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BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic State group says it's been dealt a major blow. The group says through its news agency that its chief strategist and spokesman was killed in an operation in northern Syria. Abu Muhammed al-Adnani laid out the blueprint for the extremists' attacks against the West. IS has vowed to avenge his death.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has cut short the sentences of 111 federal inmates in another round of commutations for people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. An official says that brings the number of commutations granted by Obama to 673 -- more than the previous 10 presidents combined. Obama has long called for phasing out strict sentences for drug offenses, arguing the punishments are excessive and lead to incarceration rates unseen in other developed countries. More than a third of the inmates who've had their sentences cut short by the president were serving life sentences.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police say singer Chris Brown has come out of his Los Angeles home, ending an hours-long standoff that began when a woman called for help. Police say the woman was not inside the San Fernando Valley house when they were finally able to serve a search warrant. Brown posted to social media saying he's innocent and officers won't find anything. He's been in repeated legal trouble since his 2009 assault of singer Rihanna, his former girlfriend.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The call for Maine's Republican governor to resign is about to get louder. Democrats and other critics of Gov. Paul LePage say they'll hold a rally outside the statehouse and governor's residence this evening. LePage has been criticized in recent days for leaving an obscene voicemail for a Democratic legislator. He has also blamed minorities for the state's heroin crisis
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing slightly lower as a summer slowdown continues on Wall Street. Hershey slumped 11 percent and Mondelez rose 4 after it the Oreo cookie-maker said it would no longer pursue a combination with Hershey. Apple slipped 1 percent after it was hit with a big tax bill in Europe. All told, the Dow fell 48 points, the S&P lost 4 and Nasdaq fell 9.
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