The Boston Globe

Area colleges back affirmative action

Several universities, including Harvard and MIT, say using race as a factor in admissions is fundamental to creating a diverse student body.

An MBTA Green Line train pulled into Lechmere Station in Cambridge. — Aram Boghosian for The Boston Gl

Cities, developers seek clarity before committing to T funds

Developers and local governments remain unsure about how much money they could pitch in for the project.

4-year-old boy dies in house fire in Westport

The boy died in a house fire Saturday night, and four other people were injured, including the boy?s mother and sister.

120 sea turtles recovered in Cape Cod Bay

Strong winds led the rare Kemp?s ridley sea turtles to wash up on shore, where most of them were rescued.

A drone flying in the air. — Bobby Yip/REUTERS

Drones getting too close to planes

The FAA collected 26 reports of drone encounters in Massachusetts in the nine-month period ending Aug. 20.

Two men arrested on gun, drug charges in Dorchester

Officers watched the suspects allegedly look up and down the street in a ?hyper vigilant state? and then get in a taxi cab.

Third person accused in Worcester armory gun theft case

Sixteen weapons ? six M4 rifles and 10 M11 handguns ? were stolen during the burglary from an Army Reserve center.

Pepperell police use Taser to disarm machete-wielding man

Police had been called to the Hollis Street residence shortly before midnight for a report of a man with a large knife.

Paralyzed man killed in Brockton fire, family says

Robert Lewis Samuel was a Vietnam veteran who lost the use of his arms and legs after a surgery following a crash.

Sarah D?Amato, 19, visited with others at the Easthampton community. — Video by Alex Lancial | Globe Staff. Photo by Joanne Rathe | Globe Staff.

In Easthampton village, all help the children

Treehouse is an uncommon place where once-traumatized children are raised in a quiet, understanding, and supportive neighborhood.

Adrian Walker

A false debate over charters

For a fair number of people, the long-running debate over expanding charter schools in the state has become a bit tedious.

Miss Universe mistake crowns Colombia before Philippines

For the first time, viewers at home weighed in, with their votes being tallied in addition to four in-person celebrity judges.

CHRISTOPHER L. GASPER

Patriots? mistakes were no accident

Some see costly penalties. The Patriots see situational football opportunities.

BEN VOLIN I PATRIOTS 33, TITANS 16

Patriots? depleted running back corps performs well

In his first NFL game, Joey Iosefa rushed 14 times for 51 yards.

Tom Brady?s dealings with ?body coach? under focus

Brady and the Patriots have financial relationships with Alex Guerrero, an entrepreneur who has a history of legal trouble.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler return to ?SNL?

The comedy duo hosted ?Saturday Night Live,? spoofing the earlier Democratic debate and bringing back their famous Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton characters respectively.

?Star Wars? box office debut is interstellar

?Star Wars: The Force Awakens?? was estimated to have brought in $238 million, making it the biggest North American debut of all time.

Hillary Clinton spoke during the Democratic presidential primary debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. — Richard Perry/The New York Times

Clinton?s brief absence at the Democratic debate explained

Hillary Clinton issued a ?sorry?? of her own during the debate last night ? although for a far less serious matter.

Hotel robot butler coming your way. No need to tip

Last year, Aloft Cupertino debuted Botlr and now its sister hotel, Aloft Silicon Valley, also has one roving the lobby.

my first home

My childhood home: Seeing is disbelieving

My heart fluttered when my husband turned the corner in our minivan. I was eager to show our young daughters the house in Drexel Hill, Pa., where I grew up.

Bruins 2, Devils 1