Shamil Khakimov, a Jehovah’s Witness who turned 70 last month, marked two years in a Tajik prison on February 26 after his conviction in part for having a Bible. Khakimov had been arrested in Khujand on charges of “inciting religious hatred” after police found literature published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses in his home. During his…

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada’s governor on Friday unveiled a proposal that would allow technology companies to establish jurisdictions with powers similar to those of county governments, arguing the state needed to be bold to diversify its economy and pushing back against those who have likened the idea to company towns. “This proposal is…

NEW YORK (AP) — A photographer who was shoved by a man who then came at him with a metal pole during a trip on the Staten Island ferry on Friday was able to get out of harm’s way when New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang intervened. Spencer Platt, a photographer with Getty Images,…

Hilary Knight has played in rinks large and small spanning the globe during her 14 years representing USA Hockey. That doesn’t prevent the three-time Olympian from getting chills in anticipation of hitting the ice for the first time at Madison Square Garden on Sunday for the opening stop of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association…

Some intemperate remarks about Russian weaponry from Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan led the country to the precipice of a military coup this week, and the political crisis loomed large over the entire post-war recovery. In a February 23 interview with local television, Pashinyan said that the Iskander missiles in Armenia’s armory – the most…

When Maks Bokayev walked free earlier this month after nearly five years in prison, he headed straight to the main square of his hometown, Atyrau, an oil hub in western Kazakhstan.  It was there that protesters gathered in 2016 for a demonstration against land reforms that set Bokayev on a collision course with the government. He is now intent…

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres enter the weekend dealing with injuries to two key players and uncertainty as to whether coach Ralph Krueger is going to end the benching of high-priced forward Jeff Skinner. Starting goalie Linus Ullmark will miss at least both games of Buffalo’s weekend series against the Philadelphia Flyers due…

ATLANTA (AP) — Real estate investor Larry Gottesdiener was approved Friday as the lead owner of the Atlanta Dream following pressure on former Sen. Kelly Loeffler to sell her share of the WNBA team. The three-member investor group also includes former Dream guard Renee Montgomery and Suzanne Abair, president of Northland Investment Corp. in Massachusetts,…

ROME (AP) — A U.N. investigation into the attack on a humanitarian convoy in Congo that killed the Italian ambassador, his bodyguard and driver will look into whether the long-planned mission’s security protocols were followed and whether information might have leaked to the unknown gunmen involved in the ambush. The deputy communications director of the…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package late Friday that includes $1,400 checks for most Americans and billions of dollars for schools, state and local governments and businesses. Republicans are overwhelmingly against the bill, raising concerns that the spending is vastly more than necessary and designed to…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s top health officials revealed Friday the state has requested federal law enforcement to investigate alleged theft of coronavirus vaccine doses in the state’s most populous county, and also announced that a volunteer improperly vaccinated two children despite the shot not being cleared for young minors. The details come after the…

The United States has welcomed the joint statement of India and Pakistan to strictly observe all agreements on a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC), calling it a “positive step” towards greater peace and stability in South Asia. “United States welcomes the joint statement between India and Pakistan, that the two countries have agreed…

A US intelligence report expected to be made public Friday will blame Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — a key figure in the US-Saudi relationship — for the murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The report was completed under the administration of Donald Trump in the wake of the grisly October 2018…