Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York has dropped his opposition to higher income taxes on the wealthy. He and state legislative leaders have agreed to continue a surcharge on people earning more than $2 million a year. Karen DeWitt reports for New York State Public Radio.

The "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" is going West. The popular attraction has created a sensation at Universal Studios Orlando and will now go to Universal Studios Hollywood. California Gov. Jerry Brown attended the announcement ceremony and is billing the attraction as a California job creator.

President Obama says that unless a temporary payroll tax cut is extended this month, 160 million Americans would see their taxes increase. But there's concern on both sides of the political aisle that the payroll tax holiday might be undermining the solvency of Social Security.

Climate experts are thinking about growing dense fields of weeds to help soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This would require flooding dense, carbon-rich wetland soils of the San Joaquin Valley, and farmers hope money they make from capturing greenhouse gases would make up for the lost acreage.

When retailers go too far in trying to drum up sales, consumers turn to online petitions and social media campaigns to pressure them to change. Mothers are one group that's proven to be very powerful when attacking messages they consider to be sexist.

A story about violent hazing in the marching bands at historically black colleges and universities — HBCUs — detailed a problem, but no changes were made. So extreme has been the band torture at some schools that victims have had to be hospitalized.