Nine days after attack, Boylston reopens

Mayor Menino said parking in the Back Bay will be free through the weekend as people returned to the area of last week’s bombings.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

Tanya McIntyre brought her nine-year-old twins, Tiana and Colten, to the site of the first bombing and said a prayer.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

A young girl placed rose petals on the site of the first bombing on Boylston Street on Wednesday.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

Running shoes were hung from a fence at the site of the Copley Square memorial.

Essdras M. Suarez/Globe Staff

Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, visited the memorial to the bombing victims in Copley Square.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

Allyson Farley of Franklin came to pray at Copley Square. She said she was at the site of the attack before the bombs went off.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

A marathon medal was placed near the rebuilt sidewalk at the site of the first bombing.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Muge Karamanci, 23, became emotional as she stopped to photograph the scene in front of Marathon Sports.

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Messages were left on boards at the relocated memorial to the bombing victims in Copley Square.

Bill Greene/Globe Staff

Massachusetts State Police officers saluted during the memorial service for MIT Police Officer Sean Collier.

Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff

Kerry Market, a New York police officer, was one of thousands who attended the memorial service.

Reuters

Vice President Joseph Biden delivered emotional remarks at the service.

Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff

Honor guards were in attendance during the memorial service for Collier at Briggs Field in Cambridge.

Thousands attend service for MIT officer

“He was born to be a police officer,” the brother of Sean Collier said today at a memorial service attended by thousands.

Suspect returned from Russia ‘with a willingness to kill people,’ Kerry says

Secretary of State John Kerry said that after a trip to Russia last year, Tamerlan Tsarnaev “learned something.”

Boehner vows to ‘get to the bottom’ of what US knew before bombings

House Speaker John Boehner said he would hold agency heads responsible if they didn’t do enough to stop the Boston bombings.

Tsarnaev brothers’ finances look scant

The picture that is emerging of the alleged bombers is more like terrorism on a budget, consistent with reports that the brothers acted alone.

Marines bring hope to Marathon victims

Two Marines who were injured in Afghanistan brought optimism to a mother who lost her legs below the knee and her injured daughter.

More news updates

Boston schools

Superintendent Carol Johnson to step down

Johnson cited the death of her husband as one of the reasons she will step down at the end of the school year.

Former Maine publisher accused of misusing $500,000

Richard L. Connor, who led the group that publishes the Portland Press Herald from 2009 to 2011, is accused of using company funds for personal expenses.

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More coverage of the bombings

“I heard and felt it go off,’’ Andrew Kitzenberg said of a blast near his home in Watertown. “The walls were rattling.’’

Amid blasts, Watertown resident recorded shoot-out

Andrew Kitzenberg had a front-row seat to a shoot-out between the two brothers identified as Marathon bombing suspects and police.

Mike Kincade (left) of Allston filed paperwork at police headquarters to retrieve property lost after the bombing.

Police begin returning belongings left at bombing scene

From eyeglasses to baby strollers, hundreds of personal belongings were left behind at the scene of last week’s deadly Marathon bombings.

Opinion on the bombings

Adrian Walker

A prayer to stay united

Shaken but recovering, Trinity Church, which has been closed since the Marathon attack, is preparing to reopen.

Sports

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Dan Shaughnessy

Kevin Garnett, left, and Paul Pierce were left dejected on the Celtics bench late in the game.

Celtics look like they are finished

Maybe the the old Green warriors can scare the Knicks with a big win at the Garden Friday night. But it doesn’t feel that way.

Metro

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Michael J. Sullivan spoke about a stabbing as Plymouth district attorney in 1999.

Prosecutorial code propels GOP’s Michael Sullivan far

The US attorney, now running for Senate in Mass., has been by the book as a prosecutor, and is selling a softer side as a candidate.

Politics

Representatives Edward J. Markey and Stephen F. Lynch dropped the gloves Tuesday night during their final debate in Springfield. Polls have shown Markey as the front-runner, but a confident Lynch told reporters “I’m going to win.”

Democratic Senate hopefuls turn up the insults

The final debate between Representatives Edward Markey and Stephen Lynch devolved into an exchange of character allegations.

Nation & World

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An Illinois State Police investigator walked past the Manchester housing complex where five people were killed.

2 boys, 3 adults shot to death in Illinois town

Illinois State Police say two women, one man, and two young boys were found shot to death in the town of Manchester and a 6-year-old girl was taken to a hospital.