Press Play with Madeleine Brand

What is President Trump trying to accomplish with reciprocal tariffs, and do economists think he can reach his goals with these tactics? The Trump administration admitted in court on Monday that it mistakenly deported a Maryland father to a notorious Salvadoran prison. Scientists say a massive algal bloom is releasing toxins that are making some marine animals more aggressive, and causing others to wash ashore either dead or seriously ill. Zack Mack’s father went down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole that tore apart his family. Mack spent the past year making a podcast about it called “Alternate Realities.” The agony and ecstasy of March Madness were on full display this weekend for LA college basketball fans.

On this Cesar Chavez Day, Press Play reairs some of our favorite segments: “Porcelain War” is a documentary that vividly portrays the lives of civilians-turned-soldiers on and off Ukraine’s battlefield against Russia. Johnny Carson was seemingly a friend to millions as the host of "The Tonight Show" for three decades. That wasn’t the case in his personal life, according to “Carson the Magnificent,” published in November 2024. In the mid-1970s and ‘80s in SoCal, bands like Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and Toto blended jazz, R&B, and pop to create a new soft style: yacht rock.

The federal government is planning to investigate the CA Dept. of Education over a state law that says schools cannot require officials to notify parents if students identify as transgender or are exploring their gender identity on campus. The federal government will not test soil in the fire zones, so USC researchers are doing it for them. For earth scientist Josh West, the work is close to home. Critics review the latest film releases: “Death of a Unicorn,” “Grand Tour,” “An Unfinished Film,” and “The Ballad of Wallis Island.” The appearance of rhubarb stalks in markets is a welcome burst of color and tart flavor. You can use the vegetable in breakfast, dessert, and cocktail recipes.

The Trump administration has halted a program financing lawyers for immigrant children. That leaves 26,000 kids nationwide at risk of immediate deportation, unless alternate funding can be found. President Trump continued his assault on the country’s biggest law firms by signing an executive order targeting Chicago-based Jenner & Block. It revokes security clearances from the firm’s lawyers who require them to do their jobs, and limits attorneys’ access to federal buildings. Harriet Tubman has come back to life and wants to make a hip-hop album. That’s the premise of Bob the Drag Queen’s debut novel. Duonychus tsogtbaatari is a newly discovered plant-eater that roamed Earth tens of millions of years ago. It had a long neck, two legs, and two massive claws.

The Trump administration’s release of war plans on a group chat that included the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief raises questions about the competence of the president’s top national security staff and their use of the messaging app Signal. How should Democrats respond to Trump? His second term has sparked an internal reckoning. The season two finale of “Severance” left fans buzzing. KCRW breaks down its twists, hidden meanings, and what’s next for TV’s most mind-bending show. Three must-see art exhibitions up now are “Charles Gaines: Numbers and Trees, The Tanzania Baobabs,” “Tau Lewis: Spirit Level,” and “Hugo Crosthwaite: Ex-voto.”

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in a challenge to Louisiana’s voting maps. A group of “non-African American” voters argue the state illegally relied on race to create the new districts. James Murdoch reveals the real-life “Succession” drama roiling his family in an exclusive interview with The Atlantic. At stake: Who controls Fox News? Frontman Jim James talks about handing over creative control of My Morning Jacket’s 10th studio album. He also shares his personal success with EMDR therapy.

Amid a new phase of war, public opinion polls show a majority of Israelis want to see the end of fighting in Gaza and a return of hostages. Meanwhile, many Gazans have turned against Hamas. Spanish-language TV networks Telemundo and Univision have aired DHS ads urging people in the U.S. illegally to leave. That’s angered staff at Univision who are already worried the network is covering Trump too timidly. Critics review the latest film releases: “The Alto Knights,” “Snow White,” “Misericordia,” and “Ash.” Scandinavian brown cheese has the color of caramel and a fudgy consistency. In Scandinavia, it’s most commonly eaten on bread with jam, atop waffles, or melted into other dishes.

Ukraine says tens of thousands of children have been taken and illegally hidden within Russia’s adoption system since the invasion. A lab at the Yale School of Public Health that had been tracking this fell victim to the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts Dina Ament spent about four years remodeling her historic Tudor-style cottage. After the Eaton Fire leveled it, she at first wanted to rebuild, but ultimately decided that selling was best. Part play, part rock concert, "Cambodian Rock Band" is a story of survival. Playwright Lauren Yee explores Cambodia's dark past with music and humor. Microgravity, confined quarters, and heightened galactic radiation lead to physiological changes in humans. What we’re learning in space is influencing terrestrial health care.

The Environmental Protection Agency might eliminate its office of scientific research — a move that advocates say would have drastic consequences on efforts to protect Americans from hazardous chemicals, air and water pollution, and climate change. The National Institutes of Health gives most of its money to universities, medical schools, and research institutions. Due to actions by the Trump administration, the NIH says it’ll sharply cut the size of its grants. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on set filming the low-budget Western “Rust.” One of her closest friends directed a new documentary about her life. The Dodgers start their run for back-to-back World Series championships with a win over the Cubs in front of a supportive crowd in Tokyo.

President Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members. But a judge blocked those deportations over the weekend. Salvadoran President and self-proclaimed “world’s coolest dictator” Nayib Bukele is cozying up to Trump. He’s viewed as a hero on the right for his mass-imprisonment policies. DOJ lawyers accused Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown University, of having “sympathetic” photos of Hezbollah leaders on her phone. She was put on a plane to Paris and informed that her H1-B visa had been canceled. Jennifer Lee’s new album is a tribute to her late best friend. She also talks about LA’s impact on her identity, and what it was like to not comprehend music or language due to a brain disorder.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new podcast has featured far-right provocateurs like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon. It’s been angering his political base. Trump’s executive orders mandate no federal money should pay for programming that promotes diversity. Museums are falling in line. Critics review the latest film releases: “Black Bag,” “Opus,” “Novocaine,” and “The Electric State.” Chicories, which include radicchio and known for bitterness, are often paired with bacon/pancetta and winter citrus in salads. You can also cook the different varieties of this vegetable.

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate offices that handle environmental justice issues, like pollution in poor neighborhoods and communities of color. It’s part of a wider crackdown on Biden-era climate policies. The Trump administration is dismantling public health infrastructure in the U.S. and abroad. How ready are we for the next public health crisis? Figure skating is seen as an elite, mostly white sport, but a new documentary series tells the story of a program for girls in Harlem looking to change that. The legal dispute between actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over alleged sexual harassment has become a cause celebre among right-wing media.

Tesla sales have plummeted since Elon Musk followed Donald Trump into the White House in January. How much trouble is his company in now? LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman discusses a new scathing audit of LAHSA. Her ideas on addressing homelessness include building more housing and cutting red tape. Five years ago today, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. COVID transformed this country in ways that are still coming into focus, argues the New York Times’ David Wallace-Wells.

Columbia University grad student Mahmoud Khalil is considered a leader in anti-Israel protests on campus. ICE arrested him on Saturday and revoked his green card. Activists are calling this an attack on free speech. On Friday, several Native American tribes sued the federal government over staff cuts at Native colleges. They claim the cuts violate the government’s unique legal and moral responsibility to the tribes. U.K. natives Ned Franc and Jon Moody blend soul songwriting with analog synthesizers and disco grooves to produce dancefloor euphoria. Their fourth album is “Chewing the Fat.” The cheap American egg was the product of billions of dollars of investment in industrial agriculture. Now those technologies are spreading bird flu — and hiking egg prices.

President Trump’s ambitious goal to deport 10 million immigrants faces legal challenges and pushback. What do the on-the-ground realities look like? With roughly two dozen hostages still alive, the Gaza ceasefire is in trouble. How is Trump impacting the negotiations? Critics review the latest film releases: “Mickey 17,” “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” “Night of the Zoopocalypse,” and “The Rule of Jenny Pen.” Canada is the top export market for California wine. Trump’s threatened 25% tariffs on our northern neighbor have led some Canadian provinces to pull not just wine, but all American alcohol, from their shelves.

Republicans insist they will not cut Medicaid, the health program for poor and disabled Americans. But the budget they drew up depends on it. LA Mayor Karen Bass fired Kristin Crowley as LAFD chief two weeks ago, and City Council denied Crowley’s appeal to be reinstated on Tuesday. But questions remain over who and what’s to blame for the Palisades Fire response. Corporations are backpedaling on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Is the era of the ethical multinational in the past? This month, Regarding Her, the organization born out of the pandemic to support women entrepreneurs in hospitality, is hosting events to help people affected by the fires.

President Trump’s trade war and Friday’s Oval Office berating of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky represent a remarkable shift in American foreign policy. President Trump has imposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China. That could mean car price increases of nearly $10,000. Set in 1970s New Mexico, “Dark Winds” follows Tribal police officers who must balance their traditional Navajo beliefs with modern law enforcement. Season three sees Lt. Leaphorn haunted by his past. The Original Pantry Cafe, famous for its pancakes, abruptly shut down amid a labor dispute, leaving loyal patrons and decades-long employees heartbroken.yt

Zelensky’s visit to the white house turned catastrophic when Trump and Vance accused him of disrespecting the U.S. What does it mean for peace talks? A federal judge has extended a block of President Trump’s plan to withhold funding from medical institutions that provide healthcare to transgender youth. “Anora” won Best Picture at the Oscars on Sunday, and director Sean Baker took home four awards total. He explains how having a bigger budget and professional actors changed his filmmaking process. South African musician Abel Selaocoe explains his “paper” technique of practicing cello as a kid, the power of singing to unite a community, and how he more deeply explored his roots while away from his homeland.

Measles is spreading in a West Texas community with low vaccination rates. What’s the risk in Southern California? A new book argues Americans need a deeper understanding of how our government works to spot historical myths that hold us back. Disaffected Silicon Valley separatists and mostly trans women have formed a mysterious collective known as Zizians. They’re linked to murders in California, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Critics review the latest film releases: “Last Breath,” “My Dead Friend Zoe,” “Cold Wallet,” and “The Accidental Getaway Driver.”

Consumer confidence had the biggest drop since August 2021, due mostly to concerns about the president’s proposed tariffs and high prices on staples like eggs. Sepsis cases in pregnant women have spiked roughly 50% since Texas’ abortion ban took effect in 2021, according to ProPublica’s new analysis. Sepsis is a life-threatening infection, often seen in the elderly and those with prolonged hospital stays. Jennifer Finney Boylan wrote an acclaimed memoir in 2003 about changing from a man to a woman. She’s back with a new book about life before, and after, her transition. Bulgar wheat has a fantastic chew, minimal cooking time, and multiple nutrients. It’s a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, and a great addition to any leafy salad or grain bowl.