Newsletter: Today: ‘Dreamers’ Decision Day

Aides say President Trump has tentatively decided on a course of action for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, but what will he actually say? Here are the stories you shouldn’t miss today:

TOP STORIES

‘Dreamers’ Decision Day

Will the “Dreamers” now have to look to Congress for help? President Trump is set to unveil his stance on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program today. On Monday, aides said the president had tentatively decided to leave DACA intact for six months to give Congress time to find a solution — but they also made no guarantees. The program has granted work permits and other legal documents to about 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children. Hundreds of business, religious and political leaders have urged Trump to support it.

Is Pyongyang ‘Begging for War’?

At a tense meeting of the U.N. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s missile launches and nuclear threats show “that he is begging for war” and added, “The time has come for us to exhaust all of our diplomatic means before it’s too late.” Then she echoed President Trump’s call for more sanctions against Pyongyang and all of its trading partners. But given that China accounts for 80% of North Korea’s trade and is also the largest U.S. partner, that may be near impossible. The big question: What will break this now-familiar cycle peacefully?

Congress Is Back: Tan, Restive and Ready

Congress is back in action today, but rather than feeling too refreshed after a summer break, Republicans are feeling uneasy about the weeks ahead. Approving disaster funding after Hurricane Harvey, raising the debt limit and avoiding a government shutdown top the list of must-do items. Then there are the hopes for tax reform and, yes, healthcare overhaul. And it’s all set against the backdrop of North Korea’s threats, the Russia investigation, dealing with DACA and President Trump’s fraught relationship with his own party.

Wanted: Fluent in 220 Languages and Legalese

California is the most linguistically diverse state in the U.S. with at least 220 languages spoken. The legal system here has long provided court interpreters for criminal and juvenile cases, but the law says the courts must offer them in civil suits too. Given the skill required to be an interpreter and the cost, finding enough of them is a problem. “The goal is to get interpreters available in all case types,” says one appellate judge. “But the reality is we are never going to have enough.”

How the Internet Spreads Fake Shoes

Kanye West’s signature Adidas sneakers, known as Yeezys, are among the most coveted in the world. No wonder there’s a thriving global market for knockoffs. But how do the fakes fool almost anyone except the experts and elude the watchful eye of authorities? As reporter David Pierson explains, the world of counterfeiting has been reinvented in the digital age, with buyers providing detailed feedback and shipments going directly to their front doors.

OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND

-- Where the U.S.-Mexico border meets the Pacific Ocean, one side is oddly festive, the other dire and militaristic.

-- A “Dreamer” who died trying to rescue flood victims in Texas after Hurricane Harvey.

-- The “fight for L.A.” between the Rams and Chargers is only getting started.

-- “Critical acclaim hasn’t been enough”: Tinashe, Kehlani and other female R&B artists struggle for attention.

MUST-WATCH VIDEO

-- Scenes from a Labor Day march in downtown Los Angeles.

-- Poachers used to set off explosives to kill steelhead by the dozens at a pool near an Oregon river. That was before Lee Spencer settled in to watch over the trout.

-- “Pound for Pound,” Episode 2: Behind the scenes of the weeks leading up to the boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin.

CALIFORNIA

-- Less than 24 hours after Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County, the weather helped take the fight out of the La Tuna fire.

-- “You might as well be calling to the moon”: Animal advocates say that the L.A. city phone system is a nightmare when they call to help wounded or stray animals.

-- The Essie Justice Group is putting women at the center of the battle to fix California’s bail system.

-- The biggest barrier to opening a homeless shelter in L.A.? Location, location, location.

-- Days after its restart, Angels Flight is closed temporarily for maintenance.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- Our guide to every movie being released this fall.

-- The latest installment of FX’s “American Horror Story” premieres tonight, and TV critic Robert Lloyd says it presents a Charles Manson-esque scenario for the age of Trump.

-- Besides giving Hollywood types an excuse to hang out in jeans and untucked shirts, the Telluride Film Festival has started some Oscar buzz for a few films.

-- Film critic Justin Chang dissects a summer of war at the movies, as seen in “Dunkirk,” “Detroit” and more.

CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD

She was born Jo Raquel Tejada, the daughter of a Bolivian aerospace engineer and a scion of one of America’s oldest families. But Raquel Welch made a name for herself as an actress and international sex symbol. She was born on this date in Chicago in 1940.

NATION-WORLD

-- Hurricane Irma is expected to hit islands in the Caribbean today; forecasters aren’t sure yet whether it will turn to the East Coast of the U.S., but south Florida is getting prepared.

-- The death toll from Hurricane Harvey has surpassed 60 people, as the cleanup in Texas continues.

-- People in Muslim nations across Asia are expressing concern over Myanmar’s military crackdown against its Rohingya Muslim minority .

-- A new study says PSA screening for prostate cancer saves lives after all.

BUSINESS

-- Horror films represent one of the few bright spots at the box office, and New Line Cinema hopes its adaptation of Stephen King’s “It” will be a hit.

-- The Trump administration may overhaul a program allowing foreign college students to work temporarily in the U.S. Ski resorts and concessions at state and national parks aren’t happy about it.

SPORTS

-- The Dodgers played in a historic game at home. Too bad for them that it was historic for the Arizona Diamondbacks, a possible opponent in the playoffs.

-- The inside story of how UCLA offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch and quarterback Josh Rosen helped the football team pull off its biggest comeback.

OPINION

-- Why the federal government urgently needs to fund more cancer research.

-- Hurricane Harvey offers lessons Republicans will probably ignore: See the David Horsey cartoon.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- A look at the psychological forces behind mob mentality. (Aeon)

-- Two reporters from the Cambodia Daily, a 24-year-old newspaper that shut down after the government said it owed a huge tax bill, have a warning. (Newsweek)

-- Popular science: Why do science books strike such a chord with readers? (Times Literary Supplement)

ONLY IN L.A.

What do Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and Kobe Bryant have in common? John Williams has composed music for all. As Hollywood Bowl-goers discovered over the weekend, Williams and Bryant teamed up on a short animated film. This wasn’t their first encounter: Back in 2008, Bryant called Williams to find out “how he composed music, and try to find something similar that I can then use to help my game.”

If you like this newsletter, please share it with friends.