Press Play With Madeleine Brand

Plus, the White House shifts the war on drugs and reclassifies medical marijuana, San Diego has so much water it's going to sell it to other states, and Evan Kleiman on how to make perfect fried rice.

Plus, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco recently seized 650,000 ballots from last year’s election. A new investigation sheds light on why. And LAUSD bans digital devices for kindergartners and first-graders.

Plus, Xavier Becerra is the biggest beneficiary of Eric Swalwell’s stunning political collapse, surging in the latest polls. And a new study divides Shark Tank competitors into good and bad narcissists.

Plus, will Star Wars’ return to the big screen save theaters? A Texas man sues a California doctor for mailing his girlfriend mifepristone, and AI so powerful its maker is keeping it from the public.  

Plus, Yale confirms higher education is in crisis and says the blame lies mainly with…elite universities like Yale, our weekly film reviews, and Evan Kleiman on how tofu can be creamy.

Plus, how a culture on Capitol Hill may have enabled Eric Swalwell’s alleged crimes and sexual misconduct, a split in the U.S. Catholic Church between more progressive leaders and their flock, and Tax Day’s winners and losers.

Plus, labor unions in LA’s public schools unite to win big salary increases, layoffs and sluggish sales in the video game industry, and how a chimpanzee civil war makes humans look good by comparison.

Plus, who will succeed Eric Swalwell after he resigns from Congress, how a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would work, and a love letter to the music of the Texas-Mexico border.

Plus, the Iran War’s economic impact will last for a while, a rave review for a new Steven Soderbergh film called The Christophers, and Evan Kleiman’s elegy for peas.

Plus, the European man MAGA loves, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, fights a tough reelection battle, how we name colors, and one frustrated Angeleno’s experience trying to buy the elusive $28 Olympics ticket.

Plus, assessing the success and shortcomings of LA's Inside Safe program, President Trump’s former personal attorney now leads the Justice Department, and rapper Ye attempts a comeback after years of antisemitism.

Plus, the Supreme Court sides with Steve Bannon, how AI is changing the books you’re reading, and all the new music venues in Los Angeles. Some have taken over old spots.

Plus, war in Iran may be a boon for California pistachio farmers, our weekend film reviews, and what to bake for Passover and Easter with Good Food’s Evan Kleiman.  

Plus, President Trump’s shifting goals in Iran, how American children became such picky eaters, and safety tips for rattlesnake encounters on hiking trails.

Plus, the Supreme Court hears a case that could redefine birthright citizenship, high gas prices push drivers to e-bikes, and rapper IDK served time and found freedom in music.

Plus, the IOC bans trans athletes, our weekend movie reviews, including arthouse body horror and a Vince Vaughn crime caper, and Evan Kleiman on how to cook an underappreciated vegetable: the leek.

Plus, a jury finds Meta and YouTube liable in a groundbreaking personal injury lawsuit. Why is flying so awful? Blame 1970s deregulation. And a requiem for Echo Park’s beloved restaurant Taix.  

Plus, think LA city politics are boring? Think again. The week before the deadline to file as a candidate in the mayoral election was filled with drama. And Saudi Arabia may be pushing President Trump to continue the war with Iran.

Plus, two Republicans lead the California governor’s race, the Supreme Court appears skeptical of mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day, and LA’s Darwinian left turns at a yellow light.

Plus, California moves to rename Cesar Chavez Day, how to detox from your phone, reviews of the new Ryan Gosling movie and other big releases, and the hot weather has Evan Kleiman thinking soft serve.