More than 100 domestic commercial flights are officially late 70 percent or more of the time, an analysis found.

Booked on AA Flight 1659? Better Take a Book

The Mets finished off their sweep of the Atlanta Braves, rallying behind six strong innings from Tom Glavine and a two-run homer by David Wright.

With Sweep, Mets Create a Little Room

The collection of a 137-year-old family services agency in Manhattan is going public, and it includes notes and letters that arrived with abandoned infants.

Glimpses of Heartache, and Stories of Survival

Even before being on the losing end of one of the great upsets in college football history, Lloyd Carr’s future as Michigan’s head coach was uncertain. 

Upset in the Books, Focus Now Shifts to a Coach’s Future

Serena Williams defeated Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-4 to open Sunday’s action and Venus Williams, three hours later, crushed the French Open finalist, Ana Ivanovic, 6-4, 6-2.

Williams Sisters Shopping for Semifinal Match

Ahmed Zayat and Earle Mack hope that naming a racehorse after the famous Jewish philosopher Maimonides will spread a message of peace.  

Colt Serves as a Reminder of a Philosopher’s Reach

Ann Packer follows up her best seller with a second novel of moral complexity.

Dark Themes Cloaked in Everyday Detail

Appalachian State’s stunning upset of Michigan was not as great a shock to those who have followed the I-AA team.

A Football Goliath Faced a Proud, Talented David

Representative Tim Mahoney has emphasized his outrage over the financial cost of the war in Iraq.

Democrat Focuses on the Financial Toll

The stability of  New York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, who will likely become the longest-serving chancellor, stands in contrast to the schools themselves.

School Year’s About to Start, and So, Too, Is a Big Change

Reviews of new releases by Manu Chao, Yung Joc, Christian Scott, Just Jack and Chiodos.

New CDs

Arab tribes accused of massacring civilians in Darfur are now turning their considerable firepower on one another.

Chaos in Darfur Rises as Arabs Fight With Arabs

Some policy makers caution that the central bank’s main tool to keep the economy from sliding into recession may be ill-suited to the problem it faces.

Few Expect a Panacea in a Rate Cut by the Fed

A Methodist organization that owns all the land in Ocean Grove, N.J., has sought to block civil union ceremonies.

Civil Union Dispute Pits Methodist Retreat Against Gays Who Aided in Its Rebirth

A rebel of China’s avant-garde reinvents himself as a painter, sculptor and installation artist.

Provocateur’s Products Roll Off the Assembly Line

At Maverick Concerts, a scaled-down vision of David Del Tredici’s “Final Alice” underscored aspects overshadowed by the voluptuousness of the original work.

What a Curious Feeling! Making a Big Idea Small

Senator Lamar Alexander is opposed to a fixed withdrawal but wants a change of mission.

A G.O.P. Senator Charts a Middle Path

Hollywood had one of its best summers in recent history, but the studios are not quite popping the Champagne.

As Labor Talks Near, Studios Play Down Numbers

The company plans to make available free software that connects its Windows operating system to software services delivered on the Internet.

Software via the Internet: Microsoft in ‘Cloud’ Computing

Two announcements Sunday appeared intended to enforce Iran’s refusal to back down in the face of stepped-up pressure from the United States.

On Two Fronts, One Nuclear, Iran Is Defiant

Insurance companies have become a new villain in the tales people tell about the slow recovery in Louisiana.

Insurers Bear Brunt of Anger in New Orleans

Network executives as well as the program’s producer continued to express confidence that the reality show would go on as planned.

CBS Backs ‘Kid Nation’ Despite Outcry

John Clancy, the New York writer, director and producer, has been named the winner of the first Edinburgh International Festival award, Reuters reported.

Edinburgh Festival Honors New Yorker

Vaclav Havel withdraws play from Czech theater, Edinburgh festival honors New Yorker, TNT stands fast on “Law & Order” and more culture news.

Arts, Briefly

Vaclav Havel, the former Czech president, has withdrawn his eagerly anticipated new drama from the National Theater in Prague after it refused to allow his wife to play the leading role, The Guardian of London reported. Mr. Havel, right, 70, who retired from the presidency four years ago, maintains that he wrote the play, “Odchazeni” (“Leaving”), for his wife, Dagmar Havlova, and said that if she could not star in it, he would take it to another theater. The play deals with the problems of a former high-ranking politician in surrendering the trappings of power. Although Mr. Havel’s stance has led to accusations that he is being highhanded, he said that he had promised his wife for years that they would collaborate onstage and that she inspired him to write the play. “She was present when I was writing it in the U.S. some months ago,” he said. Referring to the presidency, he said: “She lived alongside me. I wrote it for her. I imagined her being in it.” Ms. Havlova, who called the dispute “undignified and embarrassing,” has independently announced her withdrawal from the production. The National Theater said its policy is not to allow guest actors. The theater’s director, Ondrej Cerny, said, “The National Theater would still like to perform the newest Vaclav Havel drama, and we will try to open new talks.”.

Havel Withdraws Playfrom Czech Theater

Jeffrey Carter Albrecht was an American musician best known for his keyboard and guitar work in Edie Brickell & New Bohemians.

Carter Albrecht, American keyboard player and guitarist (born 1973)

Carter_Albrecht

Sydney Keepa Jackson was a prominent Māori activist, trade unionist and leader.

Syd Jackson, New Zealand trade union leader and activist (born 1939)

Syd_Jackson_(Māori_activist)

Jane Emily Tomlinson, was an amateur English athlete who raised £1.85 million for charity by completing a series of athletic challenges, despite suffering from terminal cancer.

Jane Tomlinson, English runner (born 1964)

Jane_Tomlinson

James Stephen Fossett was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer. He was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon and in a fixed-wing aircraft. He made his fortune in the financial services industry and held world records for five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a long-distance solo balloonist, as a sailor, and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot.

September 3, 2007

Headlines from September 3, 2007

Booked on AA Flight 1659? Better Take a Book

With Sweep, Mets Create a Little Room

Glimpses of Heartache, and Stories of Survival

Upset in the Books, Focus Now Shifts to a Coach’s Future

Williams Sisters Shopping for Semifinal Match

Billboard 200

High School Musical 2

Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus

Live At Radio City

NOW 25

Hairspray

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for September 3, 2007