NEW YORK The image of Ted Koppel interviewing world leaders is so ingrained that it feels odd to see him wearing a hardhat for a nervous trip into a Chinese coal mine, or sitting in a Chongqing karaoke bar where teenage girls are hired to "entertain" male customers.

NEW YORK The opening note of Bernd Alois Zimmermann's "Die Soldaten" has to be the most moving in opera when heard in David Pountney's production: The 974-seat bleacher containing the audience slowly starts to roll down train tracks in the Park Avenue Armory's Drill Hall, passing over a football field-length runway where most of the action takes place.

NEW YORK In the midst of mourning, members of the congregation led by gospel singer Timothy Wright raised their voices in praise and remembrance on Sunday, praying for their pastor's recovery and grieving the deaths of his wife and grandson in a head-on car crash.

LOS ANGELES Will Smith's box-office superpowers remain intact. Smith's "Hancock" - the story of a boozing, foul-mouthed superhero who dresses like a street bum - led the Fourth of July weekend with a $66 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday.

LOS ANGELES A Will Smith movie packs in millions of people over Fourth of July weekend. No surprises there.

DETROIT Singer-guitarist Jack White has penned a poem expressing his strong feelings for Detroit to clear up any misconceptions about how the White Stripes frontman feels about his hometown.