Gingrich, Romney keep debate civil
GOP front-runners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich were the focus of much of the attention heading into the final debate before the Iowa caucuses.
State’s employment picture brightens
The Massachusetts unemployment rate fell to 7 percent in November, its lowest level in nearly three years, as employers added jobs for the second consecutive month.
School abuse fears not reported
The principal of a Dorchester school never told state authorities about a teacher aide’s inappropriate contact with a student, school officials said.
Brothers create computer data sifter
David and Yakir Reshef, both Boston college students, created a powerful tool to rapidly flag patterns and identify correlations in huge databases.
A formal end to nine years of war
The Pentagon declared an official end to its mission in Iraq yesterday, closing a troubled conflict that helped reshape US politics and left a bitter legacy of anti-US sentiment across the Muslim world.
AFP
Smoke covered the presidential palace compound in Baghdad during a massive US-led air raid on March 21, 2003.
laura rauch/associated press
US Marines returned fire after coming upon a mortar attack during a sandstorm south of Baghdad on March 26, 2003.
jerome Delay/associated press/file
On April 9, 2003, Iraqi civilians and US soldiers pulled down a statue of Saddam Hussein in downtown Baghdad.
J. Scott Applewhite/associated press/file
President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq on May 1, 2003.
US military via APTN/file
This Dec. 14, 2003 file image taken from video shows captured former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as he underwent a medical examination in Baghdad.
Marco Di Lauro/associated press/file
Saddam Hussein testified at his trial held in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad on May 17, 2006.
Hadi Mizban/associated press/file
Two women displayed their inked fingers after casting votes in Iraq's parliamentary elections on March 7, 2010.
Mohammed Ameen/reuters
Iraqi soldiers gathered after training at Basmaya military base in Baghdad on Nov. 22.
Khalid Mohammed/associated press
The US flag, Iraq flag, and the US Forces Iraq colors were carried during yesterday's ceremony marking the end of the US military mission in the country.
Shannon Stapleton/reuters
US. Army Sergeant First Class Adam Schuessler, from Travers City, Mich., waited to board a transport plane out of Iraq yesterday.
Charges against Julian Edelman dropped
Prosecutors said they would not be able to meet their burden of proof in the case against Edelman, who was arrested on Halloween after allegedly groping a woman.
“This one strikes at the heart. It’s one of the most dreaded fears of parents.”
Rich Robison, on allegations of abuse by a teacher’s aide
Inside The Boston Globe
Columnists
Metro
Andover slayings stun town
Friends of John and Geraldine Magee, who were found fatally shot on Wednesday morning, said they could not imagine anyone who would wish them harm.
Business
Chinese turn to Boston for job-training techniques
Visitors from Beijing Polytechnic learned about the YMCA job training program that teaches computer and administrative skills to low-income job seekers.
Politics
Political Notebook
Professor derides Iowans’ fitness to caucus and stirs a storm
Only a few weeks before the first Republican presidential contest, some Iowans are on the attack like never before.
Nation & World
Ariz. sheriff accused of bias toward Latinos
The Justice Department accused Joe Arpaio of engaging in “unconstitutional policing’’ by unfairly targeting Latinos for detentions and arrests and retaliating against those who complain.
Sports
Red Sox content to wait for a closer to emerge
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington is prepared to go into spring training not knowing for sure who his closer will be.
Movies
Movie Review
Tom Cruise’s latest ‘Mission,’ should you choose to accept it
Cruise ramps up the intensity in “Ghost Protocol.”
Arts
The heyday of Hans Haacke
The List Visual Arts Center has mounted a series of four solo shows devoted to artists associated with MIT in the ’60s and ’70s. The latest is a fascinating show by Haacke.
Fall All-Scholastics
All-Scholastics
Fall All-Scholastics: Honoring the area’s best
A Boston Globe tradition continues as we toast local athletes from Barnstable to Georgetown for their achievements this fall.
Opinion
“The conflict is real, the people are real, and the grievances are real on both sides: Israel’s unquestionable right to security, and Palestinians’ right to self-rule.”
John E. Sununu
Ideas
The ability to coordinate among the different senses seems to be something the brain learns; we’re not born being able to do it.
Courtney Humphries