Headlines From The Times

Every year, people in the American West die from scorching temperatures. Experts fear that the number of deaths is undercounted — and, that as the climate continues to heats up, the death rate is going to rise.Officially, California says 599 people died due to heat exposure from 2010 to 2019. But a Los Angeles Times investigation estimates the number is way higher: about 3,900 deaths.Today we talk to Tony Barboza and Anna M. Phillips, who, along with Sean Greene and Ruben Vives, spearheaded the L.A. Times investigation. We discuss why their count is so different from the state's, who's most vulnerable to the heat and how to protect yourself. More reading:Heat waves are far deadlier than we think. How California neglects this climate threatClimate change is supercharging California heat waves, and the state isn’t readyPoor neighborhoods bear the brunt of extreme heat, ‘legacies of racist decision-making’

The Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California is Mexico’s premier wine country, a lush valley that makes Napa seem as gorgeous as a parking lot.But a lot of development is coming to the Valle — and many locals aren’t happy.Today, we travel to this beautiful, contested space with two experts. Javier Cabral is the editor of LA Taco and wrote about a recent anti-development protest there. Javier Plascencia, a pioneering chef, has seen Valle grow and wants the world to come in — in a sustainable way.More reading:Is Valle de Guadalupe over? The fight to protect Mexican wine country10 things to know about Chef Javier PlascenciaBaja is making a lot more great wine than you might think

Over the next two weeks, leaders from nearly 200 countries are gathering in Glasglow, Scotland, for a United Nations climate summit known as COP26. They’ll tell us what we’ve heard before: that scientists have warned about rising oceans, sinking cities, famines and millions of refugees if we don’t dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Officials will tell us we all need to act ASAP. But the fate of humanity really rests with a handful of countries.Today, we’re gathering our panel of correspondents from across the globe – L.A. Times Beijing bureau chief Alice Su, Seoul correspondent Victoria Kim, Singapore correspondent David Pierson and Mexico City correspondent Kate Linthicum – to focus on a few crucial countries in the fight against climate change and why it’s been so difficult for them to reduce their emissions.More reading:G-20 summit fails to bridge divides on pandemic and climate changeThe Amazon is still burning. Can U.N. summit in Glasgow address such climate failures?What U.S.-China tension means for fighting climate change

For decades, late October meant one holiday in American popular culture: Halloween. But over the past couple of decades, more and more people are also marking another fall festival: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.Today, we get into how this Mexican holiday took hold in the United States: its history, its customs, how it’s different here from the way it’s observed in Mexico. We talk to L.A. Times culture reporter Daniel Hernandez, who has written extensively about the subject. And we talk to Alexis Meza de los Santos, a mexicana who grew up in Kentucky and has seen Día de los Muertos spread across the South.More reading:Contribute to our digital Día de Muertos altarHere’s the story behind Día de Muertos altars — and how you can build oneTamales, salt and bread ‘bones’: How foods are central to Day of the Dead

On Oct. 11, 1985, Palestinian American activist Alex Odeh opened the door to the Orange County offices of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. He served as its West Coast regional director. The moment he turned the doorknob, a bomb went off. Thirty-six years later, his assassination remains officially unsolved, but his family thinks the United States government knows more than it wants to admit.Decades after Odeh’s killing, Hugh Mooney, one of the first police officers on the scene, has begun speaking about what he heard and saw. Today, we hear from him and talk with TimesOC reporter Gabriel San Román, who has followed the investigation into Odeh’s killing for more than a decade. We’ll also hear from Odeh’s daughter Helena and the voice of Odeh himself.More reading:Amid new revelations, Alex Odeh’s assassination remains unsolvedAnswers sought in 1985 slaying of Palestinian activist Alex OdehL.A.-Born JDL man a suspect in ’85 slaying of Alex Odeh

Vigils from Southern California to Albuquerque were held last weekend to mark the death of Halyna Hutchins. The up-and-coming cinematographer was working on the film “Rust,” a Western that featured Alec Baldwin as an actor and producer. Meanwhile, investigators are still trying to figure out how Baldwin was handed a gun with a live round despite being assured it was safe.Today, we talk about the fatal incident. We check in with L.A. Times reporters Wendy Lee and Meg James — who cover the business of entertainment — about what happened on that set, whether the tragedy could lead to workplace safety changes in the film and television industry, and whether the clash between unionized crew members and Hollywood producers is about to flare up all over again.More reading:Search warrant reveals grim details of ‘Rust’ shooting and Halyna Hutchins’ final minutes‘Rust’ crew describes on-set gun safety issues and misfires days before fatal shootingLack of gun safety killed Halyna Hutchins on the set of Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust.’ How did this happen?

Hundreds of thousands of sailors worldwide are stuck on cargo ships far longer than they’d intended, with few chances to contact the outside. Usually ports offer opportunities for a break, but most of these sailors haven’t had access to COVID-19 vaccines, so they’re not allowed to set foot in the United States.Today, L.A. Times Business reporter Ronald D. White takes us to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation’s largest. A huge backlog of cargo ships is waiting offshore for a turn to unload merchandise. Meanwhile, the crews aboard are going nowhere fast — and there’s basically no internet access, no visitors, no nice restaurant food delivery. They’re trapped.More reading:They’ve been stuck for months on cargo ships now floating off Southern California. They’re desperateWhen will supply chains be back to normal? And how did things get so bad?A tangled supply chain means shipping delays. Do your holiday shopping now

Shea Serrano is beloved in the sports, movie and music worlds for his wickedly funny essays and podcasts on everything from Selena to the Houston Texans, Jay-Z to Jason from “Friday the 13th.” And yet his journalism is probably the least impressive part of the guy who’s probably the nicest cholo nerd in the world.His latest book, “Hip-Hop (and Other Things),” is dropping tomorrow, Oct. 26. We talk about Shea’s unlikely entry into journalism, why Mexicans are perfect, why representation matters — and why, again and again, without question, he pays for fans’ utility bills and college classes.More reading:Hip-Hop (and Other Things)Q&A: Shea Serrano ponders life and more in ‘Movies (and Other Things)’Here are the songs they play at a middle school danceA story about Tim Duncan

Disabled people get pregnant and give birth at the same rates as nondisabled ones. But their outcomes are often far worse — for reasons that can’t be explained by anatomical difference or medical complexity — and modern medicine has largely turned its back on them.L.A. Times Metro reporter Sonja Sharp has experienced the discrimination firsthand, and she’s reported on the issue as well.Today, she speaks with Dr. Marie Flores, a physician who uses a wheelchair and is trying to become a mother, and Dr. Deborah Krakow, the chair of UCLA’s obstetrics and gynecology department, about how our society treats the intersection of pregnancy and disability. She also shares her own story and describes why she sees disabled motherhood as a radical act.More reading:Disabled mothers-to-be face indignity: ‘Do you have a man? Can you have sex?’Video: How disabled mothers are neglected by modern medicineThree lessons from disabled mothers

Twenty-one years ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that national adult cases of syphilis had reached their lowest levels ever, and entirely eliminating the disease among newborns seemed to be within reach.But syphilis cases have risen dramatically over the last decade for both adults and infants — even though the disease is curable, and even though we could protect babies by getting pregnant people tested and treated in time.Today, L.A. Times public health reporter Emily Alpert Reyes discusses this disturbing trend, what it says about our society and how to get the fight against congenital syphilis back on track. We also hear from someone who had a stillbirth because of syphilis and wants everyone to learn from her story.More reading:The number of babies infected with syphilis was already surging. Then came the pandemicTwo crises in one: As drug use rises, so does syphilis1,306 U.S. infants were born with syphilis in 2018, even though it’s easy to prevent