Romney’s culture remark offers peek at worldview

By Matt Viser

Mitt Romney triggered a firestorm this week when he said that some economies are more vibrant than their neighbors because of their cultures.

Researchers fear wallop of mandated budget cuts

By Bobby Caina Calvan

Worried researchers are leaving laboratories to roam the halls of Washington to fight cuts they contend will set back research on diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

By Don Babwin and Michael Tarm

A judge said he believes Drew Peterson can receive a fair trial in his murder case on Thursday, but not before he chided prosecutors for entering inadmissible evidence and even criticizing them in front of jurors. Testimony resumed with paramedics and a locksmith, shortly after an in-court legal drama that came close to ending the high-profile trial before it had barely begun.

Citing UN’s failures, Syria peace envoy quits

By Elizabeth A. Kennedy and John Heilprin

Kofi Annan ­announced his resignation Thursday as peace envoy to ­Syria and issued a blistering critique of world powers.

Many in Somalia will miss Abdi Jeylani Malaq’s ability to make them laugh as they try to overcome some 20 years of conflict.

China jails 20 tied to Web activism

China has sentenced 20 people to up to 15 years in jail for advocating violence and separatism in the region of Xinjiang, where the government has clamped down on dissent.

opinion | Rob Anderson

Are gay adults doing enough to help gay teens?

By Rob Anderson

The founder of Camp Lightbulb in Provincetown hopes to help answer the question by creating a safe place where lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teenagers can just be kids.

opinion | Joshua Green

By Joshua Green

After the November election, white men will constitute a minority of the Democratic House caucus for the first time in history.

CARLO ROTELLA

Clear the clutter; get rid of unneeded toys

By Carlo Rotella

Five (or six) toys to bring to a desert island.

By Chelsea Conaboy

The plans pay higher fees to many hospitals and doctors than the traditional Medicaid program. In the 2011 fiscal year, the higher payments cost taxpayers $328 million.

Kayla Harrison overcame abuse en route to gold

By Shira Springer

Winning judo gold wasn’t the biggest challenge for the Marblehead 22-year-old, who had been devastated after years of sexual abuse by a former coach.

By Kay Lazar

An unusual case at Boston Children’s Hospital is prompting an alert about heavy metal poisoning from remedies found in many immigrant cultures.

By Robert Weisman

Signature Healthcare in Brockton is pursuing a clinical affiliation with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a move that would end Signature’s partnership with Tufts Medical Center.

Mass. retailers look for lift over tax-free weekend

By Jenn Abelson

Merchants say the sales tax holiday is an important edge to get back-to-school shoppers offline and into stores.

Judge rules against doctor in home inventions case

By Robert Weisman

A judge dismissed a lawsuit by MGH urologist Joseph A. Grocela seeking rights to inventions he devised on his own time.

Joseph Zaitchik; UMass professor penned novel

By Emma Stickgold

A longtime English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Dr. Zaitchik wrote “The ­Fitting,” and an award-winning play. He died July 18.

George A. Miller; helped transform the study of psychology; at 92

By Emily Langer

The iconoclastic scholar helped topple the behaviorist school of psychology and replace it with cognitive science, a shift that amounted to no less than a revolution in the study of the mind.

By Andrew Meacham

Mr. Loebel, a nonconformist whose brand of direct marketing has become a household name, died July 28.

Kayla Harrison overcame abuse en route to gold

By Shira Springer

Winning judo gold wasn’t the biggest challenge for the Marblehead 22-year-old, who had been devastated after years of sexual abuse by a former coach.

By John Powers

Gabrielle Douglas became the first US female gymnast to claim gold in both the team and individual events in the same Games. Needham’s Aly Raisman lost a tiebreaker and was fourth.

In their final showdown, Phelps edges Lochte for gold

By Paul Newberry

Michael Phelps added to his record Olympic medal total with gold in the 200-meter individual medley, just ahead of fellow American Ryan Lochte.

Movie Review

New version of ‘Total Recall’ comes up a little short

By Ty Burr

This remake of “Total Recall,” the 1990 science-fiction movie, has excellent production design and starts well before it works its way toward average.

Art Review

‘Inspirare’ is a column of light in center of learning

By Sebastian Smee

In the middle of the court at Mount Holyoke College’s Williston Memorial Library is an elegant stone structure from the 16th century.

Movie Review

‘Ai Weiwei’: art and the activist

By Ty Burr

Alison Klayman’s documentary about the Chinese sculptor-provocateur is one of the most powerfully engaging movies of the year.