OSLO, Norway Iraqi-born cleric Mullah Krekar has pleaded not guilty in Norway to charges of making death threats against politicians and encouraging suicide bombings.

WASHINGTON China's Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington's power centers is boosting his international profile but offering little insight into the man destined to rule the world's most populous nation.

For the 99 percent of colleges, it was a pretty good fundraising year.

WASHINGTON The U.S. and its allies are closely monitoring Syria's stockpiles of chemical arms and portable anti-aircraft missiles, a State Department official says, amid concerns that the country's unconventional weapons could fall into the hands of terrorist or militant groups while the 11-month-old uprising continues.

WASHINGTON What's wrong with this picture? Medicare's bill for artificial feet rose nearly 60 percent in recent years, although foot and leg amputations due to diabetes continued a dramatic decline.

WASHINGTON Promoting farm subsidies was once a no-brainer for rural members of Congress seeking re-election. This year, it's a bit trickier.

WASHINGTON Congressional leaders are gauging lawmakers' reactions to a tentative deal extending a 2 percentage-point payroll tax cut and added unemployment benefits for the rest of 2012.

PHOENIX A federal trial is set to begin Wednesday for an Indiana man accused of forcing his grandsons to hike for miles in the Grand Canyon without food or water in brutal August heat.

WEATHERFORD, Texas After finally getting a strong lead in the case of a woman discovered missing when her house burned down, investigators drove 100 miles to her former neighbor's house and were shocked when she ran outside, frail and covered in bruises, yelling, "I'm here! I'm here!"

TULARE, Calif. Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign has a history of near-death experiences, and the former House speaker insists another resurrection is on its way.

SAN ANTONIO Once set to rule Super Tuesday, the Texas primaries may now slide into May and out of relevance in the Republican presidential race because of disputed redistricting maps that now has a panel of federal judges demanding compromise.

CHICAGO Protesters are coming by the thousands to Chicago, armed with smartphones, video cameras and social media links that will allow them to instantly map strategy, share plans and disseminate images of what's happening - right in front of a police force renowned for responding with tough tactics.

WASHINGTON The Obama administration is hoping competition combined with cash will encourage states and school districts to improve the nation's teaching corps.

NEW YORK A man already sentenced to 200 years in prison for killing four people in a rampage of stabbings and carjackings across New York City is facing sentencing for slashing a subway passenger at the end of his bloody spree.

COLUMBUS, Ohio As a young state senator 30 years ago, Paul Pfeifer helped write Ohio's death penalty law. Today, as the senior member of the state Supreme Court, he's trying to eliminate it.

BEIRUT An oil pipeline in the central Syrian city of Homs was attacked Wednesday, setting off a huge blaze, while regime troops stormed several residential neighborhoods in the nearby city of Hama, activists said.

HONOLULU The former Kulani correctional facility has been identified as a possible site for the first culture-based wellness center for incarcerated Native Hawaiians.

LOS ANGELES The days of high-scoring games and one-sided victories are basically over for the Los Angeles Lakers under new coach Mike Brown, who is still in the process of learning his roster and adjusting to individual matchups with a less-than-stellar bench at his disposal.

BOISE, Idaho Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum is exploring Secret Service protection following a rowdy rally in Washington state earlier in the week.

PORTLAND, Ore. Nick Young scored a season-high 35 points, John Wall added 29 points and nine assists, and the Washington Wizards beat the Portland Trail Blazers 124-109 Tuesday night for their second straight road win.

BOISE, Idaho Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum isn't predicting victory, but he says he's going to plant a flag in the state where Mitt Romney was born.

BANDON, Ore. The National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., says an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 off the Oregon coast caused no reported damage and only a smattering of reports from people who felt it as a weak jolt.

For the 99 percent of colleges, it was a pretty good fundraising year.

CALGARY, Alberta Miikka Kiprusoff made 41 saves, and the Calgary Flames routed the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Tuesday night.

YUBA CITY, Calif. A man suspected of killing two Northern California women and injuring a third was fatally shot by police officers Tuesday after a brief foot chase.

PORTLAND, Ore. Trail Blazers All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge sprained his left ankle early in Portland's loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

DENVER Arron Afflalo scored 20 points, Ty Lawson had 17 and the Denver Nuggets broke open a close game in the third quarter to beat the short-handed Phoenix Suns 109-92 on Tuesday night.

MINNEAPOLIS William Buford scored 24 points to spark No. 6 Ohio State, and Jared Sullinger backed him up inside with 23 points to guide the Buckeyes to a 78-68 victory Tuesday over Minnesota that moved them a half-game ahead of Michigan State in the Big Ten standings.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period and Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves and the New York Islanders defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Tuesday.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. Providence faced a difficult situation when it played Notre Dame on Tuesday night with the Irish coming off a frustrating loss to West Virginia.

BOISE, Idaho The latest Republican to surge in polls, Rick Santorum is trying to turn his newfound strength into something lasting.

NEW YORK The crowd at Madison Square Garden grew louder with every tiny step Malachy took, and he sure took a lot of them just to get halfway around the dog show ring.

CHICAGO Luol Deng came through with 23 points and a career-high 11 assists, and the Chicago Bulls escaped with a 121-115 victory over the Sacramento Kings after watching a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead dwindle to two.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Ryan Ellis scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and added an assist and the Nashville Predators handed Chicago Blackhawks their ninth straight loss, 3-2 on Tuesday.

PITTSBURGH Antonita Slaughter hit a jumper to force overtime, then had four points and a steal in the extra period to help No. 19 Louisville defeat Pittsburgh 71-66 on Tuesday night, handing the Panthers their 11th straight loss.

"I didn't bring you to Paris to make art; I brought you here to do the buttons and bows," Harper's Bazaar editor Carmel Snow famously snapped at photographer Lillian Bassman during a fashion shoot for the magazine in the late 1940s.

OKLAHOMA CITY James Harden scored 22 points, Kevin Durant added 21 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat Utah 111-85 on Tuesday night for their second win against the Jazz in five days.

NEWARK, N.J. A fifth person charged in the execution-style killings of three friends in a New Jersey schoolyard has been convicted.

COLUMBIA, Mo. Kelsey Bone scored 14 points and Alexia Standish added 11, including two critical free throws, as No. 14 Texas A&M rallied to beat Missouri 56-52 on Tuesday night.

ST. PAUL, Minn. Corey Perry scored the winning goal at 12:21 of the third period, Jonas Hiller stopped 17 shots, and the Anaheim Ducks beat Minnesota 2-1 on Tuesday night, handing the Wild their fifth straight loss.

DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings won an NHL-record 21st straight home game, beating the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Tuesday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio Derek Dorsett's third-period goal lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets over the St. Louis Blues 2-1 on Tuesday night.

INDIANAPOLIS LeBron James scored 23 points and nearly produced his first triple double in 11 months and Dwyane Wade had 16 points Tuesday night, leading the Miami Heat to a 105-90 rout of the Indiana Pacers to become the first team in 33 years to win three straight on the road in three days.

FORT WORTH, Texas Hank Thorns scored eight of his 32 points in overtime for TCU, which overcame an 18-point deficit after halftime for a 102-97 victory over No. 11 UNLV on Tuesday night.

TAMPA, Fla. Jason Spezza had three goals and an assist, Craig Anderson made 28 saves, and the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Tuesday night.

TORONTO Even after his amazing week, this one took Linsanity to a whole new level. Against Toronto on Tuesday, it was Lin for the win!

BOSTON The New York Rangers are pulling away from the defending Stanley Cup champions and the rest of the Eastern Conference.

WASHINGTON The Democratic Party has picked Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to chair its national convention this summer in Charlotte, N.C.

EAST

BUFFALO, N.Y. Ilya Kovalchuk had three goals and an assist, and Martin Brodeur stopped 29 shots in leading the New Jersey Devils to a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.