By Zeina Karam, The Associated Press
BEIRUT — The Islamic State group’s spokesman and chief strategist, who laid out the blueprint for the extremist group’s attacks against the West, has been killed while overseeing operations in northern Syria, the group announced Tuesday.
The IS-run Aamaq news agency said Abu Muhammed al-Adnani was “martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns in Aleppo,” and vowed to avenge his death. It did not provide any further details on when or how he died.
If confirmed, it would be a major blow to the extremist group, which has been on the retreat in Syria and Iraq, where the borders of its self-declared Islamic caliphate have been steadily eroded in recent months.
Al-Adnani, whose real name is Taha Sobhi Falaha, persistently called for attacks against the West, which paid off in bloody notoriety with the Nov. 13 coordinated attacks in Paris that hit a concert hall, a stadium and restaurants and bars, leaving 130 people dead and hundreds wounded.
Al-Adnani is a Syrian who was born in the northern province of Idlib and is believed to be in his late 30s. He crossed the border and joined al-Qaida in Iraq, a precursor to IS, after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
In late June 2014, he formally declared the establishment of a caliphate, or Islamic state, stretching across parts of Syria and Iraq, under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and demanded allegiance from Muslims worldwide.
A powerful orator, he went on to become the voice of IS. He released numerous, lengthy audio files online in which he delivered fiery sermons urging followers to kill civilians in nations that supported the U.S.-led coalition against the group.
“If you can kill a disbelieving American or European — especially the spiteful and filthy French — or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that joined a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be,” al-Adnani said in 2014.
In other speeches he referred to U.S. President Barack Obama as “an idiot” and Secretary of State John Kerry as an “uncircumcised old geezer.”
Earlier this year, he called for massive attacks during Ramadan — a call that translated into the bloodiest Muslim holy month in recent memory. Followers of IS carried out attacks on several continents, including the Orlando shooting, the Nice truck attack in France and a massive suicide bombing in downtown Baghdad.
Al-Adnani also disparaged Saudi Arabia and its influential clerics for failing to rally behind the rebels that the monarchy supports in Syria like they did decades ago in Afghanistan.
In Washington, a U.S. defense official said in response to reports of al-Adnani’s death that a U.S. airstrike on Tuesday targeted “an ISIL senior leader” in the Syrian city of al-Bab, which is northeast of Aleppo. But the official did not say whether the target was al-Adnani. He said the U.S. was still assessing the results of the airstrike. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the airstrikes by name.
Aleppo is a current focal point of the civil war in Syria, where IS, Syrian Kurdish forces, Turkey-backed rebels and President Bashar Assad’s forces are vying for control. The province is frequently struck by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes as well as Russian air raids.
Aamaq vowed revenge against the “filthy cowards in the sect of disbelief.” It said a generation raised in IS-held territory would avenge al-Adnani’s death.
The Islamic State group has suffered a string of defeats in recent weeks, including in Aleppo province, where Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels drove IS out of the border town of Jarablus last week.
In Iraq, the group has lost its strongholds in Fallujah and Ramadi, in the western Anbar province. It still controls Mosul, but Iraqi forces are gearing up for a long-awaited operation to retake the country’s second largest city.
It has also lost some of its most senior commanders and founding members over the past year, including its “minister of war” Omar al-Shishani, feared Iraqi militant Shaker Wuhayeb, also known as Abu Wahib, as well as a top finance official known by several names, including Abu Ali Al-Anbari.

Islamic State group says spokesman killed in Syria


SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin has won plaudits for her campaign instincts, her deep-rooted loyalty and her glamorous personal style. But she has been thrust into the spotlight for another attribute — as a wronged political wife.
Abedin, who is expected to play a major behind-the scenes role if her boss is elected president, announced Monday she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after the former New York congressman was accused of sending lewd photographs and messages to yet another woman.
It wasn't the first time Abedin was confronted with her husband's raunchy recklessness.
Weiner, a Democrat, resigned his seat amid a 2011 media firestorm that erupted after he texted suggestive photos of himself to several women. When he ran for mayor of New York City two years later, his campaign stumbled when it was revealed he was still sexting women who were not his wife.
Declaring the marriage over, Abedin said in a statement that she had decided to separate from Weiner "after long and painful consideration and work on my marriage." The couple has a young son, Jordan.
Weiner didn't return a call, text or email from The Associated Press. He deleted his Twitter account Monday.
The 41-year-old Abedin, now vice chairwoman of Clinton's campaign, began working for the former first lady while a student at George Washington University in 1996. Her role deepened as Clinton won a New York Senate seat in 2000, ran for president in 2008 and later served as President Barack Obama's secretary of state.
"With Huma, her grace, her intellect and her humility have been unmatched as I've watched her go from an aide to an adviser to one of the people at the top of my campaign," Clinton said in a recent profile of Abedin in Vogue.
With roughly two months to Election Day, Abedin is Clinton's near-constant travel companion and has long exerted great influence within Clinton's inner circle — a role in which she is expected to continue should Clinton win the White House. Few major decisions in the campaign are made without Abedin's input, and she remains an important back-channel in the Clinton orbit of friends, political allies and donors.
Stylish and poised, Abedin carries enough clout within Clinton circles to headline high-profile fundraisers, as she did in 2015 alongside Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in Paris, raising money from Americans living abroad. She's close enough to the Clintons that former President Bill Clinton officiated when Abedin and Weiner married in 2010.
Before The New York Post published photos late Sunday that it said Weiner sent last year to a woman identified as a "40-something divorcee," Abedin was spotted outside a Clinton fundraiser at the Southampton home of philanthropist Marcia Riklis.
A friend of Abedin, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the breakup, said she was with her young son, Jordan, and her family members in the Hamptons during the weekend. Abedin's friend said the separation from Weiner had been brewing for some time.
At the State Department, Abedin served as a jack-of-all-trades to Clinton, helping her with everything from scheduling meetings and arranging phone calls around the globe to offering fashion advice. In an early morning email to Clinton in August 2009, Abedin advised her to "wear a dark color today. Maybe the new dark green suit. Or blue."
Abedin's behind-the-scenes role has often drawn unwanted attention. Her email exchanges with Clinton were closely scrutinized during the Justice Department's investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server. Federal prosecutors ultimately declined to issue charges in the cases.
Congressional Republicans have raised questions about whether Abedin skirted ethics guidelines during her 2012 work as an adviser to Clinton while she also worked for Teneo Holdings, a consulting firm co-founded by Doug Band, a former aide to former President Bill Clinton.
Republicans have also alleged that donors to the Clinton Foundation got preferential treatment while Clinton was secretary of state. Last week, the group Judicial Watch released several previously undisclosed exchanges turned over by Abedin that included a 2009 message she received from Band — a foundation official at the time — seeking a meeting with Hillary Clinton for the crown prince of Bahrain.
Crown Prince Salman had made a $32 million commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, a program run by the foundation. Copies of Clinton's calendar obtained by AP confirm the meeting occurred in her State Department office on June 26, 2009. The State Department has said there was nothing improper or unusual about the messages with Clinton Foundation staff.
Abedin's marriage has also come under fire from Clinton's Republican opponent Donald Trump, who immediately seized on the aide's marital split to accuse Clinton of "bad judgment." He suggested that Weiner might have compromised national security, but offered no evidence to support the allegation.
"I only worry for the country in that Hillary Clinton was careless and negligent in allowing Weiner to have such close proximity to highly classified information," Trump said in a statement. "Who knows what he learned and who he told?"

Separation puts Clinton aide Huma Abedin into spotlight


SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin has won plaudits for her campaign instincts, her deep-rooted loyalty and her glamorous personal style. But she has been thrust into the spotlight for another attribute — as a wronged political wife.


Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates is a new romantic comedy out later this month but we are giving you the chance to see it first and free.
We have 10 pairs of tickets to be won to an exclusive advance screening at Vue cinema, Meadowhall, Sheffield, on Tuesday, August 2, at 6.30pm.
Our winners will get to see it more than a week before anyone else - it opens in UK cinemas on August 10.
Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates (15 certificate) is based on real life events when hard-partying brothers Mike (Adam Devine) and Dave (Zac Efron) place an online ad to find the perfect dates (Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza) for their sister's Hawaiian wedding.
Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves outsmarted and out-partied by the uncontrollable duo.
WIN PREVIEW TICKETS:
Enter our free draw - by Twitter or email - for a chance to win one of 10 pairs of tickets to an exclusive advance screening of Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates at Vue cinema, Meadowhall, Sheffield, on Tuesday, August 2, at 6.30pm.
Simply follow @GW1962 on Twitter and retweet any of his #JPCompMADNWD tweets, or email your full name, age, address, telephone nuners and email details, with #JPCompMADNWD in the subject field, to graham,walker@jpress.co.uk. Deadline is Monday, August 1, 10am.
Tickets cannot be swapped or exchanged for other venues, film screenings, dates or times - so only enter if you can attend. Only one email entry per person. Usual Johnston Press terms and conditions apply see www.johnstonpress.co.uk/competition
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AUGUST 10: Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates
SEPTEMBER 30: Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
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WIN: Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates preview tickets at Vue Sheffield


Visit now for the latest entertainment and leisure news and features - from the Wetherby News, updated daily


Panaji: Internet services giant Google will now promote digital literacy in the state and help Goa become digitally empowered by providing its services to IT start-ups and helping businesses go online apart from putting the state’s rich cultural heritage on the global map. The Goa government on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google India in the presence of vice president, Google Southeast Asia and India Rajan Anandan. Also present on the occasion were Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Chief Secretary R K Srivastava and director of department of information technology Ameya Abhayankar.The scope of the MoU will be “all-encompassing” and “it will bring the best of Google to Goa,” announced Anandan. He said that the MoU will cover several services including providing cloud credits to IT start-ups, helping small businesses go online, promoting android developer education and making all government sites mobile-friendly among others. Any individual, who is android certified is guaranteed to get a job, said Anandan. Over the last one year, the global giant has engaged with the Goa government in various ways and conducted internet safety education in 98 schools, he said and pointed out that Google has prepared curriculum for internet safety education for school students and initiated teacher training for 460 schools, covering 80,000 students. The Chief Minister termed the MoU as “technology partnership” and said that it would help in creating sound environment for digitization. He said that Goa needs to be known as an IT state instead of a tourist state as it has a large number of IT students passing out from engineering colleges. The Chief Minister, who is also the Minister for Information Technology, said that the signing of the technology pact will hopefully be the turning point for the development of IT industry in the state. Women and self-help groups are expected to benefit as Google has a special ‘internet saathi’ programme to further internet familiarity among people. Google India officials were present in full force on the occasion. Also present were members of the Goa industry, Goa IT Professionals Association, vice president of Manufacturers Association for IT (MAIT) Nitin Kunkolienkar and several IT entrepreneurs.Google will not be having a physical presence in Goa post signing of the MoU, clarified Anandan, adding that it would have its program managers, engineers and marketing team frequently visiting the state.The global giant is partnering with the central government in Digital India Mission and recently completed the task of enabling 40 railway stations across the country with Wi-Fi service.Apart from supporting the Goa government in digitization, Google will also help in putting the state’s rich cultural heritage on the global map by creating a digital repository of the architectural and heritage sites. [NT]

Google to transform Goa into digital state.


Story highlights Anti-whaling activist group announce the launch of a new ship
The activists group's new campaign in the Southern Ocean comes in the wake of a court loss
Though Japan is often in the media spotlight for its whaling operations, Norway is actually the global leader in whale hunting
(CNN) Anti-whaling activist group Sea Shepherd announced its 11th whale defense campaign Tuesday with the launch of a custom-built vessel, which it claims will have the requisite muscle to take on Japanese whaling fleets.
"For the first time we will have the speed to catch and outrun the Japanese harpoon ships, knowing speed can be the deciding factor when saving the lives of whales in the Southern Ocean," Alex Cornelissen, Sea Shepherd Global CEO, said in a statement.
Sea Shepherd told CNN that its new ship -- dubbed "Ocean Warrior" -- is 54 meters (177 feet) long, displaces 439 tons and can reach speeds of 25 knots and higher. Japanese whaling ships are estimated to reach speeds of up to 22 knots, and Sea Shepherd's previous ships could only reach 15 knots. A deck area also enables ship operators to dispatch small boat operations and support a helicopter.
The ship was built in Turkey by Dutch shipbuilder Damen from an 8.3 million euro ($9 million) fund awarded to Sea Shepherd by the Dutch, UK and Swedish lotteries.
The Ocean Warrior has a deck area large enough to accommodate a helicopter and several small boat operations.
Ocean Warrior is expected to arrive in Australia at the end of 2016 so it can be prepared for the activist group's 11th whale defense campaign in the Southern Ocean.
Read More

Sea Shepherd vows to battle on with new ship


Anti-whaling activist group Sea Shepherd announced its 11th whale defense campaign Tuesday with the launch of a custom-built vessel, which it claims will have the requisite muscle to take on Japanese whaling fleets.


More than 100 arrested, dozens hurt at Notting Hill Carnival
London police arrested more than 100 people amid sporadic violence Sunday at the annual Notting Hill Carnival, an annual celebration of Caribbean culture in the British capital that often includes trouble on the sidelines. The Metropolitan Police reported at least four knife attacks during the opening day of the two-day festival in west London.
It said four males aged 15 to 20 were wounded, with one 15-year-old boy hospitalized in critical condition. Sunday’s festivities included a colorful child-oriented parade through west London that attracted tens of thousands of revelers, many of whom danced in the streets to the sound of steel drums and reggae bands. Scores of paramedics were on hand to provide MASH-style units for carnival-goers injured or unwell from alcohol or drugs. Medical beds were deployed at roadsides in some locations.
The London Ambulance Service reported shortly before midnight that 411 people had received medical care at the carnival, 77 of whom needed to be hospitalized. Police said 105 people were arrested on charges that included drug possession, carrying knives, assault, sexual offenses and theft. The carnival, founded in 1966 by West Indian immigrants following the Notting Hill race riots of 1958, frequently has involved clashes with police. Many local businesses have closed during the event since 1977, when police stormed the carnival amid looting of shops.
The 2008 festivities ended in a street riot. Last year, police arrested 407 people, a record for an event where knifings committed by youth gangs have become a troubling trend. This year police have deployed a 7,000-strong force to keep the peace. The carnival remains one of Europe’s biggest street parties with hundreds of thousands attending each year. It takes place at the end of August on the last two days of a three-day weekend. — AP


The Latest on tropical weather systems (all times local):
4 p.m. HST
The U.S. Coast Guard is asking crews of barges and ships to prepare to leave Hilo Harbor as a major hurricane hurtles toward Hawaii.
Captain Mike Long says ocean-going vessels should seek sheltered waters until storm conditions subside. He expects to close Hilo Harbor to all traffic by 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane warning as category 3 Madeline approaches. The National Weather Service warned that hurricane conditions are expected on the Big Island within the next 36 hours.
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1:50 p.m. HST
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is closing some areas at the end of the day as a major hurricane hurtles west toward Hawaii Island.
Park officials said Tuesday that the coastal lava viewing area will close by Wednesday morning.
Some camping areas are closing, but guests staying at Kilauea Military Camp and Volcano House may shelter in place.
The closures will remain in effect until the storms pass.
Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane warning as category 3 Madeline approaches. The National Weather Service warned that hurricane conditions are expected on the Big Island within the next 36 hours.
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12 p.m. HST
Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane warning as category 3 Madeline approaches.
The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that hurricane conditions are expected on the Big Island within the next 36 hours. Forecasters are urging residents and visitors to rush through preparations to protect their lives and property.
Big Island resident Mitzi Bettencourt says she has boarded up windows in her brother’s oceanfront home. She says she and her neighbors are hoping their roofs stay intact and their houses don’t float away.
Neighbors are stocking up on food and water to prepare for power outages.
President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Oahu this week. The White House is tracking the weather developments closely, but it doesn’t anticipate changing Obama’s schedule.
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5 p.m. EDT
Forecasters have issued a hurricane watch for parts of Florida stretching from northwest of Tampa to an area east of Panama City.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued the watch for an area of the Gulf coast from the Anclote River to Indian Pass. An area to the west of Indian pass on the Panhandle is under a tropical storm watch.
The watches are related to a tropical depression churning in the Gulf about 345 miles (55 kilometers) west of Key West.
Forecasters say they expect the system to turn to the northeast toward Florida on Wednesday. It’s also expected to become a tropical storm by Wednesday.
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10:30 a.m. HST
Residents of Hawaii’s Big Island are bracing for what could be the first hurricane to make landfall in that state in decades.
Meteorologist Chevy Chevalier said Tuesday that Pacific hurricane Madeline, now a major Category 3 storm, is expected to weaken but likely to remain a hurricane as it passes the state.
The forecaster says Madeline is expected to pass just south of the Big Island early Thursday morning. But if the storm’s track shifts slightly to the north, it could hit land.
Chevalier says the last hurricane to make landfall in Hawaii was Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which hit Kauai Island.
A second Pacific hurricane called Lester is still far from Hawaii. Lester is expected to be a tropical storm by the time it passes the state.
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2:30 p.m.
Federal regulators say offshore operators have temporarily evacuated workers from some oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico because of a tropical depression.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement in Washington said in an emailed statement that personnel were taken off nine platforms by midday Tuesday, or from just a fraction of the 750 manned platforms in the Gulf. It adds workers also were evacuated from one rig and a total of seven rigs had been re-positioned away from the expected path of the storm.
The regulatory agency says its hurricane response team has been activated and is working with offshore operators and other agencies “until operations return to normal and the storm is no longer a threat to Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities.”
The emailed statement didn’t say exactly how many workers were evacuated.
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5:15 a.m. HST
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center says a hurricane watch is in effect for the Big Island of Hawaii, warning major Hurricane Madeline could pass “dangerously close.”
At 5 a.m. HST (11 a.m. EDT) Tuesday, Madeline was a powerful Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph). The center adds that the storm is centered about 445 miles (715 kilometers) east of Hilo, Hawaii, and moving west at 10 mph (17 kph).
The Center’s advisory predicted the storm would pass near Hawaii’s Big Island Wednesday and Wednesday night and residents could experience hurricane-force winds, heavy rain and high surf. But it added that some weakening is forecast through late Wednesday.
Hawaii County, which covers the Big Island, urged residents to restock their emergency kits, create evacuation plans and secure outdoor furniture.
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11:10 a.m.
Forecasters say a tropical weather system off the North Carolina coast is expected to pass near the Outer Banks by the evening.
An 11 a.m. update on Tuesday from the National Hurricane Center says the tropical depression could become a named storm later in the day. Its center is also expected to pass near the North Carolina barrier islands in the afternoon or evening.
Top sustained winds were 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts, and the storm was centered about 70 miles (115 kilometers) south of Cape Hatteras. A tropical storm warning is in effect for much of the Outer Banks.
In the Gulf of Mexico another tropical depression was about 340 miles (550 kilometers) west of Key West, Florida. Forecasters expect it to become a tropical storm later Tuesday and make a turn to the northeast toward Florida the next day.
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10:45 a.m.
A slow stream of cars is heading north on the main highway off Hatteras Island in North Carolina as crowds of visitors thin ahead of the approach of a tropical weather system.
Dozens of cars with tags from places including Maryland, New York and Ohio were seen headed Tuesday morning toward a bridge to the mainland. There was light, intermittent rain and mostly cloudy skies.
A tropical depression off the Atlantic Coast is expected to become a tropical storm and bring rain and wind to North Carolina’s Outer Banks as it passes by early Wednesday.
A public beach near Rodanthe was nearly empty, save for two parents enjoying the morning with their 11-year-old son. Joe and Kelley Walker of Virginia say they plan to stay through the weather and watch movies inside when it gets rainy.
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8:05 a.m.
A tropical depression that threatens the North Carolina coast has turned north-northwestward in the Atlantic.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the depression is expected to later curve north and then northeast on Wednesday. Its forecast track shows its center will be near North Carolina’s Outer Banks by Tuesday afternoon or evening.
The depression’s maximum sustained are near 35 mph (55 kph) and forecasters say it could become a tropical storm later in the day.
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5:20 a.m.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says a hurricane hunter aircraft has been sent to investigate a tropical depression nearing the North Carolina coast.
The depression’s maximum sustained winds remain near 35 mph (55 kph) Tuesday morning but forecasters say it could become a tropical storm later in the day. The depression is centered about 95 miles (150 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is moving northwest near 6 mph (9 kph).
Meanwhile, another tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could hit northern Florida as a tropical storm later in the week.
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3 a.m.
Officials say a potential tropical storm is already forming off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It’s expected to bring up to 45 mph winds and heavy rain that could flood low-lying areas.
The tropical depression was about 115 miles (185 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras on Tuesday morning with top sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). Officials say it’s expected to become a tropical storm in coming hours but not grow any stronger.
Beachgoers, boat captains and business owners warily waited for the storm to wash out one of the summer’s last busy weeks.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami also say another tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could hit northern Florida as a tropical storm later in the week and possibly head toward the Atlantic coast.

The Latest: Coast Guard closing harbor as storm nears Hawaii


POINT PLEASANT, W. Va. — Chip Wood wasn’t exactly what you could call a happy camper.
That’s because his Point Pleasant High School boys soccer squad — given the feel from Tuesday night’s impressive shutout win — gave one away right back.
The Black Knights, according to Wood, played “very undisciplined” on Thursday night — and suffered a 2-1 loss to the visiting Poca Dots inside a steamy Ohio Valley Bank Track & Field in Point Pleasant.
The contest, and ultimate outcome, came only 48 hours after the young Black Knights notched a nice 3-0 blanking of visiting Lincoln County.
Point Pleasant fell to 1-1-0 with the loss, while Poca — after a 2-2 draw against Ravenswood in its opener — raised its record to 1-0-1.
Wood was dismayed by his Black Knights not starting strong — and ongoing lack of communication the entire night.
But he said discipline, or lack thereof, was the primary downfall for his charges against Poca.
“We were very undisciplined all night long — everywhere and all over the field,” said the disappointed coach. “We did not come out to play. We started poorly. There were three or four individuals that really played their hearts out and those kids did not let me down. We were not communicating at all or hooking up at all. It was just a poor performance on our part all night.”
The largest letdown came with 21 minutes and 20 seconds remaining, when the Dots broke the 1-1 tie with Parker Samples’ go-ahead — and eventual game-winning — goal.
Samples stole a Black Knight clear attempt and started to dribble, before passing ahead to Ryne Byrne, who passed back to Samples in front of three Black Knight defenders.
Samples’ short shot towards the lower-left 90 got by Point Pleasant goalkeeper Cole Walker.
“We weren’t proper defensively and we failed to clear the ball, ” said Wood. “We let them settle the ball, and then we’re stabbing at the ball instead of actually maintaining distance between the defender and not letting him get past us. We overplayed the ball and went past, giving them an easy toe-poke goal.”
After that, Poca started to regain most of the offensive possession, as a pair of shots involving Alex Lenkov within two minutes were the Black Knights’ best-equalizing opportunities the rest of the way.
Those came with 14:15 and with under 12 minutes to play, as the Black Knights also couldn’t convert on any of their four corner kicks, including three in the final 30:42 — and the last with a minute-and-a-half left.
Poca senior goalkeeper Tanner Dworsky stepped up to make an in-stride standing save.
“We ended up getting way too spread out and giving them (Dots) lots of space in the end, which gave them lots of time to try to counter-attack and even waste time. We were very undisciplined tonight. That’s the biggest thing,” said Wood. “It was just not our best performance.”
Point Pleasant actually outshot the Dots on goal 12-8, but only got a Lenkov tally with 3:07 remaining before halftime to show for it.
Lenkov ricocheted a shot off the left post with 31:43 remaining in the opening half, as Dworsky made the first of two saves in a matter of two minutes in which he dropped to his knees.
With most of the first half played between the 20-yard lines, and amid exchanges of missed shots and keeper saves, the Dots drew first blood with a goal by Trace Jarrett with 14:55 remaining.
But Point Pleasant picked up the energy and intensity, at least momentarily, tying the match at 1-1 on the Lenkov goal.
Walker was credited with six saves.
The Black Knights will take to the road for the first time this season on Saturday (Aug. 27) when they travel to Ripley.
Kickoff time is set for 10 a.m.
Paul Boggs can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2106
Point Pleasant’s Austin Nott battles Poca’s Trace Jarrett (13) for possession of the ball during Thursday night’s boys soccer match at Point Pleasant’s Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field. http://mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.25-PP-Nott.jpg Point Pleasant’s Austin Nott battles Poca’s Trace Jarrett (13) for possession of the ball during Thursday night’s boys soccer match at Point Pleasant’s Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field. Paul Boggs/OVP Sports


POINT PLEASANT, W. Va. — Chip Wood wasn’t exactly what you could call a happy camper.
That’s because his Point Pleasant High School boys soccer squad — given the feel from Tuesday night’s impressive shutout win — gave one away right back.
The Black Knights, according to Wood, played “very undisciplined” on Thursday night — and suffered a 2-1 loss to the visiting Poca Dots inside a steamy Ohio Valley Bank Track & Field in Point Pleasant.
The contest, and ultimate outcome, came only 48 hours after the young Black Knights notched a nice 3-0 blanking of visiting Lincoln County.
Point Pleasant fell to 1-1-0 with the loss, while Poca — after a 2-2 draw against Ravenswood in its opener — raised its record to 1-0-1.
Wood was dismayed by his Black Knights not starting strong — and ongoing lack of communication the entire night.
But he said discipline, or lack thereof, was the primary downfall for his charges against Poca.
“We were very undisciplined all night long — everywhere and all over the field,” said the disappointed coach. “We did not come out to play. We started poorly. There were three or four individuals that really played their hearts out and those kids did not let me down. We were not communicating at all or hooking up at all. It was just a poor performance on our part all night.”
The largest letdown came with 21 minutes and 20 seconds remaining, when the Dots broke the 1-1 tie with Parker Samples’ go-ahead — and eventual game-winning — goal.
Samples stole a Black Knight clear attempt and started to dribble, before passing ahead to Ryne Byrne, who passed back to Samples in front of three Black Knight defenders.
Samples’ short shot towards the lower-left 90 got by Point Pleasant goalkeeper Cole Walker.
“We weren’t proper defensively and we failed to clear the ball, ” said Wood. “We let them settle the ball, and then we’re stabbing at the ball instead of actually maintaining distance between the defender and not letting him get past us. We overplayed the ball and went past, giving them an easy toe-poke goal.”
After that, Poca started to regain most of the offensive possession, as a pair of shots involving Alex Lenkov within two minutes were the Black Knights’ best-equalizing opportunities the rest of the way.
Those came with 14:15 and with under 12 minutes to play, as the Black Knights also couldn’t convert on any of their four corner kicks, including three in the final 30:42 — and the last with a minute-and-a-half left.
Poca senior goalkeeper Tanner Dworsky stepped up to make an in-stride standing save.
“We ended up getting way too spread out and giving them (Dots) lots of space in the end, which gave them lots of time to try to counter-attack and even waste time. We were very undisciplined tonight. That’s the biggest thing,” said Wood. “It was just not our best performance.”
Point Pleasant actually outshot the Dots on goal 12-8, but only got a Lenkov tally with 3:07 remaining before halftime to show for it.
Lenkov ricocheted a shot off the left post with 31:43 remaining in the opening half, as Dworsky made the first of two saves in a matter of two minutes in which he dropped to his knees.
With most of the first half played between the 20-yard lines, and amid exchanges of missed shots and keeper saves, the Dots drew first blood with a goal by Trace Jarrett with 14:55 remaining.
But Point Pleasant picked up the energy and intensity, at least momentarily, tying the match at 1-1 on the Lenkov goal.
Walker was credited with six saves.
The Black Knights will take to the road for the first time this season on Saturday (Aug. 27) when they travel to Ripley.
Kickoff time is set for 10 a.m.
Paul Boggs can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2106
Point Pleasant’s Austin Nott battles Poca’s Trace Jarrett (13) for possession of the ball during Thursday night’s boys soccer match at Point Pleasant’s Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field. http://mydailytribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.25-PP-Nott.jpg Point Pleasant’s Austin Nott battles Poca’s Trace Jarrett (13) for possession of the ball during Thursday night’s boys soccer match at Point Pleasant’s Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field. Paul Boggs/OVP Sports


The man authorities accuse of masterminding a deadly terrorist attack in Bangladesh last month is being linked to a group of Calgary extremists.
Bangladeshi police say Tamim Chowdhury was behind an attack at a Dhaka restaurant on July 1 that left more than 20 people dead. Chowdhury was one of three suspects killed by police near the Bangladesh capital over the weekend.
Sources say the man spent time in Calgary and was spotted at a local prayer centre in April 2012 with Damian Clairmont, who died fighting alongside an extremist group in Syria.
Clairmont’s mother, Christianne Boudreau, said she felt sick to her stomach when she heard about the Dhaka attack.
Reached in France, Boudreau said she had learned through George Washington University researcher Amarnath Amarasingam that Chowdhury apparently had ties to the same Calgary prayer group that her son had been a part of before going to Syria.
“Amar had made me aware of the ties and of who he was and the information that he’d started finding that he’d likely travelled back and forth between Windsor and Calgary and that it was very possible that he was one of the ones that had gotten Damian into everything in the first place,” Boudreau said.
Amarasingam could not be reached for comment on Monday.
But in an article authored for a website aimed at providing information for researchers about jihadism, jihadology.net, Amarasingam said Chowdhury was born in 1986, graduated from the University of Windsor in 2011, and travelled to Calgary some time after that.
A Calgary source confirmed he saw Chowdhury at a local prayer centre once in 2012. At the time, the young man was standing next to Clairmont. The source was surprised to learn that Chowdhury, whom he knew in Windsor as being a quiet person, was accused of being one of the masterminds behind the Bangladesh attack.
“He was very quiet, very reserved … I did not see any form of leadership characteristics from him,” said the source, who asked not to be named.
Clairmont was part of a group of friends who attended a downtown Calgary prayer centre and lived in a high-rise building above it.
Also part of the group were Salman Ashrafi and brothers Collin and Gregory Gordon. Ashrafi was allegedly part of a suicide bomb attack in Iraq in November 2013 that left 46 people dead, and it's believed the Gordon brothers travelled to Syria to join ISIL.
Boudreau said she has been searching for clues to her son’s path to radicalism since his death. Her understanding is that there are still several other members of the group that her son and Chowdhury were part of.
“It’s going to be challenging…it’s hard to find all the ties,” she said.
Calgary Imam Syed Soharwardy said he was disturbed to learn that Chowdhury lived in Canada and attended the same place of worship as Clairmont and Ashrafi.
“Governments should look into prevention rather than reaction,” he said.
“When you know that a person is going towards that line, when you know that this person may cross the line, why do we not start talking to this person. I’m not saying go and arrest that person, I’m saying start talking, counselling, seek help.”
Staff Sgt. Asif Rashid, of the Calgary Police Service, said the ReDirect program he works with is an early intervention initiative that seeks to prevent young people from becoming radicalized and acting out in a violent, extremist way.
The ReDirect project team was struck in 2014 in response to requests made by the community.
"Our executive of the day realized that ... nobody understands the nuances of the community better than the community themselves, and the community was asking us to provide a facility or some infrastructure to help provide support to individuals that they were identifying that might be vulnerable to radicalization," said Rashid.
Rashid said the group receives a number of referrals on a monthly basis, which are triaged and assessed. If there's any suggestion of potential criminality, the file is referred to other agencies for investigation.
"The way in which we identify a person that's vulnerable to radicalization to violence is quite a tricky one," he said.
"There is no single over-arching behaviour that would say an individual is vulnerable to radicalization to violence. More so it's a cluster of worrisome behaviours, a change in baseline behaviour, that might prompt somebody that's close to this individual to contact the ReDirect program."
ycole@postmedia.com

Slain man accused in deadly terrorist attack in Bangladesh linked to Calgary ext


The man authorities accuse of
masterminding a deadly terrorist attack
in Bangladesh last month is being linked
to a group of Calgary extremists.


Keen hikers in Hartlepool and East Durham are being encouraged to take part in a national event.
This September the Ramblers is getting the North East on its feet with Walk About – its biggest ever free nationwide walking event, offering a walk to suit everyone.
The festival takes place from Saturday, September 3, to Sunday, September 11.
There’s something for everyone to enjoy – from a short stroll in the park to a challenging hike up a mountain.
But people don’t have to wait to get started. The Ramblers has launched a free online tracker that allows people to log their walking activity and make the most of everything the festival has to offer.
The Ramblers’ director of walking development, Simon Barnett, said: “We all know walking can do wonders for our wellbeing, which is why we want to get the nation on its feet with our biggest free walking festival to date.
“Walking is good for our health and our minds and we want everyone to be able to experience the many benefits and joys it can bring.
“But we wanted to encourage people to get more active in advance of the festival, which is why we’ve introduced our online tracker, which allows people to log all their walking activity and monitor their progress.
“It’s a great way to build activity levels, which means that by the time the festival comes around people will be able to step out on a longer walk.”
Walk About is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Anyone can take part by visiting www.ramblers.org.uk/walkabout and starting to log their walking trips – whether short or long, in the town or the countryside, alone or with friends.


Keen hikers in Hartlepool and East Durham are being encouraged to take part in a national event.


BROOKLYN, Mich. — During the last couple laps of his first Sprint Cup victory, Kyle Larson was emotional.
“I think with two to go, I was starting to get choked up,” he said. “We worked really, really hard to get a win, and just haven’t done it. Finally all the hard work by everybody, hundreds of people at our race shop, people who have got me through to the Cup Series, it was all paying off.”
Larson took the lead on a restart with nine laps remaining and held off Chase Elliott at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday in a duel between two of NASCAR’s up-and-coming standouts. Elliott had a comfortable lead before a tire problem on Michael Annett’s car brought out the yellow flag. Larson had the better restart and went on to win by 1.48 seconds.
Brad Keselowski finished third.
Larson’s victory in his No. 42 Chevrolet snapped a 99-race losing streak for Chip Ganassi Racing dating to Jamie McMurray’s victory at Talladega in 2013.
Larson secured a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with two races left in the regular season. Elliott remains winless, but is in solid shape to make the Chase field on points if need be.
It was the 99th career start for the 24-year-old Larson, who had 14 top-five finishes before Sunday but hadn’t won at the Cup level. The 20-year-old Elliott is winless in 29 starts, but this was an impressive showing for him after eight consecutive races outside the top 10.
Elliott finished second at Michigan in June as well, losing to Joey Logano.
“That’s a couple races in a row in just a few short months here at this place we had a really good car, had an opportunity,” Elliott said. “That’s one thing I try really hard to do is make the most of opportunities when they’re presented. Obviously I didn’t do a very good job of that here both trips.”
Elliott led by 2.86 seconds with 28 laps to go Sunday, and it looked as if Larson’s chance to catch him had been derailed when he lost ground passing a lapped car. The caution gave him another shot, though, and he took advantage.
“We both spun our tires really bad, and the No. 2 (Keselowski) pushed me really good,” Larson said. “He could have probably pulled underneath me and went by, but he stayed with me and got me the lead.”
There were only four cautions in the 200-lap, 400-mile race. Larson led a race-high 41 laps. Logano, the pole winner, finished 10th.
Chris Buescher, who has a victory but still needs to stay in the top 30 in points to make the Chase, finished 35th after some early engine trouble. Buescher is seven points ahead of David Ragan for 30th place on the season.
Alex Bowman, filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 car, had a problem with the ignition system and finished 30th.
Twelve drivers have wrapped up Chase berths. Tony Stewart, who has a victory, has clinched a top-30 finish in points to secure his spot.
Buescher’s situation is still uncertain, so there could end up being as many as four drivers making it in on points. Elliott is 11th in the standings, the top driver with no victories.
WHO’S HOT: Points leader Kevin Harvick followed up his win at Bristol with a fifth-place showing at Michigan. He has 11 top-five finishes in 24 starts this year.
WHO’S NOT: It was another rough day for Kyle Busch at Michigan. He’d finished out of the top 30 in five of his previous six races at the track, and he was no factor Sunday after an early spin, although he did recover well enough to come in 19th.
“We actually had a pretty fast car. We ran some really fast laps, but we just got in a bad spot there on the restart and got sucked around and wore off part of our splitter,” crew chief Adam Stevens said. “Even after that we were one of the probably five or six quickest cars on the race track and just whenever we got in the lucky-dog spot we ran there for I can’t tell you how many laps and just didn’t get a caution.”
INSPECTION: Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford failed post-race laser inspection.
SKID: Hendrick Motorsports is winless in 19 races after Elliott fell short, but there were some positive signs for the team. At the midway point, Hendrick cars were 1-2, with Jimmie Johnson leading Elliott at the front. Kasey Kahne was in fifth at that point.
Johnson ended up sixth, and Kahne finished 14th. Bowman was the only driver for Hendrick who finished way behind.
This is Hendrick’s longest losing streak since a 22-race dry spell from 1993 into 1994.
UP NEXT: Darlington Raceway, Sept. 4. Carl Edwards is the defending race winner.

Kyle Larson takes advantage of late restart for first Cup victory


During the last couple laps of his first Sprint Cup victory, Kyle Larson was emotional.


By Kevin Williams
Amish Cook Editor
Editor’s Note: Gloria’s column will return in its regular format next week.
Last week I was able to spend a day with Gloria and Daniel in Flat Rock, Illi. Summer in southern Illinois can be brutally hot and humid. I cringe at how old I feel when I say stuff like this, but I can’t help but marvel at what a grounded young couple the Yoders are. There’s genuine affection and since direction in their marriage and flowering adult lives. Daniel and Gloria will finish each other’s sentences and there’s a newlywed’s affection – hand-holding and romantic buggy rides together — even after five years of marriage. Daniel’s got a firm foundation for the future while Gloria keeps the homefires burning. If I could channel my 25-year-old self, I could have learned a lot from them.
The Yoders live a life of bountiful gardens, full supper tables, deep faith and wonderful family ties. A small Amish school serves as an “anchor” in the community and Gloria’s uncle’s bulk food store supplies sundries and staples to the settlement. Gloria continues her “open door” policy of welcoming readers who may want to stop by Flat Rock to say “hello.”
On another note, five years ago I decided to try my hand writing Amish fiction which, at the time, was all the rage. I wrote a 100,000 word Amish-themed novel (which translates into more than 400 pages) and then promptly put it on a shelf, hoping to “get to it later.” Well, later never came. Life brought changes, like becoming a Dad for the first time three years ago. And the book just sat. And sat. And, finally,this year I decided that the book isn’t doing anything for me just sitting there. So I took it off the shelf, dusted it off and released it. The book is called Abraham’s Redemption and I don’t think anything that happens in the book is a terrible stretch. The Amish have generated a lot of headlines the past five years for stranger-than-fiction tales that a novelist would be hard-pressed to make up: the Barbara Weaver murder in Ohio, the beard-cutting posse of Bergholz, Ohio; the “Amish Bernie Madoff” that scammed thousands in Holmes County, the pigeon pyramid scheme and on and on … so, really, there isn’t much in my book that couldn’t have conceivably occurred. Really.
The book, which is set in the Berne, Ind., Amish community. is told through the lens of two protagonists: Abraham Schwartz and non-Amish young attorney, Paige Roberts.
Abraham is basically a good guy who makes some bad decisions and then tries to rectify them and, in the end, find redemption. Does he? You have to read to find out.
I think, in the end, most people are like Abraham. They try. Life can be messy but, I think, in the end everything eventually evens out.m
As a fundraiser for the column, you can order your collector’s copy of Abraham’s Redemption for $25 (that includes shipping) or two books for $40. To order, send to Oasis Newsfeatures, P.O. Box 157, Middletown, OH 45042. Prices include shipping.
Lastly, by the time you read this (although it depends, babies arrive on their own schedule) I will probably be a new dad. So welcome diapers, sleepless nights, and onesies again. An update soon.
Here is a recipe from Gloria that many people have requested over the years since it first ran.
HOMEMADE PIZZA POCKETS
Pockets:
2 tablespoons yeast
1 /2 cup warm water
3 /4 cup warm evaporated milk
1 /4 cup oil
1 egg
1 /4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups flour
Filling:
1 pound sausage
1 cup pizza sauce
Pepperoni
Shredded cheese
Onions
Peppers
Mushrooms
Pocket: Dissolve yeast in water. Add the rest of ingredients adding flour last and let rise once, till double. Then roll dough thin. Let rise again about 10 minutes.
Filling: Fry sausage and add pizza sauce. Layer ingredients as you like on dough circles.. Fold in half and press shut. Bake at 350 until golden brown.
http://dailycall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_amish-cook-logofz-4.jpg
Readers with culinary or culture questions or stories to share may write Gloria Yoder, 10568 E. 350th Ave., Flat Rock, IL 62427.
Readers with culinary or culture questions or stories to share may write Gloria Yoder, 10568 E. 350th Ave., Flat Rock, IL 62427.


A police statement said Lochte would be informed in the United States so he could decide whether to introduce a defense in Brazil.
The indictment will also be sent to the International Olympic Committee’s ethics commission, the statement said.
Lochte initially said that he and fellow swimmers Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with a police badge as they returned to the Olympic Village from a party Aug. 15. However, security video suggested the four actually faced security guards after vandalizing a gas station restroom.
Lochte left Brazil shortly after the incident. Three days later, local authorities took Conger and Bentz off an airliner heading to the United States so they could be questioned about the robbery claim. They were later allowed to leave Brazil, as was Feigen, after he gave testimony. Feigen, who initially stood by Lochte’s testimony, was not charged.
Lochte has since acknowledged that he was highly intoxicated and that his behavior led to the confrontation. It is not clear from the video whether a gun was ever pointed to the athletes.
Under Brazilian law, the penalty for falsely filing a crime report carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison. Lochte could be tried in absentia if he didn’t return to face the charge.
The United States and Brazil have an extradition treaty dating back to the 1960s, but Brazil has a long history of not extraditing its own citizens to other nations and U.S. authorities could take the same stance if Lochte is found guilty.
That is currently the case of the head of Brazil’s football confederation, Marco Polo del Nero, who faces charges in the wide-ranging scandal entangling international soccer’s ruling body, FIFA. He has not travelled outside Brazil for more than a year to avoid being arrested by U.S. authorities somewhere else.
The charges in Brazil raise questions about the future for Lochte, who is planning to take time off from swimming but wants to return to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He has 12 Olympic medals, second only to Michael Phelps among U.S. male Olympians.
Lochte lost four major sponsors early this week over the controversy, including Speedo USA and Ralph Lauren. But on Thursday he picked up a new sponsor — Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops. Pine Bros. said people should be more understanding of the swimmer and said he will appear in ads that say the company’s product is “Forgiving On Your Throat.”

Rio police charge Lochte with false report of robbery


RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian police charged American swimmer Ryan Lochte on Thursday with filing a false robbery report over an incident during the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.


HAVANA (AP) — The commander of Colombia’s biggest rebel movement said Sunday its fighters will permanently cease hostilities with the government beginning with the first minute of Monday, as a result of their peace accord ending one of the world’s longest-running conflicts.
Rodrigo Londono, leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, made the announcement in Havana, where the two sides negotiated for four years before announcing the peace deal Wednesday.
“Never again will parents be burying their sons and daughters killed in the war,” said Londono, who also known as Timoshenko. “All rivalries and grudges will remain in the past.”
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced on Friday that his military would cease attacks on the FARC beginning Monday.
Colombia is expected to hold a national referendum Oct. 2 to give voters the chance to approve the deal for ending a half-century of political violence that has claimed more than 220,000 lives and driven more than 5 million people from their homes
Top FARC commanders are planning to gather one final time in mid-September to ratify the accord.
FARC guerrillas are supposed to turn over their weapons within six months after the deal is formally signed. In return, the FARC’s still unnamed future political movement will be given a minimum 10 congressional seats — five in the lower house, five in the Senate — for two legislative periods.
In addition, 16 lower house seats will be created for grassroots activists in rural areas traditionally neglected by the state and in which existing political parties will be banned from running candidates. Critics of the peace process contend that will further boost the rebels’ post-conflict political power.
After 2026, both arrangements would end and the former rebels would have to demonstrate their political strength at the ballot box.
Not all hostilities are ending under the deal with the FARC. The much-smaller National Liberation Army remains active in Colombia, although it is pursuing its own peace deal with the government.

FARC sets permanent cease-fire under Colombia peace deal


HAVANA — The commander of Colombia’s biggest rebel movement said Sunday its fighters will permanently cease hostilities with the government beginning with the first minute of Monday, as a result of their peace accord ending one of the world’s longest-running conflicts.
Rodrigo Londono, leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, made the announcement in Havana, where the two sides negotiated for four years before announcing the peace deal Wednesday.
“Never again will parents be burying their sons and daughters killed in the war,” said Londono, who also known as Timochenko. “All rivalries and grudges will remain in the past.” Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced on Friday that his military would cease attacks on the FARC beginning Monday.
Colombia is expected to hold a national referendum Oct. 2 to give voters the chance to approve the deal for ending a half-century of political violence that has claimed more than 220,000 lives and driven more than 5 million people from their homes
Top FARC commanders are planning to gather one final time in mid-September to ratify the accord.
FARC guerrillas are supposed to turn over their weapons within six months after the deal is formally signed. In return, the FARC’s still unnamed future political movement will be given a minimum 10 congressional seats—five in the lower house, five in the Senate—for two legislative periods.
In addition, 16 lower house seats will be created for grassroots activists in rural areas traditionally neglected by the state and in which existing political parties will be banned from running candidates. Critics of the peace process contend that will further boost the rebels’ post-conflict political power.
After 2026, both arrangements would end and the former rebels would have to demonstrate their political strength at the ballot box.
Not all hostilities are ending under the deal with the FARC. The much-smaller National Liberation Army remains active in Colombia, although it is pursuing its own peace deal with the government.

FARC sets permanent ceasefire under Colombia peace deal


Ceasefire and agreement for rebels to turnover of weapons comes in exchange for congressional seats


WILMINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump will appear at a noon rally on Thursday at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, according to the Trump campaign.
“We’re absolutely thrilled that Mr. Trump is coming to Clinton County,” said Clinton County GOP Chairman Tim Inwood. “This may be Clinton County, but as he showed in the primary, it’s Trump country, as he handily carried the county.”
Inwood said the local Republican organization first heard about a possible local visit by Trump about two weeks ago.
“He’s coming to the national American Legion convention in Cincinnati and we were given a heads up that the campaign was looking for another venue in southwest Ohio,” Inwood said. “Clinton County was very appealing to them and we got confirmation today (Monday) that he’s coming here.”
Inwood said he hasn’t been told what Trump may be speaking about, but he pointed out that “all his speeches are newsworthy.”
To register for up to two tickets to the event (first come, first serve), go to: www.donaldjtrump.com/schedule/register/wilmington-oh/.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has cut short the sentences of 111 federal inmates in another round of commutations for those convicted of nonviolent drug offenses
Obama has long called for phasing out strict sentences for drug offenses, arguing they lead to excessive punishment and incarceration rates unseen in other developed countries.
White House Counsel Neil Eggleston says the commutations underscore the president’s commitment to using his clemency authority to give deserving individuals a second chance.
He says that Obama has granted a total of 673 commutations, more than the previous 10 presidents combined. More than a third of the recipients were serving life sentences.
Eggleston says he expects Obama to continue granting commutations through the end of his administration, but only legislation can ensure the federal sentencing system operates more fairly.

Obama cuts short the sentences of 111 federal inmates


FA Cup
Preliminary Round
Soham Town Rangers 4
Harrowby United 1
Harrowby exited the FA Cup with a sense of what might have been.
Trailing by a single goal at half time, they produced a spirited second half performance and when they levelled on the hour the momentum was with them, but two goals in the space of three minutes killed off any hope of them upsetting the Ryman League outfit. And when they conceded a fourth goal in the dying seconds of the game with a blatant punch into the net, they knew that luck was not with them, with a scoreline that flattered the home side.
Harrowby started brightly and could have taken the lead in the first minute when Ryan Parnell was put through by Calum Wilkinson, but his powerful shot was inches over the bar with the keeper beaten. Soham responded well and played some neat football in midfield but were restricted to long range efforts.
On 10 minutes, the home side created their best chance when Robbie Mason worked a neat one-two with Kieran Bailey but his first time effort was fired wide from 10 yards.
Harrowby went behind after 15 minutes when they failed to deal with a long throw from the right which was easily tapped home by Mason, with Rhodes in the Harrowby goal stranded on his line.
The Arrows responded well and should have levelled two minutes later. Shaun Woolley broke free and with only the keeper to beat, hit the side netting.
Harrowby should have known it was not going to be their day in the 24th minute when Wilkinson’s shot struck the bar from 25 yards, and a minute later they saw another effort saved well by Clarke Boggard in the Soham goal.
The home side created a good chance of their own when the ever dangerous duo of Bailey and Mason combined well before Bailey headed over from close range, and a minute later Mason fired wide. Harrowby forced a great one handed save from Bogard in the dying minutes of the half but were unable to find the all-important equaliser.
The second half was an even affair with both defences on top. Rhodes was called upon in the 54th minute when Patterson’s shot from close range was easily gathered.
On the hour mark, Harrowby worked the ball down the right, Parnell linking with Wilkinson, and when he rounded the defender and delivered his cross, Parnell was at the back post to head home the equaliser.
Harrowby now attacked with renewed confidence, with both Wilkinson and Wooley having good chances saved.
The Arrows paid the ultimate price in the 70th minute after not dealing with some loose passes by the home side and found themselves 2-1 down when Bailey’s first time effort beat Rhodes from close range.
Harrowby should have equalised immediately. Bilyk rounded the defender but saw his shot hit the side netting with only the keeper to beat.
United were then made to pay a minute later for their missed chances when Billy Harris’s stunning left foot effort from 30 yards found the top corner, giving Rhodes no chance.
The Arrows tried to get some momentum back, but two goals in three minutes had knocked the wind out of them and for all their effort in the last 15 minutes they were unable to create any chances of note.
And in the dying minutes Harrowby were delivered the ultimate blow when Soham captain Jordon Gent handled the ball into the net to give the home a flattering scoreline.
l Harrowby entertain Sileby Rangers at home on Saturday, kick-off 3pm, and travel to Boston Town on Tuesday in the league Knockout Cup, kick-off 7.45pm.
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FOOTBALL: Harrowby United bow out of FA Cup after spirited performance


DURANT (AP) — A memorial Mass will be held Monday for two 68-year-old nuns who were killed in their Mississippi home, even as authorities continue to investigate the stabbing. A man from about 15 miles away has confessed without giving a reason, according to the sheriff.
The Mass will be at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson, about an hour’s drive from Durant, the town of 2,500 where Sisters Margaret Held and Paula Merrill lived until last week.
They both worked at a health clinic for the poor in nearby Lexington, where they also led Bible study at a church. And more than 300 people came Sunday to St. Thomas Church to say farewell.
About 145 people filled the church to capacity, and there was an overflow crowd outside, where 160 folding chairs were set up and still people had to stand to watch on a monitor as Bishop Joseph Kopacz of the Jackson Diocese led the service.
The church’s priest, the Rev. Gregory Plata, spoke about how far-reaching the nuns’ work was, and how much they’ll be missed.
The final hymn, described as Sister Margaret Held’s favorite, was “How Can I Keep from Singing?”
Afterward, nuns from the dead women’s orders, people from other faiths, and members of the community embraced the women’s families.
The killing shocked people in the small communities where the women committed their lives to helping the poor.
Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of Kosciusko, Mississippi, has been arrested and charged in the stabbings. The county sheriff said Sanders confessed to the killings although many people are struggling to comprehend why anyone would want to take the two women’s lives.
Their bodies were found after they failed to show up for work Thursday at the clinic.
Authorities have said Sanders was developed as a person of interest early in the investigation.
Holmes County Sheriff Willie March said he was briefed by Durant police and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officials who took part in Sanders’ interrogation and was told that Sanders confessed to the killings but gave no reason.
Durant police could not be reached for comment Saturday or Sunday. Warren Strain, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety which includes the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, said the organization would neither confirm nor deny that Sanders confessed.
Sanders was on probation after a prison term for a felony DUI conviction last year, said Grace Simmons Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Sanders was also convicted of armed robbery in Holmes County, sentenced in 1986 and served six years, Fisher said.
People who knew the nuns, known for their generosity and commitment to improving health care for the poor, have been grappling with why anyone would want to kill them.
Sanders was not a patient at the clinic, said Dr. Elias Abboud, the physician who oversees it.
Plata said he does not think people at the church knew Sanders.
Authorities said Sanders was being held in an undisclosed detention center pending a court appearance. They have not given any details on why they think Sanders killed the women or whether he knew them but they do say they believe he acted alone.
Strain said he does not know if Sanders has an attorney.
The clinic and the nuns’ home in Durant are in Holmes County, population 18,000. With 44 percent of its residents living in poverty, Holmes is the seventh-poorest county in America, according to the Census Bureau.
The nuns’ death leaves a gaping hole in what was already a strapped health care system.
The clinic provided about 25 percent of all medical care in the county, Abboud said.

Memorial Mass scheduled today for 2 nuns killed in their Mississippi home


Goalkeeper Hope Solo has decided to end her season with the Seattle Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League.
The beleaguered goalkeeper, who was handed a six-month suspension and saw her contract with U.S. Soccer terminated last week, announced her departure from her professional club team in a statement Tuesday.
U.S. Soccer suspended Solo following disparaging comments she made about Sweden during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, calling her opponents a “bunch of cowards” for their defensive style of play during the quarterfinals. She won’t be eligible for selection to the national team again until February.
Before a match last weekend against the Portland Thorns, the Reign announced Solo was granted an indefinite personal leave. Haley Kopmeyer took over for Solo in goal and the Reign won 3-1.
“Coming to terms with the fact I was fired from the U.S. Women’s National Team after 17 years of service has been devastating. After careful consideration, I have decided to end my season with the Seattle Reign, an organization I love playing for,” Solo said Tuesday. “Mentally, I am not there yet. After watching the team’s win against Portland this weekend and seeing Haley Kopmeyer playing so well in goal, I truly believe this decision is what’s best for me and for the Reign organization.”
Reign head coach and general manager Laura Harvey issued a statement saying that while the team was disappointed in Solo’s decision, it was understood and respected.
“Hope has always wanted what is best for our team — she is a relentless trainer, a fierce competitor and demands from herself nothing less than excellence on the pitch,” Harvey said.
The three-time defending champion U.S. women were handed their earliest-ever exit from the Olympics earlier this month when Sweden advanced 4-3 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw on Aug. 12.
Sweden’s coach, Pia Sundhage, who led the U.S. team to gold medals in Beijing and London, replied to Solo’s postgame “cowards” comment by stating: “It’s OK to be a coward if you win.” Sweden went on to play in the gold-medal match against Germany.
Solo had caused a stir in Brazil even before the comment about Sweden because of social media posts over the Zika virus, showing her wearing mosquito netting and armed with insect repellant. Brazilian fans booed her mercilessly and shouted “Zika!” every time she touched the ball.
While talented in goal, controversy has shadowed the 35-year-old Solo throughout her career.
She still faces a possible trial on misdemeanor domestic violence charges after a 2014 incident at her sister’s home, when she was accused of being intoxicated and assaulting her sister and 17-year-old nephew. Solo said she was a victim in the altercation. Earlier this year, an appeals court in Washington state rejected Solo’s request to avoid trial.
In early 2015 while Solo was at a team training camp in Southern California, her husband Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in a U.S. Soccer team van. Solo was with him at the time.
The former Seattle Seahawks tight end later pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and four years on probation. Solo was suspended by U.S. Soccer for 30 days.
There were other incidents as well, including Twitter comments she made about former U.S. player Brandi Chastain during the London Games, and public criticism of coach Paul Ryan during the 2007 World Cup over his decision to start Briana Scurry in the semifinals, a match the Americans lost. Solo was sent home early from the tournament.
U.S. Soccer indicated in its statement announcing her suspension Wednesday that it was a culmination of events.
The controversies have tainted Solo’s legacy in the net.
She became the first goalkeeper with 100 international shutouts last month when the United States defeated South Africa 1-0 at Soldier Field in Chicago. It also was her 150th career win.
During the Rio Games she made her 200th appearance in goal for the United States, an international record.
Solo won her second straight Golden Glove Award for the best goalkeeper at the Women’s World Cup a year ago. Over the course of the tournament in Canada, she had five shutouts and allowed only three goals in seven games. The U.S. won the World Cup for its third title in soccer’s premier event.

Solo decides to end her season with NWSL’s Seattle Reign


Goalkeeper Hope Solo has decided to end her season with the Seattle Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League. The beleaguered goalkeeper, who was handed a six-month suspension and


This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities. Need a license? Click here to buy online.
Fishing Reports
Clayton Lake: Night fishing was good using liver and night crawlers for catfish. Fishing was fair using PowerBait, worms and spinners for trout. A few limits of trout were caught by anglers using PowerBait. We had no other reports.
Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday was 15 cfs. Fishing was good using San Juan worms, bead-head, hare’s ear nymphs, brassies, worms and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was fair using PowerBait, salmon eggs, worms and spinners for trout.
Coyote Creek: Fishing was slow.
Eagle Rock Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing from the bank and from anchored boats was fair to good using PowerBait for trout. Boaters also did well trolling kokanee killers and Platte River specials. Fishing was excellent using worms for perch. Trolling for kokanee was slow. Fishing was fair using crank baits, spinners and streamers for small northern pike up to 22 inches. Ronald Vonderhaar of Albuquerque reported that he and his two kids had a good time here over the weekend. They caught rainbow trout trolling kokanee killers, a kokanee on a Kastmaster and perch from shore using worms.
Hopewell Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using Kastmasters, homemade lures, Pistol Petes, marshmallow salmon eggs combinations and PowerBait. Stephen Gomez caught a 19-inch rainbow and an 18-inch rainbow on Aug. 17. He was using a homemade lure.
Lake Alice: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Maloya: Fishing was good using Pistol Petes, streamers, salmon eggs and PowerBait for trout.
Maxwell Lake 13: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday was 62 cfs. Fishing was good using copper John Barrs, San Juan worms, worms and salmon eggs for trout.
Red River City Ponds: Fishing was good using PowerBait for trout.
Rio Costilla: Stream flow near Costilla on Monday morning was 53 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 251 cfs. Fishing was fair to good using poundmeisters, bead-head, hare’s ear nymphs, copper John Barrs, Kastmasters, spinners, PowerBait and worms for trout. Fishing was slow to fair using streamers and small jerk baits for smallmouth bass. A few northern pike were caught by anglers using streamers. We had no other reports.
Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez on Monday was 28 cfs. Fishing was good using elk hair caddis, parachute Adams and poundmeisters for trout.
Shuree Ponds: Fishing was fair using Pistol Petes under a bobber for trout.
Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Storrie Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Ute Lake: Fishing was very good using worms and small grubs and tubes for large bluegill. Fishing was good using top water lures in the early morning hours and plastics during the day for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was good using stink bait, hot dogs, crawdads and shrimp for catfish. Fishing was good vertical jigging for white bass. Fishing for walleye was slow. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 70s.


Sorry, we're having problems with our video player at the moment, but are working to fix it as soon as we can
Video footage has been shared with The Standard showing the moment water gushed into the Tesco store in Boston.
This was sent into us by reader Sharon Horry.
Screen shot from the video.
UPDATE SATURDAY 8PM: Store puts customer safety first before reopening after flooding in Wyberton Fen
Shoppers will only be able to use a superstore in Wyberton Fen when it is “safe and cleaned to our usual high standards”, after flooding today.
Tesco Superstore in New Hammond Beck Road was evacuated after torrential rain caused a water pipe to overflow and come through the roof, onto the shop floor itself.
Emergency service, including firefighters, came to the store where there was “quite a lot of water down the aisles”, according to an eye-witness.
There is quite a lot of water down the aisles, customers are being turned away and they aren’t letting anyone into the car park
A Tesco spokesman said, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers, so we are working hard to ensure our Boston store is safe and cleaned to our usual high standards before it is reopened.”
BREAKING NEWS: SATURDAY 4.55PM: Shoppers evacuated from flooded Tesco store in Wyberton Fen - but roof still intact
A superstore in Wyberton Fen has been evacuated after it flooded due to torrential rain in the area today.
Emergency services are currently at Tesco Superstore in New Hammond Beck Road which is currently closed while a clean-up operation takes place.
Tesco Superstore in Wyberton Fen has been temporarily closed due to flooding.
An eye-witness, who asked not to be named said: “There is quite a lot of water down the aisles and the store is flooded.
“Also, there are lots of mops and brushes but they have been abandoned.
“Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue crews are in the store, walking around, but customers are being turned away and they aren’t letting anyone into the car park.”
However, earlier reports from other media outlets that the store’s roof had collapsed were quashed by the eye-witness who added: “There’s no visible damage to the roof.”
This was confirmed by a Tesco spokesman who said that a build-up of rainwater had “come through” the roof and onto the floor of the store itself
The spokesman added: “There has been rainwater along the roof of the store and due to its volume, the pipe has overflown.
“The rainwater has come through the roof and onto the shop floor, so the store has been closed whilst that is the case.
“We are working to get the rainwater cleaned up and the store reopened as soon as possible.
“However, the roof has not collapsed and it does not appear that the store has been hit by lightning.”

UPDATE SATURDAY 9.15PM: Video footage from inside “flooded” Boston Tesco store


Video footage has been shared with The Standard showing the moment water gushed into the Tesco store in Boston.


BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) — A new solar field set to become Ohio’s largest installation is on track to open by the end of the year.
The 20-megawatt solar field in Bowling Green in northwestern Ohio will surpass the 12-megawatt Wyandot Solar Farm in the north-central part of the state.
Daryl Stockburger, Bowling Green’s assistant utilities director, said about 38 percent of the city’s energy will come from renewable sources once the solar project in complete. That’s up from its current level of about 12 percent.
The Blade (http://bit.ly/2bSELf5 ) newspaper in Toledo reported that percentage is 1.5 percent across the state.
The Bowling Green solar field is the largest within an 80-megawatt project that will be spread across 26 sites that are mostly in Ohio, Stockburger said.
“Ohio’s changing rapidly,” Luke Sulfridge, program director for OH SUN, a statewide group that promotes community solar projects. “This will be an interesting year.”
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has said the average amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere every year is now more than 400 parts per million for the first time in at least 800,000 years.
The White House has promoted a mix of natural gas and renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions.
Neocles Leontis, a chemistry professor at Bowling Green State University, said the big picture question is how much carbon dioxide emissions can be lowered.
Climate change “is not a question of 20 years from now,” he said. “It’s happening right now.”
___
Information from: The Blade, http://www.toledoblade.com/

Ohio’s largest solar project to be finished by year’s end


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HARRISBURG — Senators will return to the capital today to vote on the nomination of veteran prosecutor Bruce Beemer as the next state attorney general.
The confirmation vote would place a familiar figure supported by Pennsylvania’s top elected officials at the helm of the troubled law enforcement agency for the next five months. The process will start with a public hearing before the Judiciary Committee.
Beemer, a Clarks Summit native and current state inspector general, is slated to succeed former Attorney General Kathleen Kane whose term ends Jan. 17. Kane, 50, of Waverly Township, Lackawanna County, resigned Aug. 17 after being convicted in Montgomery County Court of perjury counts and other counts in connection with leaking secret grand jury information to a reporter.
Beemer has the support of Republican and Democratic Senate leaders so it appears likely he won’t have problems getting the necessary two-thirds confirmation vote. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf nominated him for the post saying he has a depth of experience, the respect of office employees and a thoughtful legal mind.
Beemer faces challenges restoring order in an office dominated by internal strife during Kane’s tenure that has led to lawsuits by former employees.
He had opposed actions taken by Kane after her law license was suspended last year.
Beemer, 47, has been inspector general since July. Prior to that, he had been first deputy attorney general where he oversaw day-to-day office operations.
Beemer graduated from the University of Scranton in 1992 and from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1995. He built his career in the Allegheny County district attorney’s office from 1996 to 2010.
He was in private practice and then hired in late 2011 to a top position in the attorney general’s office by then-Attorney General Linda Kelly.
Veteran Montgomery County prosecutor Bruce Castor has been acting attorney general since Kane’s departure.
Pennsylvania voters will elect a new attorney general in November. Beemer is expected to return to the inspector general’s post in late January.
rswift@timesshamrock.com


All eyes will be on Dr. Patel and his every action will come under scrutiny.
With the Government naming the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, there is a lot of interest in what it means for monetary policy and specifically interest rates going forward. Will it mean continuity or a departure from the path charted by Dr. Raghuram Rajan? What should the Governor focus on both in the short-run and in the long-run?
Even before taking office, I believe Dr. Urjit Patel has won half the battle in making a successful transition. For this, I congratulate mostly the Government. Let me explain.
While a lot of ink is spent on talking about the factors that affect inflation such as oil prices, monsoon, Government spending, global demand and interest rates, often missing in these discussions is how much we don’t know about what determines inflation.
I want to call this ignorance, “dark matter” or “expectations about the future”. Inflation is an aggregation of individual prices for goods and services. When traders set these prices, they do so based on their expectations about the future demand and supply conditions, including that for money. Where do these expectations come from? Nobody knows. Even in developed countries, where regulators are supposed to know more about how the economy works, central bankers are currently fighting a losing battle with inflation. In India, Dr. Rajan developed a reputation for being a hawk with regard to inflation. I cannot but believe that such a reputation played a role in affecting people’s expectations. Now that Dr. Patel is viewed as someone cast in the same mould, the foot that the RBI has on the throat of high inflationary expectation is not going to relent and this is half the battle won.
The next arena where Dr. Patel’s performance will be judged is the foreign exchange market. That market is facing the prospect of both an imminent increase in U.S. interest rates and the redemption of about $20 billion of FCNR deposits. In this area, the best the RBI can do is have a war chest and be willing to use it to tamp down volatility. The outgoing Governor (and Dr. Patel) have talked about the ripple effects of a Fed rate increase on emerging markets. Unfortunately, there is nothing else they can do. India is too small a trading partner for the U.S., to take the externality into account in setting interest rates. Given how anticipated these events are, I believe that the RBI has plans in place to deal with any possible volatility in the currency market. The third area that has attracted the attention of both monetary authorities and commentators is the speed of monetary transmission. There is widespread criticism that the banks are not passing on the rate cuts to the borrowers. The question is what to do about this. Here, not only do I disagree with what the RBI has done, but I also strongly believe that the RBI has worsened the situation.
In its efforts to speed up the transmission of monetary policy, the RBI has pursued an aggressive policy of prescribing how banks should determine their prime lending rates. Banks have been told to rely on their marginal – instead of average – cost of funds to set their lending rates. This is a misguided intervention and is taking the country backward in its march towards a market-based economy. The regulator – whose primary responsibility is to manage the risk in the banking system – should not have any role in specifying how banks set their lending rate. That should be left to the discretion of self-interested banks. If Adam Smith’s invisible hand is not let to do its work here, I am hard pressed to think where else it will be given a free rein!
Second, through the arbitrarily imposed deadline of April 2017 for banks to clean up their balance sheets, the RBI has worsened banks’ ability to pass on the lower interest rates to the borrowers. While no one argues with the need for banks to clean up their balance sheets, one can definitely quibble about the timing. Ideally, cleaning up of bank balance sheets should coincide with rising asset prices and equity infusion from the main shareholder, in this case the Government. This will enable banks to continue lending even when making large provisions. At the height of the financial crisis in the U.S., the federal reserve allowed banks a moratorium on marking some of their distressed assets to market because of the recognition that it would result in the banks booking significant losses, which in turn would erode their equity and their ability to lend to aid recovery. The RBI’s deadline of April 2017 for banks to clean up their balance sheets is arbitrary. Monetary transmission will be impeded if banks are forced to record NPAs without equity infusion from the Government.
For those interested in research in finance and economics, India offers an attractive laboratory because Indian regulators are among the most active. They keep tinkering with the rules constantly and this affords a number of “natural experiments” for researchers. At the cost of hurting myself, I think what India needs are humble regulators who realise that the economy is over-regulated, command-and-control is not the way forward and that it is imperative to do less and stay in the background.
The author is Associate Professor of Finance, Olin Business School, Washington University, St. Louis.


With the Government naming the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, there is a lot of interest in what it means for monetary policy and specifically interest rates going forward. Will it mean con


Brighton Early Music Festival prepares for its 15th outing this October, with tickets going on sale on September 5 – the latest chapter in a story of remarkable success.
Festival co-artistic director Clare Norburn said: “I think we have been successful because we take quite a different approach to other classical music festivals in the way that we work with artists, and that’s becoming clearer and clearer every year. We have now started calling ourselves a development agency for early music. We don’t just take off-the-peg programmes from artists. We do that, but what is so distinctive about what we do is that we are also about commissioning work.
“We have always commissioned works, right from the start, but in the first ten to 12 years, we commissioned works and they were performed at BREMF and that was it. But what is exciting now is that one of our 2013 productions is now on tour. We put together a tour of 13 promoters.”
The piece explores the life and music of the Renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo and is being performed by The Marian Consort: “And it is great for them because it has really accelerated their development, which is great for everyone. I think that is the kind of model we want to be working on.
“Brighton is at the forefront of creating new work with artists that then goes on tour, and this year we are commissioning at least a couple of works that will definitely follow that model. For one of them (recorder consort Palisander, Saturday, November 12, 11.30am), we have already approached promoters, and their performance will be the first performance of a tour if they can get their Arts Council funding. We are increasingly helping artists in a much more holistic long term way rather than just giving them a platform in Brighton. Increasingly we have had promoters that have given engagements to artists, but now we are much more proactive in helping them be much more forward-thinking.
“We are aiming to put our energies more into things that go on to have another life. It is great that we get the premieres in Brighton, but we want to support the artists further. The fact is that it is incredibly difficult for young performers to get started.
It has never been harder for young groups to make headway.
“Young people coming out of college might know a lot about music, but they probably don’t have any administrative experience or contacts, and that makes it terribly difficult. We passionately believe that the arts should be a meritocracy, that you should have an audience, that it shouldn’t just be about who you know.”
This year’s Brighton Early Music Festival takes the theme Nature & Science and runs from October 28 to November 13, with flagship events including a new play with music about the life and work of Galileo (Oct 29 and 30). Set during his final days, the play will relive key moments in Galileo’s life including his trial and excommunication.
www.bremf.org.uk or 01273 709709.
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Brighton Early Music Festival prepares for its 15th outing this October, with tickets going on sale on September 5  – the latest chapter in a story of remarkable success.


Ambitious programme for Brighton Early Music Festival


PIERRE – One week after a community meeting drew 300 people to the Avon gym and revealed how deeply they were split, the backers of the Prevailing Winds project asked Tuesday to withdraw their application for a state permit.
Chris Nelson, chairman of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, described the request as “unexpected.” The filing came shortly before the commission began its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday morning. One of the items on the agenda called for deciding who could intervene in the case. That was put aside after receiving the withdrawal filing. Nelson suggested the withdrawal motion be considered at the commission’s meeting Sept. 13. Commissioners Gary Hanson and Kristie Fiegen signaled their agreement.Lee Magnuson, a Sioux Falls lawyer representing Prevailing Winds, spoke to the commission by telephone and said the decision to withdraw was made “just very, very recently.” Magnuson said the pending requests to intervene by opponents and supporters might be “a moot point.” The project called for constructing up to 100 wind towers north of Avon in Bon Homme and Charles Mix counties. Among the local people arguing against the development was former Rep. Ed Van Gerpen, R-Avon. One of his complaints was that none of the investors from the area lived within the project area. He also disputed some of the tax benefits that the project’s supporters said would occur. The project would have produced an estimated 200 megawatts or more of electricity. State law requires PUC approval for wind project that generate more than 100 megawatts.After the meeting, a reporter contacted by Magnuson and asked whether the project might be broken into smaller pieces that could move forward under the 100-megawatt threshold without PUC permission. Magnuson referred the question to Roland Jurgens. He is project manager for Thorstad Companies, a construction company from Chokio, Minnesota. In his email response, Jurgens wrote: “Prevailing Winds, LLC does not intend to split the project as you suggest. Prevailing Winds is a community wind project and community is very important to the Prevailing Winds Investors and Board of Governors. “Unfortunately, misinformation has been circulated about the project. Keeping the interests of the community and the project in mind, Prevailing Winds has withdrawn the application to allow Prevailing Winds to better inform the community on the wind project and allow Prevailing Winds to revisit its options regarding the project.”Magnuson’s motion asked the PUC to dismiss the application without prejudice, meaning the opportunity would remain open to apply again for a state permit. Van Gerpen was among more than 70 people who applied to the PUC for party status, meaning they could intervene by presenting evidence and witnesses and participating in questioning of witnesses. “That’s interesting,” Van Gerpen said when told that Prevailing Winds didn’t plan to try to use the 100-megawatt exemption. “I didn’t know what their next move might be.” The commission took testimony for approximately four hours during a public input hearing held Wednesday at Avon.

Backers of a big wind project withdraw state permit request


Nico Rosberg won an incident-packed Belgian Grand Prix featuring a chaotic start, wild overtaking, a heavy crash, safety cars and a red flag.
The Mercedes driver's win on Sunday saw him close the gap to nine points on teammate Lewis Hamilton, who finished third behind Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo as the resurgent Australian driver secured a third straight podium finish.
“It's been a great weekend, very, very happy with that result,” Rosberg said after his 20th career win. “Congrats to Lewis, last place to third must be pretty impressive.”
Rosberg started from pole position with teen driver Max Verstappen also on the front row. Hamilton started from the back row with Fernando Alonso, after both incurred multiple grid penalties for extra engine part changes this weekend.
“Lewis wasn't out there to battle it out, so that made it an easier weekend,” Rosberg said. “It all worked out fine.”
For him at least.
Verstappen was involved in a first-turn collision with the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel that shaped the race.
It had a beneficial effect on Hamilton and Alonso, who avoided the early carnage in front of them, then gained places when the safety car came out after Danish driver Kevin Magnussen's crash.
Magnussen emerged from the wreck, hobbled away and was taken to hospital for checks for a cut to his left ankle. He escaped serious injury.
German driver Nico Hulkenberg was a season's best fourth ahead of Mexican Sergio Perez and Vettel, while Alonso was seventh, Raikkonen ninth and Verstappen 11th.
The race start was clean enough for Rosberg, but it was mayhem behind him.
The 18-year-old Verstappen, the youngest driver to ever start on the front row, was overtaken by Raikkonen and Vettel, and then aggressively tried to go for the inside heading into the first turn — even though there was very little room.
The impeded Ferraris were now squeezed wide and, as a consequence, Raikkonen came across and nudged into the side of Vettel.
Verstappen blamed them, saying “they just turned into me” but the incident was the latest of several involving the Red Bull driver. Verstappen became the youngest driver to win a race when he clinched a brilliant victory at the Spanish GP in May.
His talent is undoubted, but his aggression is not to everyone's liking. Later in the race, he again infuriated Raikkonen, a rare feat considering the Finn's nickname is “The Ice Man” for his usually unflappable demeanor.
Raikkonen came in for a front nose change but the pit crew also had to put out a small fire under his car.
Others struggled as the manic tempo continued.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz lost control when his rear right tire blew out, sending him pirouetting to an improvised halt on the grass. He then acrobatically drove back across the track, with his rear right wheel up in the air, before parking at the side of the track.
The incidents prompted the safety car to come out on lap three, and when the race re-started a lap later Sainz, Marcus Ericsson, Jenson Button and Pascal Wehrlein — who hit Button from behind — had all retired.
The safety car emerged again after Magnussen lost control of his Renault coming out of the top of the hill at Eau Rouge, spinning at speed and slamming backward into the barriers.
On lap 10 of 44, the race was halted as the red flag came out, because the barrier Magnussen crashed into needed repairing.
When the race resumed 20 minutes later, the top five was Rosberg-Ricciardo-Hulkenberg-Alonso-Hamilton.
In a fascinating sub-plot, Verstappen and Raikkonen were involved in another incident as Verstappen appeared to nudge him wide.
Raikkonen — who is twice Verstappen's age — let his frustration out, saying “his only interest is to push me off the track.”
Then, as they battled for 13th place, Verstappen zig-zagged in front of him as he tried to hold position, prompting Raikkonen to use an expletive when describing Verstappen's driving as “ridiculous.”
Hamilton overtook Hulkenberg on lap 18, leaving just Ricciardo and Rosberg ahead of him.
With no traffic, however, Rosberg was pulling away.
Hamilton came in for new tires on lap 22, switching to softs, and was down in ninth when he came back out after a slow pit stop.
But with others changing tires, he was soon back up to third.
“This is the best result I could have hoped for,” said Hamilton, who said on Saturday that he was aiming for a top-10 finish. “Our performance today was stronger than I expected. Third (place) is something definitely helped by the safety car.” Meanwhile, the Ferrari-Verstappen duel continued with Vettel overtaking the Dutchman.

Nico Rosberg wins Belgian Grand Prix to cut Lewis Hamilton's lead in Formula One series