes in Australia

The fourth-ranked Greek needed five sets to put way the last American in the men's draw.

Allen Flanigan and Auburn are on top of men's college basketball for the first time in program history.

Auburn men hit No. 1 in AP Top 25 for first time in program history

The Tigers beat Kentucky over the weekend for their 15th consecutive win, then scooped up 45 of 61 first-place votes to become the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time.

Ryan Kilian's sons (left), Bryson and Kain, honorary team captains for Bedford's first home, share a moment with senior captain Dylan DiGangi.

BOYS' BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK

Off to an 8-3 start, Bedford boys’ basketball dedicates its season to its late head coach

The Buccaneers still feel the influence of their late mentor, Ryan Kilian, who died suddenly at age 43 of a cardiac incident last July.

With or without Tom Brady, Buccaneers roster will have a different look

MLB labor dispute: Players make new proposals on economic issues; sides will meet again Tuesday

BOYS' BASKETBALL | PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

EMass boys’ basketball: Cape Cod Academy’s Jaeden Greenleaf headlines Players of the Week

Business

Ex-Massport executive tries to replicate agency’s success to diversify the biotech industry

Bold Types is a weekly look at the movers and shakers in Boston's business scene.

Four attorneys general claim Google secretly tracked people

Washington, D.C., and three states file lawsuits against Google with claims the tech giant cheated consumers to gain access to their location data, signifying more disputes in a legal onslaught aimed at big tech companies concerning user privacy.

UK Minister quits over government inaction following COVID loan fraud

Sarah Palin tests positive for COVID on eve of New York Times trial

STAT

Listen to our "First Opinion" podcast

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Listen to our "Readout LOUD" podcast

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Subscribe to STAT Plus

‘Health equity tourists’: How white scholars are colonizing research on health disparities

A STAT investigation shows that researchers with little or no background or training in health equity research are rushing in to scoop up grants and publish papers.

Winter is coming, again: What to expect from Covid-19 as the season looms

STAT spoke with infectious disease experts and others about what to expect from Covid-19 as the seasons change.

DISTANCED: Pandemic stories of Black life in the rural South

Photographer Bethany Mollenkof spent six months documenting the impact of Covid-19 on residents of rural Black communities in the South.

Groundbreaking arm amputation surgery makes a ‘phantom’ hand seem real

The procedure aims to restore proprioception, the ability to sense where our limbs are in space and how fast and forcefully they’re moving.

magazine

Dumplings the author made for the Chinese New Year in 2019 following her mom's recipe.

My mom’s dumplings were the perfect therapy as I underwent chemo

The 30 best comfort foods you’ll find at Boston area restaurants

For small restaurants, Guy Fieri and ‘Triple D’ are ‘the gift that keeps on giving’

This week's daters: Johnny and Tarah.

Dinner with Cupid

'My mom has tried to set me up on blind dates'

metro

Healthcare worker Lorena Aranda gave Marcial Dominguez a shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a door-to-door vaccination campaign in Luque, Paraguay, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022.

Mayor Wu says more than 94 percent of Boston city workers vaccinated

More than 94 percent of Boston city workers vaccinated, as Mayor Wu extends deadline for showing proof of COVID vaccine

SJC extends jury trial pause in Mass. by two weeks

sports

Is David Ortiz pointed toward Cooperstown? He is about to find out.

David Ortiz braces for the Hall of Fame decision that will come Tuesday

The Northeastern women’s hockey team has won 13 in a row, and now it is ranked No. 1 in the nation

Joe Yukica, former coach at Boston College and Dartmouth, dies

business

The Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.

Fed to signal rate hike as it launches risky inflation fight

S&P 500 rallies after touching correction territory, erasing day’s losses

‘Greedy jobs’ have led to a shocking pay disparity for well-educated women

politics

Tourists visit the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to consideration of race in college admissions

The Biden administration is warning of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here’s a rundown of what to know.

Holocaust Museum criticizes RFK Jr. for Anne Frank comment

Nation

The overall risk for dementia was almost a third lower in patients who had cataract surgery compared with those who did not, researchers found.

Cataract surgery may reduce your dementia risk, study says

Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to consideration of race in college admissions

Mayor Wu says more than 94 percent of Boston city workers vaccinated

World

British prime minister Boris Johnson asserted he does not take claims of Islamaphobia lightly and has asked officials to have the facts of Nusrat Ghani's termination established, a Monday statement said.

Johnson orders inquiry into UK lawmaker’s Islamophobia claims

The Biden administration is warning of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here’s a rundown of what to know.

US puts 8,500 troops on heightened alert amid Russia tension

opinion

Done right, online learning could be answer to our education needs

Wave the white flag in City Hall Plaza free speech case, Mayor Wu

How real could virtual reality become?

lifestyle

The Bittered Berry Bubbles cocktail is photographed in the dining room of the recently opened Blu Violet restaurant on the top floor of the newly opened Aloft Providence Downtown hotel.

Restaurant owners are divided on lifting the ban on Happy Hour in Rhode Island

Recipes: Tortilla soup and two more spicy soups to warm a winter night

Gordon Ramsay’s Back Bay restaurant opens its doors

food & dining

The Bittered Berry Bubbles cocktail is photographed in the dining room of the recently opened Blu Violet restaurant on the top floor of the newly opened Aloft Providence Downtown hotel.

Restaurant owners are divided on lifting the ban on Happy Hour in Rhode Island

Recipes: Tortilla soup and two more spicy soups to warm a winter night

Gordon Ramsay’s Back Bay restaurant opens its doors

travel

The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vermont.

This Vermont town was named among the best places to travel in February

Help! My Expedia tour credit is about to expire

A romantic weekend in Portsmouth

Arts

Artist Agnieszka Pilat with Spot and one of her paintings of the Boston Dynamics robot.

How the Boston Dynamics robot Spot became one artist’s muse — then, her assistant

10 museum must-sees

‘Vernacular Glamour’ excavates the material world

Books

New novel ‘Devil House’ looks at our true crime obsessions

Jabari Asim: an ‘eclectic, voracious’ reader

Science, fiction, and fantasy blend in ‘A Snake Falls to Earth’

Movies

Tom Cruise attends the U.S. Premiere of "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" at Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum on July 22, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Tom Cruise’s next ‘Mission: Impossible’ films are delayed over COVID

Doc Talk: An incurable optimist, a fleeing fugitive, and an undaunted soul

Death becomes him

Television

Kate McKinnon as Fox host Laura Ingraham during the cold open of the most recent episode of "Saturday Night Live."

This season, viewers who complain ‘SNL’ isn’t what it used to be might have a point

This week’s TV: A Netflix price hike, ‘The Gilded Age’ arrives, and a Janet Jackson doc

Pop culture and politics intertwine on ‘SNL’

music

Kofi Boakye, 22, is preparing for his second shot at the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night.

An enterprising Berklee pianist’s next gig: Live at the Apollo

Bad Bunny to play Fenway Park Aug. 18

Conductor Elim Chan, pianist Igor Levit offer familiar comforts and new delights at the BSO

Theater/Dance

Director Awoye Timpo (left) leads a rehearsal of the Huntington Theatre Company's "The Bluest Eye" at the Calderwood Pavilion, with actors Hadar Busia-Singleton (center) and Alexandria King.

In ‘The Bluest Eye’ at the Huntington, the challenge of capturing Toni Morrison’s unerring vision

Dramas, musicals, and a trio of blue men: 10 shows for theatergoers this winter

See dancers from all over New England during a weekend of Boston performances

globe local

Traffic cones that had been set up to protect bike lanes across the Massachusetts Avenue bridge ended up in the frozen Charles River over the weekend.

Bike lane traffic cones on Mass. Ave. bridge tossed into river by vandals

What to do in this bleak midwinter: How about visiting a museum?

Should Massachusetts guarantee anyone serving a life sentence the chance for parole?

Obituaries

Mr. Yukica (right) looked on as assistant coach Buck O'Connor pointed out formations from the University of Texas to Boston College players during a practice in 1974.

Joe Yukica, former coach at Boston College and Dartmouth, dies

Willem Jewett helped enact Vermont’s death-with-dignity law; then he needed to use it

Islanders 1980s dynasty star Clark Gillies dies at 67