By Matt Viser

President Obama got an unexpected boost on Friday, with the unemployment rate dropping below 8 percent for the first time since he took office.

FBI says firm illegally sold items to Russia

By Juan A. Lozano

Federal agents arrested the owner of Arc Electronics Inc. and seven of his employees, who are accused of being involved in a scheme to illicitly sell military technology to Russia.

San Francisco’s new Roman Catholic archbishop made self-deprecating jokes about his recent drunken-driving arrest during his formal installation ceremony.

British court rules five terrorism suspects can be extradited

By Alan Cowelland Sarah Lyall

The British Home Office said the men, including Islamist preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri, were put on a plane bound for the United States within hours of the ruling.

US officials confirmed Friday that two ­Tunisian men had been detained in Turkey in connection with the attack on a US diplomatic post in Libya on Sept. 11.

Kenyan torture victims can sue UK

The High Court ruled Friday that three elderly Kenyans tortured during a rebellion against British colonial rule can proceed with compensation claims.

Renée Loth

New app makes Boston a ‘museum without walls’

By Renée Loth

From the sublime (the Hancock tower) to the insouciant (the “Make Way for Ducklings” sculpture), the sites and their explanations slowly accumulate into what CultureNOW calls a “museum without walls.”

opinion | michael kranish

The day baseball left town

By Michael Kranish

Baseball really is back in Washington, and so, too, is a piece of my childhood.

LAWRENCE HARMON

By Lawrence Harmon

The Menino administration has proposed an ordinance that requires owners of 140,000 apartment units to submit to mandatory inspections once every three years.

After Aly Raisman’s Olympic glory, gymnasts stream to local gym

By John Powers

Ever since his star pupil won two gold medals, Mihai Brestyan’s Burlington gym has been jammed with everyone from toddlers to transfers from around the country.

By Liz Kowalczyk and Kay Lazar

The Framingham company implicated in a nationwide meningitis outbreak apparently took thousands of orders from doctors, clinics, and hospitals in at least 23 states.

By Brian Ballou and John R. Ellement

The fallout continued from the scandal linked to chemist Annie Dookhan, as a district attorney estimated that as many as 300 to 500 inmates could potentially be freed.

Clothing stores court men with free beer, big-screen TVs

By Jenn Abelson

Retailers in Boston aim to capture a larger share of the menswear business by offering personalized services that almost disguise the fact men are shopping.

Romney indirectly aided PBS as governor

By Todd Wallack

Mitt Romney signed a film tax credit bill that indirectly created a huge pool of funding for WGBH and other Massachusetts companies that make shows for public television.

By Megan Woolhouse

The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in nearly four years, and employers added jobs for the 24th consecutive month as the economy continued its slow recovery.

Eric Hobsbawm; historian took people’s view

By Robert Barr

Mr. Hobsbawm, who was one of Britain’s most distinguished historians despite retaining his allegiance to the Communist Party, died Monday at the age of 95.

Ngyen Chi Thien, dissident poet from Vietnam

Nguyen Chi Thien, who spent nearly 30 years in communist prisons in his native country, died in a Southern California hospital Tuesday at age 73.

By William J. Broad

Dr. Christy, who while working on the Manhattan Project came up with a critical insight that led to the creation of the world’s first atomic bomb, died Wednesday at age 96.

After Aly Raisman’s Olympic glory, gymnasts stream to local gym

By John Powers

Ever since his star pupil won two gold medals, Mihai Brestyan’s Burlington gym has been jammed with everyone from toddlers to transfers from around the country.

John Farrell is flawed candidate for Red Sox

By Peter Abraham

It sounds illogical, but what could make John Farrell available to become the next manager of the Red Sox is the fact that he hasn’t found success in that job with the Blue Jays.

‘White Shadow’ led to basketball boon in Turkey

By Gary Washburn

Ask any Turkish citizen over the age of 35 what led to the stunning growth of basketball during the 1980s, and they’ll credit Coolidge, Salami, Gomez, and Coach Reeves.

Climate change helps local man set Arctic sailing record

By Bella English

With an assist from global warming, Cambridge’s Morgan Peissel, 25, and his two shipmates achieved the northernmost Northwest Passage ever made.

From the Archives

From Globe archives: Pope John Paul II visits Boston

On Oct. 1, 1979, Pope John Paul II passed people lined up on Boylston Street in a black limousine with a sunroof, through which he stood for his welcoming procession through the city. Wearing a red hat as protection against the sporadic rainfall, the pope smiled broadly and waved continuously at the thousands lining the streets.

Classical Notes

New leader hopes to boost Boston Baroque’s visibility

By David Weininger

Trained as a tenor, new executive director Miguel A. Rodriguez has worked with Opera Boston, the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and Boston Musica Viva.