Comment on 'It was such a good idea': Wicked author Gregory Maguire on the real meaning of the story that captivated the world - BBC.com

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CONAKRY, Guinea — At least 56 people, including children, have died after fans at a soccer game in Guinea allegedly clashed over a disputed call by the referee, authorities said Monday. The stampede broke out on Sunday afternoon at the stadium in the city of Nzerekore during the final of a local tournament between the Labe and Nzerekore teams in honor of Guinea’s military leader, Mamadi Doumbouya. “During the stampede, victims were recorded,” Guinea’s Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah said on the X platform, without giving details.

LONDON — Many of us have felt it, and now it’s official: “brain rot” is the Oxford dictionaries’ word of the year. Oxford University Press said Monday that the evocative phrase “gained new prominence in 2024,” with its frequency of use increasing 230% from the year before. Oxford defines brain rot as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.” The word of the year is intended to be “a word or expression that reflects a defining theme from the past 12 months.” “Brain rot” was chosen by a combination of public vote and language analysis by Oxford lexicographers.

An armed man suspected of trespassing was shot and killed by Lakewood officers outside of a Best Buy early Monday morning, according to the police department. A Best Buy security officer called 911 around 3:32 a.m. Monday to report a trespasser in an alleyway behind the store, a Lakewood police spokesman said in a media briefing. Two Lakewood officers responded to the 300 block of West Alaska Drive for the suspected trespassing on Monday, but it’s not clear if both of them shot the man or how many shots were fired, the spokesman said. Police said the man pulled out a gun after officers arrived and pointed it at them, which is when they shot him. Paramedics took the unidentified man to the hospital where he later died from his injuries, according to Lakewood police.

Tim McKay’s painting titled “Sixty Four.” It’s one of 77 works he made after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. (Provided by Tim McKay) When Denver artist Tim McKay was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year, he made a quick decision: He would document the progression of his disease through his art.

CENTRAL CITY — When gambling came to town in 1991, almost every historic building in this old mining town in Gilpin County transformed into a casino. Except one. “There was one building left out and that was the Belvidere Theater. When gaming came in we really lacked a place for the community to gather.