Newsletter: Today: Syria’s Vortex. What Can Paris Teach L.A.?

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

The Conflagration to Spark Deeper Conflict?

Three airmen are dead — the first known Russian casualties since its intervention in Syria began in September. That was the immediate aftermath of Turkish forces' downing of an SU-24 warplane. Vladimir Putin warned of "serious consequences," while President Obama urged both sides to remember the common goal of defeating Islamic State. What will happen next? 

What Can Paris Teach L.A.?

In the wake of the attacks in Paris, Southern California officials are reassessing their counterterrorism efforts. The new focus: protecting public transportation stops, malls, event venues and similar places, in addition to the big targets such as LAX and Disneyland. Here's how law enforcement is responding and what the public can do to help. 

Caught on Video

The video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's final moments is harrowing to watch. He appears to take a half-step toward two Chicago police officers before their gunfire takes him down. The recording — evidence in the first-degree murder case filed against one officer — is the latest to put police use-of-force under intense scrutiny across the U.S. A look at how such videos have inspired citizen protests, and cautions from experts who say they can paint an incomplete picture. 

Deadly 'Errors' in Hospital Bombing

What led to the U.S. gunship attack on a Doctors Without Borders hospital that killed at least 30 people in Afghanistan? A monthlong Pentagon investigation blames "a combination of human and technical errors," an official says. The result could be court-martial proceedings against some personnel, but a decision has apparently not been made. Here's what the report found.

A Pretty Penny for Private Equity

$3.4 billion. That's how much the California Public Employees' Retirement System paid private equity managers in bonuses since 1990. Do the $24.2 billion in net profits for retirees over the same period justify the added risk, complexity and cost? Take a closer look at why CalPERS’ disclosure could change the way pension funds do business.

CALIFORNIA

-- Five people have been charged in a series of spinal surgery kickback schemes. 

-- USC's adjunct and part-time faculty move to hold union elections.

-- Steve Lopez on an L.A. official who understands homelessness.

-- Tourism groups in the state are worried about changes to a visa program.

NATION-WORLD

-- Canada plans to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February. 

-- "An important step" for gay rights in China.

-- Some Virginia residents aren't happy about plans to build a mosque.

-- How the Gold King Mine spill continues to affect Navajo life.

-- Immigrant youths are at risk from criminal sponsors, two senators allege.

BUSINESS

-- Longer waits at the checkout counter? Blame credit cards with chip technology.  

-- Chinese home builder Landsea plans to develop a 550-home project in Orange County.

SPORTS

-- Beating USC three years in a row has turned the tide for football coach Jim Mora and UCLA.

-- Manager Dave Roberts is in place, but the Dodgers' coaching staff is in flux.

ENTERTAINMENT

-- "I wanted them to know the truth": Carly Simon on her memoir, "Boys in the Trees."

-- Movie reviews: "Creed" is a fresh retelling of "Rocky," while "The Good Dinosaur" is a wondrous, wacky Jurassic world.

-- Will audiences turn out in record force for "Star Wars" in mid-December?

-- The Wu-Tang Clan's secret album is sold for millions, an auction house says.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Meet the leaders of a nation that never existed. (Wall Street Journal)

-- The remaking of streets named after Martin Luther King. (CityLab)

-- How France took on Cambodian refugees in the '70s and '80s, and what that means today. (Cambodia Daily)

ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

He was known as "Gov. Moonbeam." In 1979, Jerry Brown held a fundraising concert in San Diego for his presidential bid featuring the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Chicago. But the nearly five-hour concert didn't sell out; Brown was booed; and photographers were peeved that he and Ronstadt, his girlfriend, didn't pose for a picture. Here's a look back at a moment when peaceful, easy feelings were in short supply. 

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.