Headlines From The Times

In 1945, five families sued school districts in Orange County to challenge the practice of so-called Mexican schools, which kept Latino students from attending white schools with better resources. The daughter of one of the plaintiffs, Sylvia Mendez, has spent her retirement telling the story of the landmark desegregation case, which was decided 75 years ago on April 14, 1947.But she goes from school to school talking about the importance of this case at a time when Latino students are, in many ways, more segregated than ever.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times education reporter Paloma EsquivelMore reading:Mendez vs. segregation: 70 years later, famed case ‘isn’t just about Mexicans. It’s about everybody coming together’Op-Ed: How Mexican immigrants ended ‘separate but equal’ in CaliforniaWestminster council takes steps to recognize historic civil rights case

When reporter Sandra Dibble started covering Tijuana in the 1990s, many of her stories dealt with violence and corruption in the city. But like most Tijuanenses, Sandra actually felt pretty. She didn’t let the terrifying headlines she was writing stop her from settling into her new life and exploring her adopted home of Tijuana.Today, in the second episode of “Border City,” Sandra talks about that era and what she learned.Host: Sandra DibbleMore reading:Tijuana: Through a Mirror, DarklyTijuana killings may signal fall of Arellano Felix cartelMaking a Tijuana art scene built to last

In 1969, off California’s coast, an ecological disaster gained worldwide attention. The state’s largest oil disaster shocked a nation into action: It led to the creation of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and the passing of California’s Environmental Quality Act and the federal Environmental Protection Act. The catastrophe also inspired a day to reflect and learn about environmentalism — Earth Day.But in a world where climate change is ravaging the earth, what good is just a day anymore?Today, we get into Earth Day’s fails and wins.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times earthquake reporter Ron Lin, L.A. Times wildfire reporter Alex Wigglesworth and L.A. Times coastal reporter Rosanna XiaMore reading:Editorial: Happy 50th birthday, Earth DayAn Earth Day message for California: Move faster on climate change8 ways to get active on Earth Day

An L.A. Times investigation found that jet engine oil can leak into the air supply of passenger planes, creating a toxic cocktail that can lead to health problems. It happens with an alarming frequency across all airlines — and that’s despite the airline industry and its regulators saying otherwise. The Times investigation just might result in real-world change.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times investigations reporter Kiera FeldmanMore reading:After Times investigation, Congress is moving to curb toxic fumes on airplanesHow toxic fumes seep into the air you breathe on planesSmells on a plane: Have you been exposed to toxic chemicals while flying?

Black people are two and a half times more likely to be hospitalized, and 1.7 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than whites.That stat from the CDC is shocking. But it’s not exactly surprising. Not to people like L.A. Times reporter Marissa Evans.Her father, Gary Evans, is now one of nearly 97,000 Black people in America who’ve died from COVID-19 complications.And while Marissa is willing to accept her father’s death, on today’s episode, she says she refuses to accept that losing all these Black men is normal ... or OK.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times healthcare reporter Marissa EvansMore reading:The way we lose Black men never makes sense. Losing my father to COVID is another exampleBlack L.A. residents have highest COVID hospitalization rate: ‘A deplorable reality’Op-Ed: A COVID diary: My Black family’s struggle with vaccine hesitancy

Reporter Sandra Dibble spent more than 25 years covering the U.S.-Mexico border for the San Diego Union-Tribune. And what she found out after her first day on the job is that Tijuana is ... complicated.The impact of being home to the Western Hemisphere’s busiest border crossing — how the border has shaped Tijuana — is a big part of what Sandra spent her career digging into.And she pulls all that work together in "Border City," a new eight-part narrative podcast series. Today, we air its debut episode.Host: Sandra DibbleMore reading:Border City: A podcast about beauty, violence and belonging in Tijuana from a journalist who spent more than 25 years reporting at the borderThe Backstory: Sandra Dibble discusses “Border City,” her upcoming podcast about reporting in TijuanaOpinion: After writing about Tijuana for decades, I can’t imagine my life without this city

Before Jan. 6, 2021, John Eastman was known as a fringe figure in conservative circles. But now, Eastman’s not so fringe anymore.A California-based federal judge said Trump probably committed felonies in connection with the events of that day. And he says that Eastman was the person Trump chose to find “a coup in search of a legal theory.”Today, in the second part of a miniseries on the Jan. 6 investigation, we get into Eastman’s career — and what his emails and actions on Jan. 6 might mean for Trump’s future.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times Justice Department reporter Sarah D. WireMore reading:How a California lawyer became a focal point of the Jan. 6 investigationJudge rules against Trump lawyer John Eastman in dispute with Jan. 6 investigatorsJohn Eastman, Trump’s lawyer on overturning election, under investigation by California Bar

Hundreds of people have been charged with federal crimes in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. The amount of evidence against many of the insurrectionists is growing. But sorting through it all has ground many of these criminal cases to a halt. Today, in the first of a two-part series on the Jan. 6 investigations, why it might take years to prosecute all the rioters who invaded the Capitol, and how difficult it will be to make charges stick.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times Capitol Hill reporter Sarah D. WireMore reading:The evidence in the Jan. 6 investigations is overwhelming — literallyJan. 6 defendant pleads guilty to a single charge after prosecutors forgot to indict himBeverly Hills anti-vaccine doctor pleads guilty in Jan. 6 Capitol riot case

Title 42 has plugged up the asylum system since it was put in place at the start of the coronavirus crisis. Since March 2020, U.S. border officials have used the policy to quickly remove migrants by sending them back to Mexico or to their home countries.But now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says migrants are not a public health threat, so Title 42 will come to an end on May 23.Today, we talk about the ramifications of the controversial public health order.Guests: L.A. Times immigration reporter Andrea CastilloMore reading:Biden administration could revoke controversial border policy blocking asylum in weeksBiden administration announces asylum system overhaul: What you need to knowFearing for their lives, Mexicans fled a gang-ruled town. Now they seek political asylum in California

Beverly Hills resident Ray Mascolo died of a drug overdose in 2020. His passing led investigators to a sprawling, Hollywood-based drug-dealing network with a business model resembling a food-delivery app.We tell this saga today.Host: L.A. Times courts reporter Michael FinneganMore reading:How a man’s death in Beverly Hills exposed a sprawling Hollywood drug delivery businessCalifornia lawmakers target fentanyl as opioid overdoses surgeHow drug overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 in one year

When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during the Oscars for a joke the latter made about the hairstyle of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, it brought forth the politics of Black hair, especially the hair of Black women. Long maligned, it’s getting more attention than ever, from the sisterlocks of prospective Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to anti-discrimination bills passed on the state and local level.Today, we talk about the issue with two L.A. Times writers who bring their own personal history to the subject.Host: L.A. Times D.C. reporter Erin B. LoganGuests: L.A. Times columnist Erika D. SmithMore reading:Column: Will Smith’s Oscars slap of Chris Rock settles it. We’re done with Black hair jokesCalifornia becomes first state to ban discrimination based on one’s natural hairThe world of Black hair magic, according to an icon of L.A.’s hair avant-garde

L.A. Times foreign correspondent Patrick J. McDonnell has covered Ukrainian refugees flooding into Poland and the funerals for Ukrainian soldiers in Lviv. He’s heard from mayors urging Americans to approve a no-fly zone over Ukraine, and men returning to their country to fight on the front lines.Today, we hear some of Patrick’s stories.Guests: L.A. Times Mexico City bureau chief Patrick J. McDonnellMore reading:A funeral for Ukraine soldiers brings war to small townRefugee flows from Ukraine mount. Meantime, aid and would-be fighters head in other directionIn Ukraine, the flood of displaced people fleeing the war only grows

Two brothers near Sacramento are fighting for compensation for the land they say was taken from their formerly enslaved ancestors during the Gold Rush. Their story got pulled into an even bigger debate happening right now in California. A first-of-its-kind task force is trying to decide: Will the state pay reparations to Black people? And if so, who should get it?Guests: L.A. Times columnist Erika D. SmithMore reading:Column: They say California stole their ancestors’ land. But do they qualify for reparations?Column: It’s a guaranteed income program, but think of it as a test case for reparationsCalifornia created the nation’s first state reparations task force. Now comes the hard part

“Binge Sesh” is a new L.A. Times podcast taking a deep dive into the television shows everyone is talking about. For its inaugural season, the series gets into the HBO show “Winning Time,” which talks about the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s who dominated the NBA with its Showtime approach to basketball.Host: Matt Brennan and Kareem MaddoxGuests: Author Jeff PearlmanMore reading:‘Winning Time’ began as the seminal book on the Showtime Lakers; it’s Hollywood nowHow a pair of unknowns made themselves into Lakers legends for HBO’s next big dramaFour years. Four coaches. Inside the off-court drama that made the Showtime Lakers

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has added and subtracted elements to this year’s Oscars. A roundtable of L.A. Times film and television experts discuss those changes, plus offer up other commentary and criticism about this Sunday’s Academy Awards.Today, we’ve got a special episode from our sister podcast, “The Envelope.”Host: Mark OlsenGuests: Justin Chang, Glenn Whip, Mary McNamaraMore reading:The Oscars are embracing better movies. The show acts like it’s embarrassed by themHow the Oscars have, and haven’t, changed since Halle and Denzel’s historic victoriesColumn: ‘Belfast’ isn’t my favorite movie in the Oscar race. But it gave me the most hope

What lengths would you go to find someone you love? Even as their disappearance edges closer and closer to becoming a cold case? Today, we have the story of a family working to find their missing loved one.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times reporter Lila SeidmanMore reading:Was Jack here? A sister asks the beach community whether they’ve seen her missing brotherHelp Find Jack Stein Facebook page

In the war for Ukraine, it’s Zelensky versus Putin. Two men with essentially the same first name fighting for their place in history — not just for their respective countries but for the ancestral roots that Russia and Ukraine share, and that both rulers claim to be the true defender of.And a prince, who ruled more than 1,000 years ago — known in Russia as Vladimir the Great and in Ukraine as Volodymyr the Great — lies at the heart of that intertwined history. We get into that today.More reading:Putin’s rationale for Ukraine invasion gets the history wrongUkrainian TalesIn battle between Russia and Ukraine, even God is in dispute

For the past two decades, Disney’s reputation in the LGBTQ community has been stellar. It was one of the first Fortune 500 companies to offer same-sex couple benefits. And tens of thousands of people attend their unofficial Gay Days. More and more out characters are appearing in television shows, movies and cartoons. But critics now say Disney has thrown away all that goodwill. Just another thing to blame on…Florida.

Today, hearings will begin to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the seat of retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. Jackson’s a different type of judge, a Black woman for starters — she’d be the first ever on the Supreme Court — but she also brings unprecedented professional and life experiences. But even if she’s confirmed, how much influence can a history maker really have?More reading:Jackson supporters gear up to protect her historic Supreme Court bid from racist, sexist attacksBiden nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court in historic pickColumn: The unsubtle racism of questioning Ketanji Brown Jackson’s qualifications

Thousands of students apply to UC Berkeley every year. It’s one of the most applied-to universities in the entire U.S. But the city of Berkeley is also emblematic of our nationwide housing crisis. Which is why residents and the university have been locked in a legal battle over enrollment numbers.Today, we delve into the latest town-versus-gown throw-down.More reading:Lawmakers unveil rescue effort to help UC Berkeley avoid enrollment cuts after court battleHow much will UC Berkeley have to cut admissions after Supreme Court decision? What we knowUC Berkeley will meet court-ordered enrollment cap with online, deferred admission offers

Last May, the Palisades fire ripped through the Santa Monica Mountains. About 1,000 people were put under mandatory evacuation orders, and about 500 homes were threatened by the flames. As that emergency was unfolding, the guy in charge of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s operations center overseeing the fire was allegedly intoxicated. That’s according to an investigation commissioned by city officials.Today, we talk about what came next.More reading:LAFD chief deputy allegedly drunk during a major fire gets no discipline, $1.4-million payoutLAFD received complaints that a top official was drunk on duty. Some say it was covered upRaging Palisades fire is a dangerous warning of California’s new year-round fire reality

There’s been a new Cold War brewing for years now between the United States and China. And a big battleground on that front is Central America.Today, we look into how China’s billions of dollars and influence in Central America could strengthen a new generation of regimes hostile to the U.S.More reading:In Latin America’s new Cold War, will China lift up autocrats?Taiwan loses one of its last diplomatic allies as Nicaragua recognizes ChinaIs China good for the Americas?

Something disturbing has happened since the last time most of us took vacations — it’s getting harder to clean rooms because of COVID-19 protocols. Hotel workers say ever since the pandemic started, their work has been harder and dirtier than ever.Today, we hear from one of those workers.More reading:How the pandemic made hotel housekeeping more difficult — and disgustingTourists are back: L.A. hotel bookings reach 100% of their pre-pandemic levels‘Tsunami’ of hotel closures is coming, experts warn

Dr. Warren Hern has seen the past, present and future of the abortion debate in the United States. The Colorado doctor remembers treating women for illegal abortions, was there for the opening arguments of the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade — and now fears what might happen if it’s struck down.Today, Dr. Hern talks about his career.More reading:As a med student, he saw women nearly die from illegal abortions. At 83, he sees no end to his work60 hours, 50 abortions: A California doctor’s monthly commute to a Texas clinicCalifornia plans to be abortion sanctuary if Roe vs. Wade is overturned

Here in the United States, we’re already feeling the cost of Russia’s war in a place none of us can escape: the rising price of oil.Today, we look into how global conflicts upend global energy supplies and efforts to fight climate change, how gas prices keep getting higher and might continue to rise, and what can be done about it.More reading:How high could gas prices go? More pain at the pump likely comingUkraine is a climate story. Because everything is a climate storyThe truth about L.A.’s most notoriously expensive gas stations

Greg Bledsoe is a former morning news anchor for NBC 7 in San Diego. About a year ago, he, his wife and their two children got into an SUV and began to drive. Forty-four states, more than 20 national parks and more than 27,000 miles later, they’re still at it.Today, Greg shares with us some of their stories — and lessons.More reading:Follow the Bledsoes’ adventures on InstagramOpinion: I live on the road with my wife and two young kids — and I highly recommend itCoronavirus ruined our family vacation this year. We turned to an RV for a new adventure

For more than a month now, L.A. Times Middle East Bureau Chief Nabih Bulos has been on the ground in Ukraine, covering the escalating Russian invasion. Bulos has seen fierce fighting by Ukrainians, nonstop bombardment by Russians, hope and fear and chaos. He’s crisscrossed Ukraine to hear residents tell their stories.Today, he talks to us about what he has seen.More reading:Raining rockets, scattered corpses, an existential battle: A 500-mile journey across a week of war‘We’re keeping watch’: What foreign correspondents Nabih Bulos, Marcus Yam are seeing in UkraineDead soldiers. An icy river. Ukraine town on the front lines prepares to battle Russians

The European Union is doing everything possible to welcome Ukrainian refugees. And people around the world have donated money and supplies to help. But this open-arms response has people in similar situations wondering: Why so much goodwill toward Ukrainians, and not us?Today, we talk about the media’s role in deciding who is the “right” type of refugee — and how that helps or hinders displaced people around the world.More reading:In Ukraine reporting, Western press reveals grim bias toward ‘people like us’20 years after 9/11, an American Muslim recalls the costs of war you didn’t see on TVTrevor Noah slams media for racist remarks on Ukraine: War ‘was Europe’s entire thing’

Ariana DeBose has made history as the first Afro-Latino and openly queer woman to be nominated for an acting Academy Award. In this crossover episode with “The Envelope,” DeBose talks about the expectations she must carry, her experience with “West Side Story” and more.More reading:Ariana DeBose wants you to feel Anita’s presence before you even hear her‘West Side Story’s’ Ariana DeBose makes the case against ‘ethnically ambiguous’Here’s how Oscar nominee Ariana DeBose could make history

Aaron Bray is a San Diego native who’s lived the last couple of years in Kharkiv, Ukraine, after a stint with the Peace Corps. And now, alongside over a million Ukrainians and foreigners, he’s had to flee the country in the wake of Russia’s invasion.Today, we hear Aaron’s first-person story about what it was like to leave his adopted home behind … and why he says he’s going back.More reading:Read the L.A. Times’ full coverage of the war in UkraineCosta Mesa couple barely escape Ukraine with days-old newbornCommentary: ‘I’m scared, bro’: Inside Ukraine, through the harrowed eyes of two U.S. athletes‘A lot of innocent people will die’: Ukrainians in California decry Russia’s attack‘When there are troubles, we go to God’: Ukrainian Americans gather in grief at L.A. church

A small, tight-knit community grew inside an abandoned building in L.A.’s Koreatown. The people who found shelter there felt lucky. In a city where unhoused people have to set up encampments wherever they can — in parks, on sidewalks, beneath freeway overpasses — this old building offered a real sense of home.But the people who lived there knew their community couldn’t last.More reading:In an abandoned Koreatown building, homeless Angelenos create a community‘Gimme Shelter’: The gap in California’s homelessness plan‘Remember that can easily be you’: Angelenos closest to the homelessness crisis urge compassion

On Feb. 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping just hours ahead of the opening ceremony for the Beijing Winter Olympics. The meeting made headlines, and has people asking: Could China be the overlooked player in the Russia-Ukraine crisis?Today, we dive into the complicated history between the two countries — and whether Russia’s moves on Ukraine might serve as a template with China and Taiwan.More reading:Beijing may be tempted to side with Putin in the Ukraine conflict. But at what cost?Putin heads to China to bolster ties amid Ukraine tensionsOp-Ed: Whether it sides with Russia or not, China will pay a price

Gun violence has killed more than 100,000 people in Mexico over the last decade. Yet most of the guns involved are illegal, smuggled into the country from the U.S. Now, the Mexican government has had enough.Today, we talk about a federal lawsuit filed by Mexico against American gun manufacturers that seeks to reduce the bloodshed.More reading:Column: Don’t shield U.S. gun makers from liability for Mexico’s gun violenceThere is only one gun store in all of Mexico. So why is gun violence soaring?Op-Ed: For Mexico, taking a stand against gun trafficking is a moral imperative

As more and more workplaces have instituted COVID-19 vaccine mandates, a cottage industry has sprung up to help skeptics evade them. Today, we look into what constitutes a deeply held religious belief, how those beliefs can play out in the workplace, and what employers can do about shady religious exemption requests.More reading:Online pastors, form letters: The cottage industry helping workers avoid vaccine mandatesNew workplace mandate for COVID-19 vaccine pushed by California lawmakersColumn: L.A.'s unvaccinated public workers go Ayn Rand, throw fit over city’s vaccine mandate

In this crossover episode with “The Envelope” podcast, Maggie Gyllenhaal speaks about “The Lost Daughter,” her directorial debut.More reading:Review: ‘The Lost Daughter’ is quintessential Maggie Gyllenhaal, even though she’s never on screenOlivia Colman and Maggie Gyllenhaal dig into that ‘Lost Daughter’ endingMaggie Gyllenhaal is a natural-born director. Netflix gives her the spotlight

Americans eat billions of dollars of Mexican avocados every year. Demand is such that drug cartels and other criminal elements have muscled in on the business, centered around the Mexican state of Michoacán. This reality got worldwide attention Super Bowl weekend, when the American government announced it was temporarily suspending any avocado imports from Mexico.Today, we talk about this development — and why Americans are so obsessed with avocados in the first place.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times Mexico correspondent Leila Miller, and L.A. Times acting deputy food editor Daniel Hernandez.More reading:Avocado imports from Mexico are blocked. What does that mean for you? How we got to peak avocado: Super Bowls to Mexico’s drug cartelsInside the bloody cartel war for Mexico’s multibillion-dollar avocado industry

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his country would recognize the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and send Russian troops there for “peacekeeping” purposes. The move immediately drew worldwide condemnation — but signaled the culmination of a decades-long desire by Putin to bring Ukraine closer to Russia’s control.Today, we talk to our reporter on the ground about this past, what’s happening now — and what’s next.More reading:Russian troops move into eastern Ukraine, EU says, as fear of war growsArtillery fusillades from Russian-backed separatists set Ukraine’s east on edgeWill war come to a town called New York in Ukraine?

Uber’s under fire over its treatment of transgender drivers after the Los Angeles Times published a story about the alleged mistreatment.Today, we’ll hear from the L.A. Times reporter who broke the story. And we’ll also hear more from an Uber driver who hopes other trans people won’t ever have to go through what she went through.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times business reporter Suhauna HussainMore reading:Uber blocks transgender drivers from signing up: ‘They didn’t believe me’Uber faces ‘serious questions’ over transgender drivers’ treatment after Times reportUber’s self-driving cars put tech’s ‘move fast, break things’ credo to the test

Marfa, Texas, is known internationally for its arts scene. But on the south side of the city, there’s this old school. It’s a school where teachers once paddled Latino students for speaking Spanish. Now, some of those same students — grandparents and retirees in their 80s — are working to save the long-shuttered segregated Blackwell School and make it a national historic site to teach the history of segregated schools for Latinos in the United States.This episode has been updated. An earlier version included audio of Jessi Silva describing an integrated school she attended in addition to the Blackwell School in Marfa, Texas. That school was in California, not Marfa.More reading:Saving the school where kids were paddled for speaking SpanishLorenzo Ramirez, late plaintiff in famed school desegregation case, honored by OrangeMendez vs. segregation: 70 years later, famed case ‘isn’t just about Mexicans. It’s about everybody coming together’

A new podcast series from KPCC and LAist Studios called "Imperfect Paradise: Home Is Life" zeroes in on the battles over homelessness in suburban communities. Today, we air Episode 2 of this three-part series, which focuses on an effort in 2018 to build housing for unhoused people in the Orange County city of Fullerton.More reading:Listen to “Imperfect Paradise”Fullerton will start enforcing parking regulations on street where homeless live in RVs‘No place to go’: Fullerton ordinance, on hold for now, could force out homeless living in RVs

For decades, California voters and politicians have vacillated over the future of the death penalty. Currently, Gov. Gavin Newsom has put a moratorium on them and has ordered that death row at San Quentin State Prison — the largest in the United States — be emptied. Is this the end of the line for capital punishment in the Golden State — for real?More reading:California moves forward on plans to shut down death rowCalifornia is closing San Quentin’s death row. This is its gruesome historyEditorial: Dismantle death row, but don’t stop there

The U.S. labor movement has experienced a resurgence in recent years in sectors that historically have hired younger people. And one of the biggest battlegrounds is where you get your lattes. Today, we’re taking you to a Starbucks in Santa Cruz, where workers are demanding more from their corporate employer.This episode has been updated to clarify when the Starbucks store in Buffalo, N.Y. filed its union petition, who resigned at the Starbucks in Santa Cruz, Calif. and to include a response from a Starbucks spokesperson about the conditions at the Santa Cruz outlet mentioned. More reading:Starbucks workers at Santa Cruz store file union petition, joining a national pushDid baristas lose their jobs because of COVID-19 or because they tried to unionize?Starbucks workers vote to unionize at a store in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Roots drummer and music legend Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson sifted through 40 hours of archival footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival for his documentary, “Summer of Soul.” It was a festival where legends like Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder performed in the same summer as Woodstock.The film is now in the running for Best Original Documentary at this year’s Oscars. So today, we’re airing an episode with Questlove from our sister podcast, “The Envelope.”More reading:Review: ‘Summer of Soul’: A rousing cultural and musical revolution, now finally seenQuestlove’s ‘Summer of Soul’ is much more than a music documentaryMeet the archivist who saved the historic footage that became ‘Summer of Soul’

With more economic development and rents on the rise, Inglewood is struggling to meet its goal of encouraging more investment while trying to preserve one of California’s last remaining Black enclaves. Today, we examine this through the prism of SoFi Stadium, which is hosting the Super Bowl this Sunday.More reading:Op-Ed: For Inglewood, it won’t be a Super Sunday‘A crisis for renters’: Football sent Inglewood home prices and rents skyrocketingMust Reads: One of California’s last black enclaves threatened by Inglewood’s stadium deal

Even if you don’t like football, you probably have opinions about the Super Bowl halftime show. Today, we look at the history of this curious spectacle, from its humble beginnings to the mega-star extravaganzas of today. And along the way, we’ll take a look at how this roughly 15-minute intermission became an unlikely reflection of American culture.More reading:At SoFi Stadium, Dr. Dre assembles a hip-hop dream team for Super Bowl halftime showJanet Jackson says she and Timberlake ‘have moved on’ from Super Bowl scandalAdam Levine thanks you for hating Maroon 5’s Super Bowl performance

In a league where Black players make up 70% of active rosters, the NFL currently has only two Black head coaches. League officials and even fans have offered all sorts of excuses about this discrepancy for decades. But now there’s an explosive federal lawsuit about the matter. It was filed this month by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. In it, he puts this persistent and longstanding problem on stage.Today, we dive into why the NFL just can’t seem to hire Black head coaches.More reading:Seven things you need to know about Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFLOp-Ed: The NFL fails on Black leadership. So do most institutions in AmericaColumn: Brian Flores’ lawsuit features memorable receipts that could force the NFL to change

For the latest installment of our “Masters of Disasters” series, we talk tsunamis in the wake of a volcanic eruption near Tonga last month that caused waves felt across the Pacific. There was none of the devastation like the world saw in Fukushima in 2011, or across the Indian Ocean in 2004. But what happened in Tonga got us thinking: How are the effects of tsunamis so devastating, yet so little is known about them?More reading:The tsunami that battered Santa Cruz highlights the threat facing California’s coastCan a tsunami happen in Southern California? What should you do about it?Surprising tsunami triggers may lurk off California’s coast, scientists say

Everybody is talking about the metaverse right now. But Times host Gustavo Arellano didn’t want to just talk about it; he wanted to experience it firsthand.And so off he went inside the metaverse with a guide. Is it all it’s cracked up to be?More reading:Explainer: What is the metaverse and how will it work?Want to glimpse our metaverse future? Theme parks are already on the caseOp-Ed: Mark Zuckerberg makes a ‘mwahahaha’ metaverse move

A first-of-it’s kind case in Los Angeles County is going to play a big role in determining culpability whenever self-driving cars get into accidents. Prosecutors have charged a driver with felony manslaughter after his Tesla crashed into a car in 2019, killing two people. The accused was in the driver’s seat, but prosecutors say his Tesla … was on autopilot.More reading:A Tesla on autopilot killed two people in Gardena. Is the driver guilty of manslaughter?Are self-driving cars safe? Highway regulator orders industry to cough up the dataWhy do Tesla cars keep crashing into emergency response vehicles? Federal safety agency is investigating

There’s a growing realization that the brilliance of the world’s best athletes isn’t enough anymore to cover some glaring problems that come with putting on the Olympics every two years.The International Olympics Committee has always claimed the Games are about promoting goodwill and celebrating the brotherhood of mankind. But as it turns out, not only do Olympics not do that, they tend to make democratic states… more authoritarian.So what does that mean for the Games coming to Los Angeles in 2028?Guests: Human Rights Watch China Director Sophie Richardson, and Pacific University political science professor Jules BoykoffMore reading:The ‘Feel Guilty Games’?: China human rights issues have forever marked the Beijing Olympics2028 L.A. Olympics: Agreement outlines key issues but final price tag remains unclearOp-Ed: Tokyo’s Olympics have turned nightmarish. L.A., are you watching?