House approves $1.1 trillion spending bill

The vote on the legislation, which now heads to the Senate, came ahead of a midnight deadline for a government shutdown.

Nine -year-old Sophie Fellows (right) will undergo surgery for a brain tumor on Friday at Dana-Farber in Boston.
Sophie hugged her violin teacher, Carolyn Bever, after the concert at Dana-Farber, where about two dozen students from Vermont played Thursday.

9-year-old with brain tumor gets to finish concert

Sophie Fellows was diagnosed last week, a day after she was stricken with a painful headache during a holiday concert.

MassDOT officials said the trial programs are a response to advocates? demands for more transit access for young people.

MBTA to test expanded student discounts

Under the program, everyone between 12 and 18, and many 19- to 21-year-olds, would be eligible for discounted passes.

Judge Rya W. Zobel, 82, went on senior status early this year after 35 years on the bench. She is still handling roughly 100 percent of her caseload, though she plans to start taking on fewer cases.

?Senior status? lets federal judges keep working ? for free

The arrangement allows judges to go into semi-retirement while mentoring fresh faces and helping clear the court?s cases.

Charlie Baker, makeover artist

The changes Baker made after his failed 2010 campaign offer the clearest picture yet of how he?ll govern.

Michel du Cille, Pulitzer-winning photojournalist, dies at 58

The Washington Post photographer died Thursday of an apparent heart attack while on assignment in Liberia.

Movie review

Reese Witherspoon conquers demons in ?Wild?

Witherspoon gives a wary and watchful performance in the adaptation of Cheryl Strayed?s best-selling memoir.

FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2014, file photo, Kansas City Royals starting pitcher James Shields listens to a question during a news conference at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Royals extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, to Shields, which assures Kansas City of draft pick compensation if its staff ace signs a major league contract with another team before June 8. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)

Nick Cafardo | On Baseball

Now it?s time for Red Sox to go get an ace

Acquiring Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez give the Red Sox a solid foundation, but adding a front-end starting pitcher will get them to the next level.

Dan Shaughnessy

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2014/12/11/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/shaughnessy-7066.png In Jon Lester debacle, Red Sox blew it in epic fashion

The Red Sox badly botched the negotiation with a player they had an advantage with, and now will likely have to settle for far less.

Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal

Sony executive apologizes for leaked remarks on Obama

In e-mail exchanges that were made public, Amy Pascal joked about President Obama?s presumed taste in movies.

Boston?s skyline at dusk.

For travelers, Boston is sixth most expensive city in world

Lodging in Boston for visitors doesn?t come cheap, according to a new study.

Supporters seek help for pet left behind by couple killed in crash

A dog named Sawyer is the only survivor of an accident that killed a Simmons College professor and her husband.

Workers took a corner block of granite out of the State House.

Centuries-old time capsule removed from State House

The capsule was first buried under the building in 1795 by Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and William Scollay.

Gronkowski avoided commenting on the ESPN The Magazine photo shoot.

Rob Gronkowski squirms when asked about kitten photos

A magazine spread featuring the Patriots tight end was a hot topic at the team?s practice session Thursday in Foxborough.

Opinion

RENÉE LOTH

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2014/12/12/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/reneeLoth_150px-1171.jpg A new strategy on shelter

Here?s a chance for Governor-elect Charlie Baker to get a win-win-win-win.

The Big Picture

Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

Magazine

The best photos of 2014

The stories behind the Globe?s most memorable pictures of the year.