Boston Globe Today: Sports | December 15, 2023

WATCH: Friday's episode. Stories include: What Shohei Ohtani’s record deal means for the Red Sox, and why the team needs to go in a different direction. Continue reading →

Patriots break losing streak with Bailey Zappe in as QB

WATCH: What took so long to make a change? And is Belichick doing what’s best for the team? Sports columnist Tara Sullivan and reporter Conor Ryan weigh in. Continue reading →

Red Sox trade Alex Verdugo to Yankees in lopsided trade

WATCH: Boston got three pitching prospects in return. Is the team going to struggle to compete in the AL East? Reporter Alex Speier explains. Continue reading →

Nation

Government shutdown in January looms as Congress looks to head home

Money for crucial government programs — including some veterans’ assistance and food and drug safety services — expires on Jan. 19, and money for the rest of the government runs out shortly after that, on Feb. 2. Continue reading →

Nation

Mother of 6-year-old who shot teacher in Virginia gets 2 years in prison for child neglect

The sentence given to Deja Taylor by Circuit Court Judge Christopher Papile was much harsher than the maximum six-month sentence prosecutors agreed to recommend as part of a plea deal and also surpassed the high end of advisory state sentencing guidelines. Continue reading →

Nation

New CDC director seeks to foster trust in a battered agency

Dr. Mandy K. Cohen dropped by the Fox affiliate in Dallas in November, just days after the governor of Texas signed a law barring private employers from requiring COVID-19 shots. If she thought promoting vaccination would be a tough sell in a ruby-red state, Cohen, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, did not give any indication. Continue reading →

World

Prince Harry claims vindication in court victory as judge finds British tabloid hacked his phone

The newspapers were ordered to pay the Duke of Sussex 140,000 pounds ($180,000) for using unlawful information gathering in 15 of the 33 newspaper articles examined at trial. Continue reading →

World

Hungary blocks Ukraine aid after EU opens door to membership

The agreement on EU membership talks came at a crucial time for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who had just returned from a bruising visit to the United States, where he pleaded for desperately needed money for his war effort that is being held up by political divisions in Congress. Continue reading →

World

2 attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels strike container ships in vital Red Sea corridor

The attacks also endanger ships traveling through a vital corridor for cargo and energy shipments for both Europe and Asia from the Suez Canal out to the Indian Ocean. Continue reading →

Opinion

The cost of not funding Ukraine in its war against Russia

Supporting Ukraine with $60 billion seems an outstanding investment compared to the costs of future aggression by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Europe. Continue reading →

OPINION

Like Kate Cox in Texas, my baby also had trisomy 18

Our stories and our decisions were different, but our outcomes were the same. We would not be taking our daughters home. Continue reading →

LETTERS

Veritas and consequences: Both Harvard and its president are under fire

"Harvard signaled its lack of concern for the mental and physical well-being of Jewish students," writes one reader. Another writes, "I am delighted that the Harvard Corporation governing board finally stood by president Claudine Gay." Continue reading →

Politics

Biden is not on the New Hampshire primary ballot. A write-in effort is trying everything to make him win.

Leaders of the “Write-In Biden” campaign in New Hampshire trotted out a giant sample ballot on Thursday to show voters precisely how to cast a ballot for the incumbent president. Continue reading →

Maine shootings

Sheriff’s deputies who received warnings about Lewiston shooter acted appropriately, outside review finds

“The reviewer concluded that the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office’s responses to concerns about Mr. Card’s mental health in May and September 2023 was reasonable under the totality of the circumstances,” the report found. Continue reading →

K-12

Family of 9-year-old girl sues Boston Public Schools, transportation company, charter school alleging she was sexually assaulted on bus

Attorneys for the family allege the girl was repeatedly assaulted over a seven-month period, and that although the child was victimized a few feet away from a bus monitor and bus driver, neither took action to protect the girl on her trip home after classes. Continue reading →

Patriots

What NFL games this weekend may affect the Patriots’ draft position?

The Patriots, who hold the second overall position, continue to trail the Panthers (1-12) for the top spot. Continue reading →

BRUINS 5, ISLANDERS 4

Bruins keep battling, capture shootout win at the Islanders

After a wild finish and up-and-down overtime session, Charlie Coyle and David Pastrnak scored shootout goals to deliver a victory Friday night at USB Arena. Continue reading →

BRUINS NOTEBOOK

Points aren’t there, but Jake DeBrusk contributing in many other ways

The winger may not be showing up on the scoresheet with regularity, but he is showing up just about everywhere else. Continue reading →

Consumer

As cable companies hike rates, the price of pay TV keeps going up

The latest increase comes from Comcast, which said that average cable and internet bills will increase by 3 percent starting in January. Continue reading →

Technology

Feds found an unexpected way to spy on your phone. Now what?

Law enforcement agencies have been quietly using court orders to scoop up “push notification” data collected by Apple and Google, while banning the companies from revealing that they were sharing the data, according to a US senator. Continue reading →

Housing

BPDA approves redo of Southie’s Mary Ellen McCormack public housing complex

Work can finally begin on a project that will transform the rundown, 1,016-unit Boston Housing Authority property into a 3,300 unit mixed-use complex. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Vera Molnar, pioneer of computer art, dies at 99

A Hungarian-born artist, Vera Molnar has been called the godmother of generative art for her pioneering digital work, which started with the hulking computers of the 1960s and evolved through the current age of NFTs. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Mort Engelberg, producer of hit films and presidential campaigns, dies at 86

A movie producer behind such hits as “Smokey and the Bandit” and “The Big Easy,” Mort Engelberg drew on his Hollywood expertise to stage-manage appearances for politicians, notably a bus tour for Bill Clinton and Al Gore following the 1992 Democratic convention. Continue reading →

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Travel

Airports predicted to be the busiest on record this holiday season, AAA says

Auto club AAA projects just over 7.5 million Americans will fly to their holiday destinations this year, eclipsing the record 7.3 million who flew in 2019. Continue reading →

Names

Tom Brady to be roasted at 2024 comedy festival for upcoming Netflix special

The former Patriots quarterback will be the guest of honor for the "Greatest Roasts of All Time: GROAT" special. Continue reading →

Names

Briar Blush and Rusty Hammer prioritize inclusive ‘escapism’ for their holiday extravaganza

"The Briar & Rusty Show’s" Watertown party is leery of Santa, but features Sonny & Cher and sea monsters. Continue reading →