Newsletter: Today: The ‘Rocket Man,’ the ‘Dotard’ and Nuclear Anxiety
The war of words between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump has escalated, with worries about what comes next. Here are the stories you shouldn’t miss today:
TOP STORIES
The ‘Rocket Man,’ the ‘Dotard’ and Nuclear Anxiety
President Trump has unveiled another round of sanctions on North Korea, while Kim Jong Un has unleashed a rhetorical salvo with an exceptionally rare, 500-word statement. After Trump threatened earlier this week to “totally destroy” North Korea if necessary and called Kim “Rocket Man” in reference to his series of missile tests, Kim has now vowed to make him “pay dearly” and referred to Trump as “the mentally deranged U.S. dotard.” (Admit it, you probably looked it up.) The statement could indicate another weapons test is coming.
Amid Mexico’s Rubble, Heroes Come Forward
After Mexico’s deadly earthquake Tuesday, it was a drama that transfixed the nation: the search for a trapped girl thought to be named “Frida Sofia” at a Mexico City school. Then on Thursday, officials said there was no sign that any child was missing and alive in the rubble — an abrupt end to a symbol of hope, just as the odds of finding survivors at countless other sites dwindled and the death toll was expected to rise. Still, emergency workers and an army of volunteers who didn’t wait for the government’s help kept working. As did a 7-year-old Labrador who’s shown her valor in numerous disasters.
In Puerto Rico, the Worst Is Not Over
The full extent of the damage in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria, the strongest storm to hit the island in more than 80 years, won’t be known until lines of communication reopen in many areas. But the destruction in the capital of San Juan was apparent: homes reduced to heaps of splintered wood and crumbling concrete, flooded streets and the prospect of more rain.
Strange Happenings in Alabama’s Senate Race
In the race to succeed Jeff Sessions as senator from Alabama, one Republican candidate is a firebrand prone to making controversial statements; the other is backed by the GOP establishment and might even be called “low energy.” So whom is President Trump backing with a visit to the Heart of Dixie? That would be the latter, “Big” Luther Strange, the incumbent. But voter enthusiasm runs high for the more Trump-like challenger, Roy Moore, who has the support of former White House advisor Stephen K. Bannon and allies.
More Politics
-- Under pressure, Facebook said it would share more than 3,000 ads linked to Russia with congressional panels investigating foreign meddling in the 2016 election.
-- After months of challenges and controversy, Trump’s travel ban expires Sunday, and a new one may be coming.
-- Despite months of promises, the GOP-led Congress and White House have yet to agree on how to revamp the tax code.
Flip the Script: Don’t Say a Word
Remember when movies had sharp, witty dialogue? These days, a lot of them have … well, long stretches of nothing at all. As in silence. Nearly a century after “The Jazz Singer” brought in the era of the talkie, dialogue-light scripts and the occasional use of no sound are commonplace at the theater. Directors have some theories why. Now, if only you could get those people in the row behind you to zip it.
FLASHBACK FRIDAY
In late September 1939, a tropical heat wave killed an estimated 60 people in Southern California. It ended with a storm Sept. 24 that brought 65-mph winds and “smashed vessels against piers, breakwaters and beaches,” The Times reported. Among them was the fishing barge Minnie A. Caine, which broke anchor and drifted onto the shore 2½ miles north of Santa Monica. It took 40 lifeguards to rescue six men from the barge.
MUST-WATCH VIDEO
-- One of the worst of Mexico’s earthquake tragedies unfolded at the church in the small town of Atzala.
-- Hurricane Maria left a historic trail of destruction across Puerto Rico.
-- An artist discusses making a sculpture from the belongings of a DACA deportee.
CALIFORNIA
-- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will be in San Francisco today to tout his single-payer healthcare proposal, an issue that has proved a dilemma in California.
-- The University of California will chip in at least $300,000 to help UC Berkeley pay security costs for controversial speakers.
-- Knowingly filing false complaints against police officers is against state law. The LAPD won’t warn people about that on its forms, which is why the rank-and-file’s union is suing.
-- In L.A.’s Broadway Theater District, a Chinese developer is building a condo skyscraper with units priced for first-time buyers.
YOUR WEEKEND
-- Vegetable tops don’t have to go in the trash. Here’s how to use them.
-- Pet food goes upscale, with kale, quinoa and cage-free duck. But check with your vet first.
-- A hot new swim workout in L.A. includes an underwater hip-hop soundtrack.
-- Readers share their best summer vacation photos. Of 1,000 entries, these are our faves.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- Film critic Kenneth Turan says Emma Stone and Steve Carell serve up some pleasant surprises in “Battle of the Sexes,” about the Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs tennis match.
-- Jackie Chan is defying age with action in “The Lego Ninjago Movie” and “The Foreigner.”
-- For Raphael Saadiq, a musician’s work is never done.
NATION-WORLD
-- A demonstrator who got up and shouted, “Terrorist!” at Turkey’s president during a speech at a New York hotel was grabbed by bodyguards and rushed out of the hall as others in the crowd pushed, shoved and shouted.
-- German voters tend to respect Chancellor Angela Merkel, even if they may not like her, which is why she’s expected to win a fourth four-year term in Sunday’s election.
-- The children of South Sudan’s war face hunger, rape and other violence on their long, often-solitary walks to safety.
BUSINESS
-- The hardest job in tech? Convincing start-ups to move from the Bay Area to Sacramento.
-- Columnist Michael Hiltzik says the lesson from that rant by KB Home’s chief executive at Kathy Griffin is that you can get away with being a bad neighbor if you’re the boss.
SPORTS
-- Aaron Hernandez, the NFL player who killed himself while serving a life sentence for murder, was found to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
-- The Dodgers got a scare in their 5-4 victory over the Phillies, but they clinched a tie for the National League West title.
-- Horse racing fan? Sign up for this free newsletter.
OPINION
-- It’s a life-or-death matter to run for president in Russia against Vladimir Putin.
-- Trump will fire Robert Mueller eventually. What will happen next?
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- Sean Spicer wasn’t happy when asked for comment about his note-taking practices during his time with Trump. (Axios)
-- A different way to remember everything: the ancient practice of building a memory palace. (Aeon)
-- Jeff Bridges will probably always be known as the Dude, and he’s totally cool with that. (GQ)
ONLY IN CALIFORNIA
How do you know it’s the last day of summer in the Golden State? It snows. On Thursday, the Sierra Nevada got more than a dusting of it in many places, creating hazardous conditions on the road and a wintry scene at Mammoth Lakes. At this rate, it could be spring in December.
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