Saturday, February 28, 2015

Plenty of people leave New York state but in a job-hungry stretch of upstate, folks talk about staying put and seceding to Pennsylvania.

An overnight storm that dumped freezing rain on parts of Texas and Oklahoma has made roads treacherously slick and forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Democrats are losing some skirmishes over the Department of Homeland Security, but many feel they are winning a political war that will haunt Republicans in 2016 and beyond.

As drug overdoses left two Wesleyan students fighting for their lives, witnesses helped investigators quickly identify the suspects: The drug-dealing was an open secret, according to court documents, even as the university has gotten tougher on drug violations.

Spanish police have broken up a gang that allegedly created and then sold fake works of art purporting to be by renowned artists including Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Joan Miro.

Police say they have found the NASCAR race car stolen from a hotel parking lot near Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Investor Warren Buffett says his company delivered another strong year, with $19.9 billion in profits, and he believes Berkshire Hathaway will continue thriving thanks to its collection of "remarkable businesses" and investments.

Egypt's state news agency is reporting that a Cairo court has declared Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, a "terrorist organization."

Thousands of people have packed the grounds of a plush hotel in Zimbabwe to celebrate the birthday of President Robert Mugabe, who turned 91 on Feb. 21.

From the ground of this extreme northern part of Antarctica, a spectacular white and blinding ice seemingly extends forever. What can't be seen is the battle raging below to reshape Earth.

China on Saturday cut interest rates for the second time in three months, adding to signs that Chinese leaders are worried that the economic slowdown is deepening too sharply. …

Westbrook has third triple-double but Blazers spoil it with 115-112 win over Thunder        

San Antonio Spurs snap 4-game skid, beat short-handed Kings 107-96 in Sacramento        

A young Mexican's fascination with Harry Potter has grown into the world's biggest private collection of toys, books, clothes and other items related to author J. K. Rowling's fantasy hero. The collection belonging to real estate lawyer Menahem Asher Silva Vargas has been certified by Guinness Awards as the largest anywhere. [] it is on display at the Mexican Museum of Antique Toys in Mexico City.

Alec Peters scored 15 points, including a critical four-point play with 1:11 to play, to lead Valparaiso to the Summit League regulator season championship for the third time in four seasons with a 56-53 win over Cleveland State on Friday night. Valparaiso (25-6, 13-3) was up 10 with less than three minutes to play when Cleveland State (17-13, 11-5) got a 3-pointer from Andre Yates and used a turnover for a Marlin Mason trey to make it 49-45 with 1:37 to play. But on the next possession Keith Carter found Peters in the right corner for a 3 and a foul. Anton Grady, the Vikings' leading scorer at 14 points a game, made his only basket (he had five points and 13 rebounds) but Darien Walker made two free throws with 30 seconds left.

Shane Larkin's three-point play in the final minute of the second overtime helped the New York Knicks snap their eight-game losing streak with a 121-115 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. …

The Senate has approved a bill to ensure full funding of the Homeland Security Department for one week, sending the measure to the House just hours before the agency faces a partial shutdown.