Press Play with Madeleine Brand KCRW

Fava beans are one of the most ancient plants and among the easiest to grow. They’re key in Mediterranean and Middle East food cultures.
Biden’s new legislation is forcing TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the social giant to a U.S. company. TikTok plans to challenge this in court.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author David Sanger’s new book chronicles America’s plunge into simultaneous confrontations with two very different adversaries — China and Russia.

LACMA has signed on as a partner in the development of Las Vegas’ only standalone art museum. Pieces from LACMA will be on rotating loan in Vegas once the museum is complete.
Protests over the war in Gaza have engulfed college campuses across the country. Faith leaders offer guidance in these contentious times.
Tesla sales are slumping. Its trucks have been recalled to fix a safety issue. And Elon Musk seems to be alienating potential buyers with his remarks on social media.
In PBS’ “Art Happens Here,” actor John Lithgow goes back to high school to explore the power of arts education — dance, ceramics, silk-screen printing, and vocal jazz ensemble.

Erick Elliott ’s (a.k.a. Erick the Architect) first solo album, “I’ve Never Been Here Before,” features big-name collaborators like James Blake and George Clinton.
The Supreme Court appeared divided after oral arguments over a Grants Pass, an Oregon law that bans camping in public areas. Lower courts say it amounts to “cruel and unusual punishment.”
Private companies are buying farmland in rural Arizona. The goal isn’t to farm crops but to access water from the Colorado River.
In Las Vegas today, construction began on a train that would get travelers from Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County to the Las Vegas strip in about two hours.

Charoset is a melange of dried and/or fresh fruits plus nuts — all chopped or ground to a paste. It’s typically prepared for seders or Passover ritual dinners.
Two Boeing whistleblowers testified about their safety concerns in a Congressional hearing this week. KCRW looks at how the company became mired in safety issues.
The World Health Organization is warning of the dangers of bird flu, should it jump from animals to humans. Last month, a second person in the U.S. contracted the disease.
Critics review the latest film releases: “Abigail,” “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” “We Grown Now,” and “The People's Joker.”

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has been fostering abandoned sea otter pups for release into the wild. Now the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is joining the effort, rehabbing its first orphaned baby.
After months of pressure, House Speaker Mike Johnson has called a series of votes on foreign aid packages. Hard-right Republicans threaten to oust him if he follows through.
After an unsuccessful attack on Israel, Iran faces more sanctions from the West and more retaliation from Israel. How do ordinary Iranians feel about this conflict?
The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced this week that it will close the women’s prison in Dublin, California — where prison staff have reportedly assaulted inmates.
The fourth season of the award-winning “Serial” podcast tells the stories of Guantánamo Bay, from the prisoners and the people who worked there. Host Sarah Koenig shares what she uncovered.

Hilton Carter, a.k.a. The Plant Doctor, is out with “The Propagation Handbook.” He shares his tips on how to propagate plants such as pothos, ficus, succulents, and more.
USC has barred valedictorian Asna Tabassum from speaking at commencement next month. The school’s reasoning: safety concerns after groups criticized her pro-Palestinean views.
Leading the GOP coup against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a sex scandal have defined Matt Gaetz’s tenure in Congress . Yet the Florida Republican maintains influence with his party’s standard-bearer, Donald Trump.
ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” is a mockumentary that portrays the chaos within an inner-city school. Janelle James talks about playing the brash, self-centered principal.