Pakistan is urbanizing fast, and powerful forces of change are chipping away at the landed aristocracy.

Upstarts Chip Away at Power of Pakistani Elite

The president has made war decisions after agonizing deliberation but also with dizzying swiftness, while he and the military have had a sometimes edgy relationship.

For Obama, Steep Learning Curve as Chief in War

The French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis disclosed its $18.5 billion bid for the American biotechnology firm Genzyme.

Sanofi’s Bid Puts Pressure on Genzyme

While China owes its rapid growth to private business, it is often the state’s companies that are on the march, in part because of state-bank financing and stimulus spending.

China Fortifies State Businesses to Fuel Growth

Ivan Nova gave up one run and five hits while striking out seven in five and two-thirds innings to earn his first major league victory.

Rookie Nova Delivers Outing Yankees Have Been Missing

“True Prep,” Lisa Birnbach’s successor to “The Official Preppy Handbook,” addresses the adult world of funerals and second marriages and the post-1980 world of cellphones, the Internet and synthetic fleece.

Preppily Perplexed? A New Guidebook

Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill and other stars revisited their defining works at the Rock the Bells festival on Governors Island.

Hip-Hop History, Recreated by Those Who Made It

A proposed skyscraper two blocks west of the Empire State Building has New York City divided.

Fighting Words

An answer in the Q&A column on Aug. 15 about an overnight trip to York and Durham in England misstated the room rate for the Alexander House in York; rates are £42.50 per person in a double, not simply £42.50 for a double. The answer also referred incorrectly to York Minster’s great east window, the largest sheet of medieval stained glass in the world. The window is now covered while it undergoes a restoration, so it cannot in fact be viewed at this time. 

Corrections

An answer in the Q&A column on Aug. 15 about Balboa Island in Orange County in California misstated the length of time a ferry from Balboa Peninsula to the island takes; it is about 4 minutes, not 30. 

You are West, defending against four spades. You lead the club ace: ten, deuce, three. Partner’s deuce is, by partnership agreement, a suit-preference signal for diamonds. What do you do next? 

A Defensive Maneuver Proves Worthy of a Trophy

The pianist Steven Beck’s Bargemusic program included Debussy, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg’s 12-tone Suite for Piano.

Finding Poetry in Schoenberg’s Hurdles

Members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have rejected a contract offer, leaving the way open for a strike.

Detroit Symphony Players Reject Contract Proposals

For the Sept. 14 opening-night performance of its inaugural fall season, New York City Ballet has announced reduced ticket prices.

Footnote

Brooke Shields broke her hand during rehearsals for a show in Los Angeles; the first Horton Foote Prize for playwrights has been awarded for two plays.

Theatrical Spills and Award Thrills

A toilet that once belonged to John Lennon was sold for £9,500 (about $14,700) at an auction in Liverpool on Saturday, Reuters reported.

A Beatle’s Toilet Gets Top Dollar

A PG-13 rating and a wide release helped push the horror movie “The Last Exorcism” to No. 1 at the box office.

‘Last Exorcism’ Tops Slow Weekend at the Movies

Paris Hilton was arrested in Las Vegas late Friday night on suspicion of felony cocaine possession after a small container of the drug fell out of her purse in full view of a police officer, The Associated Press reported.

Paris Hilton Arrested on Drug Charge

Leonardo DiCaprio won victories in court last week against two women he had accused of abusive behavior.

Court Wins for Dicaprio

Rafael Nadal disdains historical discussions, but the more he wins, the more he invites comparisons he does not want to make.

Finding Spot in History Without Looking

Economic reports, corporate earnings and hearings this week in Washington.

Economic Reports This Week

The Yankees starter has had tough time getting out hitters and holding on base runners, potentially jeopardizing his spot in the rotation.

Burnett’s Struggles Don’t End at Hitters

Bobby Parnell throws hard, but he has not performed consistently enough to assume the Mets’ closer role left vacant by Francisco Rodriguez.

Contrasts In Search For a Closer

Our dams, railways, levees and water systems may look impressive. As long as you don’t look too closely.

August 29, 2010

Headlines from August 29, 2010

Upstarts Chip Away at Power of Pakistani Elite

For Obama, Steep Learning Curve as Chief in War

Sanofi’s Bid Puts Pressure on Genzyme

China Fortifies State Businesses to Fuel Growth

Rookie Nova Delivers Outing Yankees Have Been Missing

Billboard 200

Recovery

The Suburbs

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam

Order Of The Black

My World 2.0

Historical Context for August 29, 2010