Press Play With Madeleine Brand

Sonoran white wheat is core to making flour tortillas. It has resurged in the past decade thanks to its versatility in baked goods, sweet flavor, and white color.  If re-elected, Trump has vowed not to defend NATO countries that haven’t paid their full share if Russia attacks. NATO leaders are scrambling to “Trump-proof” Ukraine aid. The proposed Right to Disconnect bill allows CA employees to ignore after-hours texts from bosses. It defines nonworking hours and imposes fines on violators. Critics review the latest film releases: “La Bête,” “Monkey Man,” “Girls State,” and “Musica.” A total solar eclipse will trace a path from Texas to Maine on April 8. One zoo curator explains how her animals responded last time. 

The LA Festival of Movies debuts this week, featuring brand new films, world premieres, older independent flicks that may deserve a second look, and titles that haven’t played within the circuit yet.  The damage is still unfolding from Taiwan’s 7.4 magnitude earthquake. But strong building codes and community preparedness helped lessen the disaster. We look at how LA compares. California auto-loan tycoon Don Hankey provided a $175 million bond to Donald Trump as he appeals a civil fraud charge. He says the deal is just good business.  With a raspy voice and raw lyrics, Lola Young is poised to be one of the next major British pop artists. She shares her inspirations and career hopes.

Atlantic writer Franklin Foer examines rising antisemitism from the political left, and why what he describes as a “Golden Age for American Jews” is over. An Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza on Monday, and the U.N. is warning that a famine might be imminent.  The Florida Supreme Court enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the country this week. Abortion access is now going to be on the state’s 2024 ballot.  Amy Chozick covered Hillary Clinton’s 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns. Her memoir “Chasing Hillary” is the basis for the new Max series “The Girls on the Bus.”

Technology has devastated kids’ abilities to connect and learn. Pew data from 2022 says nearly half of teens were online almost constantly.  The state’s mandatory $20/hour minimum wage for fast food workers goes into effect on April 1, but some say that amount isn’t enough. Higher menu costs and layoffs might come.  Critics review the latest film releases: “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” “La Chimera,” “The Shadowless Tower” and “Wicked Little Letters.” The Dodgers' home opener is today as a cloud hangs over star player Shohei Ohtani due to allegations that his now-former interpreter stole millions from Ohtani to cover gambling debts. 

The Santa Monica City Council recently voted to explore compensating the descendants of a Black man named Silas White for his plot of land on Ocean Ave. New analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that Medicare spending on weight loss drugs like Ozempic rose to $5.7 billion in 2022 — up from $57 million in 2018. LA City Council officials have announced plans to eliminate traffic lanes, widen sidewalks, and add bike and bus lanes to the storied Hollywood Boulevard. An excerpt from KCRW’s Life Examined talks about building community despite our isolated lifestyles. Plus, hear practical tips for forging meaningful connections. When vegetables begin to flower, they’re reaching the end of their life cycles. But you can still eat the plants, which have an added sweetness or bitterness.