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Britain-Royal Privacy
LONDON (AP) — Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is warning newspapers not to run unauthorized paparazzi photos of the royal family.
Buckingham Palace says a lawyer for the British monarch has written to newspaper editors telling them not to publish intrusive photos of the family at home.
The palace said Sunday that the letter was sent "in response to many years of the royal family being hounded by photographers on the queen's private property."
The royal family has long had an uncomfortable relationship with photographers. Some people feel media hounding contributed to the death of Princess Diana in a car crash in 1997.
More recently, Prince William and Prince Harry have been snapped emerging from nightclubs and William's girlfriend Kate Middleton was pursued outside her home.
Schumer-ATM Fees
NEW YORK (AP) — Sen. Charles Schumer is objecting to banks hitting consumers with ATM fees twice per transaction — a practice he calls "double dipping."
Schumer said 72 percent of banks charge their customers whenever they use another bank's ATM, even though they're already paying a fee to the bank that owns the ATM.
Schumer says ATM fees are up almost 13 percent in the last year.
Messages left with banking industry groups were not immediately returned Sunday.
Financial Therapy
UNDATED (AP) — As the recession hit, an Athens, Ga., couple received some unusual help as they struggled to make ends meet without it hurting their relationship.
Jeremy and Kelly Field participated in a study at the University of Georgia aimed at merging the realms of therapy and financial planning. The couple walked away applauding the blended approach, which is being tested at Kansas State University as well.
A Nashville therapist and his son also have started writing about the subject.
Jeremy Field was searching for work when they participated, and the loss of his job meant a huge cut in wages.
He says things were tense but the therapy "definitely helped."
The research results were published recently, and Kansas State University hopes to publish its first batch in the next few months.
Australia-Eating A Rat
SYDNEY (AP) — Animal cruelty charges have been lodged over allegations that a rat was killed and cooked for the British version of "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" television show filmed in Australia.
Activists and British media report Chef Gino D'Acampo and actor Stuart Manning were charged after animal welfare activists made a complaint. D'Acampo won the viewer feedback contest series.
In a statement to The Associated Press, New South Wales state police say two men have been charged with animal cruelty, but did not give names or details. The men have been asked to appear in court on Feb. 3. The maximum penalty is three years in prison.
No comment yet from the performers and ITV, the network that produces the show.
"I'm a Celebrity" strands C-list celebrities in the Australian Outback, subjects them to a series of icky trials involving spiders and snakes, and allows the public to vote them off the show.
