Press Play With Madeleine Brand

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. 

A fraction of people in temporary shelters end up in permanent housing, according to CalMatters’ year-long investigation. Conditions are squalid. Fraud is rampant. And residents often endure physical and sexual abuse. LA Fire HEALTH is a research consortium with experts from multiple universities. They intend to fill in some of the gaps in environmental and public health monitoring left by the government.  The Trump administration’s classification of sex as either “male” or “female” erases the nearly 2% of people who are intersex. Playwright Larissa FastHorse’s “Fake It Until You Make It” is a farce about two women — one Indigenous, the other white — competing for a grant to fund their nonprofits. 

A group of government workers filed a lawsuit in federal court in California today, arguing that Elon Musk’s demands for federal employees to provide a bulleted list of everything they accomplished last week violates federal law. Some Democrats and a few Republicans have announced they’re running in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race. Others are waiting to see if 2024 Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris will enter.  In his third album “Horror,” Bartees Strange channels terror and heartbreak into newfound confidence and wide-ranging sonic pastiche. Weight loss drugs like Ozempic bring health gains, but at what costs to relationships? Couples must face new challenges as eating habits, routines, and identities change.

Germans head to the polls Sunday at a time of increasing popularity for far-right politicians and Europe at a crossroads over Ukraine.  Trump wants to stop funding schools with diversity initiatives. LAUSD officials fear losing more than a billion dollars in federal funding. Critics review the latest film releases: “Old Guy,” “The Monkey,” “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.” Two foods that are fun to make and satisfying to eat: onigiri (Japanese rice balls) and spring rolls. Both involve steamed rice wrapped in seaweed sheets or rice paper, and a wide variety of fillings.  The Museum of Jurassic Technology has recreated a meditative space from medieval Andalusia as part of the Getty’s region-wide PST Art event. 

With President Trump back in the White House, Ukraine finds its once top ally has now become a wild card in its three-year war with Russia. The U.S. has frozen billions of dollars earmarked for foreign aid, significantly hampering medical, food, and other humanitarian aid and development assistance programs overseas. Instrumentalist and audio engineer Daniel Ramirez lost his family’s rental home in the Eaton Fire. He reflects on his sons’ learning music there, and what the disaster meant for his history of depression.  Kelsey McKinney hosted the podcast “Normal Gossip” for two years, spilling the tea with guests and dramatizing certain details. Her lessons about gossip are now published in a new book, which combines research, personal essays, and memoirs. 

A federal judge held an emergency hearing on Monday to consider how much access Elon Musk and his DOGE team should have to sensitive government information. Trump’s rollbacks on DEI and civil rights mark a national shift threatening decades of progress on equality and equal justice across America.  The second season of Netflix’s award-winning “Mo” is out now. For co-creator and star Mo Amer, the series and the world have gotten more complicated. Hollywood Forever Cemetary’s new, five-story-tall mausoleum will be able to store the remains of tens of thousands of people.  

The image of Elon Musk’s Tuesday press conference in the Oval Office — the unelected billionaire not even eligible to be president — punctuated the unprecedented developments we’ve seen over the past three-and-a-half weeks. Critics review the latest film releases: “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Paddington in Peru,” “Universal Language,” and “Sly Lives!” A new book explores the history of romantic comedies. The genre is as old as Shakespeare, but the modern era begins with the screwball comedies of the 1930s.

Investigators are looking into whether one of SoCal Edison’s idle power lines may have become re-energized and caused the Eaton Fire. The utility already faces over 40 lawsuits. Old press releases from ICE raids dating back to 2008 are topping Google search results, inflating the perceived number of ongoing enforcement operations.  “Death By Numbers,” now nominated for an Oscar, follows Sam Fuentes as she recovers from the Parkland school shooting and prepares to confront the gunman during his sentencing. Flip Phone February is a challenge to swear off your iPhone or Android, and return to the app-free days of the Motorola Razr. One Toronto student did this for two years.

Heavy rains could bring flash flooding and debris flows, especially in burn scar areas. Officials advise staying off the roads Thursday during the peak of the storm. Shrinking budgets, withering newsrooms, and President Trump’s assault on the free press have made covering his second administration tougher than ever. “Instruments of a Beating Heart” follows a group of first graders in Japan who form an orchestra to play Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” as part of a welcoming ceremony for the incoming class of 6-year-olds.   Valentine’s Day can mean not just romantic love, but kindness. Get a little something for that person who showed up for you this past month. Bring sweetness to someone who could use it.

A federal judge in Rhode Island says the Trump administration didn’t comply with a court order to unfreeze federal funds. Yesterday Vice President J.D. Vance said, “Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power.” Russell Vought is known in conservative circles for being an architect of Project 2025. Now he has the job to implement its goals of remaking the government. “I Am Ready, Warden,” nominated for an Oscar, follows John Henry Ramirez in the days before he was executed in Texas for murder. It also spotlights the sons of both Ramirez and his victim.  Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave, Primal Scream and other artists have produced new music compilations, including “Los Angeles Rising,” to help survivors of the recent LA fires.