Newsletter: Today: Laying Down the Gun Law. The ‘Exxon Position’ on Global Warming.

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

Laying Down the Gun Law

After massacres at a South Carolina church and an Oregon community college, President Obama is calling for national gun control laws to make it harder to get around local restrictions simply by driving across a state or city line. When Obama talks about his initiative on Tuesday with police chiefs in Chicago, the setting will be significant: The city has long been a battleground for both pro- and anti-gun forces. Is this a, well, call to arms for the gun lobby? Read on. 

Exxon: The Earth Is Warming? Maybe Not

How did one of the world's largest oil companies, a leader in climate research, become one of its biggest public skeptics? The answer, gleaned from documents and the recollections of former employees, is that Exxon, now known as Exxon Mobil, feared financially burdensome public policies. Read how the company developed the "Exxon Position" to "emphasize the uncertainty" of global warming in an investigation by Columbia University’s Energy & Environmental Reporting Project and The Times.   

In a Time of War, Syrians Embrace Poetry

"Finger that does not rest / Limb that leans on fate, / a fate ruled by a dumb rifle, and you / Have you known who I am?" The poetry emanating from the conflict in Syria is brutal and lyrical, heartbreaking and sparse, as you'll see in today's Great Read. The poems capture years of bloodshed, refugees and the feeling by many Syrians that their country has been abandoned by the world. 

China Wants to Edit Your Books

Lots of people going to China know that publications about sensitive topics such as free speech and Tiananmen Square are banned from entering the country. Less well-known is that Chinese authorities are now confiscating books, maps, globes, DVDs and any printed material they deem objectionable from people departing the mainland. Don't plan on leaving Beijing with anything showing Taiwan as an independent country. 

When the Feds Take the Cops to Court

Since President Obama came to office, the Justice Department has investigated 21 police departments -- two fewer than under George W. Bush. So why do some criticize it as "open season" on police departments? Rather than reach informal agreements to correct misconduct, as the Bush administration preferred, most of the cases under Obama have ended up in court. 

A Dune Deal

On Malibu's Broad Beach, the battle continues between nature and humankind -- in this case, Hollywood A-listers and corporate chieftains. Homeowners say they will pay $31 million over the next decade to pay for mountains of sand to be hauled in so that the beach will match roughly what existed in the early 1970s. Environmentalists are skeptical. 

OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND

-- The $68-billion California bullet train project between L.A. and San Francisco is likely to overshoot budget and deadline targets.

-- Danny DeVito, Reese Witherspoon, Jerry Bruckheimer: You might be surprised at whom Hollywood backs for president.

-- Big water users, take note: DWP is considering outing you.

-- Outside of USC, Pat Haden holds more than a dozen roles that pay at least a half-million dollars a year.

-- For former Hells Angel Tim Medvetz, no mountain is too high to climb, even Everest.

-- Maureen O'Hara, the "only leading lady big enough and tough enough for John Wayne," dies at 95.

-- How museums are adapting to "selfie culture."

-- Too many classic films remain buried in studios' vaults.

CALIFORNIA

-- What's going on with fountains in downtown L.A.? Some are off to save water; others are still flowing strong. 

-- Porter Ranch bucks the trend of students flocking away from LAUSD. 

-- The pastor of a West Adams church cancels a return visit by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.

-- A San Francisco supervisor reaffirms the city's sanctuary policies in the face of criticism. 

NATION-WORLD

-- A 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes Afghanistan, rocks cities in South Asia.

-- For Mexico's government, Hurricane Patricia is a rare bit of good news.

-- A whale-watching boat sinks off Vancouver Island.

-- Turnout is heavy in Argentina's presidential election.

-- Could you pass a test on standardized testing? Try our quiz.

-- Joe Biden: Grief kept me from making earlier decision on whether to run for president. 

-- The presidential debates have become must-watch TV. Next up: the GOP in Colorado on Wednesday.

BUSINESS 

-- Does playing fantasy sports amount to gambling? The debate intensifies.

-- Meet the makers of glass that is thinner, stronger and more flexible for electronic devices. 

SPORTS

-- Bold managing can have beautiful results in baseball's postseason; just ask Bruce Bochy or Tony La Russa.

-- Sam Farmer recaps this week in the NFL, including the Raiders' victory over the Chargers. 

-- The Lakers will pay either Metta World Peace or Jabari Brown two days of salary.

ENTERTAINMENT

-- TV review: Even if you have superhero fatigue, "Supergirl" will charm you, Mary McNamara writes.

-- The movies "Truth" and "Spotlight" reflect yesteryear journalism with hints at modern-day angst.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Author Assaf Gavron's "confessions of an Israeli traitor." (Washington Post)

-- The New Yorker looks at how a school attack relates to Sweden's identity crisis.

-- Behind Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan's charm offensive. (South China Morning Post)

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