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Newsletter: Today: A Deadly Attack in Barcelona’s Historic Core

A damaged van, believed to be the one used in the attack, is surrounded forensics officers in Barcelona, Spain.
A damaged van, believed to be the one used in the attack, is surrounded forensics officers in Barcelona, Spain.
(David Ramos / Getty Images)
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A terrorist attack in Barcelona has left more than a dozen dead, and police say they thwarted a second attack nearby. 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

A Deadly Attack in Barcelona’s Historic Core

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The attack happened late on a warm, sunny afternoon on Las Ramblas, a Barcelona street popular with tourists. The toll: at least 13 dead and 100 injured, in the deadliest act of terrorism in Spain since Islamist-inspired bombers killed 192 people in 2004 on Madrid’s commuter trains. This attack fit a familiar pattern: A van plowed into a crowd, Islamic State claimed responsibility, a manhunt ensued, and a counter-terrorism operation unfolded. In Cambrils on Friday, a woman died as a result of a separate car attack; five suspects were killed in a police shootout. Here is the latest.

Trump’s Base Seems Happy. The Rest of the U.S. …

In trying times, Americans have often looked to the president for words aimed at uniting the nation. Rather than calm the waters, President Trump keeps stirring them up. In a series of tweets, he further inflamed the debate over Confederate memorials, saying American culture was “being ripped apart” by their removal; lashed out at Republican senators; and, after the terrorist attack in Spain, referred to a dubious claim about Gen. John Pershing using bullets bathed in pigs’ blood to kill Muslim terrorists. That may make his base happy — a recent poll indicates 1 in 4 Americans will never abandon Trump — but it’s pushing away mainstream supporters.

More Politics

-- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) on his meeting with WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange: We talked about “what might be necessary to get him out.”

-- Tensions inside the ACLU are growing over the defense of speech rights for the far right.

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-- The ghostwriter of Trump’s memoir “The Art of the Deal” thinks the president will resign by year’s end.

Can the GOP in Congress Get It Done Without Trump on Board?

It seemed as if there would be so much winning for conservatives: a Republican president, a GOP-led Senate and an agenda full of items like healthcare, tax reform, infrastructure and more. The reality has played out far differently. In the aftermath of Trump’s controversial response to the neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Va., Republicans are realizing they can’t rely on the president to lead the party — and the top dogs in Congress are struggling too. Still, many GOP lawmakers remain hopeful.

Why the Alt-Right Is Targeting California

Berkeley, bastion of liberalism, might seem like the last place you’d find extreme-right and white nationalist groups — which is exactly why they’ve been going there. That’s led to some highly publicized street brawls with masked anti-fascists and anarchists who also see violence as the only means to defeat their rivals. But Berkeley isn’t the only California city to have seen such bloody clashes, and after Charlottesville, the alt-right has its sights set on the Golden State as a place to gain more attention.

Humpbacks on the Hudson

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For decades, if you wanted to see a humpback whale off the coast of New York City, the answer was the same: fuhgeddaboudit. These days, whale-watching tours have surfaced as a new form of Big Apple entertainment. Spotting a pod of dolphins or seals in New York Harbor isn’t an unusual thing. What’s bringing back all this wildlife to the city that never sleeps? Cleaner waters may have something to do with it.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

After the U.S. had entered “the war to end all wars” in April 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Selective Service Act, requiring all men ages 21 to 30 to register for the draft. By August 1917, draft notices had been issued — and requests for exemptions were coming in. The job of deciding who would get a pass fell to local draft boards.

MUST-WATCH VIDEO

-- Film critic Kenneth Turan reviews “Logan Lucky,” a highbrow heist movie involving some lowbrow folks.

-- Lin-Manuel Miranda joins the “Hamilton” cast onstage after their first show at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

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-- My Favorite Room: Andrew Dice Clay and his cubs nestle in their cozy den.

CALIFORNIA

-- Pasadena’s police chief is reminding his officers to file timely reports on drug overdoses, after an incident involving the then-dean of USC’s medical school.

-- For almost two years now, the San Francisco Bay Area’s freeways have averaged at least one car-to-car shooting a week.

-- L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti will travel to New Hampshire to campaign for a fellow Democrat, his latest trip to a presidential swing state.

-- Nine places to watch the Great American Eclipse around Los Angeles on Monday.

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YOUR WEEKEND

-- Try beach camping on a weekend escape to Carlsbad.

-- How to make the best brownies ever.

-- The essential cookbooks to send to school with your kid.

-- A great workout hike with stunning views in the mountains.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

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-- Theater critic Charles McNulty says “Hamilton” is bringing its tale of American idealism to L.A. at a moment when it’s needed.

-- Conservative radio host Dennis Prager strapped on an accordion for “America the Beautiful” and guest-conducted the Santa Monica Symphony. Some musicians boycotted the affair at Disney Hall.

-- After a rocky year, the group Fifth Harmony is in control and tighter than ever.

-- It looks as if Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s mansion purchase in Bel-Air for tens of millions of dollars is a done deal.

NATION-WORLD

-- The mayor of Phoenix wants President Trump to stay away and not hold a campaign-style rally there next week.

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-- In Washington state, it’s illegal for the state government to prepare for a nuclear attack. That’s a bit awkward these days.

-- As Mexico debates giving the military more power, a judge is asking why soldiers gunned down 22 people.

-- On his 100th day in office, South Korea’s president looked to ease the nation’s worries about North Korea.

BUSINESS

-- Can white supremacist groups be blocked from raising money online? There’s a campaign to try.

-- The manager of California’s electric grid says clean energy could be substituted for a proposed natural gas plant in Ventura County, but at a higher cost.

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SPORTS

-- Veteran quarterback Dan Orlovsky assumes the role of a player (rarely) and a coach for the Rams.

-- The Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez won’t let his return from the disabled list lead to a team crisis.

OPINION

-- No, President Trump, George Washington’s slaves and Robert E. Lee’s treason are not the same.

-- As Trump coddles neo-Nazis, his political isolation increases: See the David Horsey cartoon.

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WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- “To me, the economic war with China is everything”: Stephen K. Bannon calls up and gives his views. (The American Prospect)

-- A Confederate monument at Santa Ana Cemetery dates all the way back to … 2004. (OC Weekly)

-- The mystery of the shortwave radio station MDZhB that’s been broadcasting for 35 years. (BBC)

ONLY IN L.A.

The Trojan Shrine, a.k.a. Tommy Trojan, has been a gathering spot for generations of USC students and alumni — and a focal point for pranks and vandalism from UCLA students during rivalry week. Now, the face of the University of Southern California has a 20-foot-tall female counterpart — Hecuba — unveiled this week and no doubt going under a protective wrap in November.

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