US academia split over boycott targeting Israel

The decision by a US organization of scholars to boycott Israeli academic institutions has ignited debate on college campuses.

Iraqi police officers guard the entrance of St. Joseph's Chaldean Church before a Christmas mass in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013. Militants on Wednesday launched two separate attacks against Christians in Baghdad, officials said.

Dozens killed in Iraqi bombings

Two deadly Christmas Day bombings in Baghdad targeted Christian areas of the city.

Mayor Menino talked gifts with Steven Dorosareo, 7, of Dorchester. Rhianna Dagraca, 2, of Medford is in the foreground.

Menino’s annual Christmas Eve stroll emotional

In his final days in office, Mayor Menino kept up his ritual of walking down the streets of the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood.

Dozens of diners, staff, and race watchers were injured at the Forum restaurant because of the Marathon attack. The restaurant didn’t reopen until August.

Top stories in business news for the year 2013

We asked readers to vote on the year’s top local business stories. Here’s what they chose.

One dead in early-morning shooting in Dorchester

A person was killed early this morning after shots were fired outside a house party early Christmas morning on Wales Street, police said.

On Christmas, Pope Francis hopes ‘for a better world’

Francis spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to some 70,000 cheering tourists, pilgrims, and Romans in the square below.

A child listened as Pope Francis spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

A child listened as Pope Francis spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

US Major General James C. McConville, left, posed with soldiers (and Santa) at Camp Clark in eastern Afghanistan.

Rahmat Gul/AP

US Major General James C. McConville, left, posed with soldiers (and Santa) at Camp Clark in eastern Afghanistan.

Pope Francis delivered his first

OSSERVATORE ROMANO/REUTERS

Pope Francis delivered his first "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

‘True peace is not a balancing of opposing forces. It’s not a lovely facade which conceals conflicts and divisions,’’ the pope said.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

‘True peace is not a balancing of opposing forces. It’s not a lovely facade which conceals conflicts and divisions,’’ the pope said.

A US soldier with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force posed at a Christmas ceremony in Logar province, eastern Afghanistan.

Rahmat Gul/AP

A US soldier with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force posed at a Christmas ceremony in Logar province, eastern Afghanistan.

Swiss guards in their traditional uniforms watched Pope Francis.

ETTORE FERRARI/EPA

Swiss guards in their traditional uniforms watched Pope Francis.

Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I lead a Christmas mass at the Greek Orthodox patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in Istanbul, Turkey.

MURAD SEZER/REUTERS

Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I lead a Christmas mass at the Greek Orthodox patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in Istanbul, Turkey.

Carabinieri, Italian special police, arrived in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Carabinieri, Italian special police, arrived in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

A Christian worshipper prayed during the Christmas mass at the Church of the Nativity  in Bethlehem.

Oren Ziv/Getty Images

A Christian worshipper prayed during the Christmas mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

A Christian worshipper used her iPad to take photos during a Christmas mass at the Church of the Nativity.

Oren Ziv/Getty Images

A Christian worshipper used her iPad to take photos during a Christmas mass at the Church of the Nativity .

A worshipper in a Santa hat prayed during the Christmas mass at the Church of the Nativity.

Oren Ziv

A worshipper in a Santa hat prayed during the Christmas mass at the Church of the Nativity .

A Romanian woman held a burning candle in the Orthodox church of Malaia village, about 150 miles north-west of Bucharest, Romania.

ROBERT GHEMENT/EPA

A Romanian woman held a burning candle in the Orthodox church of Malaia village, about 150 miles north-west of Bucharest, Romania.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II received gifts from children in Sandringham, England.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II received gifts from children in Sandringham, England.

Pakistani Christians attended mass in Karachi. Christians make up about 1.6 percent of Pakistan’s population.

Fareed Khan/AP

Pakistani Christians attended mass in Karachi. Christians make up about 1.6 percent of Pakistan’s population.

Indonesian Javanese Christians children prepared to perform during the Rainwater ritual known as 'Ngunduh Hujan' as part a Christmas celebration.

Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Indonesian Javanese Christians children prepared to perform during the Rainwater ritual known as 'Ngunduh Hujan' as part a Christmas celebration.

Movie REview

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2013/12/13/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/HER-FP-0882.jpg In love with ‘Her’

Joaquin Phoenix is superb in the touching meditation on what it means to be human and where our machines may be taking us.

Movie Review

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2013/12/24/BostonGlobe.com/Arts/Images/PP-2302-EditR_rgb--90x90.jpg The analog life of Stiller’s ‘Mitty’

Ben Stiller updates James Thurber’s 1939 short story and creates a trenchant if uneven parable about the fate of the imagination in the digital age.

Opinion

Larry Tye

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2013/12/25/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/1225oped_tye-868.jpg Bridging the care gap

Things have improved dramatically — but not enough — in rooting out hospital miscues and keeping patients from being readmitted.

Sports

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