Press Play with Madeleine Brand

President Trump claims crime is rising in D.C., when it’s actually down there — and across the country. Critics say his rhetoric is part of a longer history of “copaganda.” The Dodgers hit a rough patch, losing to the Angels and slipping to second place in the NL West. LAFC made headlines by signing soccer star Son Heung-Min. Tennis legend Venus Williams returns to the US Open at 45. Critics review the latest film releases: “Highest 2 Lowest,” “Nobody 2,” “The Knife,” “Went Up the Hill.” Who doesn’t love noodles? Japchae is served hot or cold, with bouncy and chewy sweet potato starch noodles. Hiyashi chuka is cold and found in many ramen shops.

After two months of denied access, Rep. Brad Sherman tours LA’s secretive ICE facility, raising questions about masked raids, detainee living conditions, and oversight rights. Matt, 19, got hormones and surgery through CHLA. After the hospital ended its gender-affirming care, he turned to a new clinic but is considering leaving the U.S. By now, you or someone you know has probably ridden a Waymo in LA. What lies ahead for the company, its rivals, human ride-share drivers, and customers? Around 160,000 Americans still receive dial-up internet. AOL is ending the service. KCRW takes a trip down the memory superhighway.

Pali High starts its new academic term on August 13. Instruction will still temporarily happen at the old Sears in Santa Monica. There’s optimism for rebuilding the old campus and community. Over the weekend, an Israeli airstrike killed Anas Al-Sharif and four other Al Jazeera journalists in what the Israeli military said was a targeted attack on their media tent. In the novel “Wanting,” two childhood friends grow up and commit to lives they feel were never meant for them, and begin questioning their choices. In the early 1990s, there was no bigger football team than the Dallas Cowboys. The team won three Super Bowls in four years, before the dynasty fell apart amid rampant allegations of drug use and violence.

A new chapter is unfolding in the power struggle between President Trump and cities as he sends the National Guard into DC — and defends the LA deployment in court. UC regents are meeting to discuss whether to settle with the Trump administration over their freezing of grants. But an appeals court may unfreeze the money first. New research reveals the death toll from the January fires in LA County may be far higher than official counts. Many deaths linked to smoke, stress, and health disruptions are unreported. “Woody at Home, Volume 1 and 2” contains Woody Guthrie’s 22 previously unreleased songs that protest against racism, facism, and corruption.

LAUSD starts its new academic term a week from today. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho talks about student proficiency in math and reading, enrollment, and protecting kids from ICE raids. Writer Peter Beinart says American Jews need to reckon with Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, and they should support equality for Palestinians. Critics review the latest film releases: “Freakier Friday,” “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley,” “Weapons,” and “Souleymane’s Story.”

The Trump administration froze UCLA’s roughly 800 grants, covering research into medicine, science, energy, and climate. How are scholars and the university responding? Luke Farritor, a 23-year-old tech prodigy with no government experience, is at the center of sweeping federal cuts reshaping how government works. For about a decade, the director of the Knoedler Gallery ended up buying fake art from a Bonnie and Clyde-like duo. An FBI criminal probe and lawsuits ensued. Garlic brings its unique aroma, pungency, heat, and sometimes mellow nuttiness to each dish you’re making.

Texas lawmakers are trying to gerrymander their way to five more Republican seats in Congress. California Democrats want to retaliate — can they? Will fully autonomous military machines be the future of war, or will nations like the U.S. abide by certain constraints? Nobuyuki Matsuhisa — whose signature sushi flavors feature citrus, cilantro, and spice — owns restaurants and hotels worldwide. He’s the focus of a new documentary. Influencers have been posting videos of themselves sampling Erewhon products, and now the store has become one of LA’s biggest tourist destinations.

A federal appeals court upholds a ruling that blocks ICE from broad immigration stops in LA, raising questions about what this means for immigrant communities and enforcement moving forward. President Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship is not faring well in court. This time, the Supreme Court may not save him. COVID ticked up in parts of California and is expected to peak in the LA area in late August. Should you get boosted now? Jeff Buckley’s vocals drew comparisons to Nina Simone and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. He died at age 30, but his fan base is still strong today. He’s the subject of Amy Berg’s new documentary.

France and Canada have promised to formally recognize Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly in September. The U.K. will join them if Israel doesn’t agree to a ceasefire with Hamas. Humans are extracting fresh water from underground aquifers, accelerating the drying of land all over the world and driving sea level rise, according to a new study. Critics review the latest film releases: “The Naked Gun,” “Bad Guys 2,” “Together,” and “Folktales.” Consider these cold soup recipes: One from Eastern Europe, one from Spain, and one starring the summer ingredient corn.

A 2009 Obama-era environmental finding has underpinned a lot of climate-related regulation. It’s now the latest target of the Trump administration. Street vending in LA is now tougher than when it was illegal, a MacArthur Park clothes merchant says. SB 635 would prohibit state agencies from sharing street vendor data with ICE. Ever wonder what your life would look like if you made one radically different choice? Magician Penn Jillette takes that idea and runs with it in his new book. An unattractive little plush doll from China has taken the world by storm. Labubus’ rising popularity also comes with higher price tags, sparking an underground market of counterfeits.

UCLA is the latest college to settle an antisemitism case, and it will give several million to Jewish organizations. A lawsuit by pro-Palestinian activists remains pending. 6.6% of college-educated 20 to 24-year-olds are unemployed and actively job-hunting, according to the Labor Department. Why are they struggling to launch? Employers in coveted fields are turning to AI instead of hiring recent college graduates. The white-collar sector is threatened. ‘It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ is the defining American sitcom because it satirizes the dark side of human nature, argues M.H. Miller.

UCLA is the latest college to settle an antisemitism case, and it will give several million to Jewish organizations. A lawsuit by pro-Palestinian activists remains pending. 6.6% of college-educated 20 to 24-year-olds are unemployed and actively job-hunting, according to the Labor Department. Why are they struggling to launch? Employers in coveted fields are turning to AI instead of hiring recent college graduates. The white-collar sector is threatened. ‘It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ is the defining American sitcom because it satirizes the dark side of human nature, argues M.H. Miller.

In response to Texas’ plan to redraw its congressional map to add GOP seats, CA Gov. Newsom is threatening to redistrict here to add Democratic seats. Is it legal? Considered the most powerful psychedelic, 5-MeO DMT causes extreme trips that last only 30 minutes. Two startups are trying to take it to market as a depression treatment. Lollapalooza runs July 31 to August 3 in Chicago. Three decades ago, it was the country’s biggest music festival. It peaked with the 1995 lineup, argues NYT culture editor David Malitz. Last week’s “South Park” season premiere targeted President Trump for his lawsuits against media companies. What’s next for creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone?

In response to Texas’ plan to redraw its congressional map to add GOP seats, CA Gov. Newsom is threatening to redistrict here to add Democratic seats. Is it legal? Considered the most powerful psychedelic, 5-MeO DMT causes extreme trips that last only 30 minutes. Two startups are trying to take it to market as a depression treatment. Lollapalooza runs July 31 to August 3 in Chicago. Three decades ago, it was the country’s biggest music festival. It peaked with the 1995 lineup, argues NYT culture editor David Malitz. Last week’s “South Park” season premiere targeted President Trump for his lawsuits against media companies. What’s next for creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone?

ICYMI...something you should know from the team at Press Play.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has filed felony charges against 38 ICE protestors, but only secured seven indictments. Some in his office question whether his approach is based on the evidence. PBS SoCal is losing millions in funding from the federal government. The cuts to public broadcasting will be particularly felt in rural areas. Can the system survive? Critics review the latest film releases: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “AJ Goes To The Dog Park,” “Cloud,” and “Diciannove.” DineLA Restaurant Week is an opportunity to support the local restaurant community after it was hit by COVID shutdowns, the Hollywood strikes, and January wildfires.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has filed felony charges against 38 ICE protestors, but only secured seven indictments. Some in his office question whether his approach is based on the evidence. PBS SoCal is losing millions in funding from the federal government. The cuts to public broadcasting will be particularly felt in rural areas. Can the system survive? Critics review the latest film releases: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “AJ Goes To The Dog Park,” “Cloud,” and “Diciannove.” DineLA Restaurant Week is an opportunity to support the local restaurant community after it was hit by COVID shutdowns, the Hollywood strikes, and January wildfires.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said ICE was conducting a “reign of terror” in Los Angeles. Ironically, it was the War on Terror that produced ICE in the first place. A proposed housing authority to help people affected by Palisades and Eaton Fires is on hold after some residents, like reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, complained. The 2025 California Biennial at the OC Museum of Art features works and artifacts from teen artists and adults reflecting on their teen years. It’s called “Desperate, Scared, but Social.” Ozzy Osbourne died on Tuesday at age 76. He transformed his image from Black Sabbath frontman to irascible TV dad. “The Osbournes” set the scene for the glut of celebrity TV family shows that followed.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said ICE was conducting a “reign of terror” in Los Angeles. Ironically, it was the War on Terror that produced ICE in the first place. A proposed housing authority to help people affected by Palisades and Eaton Fires is on hold after some residents, like reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, complained. The 2025 California Biennial at the OC Museum of Art features works and artifacts from teen artists and adults reflecting on their teen years. It’s called “Desperate, Scared, but Social.” Ozzy Osbourne died on Tuesday at age 76. He transformed his image from Black Sabbath frontman to irascible TV dad. “The Osbournes” set the scene for the glut of celebrity TV family shows that followed.

Since the end of the last cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in March, people in Gaza are facing increasingly dire humanitarian conditions. Over nearly seven decades, research conducted at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory taught us that global warming is happening and humans are causing most of it. Trump's proposed budget for 2026 would shutter the observatory. Before “Mister Rogers” or “Sesame Street,” Shari Lewis created, voiced, and performed a diminutive sock puppet named Lamb Chop. Her story is the focus of a new documentary.