AP - Damnation was the dominant theme Saturday in a new Vienna State Opera production of Charles Gounod's Faust. But redemption triumphed in the form of wonderful singing and a powerful orchestral performance.

Reuters - Kenny Chesney does his heroes George Strait and Jimmy Buffett proud on his latest set, which has a free-and-easy feel befitting its island inspiration.

Reuters - The big-screen adaptation of Jeanne Duprau's children's book "City of Ember" stalls at the intersection of fantasy and science fiction.

Reuters - It takes Christina Applegate approximately 45 seconds in the second-season premiere of ABC's "Samantha Who?" to dispel any lingering discomfort the audience might have with the star's summertime diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent double mastectomy.

AP - "The Ayatollah Begs to Differ — The Paradox of Modern Iran" (Doubleday. 273 pages. $24.95), by Hooman Majd: Should Iranian diplomats pursue their duties in neatly creased trousers, as their Western counterparts tend to do?

AP - Maybe it's true that "fall season" is an outdated concept in a world where TV series are introduced year-round. But if there were a Fall TV Season '08, the harvest would include only three more notable new shows.

AP - "The Ayatollah Begs to Differ — The Paradox of Modern Iran" (Doubleday. 273 pages. $24.95), by Hooman Majd: Should Iranian diplomats pursue their duties in neatly creased trousers, as their Western counterparts tend to do?

AP - "Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream" (Wiley, 544 pages, $29.95), by Steven Watts: In 1953, Hugh Hefner was a young man in Chicago with an unimpressive resume and big plans. He would start a men's magazine geared toward young urbanites such as himself with lifestyle tips and racy pictures.

AP - Some nightmares are even more vivid on stage. There's an immediacy to the horror that goes beyond terror and into shock.

Reuters - The proverb says you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But what about when friend and enemy is one and the same -- and both happen to be you?

Reuters - It takes Christina Applegate approximately 45 seconds in the second-season premiere of ABC's "Samantha Who?" to dispel any lingering discomfort the audience might have with the star's summertime diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent double mastectomy.

AP - In the world of sports video games, not much can really change year to year. The game at its core is the same, but it's what video-game developers add that makes it worth spending the cash.