Prince Albert of Monaco Engaged

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Finally, a royal wedding! No not Wills and Kate: Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock. The 52-year-old prince met the 32-year-old former teacher in 2000 and has been dating her publicly since 2006. This is Albert's first marriage--though he has fathered two children out of wedlock--but a palace spokesperson tells the AP, "Honestly, I don't think" Wittstock is pregnant...yet.

Wittstock, also a former Olympic swimmer for South Africa, will be Monaco's first crown princess since Grace Kelly's death in 1982. No date is set, but royal protocol dictates a six-month wait between the engagement announcement and the wedding. Monaco is excited to finally have a "first lady, a princess, a dream beauty, glam" says a French magazine editor. And as for Albert, "He's 50-something. It's time."

Toy Story 3 Romps in $109 Million Debut

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Movie fans have not outgrown the "Toy Story 3" gang. The animated sequel leaped to the NO. 1 spot with a $109 million opening weekend, according to studio estimates today, becoming the third animated film to top $100 million in the first weekend. The others were "Shrek the Third" with $12.6 million and "Shrek 2," with $108 million.

It was by far the best debut for a film from Disney's Pixar Animation, topping The Incredibles' $70.5 million and maintaining Pixar's perfect record of all 11 of the films debuting in the No. 1 spot. Toy Story 3 took over the top slot from The Karate Kid which pulled in $29 million to raise its 10-day total to 106.3 million. The weekend's other new wide release, Jonah Hex, bombed with just $5.1 million.

Chihuahua at Center of $29 million Estate Battle

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A dying heiress leaves her $8.3 million mansion and a $3 million trust fund to her chihuahua, so little Conchita can continue to live in the diamond-wearing, spa-going, manner to which she is accustomed. Sounds like just another tale of the eccentric rich right? But Gail Posner's son thinks her household staff--who were left a total of $26 million while he received just $1 million--are behind the will, which she changed in 2008, and he's suing to revoke it.

Posner, who died in March, arranged for some staff to continue living rent-free in the mansion, provided they care for Conchita and other pets. But son Bret Carr--who had a sometimes troubled relationship with his mother--thinks the staff drugged Posner and persuaded her to change her will, then convinced her to start promoting Conchita as an extravagantly spoiled dog in order to explain why she was eventually left so much money. The Wall Street Journal has more on Carr's case and his family's grim history.

Angelina Jolie has signed on to play Cleopatra

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Angelina Jolie has signed on to play Cleopatra in an upcoming movie about the Queen of the Nile, reports US Weekly. Producer Scott Rudin bought the rights to the book Cleopatra: A Life, with nobody but Jolie in mind. The book is out in November, no word on film plans. The most famous biopic about Cleopatra had Liz Taylor in the starring role in 1963, with real-life lover Richard Burton as Marc Anthony. Maybe Brad Pitt can clear his schedule?

Official: Poland arrests alleged Mossad agent wanted by Germany for ties to Hamas slaying

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The German federal prosecutor's office says Polish authorities have arrested an alleged Mossad agent wanted in connection with the slaying of a Hamas leader in Dubai.

A prosecutor's spokesman told the Associated Press on Saturday that Germany is now seeking Uri Brodsky's extradition.

The spokesman says Brodsky is suspected of working for a foreign spy agency in Germany and helping issue a fake German passport to a member of the Mossad hit squad that was allegedly behind the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in January.

He says Brodsky was arrested in early June upon his arrival in Poland because of a European arrest warrant issued by Germany.

The spokesman declined to be named in line with department policy.

Rabbi who shot Thomas video deluged with hate mail

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The rabbi whose interview with Helen Thomas ended the veteran White House correspondent's career says he has been deluged with hate mail.

Rabbi David Nesenoff has posted several of what he says the the 25,000 and counting anti-Semitic e-mails on his website, Rabbiville.com. Some of the e-mails say "Hitler was right" and others are replete with obscenities.

Nesenoff interviewed Thomas on the White House grounds on May 27 while he was attending a Jewish American Heritage Month event there. Asked to comment on Israel, Thomas said Israeli Jews should "go home" to Germany and Poland.

The subsequent uproar spurred Thomas, 89, to end her career of six decades.

Nuns Busted for Pot Garden

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Looks like some nuns are getting into a bad habit. A one-acre pot plantation has been discovered in the midst of a convent garden in Uganda. A pair of nuns are being questioned about the stash; one reportedly said the herb was used to treat pigs and other farm animals. So far, only two porters have been arrested, reports the BBC. The plants have been uprooted.

Israel Sends Out Video Mocking Gaza Aid Flotilla

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The Israeli government circulated, and then immediately apologized for, a video mocking the activists aboard the Gaza aid flotilla this weekend. A spoof of "We Are the World" titled "We Con the World," the video shows people dressed in vaguely Arab garb singing lyrics like, "We con the world...We'll make them think the Hamas is Mother Teresa." It was made by a Jerusalem Post editor, the Huffington Post reports and the government swears it totally distributed it by accident.

The Press Office director tells the Guardian that the video doesn't reflect state opinion, but that he personally finds it "fantastic." Another government spokesman said he sent it to his kids, "because I thought it was funny. It is what Israelis feel. But the government has nothing to do with it." It's one of several recent press office snafus, it recently admitted, for example, that an audio file it released in which an activist told a soldier to "go back to Auschwitz" was doctored.

Pixies calls off Israeli concert after Gaza flotilla raid

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The U.S. rock band Pixies has canceled a concert in Tel Aviv this week in the wake of Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

The group's Tel Aviv promoter, Shuki Weiss, relayed a statement from the band announcing the cancellation "with great regret."

The band did not specify why it was pulling out of the gig, but organizers say the decision was related to last week's naval raid which killed nine pro-Palestinian activists.

Various artists have recently come under heavy pressure from activists to boycott Israel because of its treatment of the Palestinians. Elvis Costello recently canceled a planned concert to protest Israeli policies.

Others, such as Elton John and Rod Stewart, are still planning to play Israel this summer.

Austrian library to pay for stolen Jewish books

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The Austrian National Library said it would pay $164,000 for thousands of books in its possession that were taken by the Nazis from Jews during World War II.

In a symbolic gesture, library director Johanna Rachinger handed over the books to the Austrian National Fund for the Victims of National Socialism at a special ceremony.

The objects, some 8,363 in all, included children's books, scientific reference works and theological treatises dating back to the 17the century, whose owners the library had not been able to trace.

But the library agreed to buy them back immediately at their market value, so that proceeds can go to Nazi victims, who had not so far received any form of compensation, "such as Jews who arrived in Austria in the 1930s," said the head of the fund, Hannah Lessing.

The national library decided in 2003 to return 52,403 books looted by the Nazis after the annexation of Austria in 1938 to their rightful owners.

Pigeon Detained on Suspicion of Spying

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

A pigeon was taken into custody by Indian police last week when residents along the border with Pakistan suspected it was involved in a spy caper.

The bird wasn't bearing a message when it was caught, but it did have a Pakistani phone number and address stamped on its body in red ink, AFP reports, adding that it was held in an air-conditioned room under the watch of armed guards. Local pigeon aficionados also advised police that Pakistani pigeons look different from Indian ones--and this one clearly belonged to their archenemies across the border.

The bird has since been released to wildlife authorities. No word on whether anyone tried the phone number.

Prince to perform in Linz in July

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

Seven-time Grammy Award winner Prince is set to give one of his rare concerts in Austria this year.

The multi-platinum selling singer will perform at Linz stadium on July 13, according to the Austrian Times.

Saxophonists Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer are rumored to join the 51-year-old poop legend--whose portfolio features the hits "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry"--on stage.

Other upcoming Linz concert dates are performances by jazz rock band Blood, Sweat and Tears and folk singer-songwriter Bob Dylan (June 12).

Homer is Best TV, Film Character

By: Vickie J. Rubinson

The world loves Homer Simpson--even more than Harry Potter. The Simpson's patriarch grabbed the top spot in Entertainment Weekly's survey of the best TV and film characters of the past two decades, the New York Post reports.

"People can relate to Homer because we're all secretly propelled by desires we can't admit to," says Simpsons creator Matt Groening. The Mirror reveals the rest of the top 10:

2. Harry Potter.

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

4. Tony Soprano.

5. The Joker (played by Heath Ledger).

6. Rachel from "Friends."

7. Edward Scissorhands

8. Hannibel Lechter.

9. Carrie Bradhsaw.

10. SpongeBob Squarepants