MBTA officials had to improvise to prevent disaster

The lever used to regulate speed on a 01500 series redline car.

MBTA

The supervisor and the dispatcher had 48 years of MBTA experience between them, but neither had game-planned for this. Nobody had.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/12/11/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/unnamed(61)A.jpg Red Line probe points to MBTA driver mistakes

The unmanned subway train is the latest in a string of controversies for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/12/12/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/500446240.jpg Boston?s count of Chipotle norovirus cases rises to 136

The city has not determined how the virus got into food at the restaurant.

A DraftKings logo was displayed on a board inside of the DFS Players Conference in New York.

Lucas Jackson/REUTERS

Fantasy sports firms get break at last minute

DraftKings and other fantasy sites can temporarily operate in New York until a panel rules on whether to allow the sites? operation while the fight plays out in court.

French President Francois Hollande, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN climate chief Christiana Figueres applauded during the climate conference Saturday.

MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images

Climate deal would commit countries to lower emissions

Delegates in Paris from more than 195 nations are considering a final draft of a climate accord.

DCF worker who copied reports in Bella Bond case keeps job

The employee copied years-old reports when preparing evaluations of the mother of the slain 2-year-old.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/12/12/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/size0[1]-U82428860949onC--90x90@BostonGlobe.com.jpg US Army Ranger from N.H. dies in training exercise

Corporal Andrew A. Aimesbury, 21, died from his wounds in a live fire exercise on Wednesday in Georgia.

Tashfeen Malik.

Wife?s role in California attack raises fear of jihad brides

The San Bernardino massacre has raised fears that foreign-born brides who support Islamic State could carry out extremist missions.

Dave Schaefer managed the industrial smoker at Blue Ribbon BBQ in Arlington.

DINA RUDICK/GLOBE STAFF

Buying a backyard smoker for the holidays

Personal, backyard smokers are popping up in suburban backyards across the country. So how do you go about picking the right one?

Letters pour into Globe Santa, giving thanks for saving Christmas

From the letters bin: ?It is programs such as Globe Santa that make it possible to give my girls a sense of normalcy.?

Derrick Z. Jackson

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/12/11/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/Derrick_Z_Jackson_150px-1562.jpg The height of hypocrisy in higher education

Universities bring African-American men to campus at grotesque levels to earn the school millions in sports revenues.

Boston, MA - 12/11/15 - (4th quarter) Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4), Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11), and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) hit the parquet as they fight for a loose ball in the fourth quarter. The Boston Celtics take on the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden. - (Barry Chin/Globe Staff), Section: Sports, Reporter: Adam Himmelsbach, Topic: 12Celtics-Warriors, LOID: 8.2.752270934.

Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Gary Washburn | On Basketball

In a Garden thriller, Warriors just a few plays better

Golden State continued its historic streak, but Boston opened some eyes with its unrelenting effort Friday.

Sophie Fellows played violin during a holiday concert at the Boston Children's Hospital in Boston.

A year later, a Christmas concert of hope and cheer

When Sophie Fellows got out of a hospital bed to play in a Christmas concert last year, she didn?t know if she would perform again.

COLLEGE BOUND

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/11/13/BostonGlobe.com/Regional/Images/rathe_annakelly_wew.jpg The emotional ride to an athletic scholarship

Lexington High senior Anna Kelly finalized a four-year process in April, committing to play basketball at Fordham.

Scott Kirsner | betaboston

Old economy and new trying to catch the holiday spirits

Startups and big players like Amazon.com and Total Wine & More are trying to shake up the retail liquor industry.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/12/03/BostonGlobe.com/Travel/Images/D_BAIR_MadeNE_MaineCoastCreations_SeashellglassVasesonEngravedwharfplanktable.jpg Artisan-crafted gifts offer local flair, flavor

Shop with these folks, or others like them, and you?re giving something special (often one-of-a-kind) and totally New England.

On the East Landing at the White House, the tree?s gold star ornaments pay tribute to the armed forces.

Some decorating tips for your Christmas tree

For the decorating-impaired, master party planner and designer Bryan Rafanelli offers some Christmas tree tips.

Q&A

Mapping a more virtual world

Martin Vargic?s cartography creates an indirect commentary on how cultural proximities are every bit as relevant today as geographical ones.

Love Letters

New girlfriend used to practice polyamory

I met a wonderful, free-spirited woman. She?s a 9 or a 10 in every way. But her past lifestyle experience is vastly different from mine.

Ground Game

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/12/08/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/trump150-2064.jpg Three scenarios for Trump and the GOP

What happens after Donald Trump, particularly for the Republican Party?

Globe Santa

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/11/25/BostonGlobe.com/Special/Images/santa_logo[1]-U80342642589InF--90x90@BostonGlobe.com.jpg Donate to Globe Santa

Globe Santa delivers holiday gifts to local children in need.

Globe investigations

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/11/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/spotlight150x150-165.jpg Globe investigations and Spotlight reports

A look at high-impact investigations from The Boston Globe, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning report on abuse in the Catholic Church.

The story behind 'Spotlight'

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/11/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/spotlight-9497.jpg Boston Globe coverage and the movie ?Spotlight?

?Spotlight? is based on the stories and the reporters behind the investigation of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

The Big Picture

Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff

The best Boston Globe photos of 2015

Staff photographers share the stories behind the year?s most powerful pictures.