"The Help," a drama about a Southern white woman who writes a book about black women employed as housekeepers in pre-Civil Rights era America, topped the weekend box office, industry data showed Sunday.

Despite some predictions that Hurricane Irene's charge up the U.S. east coast would slash movie attendance, "The Help" needed little help in attracting a crowd almost equal to that seen last week, tracker Exhibitor Relations said.

BEYONCE'S SURPRISE DATE: Beyonce made a big announcement that practically upstaged the MTV Video Music Awards — and she did it without saying a word.

The 29-year-old superstar announced her pregnancy on the red carpet by cupping her stomach in an "I'm expecting" sort of way. Wearing a blond ponytail and flowing red gown, she used her hands to show the tiniest beginnings of a baby bump.

Israel is tired of Hollywood filming Jesus' crucifixion in Italy and the Crusader invasion of the Holy Land in Morocco.

So Israeli officials are promising better tax breaks, terror attack insurance and handouts of up to $400,000 to lure international movie producers to the holy city of Jerusalem. They want to cash in on the multibillion-dollar industry, and want the real Jerusalem on the silver screen — not Mediterranean stand-ins.

Syrian-born poet Adonis has become the first Arabic-speaking author to receive one of Germany's most prestigious literary awards, the Goethe Prize of the city of Frankfurt.

The 81-year-old Adonis accepted the award on Sunday in Frankfurt.

London's Caribbean-flavored Notting Hill Carnival got under way Sunday amid hopes that Europe's biggest street festival would not be marred by a repeat of this month's devastating riots.

The two-day extravaganza in west London attracts up to a million revelers to watch troupes of dancers in exotic costumes perform on floats as powerful sound systems pump out music.

Two rhinoceros horns were stolen from a British museum on Saturday -- only the horns were fake and worthless.

The horns were removed from a stuffed Indian rhino and a White rhino specimen at the Natural History Museum's site in Tring, northwest of London.

When Chicago-based rock act Rise Against began writing a song about suicide among gay teens, the band's lead singer tried to block out the event that inspired the tune — the death of a gay friend.

"His loss was something big to me," said Tim McIlrath.

Mel Gibson and his Russian ex-girlfriend have reached a financial and custody settlement of a bitter dispute that spawned a criminal case and left the Academy Award winner's reputation damaged.

Los Angeles Superior Court officials said in a statement late Friday that Gibson and musician Oksana Grigorieva had reached an agreement after days of negotiation. Terms and conditions of the settlement were not announced, but a hearing Wednesday will be held to discuss the financial terms.

The MBC media conglomerate has canceled a show by a popular Lebanese presenter known in the Arab world for hosting the Arabic version of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" because of support of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Dubai-based MBC Group said it has decided to cancel a show hosted by George Qordahi that was to start airing next week "out of respect for the feelings of the Syrian people."

Alexa Meade does make paintings of people, but on people.

The 24-year-old self-taught artist paints over people so that they look like paintings, then photographs them either in a natural setting or with a painted background.