Go for the gold: Your Weekend Briefing

View in browser|nytimes.com

October 31, 2021

By Remy Tumin

Welcome to the Weekend Briefing. We're covering the global climate summit, a preview of Election Day and Halloween.

Demonstrators marched through Glasgow to highlight the climate crisis.Andrew Testa for The New York Times

1. Leaders are gathering in Glasgow for a climate summit, and the challenges they face are huge.

The outcome of COP26 will determine, to a large extent, how the world's seven billion people will survive on a hotter planet and whether far worse levels of warming can be averted.

Fundamental differences divide the leaders. Many poor countries hard hit by climate disasters are holding out for the money promised, but not yet delivered, by the industrialized nations that fueled the crisis. Here's what to expect.

"That we are now so perilously close to the edge for a number of countries is perhaps the tragedy of our times," said Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados.

President Biden and other leaders are arriving in Glasgow after a G20 summit in Rome, where they agreed on a new corporate minimum tax, the world's most aggressive attempt yet to stop companies from sheltering profits in so-called tax havens. But when it came to preventing future pandemics, health experts and activists said that rich nations were still not doing enough to help poor countries survive the current one.

There were long lines for early voting in Virginia's general and special elections.Kenny Holston for The New York Times

2. Local and statewide elections are being held around the country on Tuesday.

These elections will determine the governors of Virginia and New Jersey and the mayors and other leaders of New York City, Atlanta, Minneapolis and other places. They will also decide the fate of ballot measures on election rules, local taxes and other issues. Here are some of the Election Day basics.

Among the races to watch:

The tight governor's race in Virginia has become a proving ground for each party's electoral strategy: Republicans hope to hit on a recipe for renewal, while Democrats worry that a loss could force them to defend seats in blue states next year.
In New York City's race for mayor, Eric Adams, the Democratic front-runner, faces off against his main challenger, Curtis Sliwa, a Republican. Here are their plans for the city
In Boston, Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George, both Democrats, are battling to become mayor.

A traffic stop in Anchorage, Alaska.Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

3. Over the past five years, police officers have killed more than 400 drivers or passengers who were not wielding a gun or a knife, or who weren't under pursuit for a violent crime — a rate of more than one a week, a Times investigation found.

Many were stopped for common traffic offenses: a broken taillight, running a red light or swerving across double yellow lines. Relative to the population, Black drivers were overrepresented among those killed.

Traffic stops — which can be driven by the demand for revenue to fund towns — are the most common interactions between police officers and the public. The police consider them among the most dangerous things they do.

Officers have been charged in 32 cases, and nearly two dozen are pending. Only five officers have been convicted of crimes for the killing of motorists. But The Times found that evidence often contradicted the officers' accounts. A visual investigation rolled back the footage capturing 120 fatal traffic stops and found that in dozens of incidents, officers made tactical mistakes that put them in positions of danger.

Erin Gauch of Middletown, R.I., has doubts about her 9-year-old son, David, getting vaccinated.Katherine Taylor for The New York Times

4. Children ages 5 to 11 could start receiving Covid-19 vaccines as soon as Wednesday. Reluctant parents, even those who got the shot, could be an obstacle.

In announcing its authorization of a lower-dose shot made by Pfizer for the age group, the F.D.A. said that trial data showed the shot was safe and prompted strong immune responses in children. The most common side effects were fatigue, fever and headache. But some parents are reluctant to consent, questioning whether a brand-new vaccine is worth it when most coronavirus cases in youngsters are mild.

In an Opinion essay, Dr. Lee Savio Beers, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, explains why children should be vaccinated against Covid.

Security guards stand at the entrance to the film set for "Rust," outside of Santa Fe, N.M.Anne Lebreton/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

5. A reconstruction of the events leading up to the fatal shooting on the set of an Alec Baldwin film revealed a cascading series of mistakes.

During a scene for the movie, "Rust," Baldwin reached across his chest, drew a revolver from a shoulder holster and moved it toward the camera, when it went off, killing the cinematographer. The crew had been assured the gun was "cold," meaning it held no live ammunition.

Days before the fatal shooting, at least two accidental gun discharges on set had put crew members on edge. Law enforcement officials in New Mexico are now trying to determine whether negligence on the set rose to the level of a crime — and how the live round got inside the revolver.

For readers of The Morning, a limited-time offer.

Support the journalists who bring the truth to light. Subscribe now with this special rate on expert reporting.

Over a year after the Port of Beirut explosion, much of the area still lies in ruins.Diego Ibarra Sánchez for The New York Times

6. Saudi Arabia and three other Gulf countries pulled their ambassadors from Beirut, after Lebanon's information minister made comments about the war in Yemen.

The minister, George Kordahi, called the war a Saudi and Emirati "aggression" in a recent television interview. Saudi Arabia's military campaign to oust Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen has been widely condemned by the West, but its Arab neighbors have avoided antagonizing the kingdom.

The move emphasized how crisis-plagued Lebanon is vulnerable to the whims of its powerful neighbors.

Halloween classics never go out of style, or out of stock.Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet for The New York Times

7. If you had trouble buying a Halloween costume, blame the global supply chain. Problems with stock mean fewer Ted Lassos and Kim Kardashians.

While classic costumes like ghosts, witches and Marilyn Monroes are easier to come by, topical trick-or-treating is harder than ever. The supply chain is not well equipped to handle trends, especially when a show or image becomes unexpectedly popular overnight.

In the spirit of Halloween, we spoke to the Adams family (this one is for real) about making indie horror movies at their rustic home in upstate New York. Our critic also looked at how the vampire myth evolved, and why bloodsucking monsters are avatars for our cultural anxieties.

And if your child is celebrating Halloween this weekend, don't stress about too much candy.

Pan de muerto comes covered in sugar and sesame seeds at La Migaja Mexican Bakery in Miami.Alfonso Duran for The New York Times

8. To feed the dead, you first need pan de muerto.

Our Food reporter visited bakeries in Miami that are preparing for Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, by baking the traditional sweet bread, which is similar in texture to challah and sprinkled with sugar or sesame seeds. The bread is placed on altars to remember family members during the Mexican celebration on Nov. 1-2. Here's how to make your own.

As the days get cooler, all David Tanis wants is a fire in the hearth and a simmering pot of stew. So he created this menu of braised lamb, carrot salad and a molasses ginger cake. We also have these 11 vegetarian casseroles to keep you toasty.

Is it a surfer or a seal?Laura Ryan et al.

9. What do baby sharks, asexual condors and white strawberries have in common? Our Science desk has them all covered.

Researchers simulated a shark's visual system to test the theory of "mistaken identity" as an explanation for unprovoked shark bites. Sometimes, sharks make mistakes too.
Conservationists working to preserve California condors discovered two instances of chicks hatching from unfertilized eggs, a first for the species.
Biologists have identified a set of genes common to strawberry species and a set of mutations that can turn some strawberries white without changing their taste or aroma.

Alexander Palace contains artifacts from the rule of Russia's last czar.Mary Gelman for The New York Times

10. And finally, kick back and enjoy some great journalism.

The restored palace of Russia's last czar. Going back to eat in Midtown Manhattan. A conversation with the humorist David Sedaris. All these and more await you in The Weekender.

Our editors also suggest Alicia Keys's hypnotic love jam along with 12 more new songs, as well as "Doctor Who" on the BBC and these eight new books.

Did you follow the news this week? Test your knowledge. And here's the front page of our Sunday paper, the Sunday Review from Opinion and today's Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here.

Have a festive week.

Shaminder Dulai compiled photos for this briefing.

Your Weekend Briefing is published Sundays at 6:30 a.m. Eastern.

Did a friend forward you the briefing? You can sign up here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

Browse our full range of Times newsletters here.

Continue reading the main story