A politician who thrives in informal settings is trying to meet the more scripted speaking demands of a general election campaign.

McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter

Mike Mussina stifled the Boston Red Sox for six shutout innings Saturday, giving the Yankees their first win in three games in this series.

Mussina Wins Again After Rivera Saves Himself

A $740,000 severance package negotiated by the departing superintendent at the Keansburg Board of Education is being challenged in court.

School Official in Dispute With State on Severance

In this multilayered first novel set in 1950s Cuba, American expatriates try to bury their dark pasts, even as the Castro brothers gather revolutionaries in the hills.

Livin’ La Vida Local

On the lip of the Gobi Desert, sand and tourists threaten Mogaoku’s singular art.

Buddha’s Caves

Protesters track Bishop Joseph A. Galante’s schedule, turning up with signs and prayers, hoping to persuade him to change his mind about closing their parishes.

Bishop in the Middle (of Protests Over Closings)

Owners of large vehicles have hit an uncomfortable price milestone and are cutting back on recreational driving.

At $100 for Tank of Gas, Some Choke on ‘Fill It’

The writing on an ancient stone may contribute to a re-evaluation of popular and scholarly views of Jesus.

Ancient Tablet Ignites Debate on Messiah and Resurrection

The idea of a rock-music theme park may seem a strange marriage, but it is also a sign that in a changing music industry, rock ’n’ roll has been forced to become more creative in attracting audiences.

Did Bob Marley Grow Up in a Water Park?

Kelly McMaster’s alternately nostalgic and outraged memoir is her way of apologizing to her hometown for being ashamed of it.

You Can Go Home Again, and Write About It

With the last legal cloud that was lingering over Martin Tankleff gone, he is marveling at the many chance encounters and coincidences that eventually freed him in December.

Perseverance and Chance Led to Reversal in ’88 Murders

A quarter to a half of the surfers in New Jersey may be middle-age or older, according to people who follow the sport.

Endless Summer, Indeed

Despite a ferocious start from her sister Serena, Venus Williams was able to absorb the shock and went on to a 7-5, 6-4 victory, her fifth Wimbledon singles title.

All-Williams Wimbledon Final Is All Venus

Nearly half of the $900 million the presidential candidates have spent on their campaigns has been paid to just a few dozen companies.

Cashing In on Obama and McCain

A program takes a peer-based approach to reducing violence among prisoners, based on the idea that they will help others understand their behavior and help curb it.

Program Aims to Curb Violence by Inmates

As more families stay in New York City, the patter of little feet is becoming a major source of complaints from the neighbors.

The Noise Children Make

A photographer navigates the Afghan capital with his camera.

Back in Kabul, Never at Peace

The life of Ed Burns, a cop turned schoolteacher turned screenwriter and co-creator, becomes inspiration for HBO’s “The Wire” and for a new mini-series.

After ‘The Wire,’ Moving On to Battles Beyond the Streets

With 806 horsepower, the ultralight Koenigsegg CCX is an approachable supercar — if you approach with $1.05 million.

Who Wants to Drive a Millionaire?

Businesses are proposing alternatives to laws with harsh punishments for hiring illegal immigrants, reopening a rift in the Republican Party.

Employers Fight Tough Measures on Immigration

Americans have seen the current oil crisis coming for 30 years. But analysts say chances to head it off were ignored, missed or blocked.

American Energy Policy, Asleep at the Spigot

Architects and buyers show a growing fascination with the Arts and Crafts style developed in the early 20th century.

House Is New, but Style Is Classic

The president of the University of Connecticut, a onetime “safety school” that now boasts sparkling new buildings and attractive programs, plans to raise its profile.

Shedding the ‘Safe’ Label

The views from Boscobel are astonishing, but so are the views inside the historic home, which is displaying a selection of 19th-century American paintings.

A Panoramic Subject for Artists

Two recent incidents have ignited the perpetual debate over how harshly a school should deal with an unruly student, and what responsibility parents bear for that youngster’s behavior.

July 6, 2008

Headlines from July 6, 2008

McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter

Mussina Wins Again After Rivera Saves Himself

School Official in Dispute With State on Severance

Livin’ La Vida Local

Buddha’s Caves

Billboard 200

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends

Tha Carter III

Camp Rock

NOW 28

Definition Of Real

Historical Context for July 6, 2008