Newsletter: Today: Europe’s Migrant Crisis. Hollywood’s Big Haul.

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

Backlash in Germany

With Europe in the midst of its greatest migrant crisis since World War II, Germany is being called a moral beacon as it plans to take in 800,000 refugees. At the same time, Germany has seen a sharp rise in anti-immigrant attacks. Here's how the country is trying to set the tone -- and stop the backlash -- while thousands arrive in Europe each day. 

Blockbuster Summer

Sure, there are countless forms of digital entertainment at our fingertips, but going to the movies still has its allure. Hollywood is on track to have one of its best summers ever at the domestic box office. You might not guess which group of moviegoers in particular had a big part in the success. 

Kenya's Chief Tweeter

For Francis Kariuki, the chief of a sleepy Kenyan village, the scepter on his desk is a symbol of state power. The smartphone in his hand, though, is the tool with which he keeps the citizenry informed. On Twitter, no less. Meet @Chiefkariuki in today's Great Read. 

Red Flags at Blue Shield

It's not clear who got the money or why, but Blue Shield of California boosted the pay for its top executives by $24 million in 2012 — a 64% jump over the previous year — according to a secret state audit reviewed by The Times. What's going on at this nonprofit health insurance giant? 

Damned If You Do ...

How could saving water be a bad thing? When it strains sewer systems and it begins to corrode pipes, for starters. "Nobody likes to talk about sewage. Sewage isn't sexy," says one Orange County Sanitation District official. Here's why we must. 

CALIFORNIA

-- California is poised to end the practice of indefinite solitary confinement for prisoners.

-- The L.A. Bureau of Sanitation was ordered to clear a backlog of illegal dumping complaints.

-- The state's death penalty system may survive an appeals court's scrutiny because of legal rules that limit federal oversight. 

-- Tenants worry as Caltrans prepares to sell homes along the 710 Freeway corridor.

-- More than 240 were arrested in a four-day sweep for immigrants in the country illegally and with criminal records.  

NATION-WORLD

-- At a climate change conference in Alaska, President Obama called for swift action on reducing carbon emissions and more. 

-- North America's tallest peak is called Denali again, but some McKinley supporters are in denial.

-- Polish authorities sealed off an area believed to hide a lost Nazi gold train.

-- What to do with an e-cigarette scofflaw on your flight.

BUSINESS

-- September, historically a bad month for stocks, is more worrisome than usual.

-- How will Mark Zuckerberg becoming a dad change Facebook? 

-- Amazon begins delivering farmers market goods to Southland customers. 

SPORTS

-- Five LAUSD high schools are forced to replace all-weather fields because they are melting.

-- Last year's U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori is a first-round loser this year.

-- A court artist, whose first sketch of Tom Brady didn't turn out so well, nails it this time.

ENTERTAINMENT

-- Why the VMAs were a mess. Plus, a transcript of Kanye West's speech.

-- An appreciation: Wes Craven was a master of genre and reinvention.

-- "Drunk History" creator Derek Waters aims to inform, with a twist.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- The Christian Science Monitor looks at how Americans are navigating cell phone etiquette.

-- Step-by-step videos are making science smarter, according to the New Yorker.

-- Harper Lee's safe-deposit box doesn't contain another unpublished book, a rare-books expert says. 

ONLY IN L.A.

Take one part nostalgia, one part Hollywood and one part parody, then mix with music: That's the formula for genre-bending live theater shows that bring back films such as "Clueless," "Cruel Intentions" and "Scream" in ways their creators probably never intended. "The Unauthorized O.C. Musical," an "immersive parody" of the TV show "The O.C.," is just the latest hit with Angelenos. 

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.