Nation

Ungerrymandered: Michigan’s maps, independently drawn, set up fair fight

One of the country’s most gerrymandered political maps has suddenly been replaced by one of the fairest. Continue reading →

Nation

Manhattan DA leaves office with one big case up in the air

Much of the furniture had been hauled away. The walls were stripped bare. And the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., sat on a brown leather couch in his eighth-floor office this month, considering the last big question before him as his term neared its end: Would he decide whether to charge Donald Trump with a crime? Continue reading →

Nation

Record December snow in West brings major drought relief, hope for 2022

It’s been a record-breaking December for snow in California, as a series of winter storms have blasted the state in the past few weeks. Experts say a big water year, along with real drought recovery, is possible if storms continue in the coming months. Continue reading →

World

Hong Kong editors charged with sedition, US criticizes raid

Two former editors from a Hong Kong online prodemocracy news outlet were charged with sedition and denied bail Thursday, a day after one of the last openly critical voices in the city said it would cease operations following a police raid on its office and seven arrests. Continue reading →

World

Former Afghan president says he fled nation to ‘save Kabul’

Former president Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan said he fled the country to prevent the destruction of Kabul as Taliban fighters advanced on the capital, offering the most detailed defense of his actions since the government’s collapse in August. Continue reading →

World

Biden, Putin talk nearly an hour as alarm rises over Ukraine

President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for nearly an hour late Thursday amid growing alarm over Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine, a simmering crisis further complicated as the Kremlin has stepped up its calls for security guarantees and test fired hypersonic missiles to underscore its demands. Continue reading →

OPINION

A year after a seditious insurrection, why won’t federal prosecutors treat it that way?

History is full of examples where other uprisings have resulted in charges of sedition conspiracy and insurrection, something that — despite ample video evidence and the admissions of those involved — hasn’t happened here. Continue reading →

EDITORIAL

Policing the police finally gets underway

Transparency, diligence key to ushering in a new post-George Floyd era in public safety in Massachusetts. Continue reading →

OPINION

In memoriam of victims of domestic violence

This year, 13 women and one man in Massachusetts were allegedly killed by their partners, two of whom then committed suicide. Another victim was simply associated with a target. At least 23 children are now without a parent. Continue reading →

Massachusetts

A pandemic false dawn and political milestones: A look back at some of the top local stories in 2021

Along with the relentless pandemic, the year brought political shifts and milestones, the return of a cherished communal event, and a plan to deal with the tragedy unfolding in plain sight on Boston’s streets. Continue reading →

Massachusetts

A First Night in Boston with vaccinations, boosters, and COVID tests

City officials on Thursday urged First Night Boston revelers to take precautions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and said vaccinations, boosters, and rapid tests will be available at Friday’s annual downtown bash. Continue reading →

Massachusetts

Mass. Teachers Association assails state’s ‘last minute scramble’ to test educators, as state announces tests are delayed

The president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association slammed what she called the state’s “last-minute scramble” to get 200,000 COVID-19 test kits to teachers and school staffers before the return to class from the holiday break, as state officials announced Thursday that the tests would be delayed. Continue reading →

Celtics

Brad Stevens says Celtics have ‘had moments, but they’ve been too few and far between’

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline fast approaching, the Celtics could find themselves at a bit of a crossroads. Continue reading →

christopher l. gasper

Some New Year’s resolutions for our local sports teams

Here is one opinion on the things the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox, and Revolution need to improve on in 2022. Continue reading →

NFL

Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 draft pick from Clemson, has gone from first to worst

The can't-miss prospect is the quarterback of the worst offense in the NFL. Continue reading →

Business

Walking Mass. and Cass with bleach kits, granola bars, and a chance to get off the streets

As Boston's homelessness and opioid crisis spirals, social workers are often the last, and most determined, lifeline for people struggling on the city's streets. Continue reading →

Business

Study finds positive results for J&J vaccine against Omicron in South Africa

The data underscores the utility of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine against the new variant, which has concerned scientist and public health officials with its ability to potentially evade existing vaccines and treatments. Continue reading →

Business

Biogen falls back to earth as Samsung denies merger reports

Biogen stock falls again as Samsung denies report of acquisition, capping a tumultuous year for Cambridge drugmaker. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Karen Ferguson, founder of pension watchdog group, dies at 80

Karen Ferguson, the founder of the Pension Rights Center, a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the interests of workers and retired people and helps promote legislation on their behalf, died Dec. 23 at her home in Washington. She was 80. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Karen Ferguson, founder of pension watchdog group, dies at 80

Karen Ferguson, the founder of the Pension Rights Center, a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the interests of workers and retired people and helps promote legislation on their behalf, died Dec. 23 at her home in Washington. She was 80. Continue reading →

Continue reading →

Lifestyle

‘Nobody wrote sentences like her’: A Didion scholar talks the enduring magic of the late writer’s prose

"She would describe the situations and let you have the feelings," said Kathleen Vandenberg, a Boston University professor whose book on Joan Didion's writing was published earlier this year. Continue reading →

Lifestyle

We asked 10 local therapists their advice as we enter 2022. Here are their responses

"Of course you’re tired, unmotivated, sad, etc," said therapist Monique Bellefleur. "We are in the third year of a global pandemic and that cannot be discounted." Continue reading →

Visual Arts

In Helina Metaferia’s show at the MFA, an ‘army of women’ wear history on their heads

"Generations" weaves together protest, performance art, and stories of BIPOC activism through decades. Continue reading →