7+ min ago (497+ words) Surely, someone has made a hash of the plot. Yes, he was 88, but the Czech-born, British playwright, the true 20th century heir to Oscar Wilde, would never have arranged things so banally. "A severe blow to Logic" is how a character describes the death of a philosophy professor in Stoppard's 1972 play "Jumpers." But then, as this polymath wag continues, "The truth to us philosophers, Mr. Crouch, is always an interim judgment " Unlike mystery novels, life does not guarantee a denouement; and if it came, how would one know whether to believe it?" Few people were more agnostically alive than Stoppard, who loved the finer things in life and handsomely earned them with his inexhaustible wit. A man of consummate urbanity who lived like a country squire, he was a sportsman (cricket was his game) and a connoisseur of ideas, which he…...

8+ min ago (454+ words) CHARLOTTE, N.C.Humility, as Sean McVay likes to say, is only a day away. The Rams lived it on Sunday. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Rams, 31-28, before 71,292 at Bank of America Stadium, ending the Rams" six-game winning streak, dropping their record to 9-3 and knocking them out of the top seed in the NFC. The Rams could not overcome three turnovers, including Matthew Stafford"s first interceptions since a Week 3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and a fumble by Stafford on a strip sack with less than three minutes left. When the Rams play the Panthers in Carolina on Sunday, the 12-year veteran will again look to flash his skills when the team looks to improve to 10-2. Stafford passed for two touchdowns and Kyren Williams and Blake Corum each rushed for touchdowns, but the Rams ultimately were not able to overcome their…...

8+ min ago (454+ words) CHARLOTTE, N.C.Humility, as Sean McVay likes to say, is only a day away. The Rams lived it on Sunday. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Rams, 31-28, before 71,292 at Bank of America Stadium, ending the Rams" six-game winning streak, dropping their record to 9-3 and knocking them out of the top seed in the NFC. The Rams could not overcome three turnovers, including Matthew Stafford"s first interceptions since a Week 3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and a fumble by Stafford on a strip sack with less than three minutes left. When the Rams play the Panthers in Carolina on Sunday, the 12-year veteran will again look to flash his skills when the team looks to improve to 10-2. Stafford passed for two touchdowns and Kyren Williams and Blake Corum each rushed for touchdowns, but the Rams ultimately were not able to overcome their…...

24+ min ago (1701+ words) Lane Kiffin announced Sunday he is leaving his one-loss Ole Miss team to become the coach at LSU, taking over a Tigers program that has won national titles under three of its previous four coaches. The move, disclosed by Kiffin on social media, comes two days after No. 6 Mississippi's 39-19 victory over Mississippi State in the rivals' annual Egg Bowl game that all but guaranteed the Rebels a playoff berth. "I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year's team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team's incredible success and their commitment to finish strong," Kiffin wrote, adding that he would maintained "guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern." Kiffins said Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter denied his request "despite the team also asking him to allow…...

24+ min ago (1702+ words) Lane Kiffin announced Sunday he is leaving his one-loss Mississippi team to become the coach at Louisiana State, taking over a Tigers program that has won national titles under three of its previous four coaches. The move, disclosed by Kiffin on social media, comes two days after No. 6 Mississippi's 39-19 victory over Mississippi State in the rivals' annual Egg Bowl game that all but guaranteed the Rebels a playoff berth. "I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year's team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team's incredible success and their commitment to finish strong," Kiffin wrote, adding that he would maintained "guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern." Kiffins said Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter denied his request "despite the team also asking him to allow…...

34+ min ago (54+ words) Four people were killed and 15 injured Saturday evening when a gunman opened fire at a family event at a banquet hall in Stockton. Victims included children as young as 8; law enforcement is investigating what officials believe was a targeted attack. 4 dead, including 3 children, in shooting at family event in Stockton...

58+ min ago (258+ words) As travelers prepare to fly home on what is anticipated to be one of the busiest travel days in 15 years, a powerful winter storm in the Midwest and Great Lakes region has prompted the cancellation of hundreds of flights nationwide. As of noon Sunday, 6,211 flights have been delayed into and out of the United States, and 1,006 flights have been canceled, according to flight tracker FlightAware, which provides live flight delay and cancellation updates. Out of Los Angeles International Airport, the busiest airport in California, six flights had been canceled, and 126 had been delayed. Inbound flights to LAX were also affected, with 12 flights canceled and 155 delayed. Hollywood Burbank Airport and Long Beach Airport were also impacted with several flights delayed on Sunday. This Thanksgiving holiday travel period is expected to be the busiest in 15 years, federal officials said, as Americans brush…...

1+ hour, 4+ min ago (892+ words) HONG KONG'The death toll in Hong Kong's apartment complex blaze rose to 146 on Sunday as investigators discovered more bodies in the burned-out buildings. A steady stream of people placed bouquets of flowers at an ever-growing makeshift memorial at the scene of the disaster, among the worst in the city's history. The Hong Kong police Disaster Victim Identification Unit has been going through the buildings of the Wang Fuk Court complex meticulously and has found bodies in apartment units and on the roofs, said the officer in charge, Cheng Ka-chun. The buildings remain structurally sound, but the search has been slow, he told reporters, still wearing his white coveralls with his hard hat and respiratory mask at his side. "It is so dark inside, and because of the low light, it is very difficult to do the work, especially in places…...

1+ hour, 24+ min ago (545+ words) Rahmanullah Lakanwal's behavior deteriorated so sharply that a community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, fearing he was becoming suicidal. The emails reveal mounting warnings about the asylum seeker whose erratic conduct raised alarms long before the attack that jolted Washington on Wednesday, the eve of Thanksgiving. The previously unreported concerns offer the clearest picture yet of how he was struggling in his new life in the United States. West Virginia National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the shooting, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded. Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder. In Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked in a special Afghan army unit known as a Zero Unit. The units were backed by the CIA. He entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands…...

1+ hour, 43+ min ago (225+ words) Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders: How to watch, start time and prediction Resist the urge to yawn. What used to be an intense AFC West rivalry is now a bit muted with the Chargers limping into the fourth quarter of the season and the Raiders fumbling around in the dark, having lost nine of their last 10 games. The Chargers, who began the season with three consecutive divisional victories, have a chance to pull off their first sweep of the season. The Raiders are looking to bounce back from a humiliating loss at home by two touchdowns to Cleveland. Chargers vs. Raiders inactives for Sunday Here are the players who will not be in uniform Sunday for the Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders: our inactives for #LVvsLACCB Nikko ReedOLB Kyle KennardOT Austin DeculusWR KeAndre Lambert-SmithTE Will DisslyDL Naquan Jones Week 11 recap:…...