Media giants big donors to Rep. Ed Markey

From 1987 to 2008, Rep. Markey’s perch atop the powerful House Subcommittee on Telecommunications helped him build what is now a $3.1 million war chest.

2012 was warmest on record for the United States

Last year was the warmest on record in the US and brought the second most extreme weather in more than a century.

Items such as sawhorses are commonly used by shovelers in Boston to save parking spaces, but many wait days to remove those objects.

Scot Lehigh

Winter etiquette on Boston’s streets

Just in case it ever snows again, let’s review our rules for neighborly winter living in the city.

In September, President Obama ordered China’s Ralls Corp., led by Wu Jialiang (left), to drop interest in wind farm projects near a Navy base. But Wanxiang America president Pin Ni (right) appears confident that his company will get the OK to buy A123 Systems.

REUTERS, BLOOMBERG (CENTER), JOHN ZICH

A123 Systems deal hangs on federal panel

China’s Wanxiang America Corp. is ready to buy the battery maker, but it needs approval from a US panel that is taking a harder look at foreign interest in US companies.

Patricia Cornwell says her financial management firm is guilty of negligence.

PETER ROSS/PUTNAM VIA AP

Mystery novelist accuses her manager of betrayal

Crime writer Patricia Cornwell is suing her former financial management firm for negligence, in a case that has all the drama and ­intrigue of one of her novels.

Already, prosecutors have released at least 159 defendants who were convicted based on drug analyses by Annie Dookhan.

Ex-chemist’s husband warned prosecutor she was a liar

The warning that Annie Dookhan was a chronic liar came nearly two years before she was finally caught improperly removing drug evidence from a state lab.

Adrian Walker

Mayor Menino at a crossroads

The work of recovering from his recent illnesses continues, and so do the questions about the future for the indomitable mayor of Boston.

Children’s Hospital to help form diagnostics company

The hospital has struck a partnership with a California diagnostics equipment maker to form a company to develop tests for pediatric diseases and interpret results.

Governor Patrick’s proposed rate freeze could save employers $500 million this year.

Mass. employers’ jobless costs may stand

Governor Patrick proposed freezing the rate employers pay to fund unemployment benefits, a move that would save the employers about $500 million this year.