Mel Shapiro, Director Whose Specialty Was John Guare, Dies at 89

He directed the playwright’s “The House of Blue Leaves,” and they helped turn “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” into a hit musical.

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Longtime Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bob Veale dies at 89

Bob Veale spent 11 seasons with the Pirates and helped lead the team to a World Series title in 1971.
Yahoo Sports - 8h
Oshkosh launches EV and other tech for specialty vehicles with safety, quiet and cleanliness in mind

At CES 2025, Oshkosh launched a number of specialty vehicles with better electric power, safety, quiet and cleanliness.
VentureBeat - 13h
Jeff Baena, Film Director and Husband of Aubrey Plaza, Dies at 47

Mr. Baena, who was married to the actress Aubrey Plaza, co-wrote the existential comedy “I Heart Huckabees,” and wrote and directed films including “Life After Beth” and “The Little Hours.”
The New York Times - 3d
Bengals stay alive for playoffs with win over Steelers, whose late-season slide continues

Saturday night's game had some playoff implications for both teams.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
The Syrian refugee whose selfie with Angela Merkel changed his life

Anas Modamani took a photo with the then chancellor when he was 18, before the image went around the world. When Angela Merkel stepped out of her car into the melee outside an asylum seekers’ ...
The Guardian - 4d
David Lodge, British Novelist Who Satirized Academic Life, Dies at 89

His 15 well-plotted novels teemed with romance and strange coincidence. An erudite literary critic with an ear for language, he also wrote a raft of nonfiction books.
The New York Times - 4d
'Masterful' novelist David Lodge dies aged 89

Lodge was twice nominated for the Booker Prize in the 1980s for comic novels Small World and Nice Work.
BBC News - 4d

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Pacific Palisades Evacuees Describe Escape From Wildfire

Cars clogged scenic Sunset Boulevard and headed away from the Palisades, a seaside neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles.
The New York Times - 1h
Greenland, Panama and Faucets: Trump Conference Shows Hints of Chaos to Come

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s news conference at Mar-a-Lago was a reminder of what the next four years may have in store.
The New York Times - 4h
Judge Cannon Blocks Release of Jack Smith’s Report on Trump Documents Investigation

Judge Aileen M. Cannon, a Trump appointee who had dismissed the documents case in its entirety, temporarily barred the Justice Department from releasing Jack Smith’s account of his investigation.
The New York Times - 11h
Jimmy Carter to Lie in State in Capitol Starting Tuesday

Former President Jimmy Carter, who once banned the playing of “Hail to the Chief,” will lie in state at the Capitol as part of three days of elaborate ceremonies.
The New York Times - 2h
Meta to End Fact-Checking Program in Shift Ahead of Trump Term

The social networking giant will stop using third-party fact checkers and instead rely on users to add notes to posts. President-elect Trump and his conservative allies said they were pleased.
The New York Times - 5h