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.

Anthony Mason, the rugged power forward who was a defensive force in the NBA from the 1990s into the early 21st century, has died. The Knicks confirmed Mason's death, which was first reported Saturday by the New York Daily News. He fought like a warrior to the very end,'' the Mason family said in a statement provided by the Knicks. Mason won a Sixth Man Award with the Knicks and later made an All-Star team, but it was the toughness he provided alongside Charles Oakley while surrounding franchise center Patrick Ewing that made him beloved in New York.

MOSCOW (AP) — Boris Nemtsov, a Russian opposition leader and sharp critic of President Vladimir Putin, was gunned down Saturday near the Kremlin, officials said. Nemtsov was killed just a day before a protest planned against Putin's rule.

Police say they have found the NASCAR race car stolen from a hotel parking lot near Atlanta Motor Speedway. NASCAR's Team XTREME says the car was found early Saturday northwest of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. Morrow police Detective Sgt. Larry Oglesby, leading the investigation in the Atlanta suburb, confirms to The Associated Press the car was recovered. The discovery comes too late to help the team, which was forced to withdraw from the weekend race at Atlanta.

Feuding lawmakers fund the agency only until March 6, forcing Congress to revisit the issue next week.

After the Portland Trail Blazers overcame Russell Westbrook's third straight triple-double, Damian Lillard sensed his team was recapturing its form of earlier this season. Oklahoma City can only hope it didn't lose Westbrook along with the game. Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 29 points and Portland rallied to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-112 Friday night. Aldridge added 16 rebounds.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jewish House Democrats personally offered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a chance to lower the political temperature after he accepted a Republican invitation to speak to Congress next week on Iran — a less provocative, closed-door session.

Defending champion Roger Federer won his seventh Dubai Championships title and second of the year defeating No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday. Federer saved all seven break points he faced in the match, while Djokovic lost both break points he faced.

The Chicago Bulls can breathe a little easier. They expect Derrick Rose to return this season from his latest knee surgery. General manager Gar Forman said the star point guard will miss 4-6 weeks after the operation Friday to fix a medial meniscus tear in his right knee. Forman described it as a quick outpatient procedure and said Rose was able to walk out of the hospital.