Today: Death in Dallas. A Family’s Trial.

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

TOP STORIES

Death in Dallas

Two gunmen are killed after opening fire outside a Dallas-area event where organizers were holding a contest for cartoons featuring the Muslim prophet Muhammad. A statement by the city of Garland said two men drove up in a car and opened fire on a security guard, who was wounded. They were shot and killed. Find the latest details here. 

A Family's Trial

They sit behind him every day, barely 20 feet away. He doesn't turn around. Arlene and Robert Holmes are watching their son, James, on trial for his life in the Aurora, Colo., theater massacre. Was inherited schizophrenia partly to blame for the deadly rampage? It's hard to imagine what's going through their minds, but Arlene Holmes has provided some clues in a prayer journal.

Who Gets the Guns?

Last June, President Obama unveiled plans to arm opposition fighters to take on Islamic State militants wreaking havoc in Syria. They want the help, but their main target is the regime of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, not Islamic State. Congress approved $500 million, but the Obama administration is being picky - some say too picky - about exactly who should get the guns.

Nepal's Hollow Promises

After a landslide buried the hamlet of Jura in August, killing 156 people, the Nepalese government promised help from a new relief fund. When last month's giant earthquake struck, the villagers were still waiting. Katmandu again is promising millions for a national reconstruction effort. Read why the weary people in battered towns across Nepal aren't holding their breath.

Policing the Police

High-profile killings by police have inspired a slew of legislation in Sacramento, including statewide guidelines for body cameras and changes in how use-of-force cases are prosecuted. The stated intent is to fix a fractured relationship between police and minority communities. Police are wary, and critics say legislators are aiming at the wrong problems.

CALIFORNIA

-- Scientists say two recent quakes in the Baldwin Hills area, including one Sunday morning, do not appear to be linked to oil drilling.

-- A look at how much discrimination lawsuits against the L.A. Fire Department have been costing taxpayers. 

-- The stepchildren of a woman killed in a car crash involving Bruce Jenner file a wrongful death lawsuit against him.

NATION-WORLD

-- Visit Food Fight!, an all-vegan grocery store in the middle of what is billed as the world's first vegan mini-mall. It's in Portland, Ore., of course. 

-- Baltimore's curfew ends as the city tries to return to a semblance of normalcy.

-- A mysterious new force emerges in Yemen to fight anti-government rebels.

-- Violence breaks out as Ethiopian Israelis protest their treatment by police.

BUSINESS

-- A look at the Chinese developer who's leading the transformation of L.A.'s skyline.

-- Healthcare Watch: How to stick to complicated, or expensive, prescription regimens.

SPORTS

-- Mayweather-Pacquiao fight: On a night that boxing could have boosted its brand, the sport takes one on the chin. Oscar De La Hoya wasn't impressed either. 

-- The Anaheim Ducks take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal hockey series against Calgary.

-- The latest scores and stats.

ENTERTAINMENT

-- The Japanese American National Museum in L.A. gets a collection of artwork made in World War II internment camps that was originally intended for auction.

-- Box office: "Avengers: Age of Ultron" proves its might with a huge weekend opening.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- The viral wedding photos that conquered China.

-- Timothy Egan: The end of California? Don't bet on it.

-- The Baltimore I love.

ONLY IN L.A.

When Mayor Eric Garcetti opened his reelection effort with a $1,400-a-head Hollywood bash, columnist Steve Lopez wasn't invited. In fact, the media were banned. Asked what he thought of that, Lopez joked with a radio host that he "was going to crash the party using my Hollywood stage name: S.Lo." Read how the mayor's office responded and what Lopez thinks it says about his governing style.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.