Newsletter: Today: Law and Order, or Fear and Loathing? North Carolina Fouls Out.
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
Law and Order, or Fear and Loathing?
Besieged at home. Imperiled overseas. Donald Trump painted a dark picture of a nation in crisis at the GOP convention during a speech that stretched into the record books. So much for that shining city on a hill. “I am your voice,” he said, calling for law and order, the swift destruction of Islamic State, an end to unfair trade deals, and the building of that trademark wall on the border. As for the “rigged” system in the U.S., “I alone can fix it,” he proclaimed. Read the complete speech, see the annotations from Times journalists and mark it up with your own comments.
Did It Play Beyond Trump Nation?
Even before Trump’s speech, some Republican leaders had feared that the candidate was playing a zero-sum game with voters: For every new one gained, another may be chased away, even within the GOP. Cathleen Decker writes that, despite a nod to protecting LGBTQ people from terror, he did little last night to reach beyond his core supporters. His daughter Ivanka Trump tried, saying her father planned to provide for affordable child care, equal pay for women, and college aid — none of which came up in his speech.
Alarm Bells Over NATO
In his address, Trump said NATO was taking a step in the right direction by setting up a program to combat terrorism. But it was his remarks the night before, suggesting his administration might not defend NATO allies in Eastern Europe, that brought out voices of concern and criticism in the U.S. and overseas. And that wasn’t all he had to say about world affairs that sent his campaign into damage control mode again.
More Politics
-- Clinton responds to Trump’s speech. It looks as if she’ll announce her running mate today.
-- PayPal founder Peter Thiel at the GOP convention: “I am proud to be gay.”
-- “Barbaric,” “cultural genocide” and a “return to Maoism”: The GOP platform’s tough words rile China.
-- Photos from inside the convention, videos and more.
North Carolina Fouls Out
The NBA has pulled its 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte because of a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. The league said it will wait for challenges to play out in the federal courts before deciding whether to reschedule Charlotte’s All-Star event for 2019. Columnist Dylan Hernandez says the NBA deserves a standing ovation and suggests the perfect city to serve as host.
Their Merger Claims Are Under Review
The Obama administration is going to court to stop two mergers involving four of the nation’s five largest healthcare insurers. The argument: Consolidations would leave little or no choice for people in many parts of the country and hurt competition. Read on to see what the next moves will be for Anthem’s proposed purchase of Cigna and Aetna’s bid to acquire Humana.
Exit, Stage Right
Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes is gone from the “fair and balanced” network. For his troubles, Ailes will get $40 million under a settlement agreement, according to a person close to Fox. The move comes two weeks after allegations that he sexually harassed former anchor Gretchen Carlson, which he denies. For the time being, Rupert Murdoch will take over, indicating a lack of succession plan.
CALIFORNIA
-- A man who shot his friend of more than three decades was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, not murder.
-- Four years after his arrest, former L.A. County Assessor John Noguez still hasn’t had his day in court.
-- A four-day ICE operation in Southern California nets 112 immigrants with criminal pasts.
-- A “heat dome” over the U.S. stretches to Southern California, causing temperatures to soar over 100.
NATION-WORLD
-- Florida police shot a caretaker who said his hands were in the air as he tried to help an autistic patient.
-- Brazilian police arrested 10 people suspected of planning for a terrorist attack around the Olympics.
-- French investigators say the killer of 84 in Nice had accomplices and planned the attack for months.
-- Turkish lawmakers approved a three-month state of emergency, giving President Erdoğan more power after the attempted coup.
-- In Mozambique, honey-hunters summon birds to guide them to beehives. Hear the hunters’ call.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- “Star Trek Beyond’s” stars discuss “uncomfortable conversations,” Sulu’s sexual orientation and the future.
-- Photos: Some of the best cosplay at Comic-Con, from Marvel heroes to “Golden Girls.”
-- Oliver Stone calls “Pokémon Go” an example of “surveillance capitalism.”
-- Stephen Colbert revives “Stephen Colbert” just in time to reenergize “The Late Show.”
-- Bloody good summer fun in “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.”
-- Versatile jazz pianist Claude Williamson, a mainstay of West Coast cool, has died at 89.
BUSINESS
-- Do jobs numbers indicate the strength of California’s economy? Not really.
-- Elon Musk’s master plan for Tesla is long on vision, short on specifics.
SPORTS
-- Terence Crawford, “the next American boxing superstar,” puts his title on the line Saturday.
-- Yasiel Puig’s hamstring injury could affect the Dodgers’ trade plans.
OPINION
-- Trump plays the fear card at the Republican convention.
-- California’s baffling new approach to evaluating public schools.
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- A Trump lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter to the ghostwriter of “The Art of the Deal,” demanding he pay back his book earnings. (The New Yorker)
-- “Wall Street is sort of like a fraternity”: A former trader talks about why he left. (The Atlantic)
-- Have you seen “Classical Music Mashup”? Watch it and learn how it was made. (WQXR)
ONLY IN CALIFORNIA
In Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco, people are having dances with whales. Two videos surfaced this week of humpbacks getting up close and personal with a kayaker and a paddleboarder. Watch their encounters here.
Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.
