Supreme Court to hear same-sex marriage cases from Calif., N.Y.

By Milton Valencia and Tracy Jan

It will decide whether same-sex married couples can be deprived of federal benefits, and it will review a state ban on same-sex marriage.

By Barbara Surk

Rebels said the regime has stationed troops and elite forces there as well as military planes that transport ammunition.

Mich. governor says he’ll sign right-to-work bill

By Chris Christoff

The plan prompted demonstrations in the Lansing Capitol by hundreds of chanting union supporters.

Egypt president turns to Islamist supporters

By David D. Kirkpatrick

Facing the most serious crisis of his presidency, Mohammed Morsi is leaning more than ever on his Islamist allies.

Long-exiled Hamas leader visits Gaza Strip

By Steven Erlanger

It was a symbolically powerful visit that sought to reinforce Hamas’ contention that it was victorious in its eight-day violent clash with Israel.

By Max Seddon

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev defended new laws that rolled back his own as Russia’s previous president.

John A. Farrell

Tip’s ‘creative fidelity’

By John A. Farrell

Reflecting on what would be Thomas P. O’Neill’s 100th birthday: At the core of his greatness was authenticity and adaptability.

Renée Loth

Extend the rights of victims

By Renée Loth

The batterers don’t care about citizenship or sexual orientation when they terrorize their partners. Neither should Congress.

Lawrence Harmon

Declaring peace in teacher contract talks

By Lawrence Harmon

There’s got to be a better way to improve schools while ensuring fairness for teachers. It turns out there is a better method — something labor experts call interest-based bargaining.

Missed chance to stop accused Wakefield abuser

By Michael Rezendes and Peter Schworm

Officials say two early cases went nowhere because the families decided not to cooperate.

By Martine Powers

Parents and child advo­cates said the Wakefield day-care abuse case highlights the challenges of guarding against dangerous providers.

In Maynard, a new spin on Santa’s sleigh

By David Filipov

The big guy has been flying by helicopter to the Maynard Christmas Parade for two decades.

Despite drop in jobless rate, concerns remain

By Megan Woolhouse

Employers added more jobs than expected last month, but the rate of job growth remains so slow that it would take another decade to return to prerecession levels.

Locke-Ober auction marks an end to the venerable restaurant

By Laura Finaldi

Fond memories brought hundreds to the storied restaurant as items — mirrors, glassware, ashtrays, and table lamps — went on the auction block.

By Robert Weisman

In a terse statement, Boston-based Steward Health Care System said it was “unable to come to a definitive agreement” with Mercy Health System.

Henry Blackwell, 76, taxi driver-turned-English professor

By Melissa M. Werthmann

Dr. Blackwell taught at Boston College for 32 years and offered encouragement to students who had not seen their own potential.

Eileen Moran, 60, visual effects whiz for ‘Lord of the Rings’

By Douglas Martin

Ms. Moran worked closely with director James Cameron on ‘‘Avatar’’ and with director Peter Jackson on the ‘‘Lord of the Rings’’ trilogy and ‘‘The Hobbit.’’

Frederick Neumann, 86, actor devoted to Samuel Beckett’s work

By Bruce Weber

Mr. Neumann was an actor and director who helped forge the distinguished New York experimental troupe Mabou Mines.

76ers 95, Celtics 94

Celtics squander chances in overtime loss

By Gary Washburn

Rajon Rondo posted his first triple-double of the season but missed two buzzer-beaters as the Celtics fell to the Sixers.

Pedro Martinez says he pitched clean for Red Sox

By Peter Abraham

He offered no firm opinion on the Hall of Fame candidacies of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, but said he was clean during the “Steroid Era.”

Trevor Scott came through for Patriots

By Michael Whitmer

With Chandler Jones and Jermaine Cunningham out, Scott forced a fumble and had two sacks against the Dolphins.

Program trains youth sports coaches to accentuate the positive

By Joseph P. Kahn

CHAMPS Boston, a youth-development program, is responsible for training more than 3,500 coaches working with 75,000 young athletes in the Greater Boston area.

By Joseph P. Kahn

Six tips for youth sports coaches, from “The Power of Double-Goal Coaching,” by PCA founder Jim Thompson.

From the Archives

From Boston Globe archives: The attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack left more than 2,400 dead, 68 of them civilians after waves of Japanese carrier based fighters and bombers turned the naval base in Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor into an inferno.