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Newsletter: Today: Right in the Breadbasket

Soybean farmer Michael Petefish walks through soy plants at his farm in southern Minnesota. About one-third of U.S. soybean revenue last year came from exports to China.
(Jim Mone / Associated Press)
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President Trump is offering aid to farmers hurt by tariffs. A key meeting with the European Union over auto tariffs takes place today.

TOP STORIES

Right in the Breadbasket

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“Tariffs are the greatest!” President Trump tweeted on Tuesday, boasting that his tough approach to trade is pushing partners to the negotiating table. But as retaliatory tariffs from China, Canada and European countries begin to inflict economic pain on American farmers and create political problems, the Trump administration has announced a $12-billion farm aid plan, benefiting mostly those in the Midwest. Still, not every farmer is pleased to be receiving “government assistance.” And the move comes just as top European Union executive Jean-Claude Juncker arrives in Washington today looking to deescalate a fight over auto tariffs.

More Politics

-- Trump appeared familiar with a deal that a Playboy model made to sell the rights to her story of an alleged affair with him when Trump discussed the matter in September 2016 with his attorney Michael Cohen, according to a transcript of their conversation.

-- A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel has ruled that the 2nd Amendment protects the right to openly carry a gun in public for self-defense.

-- A poll shows that Republicans, once solid backers of law enforcement, have turned against the FBI in the last year, suggesting that Trump’s attacks have had a significant impact.

-- Sean Spicer’s memoir “The Briefing” says Trump has a “deep vein of compassion and sympathy.” The Washington Post’s review calls it “a bumbling effort at gaslighting Americans.”

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‘Every Officer’s Worst Nightmare’

At the Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake, two police officers had less than two seconds to react before a gunman fled into a store full of shoppers, as dashboard and body-cam footage shows. The police opened fire, wounding the suspect — and killing beloved store manager Melyda Corado. “I know that it’s every officer’s worst nightmare to hurt an innocent bystander during a violent engagement,” said Chief Michel Moore, as he offered his condolences and sympathy to Corado’s family. As columnist Steve Lopez writes, “People will talk for years about whether police acted appropriately. Based on accounts I’ve read and videos I’ve seen, I think it’s too soon to make a judgment one way or another.”

The Heat Is On, Again

Today could bring more record temperatures as another blistering heat wave hits Southern California. Will the electric grid hold up? Officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of the outages that struck earlier this month by bringing in extra workers and urging people to save power. That includes raising the thermostat and putting off the laundry or dishes until nighttime. Perhaps most important: Have a plan to go somewhere if the power goes out, rather than stay in the dangerous heat.

Wildlife or Half-Life?

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The Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge isn’t your typical preserve. For decades, it served as a buffer zone surrounding the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant, one of the most contaminated places on earth. Yet officials insist the refuge is now perfectly safe, and they’re getting ready to open it up for hikers, bikers and equestrians. A coalition of citizens, scientists and activists is fighting to keep it shut.

Avocado Toast? How About a Dwarf Avocado Tree?

They’re inexpensive and Instagram-friendly, so it’s probably no wonder that houseplants have struck a chord with a number of millennials. Without the obligations of children and mortgages, many are finding solace in their Sansevieria and cultivating a sense of homeownership with plants. “So I’m obsessed with plants?” says one 30-year-old living in a Culver City apartment. “It could be a lot worse.”

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MUST-WATCH VIDEO

-- The cast members of the “Harry Potter” spinoff sequel “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” chatted with us at Comic-Con, and Jude Law says he’s been prepared to play Dumbledore for 10 years now.

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CALIFORNIA

-- A state commission has approved $2.7 billion in funding for a number of water storage projects, but the money doesn’t guarantee that any of them will be built.

-- LAPD officials are defending the use of so-called predictive policing based on data, while civil liberty and privacy groups say the methods are biased against blacks and Latinos.

-- A lawyer for former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner is arguing that his client’s attempted-rape conviction should be overturned.

-- Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga, a researcher and activist in the fight for reparations for Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, has died at age 93.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

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-- The new Hulu anthology drama “Castle Rock” takes inspiration from the characters and settings that have populated Stephen King’s fictional universe. The trick was how to expand that universe without overindulging it.

-- The Toronto International Film Festival will have some of the festival season’s most anticipated titles, including a remake of “A Star Is Born,” the follow-up to “La La Land” and the astronaut drama “First Man.”

-- Demi Lovato was hospitalized after Los Angeles firefighters treated her with Narcan when they found her suffering from an overdose inside her Hollywood Hills home, according to law enforcement sources.

CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD

When “Saving Private Ryan” hit theaters 20 years ago, its message about war and sacrifice resonated with veterans and civilians alike. But director Steven Spielberg wasn’t sure if anyone would see his film. “I didn’t anticipate the success of the movie,” he says today. “In very early screenings, certain associates and other people in my life were saying that I made it too tough. I feared that almost nobody would see it because the word of mouth would spread quickly after the first 25 minutes.”

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NATION-WORLD

-- The duck boat that sank in a Missouri lake last week, killing 17 people, was built based on a design by a self-taught entrepreneur who had no engineering training, according to court records.

-- Officials in Greece said the death toll from forest fires that raged through seaside resorts near the capital has increased to 74.

-- The Israeli military said it shot down a Syrian fighter jet that crossed into Israeli airspace. It was the latest in a series of confrontations that has heightened fears of a dangerous escalation in the region.

-- An Egyptian photojournalist who’s been jailed for five years could now face the death penalty. His family and a journalism organization say he’s innocent.

BUSINESS

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-- The Southern California median home price reached a new all-time high in June, but sales plunged over the same period, indicating sky-high housing costs could be burning out many home shoppers.

-- Ivanka Trump says she is shutting down her namesake fashion brand amid drooping sales and her desire to focus on her role as a White House senior advisor.

-- At Tesla’s service centers, parts shortages, long repair delays and problems getting through on customer help lines are frustrating some customers.

SPORTS

-- LeBron James immediately made the Lakers big winners in NBA free agency. But they weren’t the only winners, and there were some distinct losers too.

-- Never heard of Mikey Garcia? The undefeated Oxnard native is one of the three best fighters in the world at any weight class, maybe even the best.

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OPINION

-- California’s public-employee pensions don’t have the luxury of making political statements.

-- Let noncitizens vote, argues columnist Gustavo Arellano. What’s the worst that could happen?

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- CNN has obtained a recording of Trump and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen discussing how to buy the rights to a Playboy model’s story about an alleged affair. (CNN)

-- Job insecurity has always been a fact of life. Just ask chimney sweeps and elevator operators. (Foreign Policy)

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-- Inside the Professional Football Players Mothers Assn., where moms of NFL players bond. (The Undefeated)

ONLY IN L.A.

Paul Bloch was there when John Travolta flubbed the Oscar introduction of Idina Menzel (Adele Dazeem!) — and when Nick Nolte got out of jail after a drunk driving arrest. For nearly six decades, Bloch was “an old-school press agent in a new-school town, a Brooklyn-born bon vivant who sported giant belt buckles, Hawaiian shirts and a ceaseless twinkle,” columnist Chris Erskine writes. In May, Bloch died at age 78. This week, Hollywood paid tribute to a man who kept the stars aligned.

If you like this newsletter, please share it with friends. Comments or ideas? Email us at headlines@latimes.com.

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