Headlines From The Times

Latest Episodes:

Next U.S. ambassador to India might be L.A.'s mayor. Huh? Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is political royalty in the City of Angels. His father was a district attorney. Eric Garcetti won his last election with over 80% of the vote. There were even rumors he would run for president in 2020. This summer, the Biden administration has tapped Garcetti as the U.S. ambassador to India. A Senate panel will consider his nomination this week. And people from Kolkata to Calexico are still saying ... huh? Him?

Today, we speak to L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez, who says Garcetti’s ambition might actually make him good for the position, and to former City Council candidate Dinesh Lakhanpal, who’s open to the idea, if a bit skeptical.

An earlier version of this episode was published June 10, 2021.

More reading:

Garcetti’s India move is no surprise. But it still stirred emotions and speculation

Waiting for Garcetti: India evaluates its ties with a post-Trump U.S.

Garcetti’s Senate committee nomination hearing scheduled for Tuesday

Today, we feast! Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

Hungry? The Los Angeles Times' annual list of the 101 best restaurants just dropped. Whether you live here, want to visit or are just craving inspiration for types of food to explore near your own home, the list has something for you. Today, L.A. Times restaurant critic Bill Addison tells us about some of his favorite local restaurants — high-end spots, mom-and-pop places, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Korean and beyond — and how he chose which ones made the cut. He also talks about how food journalism is changing and why journalists used to give so much positive attention to chefs who made great food but behaved like toxic jerks.

More reading:

These are the 101 best restaurants in L.A.

11 must-try pop-ups, the next generation of L.A. dining

10 places to drink (wine, beer, cocktails, caffeine) right now

There she is, Miss Navajo Nation... Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

The Miss Navajo Nation pageant has been going on almost every year since the 1950s. It’s not about swimsuits or evening gowns, though. This tradition is all about making sure the culture of the largest Native American tribe in the United States remains alive — and vibrant.In this episode, you’ll hear from this year's contestants, judges and the winner. And you’ll get a sense of why the Diné — what Navajos call themselves — place such importance on something nonmembers, at first glance, might dismiss as a mere beauty contest or country fair frivolity.

More reading:

A pageant like no other: ‘Can you imagine Miss USA or Miss Universe butchering a sheep?’

Navajo shepherds cling to centuries-old tradition in a land where it refuses to rain

Navajo Nation surpasses Cherokee to become largest tribe in the U.S.