Politics

A fraction of people in temporary shelters end up in permanent housing, according to CalMatters’ year-long investigation. Conditions are squalid. Fraud is rampant.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Trump administration’s classification of sex as either “male” or “female” erases the nearly 2% of people who are intersex.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The San Clemente City Council voted down a ban on giving food to strangers in public, including unhoused people.

San Clemente rejects proposal to ban feeding unhoused people

The San Clemente City Council voted down a ban on giving food to strangers in public, including unhoused people.

from KCRW Features

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…

Federal workers sue to challenge Musk’s accomplishments directive

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…

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Some Democrats and a few Republicans have announced they’re running in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race.

Who will be California’s next governor?

Some Democrats and a few Republicans have announced they’re running in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Donald Trump points fingers at Volodymyr Zelensky about the war with Russia. Should the president take accountability for the DOJ? Plus, how valuable are political rallies?

Trump sours on Zelensky amid US talks with Russia

Donald Trump points fingers at Volodymyr Zelensky about the war with Russia. Should the president take accountability for the DOJ? Plus, how valuable are political rallies?

from Left, Right & Center

Germany holds federal elections on Sunday, and the far-right AFD party is expected to make significant gains. Its candidate for chancellor is the charismatic Alice Weidel.

Far-right political party poised to make big gains in German elections

Germany holds federal elections on Sunday, and the far-right AFD party is expected to make significant gains. Its candidate for chancellor is the charismatic Alice Weidel.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Trump wants to stop funding schools with diversity initiatives. LAUSD officials fear losing more than a billion dollars in federal funding.

How much federal funding could LA schools lose under Trump?

Trump wants to stop funding schools with diversity initiatives. LAUSD officials fear losing more than a billion dollars in federal funding.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

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.

USAID programs fighting to justify their existence to Trump

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.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

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.

Trump, Zelensky trade barbs as peace talks get underway (without Ukraine)

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.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

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.

Judge weighs blocking Musk, DOGE, from accessing sensitive government info

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.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Trump’s rollbacks on DEI and civil rights mark a national shift threatening decades of progress on equality and equal justice across America.

Dismantling diversity: Trump’s civil rights rollbacks

Trump’s rollbacks on DEI and civil rights mark a national shift threatening decades of progress on equality and equal justice across America.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The right says it’s pushing back on cancel culture. Are they just redefining it? Plus, the president banishes pennies and paper straws.

Is the right spearheading a new form of language policing?

The right says it’s pushing back on cancel culture. Are they just redefining it? Plus, the president banishes pennies and paper straws.

from Left, Right & Center

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…

‘The largeness of the weirdness’: Making sense of Trump’s first 3-plus weeks

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…

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Old press releases from ICE raids dating back to 2008 are topping search results, inflating the perceived number of ongoing enforcement operations.

Google results overstate the number of current ICE raids

Old press releases from ICE raids dating back to 2008 are topping search results, inflating the perceived number of ongoing enforcement operations.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Shrinking budgets, withering newsrooms, and President Trump’s assault on the free press have made covering his second administration tougher than ever.

‘Facts are getting across, but I’m not sure the truth is’: Covering Trump 2.0

Shrinking budgets, withering newsrooms, and President Trump’s assault on the free press have made covering his second administration tougher than ever.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Locals are frustrated as scenes of open drug use and misery play out day and night in a central LA park. Officials pledge outreach and cleanup.

Fentanyl grips MacArthur Park as officials talk cleanup

Locals are frustrated as scenes of open drug use and misery play out day and night in a central LA park. Officials pledge outreach and cleanup.

from KCRW Features

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.

Constitutional crisis? RI judge says Trump isn’t following court order

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.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

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.

Russell Vought: The man Trump picked to remake government agencies

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.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

What do young people think of the American Dream? Not much, says a new UCLA study, but many of them want to disrupt the status quo like Trump.

Gen Z finds Trump and Musk inspiring, says UCLA study

What do young people think of the American Dream? Not much, says a new UCLA study, but many of them want to disrupt the status quo like Trump.

from KCRW Features