Age, military ties mark Kim Jong Un's inner circle

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Wherever North Korea's young new leader goes, they're there: a group of graying military and political officials who shadow Kim Jong Un as he visits army bases, attends concerts and tours schools.

As Kim Jong Un steps into the role of "supreme commander" less than two months after his father's death, these officials can be seen in the background. They listen attentively as their leader speaks during "guidance visits" and stand at his side during group photos, smiling and clapping.

Since Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack in December, Kim Jong Un has assumed the mantle of leadership with apparent confidence. But this aging circle of advisers is …

UN chief wants more police and troops for Haiti

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he wants to beef up the U.N. peacekeeping force in Haiti with 1,500 additional police and 2,000 troops to better respond to the massive earthquake.

Ban says he asked the U.N. Security Council on Monday to raise the ceiling for the force, which currently has about 7,000 troops and 2,100 police. He says the extra …

State puts off 847 area code overlay

The Illinois Commerce Commission on Wednesday ordered dozens oftelephone companies to return as many as 750,000 unused telephonenumbers in area code 847 in an effort to delay the start of anoverlay area code.

The Citizens Utility Board said the return of the numbers, alongwith other conservation strategies by the commission, mean residentsof the northern suburbs served by area code 847 will avoid thenuisance of 11-digit dialing for the foreseeable future.

"The commission is telling the phone industry . . . they can'thoard numbers," said Martin Cohen, executive director of CUB. Areacode 847 "shouldn't run out of numbers for four years or longer."CUB has been …

Girl, 3, eats leftovers for 2 days after mom dies

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A 3-year-old girl comforted herself with her favorite toy and ate cheese, leftover lasagna and milk for two days after her mother died unexpectedly in their New Zealand home.

The girl's uncle, Pete Silbery, told The Associated Press on Friday that Shylah Silbery managed to open the fridge and comfort herself with a teddy bear named "Possum" after Lauren Silbery, 28, died.

The family last spoke to Lauren Silbery on Oct. 19, he said. Two days later, they were worried enough to call a friend who lived near her Wellington home. The friend could see the girl inside the home, but not the mother, prompting the family to call police, Pete Silbery …

Old WVU chant ready for comeback: ; Morgantown native, broadcaster promote classic version of cheer with younger fans

As a child, Jay Redmond sold programs and soda to fans at oldMountaineer Field in downtown Morgantown.

That is when Redmond, now 53, first fell in love with the "Let'sGo, Mountaineers" chant, which until recently was little more than afading memory.

"It's just one of the great memories I have from old MountaineerField," Redmond said. "I wanted to help bring back a great traditionthat was lost."

Redmond, who hasn't missed a home game since 1966, said the chantstarted sometime in the 1930s and was used until new stadium wasbuilt on the Evansdale campus in 1979.

He said the chant has faded over the years due to the newstadium's size, and is now used only …

Shipp Sails Right for No. 1 UCLA in Win

LOS ANGELES - Josh Shipp scored a career-high 24 points, Arron Afflalo added 20 and UCLA defeated Long Beach State 88-58 Tuesday night in its first game as the nation's No. 1 team since 1995.

Fresh off winning the Maui Invitational last week, the Bruins (5-0) found themselves in a two-point game late in the first half of their first home game in two weeks.

But it wasn't long before they finished off the victory.

Freshman Russell Westbrook added a career-high 11 points and Darren Collison had.

The Bruins hit 13 3-pointers, led by Shipp's career-high six and Westbrook's 3-of-3 from long-range.

Sterling Byrd led Long Beach State (2-3) with career …

Sept. 11 widow killed in US plane crash

One of the victims of Continental Flight 3407, Beverly Eckert, was a Sept. 11 widow who put her never-ending grief to good use to make the country safer.

Just last week, Eckert was at the White House with Barack Obama, part of a meeting the president had with relatives of those killed in the 2001 attacks and the bombing of the USS Cole to discuss how the new administration would handle terror suspects.

"She was such an important part of all of our work," said Mary Fetchet, another 9/11 family activist. She learned Eckert was aboard the plane from another close Eckert family friend now headed to Buffalo. Officials investigating the crash have not …