Free Republic

British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has received the long-term loan of a 1700 Matteo Gofriller cello. The loan was facilitated by the Florian Leonhard Fellowship, and secured in late May. The cello has been purchased for the 22-year-old’s use by an anonymous syndicate of private investors for a seven-figure sum. Kanneh-Mason, who received an MBE in the 2020 New Year’s Honours List, performed Dvořák’s Cello Concerto on the Gofriller cello on 28 May at London’s Royal Festival Hall, in a concert with the Chineke! orchestra (pictured). He said that the cello ’presents a kaleidoscope of tonal qualities which simply fills the...

A violin found in an attic in Italy has been confirmed as a priceless instrument made by Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’ in c.1705. The age of the wood was confirmed using dendrochronology, and the researchers were even able to prove it came from the same tree as the wood in an already-identified violin by the same maker. Around 18 months ago Mauro Bernabei, a researcher at the Institute for BioEconomy at Italy’s National Research Council, received a WhatsApp message containing a photo of the unidentified violin, which the current owner had recently inherited. It contained a label reading ‘Joseph Guanerius...

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A day after winning the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in a dramatic playoff, ozeki Terunofuji said Monday it took every ounce of effort to claim his second straight championship. The 29-year-old Mongolian was thrust down by fellow ozeki Takakeisho in the final scheduled bout of the 15-day meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday, leaving the pair tied with a 12-3 record, requiring a playoff to determine the champion. Terunofuji turned the tables in the sudden-death decider, keeping his rival at arm's length before slapping him to the sandy surface of the ring. The victory earned Terunofuji...

Cellist Ottomar Borwitzky, who spent 37 years as first principal cellist of the Berlin Philharmonic, has died aged 90. Born in Hamburg in 1930, Borwitzky dropped out of school to become solo cellist of the city’s Radio Symphony Orchestra aged just 17. From there he was appointed first principal cellist of the Hamburg Opera in 1954 and then, in 1956, with the Berlin Philharmonic. Borwitzky joined the orchestra on the same day Herbert von Karajan’s position as its principal conductor was made permanent and retired in 1993, four years into the tenure of Claudio Abbado. Borwitzky was a founding member...

An Illinois judge ruled Friday that a teenager accused of fatally shooting two people and wounding a third in August during a night of unrest in Kenosha, Wis., should be extradited to the Wisconsin city to face homicide charges. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, of Antioch, Ill., was in a courtroom hours earlier for a Friday morning court hearing unshackled, wearing a blue button-down shirt, a dark tie and a face mask. Defense lawyers indicated before the hearing in Waukegan that they would call witnesses, including Rittenhouse’s mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, to try to block his extradition. But they didn't, instead focusing on...

EXCLUSIVE: Hitmaker Spencer Davis died on Monday, October 19 at the age of 81 and a friend of the musician has told that he was "ill for some time"

<p>SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Times has confirmed that Dori Monson has been suspended indefinitely by Bonneville Seattle from hosting the Seahawks' pregame and postgame radio shows following a post on Twitter mocking transgender people.</p> <p>Monson sent the tweet Wednesday night during the Washington gubernatorial debate between Gov. Jay Inslee and Republican challenger Loren Culp.</p>

BOTHELL, Wash. (KOMO) — A Bothell police officer was killed and a second one was wounded during a Monday night traffic stop that turned into a gun battle with the driver, authorities said. The suspect was later arrested after an hours-long manhunt. The surviving police officer was rushed for treatment to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where the officer was said to be in stable condition. Information about the extent of the second officer's injury was pending. Investigators have also not identified the officers as of early Tuesday. The incident began around 9:40 p.m. when Bothell officers tried to pull...

A ship, especially a warship that has a lot of problems, is often referred to as a cursed ship. The new American Ford class CVN (nuclear-powered aircraft carrier) has become a major disaster rather than a more effective new ship design. The number and severity of problems are certainly cursed at often enough by those who built or now serve on the Ford. It was not supposed to be that way. Several innovative new technologies were supposed to have made the Fords more effective and cheaper to operate than the previous, and similar appearing Nimitz class. Two of those new...

The former commanding officer of the USS Montpelier pleaded guilty in December to charges stemming from an inappropriate relationship with the spouse of an enlisted subordinate, according to the Navy's report of trial results. Cmdr. William B. Swanbeck, who was relieved of command of the fast-attack submarine in June 2018 due to "a loss of confidence in his ability to command," pleaded guilty at a special court martial to conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman as part of a pretrial agreement for engaging in the inappropriate relationship. Swanbeck was sentenced on Dec. 4 to a reprimand and the forfeiture...

The Army announced on Tuesday the activation of V Corps (or Fifth Corps), the latest development in the U.S. military's push to build up capabilities in Europe in the face of great power competition with Russia. V Corps will be based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, per Tuesday's Army press release. It will be made up of 635 soldiers, 200 of which "will support an operational command post in Europe on a rotational basis." It's expected to be operational by this fall. "The activation of an additional Corps headquarters provides the needed level of command and control focused on synchronizing...

Sawant has served on Seattle City Council since 2014. Orion runs PrideFest Seattle Center, and has led nonprofits and small businesses. Kshama Sawant (incumbent): 9,330 (46%) Egan Orion: 11,044 (54%)

Seattle-area fans of BMW, Ducati and other high-end motorcycles got a rude shock last week when five local dealerships were shuttered by their owner, a Microsoft executive who is described as an avid motorcycle racer with little apparent experience in the industry. On Thursday, workers at the five NobleRush dealerships — a joint BMW-Ducati-KTM location at 8100 Lake City Way in Seattle; a Ducati dealership in Redmond, and two multibrand dealerships in Auburn — learned that the businesses had been closed indefinitely, according to former employees, the previous owner of one of the dealerships, and social media posts by customers....

Dutch cellist Anner Bylsma has passed away – aged 85. A student of Carel van Leeuwen Boomkamp at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Mr Bylsma was a former 1st prize winner at the Pablo Casals International Cello Competition – and served from 1962 until 1968 as Principal Cellist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Our condolences are with his family, friends, colleagues and students.

Red Kelly, who played on eight Stanley Cup-winning teams during a 20-season NHL career that earned him induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, died Thursday. He was 91. Kelly was a member of four Cup-winning teams as a defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings from 1947-60 and four more as a center with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1960-67. His eight championships are more than any player in NHL history who did not play for the Montreal Canadiens.

The U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding plans and programs came under attack in the House Armed Services Committee on April 10, with concerns about the accelerated development of a new large surface combatant and unmanned vessels, early retirement of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and constant changes in long-term plans. House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Washington) cited numerous failed or troubled ship programs while questioning new proposals, a retired Navy officer doubted the Navy had “a long-term vision” for its fleet and other committee members voiced concerns about meeting combatant commanders’ needs with a reduced carrier force. Questions...

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Hakuho extended his career championship haul to 42 on Sunday after winning the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, the final tourney of Japan's Heisei era, with a record 15th undefeated run. Needing a win against fellow Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu to avoid a championship playoff, Hakuho was pushed to the limit in a long battle. Although Hakuho let Kakuryu shove him backward, both wrestlers secured double belt holds, preventing either man from ending it quickly. Hakuho broke the stalemate by thrusting his right knee inside Kakuryu's left leg and used that leverage to lift Kakuryu off his feet...

<p>Two years ago, President Trump made a dramatic entrance at Newport News Shipbuilding and promised to expand the aircraft carrier fleet. It was his biggest applause line. That promise appeared to bear fruit in January, when the shipyard signed a two-carrier contract with the Navy. It was the first bulk-buy of the nuclear-powered behemoths since the Reagan administration. Now, the Pentagon’s latest proposal has local leaders scratching their heads. The Pentagon wants to mothball the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman halfway through its intended 50-year service life.</p>

OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Grand champion Hakuho beat ozeki Tochinoshin on Wednesday to retain his lead at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament with 12 straight wins. Hakuho faced little challenge from the struggling Tochinoshin (6-6), who has only beaten the 41-time top-division champion once in 28 matchups. The Mongolian yokozuna hemmed up Tochinoshin after a momentary stalemate, then turned on the gas after recharging his engine and deposited the ozeki over the straw. Fighting as a demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki, Tochinoshin needs to secure two wins over the final three days of the 15-day meet to retain his post at sumo's second...

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- No personnel were injured when a U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser and dry cargo ship made contact during an underway replenishment off the southeastern coast of the United States, Feb. 5. USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE 5) were able to safely operate after the incident. Damage will be assessed when the ships pull into port. The ships had been conducting a replenishment-at-sea when the sterns touched at approximately 4 p.m. Eastern Standard time. U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Military Sealift Command will thoroughly investigate this incident. The ships were conducting operations in...