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7 Remain Hospitalized After NIU Attack:

Officials at Northern Illinois University are promising a strong police presence and ample counseling for students and instructors in the wake of last week's deadly shootings.

7 people remain hospitalized after the attack.3 are in serious condition,1 of them upgraded from critical.The other 4 are in fair condition.

5 students were killed when the shooter stepped from behind a screen on a lecture hall stage and opened fire on a geology class at the DeKalb,Ill.,school.The gunman,27-year-old Steven Kazmierczak,then took his own life.

Officials at NIU said classes will resume on Feb. 25,though Cole Hall -- where the shootings happened -- will remained closed until the end of the semester.

"We need to take care of ourselves and each other,reaching out to those of us who are struggling," Northern Illinois University President John Peters said in a statement.

"An act of violence does not define us."

Suicide Bombing Kills 80 In Afghanistan:

KANDAHAR,Afghanistan -- At least 80 people are feared dead in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan on Sunday.

It's apparently the deadliest terror attack there since the U.S. ousted the Taliban in 2001.

The bomber attacked a crowd of hundreds of people watching an outdoor dog-fighting competition Sunday in the southern province of Kandahar.The governor said 80 people were killed and dozens more wounded.A Health Ministry spokesman put the numbers at 67 dead and 90 wounded,but said the toll could go higher.

The brother of Afghanistan's president said the leader of a local militia is among the dead and may have been the target.

Witnesses report bodyguards opened fire on the crowd after the blast.It's not clear how many of the casualties may have been from the gunfire.

The attack came a day after another suicide bombing left at least 40 people dead in Pakistan along the Afghan border,fueling fears of Islamic militant violence amid Monday's Pakistani elections.

The bomber rammed a car packed with explosives into a crowd of people Saturday after an opposition party rally in a volatile tribal region.

Monday's elections are considered crucial toward restoring democracy in Pakistan after 8 years of military rule under President Pervez Musharraf.

Recent opinion polls show the opposition is poised for a landslide victory.Musharraf himself is not on the ballot.But if the opposition were to win a 2-3rds majority in the legislature,it could make good on a pledge to impeach him.

NYPD Arrests Man In Therapist's Slaying:

NEW YORK -- New York City police say a Queens man with a history of mental problems has been arrested in the slaying of a psychologist attacked in her office with a meat cleaver.

Police say 39-year-old David Tarloff was taken into custody Saturday morning after investigators matched him with three palm prints found at the bloody crime scene.

Police say Tarloff was questioned for about 20 min,& the interrogation stopped when he asked for a lawyer.Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said murder & attempted murder charges are pending.

Therapist Kathryn Faughey was slashed 15 times with the cleaver and a 9-in knife in her Manhattan office Tuesday evening.A psychiatrist who worked in the building,Dr.Kent Shinbach,went to Faughey's aid and was badly injured.

The breakthrough in the case came as friends,relatives and former patients attended a funeral for the slain therapist in Manhattan.

Police ID Body As That Of Missing Student:

RENO,Nev. -- Police in Nevada have confirmed a body found in a field in Reno is that of Brianna Denison.

The 19-year-old college student was abducted nearly a month ago.

The body was discovered Friday in a grown-over lot by a business park on the city's south side.It was about 8 miles from the house where she last seen.

An autopsy completed Saturday verified Denison's identity.She was strangled to death,police say.

Police say Denison was abducted Jan.20 by a suspected serial rapist who has attacked 2 other women.Police say the suspect has been linked by DNA to a string of attacks near the University of Nevada,Reno campus.

Denison was a student at Santa Barbara City College in California.She was visiting her hometown over winter break and last was seen sleeping on a couch at a friend's house near the Reno campus.

Deputy Police Chief Jim Johns said her body had been in the field for more than a a week,reported KVVU-TV in Las Vegas.He told reporters at a news conference,"I'm worried this guy is still out there,& I'm worried somebody else is going to get hurt."

Police Say 8 Killed At Maryland Street Race:

ACCOKEEK,Md. -- Police in Maryland said an uninvolved driver blinded by exhaust smoke kicked up in an early-morning street race plowed into a crowd of onlookers, killing 8 and injuring 6.

The deadly wreck happened about 3:40 a.m. Saturday on State Route 210 in Accokeek,reported WRC-TV in Washington,D.C.Veteran officers called it the "worst incident" they have ever seen.

Witnesses said 2 cars involved in an illegal street race had been revving engines and kicking up smoke,filling the roadway with white clouds.A group of onlookers then moved into the road to watch the race when a white Ford Crown Victoria slammed into the crowd.

The driver told police that he was blinded by white smoke and could not see the people before striking them.Officers said the driver was not involved in the illegal race.

Race observer Crystal Gaines was standing next to her 61-year-old father when the car struck.Gaines grabbed her child but could not help her father,William Gaines Sr.,61,who was among the dead.She said she had hold of his hand,but lost her grip.

"He wasn't breathing,he wasn't moving,"she said."His body was in pieces."

John Courtney said his brother,Mark,33,of St. Mary's County,also was among the dead.He identified his brother from a digital image police had taken.

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USDA Makes Nation's Largest Beef Recall:

LOS ANGELES -- The government is issuing a huge beef recall.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is calling back 143 million lb of frozen beef from a Southern California slaughterhouse that's being investigated for mistreating cattle.

The action tops a 1999 ban of 35 million lb of ready-to-eat meats.

USDA says the recall will affect beef products dating to Feb.1,2006,that came from Westland/Hallmark Meat Company,based in Chino,Calif.The company supplies meat to the federal school lunch program and to some major fast-food chains.

Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after an undercover video surfaced showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts.

2 former employees have been charged with animal cruelty.No charges have been filed against Westland,but an investigation by federal authorities continues.

Federal regulations call for keeping downed cattle out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of contamination from E.coli,salmonella or mad cow disease.

Severe Storms Destroy Homes In South:

MOLINO,Fla. -- No injuries are reported after severe storms blew across the South Sunday.

The storms produced at least 1 tornado and destroyed homes in the Florida Panhandle and Alabama.

Officials say a tornado destroyed 4 homes in Escambia County,Fla.Across the border in Escambia County,Ala.,2 houses were destroyed by a possible tornado.

The storm damaged some structures in Covington County,Ala.,and toppled trees.

The Weather Service was warning of tornado threats as the storm system moved into Georgia.

The mayor of a town near Montgomery,Ala.,said a tornado has destroyed numerous homes and may have trapped victims in the wreckage.

Prattville Mayor Jim Byard said a search has begun for victims.

Homes were reported destroyed by Sunday's storms elsewhere in Alabama and in the Florida Panhandle.

'Jumper' Bounds Atop Box Office With $27M:

LOS ANGELES -- The globe-trotting thriller "Jumper" leaped to a box office win with $27.2 million on a weekend when Hollywood offered something for everyone,with new films for action fans,teens,family audiences and the date-movie crowd.

Starring Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson in the tale of a man who can teleport himself instantly to any spot on the planet,20th Century Fox's "Jumper" has rung up $33.9 million since opening Thursday,according to studio estimates Sunday.

The new wide releases opened a day early,Valentine's Day on Thursday,to get a head start at what studio executives viewed as a long holiday weekend,with President's Day on Monday.

"Valentine's Day has become a great movie-going day," said 20th Century Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston."Even though kids are not out of school and people are working,it's still a holiday in the sense that in the evening,men take their wives,or girlfriends and boyfriends go out.Everybody goes to the movies."

Debuting in second place was Disney's teen dance sequel "Step Up 2 the Streets," which pulled in $19.7 million for the weekend and $26.3 million since Thursday.

Paramount's family fantasy "The Spiderwick Chronicles,"featuring Freddie Highmore and Mary-Louise Parker in the story of a mom and her kids who move into a house menaced by evil creatures,opened at No. 3 with a $19.1 million weekend.Since Thursday,it has taken in $26.8 million.

Universal's romance "Definitely,Maybe,"with Ryan Reynolds as a dad looking back on his romantic life after he's served with divorce papers,premiered at No. 5 with a weekend haul of $9.7 million.

The previous weekend's top movie,the Warner Bros.romantic comedy "Fool's Gold,"fell to fourth place with $13.1 million,raising its 10-day total to $42 million.

Despite the rush of solid openings,Hollywood was unable to match the weekend business of a year ago.The top 12 movies took in $119 million,down 16 percent from the same weekend in 2007,when "Ghost Rider" opened with $45.4 million,the best debut ever over President's Day weekend.

"A record-breaking debut for 'Ghost Rider' led to a record-breaking President's Day weekend last year.Inevitably,that was going to be very tough to beat,"said Paul Dergarabedian,president of box office tracker Media By Numbers.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. & Canadian theaters,according to Media By Numbers LLC.Final figures will be released Tuesday.

1."Jumper,"$27.2 million.
2."Step Up 2 the Streets,"$19.7 million.
3."The Spiderwick Chronicles,"$19.1 million.
4."Fool's Gold,"$13.1 million.
5."Definitely,Maybe,"$9.7 million.
6."Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,"$8.9 million.
7."Juno,"$4.6 million.
8."The Bucket List,"$4.1 million.
9."Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus:Best of Both Worlds Concert,"$3.3 million.
10."27 Dresses,"$3.2 million.

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Storms Spare Lives,But Not Property:

PRATTVILLE,Ala. -- Thousands of homes & businesses were without power Monday,& more than 2 dozen were injured after storms & tornadoes in Georgia,Alabama & Florida.

10 people were injured in Crawford County,Ga.,with 2 of them in critical condition.At least 14 homes have been destroyed in the area.

Meanwhile,rescue crews were going door-to-door in Prattville,looking for people trapped in wreckage after a tornado blew through town.

No fatalities were reported in Prattville,but 2 people were critically injured.

About 200 homes have been damaged or destroyed.

About 60 structures were damaged when a tornado blew through Escambia County in Florida.

Residents were working Monday to clear debris,cover broken windows & spread tarps over roofs.

In the Midwest,freezing rain & snow forced schools,malls,libraries & churches to close.

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton & Barack Obama have postponed or canceled campaign stops in Wisconsin.

U.S. Recognizes Kosovo's Independence:

WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush on Monday hailed Kosovo's historic bid for statehood,& the U.S. government extended formal recognition to it as "a sovereign and independent state."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement that Bush "has responded affirmatively" to Kosovo's request to establish diplomatic relations.

"The establishment of these relations will reaffirm the special ties of friendship that have linked together the people of the United States & Kosovo,"the statement said.

Rice welcomed "the commitments Kosovo made in its declaration of independence" to implement a United Nations-backed plan,"to embrace multi-ethnicity as a fundamental principle of good governance,& to welcome a period of international supervision."

"The unusual combination of factors found in the Kosovo situation -- including the context of Yugoslavia's breakup,the history of ethnic cleansing & crimes against civilians in Kosovo,& the extended period of U.N. administration -- are not found elsewhere & therefore make Kosovo a special case,"she said."Kosovo cannot be seen as a precedent for any other situation in the world today."

Ex-President Bush Formally Endorses McCain:

HOUSTON -- Former President George H.W. Bush endorsed John McCain on Monday,a nod of approval from the Republican political dynasty's patriarch that sends a strong signal to a GOP establishment wary of the Arizona senator.

"No one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Sen.John McCain,"Bush said,standing alongside the Republican nominee-in-waiting in an airport hanger."His character was forged in the crucible of war.His commitment to America is beyond any doubt.But most importantly,he has the right character & values to guide our nation."

McCain,in turn,said he was deeply honored by Bush's support."I think that our effort to continue to unite the party will be enhanced dramatically by President Bush's words,"he said.

Since effectively sealing the nomination when chief rival Mitt Romney dropped out,McCain has been working to convince the fickle & influential conservative base of the Republican Party to get behind his candidacy.

He's seen some progress with,several high profile Republicans from the party's establishment endorsing McCain in an effort to unite the party while Democrats continue to fight for a nominee.

Fentanyl Painkiller Patches Recalled Again:

WASHINGTON -- Another recall has been ordered for patches containing the painkiller fentanyl.

Patches sold by Actavis South Atlantic are being recalled because of a defect that could cause them to leak,putting patients or caregivers at risk of overdose.

The recalled patches have the company's name on the outer carton,while the company's old name,Abrika Pharmaceuticals,are printed on pouches that contain the patches.

Damaged patches shouldn't be handled,but instead flushed down a toilet.

Skin exposed to the medication should be rinsed with water,but not washed with soap.

The company hasn't received any reports of injuries related to the flaw.

This is the 2nd recall involving fentanyl patches within a week.

Last Tuesday,another company,PriCara,recalled patches made by its affiliate,ALZA Corporation.

Mayor Says 4 Hurt In Texas Refinery Blast:

BIG SPRING,Texas -- The mayor of Big Spring,Texas,said 4 people were hurt in an explosion that rocked an oil refinery Monday morning.

It shook buildings miles away.

A spokesman for the refinery's owner,Alon USA,said all of the workers have been accounted for.

He said 1 worker was hurt,but Mayor Russ McEwen put that number @ 4 & said 1 of the workers was sent to a burn unit.

The company said the fire that was sparked by the blast is under control.

It sent black smoke billowing into the sky & shut down area schools & an interstate highway.

There was no immediate word on what caused the explosion.