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Indian Nationalists Cite Inspiration for Foreign Assassinations: U.S “Targeted Killing” Spree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

Protesters stomp on an Indian flag and a cutout of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sept. 25, 2023, over the Indian government’s alleged involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in British Columbia, Canada.Photo: Cole Burston/AFP via Getty ImagesIn the wake of Canada’s claim last month that the Indian government was behind the murder of Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, observers in the West have compared the alleged state-sanctioned killing to the actions of authoritarian states like Russia and Iran.In India, however, pro-government media outlets and politicians across the spectrum have pointed to a Western democracy that they believe has most legitimized the practice of extrajudicial assassination: the United States.The U.S. government has been supportive of Canada’s investigation of Nijjar’s murder. U.S. officials shared intelligence with the Canadian government that informed the allegations and have stated that there is...

Sheehan returns for Ireland and Scotland’s Ritchie passed fit for Rugby World Cup clash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Dan Sheehan returns at hooker for top-ranked Ireland’s final Rugby World Cup pool match against Scotland on Saturday.Second-placed Ireland has a four-point advantage over Scotland in Pool B and is the heavy favorite to book a quarterfinal spot. Scotland has an outside chance but has lost the past eight contests with Ireland.Iain Henderson comes in at lock for James Ryan in the only other change from the side which beat defending champion South Africa 13-8 in a titanic encounter.Sheehan sprained a foot ligament six weeks ago in the warmup win over England in Dublin. He was in contention to start against the Springboks but coach Andy Farrell held him from that ferocious clash.He takes over from Ronan Kelleher at Stade de France, where flanker Peter O’Mahony will win his 100th Ireland cap. He becomes the 10th player to reach the milestone for Ireland, following in the footsteps of flyhalf Jonathan Sexton, scrumhalf Conor Murray and winger Keith Earls, who are all in ...

No. 5 Florida St. hosts Virginia Tech seeking first 5-0 start since 2015

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

Virginia Tech (2-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Florida State (4-0, 2-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)Line: Florida State by 23 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Florida State leads 23-13-1.WHAT’S AT STAKENo. 5 Florida State looks to extend its winning streak to 11 games and improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2015. The Seminoles are coming off a bye, which follows a pair of nail-biting wins on the road ( Boston College and Clemson ). Virginia Tech snapped a three-game slide with a home victory over Pittsburgh and is seeking its first win over a top-10 opponent in two decades (they knocked off No. 2 Miami 31-7 in 2003).KEY MATCHUPKyron Drones completed 12 of 19 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns in his first college start, a 38-21 victory over Pittsburgh. But the 6-foot-2, 234-pound Drones also is a threat to run, picking up 41 yards and two rushing TDs. Drones is the likely starter as Grant Wells recovers from injury. Florida State has struggled t...

Wisconsin Republicans want to make it a crime to be naked in public

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans want to make it a crime to be naked in public for any reason and for a child to attend any event, like a naked bike ride, where people don’t have clothes on.A state Senate committee held a hearing Thursday on two bills introduced after a photograph circulated earlier this year of a child who attended Madison’s annual naked bike ride. The picture outraged some Republican lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who questioned Attorney General Merrick Garland at a congressional hearing last month about what he was going to do about it.“It’s kind of a joke, but it’s not a joke,” the bills’ lead sponsor, Republican Senate President Chris Kapenga, testified Thursday. “This is a pretty serious, especially in today’s society.”The World Naked Bike Ride has been happening in cities across the world for more than 20 years. The events are meant to encourage body positivity and to promote cycling as a form of transportation that lessens ...

England pick Farrell and Ford together to face Samoa at the Rugby World Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

LILLE, France (AP) — Owen Farrell will captain England beside flyhalf George Ford with Tom Curry back from suspension to face Samoa at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday.England has won Pool D with three straight wins and is gearing up for the quarterfinals next week after a two-week break. The side has 13 of the 15 who started against Argentina on the opening weekend, when Curry was sent off after three minutes and Ford kicked England to a 27-10 victory.The only changes are Farrell and Jonny May. May and fellow wing Joe Marchant have kept out Henry Arundell, who scored a record-tying five tries against Chile.Farrell has started at 12 only once before under coach Steve Borthwick, in his first game in charge at the start of the Six Nations. Farrell was outside Marcus Smith. Ford and Farrell have not started together since the 2021 Six Nations. Smith is in the reserves.Farrell requires two more points to become England’s all-time leading point-scorer, and end Jonny Wilkinson’...

Horned Frogs begin stretch with 3 of 4 games on the road when they visit Iowa State

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

AMES, Iowa (AP) — TCU (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) at Iowa State (2-3, 1-1), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (FS2)Line: TCU by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: TCU leads 9-5.WHAT’S AT STAKE?TCU is coming off a stinging home loss to West Virginia and looking to get back on track with three of its next four games on the road. The Horned Frogs are 7-0 in true road games under Sonny Dykes. Iowa State has lost three of its last four and will go on the road for two straight after facing the Horned Frogs.KEY MATCHUPIowa State offensive line vs. TCU front seven. The Cyclones have allowed just three sacks, tied for fourth fewest nationally. They had given up 12 through five games a year ago. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 with 16 sacks.PLAYERS TO WATCHTCU: RB Emani Bailey is second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally in rushing yards with 538. He has three 100-yard games this season.Iowa State: WR Jaylin Noel has 12 receptions for 194 yards and two touchdowns the last two games and has a cat...

Former Aces’ player Hamby files discrimination complaint against team, WNBA

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

Dearica Hamby filed a gender discrimination complaint last week against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces, saying her former team and its coach, Becky Hammon, retaliated against her after she informed them she was pregnant.Hamby filed the complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday.The complaint said that the franchise created an “abusive and hostile” work environment for Hamby last year before trading her to the Los Angeles Sparks in the offseason. That came after Hamby told the team she was pregnant with her second child.Hamby also alleged that Hammon asked the player if she had planned her pregnancy, adding that the coach told her she was “not holding up (her) end of the bargain” after signing a two-year extension last year.Hamby also said that the WNBA failed to properly investigate her allegations. The league had a months-long probe that conclud...

Georgia state Senate to start its own inquiry of the troubled Fulton County jail in Atlanta

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia state Senate committee says it will start its own investigation of jail conditions in the state’s most populous county, three months after the U.S. Justice Department unveiled its own inquiry of Fulton County jail conditions.State Sens. John Albers of Roswell and Randy Robertson of Cataula made the announcement in a Thursday news conference, accompanied by Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. All three are Republicans.“Now, we can’t solve all the problems that Fulton County may have, or any other county for that fact,” Albers said in a Wednesday interview. “However, we can go in there and hopefully get them on the right track.”Albers, who chairs the Senate Public Safety Committee, appointed a subcommittee led by Robertson to begin hearings Nov. 2Fulton County’s main jail, which opened in 1989 in a neighborhood west of downtown Atlanta, has been plagued by overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and violence. Six people have died in Fulton County custody sinc...

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ stage musical visits National Theatre on 30th anniversary of Robin Williams blockbuster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews 'Mrs. Doubtfire' at National Theatre (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); This fall marks the 30th anniversary of Robin Williams’ side-splitting comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993).fD.C. is celebrating with the stage musical “Mrs. Doubtfire” at National Theatre from Oct. 10 to Oct. 15.“If you’re a big fan of the movie, you’re goin...

Reports say dozens have been killed and wounded as drone strikes hit a Syrian military ceremony

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:16:55 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — A drone attack struck a packed graduation ceremony for military officers in the Syrian city of Homs on Thursday, killing and wounding dozens, including civilians and military personnel, reports said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and the reports could not be independently confirmed. Earlier, the army said that drones laced with explosives had targeted the ceremony in the central city of Homs as it was wrapping up but didn’t provide any figures or breakdown of the casualties. By nightfall, the military had still not provided any definitive casualty numbers. However, Syria’s state television said the government has announced a three-day state of mourning, starting on Friday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said at least 60 officers and civilians were killed, and a further 120 were wounded in the drone strikes. The pro-government Sham FM radio station said 66 people died and around 190 othe...