Prince William hints at ambitions for combat

Shawbury, England — Britain’s Prince William has hinted he would like to follow in the army-booted footsteps of his younger brother and fight on the front line.

But, as the future king, it’s unlikely William would be exposed to the dangers faced by Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan.

“I still remain hopeful there’s a chance,” William, who is currently training to fly search-and-rescue helicopters, told reporters. “I think as a future leader of the armed forces, it’s really important you at least get the opportunity to be credible and to do the job I signed up for, as best I can. That’s all I want to do.

“The search and rescue role is now slightly different to obviously being able to go to Afghanistan, but it’s still doing an important job.”

William learned to fly during a stint with the Royal Air Force last year. He was criticized for landing one RAF chopper on his girlfriend Kate Middleton’s lawn during his training, and for using another to fly to a bachelor party on the Isle of Wight.

Prince Harry, 24, known in the military as Lt. Henry Wales, is taking the same flight training program completed by his 26-year-old brother.

Jolie, Pitt give U.N. agency $1 million

Geneva — Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have donated $1 million to the U.N. refugee agency providing aid to hundreds of thousands uprooted by violence in Pakistan.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says it is grateful for the donation from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. It said Thursday the money will go to alleviating suffering caused by the “most challenging humanitarian crisis of the past decade.”

UNHCR says more than 2 million Pakistanis have been driven from their homes this year by fighting between government troops and Taliban militants in the northwest of the country.

Jolie has visited refugees in Pakistan on three missions since becoming goodwill ambassador for the agency in 2001. The Oscar-winning actress took Pitt with her on one such visit in 2005.

Parker surrogate’s home burglarized

Martins Ferry, Ohio — Two Ohio police chiefs are being investigated in a suspected burglary aimed at supplying a tabloid with photos and other information about the surrogate mother carrying twins for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, an official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The alleged burglary took place in mid-May in the eastern Ohio town of Martins Ferry, and the allegations against Police Chief Barry Carpenter and Bridgeport Police Chief Chad DoJack surfaced about a week later, said the knowledgeable law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation continues and no charges have been filed.

The targets were “pictures, phone messages, all those things” at the home of the surrogate, Michelle Ross, who is no longer believed to be staying in the Martins Ferry area, the official said. Published reports have said she’s due to give birth in July.

The official said the allegations are that “two police chiefs were breaking in and trying to sell it to the tabloid,” but did not identify the publication.

Parker, the 44-year-old star of the TV show and film “Sex and the City,” and Broderick, her 47-year-old husband and fellow actor, have confirmed they’re expecting twin daughters by a surrogate because they’re unable to conceive since Parker gave birth to a son, who is now 6.

Dave gets boost from flap, but Conan wins

New York — David Letterman’s squabble with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave his “Late Show” a ratings boost last week, but new NBC rival Conan O’Brien retains the upper hand after two weeks as “Tonight Show” host.

Overall for the week of June 8, “Tonight” won in total viewers as well as among such demographic groups as adults 18-49 and 18-34, according to Nielsen Media Research figures released Thursday.

Even so, CBS’ “Late Show” scored total-viewer victories on three nights last week, as controversy (and viewer interest) heated up following Letterman’s racy joke about a Palin daughter. The joke was delivered as part of Letterman’s June 8 monologue.

Last week’s Tuesday, Thursday and Friday editions of “Late Show” edged out “Tonight” in viewers.

Jon & Kate announcing a major decision

New York — The TLC network says its biggest stars, Jon and Kate Gosselin, are announcing a major decision on the next “Jon & Kate Plus 8.”

TLC isn’t commenting on what the news will be on Monday’s episode. The cable network posted a promotional video with Kate Gosselin saying they recently “made some life-changing decisions … ones that we hope will bring each of us some peace.”

RadarOnline, a celebrity Web site that regularly covers the Gosselins, reports that the couple will announce they are divorcing. It cites a source close to the situation that it does not name.

The parents of sextuplets and twins have wrestled with marital problems on the reality show, and both have been caught in a media swarm off the show.