U.S. heat wave turns deadly as death toll climbs to at least 24

A brutal U.S. heat wave has killed at least 24 people over the past week as about 40 million people remain under heat alerts; New Jersey reported 22 heat-related deaths, with additional fatalities in Illinois and Mississippi, illustrating how climate change is intensifying extreme heat. The National Weather Service warns cooler, potentially stormy conditions will spread later this week, though the Southeast will stay hot.