Federal court in Boston rules US marriage law unconstitutional

A federal appeals court in Boston has ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act discriminates against gay couples.

The Big Story: DOMA ruled unconstitutional

The Globe's Michael Bello reports on Thursday's decision.

Elizabeth Warren acknowledged she had told Harvard and Penn that she was Native American. When the issue first surfaced, Warren said she only learned Harvard was claiming her as a minority when she read it in the Boston Herald.

Elizabeth Warren says she told Harvard, Penn of Native American heritage

The Democratic Senate candidate acknowledged for the first time she told the schools she was Native American.

Governor Patrick endorses Elizabeth Warren

Despite saying last year that he’d wait for the party to select a nominee first, Governor Patrick today announced his support for Elizabeth Warren.

Pollen in Boston, suburbs wears on residents’ health, patience

The seasonal scourge covering cars and driveways is especially intense this year, a gunky byproduct of a warm winter and a largely dry, windy spring.

Driver in fatal crash worried about self

After allegedly causing a head-on crash while texting, Aaron Deveau asked police about the consequences he would face if two people critically injured in the collision died.

Deadlines on child sexual abuse complaints may be extended

Victims who missed deadlines for filing civil claims may get a two-year window to bring old cases to court, under one legislative scenario in Massachusetts.

Yvonne Abraham

Only child lovingly handles affairs of aging relatives

Ann McGlinchy has been partly or wholly responsible for seeing nine of her relatives to the ends of their lives in her sociable, outspoken, Irish Catholic family.

Brookline votes yes to leave Norfolk County

Brookline Town Meeting voted 115 to 81 Tuesday to authorize selectmen to file a petition with the state asking that Brookline be allowed to secede from Norfolk County.

A mug shot of Whitey Bulger from 1956.

Whitey Bulger cooperated with FBI as early as ’50s

New records show that in 1956 James “Whitey” Bulger revealed his accomplices in a bank robbery in order to protect his girlfriend at the time.

“If anything happens to them, if one of them passes away, what will happen to me?”

Aaron Deveau, 17,  asked after allegedly causing a head-on crash while texting

Inside Metro

Avelino Fernandez and his girlfriend, Gina Burgos, greeted Richard DeMatteo Tuesday, a day after Fernandez fended off a would-be thief who broke into his store.

Lawrence store owner uses bat to stop intruder
Oscar Alfredo Ramírez Castañeda and Tranquilino Castañeda, with daughters Nicole and Andrea, looked at pictures from Guatemala.

30 years after massacre, family together again
MARINA KEEGAN

Yale graduate recalled for wit, vitality
Mary Hart of Hanover, Joanne Riley of Brookline, Mary McNamara of Milton, and Jean Mackey of Quincy at the vigil.

Vigil supports nuns reprimanded by Vatican
Mike Donovan, a veteran Boston comic, hoped to leave another mark with his 1.6-million-word US history book.

For this comic, US history book no joke
Fare increases covered part of the deficit for the MBTA, which is legally bound to start each year with a balanced budget.

Lawmakers yet to agree on bridging T funds gap
Robert George says the charges are unfounded.

Prominent defense lawyer faces US charges
New Englanders flocked to Bass River Beach in South Yarmouth and other beaches on the Cape on Monday.

Sold-out Cape hotels mean brisk business
Police investigators on Monday continued to comb the site of a Sunday fire at an apartment in South Boston.

Pair dead in South Boston fire believed slain
Kevin Lucey of Belchertown spoke about the death of his son Jeffrey’ by suicide in 2004.

Veterans focus on lives lost during, after wars
The spot will air in the Boston, Springfield, Providence, and Albany markets, as well as on statewide cable, Senator Brown’s campaign said in a statement.

Senator Brown’s new TV ad extols bipartisanship
House Republican leader D.J. Bettencourt stepped down Sunday over misrepresentations to law school officials.

Repercussions seen for resignation of GOP lawmaker

Yvonne Abraham

Abraham is a Metro columnist. Her work appears on Thursdays and Sundays.

Kevin Cullen

Cullen is a columnist for the Metro section who previously wrote for the Foreign desk and Spotlight team.

Brian McGrory

McGrory is a Metro columnist and associate editor for the Globe.

Adrian Walker

Walker has been a columnist for the Metro section since 1998.

Political Intelligence

Political Intelligence

New Jersey governor Chris Christie is a name often brought up as a possible running mate for Mitt Romney.

Timing is a key in running-mate selection

Mitt Romney is taking a campaign break in California this Memorial Day weekend, but at his Boston headquarters, his search for a running mate proceeds unabated.

Starts & Stops

Starts & Stops

Repairs on the Sagamore Bridge finished early, but the long delays at peak travel times have Cape residents and visitors talking about how to reduce future traffic snarls.

After pain of bridge work, users have ideas for fixes

E-mail had poured into Starts and Stops about the Sagamore repairs that caused weeknight congestion and slowed traffic to a crawl for miles on Sundays.

Obituaries

Mr. Dyett was both media personality and community activist, and his shows had bite.

Lovell Dyett, hosted talk show on WBZ-AM nearly 40 years

The longtime WBZ NewsRadio personality has died after a long illness, the station announced on its website Tuesday. He was 77.

Regionals

Rowley

The Rough Meadows Wildlife sanctuary will be managed cooperatively by Mass Audubon and the Essex County Greenbelt.

Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary opens Saturday

The Great Marsh will be in the spotlight as Massachusetts Audubon opens a new sanctuary in collaboration with Essex County Greenbelt.

Opinion

“She has packed up their houses, dispatched their belongings, moved them into assisted living, and executed their wills. She has been a witness to their joys, regrets, strengths, and very human weaknesses.”

Yvonne Abraham