Sleep disorders common among police
A Brigham and Women’s Hospital national study found that 26 percent of officers fall asleep while driving at least once a month because of drowsiness.
Deal extends Medicaid funding in Mass.
The $26.75 billion plan, which is vital to the state’s innovative health insurance law, extends the so-called Medicaid waiver through mid-2014.
Romney offers ‘closing argument’ speech
The Republican candidate roundly criticized Barack Obama and said the 2012 election will be “a battle for America’s soul.”
House rejects two-month extension of payroll tax cut
Millions of Americans could see smaller paychecks in January if lawmakers don’t solve the latest example of political gridlock.
Weta Digital via REUTERS
EXCLUSIVE WEDNESDAY PREVIEW | MOVIE REVIEW
‘Tintin’ is a timeless adventure that sadly keeps its distance
With motion-capture technology and CGI, “The Adventures of Tintin’’ is a model of modern movie craftsmanship but, sadly, it’s also rather dull.
Exclusive Wednesday Preview | Food
The enduring appeal of gingerbread
This old-fashioned cake is one of the simplest confections in any baker’s repertoire and the taste is powerful enough to evoke childhood memories.
In swift decision, Mehanna convicted of terror charges
The trial ended when a jury, after 10 hours of deliberations, found that the Sudbury resident conspired to support Al Qaeda.
“We accept the jury’s verdict, but today is not the last chapter. I know that he knows in his heart he is not guilty.”
J.W. Carney Jr., Tarek Mehanna’s defense attorney
Inside The Boston Globe
Columnists
Metro
Postal Santa tries to deliver on letter requests
Operation Santa is a project of the USPS to connect families in need with families who want to help. This year, the Boston office received 1,200 letters from parents in need.
Business
Stocks soar on Europe hopes, housing report
The Dow jumped 337 points today on news that US builders broke ground last month on the most houses in over a year.
Politics
Polls have Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich tied for GOP lead
Two new polls indicate that the race is likely to be a close one, as voters approach the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses and the Jan. 10 New Hampshire primary.
Nation & World
Kim Jong Il’s body put on display in North Korea
As the country mourned Kim’s death, state media fed a budding personality cult around his anointed heir, Kim Jong Un, hailing him as a ‘‘lighthouse of hope.”
Sports
Patriots now have clear path to No. 1 seed
Thanks to the Steelers’ loss, if the Patriots win out, they will be the top seed in the AFC and hold home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Lifestyle
TV’s best dressed: Behind the seams
What’s the best-dressed show? With the exception of “Mad Men’’ and “Gossip Girl,’’ which have officially been retired to the Globe’s hall of fame, here are a few contenders for the title.
Arts
FRAME BY FRAME
At the scene of slaughter, a visual triumph
Everything is lovingly described in the “Butcher Shop’’ at the MFA from the blood pooling beneath the ox’s nose to the nicks and chalk marks on the timber column behind.
Best of the new
Best of the New
Boston’s best people and ideas of 2011
Safer neighborhoods, quieter commutes, and one really brainy historian.
Opinion
“My case for awarding the Great Negotiator Award to Kim Jong Il spotlights his success in nuclear negotiations with President George W. Bush.”
Graham Allison
Ideas
As tempting as it might be to imagine the Christmas trees we see today in public parks and central plazas as a quaint relic of small town life, it turns out that our modern public trees have politics woven right into their roots.
Leon Neyfakh