Young person killed in shark attack in Florida

SANDESTIN, Fla. -- A 14-year-old girl was killed Saturday in a shark attack near Camping on the Gulf Holiday Travel Park in Walton County. She and a friend were swimming about 100 yards off shore, authorities said. Coast Guard spokesman Shawn McGivern in Mobile, Ala., said authorities were trying to track down the victim's relatives.

NAACP selects Verizon retiree as new president

ATLANTA -- The NAACP's board of directors said Saturday that Bruce S. Gordon, 59, a retired Verizon executive, will be its next president. Gordon was selected by unanimous vote to succeed Kweisi Mfume, former U.S. representative and a candidate for Senate in Maryland who resigned abruptly in December. After contract negotiations, Gordon is expected to be confirmed as president at the association's convention in July.

Flood waters continue to claim lives in China

BEIJING -- The death toll in two weeks of flooding in areas throughout China has risen by 31 to at least 567. Another 165 people were missing and more than 2.45 million people have been evacuated from flood-prone areas, mostly in the south, state media said, citing the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Putin meets with IBM, Intel, Citigroup execs

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Russian President Vladimir Putin assured U.S. business leaders Saturday that his government remained committed to free-market principles and welcomed foreign investment, addressing concerns raised by the jailing of former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Putin told executives from companies including Citigroup, Intel and IBM that he hoped U.S.-Russian economic ties would continue to grow.

--From wire reports

He promised Saturday that his government would work to streamline tax regulations and set clear rules for foreigners' involvement in Russia's energy sector and other key areas of the national economy.

States barring cell phone use for teenage drivers

A growing number of states are creating legal barriers to keep young drivers from using cell phones, even as few ban adults from talking while driving. The year began with just two states limiting cell phone use for teen drivers. But as legislative sessions moved ahead, lawmakers in six states passed bills to bar all cell phones, handheld or handsfree, for teenage drivers with learner permits or provisional licenses. Now, laws in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Tennessee say young drivers must keep the phone off. Illinois's measure is waiting for Gov. Rod Blagojevich to sign it into law, but his staff says he intends to. Maine already bars cell phones for drivers with provisional licenses up to age 21, and New Jersey bans them for those drivers at any age. At least a dozen more states considered similar measures in recent months and balked, though advocates say they'll be back.