Democrats see opening to work with John Boehner

The speaker said he wants to ?get as much finished as possible? before leaving office. Does that mean more reaching across the aisle?

Karl-Heinz Schwarte comforts his wife, Man-Hee, after dropping a bouquet in memory of their late son, Dr. Sebastian Schwarte, off Long Island.

Kevin Cullen/Globe Staff

KEVIN CULLEN

Flowers for an only son

For seven years, a German couple has made an annual pilgrimage to Boston to honor their son in the waters he loved.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/28/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/greenhouse_29dcf-1_metro--90x90.jpg Revamped DCF policies will put kids first, governor says

?The work that will be done from this point forward will focus on one major objective ? to keep kids safe,? Charlie Baker said.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/29/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Par8287219.jpg Scientists cautious as NASA announces new Mars findings

?I have low expectations of extant life,? one said after NASA provided the ?strongest evidence yet? that water now exists on the planet.

Area researchers win MacArthur ?genius? grants

Three recipients of the MacArthur Foundation?s 2015 awards are from the Boston area.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/28/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/stat_logo.png Replace bad fats with good foods for heart health, study says

Low-fat diets only reduce the risk of heart disease if healthier food choices are adopted.

If real estate market watchers are right, the sale of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel would punch through previous records for hotel deals in Boston.

George Apostolidis

Hotel?s sale price could set a Boston record

The projected price for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the Back Bay comes out to $1 million per room for the 7-year-old, five-star property.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/29/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/200_eric_sinacori.jpg Charges filed in death of UMass student who was drug informant

Former grad student Jesse Carrillo, of Derry, N.H., was indicted in the 2013 death of Eric Sinacori.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/29/BostonGlobe.com/Foreign/Images/200_putin_obama.jpg At UN, Obama and Putin clash over Syria solution

The leaders essentially blamed each other for the catastrophic war and the refugee crisis it helped to spawn.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2014/10/18/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/massgen.jpg Mass. General to pay $2.3 million over drug thefts

Lax controls over its drug supply allowed two nurses to steal nearly 16,000 pain pills, authorities said.

Trevor Noah reacted Monday while hosting the debut of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.?

Brad Barket/Getty Images for Comedy Central

Television review

Trevor Noah is at ease in his ?Daily Show? debut

Noah made it through the half-hour behind the anchor desk with no stumbles and a sense of easy charm.

STAT

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/19/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/ryan_busts2_met.jpg Harvard Medical School to examine strict ethics rules

Faculty say that rigid conflict-of-interest rules hamper their work with industry and make it tough to advance their research.

BRA Director Brian Golden.

Bold Types

An apology to West Enders that was decades in the making

BRA Director Brian Golden last week expressed regret for the city razing the old neighborhood during urban renewal.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/04/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/maeda_07BUAsianChef_met2.jpg A taste of home cooking for Asian students at BU

Boston University?s new dining hall station aims to cater to the school?s growing population of Chinese students.

BEN VOLIN | ON FOOTBALL

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/28/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/Richards.jpg Picking apart the Patriots? defensive game plan

The Patriots won Sunday?s game handily, but they did allow the Jaguars to dictate a lot of matchups.

Graig F. Walker/Globe Staff

With end near, progress slows for migrants

German officials have slowed arrivals to a few at a time so that they can screen newcomers more carefully and find shelters for them.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/29/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/Eileen%20Myles%20ap%20by%20Libby%20Lewis%20(color)-4281--90x90.jpg Eileen Myles returns as a rock star of poetry

Once a self-described Massachusetts ?townie,? Myles is now one of the leading contemporary figures in what she calls ?vernacular? poetry.

STAT | PHARMALOT

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/29/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/20150922-AMX-DRUG-BG22-4738.jpg Drug firms need to explain the prices

Drug makers have adopted an air of secrecy in which one cowboy, like Martin Shkreli, can create havoc for an entire industry.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/23/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/kreiter_keurigkold3_biz.jpg Keurig debuts cold drinks machine after years of development

The cold beverage system makes 8-ounce servings of Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, sparkling water, iced tea and other drinks.

NAMES

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/28/BostonGlobe.com/BCOM/Images/DV2137467-4782.jpg Matt Damon criticized for comments in Guardian story

The actor is being criticized for saying in the UK publication that gay actors should keep their personal lives to themselves.

The Big Picture

Craig Ruttle/AFP/Getty Images

Pope Francis? mission to the US

The trip by the world leader of the Roman Catholic Church included a White House visit.

BetaBoston

Betaboston

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/28/BostonGlobe.com/Business/Images/lyft159-4666.jpg Lyft?s ?Line? car-pool service hits Boston, following Uber?s lead

Boston is the fifth city to get the option in Lyft?s app.

Crux

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/09/28/BostonGlobe.com/Foreign/Images/Par8287187.jpg Pope calls sex abuse cover-up by some bishops ?very ugly?

Francis said that the problem is not just that the abuse happened, but that bishops have covered it up.