Newsletter: Today: The Effort to Retake Mosul. When Antibiotics Stop Working.
I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.
TOP STORIES
The Effort to Retake Mosul
Last week brought word that 8,400 U.S. troops would remain in Afghanistan. This week, the Pentagon said it will send 560 more troops to Iraq to help prepare for a long-awaited assault on Islamic State’s self-declared capital in the country, bringing the total to more than 5,000. More about the U.S.-led coalition’s plan to regain Mosul.
When Antibiotics Stop Working
It’s easy to forget that most of us have grown up in the golden age of antibiotics — a time when they were available to fight bacterial infections and open the door to all kinds of medical procedures. Slowly, that age is coming to an end, as common ailments regain the power to kill. How did this happen, and what can be done to stop it? There’s a complex interplay of medical, social and economic factors.
Students Need More Than Ramen
The old line about college students surviving on ramen is no laughing matter, and the University of California intends to do something about it. A new survey found that 40% of UC students do not have a consistent source of high-quality, nutritious food and that 19% went hungry at times. Now, the system plans to spend $3.3 million on efforts to fight campus malnutrition.
Why Broken Noses and Tap-Outs Are a Big Deal
The Beverly Hills talent agency WME/IMG represents A-list entertainers and athletes. Now, it’s buying its own sports league in the form of mixed martial arts company Ultimate Fighting Championship. The cost: $4 billion. Quite a return on investment for the two brothers who bought it 15 years ago for just $2 million. Take a look behind the UFC’s knockout deal.
And Here’s the Pitch — 1,671 of Them
A four-seam fastball. A slider. And a looping curveball. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw relies on these three primary pitches. But you don’t dominate by being predictable. Graphics reporter Joe Fox put together a 3-D visualization of Kershaw’s season on the mound before the ace went on the disabled list. With Major League Baseball’s All-Star game tonight, it’s a must-see.
Catch ’Em All, but Keep Your Head Up
Speaking of immersive and addictive virtual worlds, have you seen Pikachu lately? In a matter of days, the mobile game “Pokemon Go” has become a cultural phenomenon, boosted Nintendo’s stock and raised concerns about safety and scams. Find out what’s up with all this “Pokemoning” and see the video hunt inside the L.A. Times building.
CALIFORNIA
-- State lawmakers are trying to make ransomware a crime, but will it do any good?
-- Police tried a different tactic when Black Lives Matter marched through Inglewood: They stayed away, and the mayor says it worked this time.
-- A Commerce councilwoman is facing the state’s largest-ever financial penalty against a local elected official: $104,000.
-- A man arrested in connection with a series of deadly attacks on the homeless in San Diego has been released, as the police continue to seek the killer.
NATION-WORLD
-- Here are the top vice president picks for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
-- Dallas’ police chief says “open carry” makes things confusing during mass shootings.
-- In a victory for the Philippines, an international tribunal ruled Tuesday that China’s claims to “historic rights” in the South China Sea are invalid.
-- “Brexit means Brexit”: Theresa May is expected to become Britain’s next prime minister Wednesday.
-- Doctors travel a dangerous road to help ease the horrors of war-torn Aleppo, Syria.
-- Why we feel emotions in our guts, and what microbes have to do with it.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- Times film editor Marc Bernardin: When your own urban fiction becomes a frightening, bloody, American reality.
-- U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera responds to gun violence with a new poem.
-- Brian Wilson and band brought a tinge of topicality to their 50th anniversary performance of the Beach Boys’ watershed “Pet Sounds” album.
-- Only 12 people have won all four major awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. With Emmy nominations coming up Thursday, here’s a look at 20 contenders to join the EGOT club.
-- Disneyland has released a new artist’s rendering of its “Star Wars” land.
BUSINESS
-- Stocks have climbed a “wall of worry,” all the way to all-time high.
-- Now on Starbucks’ menu for employees: more compensation, less healthcare coverage.
-- Tesla is said to be under investigation by the SEC for failing to disclose a fatal crash.
SPORTS
-- The Angels’ Mike Trout, the star of stars in July, yearns to shine in October.
-- “He never talked. He just played.” Tim Duncan calls it quits after 19 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.
OPINION
-- Jonah Goldberg: the conservative principle behind Black Lives Matter.
-- The philosophy that has pitted cars against cyclists for the last 40 years is finally dying.
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- A report says more than 1,200 women were assaulted in Germany on New Year’s Eve. (Deutsche Welle)
-- A breakdown of the statistics behind police shootings of whites and blacks. (The Washington Post)
-- Exploring centuries of shipwrecks off the coast of Greece. (National Geographic)
ONLY IN L.A.
Last week, architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne showed us an L.A. firm’s proposal to turn part of the 134 Freeway into a structure that’s quiet, controls pollution, collects storm water, produces electricity and funds schools. This week, a Harvard professor has reimagined the stub of the 2 Freeway as an eco-park with orange and fuchsia-colored smog filters, rain catchers and solar towers. Get an eyeful here.
Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.
