Today, we'll start with an update on the deadly protests in Venezuela. Then, Mexico arrests wanted drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman in a joint effort with the U.S. Plus, Jason Collins becomes first openly gay player in the NBA, we meet the accountants behind the closely guarded Academy Awards votes, and much more.
Protests continue in Venezuela amid rising tensions
In Venezuela, protesters took to the streets over the weekend in opposing rallies in the nation's capital, Caracas. The marches follow two weeks of protests that have challenged President Nicolás Maduro.
The Venezuelan government has responded to recent protests with arrests and swift military action. But Could this be a turning point in the post-Chavez era?
To help answer that we called Virginia López, a journalist with The Guardian based in Caracas.
Sinaloa cartel drug lord 'El Chapo' arrested in Mexico
Authorities in Mexico have taken down the worlds most wanted drug lord. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was arrested in a joint US-Mexico operation Saturday. The head of the violent Sinaloa cartel had eluded capture for more than a decade.
Here to tell us more is Los Angeles Times reporter Sam Quinones.
Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins becomes first openly gay player in NBA
With just over 10 minutes to go in the second quarter of the Lakers game last night, an aging, journeyman 7-foot center checked into the game for the Brooklyn Nets. This wouldn't normally be newsworthy, except for the fact that it was an unremarkable NBA player with a remarkable background.
RELATED: VIDEO: Warm reception as NBA's Jason Collins makes history
Scientists test kelp for traces of Fukushima radiation
Scientists across the West Coast plan to test kelp over the next year to see if it's absorbing radioactive material from the partial Fukushima nuclear meltdown.
Three years ago when the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan was hit by a tsunami, radioactive isotopes like Cesium-134 and 137 were leaked into the ocean. Water from that initial disaster is expected to reach the West Coast later this year. KPCC's Sanden Totten reports.
On The Lot: Academy Awards prep, Hollywood budgets, on-set accident
Time for On The Lot, our weekly look at the business of entertainment with Rebecca Keegan of the LA Times.
The Oscars are less than a week away. What does it take to produce these awards? What's the inside scoop on this year's ceremony? What are they going for?
The musical numbers are always controversial, and producers are always going back and forth between having these long performances or wrapping them into a shorter medley. What will it be this year?
This is the second year for this team. Why is that such a rarity? Keegan talked to two executives of the Academy, the chief executive and the president. What did they say about why they wanted a repeat performance from this producing team?
They're in the midst of putting together an Academy museum?
The Los Angeles Times has done a lot of reporting on the lack of diversity in the Academy, and not surprisingly it’s a lot of white men. Did they comment on that issue at all?
We will concede there are other things happening in Hollywood besides the Oscars. There was a pretty big demonstration in Burbank over the weekend to support tax incentives for production. What happened there?
As we've discussed before on this show, Jerry Brown is not necessarily that sympathetic to Hollywood in the budgets he's been drawing up.
On a sad note, there was a terrible accident at one of those out-of-state shoots. In Savannah, Georgia, a young woman was actually killed on the set of a Greg Allman biopic. What happened?
Academy Awards: The accountants behind the closely-guarded Oscar vote
The Oscars are just around the corner and nothing captures the intrigue and the suspense of the night like the small rectangle of paper clutched in presenters' hands: Yes, the envelope.
Behind the winners and losers of Oscar night is a closely-guarded voting process shrouded in mystery. Today, we hear from the people who tally those votes and keep the results secret.
Price Waterhouse Coopers, or PWC, has been playing that role for 80 years and the two men who head up that effort could be known as the men behind the envelopes.
A Martinez sits down with Rick Rosas and Brian Cullinan to talk about the accounting process.
Rep. John Dingell, the longest serving member in Congress, announces retirement
The longest serving member of Congress in American history says farewell. Today, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan announced his plans to retire. The 87-year-old Democrat told the Detroit News "I don't want people to say I stayed too long." Dingell joins a long list of folks who are bidding farewell to the halls of Congress.
For more on this we're joined by NPR political editor Ron Elving.
Jeff Koons on Salvador Dalí, banality and more
Last fall, art collectors Eli and Edythe Broad launched a lecture series called the UN Private Collection. These public talks pair famous contemporary artists with cultural leaders.
Tonight, filmmaker John Waters takes to the stage to chat with artist Jeff Koons. Koons has made a name for himself with his massive colorful reproductions of objects like balloon animals. Last fall, his stainless steel sculpture titled Balloon Dog Orange became the most expensive work by a living artist sold at auction.
Jeff Koons joins the show.
Why is Oklahoma having so many earthquakes?
A new report from the U.S. Geological Survey found that when it comes to earthquakes, California had the most last year, 236 to be exact. Coming in at number two, and you would never guess this, Oklahoma.
Last year, they had 99 quakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater, and this year, they've already had another 30. For more on why the sooner state is on such shaky ground, we're joined by Robert Williams of the U.S. Geological Survey.
Drought conditions invigorate efforts to ban fracking
Fracking is always a contentious issue, and environmentalists have been fighting for a long time to put a stop to the practice. Now, because of the drought, many are calling for a ban on fracking because of the amount of water it uses.
With more we're joined by KPCC's environmental correspondent, Molly Peterson
Will Central Valley farmers suffer from lack of federal water?
Most years, Central Valley farmers receive some of their irrigation water from federal authorities.
But as we all know by now, this is not most years. California is suffering from one of the driest seasons on record. Last Friday, federal officials announced that farmers wouldn't receive a drop from its system of rivers, canals and reservoirs throughout the state.
Here to talk about the effect of this decision is Gerard Loaiza, who grows almonds in Shafter, California.
Netflix and Comcast reach deal to make streaming better
Netflix and Comcast are joining forces. Yesterday they reached an agreement they promise will help reduce the amount of time you spend waiting for your favorite show or movie to stream.
In the deal, Netflix would pay to directly connect to Comcast. For more on what this means for your TV and the rapidly changing cable/internet business , we're joined by Brooks Boliek, senior technology reporter for POLITICO.
Filmmaker Harold Ramis, of 'Ghostbusters' and 'Caddyshack' fame, dead at 69
Today, we remember another great filmmaker and actor, Harold Ramis. He died earlier today from complications of autoimmune inflammatory disease. He was 69 years old.
The Chicago Tribune first reported the death of Ramis, who was a resident of that city, early Monday:
Ramis, a longtime North Shore resident, was surrounded by family when he died at 12:53 a.m. from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disease that involves swelling of the blood vessels, his wife Erica Mann Ramis said. He was 69.
RELATED: Harold Ramis, filmmaker and actor of 'Ghostbusters' fame, has died
Ramis was a triple threat in the comedy world, an actor, writer and director.
"He had a very professorial presence, and Egon was perfect for him, because he was brilliant. He was sophisticated and literate, and he put all that in these straight man roles," said Entertainment Weekly's Anthony Breznican on Take Two. "He could cut loose, but he played straight men in a way that made them funny. Egon is so straight that he's actually all bent up and so many memorable lines from that character, and I think that's his most famous role, but if he had depended on acting he would have been pretty frustrated. Too many characters lived inside of him. He poured them all into his movies."