WASHINGTON — 

A president who got booed at the World Series has learned one of Washington’s oldest lessons: Want a friend, get a dog.

President Trump, who revealed an astonishing measure of detail Sunday about the special forces operation in which Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi was killed, gave the public another detail about the raid on Monday — a photo of the Belgian Malinois that was injured during the firefight.

Trump tweeted a picture of the dog after a number of reporters had inquired about it and praised it for having done “such a GREAT JOB.” Its name remains classified, however.

Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, told reporters at the Pentagon several hours before Trump tweeted that the military was intent on protecting the dog’s identity.

“The dog is still in theater,” Milley explained.

Trump, during his 48-minute appearance in the White House Diplomatic Room on Sunday, told reporters that U.S. forces suffered no casualties or injuries in the raid on Baghdadi’s complex in northwest Syria, but disclosed that the dog was injured.

“Our K-9, as they call — I call it a dog, a beautiful dog, a talented dog — was injured and brought back. But we had no soldier injured,” he said.

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WASHINGTON — 

President Trump celebrated the death of Abu Bakr Baghdadi as he has other major events of his presidency — with grievances, partisan jabs and confounding statements and tweets.

Even Democrats acknowledged that a president battling an impeachment probe and bipartisan criticism for pulling U.S. troops out of northern Syria got a much-needed win that could help his 2020 reelection campaign.

“Unfortunately, it’s very good for Trump because it kind of credentials him at a time when his profile on foreign policy and national security has taken a major hit,” said Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster who is advising former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.

Yet a win for Trump never comes without complications. Trump’s vivid description on Sunday of Baghdadi “whimpering and crying and screaming” was undermined Monday when Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, told a Pentagon news conference that he could not confirm those details and did not “know the source” of Trump’s information.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper had already thrown cold water on Trump’s account on Sunday, declining to confirm it in a televised interview.

Trump said he might release some video of the Special Forces raid that led the elusive leader of Islamic State to blow up a suicide vest in a tunnel rather than surrender. The Pentagon had aerial surveillance of the site, but it’s not known if U.S. forces wore body cameras that offered additional video.

Trump also tweeted a photo of the military K-9 dog that the White House said had chased Baghdadi into the tunnel. The Pentagon refused to release the dog’s name, saying it was classified because the animal was still on duty in the war zone.

Trump appeared undaunted by criticisms of his rhetoric — or of the loud boos and chants to “Lock him up!” that he received while attending the World Series game Sunday night in Washington — boasting that Baghdadi was “dead as a doornail” and attacking his predecessors in the White House.

“He should have been killed years ago,” Trump told a conference of police chiefs in Chicago. “Another president should’ve gotten him.”

Trump’s campaign sent text messages and emails to supporters that took a similar tone — mixing cheers for the the accomplishment with longstanding complaints that Trump is under unfair attack from the media.

Politicians often use current events to raise money or build supporter networks. But Trump broke with tradition by quickly slamming his political opponents, a tactic more likely to please ardent supporters than win converts.

“This is something that a president can use to unify people and build support for his national security agenda, but it’s generally done in somewhat of a subdued way,” said Ryan Williams, a Republican consultant.

Williams, an aide on Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, recalled that President Obama delivered a solemn address in May 2011 after a CIA-led team covertly entered Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden.

Though Trump is eager to claim credit for the Baghdadi mission, he refused to give Obama credit for taking out Bin Laden, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.

“Stop congratulating Obama for killing Bin Laden. The Navy Seals killed Bin Laden,” he tweeted during a 2012 presidential debate after Romney gave Obama kudos.

In a statement Monday, Biden called the Baghdadi mission a “win for American national security” and praised Trump for giving it the go-ahead.

“But as more details of the raid emerge, it’s clear that this victory was not due to Donald Trump’s leadership,” Biden said. “It happened despite his ineptitude as commander in chief.”

A senior State Department official said the Pentagon had accelerated the mission because of the “chaotic situation” that followed Trump’s abrupt decision this month to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, abandoning U.S.-backed Kurds in the area.

The political impact of the Baghdadi raid could shift over time.

Democrats cited Bin Laden’s death frequently during the 2012 campaign, claiming “Bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive” to highlight Obama’s top foreign and domestic accomplishments, including rescuing the automobile industry after the 2008 recession.

Polls showed Obama got a bounce in his approval ratings, but it disappeared in a few months.

Charlie Cook, editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, predicted a similar outcome for Trump, arguing that his core support seldom shifts, for good news or bad.

“If 4.2 percent GDP growth in the 2nd quarter of 2017 and 50-year lows in unemployment don’t help him much, this probably won’t,” he said in an email.

Yet Lake, the Biden pollster, argued that Obama was helped in the long run — and Trump may be as well — even if polls don’t reflect a clear bump.

For Obama, the Bin Laden raid helped assuage doubts among conservative and male voters who tend to view African American, female and Democratic candidates less favorably on foreign policy and defense, she said.

For Trump, the Baghdadi mission could prevent defections from independent voters concerned about his lackluster foreign policy record, including his battles with European allies, his failures to nail down accords with China and North Korea and his abandonment of U.S. military allies in Syria.

Trump now has a response to those criticisms.

“To me, it’s more of an influence and with the whole building block of things rather than a direct hit,” Lake said. “And those building blocks are rearranged here.”

Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report.

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SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

DIVISION 8

Second round, Monday

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Santa Clarita Christian d. Coastal Christian, 25-9, 22-25, 26-24, 25-23

DIVISION 9

Second round, Monday

Temecula Prep d. Academy for Careers & Exploration, 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-23

Redlands Adventist d. La Verne Lutheran, 11-25, 25-19, 25-14, 20-25, 15-10

Mesa Grande d. Shandon 25-23, 25-7, 25-10

When Clippers second-year guard Landry Shamet is making shots from long range like he was during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, he is a big-time threat for his team.

When Shamet is on the court and not making shots from deep, he remains a big-time threat because he is such a lethal shooter.

And that was how it played out for Shamet at Staples Center, as his 14 first-quarter points and presence as a shooting threat thereafter helped the Clippers pick up a 111-96 victory.

He finished the game with 16points, all coming in the first half.

“The ball was going in, and you’re playing and you’re just kind of not thinking,” Shamet said. “I try not to think regardless if things are going well or not going well, whatever it is. I try to play the same game. Shots fell, and I just tried to continue to play my game defensively and offensively just try to keep playing.”

Shamet came off a screen twice early in the game, curling toward the basketball, both times knocking down three-pointers.

Shamet hit his third and fourth three-pointers in the first quarter without a miss, giving him 12 points.

The guard then executed a backdoor cut for a reverse layup. That gave Shamet 14 points on five-for-five shooting.

Shamet missed his sixth shot attempt late in the first quarter, ending his perfect start.

“It’s good for everybody when he’s making shots and he is on the floor,” Clippers reserve Lou Williams said after scoring 23points.
“I think it just shows. It makes everything smoother. He spaces the floor. You can’t really help off him on the floor, so it was good for him to knock down shots early on to get us going.”

Shamet missed all four of his shot attempts in the second half, including all three of his three-point tries.

But he still finished the game six for 12 from the field and four for nine from three-point range.

He also grabbed four rebounds, dished two assists and was a plus-18.

And whether he was scoring or not, Shamet was a threat the Hornets had to keep an eye on for the entire game.

“I take pride in that offensively, knowing that even if I’m not getting shots, I’m going to do my job and space the floor,” Shamet said. “There were a couple of times after the shots I made I threw it to Trez [Montrezl Harrell]. I didn’t have to cut or anything to get out of there. I just stayed there because I knew my guy wasn’t going to help because if he does, I’m going to dot [make shots] on him. It helps the spacing for sure, and I take pride in that doing my job even if I’m not scoring.

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Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we bring you this special edition.

First off, let me direct you to our leadoff coverage both on the web and in print in the Los Angeles Times. It may sound a little in the weeds, but it’s real important. We thought we’d hit you with a little science with a potentially foreboding future. The story is about a class of drugs call bisphosphonates, which are supposed to help horses but may be doing them harm, especially younger horses. You can read it here.

Jeff Siegel’s Breeders’ Cup analysis

Jeff Siegel of XBTV is back with his latest installment of his Breeders’ Cup reviews. Here, he and Millie Ball look at who looks good, and who doesn’t. Just click here.

In this one he reviews Elate’s prospects in the Classic and other horses that worked on Sunday. Just click here.

Here’s a report on some of the horses that worked out on Saturday, which included Shancelot and Eddie Haskell. Just click here.

If you missed his first video, a look at some of the horses making their final works on Friday. Just click here.

Breeders’ Cup draw

We’re going to split this up into two days. Here’s the lineup for Friday.

Friday races

$1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint (2-year-olds, 5 furlongs on turf).

1. Chimney Rock, (trainer) Michael J. Maker, (jockey) Jose Ortiz, (odds) 10-1

2. Band Practice (IRE), Archie Watson, Jamie Spencer, 12-1

3. Another Miracle, Gary Contessa, Manuel Franco, 15-1

4. Dream Shot (IRE), James Tate, Christopher Hays, 15-1

5. Encoder, John Sadler, Flavien Prat, 15-1

6. Alligator Alley (GB), Joseph O’Brien, Wayne Lordan, 12-1

7. Kimari, Wesley Ward, John Velazquez, 7-2

8. Dr Simpson (FR), Tom Dascombe, Richard Kingscote, 15-1

9. Four Wheel Drive, Wesley Ward, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 10-1

10. A’Ali (IRE), Simon Crisford, Frankie Dettori, 6-1

11. King Neptune, Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore, 15-1

12. Cambria, Wesley Ward, Tyler Gaffalione, 12-1

$1 million Juvenile Turf (2 year-olds colts and geldings, one mile on turf)

1. Our Country, George Weaver, John Velasquez, 15-1

2. Structor, Chad Brown, Jose Ortiz, 5-1

3. Peace Achieved, Mark Casse, Miguel Mena, 10-1

4. Decorated Invader, Christophe Clement, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 4-1

5. Vitalogy, Brendan Walsh, Javier Castellano, 10-1

6. Graceful Kitten, Amador Merei Sanchez, Hector Berrios, 15-1

7. Andesite, Brad Cox, Joel Rosario, 12-1

8. Billy Batts, Peter Miller, Paco Lopez, 20-1

9. Gear Jockey, George R. Arnold II, Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1

10. War Beast, Doug O’Neill, Abel Cedillo, 20-1

11. Proven Strategies, Mark Casse, Edgar Zayas, 30-1

12. Arizona, Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore, 5-2

13. Fort Myers, Aidan O’Brien, Wayne Cordan, 12-1

14. Hit the Road, Dan Blacker, Flavien Prat, 12-1

$2 million Juvenile Fillies (fillies 2-years-old, 1 1/16 miles)

1. Donna Veloce, Simon Callaghan, Flavien Prat, 3-1

2. Two Sixty, Mark Casse, Edgae Zayas, 15-1

3. Perfect Alibi, Mark Casse, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 10-1

4. British Idiom, Brad Cox, Jose Castellano, 7-2

5. Lazy Daisy, Doug O’Neill, Rafael Bejarano, 12-1

6. Bast, Bob Baffert, John Velazquez, 7-2

7. Wicked Whisper, Steven Asmussen, Joel Rosario, 7-2

8. K P Dreamin, Jeff Mullins, Ruben Fuentes, 20-1

9. Comical, Doug O’Neill, Abel Cedillo, 8-1

$1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf (fillies 2-years-old, one mile on turf)

1. Living In The Past (IRE), Karl Burke, Daniel Tudhope, 15-1

2. Croughavouke (IRE) (16), Jeff Mullins, Flavien Prat, 20-1.]

3. Shadn (IRE), Andrew Balding, Jamie Spencer, 10-1

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4. Abscond, Eddie Kenneally, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 15-2

5. Daahyeh (GB), Roger Varian, William Buick, 5-1

6. Unforgetable, Joseph O’Brien, Wayne Lordan, 20-1

7. Crystalle, John Kimmel, Joel Rosario, 8-1

8. Tango (IRE), Aidan P. Brien Williams, Ryan Moore 20-1

9. Albigna (IRE), Mrs. John Harrington, Shane Foley, 9-2

10. Fair Maiden, Eoin , Harty, Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1

11. Sharing, H. Graham Motion, Manuel Franco, 12-1

12. Sweet Melania, Todd A. Pletcher, Jose Ortiz, 5-1.

13. Selflessly, Chad C. Brown

14. Etoile, Aidan P. Brien, Abscond, Jose Irad Ortiz. Family

$2 million Juvenile (colts and geldings 2-years-old, 1 1/16 miles)

1. Dennis’ Moment, Aidan O’Brien, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 8-5

2. Wrecking Crew, Peter Miller, Paco Lopez, 20-1

3. Shoplifted, Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 20-1

4. Storm the Court, Peter Eurton, Flavien Prat, 20-1

5. Scabbard, Eddie Kenneally, Mike Smith, 8-1

6. Eight Rings, Bob Baffert, John Velazquez, 2-1

7. Anneau d’Or, Blaine Wright, Juan Hernandez, 15-1

8. Full Flat, Aidan O’Brien, Yu Take, 300-1

9. Maxfield, Brendan Walsh, Jose Ortiz, 3-1

Breeders’ Cup notes

One of the best things for those of us who cover this sport’s big events is there is a tireless notes team that is on the backstretch very early to get us daily updates and bits of information that wouldn’t rise to a full story. So, with complete credit to the Breeders’ Cup notes team, here’s an edited version of some of the things they gathered on Monday.

Classic

Code of Honor – The 3-year-old chestnut colt left Belmont Park on schedule Monday morning for cross-continent flight to Santa Anita, trainer Shug McGaughey said.

Elate/Yoshida – Assistant trainer Riley Mott reported “all good” with their Classic duo one day after the two Bill Mott trainees put in their final serious works. Yoshida, exercise rider Juan Quintero, worked four furlongs in 50 flat on Sunday. Elate walked the shedrow following her three furlong 36 4/5. The two, along with stablemate and Turf contender Channel Maker, are all slated to return to galloping Tuesday.

Higher Power – The Pacific Classic winner turned in an easy jog under exercise rider David Pineda two days after working six furlongs in 1:12 3/5 for trainer John Sadler.

Math Wizard – The Pennsylvania Derby winner returned to the track at Gulfstream Park Monday morning, two days after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.32 over a muddy track and the day before he is scheduled to ship to Santa Anita. “He going to leave the barn at 6 a.m., his plane leaves at about 8 a.m., and he’s supposed to arrive in California at about 5:35 California time. He’s probably not going to get to the barn until like 7:40,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who is booked to arrive by plane midmorning Tuesday.

McKinzie – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was upbeat Monday morning after watching the colt turn in a bullet five furlong work of 1:00.20. Baffert was in radio contact with rider, J.C. Avila, and congratulated him minutes later as he brought McKinzie back down the stretch back to the barn. “I had him in :48 3/5 [for the half], out in a minute and out (six furlongs) 1:14 and then I slowed him down. It was nice, nice and smooth. He got into a nice rhythm. It was just enough. I wanted to give him something light. He’s had two pretty stiff works. It was just perfect and he handled it well. He should come out running.”

Mongolian Groom – While Mongolian Groom came out of Sunday’s five furlong work in fine shape, trainer Enebish Ganbat said Monday that he was not pleased with the time under exercise rider Jesse Cardenas. “I was unhappy with it because the saddle moved back,” Ganbat said. “So, he went very slowly, 1:02.” Mongolian Groom walked Monday morning and will return to the track Tuesday to jog.

Owendale – Owendale trained Monday morning at trainer Brad Cox’s Churchill base and is scheduled to fly to Santa Anita on Tuesday with a large contingent of Kentucky horses, including four stablemates.

Seeking the Soul – The colt has remained in California since finishing fourth in the Awesome Again Stakes on Sept. 28. He made a strong appearance Monday morning as he galloped, two days after working five furlongs in 1:01 2/5.

Vino Rosso – He was scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita Monday following a flight from New York.

War of Will – He emerged around 6:50 a.m. under Steve Tripp and galloped a mile before heading back through the paddock. “He’s doing great,” Tripp said. “He seems to really be enjoying this weather.” The Preakness Stakes winner has been at Santa Anita Park since mid-October and has turned in two works over the main track.

Distaff

Blue Prize – She had her second routine gallop Monday morning after arriving from her Keeneland base on Saturday. “I will push her a little more tomorrow,” trainer Ignacio Correas IV said as Blue Prize completed her morning activity under exercise rider Hiram Rosario.

La Force – She had a 1 mile gallop under exercise rider Caesar Garcia before daylight on Monday, as she prepares for what is likely to be the final start of her career. The 5-year-old mare is “happy and doing well,” said trainer Paddy Gallagher. “We don’t need to do much with her now leading up to the race,” Gallagher said. “The owners are very excited and looking forward to seeing her run in their first Breeders’ Cup race.”

Midnight Bisou – She put in the final work of her prep on Monday morning under exercise rider Angel Garcia for trainer Steve Asmussen and proceeding to work four furlongs in 50 4/5. “She went a half and all of our works were typical Monday week-of works,” assistant Scott Blasi said. “We’re not trying to impress anybody. We just try to keep her happy and fast and loose. She came back and cooled out nicely and seems to be coming into the race in good shape.”

Mo See Cal – She galloped a mile at San Luis Rey Downs with trainer Peter Miller observing. The California-bred breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 at San Luis Rey on Saturday morning. Miller confirmed she will run in the Distaff instead of the Filly & Mare Sprint.

Ollie’s Candy – Under the guidance of exercise rider Juan Leyva, she jogged on Monday.

Paradise Woods – One day after working five furlongs in 1:00 flat, trainer John Shirreffs said she emerged from the move in good order.

Secret Spice – She stretched her legs Monday with an easy jog around the main oval under exercise rider Sarafin Caramona. “We could have run in either the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint or the Distaff, but feel she’s a little better around two turns,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “However, I think the 1 1/8-mile distance is probably her limit.”

Serengeti Empress – She trained Monday morning at Churchill Downs and is scheduled to ship to Santa Anita Tuesday. “She ships [Tuesday], but I am not sure if I will,” said trainer Tom Amoss who underwent surgery for appendicitis last week in Louisville. “Katy Allen will be traveling with her.”

Street Band – One day before boarding her scheduled flight to California, Street Band ran through the fog at her home base at Churchill Downs and worked five furlongs over a fast track in 59 3/5, according to her trainer Larry Jones. “She went very well,” Jones said. “She was nice and relaxed, which allowed [jockey] Sophie [Doyle] to use her watch to time the work. She finished well and cooled out well. I’m tickled with her. This was the exact same work she had last week. She’s ready. She’s right on target.”

Juvenile

Dennis’ Moment – The grin that has been a regular fixture on Tammy Fox’s face of late was as broad as ever Monday morning after the veteran rider took the expected Juvenile favorite through a 1 5/8 mile gallop around the Santa Anita oval. “He goes out there and he just does his thing,” said Fox, longtime partner of trainer Dale Romans. “He looks around at the mountains and he’s checking everything out and he’s kind and fun. I don’t want to say this is my best horse that I’ve been on, but he could be.”

Maxfield – With regular exercise rider Paul Madden arriving Sunday, the colt was reunited with his usual partner for his mile gallop Monday morning. “He looked like he handled the surface good,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “It’s hard to tell from just galloping but he looks to be moving super. He just has tons of class, and you can’t teach that.”

Final thought

Looking to jump the circulation of this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

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We’ll be back again tomorrow with another special edition.

Hello and welcome to another edition of the L.A. Times soccer newsletter. I’m Kevin Baxter, the Times’ soccer writer.

It’s been a busy week, starting last Thursday when LAFC advanced to the MLS Western Conference final with a 5-3 win that ended the Galaxy’s season – and likely ended Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s MLS career.

And a lot of people watched the farewells, with the game drawing a playoff-record audience on ESPN and ESPN Deportes despite starting just before 11 p.m. on the East Coast.

On Saturday, Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic made history in Europe and then on Monday U.S. Soccer announced that Seattle Reign coach Vlatko Andonovski would become the ninth manager in women’s national team history. He has big shoes to fill since his predecessor, Jill Ellis, was unbeaten in winning back-to-back World Cups.

We’ll start with LAFC, a team that’s a year younger than the Trump presidency but has already set an MLS regular-season record for points and heads into Tuesday’s Western Conference final with the Seattle Sounders – a team it has never lost to — just one step away from an MLS Cup appearance.

“What we accomplished everyone on this club should be proud of,” assistant coach Ante Razov said. “Two years ago they only existed on a piece of paper.”

Now it is playing in a conference final, facing a Seattle team making its 11^th consecutive playoff appearance and coming off postseason wins over FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake.

“We’re two games away from getting to where we want to be,” defender Walker Zimmerman said. “At the end of the day everyone is chasing MLS Cup. It’s about the playoffs.

“MLS Cup, that’s our goal. It’s something we’ve been chasing since Day 1.”

As important as Tuesday’s game is though, it won’t match the intensity of the LAFC-Galaxy rivalry, dubbed El Trafico and already one of the most passionate in Southern California sports history.

More than 300 media members were credentialed for the match – so many that LAFC’s press box, already one of the largest in MLS, needed an additional two rows of temporary seating to handle the crush.

The game drew a record 961,000 viewers on ESPN and ESPN Deportes with the ESPN audience of 586,000 marking the network’s largest for an MLS playoff game – excluding MLS Cup – in two decades, according to Soccer America.

The matchup was a compelling one: LAFC (21-4-9) had the best regular season in league history and was hosting a playoff game for the second time in many years. But in five regular-season meetings it had never beaten the Galaxy, its neighbor from 12 miles down the freeway. So when the Galaxy won their playoff opener in Minnesota, setting up a conference semifinal showdown with LAFC, it was as if a gauntlet had been thrown down.

“To a man everybody, after they beat Minnesota, said ‘great we want the Galaxy’,” LAFC coach Bob Bradley said. “It had to be the Galaxy. It’s our time. And I think that showed.”

Despite all that, for the first 55 minutes the game unfolded like many of the previous El Traficos – with Carlos Vela scoring two first-half goals to give LAFC the lead before the Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic equaled things 10 minutes into the second half.

In the first five rivalry games, Vela scored seven times – with four of those goals either putting his team in front or expanding the lead. Ibrahimovic had scored eight times, with seven of his scores either tying the game or putting the Galaxy ahead.

This one would play out differently over the final half hour though, with Diego Rossi scoring the go-ahead goal – off an assist from Vela — moments after Adama Diomande, returning from a month in the MLS substance abuse and behavioral health program, came off the bench.

“I was thinking, ‘Now is my moment to come in and change the game’,” Diomande said. “When I come in, I always have that killer instinct in me and I just want to finish the play right off and help the team.”

He did, following Rossi’s score with two of his own to seal the win.

“A fantastic victory. Finally,” Diomande said. “When it matters…a great team effort today from everyone and I’m just happy to be back. It was a more emotional game.”

(Watch the match highlights by clicking here.)

Parting shot?

If last Thursday’s playoff loss does prove to be Ibrahimovic’s last game in MLS, let’s hope the good-bye doesn’t overshadow the hello – nor all the things that happened in between.

After the final whistle sounded at Banc of California Stadium, Ibrahimovic dispensed with the traditional postgame handshakes and quickly headed off the field, grabbing his crotch in an apparent taunt to LAFC supporters as he stepped into the tunnel toward the locker room.

(Watch Zlatan’s exit by clicking here.)

An hour later he engaged in what has become a favorite pastime lately, disparaging the league that paid him a record $7.2 million this season.

“If I stay…for MLS it’s good because the whole world will watch it. If I don’t stay, nobody will remember what MLS is,” he said.

As always, it was impossible to tell how much of that was sincere and how much was over-the-top hype. There’s no doubt Ibrahimovic’s words, as much as his deeds, have been a major boost to MLS in his two seasons here, with the villain-and-hero rivalry he established with the quiet and humble Vela responsible for drawing tens of thousands of those viewers to ESPN to watch the playoff game.

“I made LAFC famous,” he said. “I made even Vela famous. So he should be happy.”

Ibrahimovic’s debut in 2018 was arguably the most memorable in league history with the Swedish superstar coming off the bench to score the tying goal on a 40-yard volley and the game-winner on a header in stoppage time in the first El Trafico. And Ibrahimovic is right when he says that game got the whole world watching MLS.

Those were the first two of 53 goals he would score in MLS. One, a magical goal that came on a spinning kung-fu kick in Toronto last season, was the 500^th of his career; among active players only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have more.

He scored 31 times, including playoffs, this year, third-most on the league’s single-season list. When he set his mind to scoring he was virtually unstoppable, becoming the most dominant striker MLS has ever seen.

But that didn’t come without controversy, which is part of the baggage that comes with Ibrahimovic.

The Galaxy captain was suspended three times during this two seasons in MLS: for slapping Montreal’s Michael Petrasso on the side of head and for skipping the league All-Star game in 2018, then again this year for grabbing New York City goalkeeper Sean Johnson by the throat and wrestling him to the ground.

He narrowly escaped suspensions in two other incidents, once after entering the visitors’ locker room at Dignity Health Sports Park to confront Real Salt Lake defender Nedum Onuoha and for elbowing LAFC defender Mohamed El-Munir, sending the player to the hospital to repair facial fractures.

Ibrahimovic, 38, will see his contract expire at the end of the year and he refused to say whether he’ll be back.

“Could be, could be,” he said. “Let’s see what happens.”

The decision may rest more with the team than the player though. Although Ibrahimovic’s record-setting season helped the team win 16 games for the first time since 2014 and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the Galaxy has now gone a franchise-record five seasons without an appearance in an MLS Cup final and some in the organization believe they would have a better chance at ending that streak without Ibrahimovic.

Coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto would prefer to play the attacking, possession-based 4-3-3 style he used to great success at Boca Juniors but Ibrahimovic doesn’t fit that system. Schelotto would also prefer to spread the ball around rather than have everything go one player even if it is Ibrahimovic, who scored more than half his team’s goals and took more than three times as many shots as any other Galaxy player.

Letting Ibrahimovic go could open things up for Cristian Pavon, the Argentine World Cup winger who had a hand in 12 goals in 13 MLS games. He won’t score 30 goals but he’s more than capable of leading the offense if the Galaxy can find the money to pay him.

The defense – suspect at best and porous at worst – also needs a major makeover after giving up a league-high 195 shots on goal this season and 190 goals over the last three seasons combined. Expect Jorgen Skjelvik to be the first of several players to be shown the door.

The $7.2 million the Galaxy would recoup by letting Ibrahimovic go could a long way toward addressing all those issues.

MLS playoffs

Western Conference semifinals

LAFC 5, Galaxy 3

Seattle 2, Real Salt Lake 0

Eastern Conference semifinals

Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 0

Toronto FC 2, New York City 1

Conference finals

All times Pacific

Tuesday, Oct. 29

Seattle at LAFC, ESPN, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30

Toronto FC at Atlanta United, FS1, 5 p.m.

The cat with the hat (trick)

Remember all that talk about how Christian Pulisic would never get a chance to make his mark in the Premier League and how Chelsea basically threw away the $73 million transfer fee it paid to pry the U.S. national team star away from German club Borussia Dortmund?

Never mind.

Pulisic made his first league start since August a memorable one Saturday, becoming the second American to score an EPL hat trick in a 4-2 win over Burnley.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I can’t believe it.”

Clint Dempsey is the only other U.S. player to score three times in an EPL game, collecting his hat trick for Fulham against Newcastle in January 2012.

Pulisic’s first two goals came in the first half, one on a left-footed shot from inside the box and the other on a right-footed try that deflected off Burnley defender Ben Mee. He completed the hat trick early in the second half on a header.

The three goals were Pulisic’s first in England’s top division and, at 21, made him the youngest player to record an EPL hat trick in Chelsea history.

“The first few months were definitely hard,” Pulisic told reporters Saturday. “I had a few starts then I fell out a bit and I had to get any minutes I could. I didn’t think it was going to happen right away, being a big success and coming into a big club like this. It takes time. I’m happy with the progress I’ve made so far.”

That may be enough to convince former Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, now the team’s manager, that Pulisic deserves more playing time.

“A lot of talk around Christian [is] for the big price tag,” he said. “He’s quite rightly a star in his country. And captain. I know the backstory and the pressures of a move like that. I also know he played for his country through the summer and had one week break this summer to come back after that.

“Then you get the pressure of ‘can you settle in the Premier League?’ So I’ve tried to deal with it in the way I see best, which is to give him minutes. He fully deserved his start and it was a fantastic match-winning performance.”

Pulisic didn’t need much help scoring the goals but he did have to be reminded to collect his souvenir afterward

“It’s my first professional hat trick, so I nearly forgot the match ball,” he said. “Luckily my teammates helped me out.”

(Watch Pulisic’s magic night by clicking here.)

Pole position

Robert Lewandowski is off to his best start ever, which is saying something since the Polish striker has led the Bundesliga in scoring four times in the last six seasons.

With a goal in Bayern Munich’s win over Union Berlin last Saturday, Lewandowski has 19 scores in 13 games in all competition and at least one goal in all nine league games he’s played in, breaking Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang‘s four-year-old record of eight consecutive goal-scoring games at the start of a season.

But Bayern, the seven-time defending league champion, hasn’t taken full advantage of those heroics, dropping points in four of its those nine league games, leaving it trailing Borussia Monchengladbach in the league table. The team got off to a similar start last season, finding itself fifth in the standings after 12 games.

“I remember the situation after five, six, seven games. Everyone said ‘ah Borussia Dortmund this year will be the champions’,” Lewandowski, speaking of last season, told me during Bayern Munich’s July visit to Los Angeles. “But we know that we are Bayern Munich. We have to keep fighting until the end. And we showed that it doesn’t matter how many problems you had during the season, that we’re still fighting and we’re still winning.”

When the season was over Bayern Munich, with a win on the season’s last day, finished two points up on Dortmund. The gut check was good for Bayern, Lewandowski said.

“If you are the best and you are on the top, you cannot be thinking that everything will be fine, that everything will be easy,” he said. “No. It will be difficult. To be on the top is good. To stay on the top is harder.

“We want to stay on the top. You have to be focused. You have to fight. Not only against our opposing teams but also against us, against our teammates. To be on Bayern Munich, you have to be ready mentally. If you are not, you cannot play on the best team. “

New women’s coach already in a hurry

Vlatko Andonovski hadn’t even finished his introductory news conference as coach of the world champion U.S. women’s team Monday when it became obvious that time was not on his side.

He has until the end of this week to name his first roster for friendlies with Sweden and Costa Rica next month. And then in January he’ll start playing games that count when CONCACAF qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gets underway.

“That’s going to be the first thing on the agenda,” he said of qualifying. “We have a very, very experienced team. We have players that have been on the international stage, that have won the big games, big tournaments, so we’re going to rely heavily on them. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to expand the roster and the player pool.”

Andonovski, 43, takes over for Ellis, who stepped down this summer after leading the U.S. to a second consecutive World Cup title. Ellis coached – and won – more games than any manager in U.S. history, going 106-7-19 in 5 ½ years.

Andonovski is familiar with most of the players in the U.S. player pool having spent seven seasons coaching in the NWSL, five with FC Kansas City and for the last two with the Seattle Reign. He won two leagues titles and was twice named coach of the year.

He was selected for the new position by Kate Markgraf, a two-time Olympic champion and World Cup winner for the U.S. who was named general manager of the women’s national team program in August.

“From the moment I came aboard, the main focus has been on hiring a new coach,” she said. “We identified the qualities we thought were most important for this unique position, we talked to quite a few people in the women’s soccer community domestically and around the world, and in the end, Vlatko was the best fit with his experience with elite players, how he sees the game, how he coaches the game and manages players, and his overall personality and ability to take on a job of this magnitude.”

Andonovski becomes the sixth man to coach the No. 1-ranked women’s national team.

Born in North Macedonia, Andonovski played six seasons in the Macedonian Football League before coming to the U.S. in 2000 to play with the Wichita Wings of the National Professional Soccer League and later with the Kansas City Comets, California Cougars and Philadelphia Kixx of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was a two-time MISL All-Star.

Quotebook

“This was one step closer. We want more and this team wants to win. The team wants to have the best season in history.”

LAFC captain Carlos Vela after his team’s playoff win over the Galaxy

Podcast

Don’t miss my weekly podcast on the Corner of the Galaxy site as co-host Josh Guesman and I discuss the Galaxy each Monday. You can listen to the most recent podcast by clicking here.

Until next time

Stay tuned for future newsletters. Subscribe here, and I’ll come right to your inbox. Something else you’d like to see? Email me. Or follow me on Twitter: @kbaxter11.

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Move comes in wake of China’s policy change on buying recycled items from US sources

SAN DIEGO — 

San Diego officials say they plan to increase the capacity of the Miramar Landfill by allowing waste to pile up 25 feet higher into the air — a significant policy shift coming less than five years after the city adopted a “zero waste” plan.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced in 2015 that the projected life of the city’s main dump had been extended from 2022 to 2030 thanks to new city recycling policies, trash compaction methods and other innovations.

But recently city officials launched an environmental analysis of the potential impacts of increasing the height of the 1,400-acre dump from 485 feet above sea level now to 510 feet above sea level.

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A vertical expansion is the city’s only option. The last possible horizontal expansion of the landfill, into the western portion of the site, took place in 2008.

The vertical expansion could make the dump more visible to residents in Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch and University City, and to motorists on Interstate 805 and state Route 52, city officials say in their environmental analysis.

The city’s proposal to expand the dump comes in the wake of China’s decision in 2018 to sharply limit the amount of recycled goods it buys from the United States.

That policy has left cities across California and the nation with tons of recycled goods they must sell at much lower prices, or that they can’t sell at all.

San Diego officials have said China’s move is jeopardizing the city’s ability to meet the goals of its zero waste policy, a plan to stop dumping into the landfill by 2040 at the latest.

While San Diego wouldn’t literally recycle 100% of its trash in 2040, no material would be deposited in landfills to the maximum extent feasible.

The plan calls for that to be achieved by encouraging more recycling by residents and businesses, producing less waste citywide and fostering development of new markets for recycled and composted materials.

A city spokesman declined to tie the proposed vertical expansion of the dump to the shrinking market for recycled goods, characterizing the move as part of general strategic planning for the city’s future.

“The city approaches disposal capacity needs from a long-range planning perspective,” said the spokesman, Jose Ysea. “The proposed increase of 25 feet, to a maximum elevation of 510 feet mean sea level, will increase the life of the landfill.”

Nicole Capretz, one the region’s leading environmental experts, said the city’s decision is an abrupt shift in course from the zero-waste stance of just a few years ago.

China’s policy change has a two-fold impact, she said. In addition to leaving the city with tons of recycled goods it’s struggling to sell, the lost revenue will make it much harder to build a planned resource recovery facility at the dump.

That facility, a key component of San Diego’s landmark climate action plan, would boost recycling of food waste, yard waste and other organic waste, said Capretz, executive director of the nonprofit Climate Action Campaign.

“It’s meant to be a more comprehensive, holistic recycling center that would have recycling for things we don’t have now,” said Capretz, the primary author of the city’s climate plan. “You would need those kinds of services to get to zero waste.”

Cities across California have lobbied the state Legislature in recent months to explore steps the state could take to build a local market for recycled goods, helping cities meet their recycling goals without dependence on China.

San Diego officials say the finances of city trash collection may not be viable long-term without some place to sell the recycled material the city collects from nearly 300,000 residential customers.

The city spends about $34 million a year providing free trash pick-up to residents living in single-family homes under a controversial 1919 law called the People’s Ordinance.

Ysea, the city spokesman, said the city’s obligations under that ordinance are playing a role in the decision to pursue a vertical expansion of the dump.

The expansion would require approval from the City Council, water quality regulators, air pollution officials, the state waste board and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which owns the land and leases it to the city.

Nearby community leaders said this week they were not aware of the proposed expansion.

Chris Nelson, chairman of the University Community Planning Group, said his panel’s goal would be to make sure the city’s plan has the minimal possible impact on nearby areas.

Councilman Chris Cate, whose district includes the dump, said Friday he tentatively supports the city’s plan.

“This is the only city-owned and operated landfill, so anything we can do to extend the life of the landfill needs to be seriously considered,” Cate said.

While he acknowledged concerns about visual impacts and possible increases in odors, he noted that there aren’t any homes adjacent to the dump. It is surrounded by freeways and the military base.

Cate also expressed confidence that any approved vertical expansion of the dump would include mitigation measures to protect residents.

The city has operated the landfill since 1959, when it signed a $500-a-year lease deal with the U.S. government. The north and south sections of the landfill have already been filled, while the western portion remains active.

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported at 2:34 a.m. Tuesday 11 miles from Hollister, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake occurred 12 miles from Soledad, 15 miles from Salinas, 18 miles from Prunedale and 22 miles from Greenfield.

In the past 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.

An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three year data sample.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 4.7 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.

Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.

This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.

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Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, Oct. 29, and I’m writing from Santa Rosa.

Sometime a few hours before dawn yesterday morning, I was driving back toward the Kincade fire while on the phone with my sister, who’d been scrambled awake by the howl of mobile evacuation alerts in Los Angeles. You run to cover one fire across the state and wake up to find your city back in danger, 400 miles to the south.

So, this is what it’s like to be a Californian in 2019, I thought, as I maneuvered a rental car down a country road in the inky, blackouts darkness. You can’t run toward or away from danger, because it’s all around. There is the distinct feeling that nowhere is immune.

And we were the lucky ones. The screeching cellphone alert system had been overzealous, and my sister was fortunate enough to live outside the Getty fire evacuation zone. My press pass grants me the dark privilege of crossing evacuation lines and humbly recording the worst moments of people’s lives. But then I drive back out.

As of last night, almost 200,000 Californians had been evacuated from their homes as the Getty and Kincade fires rage. But nearly 40 million people live in the state. The great majority of us occupy a kind of liminal zone, with the toggle switch from normalcy to chaos still firmly planted on business as usual. We know in our bones that all that could change in an instant.

Here’s the latest on the Getty fire in Los Angeles:

• The Getty fire was at 618 acres and 5% containment, as of Monday night. Eight residences have been destroyed and six have been damaged.
• “The streets were mostly empty throughout the neighborhood — except for the workers who tend the gardens, clean the hilltop homes and care for the children in one of the city’s most affluent communities.” If you read one dispatch from the Getty fire, read my colleague Brittny Mejia’s painful, sensitively reported account of the domestic workers and gardeners arriving to work in one of the most affluent areas of L.A., despite the flames. (And here’s a little more insight into her reporting process.) Los Angeles Times
• Westside residents grabbed their “apocalypse bags” and raced to outrun the flames. Los Angeles Times
• Fire licked the edges of Getty Center, but the art is safe. “The Getty is an incredibly safe place for the art,” a museum representative said. “It’s sealed and it’s secure.” Los Angeles Times
• The fire has rained smoke and ash on the Los Angeles Basin, creating hazardous air. Here are some tips for dealing with wildfire smoke from the Environmental Protection Agency. Los Angeles Times

And the Kincade fire in Northern California:

• The Kincade fire had grown to 74,324 acres and was 15% contained as of Monday night. One hundred and twenty-three structures have been destroyed, and 20 have been damaged.
• These Santa Rosa residents just rebuilt their homes. Then came the Kincade fire. Los Angeles Times
• Cell service failed in parts of Bay Area during this weekend’s PG&E outages. San Francisco Chronicle
• PG&E Corp. stock fell 24% on Monday as the unrelenting Kincade fire continued to cast doubt over the perpetually embattled utility’s future. San Francisco Chronicle

And what’s to come:

• Here’s why Santa Ana winds later this week may be the strongest of the season thus far. After a brief pause on Tuesday morning, strong, cold offshore winds are expected to return to California through Thursday. Los Angeles Times
• PG&E plans another major power outage this week as Diablo winds return. The next blackout would cover more than two dozen Northern California counties and come just days after a much larger power cut that covered nearly 1 million customers over the weekend. Los Angeles Times
• Here’s how you can prepare for wildfires. It’s a good idea to put aside supplies, make plans with loved ones and think through arrangements for pets even if there’s no emergency threatening you. Los Angeles Times

Here’s a map of where fires are burning in California.

And now, here’s what else is happening across California:

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L.A. STORIES

Former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascon said Monday that he will challenge Jackie Lacey to become Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor next year. The race may test the political mood for criminal justice reform in one of the nation’s most progressive and diverse cities. Los Angeles Times

LAX’s ban on Uber, Lyft and taxi pickups at the curb goes into effect today. Here’s how the new system works. Los Angeles Times

“Chinatown” producer Robert Evans has died at 89. As the chief of Paramount Pictures, Evans presided over a remarkable run of film classics, but his flamboyantly over-the-top lifestyle was nearly as cinematic as any of them. Los Angeles Times

Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

The Trump administration on Monday extended temporary protected status for thousands of Salvadorans in the United States, granting them a reprieve from removal to El Salvador. An estimated 200,000 Salvadorans in the U.S. have TPS, making them the largest single group under the program. Many live in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times

Religious leaders and activists arrested for getting too close to the border during a pro-immigration protest last year have been found not guilty of“failure to comply with lawful orders.” San Diego Union-Tribune

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

The fall of a rising Democratic star: Katie Hill’s meteoric congressional career is coming to an abrupt end after she announced Sunday she would resign amid publication of nude photos of her and allegations that she had romantic relationships with congressional and campaign subordinates. Here are answers to all of your questions. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Is President Trump an obstacle to Republicans winning back Hill’s congressional seat? Her decision to resign from Congress has given Republicans an unexpected chance to recapture her House district on the northern edge of the Los Angeles suburbs, but Trump’s unpopularity in California will make it a steep challenge for the GOP. Los Angeles Times

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Smoke from wildfires may pose a greater risk to children and seniors than we thought, at least according to these scientists. Sacramento Bee

What, exactly, is a “red flag warning”? They’re some of the most dreaded words in fire-prone California. Here’s what they mean. LAist

Former Gov. Jerry Brown will testify before Congress today about the damage the Trump administration’s plans to roll back auto emission standards could do to California, setting up another confrontation between the state’s political leadership and the president. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

The remains of 81 South Vietnamese soldiers who were killed during the Vietnam War were laid to rest in Westminster on Oct. 26 after being held in a U.S. Army facility for 33 years. Daily Pilot

An effort to name a park in Bakersfield after a Sikh civil rights leader has been indefinitely tabled by the Bakersfield City Council. Bakersfield Californian

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: sunny, 74. San Diego: sunny, 71. San Francisco: sunny, 69. San Jose: sunny, 73. Sacramento: windy, 71. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

-Christopher Isherwood

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints, ideas and unrelated book recommendations to Julia Wick. Follow her on Twitter @Sherlyholmes.

Leave it to even-keeled John Legend to remedy the “rapey” controversy that last year ensnared the classic Christmas tune “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

The EGOT winner behind “All of Me” and “Glory” has rewritten and rerecorded the iconic song for his 2020 holiday album, with a new emphasis on consent. The rewrite even boasts the lyrics, “your body, and your choice.”

The makeover comes after a bevy of radio stations removed the song from their holiday rotations last year over its dated lines, which some viewed as “rapey” (though some didn’t) in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Legend has updated Frank Loesser’s 1944 call-and-response lyrics — “I ought to say ‘No, no, no, sir’” and “What’s in this drink?” — with the help of “Insecure” and “Black Lady Sketch Show” writer Natasha Rothwell. He sings the duet with his “The Voice” costar Kelly Clarkson, and it will be released this holiday season on the expanded version of his first Christmas album, “A Legendary Christmas: The Deluxe Edition.”

The rewrite goes like this:

Clarkson: “What will my friends think…
Legend: “I think they should rejoice”
Clarkson: “…if I have one more drink?”
Legend: “It’s your body, and your choice.”

“The song’s every bit as fun and swinging as the original, and its newfound sensitivity feels genuine, not performative,” according to the November Vanity Fair profile of Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, where the revelation was made. (The rest of the piece is full of the #RelationshipGoals we’ve come to expect from the famous couple: their vitriol for President Trump and love of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a frank discussion of former collaborator Kanye West and the reason Legend “canceled” R. Kelly.)

The reimagined version will follow a “modern and irreverent narrative,” Legend’s reps said in a statement, as described in the following verse that appears to beckon a ride-sharing service:

Clarkson: “I really can’t stay”
Legend: “Baby, it’s cold outside”
Clarkson: “I’ve gotta go away”
Legend: “I can call you a ride”
Clarkson: “This evening has been…”
Legend: “So glad that you dropped in”
Clarkson: “…so very nice”
Legend: “Time spent with you is paradise”
Clarkson: “My mother will start to worry”
Legend: “I’ll call a car and tell ‘em to hurry”

The album will also include the new tracks “This Christmas,” “My Favorite Things” and “Christmas in New Orleans.”

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