All of the headlines from today's paper.
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Today's Headlines
Page one

Spotlight

New funding for controversial MIT and Whitehead Institute scientist David Sabatini draws divided reactions

Billionaire New York hedge fund manager Bill Ackman announced last week that he and an anonymous donor had pledged $25 million over five years toward a new research lab for Sabatini, who is accused of workplace misconduct and sexual harassment. Continue reading →

Residential

A housing development at South Shore Plaza seemed like a home run. Not so fast, residents say.

Residents have already begun to rally against a 495-unit apartment complex proposed at South Shore Plaza, highlighting the challenges state and local leaders face as they seek to dig out of the housing shortage. Continue reading →

NHL

Martin J. Walsh poised to leave Biden’s Cabinet to take over as executive director of NHL Players’ Association

The former Boston mayor and current US labor secretary is expected to take the position soon, according to people close to Walsh. Continue reading →

Crime & Courts

Prosecutor says Lindsay Clancy planned killing of her children

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer L. Sprague alleged Clancy planned the slayings in advance by asking her husband to pick up food from a restaurant located farther from their home than from where they usually order takeout, so she’d have time to commit the murders. Continue reading →

Politics

Biden lays down economic challenge to House Republicans

President Biden challenged the new House Republican majority Tuesday night to work together with him to “finish the job” of repairing America’s unsettled economy and fragile democracy even as the emboldened opposition geared up to try to force him to change course. Continue reading →

The Nation

Politics

Caught in GOP’s crosshairs, Mayorkas faces political showdown over border crisis

Even though the spike in illegal entries is part of a global migration trend, Mayorkas has become the face of the intractable problem, particularly for Republicans who see failures at the border as a winning political strategy in their efforts to take back the White House in 2024. Continue reading →

Nation

How US-China tensions could affect who buys the house next door

The geopolitical strain between Beijing and Washington has fueled calls for a more aggressive approach to Chinese investments in the United States with an eye on security. Continue reading →

Nation

Where did all the strange State of the Union traditions come from?

Much of the history behind the State of the Union is modern. Continue reading →

The World

World

Rescue teams fight ‘weather and the earthquake’ as toll surpasses 7,700 dead

Even as rescue workers struggled to free people from the tombs of metal, concrete, and wood where apartments and office buildings once stood, the death toll climbed. Continue reading →

World

Germany, Denmark, Netherlands pledge Ukraine Leopard 1 tanks

The announcement followed Germany agreeing last month to allow deliveries of the more modern German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Continue reading →

World

China tries to play down balloon dispute with censorship and memes

On Chinese social media, jokes about the suspected spy balloon have been making the rounds. People quipped that the vessel was a misunderstood attempt at wishing Americans a happy Lantern Festival, the Chinese holiday this past Sunday. Others compared it to a glutinous rice ball, a traditional food eaten during the celebrations. Continue reading →

Editorial & Opinion

EDITORIAL

Mass. needs more voc-tech schools — and a fairer way for students to get into them

A path to good jobs means expanding opportunities for all students. Continue reading →

OPINION

From guns to climate, conservatives play Chicken Little

For some of today’s conservatives, the sky is forever about to fall. We are always about to lose America as we know it. Nonsensical as their charges are, it’s important to refute them. Continue reading →

LETTERS

Add tuition creep to BU Jenga building’s hair-raising qualities

BU desperately needs to attract wealthy students from around the globe, and the Jenga is designed to do just that. Continue reading →

Metro

Politics

Massachusetts Senate leaders making push to abolish term limits on chamber’s president

Senator Michael Rodrigues, the chamber’s budget chief, is seeking to eliminate the provision in the Senate's rules that says no senator in the 40-member body can hold the president’s office “for more than 8 consecutive years.” Continue reading →

THE GREAT DIVIDE

In court filing, BPS deflects blame for Mission Hill School bullying problems

The motion stands in contrast to an outside law firm’s report, commissioned by BPS, that found district officials knew Mission Hill was plagued by problems for years and failed to adequately act, endangering children. Continue reading →

Politics

Boston plans to launch pilot program offering free menstrual products in city buildings

Boston City Councilors want the city to add emergency contraception to its list of offerings in an upcoming free menstrual product pilot. Continue reading →

Sports

celtics

How do the Celtics compare with other teams at the trade deadline, and how do their deals work out?

Since 2013-14, the Celtics have been one of the NBA’s most active teams at the trade deadline. Continue reading →

tara sullivan

The first Super Bowl with two Black starting quarterbacks is inspirational indeed

In a world where representation matters, seeing Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes on the field Sunday matters. A lot. Continue reading →

Women's Beanpot | Northeastern 4, BU 1

Behind a star-studded top line, Northeastern is back in the Women’s Beanpot final after rolling past BU

Graduate students Chloé Aurard, Alina Mueller, and Maureen Murphy combined for seven points to lift the No. 5 Huskies. Continue reading →

Business

Technology

The people onscreen are fake. The disinformation is real.

'Deepfake' software can create characters out of whole cloth, blurring the line between fact and fiction to an extraordinary degree. Continue reading →

THE FINE PRINT

You caused the damage to your car. Is it worth filing a claim?

Your insurance will very likely go up — significantly — as a result of even a minor at-fault accident, since surcharges are imposed on drivers with blemished driving records. Continue reading →

Commercial

General Electric picks smaller digs for its new headquarters

The once-grand conglomerate says it will move into one floor of an office tower near South Station. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Obituaries

David Harris, leader of the Vietnam draft resistance movement, dies at 76

Along with encouraging young men to resist being drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, Mr. Harris went to jail after refusing the draft. Continue reading →

RI ARTS

A ‘larger-than-life figure,’ Trinity Rep’s founding artistic director Adrian Hall has died

“His boundary-breaking vision for the theater as a public square is the greatest legacy that he left us, one that we will continue to carry forward,” said current Trinity Rep. Artistic Director, Curt Columbus. Continue reading →

Obituaries

Charles Silverstein, who helped declassify homosexuality as illness, dies at 87

An author, activist, and psychologist, Dr. Silverstein spent decades of his life working to advance the cause of gay rights. Continue reading →

Arts & Lifestyle

Arts

Lego Discovery Center Boston set to open April 14

The new Lego Discovery Center Boston encompasses 43,000 square feet of interactive fun with playmaker employees leading crafts like mosaic making and master model builders instructing daily workshops. Continue reading →

Names

10 classic, streamable Valentine’s Day episodes to fall in love with all over again

For those who feel that they’ve exhausted every rom-com movie in their repertoire but are still looking to scratch that itch, there are several stellar Valentine’s Day-themed sitcom episodes to choose from. Continue reading →

Movies

Calling Tom Brady: This real-life ‘80 for Brady’ lady wants a photo with her favorite QB

We caught up with 94-year-old Betty Pensavalle, one of the original members of the Over 80 for Brady Fan Club. Continue reading →