MANCHESTER - A fast-moving fire consumed the rear of an apartment building on the West Side late last night, driving residents as well as amazed onlookers onto the street.

All four floors of the rear of 346 S. Main St. were engulfed in flames by 11 p.m., as firefighters set up ladder trucks. Neighbors said at least five apartments are in the building. A dentist office is in the first-floor front of the building.

MANCHESTER - Some 24 hours after police killed a gunman who had taken hostages in her workplace, Melissa Shepard was again on New Hampshire soil, ready to relax and forget an ordeal that had her scampering to safety through offices and stairwells.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Recent heavy rains in Paktika province left a wake of death and destruction. Soldiers of 3rd Platoon and Headquarters Platoon, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry (Mountain), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team quickly mobilized to answer a call for help.

CANDIA - A local man was taken to the hospital Thursday night after his family's recently adopted pit bull clamped on his arm as he was trying to keep the family cat away from the dog, his wife said. She said the dog was adopted three weeks ago and replaced a docile female pit bull the family owned for years which had recently died.

Sunshine proved to be its own economic stimulus this summer. And Hurricane Earl or not, New Hampshire's travel and tourism industry anticipates a bright and busy Labor Day holiday weekend.

HAMPTON - Rye decided to close all town beaches starting at 5 p.m. Friday and ending at 6 p.m. Saturday.

ALSTEAD - The state has started eminent domain proceedings against an Alstead farmer who, with the help of the state, built his farm back up after it was destroyed in the floods of 2005. For more on this story, pick up a copy of today's print edition of the New Hampshire Union Leader, on newsstands today. Or check out our e-Edition.

CONCORD - The state is enjoying a small surplus of revenues after two months of the 2011 fiscal year, which began July 1.

A city man accused of driving drunk on Bartlett Street Wednesday night, hitting a parked car, going through a wood fence, knocking out wood entrance stairs of a house and finally coming to a stop after hitting another house, pleaded innocent to all charges yesterday.

The first-year Fisher Cats skipper, guiding the team to its first winning season in six years, has been asked to interview for the 2011 managing job in Toronto.

Experienced and speedy, the Titans open this season as high school football's top-ranked team in New Hampshire.

NEW CASTLE - Some of history's best women's golfers are on hand this weekend at Wentworth By The Sea.

DURHAM - In tomorrow's opener, UNH will be looking to stop Central Connecticut's running game.

Politics is a disgusting business. Witness the attempt by many rivals in this fall's U.S. Senate race to gain electoral advantage by smearing former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte's good name.

It was big news around the world: China has "overtaken" Japan as the world's second-richest economy. Except, well, it's not really news, it's not really big, and it's not entirely true.

Just before the Sept. 14 primary, the New Hampshire Union Leader and WMUR-TV will present five debates featuring major candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations for the state's top offices.