What to know as tension simmers between Iran and Israel
A senior U.S. administration official said Iran is preparing to “imminently” launch a ballistic missile attack on Israel, and warned of “severe consequences” should it take place. The official, who spoke anonymously to discuss the intelligence, said the U.S. is actively supporting Israeli defensive preparations. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning Monday to Iran, which backs Hezbollah and Hamas. “There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach," Netanyahu said, just days after an airstrike south of Beirut killed the leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which Tehran backs. Hezbollah’s acting leader, Naim Kassem, promised the group will fight on following the death Friday of its long-time chief Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has also assassinated several of the group’s top commanders in recent days. Kassem said the group’s fighters are ready and the slain commanders have already been replaced. Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire across the Lebanon border almost daily since Oct. 8, the day after Hamas sent fighters into Israel and sparked the war in Gaza. It's been almost a year since some 250 people were abducted from Israel, and friends and family are worried about their loved ones as attention turns away from hostages and north toward Lebanon.
Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by Raphael S. Cohen, director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program of RAND Project Air Force, and Ray Takeyh, senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
With files from the Associated Press
California's 45th Congressional District: Democratic challenger Derek Tran
In 2022, Michelle Steel beat out Jay Chen, the democratic candidate for District 45, turning the previously blue district red. District 45 includes the cities of Fountain Valley, Westminster, Garden Grove, Cypress, Buena Park, Cerritos, Artesia, La Palma, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, and parts of Brea, Lakewood, Fullerton, and Yorba Linda. This year, another democratic candidate, Derek Tran, faces off with the Republican incumbent. A political newcomer, Tran is an attorney and veteran. If he wins, he will be the first Vietnamese American to represent the district that houses Little Saigon. Joining us today on AirTalk is Derek Tran, the Democratic candidate running for CA District 45. He is a consumer- and employee-rights attorney and owns an independent pharmacy with his wife.
As of the airing of this interview, Representative Michelle Steele, who currently represents California's 45th Congressional District, has not responded to multiple requests from AirTalk to either participate in a debate with Derek Tran or to join Larry Mantle for a one-on-one interview. AirTalk welcomes the opportunity to speak with Rep. Steele at her convenience and will continue to try and make contact with her campaign.
For more information on the District 45 race, click here to visit LAist's Voter Game Plan.
Triple Play: Previewing the Dodgers’ path to the World Series (and a quick Angels postmortem)
The 2024 MLB season is in the books, and once again the Dodgers are tops in the National League with a league-best 98 wins and yet another NL West title under their belts. Carried by the historic MVP-caliber season of designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who led the team in every notable offensive stat category, they now await the winner of the National League Wildcard Series between the Atlanta Braves and their division rival San Diego Padres. The Angels, meanwhile, set a new franchise record for most losses in a season with 99 in their first season without Shohei Ohtani. Their other star, five-tool outfielder Mike Trout, once again missed a considerable portion of the season due to injury. The Halos will now have the offseason to reassess and figure out how to put a winning team together in 2025.
Today on AirTalk, we convene the Triple Play of Larry Mantle, former LAist All Things Considered Host Nick Roman, and NPR Morning Edition Host A Martinez to look ahead to the path the Dodgers will have to travel to reach the World Series. We’ll also hear their thoughts on what the Angels need to get right to be competitive next year.
California's 27th Congressional District: Democratic challenger George Whitesides
Democrat George Whitesides, a former chief of staff for NASA under the Obama administration and former CEO of Virgin Galactic, is taking on Republican incumbent Mike Garcia for California's 27th congressional seat. District 27 includes the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, and Lancaster, and parts of the northwestern San Fernando Valley in the city of Los Angeles. Can Republicans maintain their majority in the House? This race is a critical component in determining that. Whitesides joins Larry to talk about his policies and more.
As of the airing of this broadcast, Representative Mike Garcia, who currently represents California's 27th Congressional District, has not responded to multiple requests from AirTalk to either participate in a debate with George Whitesides or to join Larry Mantle for a one-on-one interview. AirTalk welcomes the opportunity to speak with Rep. Garcia at his convenience and will continue to try and make contact with his campaign.
What is a bond? Why am I always being asked to vote for one?
This fall, dozens of school districts throughout Southern California are asking voters to approve billions of dollars in bonds to repair and renovate aging campuses. In L.A. County: 27 school districts are seeking $15 billion. In Orange County: 10 school districts are seeking $2 billion. School districts rely on voters to approve statewide and local bonds to pay for repairs, renovations, and new construction. A bond is basically a loan that a school district takes out, and which property owners in that school district pay back through an increase in property taxes. The size of the bond and the resulting change in property taxes varies from district to district, but these requests all exist in the context of a school facilities funding system that’s failed to meet some schools' needs for decades. Joining us today on AirTalk to dive further into how bonds work and why we’re voting for them is LAist K-12 senior reporter Mariana Dale.
Read the full LAist story here.
What might tonight’s VP debate mean for the presidential campaign as a whole?
Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz will meet tonight in the lone vice presidential debate of the 2024 election, bringing together undercards who have spent two months going after each other and the opposing nominees who top the major-party tickets. The matchup, hosted by CBS News in New York, might not carry the same stakes as the Sept. 10 debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. But it offers their top lieutenants a fresh opportunity to introduce themselves, vouch for their bosses and fulfill a time-honored role of a running mate: attack dog. It will involve the biggest television and online audience either No. 2 will see before Election Day.
Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by Azi Paybarah, national reporter for the Washington Post covering campaigns, to talk about what we can expect from the VP debate and how it may affect the presidential campaigns moving forward.
With files from the Associated Press
NPR’s ‘How Women Made Music’ chronicles the ladies of pop who have defined genres and eras
In 2017, NPR launched a series called Turning the Tables, which sought to cast the way we view the popular music canon in a different, more inclusive light. So much of the traditionally-told story of pop music's history and evolution centers on the contributions of white men, but the reality is that pop music would not be what it is today without the contributions of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ artists. In their new book How Women Made Music, writer Alison Fensterstock and NPR music critic Ann Powers, who co-founded the Turning the Tables series, affix their gaze on the lives of the women who are synonymous with defining their genres -- from superstars to lesser-known musicians.
Today on AirTalk, Larry Mantle speaks with Alison and Ann about their new book.
Alison Fensterstock will be in conversation with NPR's Mandalit del Barco and a panel of special contributors on Saturday, October 19th at 2 p.m. at NPR West in Culver City. It's free to attend but you'll need to RSVP -- you can do so here.
