Beyonce's new album was so secret, one of its producers only knew of its release 90 minutes before it dropped.

Beyonce released her self-titled album in surprise form last week. Ryan Tedder produced the single "XO," and he learned about the release not long before it went public.

It was a year for pixie haircuts, chunky flat shoes, bangs on our first lady and bare skin ... lots of it, on movie actresses and pop stars. Fashion always has its royalty, and this year, Kerry Washington was a queen. For real royalty, we hadKate Middleton, making the rest of us mortals feel a little better by flashing her mommy tummy. If Kate made us feel good, Lululemon didn't, when its chairman appeared to blame women's own bodies for problems with those popular yoga pants. A look back at these and other key fashion moments of 2013:

MICHELLE'S BANGS:

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" actress Zhang Ziyi has reached an undisclosed settlement with a U.S.-based dissident news website that she sued for libel after it published reports that she was paid to have sex with Chinese government officials.

Boxun News retracted its "negative and untrue" reports that began in May 2012 in an apology displayed on its English-language site on Wednesday.

A rare Stradivarius violin, which was once stolen and offered for just £100 ($162, 118 euros) by thieves, sold at auction in Britain on Wednesday for £1.3 million ($2.3 million, 1.6 million euros).

Thieves took the antique instrument, which was made in 1696, and two valuable bows from Korean-born violinist Min-Jin Kym as she ate a sandwich at a cafe in London's Euston station in 2010.

The body behind the Oscars has unveiled a new logo that it hopes will focus more attention on the organization's wider work in addition to Hollywood's biggest trophy fest.

The prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whose 6,000 or so members choose who gets the prized golden statuettes every year, is aiming to highlight its year-round work supporting filmmakers, showcasing cinema and fostering talent.

A Philippine beauty queen has been crowned Miss International in a pageant marred by allegations of intimidation that kept her predecessor away -- pledging to use her title to help victims of the country's devastating typhoon.

"This is my dream. Thank you Japan for giving it to me," an ecstatic Bea Rose Santiago said at the event, held late Tuesday in Tokyo.

Charlotte Casiraghi, the eldest daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco, has given birth to a son, the Riviera principality's royal palace announced on Wednesday.

Baby Raphael, a first child for unmarried Charlotte and a second for her Franco-Moroccan partner Gad Elmaleh, was born on Tuesday evening at Monaco's Princess Grace hospital.

Hollywood power players Bob and Harvey Weinstein are reuniting with Miramax, the company they founded in 1979 but sold to Disney, in a joint production and distribution deal, they announced Monday.

The multi-year deal will include film, television and live stage projects based on hit Miramax films like "Shakespeare in Love" and "Swingers," as well as TV series based on titles such as "Good Will Hunting."

A judge on Monday revoked Chris Brown's probation after his recent arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor assault in Washington, D.C., but the ruling will not alter the singer's requirements to complete rehab and community labor for his 2009 attack on Rihanna.

Superior Court Judge James R. Brandlin cited details contained in an arrest report as his reason for revoking Brown's probation for the second time this year. He ordered Brown to return to court Feb. 10 for an update on his progress in rehab.

Beyonce's surprise album has sold surprisingly well: Her fifth solo effort sold more than 600,000 units in its first three days, setting a record for first-week domestic digital sales.

Beyonce's self-titled album was released early Friday morning exclusively on iTunes unbeknownst to the public. Apple said Monday that the album sold 617,213 in its U.S. iTunes Store. It sold 828,773 internationally.