Nation

Minor soot levels linked to older American deaths, study finds

For Americans older than 65, even minor levels of air pollution can cause a major decrease in life expectancy, a new study finds. Researchers discovered over 100,000 deaths could have been prevented if lower soot limits were established. Continue reading →

Political Notebook

Prosecutors look at electors’ statements backing Trump’s election

Federal prosecutors are examining the decision by Republican electors in some states won by President Biden in 2020 to send in signed statements purporting to affirm Donald Trump as the victor of the election, a top Justice Department official said Tuesday. Continue reading →

Nation

Anti-Asian hate crime reports exploded in 2021, San Francisco police say

San Francisco officials pledged to better protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as preliminary data from the city’s police department showed the number of people who reported being the victim of an anti-AAPI hate crime in the city last year increased by 567 percent compared with the previous year. Continue reading →

World

US delivers written response to Russia’s demands

The United States and NATO gave formal responses on Wednesday to Russia’s demands that NATO pull back forces from Eastern Europe and bar Ukraine from ever joining the alliance, amid escalating military tensions in Eastern Europe. Continue reading →

World

Kurdish-led militia says it has retaken Syrian prison from Islamic State

After six days of deadly battles, the Kurdish-led militia that had been battling Islamic State fighters for control of a prison in northeastern Syria regained full control Wednesday after its forces besieged the remaining militants into surrender, three militia officials said. Continue reading →

World

Indonesia’s capital is sinking, polluted, and now moving

Now the government is leaving and moving the country’s capital to the island of Borneo. Continue reading →

OPINION

Teflon Charlie Baker rides off into the sunset

He’s tall, white, and male. Does that explain how nothing sticks? Or is something else at work? Continue reading →

EDITORIAL

How to punish Putin if Russia invades Ukraine

Germany fears losing Russian natural gas, but NATO allies should insist that if Russia launches a war in Europe, it will pay a steep price: exile from the world’s banking system and crippling sanctions. Continue reading →

LETTERS

Giving up the love for Big Papi

I absolutely loved Chad Finn’s piece on David Ortiz’s election to the Baseball Hall of Fame (”After giving so much to Red Sox fans, no one deserves the Hall call more than David Ortiz,” Sports). Continue reading →

Metro

Are we going to see democracy work?

Is it possible that a Democratic president, who won the popular vote, is going to be able to fill a vacancy on the US Supreme Court? Continue reading →

Politics

Boston unions file appeal regarding vaccination mandate for city workforce

In the latest chapter of their fight against Boston’s vaccination mandate, a trio of municipal unions Wednesday filed an appeal of a recent court decision that rejected their attempt to block the enforcement of the Wu administration’s requirement for city workers. Continue reading →

THE GREAT DIVIDE

Mostly educators of color could face termination due to vaccine mandate, Boston Teachers Union says

The loss could disrupt learning for many students and carry long-term implications in the district, where three-quarters of students are Black or Latino, but only 42 percent of educators are. Continue reading →

Celtics Notebook

7-foot-2-inch Bol Bol slowly acclimating himself to the Celtics while rehabbing a foot injury

While he is expected to be out 8-12 weeks, Bol has taken part in team meetings and attended practices as he tries to digest the Celtics system. Continue reading →

Bruins notebook

Red-hot Avalanche remain dominant at home

Scoring hasn’t been a problem for Colorado, with the skilled entities of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, and Nazem Kadri. Continue reading →

On baseball

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Curt Schilling are off the Hall of Fame ballot. What comes next?

Now Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling place their hopes in the hands of the Today’s Game Committee, which will meet in December. Continue reading →

Business

Mass. needs more housing. Why not at Devens?

State lawmakers are launching a push to raise the cap on housing at the sprawling old Army base, but the towns it straddles have concerns. Continue reading →

Business

Massachusetts biopharma firms raised a record $13.7 billion in venture capital last year

The local industry continues to be a magnet for investors, despite a steep fall off in stock prices. Continue reading →

Business

Gates Foundation expands board following Bill, Melinda split

Wednesday’s announcement means the global charitable group will now have six people to guide its work and its $50 billion endowment. However, Gates and French Gates will continue to have additional authority as cochairs of the foundation. Continue reading →

Obituaries

David Mugar, philanthropist who added fireworks to Boston’s July Fourth celebration, dies at 82

As chairman and CEO of Mugar Enterprises Inc., Mr. Mugar oversaw a sprawling, privately held empire comprising real estate holdings, retail businesses, performance venues, and other investment- and arts-oriented enterprises. Continue reading →

Obituaries

David Mugar, philanthropist who added fireworks to Boston’s July Fourth celebration, dies at 82

As chairman and CEO of Mugar Enterprises Inc., Mr. Mugar oversaw a sprawling, privately held empire comprising real estate holdings, retail businesses, performance venues, and other investment- and arts-oriented enterprises. Continue reading →

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Music

Spotify to pull Neil Young music after artist’s objections to Joe Rogan podcast, reports say

Spotify is in the process of removing all of Neil Young’s music from its platform after the artist fired off a public missive to his management on Monday, demanding they remove his music from the streamer in protest of Joe Rogan spreading COVID-19 misinformation through his podcast. Continue reading →

DOCUMENTARY

In documentary ‘The Panola Project,’ two Somerville filmmakers show how one woman got her small town vaccinated

"The Panola Project," part of this year's Sundance Film Festival, spotlights Dorothy Oliver, who brought COVID-19 vaccine clinics to her small town by convincing residents to sign up. Continue reading →

Visual Arts

Judy Glickman Lauder gifts 600-plus photographs to Portland Museum of Art

Photographer and philanthropist Judy Glickman Lauder has given a gift of more than 600 photographs to the Portland Museum of Art, the museum recently announced. The collection includes works by major 20th-century photographers such as Gordon Parks, Richard Avedon, and Margaret Bourke-White, along with some of Glickman Lauder’s own pictures, and will be shown in an exhibit in October 2022. Continue reading →