Newsletter: Today: Oscars Spotlight. Imagine: President Trump.
I’m Davan Maharaj, editor of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.
TOP STORIES
Oscars in the Spotlight and the Crosshairs
Chris Rock took on #OscarsSoWhite in a big way, from the opening monologue onward. Leonardo DiCaprio finally won. And “Spotlight” was the best picture on a night that gave us several surprises, possibly the oldest Oscar winner in composer Ennio Morricone, and the debut of the thank-you crawl on TV. As it all played out, Al Sharpton was slamming Hollywood, and in Flint, Mich, “Creed’s” director held a benefit featuring Stevie Wonder and Janelle Monae. Full coverage is here, along with the complete list of winners.
The cast of best picture winner “Spotlight” take a “floor selfie” backstage at the Oscars.
More About the Oscars
-- Photos and video: Best- and worst-dressed. The red-carpet rewind. Show highlights. The view from behind the scenes.
-- Kenneth Turan called it: Why “Spotlight” won.
-- Mary McNamara: The show was a hot mess, but at least it wasn’t boring.
-- Back to Chris Rock: Thumbs up or thumbs down? Join the spirited discussion right here.
Chris Rock at the end of the Oscars show.
Try This On for Size: President Trump
What might a Donald Trump presidency look like? That’s a difficult proposition for Democrats and some Republicans to ponder -- not only because of the unanswerables. The one clear theme is Trump’s belief in the personal use of executive power, as well as his pledges to increase military spending and not cut Social Security or Medicare. Read on to see how far that executive power could take him – and where it would stop.
The Weekend That Was in Politics
Hillary Clinton cruised to victory in South Carolina, and Bernie Sanders admitted, “We got killed.” Ted Cruz claimed Trump may have Mafia ties. Trump disparaged “Little Marco” Rubio as a lightweight, and tweeted a quote from Mussolini. Rubio called Trump unelectable after he failed to immediately disavow the endorsement of former KKK leader David Duke. What will tomorrow bring? Here’s how Super Tuesday could mean it’s all over but the shouting -- but oh what shouting it will be.
Shock in Anaheim
Three people stabbed. Thirteen people arrested. And lots of questions -- about why the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated in racially diverse Anaheim and whether the police presence was sufficient as violence erupted between the KKK and people there to protest the Klan. “Why would they target us and our city? I’ve lived here all my life and I can tell you it’s calm and there’s the magic of Disney. They picked the wrong place,” said one resident. But the ugly history of the KKK in Anaheim goes back nearly 100 years.
One iPhone? Perhaps Up to 450 in L.A. Alone
Police officials around the country are watching the fight between Apple and the FBI over the iPhone 5c used by Syed Rizwan Farook. Their hope: that a ruling in the government’s favor will set a precedent allowing broader law enforcement access to encrypted data, even as they acknowledge privacy concerns and that not every phone is pivotal to an investigation. The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department has as many as 150 phones investigators can’t crack, while the LAPD has about 300.
L.A.’s Korean War of Words
When Korean immigrants cobbled together donations to purchase a building on the corner of Western and Olympic four decades ago, it became a source of pride. Now, the Korean American Community Center is the center of protracted infighting. Read on to see why locksmiths and lawyers are being brought in over “a home of our own in the heart of L.A.”
OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND
-- Steve Lopez: If East L.A.’s Latinos speak for the nation’s, a wall could come tumbling down on Trump.
-- Murder charges against a rehab center are a first in California.
-- Why Silicon Valley is betting big on India.
-- Happy Leap Day! Here’s what the date would be today if we didn’t have leap years.
-- In Hollywood, there is no Magical Latino.
-- How did this happen? The Lakers as laughingstocks of the NBA.
-- In the caves of South Dakota, we shed light on ourselves upon descending into the darkness.
CALIFORNIA
-- A suspected street racer is still at large after a fiery crash that killed three people.
-- California Democrats are losing the fight for younger voters.
-- Mental competency cases are on the rise in L.A. County, and no one is sure of the cause.
-- A Huntington Park tow operator is charged with trying to bribe an elected official.
NATION-WORLD
-- Why Trump and Sanders are praising healthcare in other countries.
-- The Pentagon is mobilizing military hackers against Islamic State.
-- Reformers and moderates romp in Tehran as Iran’s election gauges the popularity of the nuclear deal.
-- A Virginia police officer is fatally shot one day after being sworn in.
-- There’s no limit to how many times a president can submit a Supreme Court nomination.
-- Scientists are trying to get to the bottom of Zika’s apparent link to microcephaly.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- How Hedy Lamarr inspired the TV series “Agent Carter.”
-- Matty Healy of the band the 1975 wants to be loved. But he’ll take your disgust.
-- “Gods of Egypt” becomes the year’s first big-budget bomb at the box office.
BUSINESS
-- SpaceX scrubs its latest rocket launch just moments before liftoff.
-- Disneyland “demand pricing” will cost you $5 less on slow days and $20 more when it’s busy.
-- Auto review: The new Chevrolet Volt is something to get charged up about.
SPORTS
-- Are synthetic playing surfaces hazardous to athletes’ health?
-- The L.A. Kings and Anaheim Ducks met in a Freeway Face-off game with playoff implications.
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- How an U.S. Olympic medalist in figure skating ended up bankrupt and living in a trailer. (Washington Post)
-- Sweden confronts a problem: teens going to Islamic State as child brides. (The Guardian)
-- A guide to faking your own business-class upgrade. (Quartz)
ONLY IN CALIFORNIA
Do you believe in unicorns? When the call came in to the CHP last week, there was every reason to think drugs were at play: A report of a “unicorn-like” animal galloping down a road north of Fresno. But then the officers met Juliet -- a snow-white, 600-pound Shetland pony with a prosthetic horn and a fuzzy pink bridle. Read on to see how it took three and half hours to round her up.
Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.
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