Facebook users will be warned before sharing a story that's actually fake news, the social media giant says. Bogus news site — such as these stories from "USA Daily News 24," a site that's registered in Veles, Macedonia, have been blamed for the spread of misinformation online.; Credit: Raphael Satter/AP

The investigation into President Trump’s Administration’s ties to Russia isn’t losing traction.

As reported by NPR, Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled for a closed-door meeting with the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday to discuss his father’s campaign contacts during the 2016 presidential race. The conversation will likely revolve around Trump Jr.’s meeting last year with a Russian lawyer who claimed to have dirt on Hillary Clinton.

In other news, The New York Times reported that Facebook ran $100,000 worth of divisive political ads during the presidential campaign which came from fake accounts connected to the Kremlin. The ads didn’t mention candidates in the race. Instead, they focused on issues such as race, gun control and immigration. Facebook disclosed the findings to Senate and White House intelligence committees. The news points to larger implications of how Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential campaign.

Libby Denkmann speaks to NPR’s Phil Ewing for the latest on a roundup of Trump-Russia investigation news.

Guest:

Phil Ewing, national security editor for NPR; he tweets @philewing

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

In this NOAA handout image, NOAA's GOES satellite shows Hurricane Irma as it moves towards the Florida Coast as a category 4 storm in the Caribbean Sea taken at 14:45 UTC on September 08, 2017.; Credit: Handout/Getty Images

Irma continues its approach this morning, with the current forecast predicting the hurricane hitting the shoreline early this Sunday.

According to the current National Hurricane Center forecast, Irma will barrel through South Florida upwards through Broward and Palm Beach counties and even higher up North. Meanwhile, Miami and Florida Keys residents are continuing to evacuate, in what could be one of the biggest mass evacuations in the U.S.

We get the latest on Irma with a reporter in Miami.

Guest:

Jenny Staletovich, environment and hurricane reporter for the Miami Herald; she tweets @jenstaletovich

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testifies during a hearing before the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee May 24, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made news Thursday during a speech at George Mason University in Virginia.

DeVos announced that her department plans to review guidelines set for by the Obama Administration on campus sexual assault. As reported by CNN, the move was sparked by concerns that due process is currently lacking for accused individuals. Title IX is a law prohibiting federally funded schools and programs from committing discriminatory practices based on sex. In his first term, the Obama Administration issued a memo known as a “dear colleague” letter which gave guidance on how schools should handle allegations of sexual assault.

One of the most notable points in the letter was to create Title IX panels to review evidence in sexual assault investigations. DeVos said in her announcement that her department “will launch a transparent notice-and-comment process to incorporate the insights of all parties in developing a better way."

So what will that process look like and how will it impact Title IX? Larry speaks to legal experts to find out more.

Guests:

Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a national nonprofit that advocates for university student and faculty rights and have been involved in campus due process issues

Carly N. Mee, staff attorney at SurvJustice, an organization based in Washington, D.C. advocating for sexual assault survivors; her work focuses on Title IX

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

; Credit: Sean MacEntee/Flickr Creative Commons

Thursday, one of the three big credit report companies Equifax said the stored users data was hacked.

The cyber attack may have compromised 143 million American consumers, putting their personal information and social security numbers at risk of identity theft. Credit report agencies are particularly vulnerable to massive data breaches, since they tend to contain a comprehensive package of identity information. Using the names, addresses, and social security numbers stolen from Equifax, thieves could impersonate consumers with lenders, potentially ruining the credit of the victim. In recent years, attacks have prompted many data companies to find alternatives to social security numbers.

There are other forms of identity available: IRS has an unique tax-filing number for identity theft victims, a company named Threat Metrix offers an identity based on one’s digital footprint, even Equifax provides a digital ID for its users.

But how far are we in applying these alternative identities on a federal level? Which one of the solutions out there provide the most secure protections? Host Larry Mantle sits down with Avivah Litan, analyst and cyber security specialist at Gartner Research, to talk about the future of online identity.

You can visit the Equifax site to check if your information has been compromised.

Guests:

Avivah Litan, vice president and analyst in Gartner Research

Eva Velasquez, President/CEO at the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit focused on educating the public on issues revolving around identity theft and cyber security

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

; Credit: Courtesy of 88.5 KCSN

Two noncommercial radio stations will join forces in the hope of creating a public radio juggernaut in the already crowded LA radio market.

Both stations -- KCSN in Northridge and KSBR in Mission Viejo -- share the same FM frequency 88.5. The combined entity, branded “The New 88.5” will adopt KCSN’s adult album alternative format, focusing on pop, rock and other musical genres.

Separately, KCSN and KSBR have an audience of about 1 million listeners. Their marriage could reach a potential 11.5 million listeners.

Guest:

Sky Daniels, program director of KCSN-FM, based at Cal State Northridge

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Students at GALS LA, the first non-charter single-sex school for traditional public school students to open in California in 20 years.; Credit: Eric Borzi

Single-gender education is a highly debated topic among educators, and argument continues with AB 23, which would prompt new schools to open around the state.

The bill, which has been amended several times, is part of a larger conversation around discrimination and scientific proof. As written in an Education Week op-ed, the bill opens questions about civil rights and segregation under the rouse of school choice.

But proponents point out that STEM or STEAM programs targeting girls help them get a leg up on subjects where women lack influence. Distraction is also an age-old argument for separating male and female students.

So what do you think about single-gender schools? Are there instances where separation is beneficial for students?

Guests:

Carrie Wagner, executive director at Girls Athletic Leadership School in Los Angeles, one of two new all-girls campuses in the LAUSD currently serving 6th and 7th graders

Juliet A. Williams, gender studies professor and chair of the Social Sciences Interdepartmental Program at UCLA; she also authored the book, “The Separation Solution?: Single-Sex Education and the New Politics of Gender Equality” (University of California Press, 2016)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

People wade through a flooded neighborhood in Bonita Springs, Florida, northeast of Naples, on September 11, 2017, after Hurricane Irma hit Florida.; Credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images

Hurricane Irma continues to batter the Florida peninsula as it makes its way into the southeastern United States.

National Hurricane Center models show what’s left of Irma making its way northwest across Georgia and Alabama and potentially even as far north as western Tennessee and Kentucky. As of AirTalk Monday, the storm is swirling above eastern Georgia and South Carolina, bringing wind and heavy rain to cities like Macon, GA and Charleston, SC. Millions across Florida remain without power as cities like Naples and Miami begin to survey the damage while others like Jacksonville are still flooding, though the extent of the damage in many areas is still unknown.

In our weekly political roundtable, Larry and AirTalk’s political experts look at how Congress plans to find money for Irma relief with FEMA running low after Harvey.

Plus, we’ll explore the implications of President Trump’s debt relief deal with Democrats and what it means for Republicans, recap former senior White House adviser Steve Bannon’s “60 Minutes” interview, speculate on what might happen if one Congressional faction were to go rogue on tax reform and forecast troubles on the horizon for Democrats in 2018 and 2020.

Guests:

Gene Wexler, reporter/anchor at News 96.5 WDBO in Orlando, FL; he tweets @GeneWexler

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies; he is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets @RodStrategies

Sean T. Walsh, Republican political analyst and partner at Wilson Walsh Consulting in San Francisco; he is a former adviser to California Governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a former White House staffer for Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Taylor Swift poses in the press room at the The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

Taylor Swift recently released the first single of her upcoming sixth album, and it’s... different.

A “Bad Blood”-esque revenge anthem on steroids, “Look What You Made Me Do” trades Swift’s typical catchy hooks for a melody more spoken than sung. Instead of long, flowing dresses and beautiful landscapes, the music video is rife with snakes, graveyards and references to Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” And the old Taylor? Oh, she’s dead.

Swift only just cemented her drastic shift from country singer to pop star with 2014’s “1989.” But “Look What You Made Me Do” and the following single “... Ready For It?” go a step further and attempt to rebrand Swift from the relatable girl-next-door she’s been for the last decade to a bitter, wronged titan of pop music who no longer cares what anyone thinks.

Swift is far from the first prominent artist to make a significant shift in music or persona – but will she be successful? Which artists have been successful making such transformations in the past, and which have failed to sell their new image? Larry speaks with LA Times music critic Mikael Wood about Swift’s newest reinvention and the trailblazers who successfully and unsuccessfully rebranded their careers before her.

Guest:

Mikael Wood, pop music critic for the LA Times

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The peloton rides past the California State Capitol building during Stage 4 of the Amgen Breakaway From Heart Disease Women's Race empowered with SRAM on May 14, 2017 in Sacramento, California.; Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

From “sanctuary state” legislation to highly debated housing bills, there is a lot to vote on before Friday in Sacramento.

As reported by Los Angeles Daily News, these and other proposals need to be decided on before the end of the week, or else they’ll have to wait until January. That’s made for a busy week at the state capital, and bills with the highest stakes attached are California’s housing package: SB 2, SB 3 and SB 35. There’s also SB 17, which aims to control prescription drug costs and SB 34, or the “sanctuary state” bill which would restrict how much communication is permitted between state law enforcement and federal immigration officers. So what other bills are set to a vote this week? Larry speaks to KQED’s Guy Marzorati to find out more.

Guest:

Guy Marzorati, reporter for KQED’s California politics and government desk; he tweets @GuyMarzorati

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during a product launch event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California on October 27, 2016.; Credit: JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images

Apple is announcing the latest iPhone today in its Cupertino headquarter.

This event marks the tenth year anniversary of the iconic mobile device, and the company has aptly named the new incarnation the iPhone X. Industry analysts expect a $1000 price tag on the product, without discount packages from various mobile carriers.

Is this $1k cellphone the turning point where Apple fans start looking for alternatives? Or are users so entrenched in the tech ecosystem that it’s difficult to get out? How has the phone evolved in the past ten years to end up where it is now? Host Larry Mantle goes through the history of the cult device with Ian King, tech reporter for Bloomberg, and Brian Merchant, editor at Motherboard at VICE.

Guest:

Ian King, San Francisco-based tech reporter for Bloomberg 

Brian Merchant, editor at Motherboard, the science and technology arm of VICE, and author of “The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone” (Little, Brown and Company, June 2017); he tweets @bcmerchant

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A student walks near Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA on April 23, 2012.; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The UC system is making a push this fall to attract students who are the first in their families to go to college.

The #FIRSTGEN program will connect this group of students with faculty members who were also first-generation college students themselves.

About 42 percent of undergraduates at the UC schools are first-generation students.

What are the challenges a first-generation college student faces? Call us at 866 893 5722 if you are the first in your family to attend college to tell us about your experience.

Guests:

Gary Clark, director of undergraduate admission at UCLA

Julie Ajinkya, vice president of applied research at the Institute for Higher Education Policy, a research and policy organization that focuses on post-secondary education; one of her research foci is higher education degree completion for underserved populations

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Jamie Hale talks to a patient about growing cannabis during the pot farmers market at the California Heritage Market in Boyle Heights.; Credit: Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC

It’s been nine months since California legalized marijuana.

Despite push from law enforcement and politicians, only 11 percent of the state’s growers have joined the legal system by applying for permits. Most growers are choosing to stay in the dark, turning down the promises of tax incentive and easy transition. The unclear requirements and deadlines have not made it easy for growers to apply for permit. In addition, the hidden financial burden is far greater than previously measured. Most growers are required to repair bumpy roads and fix up their homestead, and the combined cost could end up being hundreds of thousands of dollars. Culturally, there has always been simmering mistrust between law enforcement and farmers.

Host Larry Mantle talks with Hezekiah Allen, Executive Director of the California Growers Association, on what this means for the legalization movement going forward.

Guest:

Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a double that scored Corey Seager #5 in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 11, 2017 in San Francisco, California.; Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Dodgers have just passed a threshold, and it’s not good.

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the team is going through its longest losing streak in 73 years. There were different lineup strategies to break the streak, but efforts to get a win haven’t worked. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said half-jokingly that a future option may be pulling the lineup out of a hat. And it didn’t matter that the team scored more runs in the wee hours Tuesday morning than any other game they played this month. The Dodgers lost 8-6 to the San Francisco Giants in the rainy all-nighter. It was L.A.’s 16th loss out of 17 games.

For even casual observers, caring about the Dodgers is in the bones of many Angelenos. So why is this streak historic and what’s contributed to the Dodger’s losses? Fans of the game and resident KPCC hosts A Martinez and Nick Roman join Larry to talk about the past and future of the team.

Guests:

A Martinez, host of KPCC’s Take Two; he tweets @amartinezla

Nick Roman, host of KPCC All Things Considered; he tweets @Romanontheradio

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly looks on as President Donald Trump speaks following a meeting on infrastructure at Trump Tower, August 15, 2017 in New York City.; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

It’s been over a month since John Kelly left his post as Secretary of Homeland Security to become President Trump’s chief of staff, following the ouster of his predecessor, former Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus.

The retired four-star Marine general was tapped at the end of July to bring a new management style to the West Wing following Mr. Priebus’ tenure, which was hampered by internal leaks that became distractions from the administration’s agenda. Kelly, it was believed, would run a much tighter ship, shore up the leakier parts of the administration, and have more control over both the amount of time people spend with the president as well as the flow of information to him. The style seems to be reflected in his own office, where Gen. Kelly’s deputy Kirstjen Nielsen reportedly has her own tight grip on how many people speak to the general and what information gets to him, a style that has rubbed some the wrong way.

So, how are things going in the Kelly White House? What’s changed? Is it indeed less of a distraction than it was? How does John Kelly’s management style fit in with other chiefs of staff? What characteristics are most important to being successful in the role?

Guests:

Annie Karni, White House reporter for POLITICO; her piece from this weekend is titled “Kelly’s deputy annoys Trump aides with rigid style;” she tweets @anniekarni

Chris Whipple, author of “The Gatekeepers: How The White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency” (Penguin Random House, 2017); he is also a documentary filmmaker and a former producer for CBS News’ ‘60 Minutes’ and ABC News ‘PrimeTime’; he tweets @ccwhip

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) speaks during a press conference at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco on July 7, 2017 in San Francisco, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Dianne Feinstein made waves last week when she questioned a 7th Circuit appellate court justice nominee about her ability to keep her religious beliefs from interfering with her job.

As reported by The Atlantic, the nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor who had previously clerked for the late Antonin Scalia, was criticized by Feinstein for a paper Barrett had co-written as a law student. The paper examined the potential for one’s Catholic beliefs to intersect with the law, particularly in death penalty cases. Barrett wrote that a judge should not let religious leanings bear weight when the law was involved, and any judge who could not set their faith aside should recuse themselves.

But Feinstein was not convinced, and brought up hypothetical questions about how issues like abortion would be handled. In a continuously divisive political climate that often has roots in religion, questions about personal beliefs and the law are become more prominent. But should judicial nominees have their religious leanings held against them?

Guest:

Garrett Epps, professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Baltimore; he covers the Supreme Court for “The Atlantic”

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Players of Saarland and Mittelrhein fight for the ball during a match of the under 14 Girls Federal Cup at Sport School Wedau.; Credit: Juergen Schwarz/Bongarts/Getty Images

Youth sports is in decline, according to a new report published by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association and the Aspen Institute.

Between the high cost of coaching and specialization, athletic participation for kids is down almost 8 percent over the past ten years. Resource is a big factor in the decline, especially that from the family. Children from low-income households are half as likely to play  team sports than children from households earning at least $100,000. And private coaching sessions can add up for leagues, according to the study.

Why do we see up and down trends for sports? What does it mean when youth sports professionalize? What’s the role of parental participation in the world of recreational league? Larry Mantle asks these questions to Jacob Bogage, sports writer for the Washington Post.

Guest:

Jacob Bogage, sports writer for the Washington Post; he wrote the article “Youth sports study: Declining participation, rising costs and unqualified coaches”

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Stickers are lined up for voters at a polling place inside Barrio Action Youth & Family Center in El Sereno on Tuesday afternoon, June 7, 2016 during the California primary election.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

The California Legislature is moving forward on a plan to switch the state's presidential primary election from June to March, a move that would change the national strategy for presidential candidates but has unclear implications for local voters.

S.B. 568 appears to have broad support among lawmakers. Final votes in the Senate and Assembly are expected by Friday; it would then advance to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature.

Read the rest of Mary’s story here.

Guest:

Mary Plummer, senior politics reporter for KPCC who’s been following the story; she tweets @maryplummer

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Bernie Sanders speaks during a Stop Trumpcare emergency rally with MoveOn.org at Express Live on June 25, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio.; Credit: Duane Prokop/Getty Images for MoveOn.org

Sen. Bernie Sanders will publicly unveil a new version of his single-payer healthcare bill today.

Among his ticket of early supporters and 15 co-sponsors include Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) and Tom Udall (D-New Mexico). Following a House bill allowing Medicare for all, the bill will eventually die in a GOP Congress. But aside from political debate, what does universal health care need to succeed in America?

AirTalk dives into a full hour of analysis with economists and policy experts.

Guests:

Margot Sanger-Katz, health care correspondent for the New York Times; she has been following the story; she tweets @sangerkatz

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies; he is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets @RodStrategies

Nomiki Konst, correspondent for The Young Turks Network and a former Bernie Sanders surrogate in 2016

Gerald Kominski, professor of health policy and management and director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Tevi Troy, CEO of the American Health Policy Institute and author of the book, "Shall We Wake the President? Two Centuries of Disaster Management from the Oval Office"

Richard M. Scheffler, a professor of health economics and public policy at UC Berkeley

Sally C. Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on free-market solutions to policy problems

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A member of the Ku Klux Klan shouts at counter protesters during a rally, calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 8, 2017.; Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images

Forty-six percent of California voters says the state had gone too far in allowing white nationalists to demonstrate, according to a new study published by UC Berkeley.

When divided along party lines, the survey shows that nearly half of Republicans believe in rights to demonstrate, compared to 39 percent Democrats.

With tensions rising between the general public and white supremacists, ideas around free speech are continuously in question. Should perceived ‘hate’ speech be curtailed? What are the implications socially and legally?

Guests:

Mark DiCamillo, director of IGS Poll at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies; he conducted the survey

Stephen Rohde, civil liberties lawyer at Rohde & Victoroff and author of “Webster’s New World American Words of Freedom” (Webster’s New World, 2001); past president of ACLU Southern California

Laura Beth Nielsen, professor of sociology and director of the Center for Legal Studies at Northwestern University; she is the author of “License to Harass: Law, Hierarchy, and Offensive Public Speech” (Princeton University Press, 2006)

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Interim White House communications director Hope Hicks stands with deputy campaign manager David Bossie and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on Election Day in the Devos Place November 8, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hope Hicks, who was named interim White House communications director in earlier this summer, has now been officially hired.

An early addition to Trump’s presidential campaign, Hicks became the youngest White House communications director in history.

The same week Hicks was brought in to fill a high-profile vacancy, Kraft Heinz, the company known for its namesake Ketchup and Velveeta cheese, named David Knopf, a 29-year-old vice president, as its new chief financial officer. Whether it is the business world or the political arena, a large age difference with one’s peer could potentially cause friction.  

What has been your experience working with people in a different age group? Is there a particular industry where age gaps are more prevalent than others?

Call 866-893-5722 and share your story.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.