Today: Turmoil, ‘Tapes’ and Tweets: Just Another Day in Trumpland

President Trump boards Air Force One on May 13, 2017.

May 15, 2017 5 AM PT

President Trump is preparing for a trip overseas later this week, but there are some pressing matters at home. 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

Turmoil, ‘Tapes’ and Tweets: Just Another Day in Trumpland

President Trump said he may unveil his choice for a new FBI director before he departs Friday on his first Air Force One trip abroad, an eight-day swing through the Middle East and Europe that suggests a more globalist approach than his rally rhetoric. But before he leaves, he faces growing turmoil in Washington. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle cautioned him not to name a political figure to lead the FBI, and Democrats said they may try to block Trump’s nominee to force the appointment of a special counsel to oversee the Russia investigation. As for any “tapes” that Trump suggested he may have of conversations with James Comey, they want him to hand them over. No doubt, a tweet storm is brewing somewhere.

More From Washington

-- The White House is calling North Korea a “flagrant menace” after the test launch of a ballistic missile, which Pyongyang said was “capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead.”

-- Legal experts say Trump opened himself up to a charge of obstruction of justice when he said “this Russia thing with Trump” was on his mind when he fired Comey.

-- The last time a president admitted he secretly taped conversations, he had to resign.

This Went Viral in the Worst Way

If you’re reading this, we hope that means you haven’t been hit with the “WannaCry” computer virus. As people return to work today, cybersecurity experts are worried that what’s been called the largest ransomware attack will grow in scope. The virus exploits a weakness in Windows that had been discovered by the U.S. National Security Agency; that information was stolen by hackers. A top Microsoft executive is comparing it to the U.S. military losing track of some of its Tomahawk missiles.

Video: Inside the Big Dig Under Downtown L.A.

Slowly it turns, step by step, inch by inch: the tunnel-boring machine 60 feet under the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Operating this 400-foot-long, 1,000-ton beast is a tight-knit team of miners working on the S-shaped tunnel that will finally connect L.A.’s Expo, Blue and Gold line trains. “There are no bad people down here,” said one. “We would throw them out if there were.” Go underground with this 360-degree video, Times reporter Thomas Curwen’s article and an array of graphics that explain the big dig.

What’s Going On in Twin Falls, Idaho?! Just Making Yogurt, the Locals Say

To hear conspiracy theorist-cum-“performance artist” Alex Jones tell it, the town of Twin Falls, Idaho, has been under siege from refugees spreading crime and disease — and one of the area’s biggest employers, the Chobani yogurt company, is partly to blame. But Chobani has sued for defamation and, moreover, those who live in Twin Falls say people get along just fine and have been welcoming refugees for decades. It’s the latest from our series “On Edge in Trump’s America.”

A Painful Pilgrimage to Aleppo’s Historic Mosque

For thousands of residents who had fled Aleppo during Syria’s civil war, visiting the city’s historic Umayyad mosque is a rite of passage upon their return home. But the once-gleaming structure is now severely battered. “The destruction for the whole country is indescribable, just like what happened to the mosque,” one visitor told Times foreign correspondent Patrick J. McDonnell. “If you knew the mosque before the damage, and saw it now, it is like someone who lost a child or part of his body.”

OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND

-- Did Trump’s dismissal of Comey feel like a movie? Here it is as a screenplay in five acts.

-- After a week of self-inflicted chaos, Trump could see long-term costs to his presidency.

-- Columnist Robin Abcarian introduces us to the Malibu lawyer who is upending California’s political system, one town at a time.

-- Earthquake denial gets a lot harder when you stand on top of the San Andreas fault, as columnist Steve Lopez did.

-- What to have at this Italian restaurant? Restaurant critic Jonathan Gold recommends the $22 spaghetti.

MUST-WATCH VIDEO

-- Hi, Mom! Celebrating the mothers who let their boys grow up to be NFL stars.

-- Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca comments after being sentenced to three years in prison.

-- Bryan Cranston and Giovanni Ribisi show their affection for the Amazon series “Sneaky Pete.”

CALIFORNIA

-- Trump’s presidency is making it easier for Gavin Newsom to score points as he tries to run for governor.

-- A suspect has been charged in the killing of a mother and her child who were gunned down walking home from a Long Beach supermarket, but a mystery remains.

-- L.A. County is reviewing how best to handle child welfare donations after an audit found that thousands of toys weren’t given out and inappropriate payments were made.

-- A flash mob of about 200 demonstrators gathered Saturday morning at President Trump’s golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes to spell out the word “Resist!”

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- Melissa McCarthy returned to play her Sean Spicer character as she hosted “Saturday Night Live” for her fifth time.

-- “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” became the first big box-office flop of the summer moviegoing season.

-- Billy Joel waxed nostalgic at Dodger Stadium and had some surprise guests in Pink and Axl Rose.

-- Janelle Monáe and Will Ferrell delivered graduation speeches, one involving singing. Hint: It wasn’t the one you’d expect.

CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD

Cue the slap bass theme. On this week in 1998, the ratings powerhouse “show about nothing” “Seinfeld” ended its nine-season run. Yada yada yada.

NATION-WORLD

-- A mother of four who had taken refuge inside a Denver church for 86 days has been told she’s been granted temporary relief from deportation.

-- Amid tight security, Emmanuel Macron became France’s youngest president. At the ceremony, he vowed to fight terrorism.

--German Chancellor Angela Merkel got a boost, as her conservative party notched its third straight regional election victory in less than two months.

-- Five things Americans should know about Iran’s upcoming presidential election.

BUSINESS

-- Domino’s Pizza is delivering, in part because the company has aggressively embraced technology.

-- Marriott is increasingly using prefabricated rooms that can be stacked like shoe boxes to speed construction of hotels.

SPORTS

-- The Anaheim Ducks tied their playoff series with the Nashville Predators with a come-from-behind 5-3 victory.

-- The latest on L.A.’s Olympic bid: At least international media were impressed.

OPINION

-- Trump has diminished his own influence as president and may not even know it.

-- Actor Farshad Farahat, who lives in Irvine, wants his representative to stand up against Trump’s travel ban.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Inside the Comey firing: “Trump is in some ways like a pilot opting to fly a plane through heavy turbulence then blaming the flight attendants when the passengers get jittery.” (Washington Post)

-- The heartbreaking story of one mother who died less than a day after giving birth illustrates some of the problems that have led to the U.S. having the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world. (ProPublica)

-- White nationalist Richard Spencer led a large group of demonstrators carrying torches in Charlottesville, Va. They chanted, “You will not replace us” and “Russia is our friend.” (Washington Post)

-- Why don’t people return their shopping carts to their little stalls? (Scientific American)

ONLY IN L.A.

At Loyola Marymount University just north of LAX, studying yoga takes two years and is more in the books than on the mat. Where else but at a Catholic university on the Westside would you find the only place in the United States that offers a master of arts degree in yoga studies?

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.

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