Romney offers a message of hope and ‘lots of jobs’

By Matt Viser and Brian MacQuarrie

Mitt Romney cast himself as the embodiment of the American ideals of freedom and enterprise, pledging he would restore the promise that he said President Obama had failed to deliver.

NEWS ANALYSIS

Mitt Romney strives to strike a posture personable and presidential

By Scott Helman and Michael Kranish

He capped the Republicans’ big week with a message that carried an unlikely echo of the very president he is trying to unseat.

Weakening Isaac hovers over water-logged Louisiana

By Cain Burdeau and Michael Kunzelman

Isaac hovered over Louisiana for a third day, forcing authorities to mount evacuation and rescue operations as the rapidly rising waters swallowed entire neighborhoods.

By David E. Sanger

Iran has already installed three-quarters of the nuclear centrifuges it needs to complete a deep-underground site for the production of nuclear fuel, nuclear inspectors said.

By Rick Gladstone

Iran’s triumphal stewardship of the Nonaligned Movement summit meeting veered off script when two key guest speakers denounced a close Iranian ally.

By Matt Siegel

Ninety or more people remained missing Thursday after another maritime disaster for asylum seekers from the Middle East and Asia trying to reach Australia by sea.

Scot Lehigh

Policy trumps personality in this election

By Scot Lehigh

Even if voters come to see Mitt Romney as a fine fellow after all the humanizing that went on in the convention, perceptions of personality are likely to take a back seat to policy ideas this fall.

joanna weiss

Ann Romney overstepped by playing poor

By Joanna Weiss

At the convention, a smiling, sincere Ann Romney showed why she’s such a campaign asset. And then she ruined it all by pretending she once was poor.

Joshua Green

Deep tension at the GOP’s core

By Joshua Green

Four days of talking with Republican delegates, activists, and politicians made it clear that there is deep tension at the party’s core that Romney is trying to straddle.

Harvard investigates 125 students for cheating on final exam

By Mary Carmichael

About 125 undergraduates are accused of jointly submitting responses, some word-for-word identical, in violation of an explicit no-collaboration policy.

By Milton J. Valencia

State Police are concerned the handling of drug evidence could jeopardize thousands of prosecutions and convictions in Mass.

Backers call Boston coach a mentor; police say he’s a predator

By Wesley Lowery

Jose Ortega, 41, was arrested in July on charges that he sent sexually suggestive Facebook messages to a 12-year-old on one of his teams.

Settlement may mean lower e-book prices

By D.C. Denison

The $69 million deal to settle charges that publishers conspired to fix prices of electronic books sets the stage for the cost to consumers to drop as much as 30 percent.

Gas prices at record levels for Labor Day weekend

By Erin Ailworth

Gas in Massachusetts is as expensive as it’s ever been heading into the holiday, and prices continue to rise.

By Erin Ailworth

Analysts say the Cambridge pharmaceutical company’s highly anticipated treatment for chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome could bring in $1 billion a year.

Patrick and Rita Krolak; inspired and mentored others

By Bryan Marquard

Dr. Krolak was a consultant with the US Department of Transportation and a professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Mrs. Krolak was a research nurse.

Chris Lighty, hip-hop adviser who was behind top acts; 44

By Colleen Long

Mr. Lighty, who helped the likes of Sean “Diddy” Combs, 50 Cent, and Mariah Carey attain not only hit records, but also lucrative careers outside music, died in an apparent suicide.

By Laurence Arnold

Mr. Johnson, 82, was founder and chief executive of the Johnson Cos., a consulting firm in Newtown that played a key role in refashioning retirement savings in the 1980s.

Dan Shaughnessy

For Red Sox, a year of living dreadfully

By Dan Shaughnessy

It’s been quite a fall from being the “Best Team Ever.” Exactly a year ago, the Sox were still good. Since then, it’s been chaos.

Angels 5, Red Sox 2

Red Sox swept by Angels

By Peter Abraham

Jon Lester’s 121-pitch complete game came with a lack of significant run support, and the Sox lost all of their games vs. the Angels this year.

Christopher L. Gasper

NFL wrong to use replacement officials

By Christopher L. Gasper

The inability of the replacements to competently adjudicate games is a too great threat to the integrity of the NFL.

Boston Comedy Arts Festival takes a ‘Risk!’

By Joel Brown

It’s like any other 30th birthday celebration: filled with laughter and maybe a tear or two, a few embarrassing sexual anecdotes, and a visit from the Crime Solving Bear.

Boston Comedy Festival benefits from thriving national scene

By Nick A. Zaino III

Andy Kindler, who is among the headliners of this year’s festival, believes the current scene is as healthy as it has ever been.

Acts to catch at Boston comedy festivals

Boston is about to be deluged with comedy for the greater part of a month, with the Boston Comedy Arts Festival Sept. 4-9 and the Boston Comedy Festival Sept. 13-22.