By Bryan Bender

The Air Force base in Bedford is set to lose the majority of funding for contract workers and is facing the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Women protest antiabortion bills in Virginia

By Bob Lewis

Hundreds of women locked arms and stood in silence outside the Virginia State Capitol to protest a wave of antiabortion legislation coursing through the General Assembly.

The owner of a helicopter flight school whose student was involved in a midair collision said yesterday the pilot narrowly escaped what could have been a deadly crash.

Iranian ships dock in Syria, raising tension

By Liam Stack

Two Iranian warships docked in a Syrian port yesterday as a senior Iranian lawmaker denounced the possibility that the US might arm the Syrian opposition.

Melting ice on Danube damages boats, restaurants

The ice on the Danube River sent boats crashing into each other, swept away barges, and sank one of Belgrade’s trademark floating nightclubs.

Medvedev meets critics, not demands

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held an unprecedented meeting yesterday with opposition leaders, but he was unwilling to meet protesters’ main demands.

Opinion | Jennifer Graham

By Jennifer Graham

The point of Lent is not to lose weight but to shed self-obsession, writes Jennifer Graham.

Opinion | Paul McMorrow

By Paul McMorrow

Activists from both sides of the Charles are assembling again, with the goal of redeveloping neighborhoods along the length of the Orange Line corridor.

Farah Stockman

From a new generation of writers, the real Russia

By Farah Stockman

Four young prize-winning Russian authors, part of the first generation who never knew the Cold War, offer a glimpse of Russia today.

By Peter Schworm

The retired judge also denounced BU for withdrawing what she said was a job offer amid the controversy.

Boston school superintendent blasts teachers union

By Kathy McCabe

Amid contentious negotiations, Superintendent Carol R. Johnson is accusing the teachers’ union of trying to force the district to agree to a new contract that it cannot afford.

Mild weather has green thumbs springing to life

By Bryan Marquard

Consistently mild weather is winding the internal clocks of gardens ahead of season as some plants begin to bud and flower.

Preschools add tech to the curriculum

By Michael B. Farrell

The focus on science, technology, engineering, and math — the so-called STEM — in preschools follows decades of advocacy by education experts and policy makers.

By Hiawatha Bray

Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held drug research company in Watertown, said it is joining forces with Novartis AG to speed development of a drug to treat hepatitis C.

Tank-building company finds clean energy niche

By Erin Ailworth

Mass Tank of Middleborough has long constructed fuel and water tanks. Now it is turning to a new market: building towers for massive wind turbines.

Irvin Stock; UMass professor stressed literature’s nuances

By Emma Stickgold

Dr. Stock, a former chairman of the English department at the University of Massachusetts Boston, died Jan. 30 in his Brookline home. He was 91.

Renato Dulbecco, 97; received Nobel for cancer research

By Denise Gellene

Dr. Dulbecco, a virologist who shared a Nobel Prize in 1975 for his role in drawing a link between genetic mutations and cancer, died Sunday.

By Laurence Arnold

Mr. Schloss, the money manager who earned steady returns through value investing, died Sunday. He was 95.

On baseball

Carl Crawford talks about disappointing year

By Nick Cafardo

Crawford was very frank about his horrible first season with the Red Sox and his reaction to hearing that owner John Henry had opposed his signing with the team.

Skating Club of Boston celebrates 100 years

By John Powers

It isn’t the oldest skating organization in the country, but no other American club can match Boston’s influence on the sport during the past century.

Kevin Youkilis knows this could be last year with Sox

By Peter Abraham

For Youkilis, there’s a sense of pride over having lasted so long with the Red Sox, but also an increased sense of his own baseball mortality.

MUSIC REVIEW

Schumann’s scenes of childhood, unrequited love

By Jeremy Eichler

On Sunday afternoon at Emmanuel Church, pianist Russell Sherman performed Schumann’s “Kinderszenen’’ and joined tenor Frank Kelley for Schumann’s “Dichterliebe.’’

g cover

The fall and rise of Martha Coakley

By Bella English

Two years ago, Martha Coakley lost in a race for Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat, but since then has worked to turn the page on that stinging defeat.

bella english

By Bella English

No flip-flopping: Rick Santorum has been consistent in his stance on welfare — and consistently stingy to those who need it.