Today: Feeling Unlucky. NFL’s Risky Business.

Hello. I’m Davan Maharaj, the editor of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines you shouldn’t miss today.

TOP STORIES

Feeling Unlucky

Google faces its first formal antitrust action by any government: The European Union says it uses its dominant search engine to favor its services over competitors. Google largely survived such scrutiny in the U.S. So what gives? EU officials scoff at cries of protectionism. In Europe, they say, you play by Europe’s rules. It’s not the only place big U.S. firms have such problems.

NFL’s Risky Business

“Self-esteem is quite low, not well adjusted emotionally, not happy, moods unpredictable, not stable.” That was one scouting report on Florida tight-end Aaron Hernandez before the New England Patriots drafted him. Now he faces life in prison for one murder and a trial on two more. The red flags were there. They often are in the NFL. So why do teams gamble on guys like this?

Cool Fusion

Forget Bill Nye the Science Guy. A new breed of young, hip science celebrities has taken the Web by storm. They start with the scribblings of colleagues in fusty journals, re-purpose them into edgy, entertaining tidbits and -- they hope -- make people just a little more science-savvy along the way. A self-described “science babe” urges Facebook friends to “Come for the science, stay for the dirty jokes.” Read what all the traffic is doing for, and to, scibabe.com.

Predictive Policing

With major crime on the rise, L.A. is turning to an old tactic: swarming high-crime areas with officers from the elite Metropolitan Division. It’ll be based in part on crime pattern algorithms known as “predicative policing.” A possible problem: disrupting community bonds beat cops have nurtured. Chief Charlie Beck promises it won’t look like hard-charging Metro operations of the past.

‘Baking Saved My Life’

At 90, Ernie Feld still takes pride in the treats he whips up in his shop in the woods near Lake Tahoe: Sacher torte, lemon Napoleans, poppy-seed strudel. He’s kept his sweet sense of humor, too, perhaps surprising for someone who lost three-dozen relatives, including his mother, to Nazi death camps. Read how baking saved his life -- especially that poppy-seed strudel.

CALIFORNIA

-- A federal judge in San Francisco upholds a law classifying cannabis as a dangerous drug.

-- V. Stiviano will appeal a ruling that she return more than $2.6 million in gifts she received from former Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

-- A state water board is getting plenty of complaints about its imposition of water-saving measures because of the drought.

-- Explainer: How those lawn-removal rebates work.

-- L.A.’s parks commission votes to have the city operate the Greek Theatre, for now.

NATION-WORLD

-- Congress, at last, is making some bipartisan progress.

-- A look at key parts of a historic bill changing the way Medicare pays doctors.

-- Possible victims come forward in the Denver airport groping scandal.

-- Shop owners are targeted in a surge of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa’s Durban townships.

-- A key weapon in Britain’s fight against radicalization of Muslims wears a beanie hat with a bobble on top, a hoodie and personalized sneakers.

BUSINESS

-- Renovation of the Giannini Palace bank building reflects a changing dynamic in downtown L.A.

-- The FDA approves Amgen’s drug Corlanor for chronic heart failure.

-- Time for a European vacation? The euro’s tumble is making things about 25% cheaper.

-- Michael Hiltzik: A federal court quashes the dopiest Obamacare lawsuit of all.

SPORTS

-- With a final-game loss against Sacramento, the Lakers chalk up the worst record in franchise history.

-- The Clippers will open the playoffs against the defending champion Spurs.

-- Bill Dwyre: Albert Pujols should take charge of the Josh Hamilton mess before it derails the Angels.

-- The latest scores and stats.

Passings: Mike Mitchell, 66, popular conditioner of thoroughbred horses who held the trainer record at Del Mar.

ENTERTAINMENT

-- A preview of this weekend’s L.A. Times Festival of Books. More than 300 authors are participating.

-- Bill O’Reilly is transitioning from pundit to historian with his new Fox News series, “Legends and Lies,” about rogues in the Old West.

-- Review: Barry Manilow bids farewell, for now, from Staples Center.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Death and taxes: what it would mean for the IRS if science defeated mortality.

-- What the newspapers said when Lincoln was killed.

-- 16 female senators offer their best advice to young women.

-- The note Masters winner Jason Spieth wrote to a family that paid his high school tuition.

ONLY IN L.A.

After recent deaths from street-racing crashes, dozens of law enforcement officials met to discuss how to combat hot-rodders. Representatives of the Irwindale Speedway and the National Hot Rod Assn. discussed ways of promoting racing on legal tracks. The LAPD pushed for more enforcement. “We need more laws that have a little bit more bite to them,” said Sgt. Greg Fuqua, who runs the LAPD’s Aggressive Driving Detail. Since its inception in November, officers have written more than 700 tickets for illegal modifications to cars.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.