Press Play with Madeleine Brand

On X, Elon Musk tried to kill a short-term budget agreement between Democrats and Republicans. Congress has until midnight Friday to strike a deal to avert a shutdown.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Mufasa,” “The Room Next Door,” “The Brutalist,” and “Nickel Boys.” 

Bar cookies are easy to whip up for a crowd. Simply make the base, top it, pop the pan in the oven, and slice the bars to serve. The lemon bar is the queen of this type of pastry. 

Artist and community activist Rosten Woo’s “What Water Wants,” part of the PST ART event, is an immersive audio experience set on the banks of the LA River.

Despite ongoing concern about teen internet use, young people are online as much as ever. A new Pew survey of nearly 1,400 teens found surprising results across gender, racial, and political lines.

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar’s latest film is “The Room Next Door” — a former war correspondent has terminal cancer, makes a plan to kill herself, and asks her old friend to help. 

Film critic Alonso Duralde recommends holiday movies: “See You Next Christmas,” “Better Watch Out, “1985,” and “Christmas, Again.”

Texas sued a New York doctor who prescribed and sent abortion pills to a woman in a Dallas suburb. Texas has a near-total ban on abortion, but New York law protects doctors from lawsuits or prosecution if they send abortion medication across state lines.

The bands Pixies and The Breeders helped shape the alternative rock sound of the early ‘90s. Now, almost 40 years into her career, Kim Deal is out with her first solo album “Nobody Loves You More.”

Films are baked into the fabric of Press Play, so we’re going to pass the microphone around the staff. Meet everyone who makes this show happen, and hear about the holiday movies we can’t live without.

Hamas is reportedly willing to let Israel stage troops temporarily in Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement. Could it lead to annexation of the Palestinian territory?

LA City Council voted unanimously to approve new housing development in LA’s dense corridors, but critics say more units are needed in single-family neighborhoods.  

Critics review the latest film releases: “Kraven the Hunter,” “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” “The End,” and “September 5.” 

Sam Sanders shares his approach to a stress-free holiday; Madeleine Brand reveals the secret for a successful office party. 

Syrian rebels have taken Damascus. Their leader says he will protect minorities. What does the future look like in the war-torn state? 

LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong plans to install a "bias meter" next to every news article and op-ed. This comes after quashing the endorsement of Kamala Harris.

A federal judge rules the U.S. Naval Academy can use race as a factor in its admissions, citing the military’s unique needs regarding a diverse officer corps.

Emmy winner Ben Decter’s new musical shows the impact of his daughter’s epilepsy on their family, and the importance of communication. 

Cryptocurrency has been pumping since Donald Trump’s reelection and promise to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.”

Critics review the latest film releases: “Y2K,” “The Return,” “Get Away,” and “Nightbitch.”

At least five people are running to head the Democratic National Committee. Plus, familiar and potentially polarizing people like Rahm Emmanuel have been floated.

The best cookbooks contain stories of cultural and historical importance. Here are Evan Kleiman’s recommendations this year.

Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, after saying he wouldn’t. How did the nation’s founders want pardons to be used? Is this an abuse? 

Trump’s pick for FBI director is a loyal warrior who pledges to go after the “deep state” and anyone who stands in the president’s way. 

This week, the Supreme Court hears a challenge to a Tennessee law that bans what’s known as gender-affirming medical treatment for transgender minors.

George Frideric Handel wrote the music for “Messiah” during political and social unrest. Charles Jennens put together the text when experiencing deep despair.

In addition to China, President-elect Trump proposed new tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Will he carry through with them, or is it a negotiating tactic?

The new podcast “Backfired: Attention Deficit” looks at the origins of ADHD, the surge of diagnoses over the past few decades, and drug demands and shortages today. 

In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, women are forbidden from obtaining an education or even speaking loudly in public. “Bread & Roses” is a new documentary about three women fighting this oppression. 

The Thanksgiving table often includes rich dishes with soft textures. The next day, some crunch with a nice acidic dressing will be a welcome relief.

The annual U.N. climate summit has accomplished little, so activists are defacing priceless paintings to raise the alarm. The fight to save the planet is flagging.

Mike Huckabee and Pete Hegseth, Trump’s picks for ambassador to Israel and defense secretary, have strong pro-Israel views that may trace back to the Bible.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Wicked,” “Gladiator II,” and “The Piano Lesson.”

For five nights only at the Wallis, puppets and stage actors are bringing to life the Booker Prize-winning novel “Life & Times of Michael K.” Follow the title character’s journey through war-torn South Africa.

Ukraine fired the first U.S.-supplied long-range missiles at Russia, which has threatened a potential nuclear response. The dynamics of the war will likely change under Trump. 

President-elect Donald Trump says he’ll declare a national emergency on immigration and use the military to carry out mass deportations. Advocates for undocumented immigrants are preparing. 

“Say Nothing,” a new limited series on FX, follows the decades of violence in Northern Ireland through the eyes of the Price sisters, who went from protesting peacefully to planting bombs. 

Spatulas and other utensils made from black plastic are potentially toxic to human health, even more so than regular plastic items, researchers say. Also problematic: black food containers like sushi to-go trays.

President-elect Trump has suggested bypassing the Senate’s constitutional role providing “Advice and Consent” — to quickly install his Cabinet secretaries. 

Post-election claims of voter fraud, amplified by Republican leaders, continue on the right. Some on the left are also making claims online.

The number 47 is sacrosanct for Pomona alumni, who revere it as part of campus tradition. But what are the political implications of wearing 47 during Trump’s second presidency?

A new documentary explores the life and work of Rudolph Schindler, a Frank Lloyd Wright protege who cemented California as a global hub for modern architecture. 

Grammy winner Arooj Aftab teamed up with filmmaker Josephine Decker to create “Rise, Again,” which follows women and their children living on the fringes of LA after being evicted.

President-elect Trump has nominated former Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice, the most notable in a string of controversial Cabinet picks.

Republicans now control the White House, Senate, and the House of Representatives. Two grassroots Democrats offer their advice on how to move forward.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Red One,” “The World According to Allee Willis,” “All We Imagine as Light,” and “Hot Frosty.”

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you’re not sure about your culinary skills, or are just too exhausted, we’ve got your Turkey Day options.

Trans rights advocates are bracing for potential challenges as President-elect Donald Trump hints at policies that could threaten the community’s rights. 

Today, about one-third of office space in downtown LA sits empty. It’s a far cry from the once-booming real estate market in the city’s urban core. Why?

Martha Stewart shares her journey from self-made billionaire to prison inmate to unlikely friend of Snoop Dogg in a revealing new documentary. 

Ron Finley grew up in South LA surrounded by a severe lack of nature. It pushed him to transform sections of his neighborhood into lush, edible gardens. Now, he’s bringing his DIY gardening practice to the Hammer Museum in Westwood. 

California was at the forefront of challenging policy decisions of the first Trump administration in court and is preparing to do so again, particularly around the environment and reproductive rights. 

Anti-semitic attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam have shed light on the surprising history of the city’s most accomplished team, Ajax. Fans use hallmarks of Jewish culture to celebrate the team even though most fans aren’t Jewish themselves. 

LA-based author Rachel Kushner’s latest novel “Creation Lake” has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. The novel explores the relationship between the leader of a radical leftist commune in France and the American spy sent to infiltrate it. 

The Lijadu Sisters helped define the Afrobeat sound of 1970s Nigeria when the scene was largely dominated by men. Now record label Numero Group is remastering and re-releasing the sisters’ five albums.

A majority of women voters cast ballots for Kamala Harris. But Harris did worse among women voters than Joe Biden did in 2020. Why?

The war in Ukraine, the future of NATO, and what across-the-board tariffs could mean for Europe’s economy all loom large in a second Trump administration. 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he may end wars as a gesture towards Trump, according to NPR. But doing so is complicated for both men.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Heretic,” “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” “Christmas Eve in Miller's Point,” and “Small Things Like These.”