NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

‘Pitch Perfect 2’ leaves ‘Mad Max’ in the dust

LOS ANGELES

The ladies of “Pitch Perfect 2” hit all the right notes opening weekend, amassing a $70.3 million debut, according to Rentrak estimates Sunday.

The Elizabeth Banks-directed sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit and video-on-demand phenomenon cost Universal Pictures only $29 million to produce and was expected to open in the $50 million range.

George Miller’s critically acclaimed “Mad Max: Fury Road” landed a distant second in its debut weekend with a solid and expected $44.4 million from 3,702 locations.

Rounding out the top five were: “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” $38.8 million, third place; “Hot Pursuit,” $5.8 million, fourth place; and “Furious 7,” $3.6 million, fifth place.

Beyonce visits Haiti to see post-quake progress

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti

Pop queen Beyonce has paid a visit to Haiti to look at the progress made since an earthquake devastated the country five years ago.

Haiti U.N. mission spokeswoman Sophie Boutaud de la Combe said Saturday that Beyonce also was able to “meet some of the people who were affected by” by the 2010 disaster in the impoverished Caribbean country.

De la Combe said the American singer, a 20-time Grammy winner, visited Haiti with Valerie Amos, the United Nations’ humanitarian affairs chief and emergency relief coordinator. Official estimates say the 2010 quake that shattered Haiti’s capital and surrounding areas claimed as many as 300,000 lives.

Prince Harry: Army kept me out of trouble

LONDON

Britain’s Prince Harry has thanked the army for keeping him out of trouble and has called for national service to be brought back.

In an interview published in the Sunday Times, the 30-year-old prince also revealed that he’s content being single and reflected on how the army gave him a chance to “escape the limelight.”

“Definitely, without a doubt, it does keep you out of trouble,” he said. “I dread to think where I’d be without the army.”

Harry, who is completing a decade-long military career, voiced support for national service as he spoke of the transformative effects on men he knew in the army. He even encouraged his nephew and niece, George and two-week-old Charlotte, to be involved in the military one day.

“It’s done no harm, just good, for me, and I know it’s the same for William,” he said, referring to his older brother.

The prince said he hoped William and Kate’s children would learn to cope with the pressures of growing up in the royal family.

Associated Press