Today's Globe

Three Massachusetts nonprofits will receive federal planning grants to transform distressed neighborhoods in Boston, Lawrence, and Worcester into tightly woven hubs of health care, social services, and public education to help improve the academic fortunes of children, the US Education Department announced yesterday.

Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust spoke publicly yesterday about two recent campus controversies, expressing her disappointment in a prominent psychologist found to have engaged in scientific misconduct as well as a former university lecturer whose anti-Muslim sentiments have sparked objections from around the world.

Representative Edward J. Markey is planning at today’s congressional hearing to ask federal regulators to prioritize inspections at egg farms that have a history of violations and at producers — including three in Maine — that have ties to these farms.

Genzyme Corp., a takeover target of Sanofi-Aventis SA, expects to complete sales of its diagnostics and pharmaceutical-ingredients units by year’s end.

Boston Scientific Corp. said European Union regulators have cleared marketing of its Promus Element stent for diabetes and heart attack patients.

Seniors enrolled in popular private health insurance plans through Medicare will pay a little less on average next year, the Obama administration said yesterday.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon plans to end a development summit meeting of world leaders today by announcing a huge increase in aid to improve the health of women and children, but independent specialists said they were skeptical about the amount of actual new money committed, given the global economic crisis.