Conservatory warns of sex offender who taped students

The New England Conservatory is sending letters to 6,500 parents of students who were videotaped by a registered sex offender during concerts and classes over the last decade.

SJC: Judges’ discretion in plea deal sentencing

The state’s highest court today gave judges the power to ignore prosecutors and impose shorter sentences in plea deals if the judge believes “justice may not have been done.’’

State to seek ‘modest’ revenue hikes to cover costs

Governor Patrick’s top budget official said today that he will offer “modest and limited new revenue proposals” for next year’s budget to deal with the rising cost of health and social programs.

MGM Resorts promises 3,000 jobs in casino plan

The company has signed a contract to purchase 150 acres of land in the Western Mass. town of Brimfield for a “world-class resort,” an executive said today.

MOVIE REVIEW

Margaret Thatcher meets Meryl Streep in ‘The Iron Lady’

The best way to appreciate the high-ludicrousness of Streep’s Thatcher might be to watch with the sound down.

Take 2: ‘The Iron Lady’

The Globe’s Ty Burr and Wesley Morris review Meryl Streep's portrayal of the British prime minister.

Exclusive Friday Preview | MOVIE REVIEW

‘Contraband’ cashes in with plenty of Mark Wahlberg

The ads for this film have Wahlberg lifting his shirt just enough for us to see stacks of cash strapped to his torso. Fortunately, the image doesn’t repeat itself in the finished movie.

Innovation Economy

PayPal in talks to expand Boston office

PayPal representatives will make another trip to Beacon Hill next week to discuss adding “several hundred people” to their North End office, an executive said.

“He wants me to do the Tebow expression. I do that every Sunday in church.”

Mayor Menino,  on a friendly wager with Denver’s mayor

Metro

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Dec 20, 2011, BOSTON MA --Mayor Menino is greeted by Cathedral cheeleaders as he makes his way into luncheon he organized for the football players and cheerleaders of Cathedral HS, who missed their win at the Superbowl from a controversial call, a penatly for a gesture, at Legal Harborside Tuesday. (globe staff photo:Joanne Rathe section: metro reporter: eric moscowitz)

In wager between mayors, Menino won’t ‘Tebow’

Instead of striking the familiar pose of Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, the Boston mayor instead will offer some Boston beers to the mayor of Denver if the Patriots lose.

Business

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Boston Scientific plots expansion

The new leadership team sees a push to broaden its business base paying off in the next two years and is aiming for annual double-digit earnings increases over the next five years.

Politics

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks to reporters after he campaigned at Cherokee Trike and More in Greer, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

In S.C., Mitt Romney vows to produce jobs

Romney roared into a Greer, S.C., motorcycle shop today promising to renew the economy and produce jobs should he be elected president.

Nation & World

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Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta

Panetta: Marines urinating on dead Taliban ‘deplorable’

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta today condemned as ‘‘utterly deplorable’’ a video that purports to depict four US Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters.