Chinese language class starts in Liberia’s capital amid China’s growing presence

MONROVIA, Liberia — A new language class is providing an opportunity for Liberians to learn Mandarin as China expands its economic presence in the West African country.

Connecticut karaoke singer attacked by 6 women who disliked her performance, police say

STAMFORD, Conn. — Police say a woman singing karaoke in a Connecticut sports bar was attacked by six other women who didn’t like her performance.

Fla. hotel heir slaying sparks feud over million-dollar estate that contains Batman items

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The mysterious death of a Fontainebleau Hotel heir has triggered a family feud over his multimillion-dollar estate, with relatives accusing his wife of murder even though no one has been charged.

Speeders beware: Italian Lamborghini police car to show its stuff at Dutch show

AMSTERDAM — The Dutch are about to learn how Italian police catch speeders.

Natural gas reserve increase exceeds estimates, pushes inventory to highest level ever

NEW YORK — Natural gas stockpile levels rose more than expected last week, topping last week’s record to reach a new high, the government said Thursday.

Cabinet at Texas school topples on 5-year-old girl after children climb inside, killing her

WACO, Texas — A large open cabinet with children playing inside toppled on a 5-year-old girl at a Texas middle school, killing her.

Gov’t loan modification plan hits goal of helping 500,000 borrowers nearly 1 month early

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Thursday that its mortgage relief effort has helped 500,000 homeowners, and officials maintain the program is on track despite its disappointing launch.

Bomb attack on Indian mission in Kabul more powerful than July 2008: Sources

NEW DELHI - The blast that occurred outside Indian Embassy in Kabul this morning was more powerful than the last year’s blast, sources here said.

Correction: Treasure Hunt story

ST. LOUIS — In an Oct. 4 story about an Illinois woman searching for gold coins after finding a note in an old chair, The Associated Press erroneously identified the hometown of the person who helped reveal the note as a hoax. Betty Atkinson Ryan lives in Mason City, Ill., not Mason City, Iowa.

Ukraine president oversees naval exercises off tense Crimea peninsula

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine sent hundreds of troops, five ships and 15 aircraft into the Black Sea region Thursday for day-long military drills off its Crimean peninsula, a potential flashpoint with Russia.

Fund crunch hits housing plan for Mahadalits in Bihar

Fund crunch has badly hit the ambitious housing plan announced for Mahadalits (poorest among the downtrodden) in Bihar, officials said today.

Trooper stops speeding SC Gov. Mark Sanford’s car, but doesn’t ticket driver

COLUMBIA, S.C. — When a Highway Patrol trooper told a driver Tuesday that there was no good reason for him to blaze down a busy stretch of South Carolina interstate at 85 mph, he got a surprising reply: “Tell him that.”

Bank of England holds key rate at 0.5 pct; no move on expanding money supply

LONDON — The Bank of England kept its main interest rate unchanged at the record low of 0.5 percent Thursday and held off from any further moves to expand the money supply — for now.

Police find Florida woman dead in squalid home crammed with garbage piled 8 feet high

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — City officials have condemned the home where a 71-year-old woman was found dead in garbage piled 8 feet deep.

Andrew Lloyd Weber making ‘Phantom’ sequel moved to new locale _Coney Island

LONDON — Andrew Lloyd Weber has announced a sequel to his massively successful “Phantom of the Opera” that will be set at Coney Island.

Armed forces rescue 3600 civilians in flood-hit Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh

NEW DELHI - The Armed Forces have rescued 3,600 people in the flood-ravaged states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Son of slain Massachusetts centenarian says his mom was happy and active

DARTMOUTH, Mass. — The only son of a 100-year-old woman whose death last month in a Dartmouth nursing home has been ruled a homicide says his mother was still active and loved shopping.

IRA dissidents shoot Northern Ireland man in legs; supporters hit policeman in head with stone

DUBLIN — Police and politicians say Irish Republican Army dissidents have shot a Northern Ireland man in both legs in a so-called “punishment” attack, and police who responded were attacked with bricks, bottles and other makeshift weapons. One policeman was hospitalized with a head wound.

Obama to engage in scrimmaging of a nonpolitical variety

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is spending much of the day in private, with closed-door meetings scheduled with senior advisers and officials such as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

US, Afghan forces accidentally kill child in raid in eastern Afghanistan

KABUL — The U.S. military says American and Afghan forces accidentally killed a child during a raid on a Taliban compound in eastern Afghanistan.

Speeding SC Gov. Mark Sanford’s car pulled over, but driver not ticketed

COLUMBIA, S.C. — When a Highway Patrol trooper told a driver Tuesday that there was no good reason for him to blaze down a busy stretch of South Carolina interstate at 85 mph, he got a surprising reply: “Tell him that.”

Bihar kid survives on bitch milk

A three-year-old boy in Bihar has survived on bitch milk as his family is too poor to afford cow milk.

Pacific Seafood calls $40,591 fine over waste discharges in Oregon excessive

PORTLAND, Ore. — The West Coast’s biggest seafood processor says it will appeal a $40,000 state fine for failing to clean up waste from its waterfront plant in Oregon.

APNewsBreak: Speeding SC Gov. Mark Sanford’s car pulled over, but driver not ticketed

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A Highway Patrol trooper stopped South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s car for speeding, but let his protective detail driver go without a ticket, an official said Wednesday.

Security checkpoints at Houston airport briefly shut after passenger goes up a down escalator

HOUSTON — Security checkpoints in three of five terminals at a Houston airport were closed for about 15 minutes after a passenger accidentally got on an escalator going down, then turned around and ran back up.

Attorney says Playgirl shoot next up for teenage father of Sarah Palin’s grandson

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Levi Johnston is going for the ultimate exposure — the 19-year-old father of Sarah Palin’s grandchild will pose nude for Playgirl, his attorney said Wednesday.

Gold prices gain momentum, hit new high even as dollar rebounds; Oil falls, while grains rise

NEW YORK — Gold prices extended their rally Wednesday, climbing to fresh highs even as the dollar recouped some of its losses.

French culture minister under fire over autobiographical account of paying ‘boys’ for sex

PARIS — Criticism is mounting against French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand over an autobiographical book in which he describes paying boys for sex in Thailand.

Ala. auction set for imprisoned HealthSouth Corp. founder’s $6.2M lakeside mansion, boats

DADEVILLE, Ala. — Imprisoned HealthSouth Corp. founder Richard Scrushy’s lakefront estate in Alabama is going up for auction to help pay an almost-$2.9 billion court judgment.

Scuffles break out as thousands mob Detroit center to apply for federal homeless assistance

DETROIT — Scuffles erupted as several thousand Detroit residents jockeyed, pushed and shoved Wednesday to get free money being offered to only 3,500 of the city’s recently or soon to be homeless.