The Times: Daily news from the L.A. Times

Los Angeles Times

“The Times” is a podcast from the Los Angeles Times hosted by columnist Gustavo Arellano along with reporters from our diverse newsroom. Every weekday, our podcast takes listeners beyond the headlines, with our West Coast outlook on the world. News, entertainment, the environment, immigration, politics, the criminal justice system, the social safety net, food and culture — “The Times” exists at the epicenter of it all. Through interviews and original stories, “The Times” is the audio guide you need to understand the day’s news, the world and how California shapes it. Listen everywhere podcasts are available.

  • 4 minutes 57 seconds
    Trump Deploys 2,000 Troops to Iran as War Approaches One Month

    The United States and Israel's war on Iran is going on a month now, with Iran reportedly dismissing President Trump's ceasefire plan and offering a proposal of their own. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is ordering 2,000 soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. In total, an estimated 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed throughout the region in what the Pentagon is calling "Operation Epic Fury." And lawmakers are facing intense pressure to fund the Department of Homeland Security as travel chaos spreads across the country, with the Senate appearing to be closing in on a deal that would fund parts of DHS like TSA, but not ICE, which has been at the core of the dispute. Now, airlines are turning up the heat on lawmakers. Delta Airlines announced Wednesday that it will suspend special accommodations for members of Congress, including airport escorts and priority travel support. In business, Amazon-backed Zoox is quadrupling its autonomous vehicle service area in San Francisco and preparing for launches in Austin and Miami, and plus-size fashion retailer Torrid is shuttering a significant portion of its physical locations as it shifts focus toward digital sales. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    26 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 5 minutes 37 seconds
    Under Intense Scrutiny Over DHS, Markwayne Mullin Sworn In as Secretary and Why Discount Retailers Like Ross Are Growing in California
    Markwayne Mullin was sworn in Tuesday as DHS secretary, taking the reins of a department that's faced growing scrutiny over its immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations. The Oklahoma senator and former MMA fighter is an ally of President Trump and has long supported his predecessor, Kristi Noem. Meanwhile, a University of Southern California professor created a methodology that determined which candidates from the California gubernatorial race should be invited to a debate. That debate was supposed to happen on Tuesday night, but USC canceled it with less than 24 hours notice after they received backlash for not including any candidates of color. In business, discount retailers like Ross are seeing record growth in California as consumers pivot away from traditional department stores, and developers of the massive One Beverly Hills luxury complex have secured $4.3 billion in financing to complete the 17.5-acre project. Read more at https://LATimes.com.
    25 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 6 minutes
    Plane Crash at LaGuardia Airport Kills 2 Pilots, Injures Dozens

    At New York City's LaGuardia Airport, two pilots were killed and dozens more injured after an Air Canada plane crashed into a Port Authority fire truck. The Federal Aviation Administration closed LaGuardia until the late afternoon on Monday. The fatal collision comes as anxiety surrounding air travel is already growing due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has led to hourslong security lines at some airports tied to a nationwide shortage of TSA agents. Meanwhile, President Trump calmed some market uncertainty brought on by the war in Iran, which is entering its fourth week, announcing a five-day moratorium on U.S. attacks of Iranian energy sites; this caused oil prices to come down, with the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all ticking up. In business, California lawmakers are debating a bipartisan bill that would prohibit children under 16 from maintaining social media accounts, and Uber is partnering with Rivian to deploy up to 50,000 autonomous R2 robotaxis across North America and Europe by 2031. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    24 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 4 minutes 49 seconds
    $6.2 Billion Nexstar-Tegna Merger Closes Despite Lawsuit and SoCal Defense Startups Secure Funding Boost

    A deal to merge two of the largest local television news companies, Nexstar and Tegna, closed Thursday despite a lawsuit from the attorneys general of eight states to block it. The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department approved the $6.2 billion deal, clearing the way for Nexstar to expand its already massive broadcast operation. Meanwhile, Muslims around the world are celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It's a day traditionally greeted with joy as families and friends gather in prayer, enjoy traditional delicacies, and take part in vibrant festivities, but this year the celebration comes amid conflict, with war in and across the Middle East. In business, Edison International's CEO received a significant pay raise despite ongoing scrutiny over its potential role in the fatal Eaton Fires, and a new bipartisan bill restored billions in federal funds to help Southern California aerospace and defense startups. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    23 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 8 minutes 56 seconds
    Cesar Chavez's Legacy Under Question After Sexual Abuse Allegations and Disney Has a New CEO

    Cesar Chavez's name adorns city streets and university buildings, but later this month, Californians for the first time will celebrate Farmworkers Day after lawmakers voted on Thursday to change the name of the state holiday. This comes after a New York Times investigation came out Wednesday under the headline "Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years." It was a watershed moment and a time of reckoning with Chavez's legacy. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is racing to contain a growing global energy crisis as the war with Iran pushes oil prices further. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business on Thursday that the U.S. government could lift sanctions on Iranian oil, freeing up more than 100 million barrels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. In business, Josh D’Amaro has officially succeeded Bob Iger as CEO of Disney, and travelers face increasing ticket prices as jet fuel costs surge globally. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    20 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 6 minutes 26 seconds
    Arizona Hits Kalshi With Criminal Charges and Amazon Is Making One-Hour Deliveries

    As the Iran War rages on, it's continuing to cause ripples across the global economy, including an increase in the cost of jet fuel, meaning flights might get more expensive for consumers. Meanwhile, as controversial prediction markets take off, one of the biggest names in the industry, Kalshi, is being hit with criminal charges by the state of Arizona. And, just a year after the deadly 2025 Eaton fires, Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, which claimed responsibility for the blaze, rewarded two of their top executives with massive paydays. In business, Amazon has launched a one-hour delivery service in Los Angeles and hundreds of other cities, and Grindr is introducing AI features for premium subscribers to improve user matching and conversation tracking. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    19 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 6 minutes 19 seconds
    U.S. National Counterterrorism Center Director Resigns Over Iran War and Uber Co-Founder Leaves California

    The SAVE America Act, a controversial election bill backed by President Trump, is headed for a Senate showdown. It would be one of the largest revisions to voting rights in U.S. history. Meanwhile, National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent is resigning, writing on X that he "cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," which has left over 1,400 Iranians dead. And, Southern California is bracing for what climate scientist Daniel Swain is calling a "full on summer heat wave in March," with temperatures expected to peak Tuesday through Friday, reaching the 80s on the coast, and inland, possibly over 100 degrees. In business, Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick has confirmed his relocation to Texas, joining a growing list of billionaires leaving California ahead of a proposed 5% wealth tax, and Downtown Los Angeles advocates are pushing for the adoption of San Francisco’s "Vacant to Vibrant" program to fill retail vacancies. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    18 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 6 minutes 30 seconds
    FCC Chair Threatens to Revoke U.S. News Licenses and El Pollo Loco Announces Expansion Plans

    Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is threatening to revoke the licenses of news outlets that fail to align their reporting with what his agency deems the public interest. Meanwhile, leaders of the country's top airlines are urging Congress to end the partial government shutdown, which has left tens of thousands of TSA agents working without pay. The CEOs of American, JetBlue, Delta, and Southwest sent an open letter to lawmakers Sunday, calling on them to restore funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA. In business, El Pollo Loco plans to open 20 locations outside of California after reporting high sales numbers last year, and the luxury outdoor mall Victoria Gardens sold for $500 million dollars to a real estate venture group. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    17 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 6 minutes 58 seconds
    At Least 13 US Service Members Killed in Iran War & Senate Passes Housing Bill

    The U.S. military announced the death of six service members, who lost their lives when a refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, bringing the total to at least 13 U.S. troops killed in the Iran War. At least 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed. Meanwhile, the Senate on Thursday passed the most significant housing bill in about 35 years to address the nation's housing crisis. New data shows U.S. economic growth slowed at the end of 2025 after the record-long government shutdown. Hundreds of Los Angeles residents are wearing body cameras to record their daily chores, providing data to help train AI. And, California gas prices have reached an average of $5.20 per gallon, sparking renewed interest in electric vehicles, despite the elimination of federal tax credits and production cutbacks by major automakers. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    16 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 7 minutes 40 seconds
    California's Wealthy Go to Florida Amid Billionaire Tax Fight & IEA to Release 400 Million Barrels of Oil from Reserves

    Florida's no state income tax and pro-business policies are making it a haven for the wealthy, especially tech billionaires from California. Meanwhile, Iran's attacks on commercial ships and oil refineries in the Persian Gulf have prompted the International Energy Agency to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, with the U.S. contributing 172 million barrels. And Noma's head chef René Redzepi is stepping down from the restaurant he helped create in 2003, but his LA pop-up will go on. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    13 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 5 minutes 30 seconds
    Noma LA Pop-Up Loses Sponsors After Chef René Redzepi Abuse Allegations and Yamaha Leaves California

    The show will go on for Noma's pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles’s Silver Lake neighborhood, but some of Noma's sponsors like American Express, Resy, and Blackbird are pulling out of the 16-week event after allegations of abusive behavior by chef and co-founder René Redzepi toward his staff. Meanwhile, your trip to LAX might cost you more than usual as the airport starts charging rideshare companies like Uber, Lyft, and taxis higher access fees. The new fees will take effect later this summer when the airport opens its long-delayed automated train known as Skylink. In business, Yamaha Motor Corp. announces it will relocate its California operations to Kennesaw, Georgia, by the end of 2028, and Disney names Thomas Mazloum as the new chairman of Disney Experiences, overseeing theme parks and cruise lines. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

    12 March 2026, 10:00 am
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