Listeners share how the war with Iran is impacting loved ones still in the Middle East

Listeners share how the war with Iran is impacting loved ones still in the Middle East

The U.S. and Israel’s joint war against Iran has already upended travel across the Middle East, stranding hundreds of thousands of people. And the future is anything but certain. Experts stress that flights scheduled in the coming days and weeks could continue to see disruptions — causing ripple effects globally, especially as the war widens with retaliatory strikes in the Gulf states. Beyond the Middle East, airports in the Gulf serve as critical hubs connecting travelers going to Europe, Africa and Asia. Amid airspace closures across the region, many carriers have been forced to either cancel flights or shift to longer routes. That’s straining operating costs and ticket prices, both of which could become more expensive if airlines have to pay more for fuel the longer the war drags on. In the near future, experts recommend postponing unnecessary travel if possible, checking refund or insurance policies and, most importantly, monitoring safety advisories. Today on AirTalk, we hear from listeners who have loved ones being affected by travel restrictions or who are being directly affected by the war. If that’s you, call in at 866-893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.

If you or someone you know requires assistance in departing an impacted area in the Middle East, you can fill out this form or call the State Department’s international hotline at +1-202-501-4444.

With files from the Associated Press.

The wine industry sure does have a lot going on right now

There’s nothing quite like a good bottle of wine, especially when that wine is made from grapes grown right here in the golden state. Sure, we’re a little biased towards California wine on AirTalk, but for a long stretch there, a lot of the world was. But recent events have led to the world souring not just on California wine, but wine from the states overall. The Wine Institute, which represents the interests of the U.S. industry, estimates that Canadian province bans on wine from the U.S. cost our industry $357 Million last year. At the same time, the wine industry is facing uncertainty from an evolving tariff landscape, changing consumer habits, and a young generation that’s just not as into drinking as their older peers. Today on AirTalk, we check in on the wine industry with Honore Comfort, Vice President of International Marketing at Wine Institute, a wine public policy advocacy association.

Posthumous music: Last gift to fans or a cynical cash grab?

It seems like deceased artists have never been more prolific, with notable releases from The Beatles, Mac Miller, and Juice WRLD, to name a few. Some are received as cynical cash grabs by artists’ estates while others are met with critical acclaim and fan appreciation. Guest host Jacob Margolis is joined by Jesse Dorris, a freelance journalist, critic, and DJ at WFMU in Jersey City to discuss the strategy, ethics, and adoration behind posthumous releases. We want to hear from you: what posthumous releases have you enjoyed the most? Call AirTalk at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com and let us know.

The battle for Voter ID comes to California

A proposed initiative to require Californians to show identification every time they vote has gained enough support to qualify for the November ballot. It still is waiting on signature verification by election officials, but it comes at a time of growing distrust of the election process that has been intensified by President Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. The measure would also require all mail ballots to have an ID number and election officials to verify the citizenship of every voter. Proponents of voter ID contend that these laws prevent election fraud and prevent non-citizens from voting. The opposition says it will disenfranchise communities of color, elderly voters and those with disabilities. Joining us this morning is Lindsey Holden, political reporter for POLITICO and Christian Grose, professor of political science at USC.

Following early primaries, we check in on the Republican party entering the midterms

We’ve reached the first major domino in this midterm year, with early primary voting happening in Texas and North Carolina. Earlier this week, two high-profile races stood out on the Republican side of things – with Congressman Dan Crenshaw losing his primary challenge, and Senator John Cornyn going into a runoff to dictate whether he’ll face off against Democrat James Talarico. Although the smoke is still settling, Republican voters seem to be in a tug of war over what direction they’re looking to take their party during this second term for President Donald Trump. Joining us to get into the current state of the national Republican party is Andrew Howard, politics reporter at POLITICO. We’ll also receive analysis on this, as well as the current California gubernatorial candidates garnering attention on the Republican side of things, with political consultant Mike Madrid.

TV Talk: ‘Rooster,’ ‘Marshalls,’ ‘Vladimir’ and many more!

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching withfreelance TV critics Kristen Baldwin and Steve Greene.

TV SHOWS

• Rooster [Season 1] (HBO MAX)
• Marshals [Season 1] (CBS, Paramount+)
• Vladimir [Limited Series] (Netflix)
• Portobello [Limited Series] (HBO MAX)
• Beyond the Gates [Season 2] (Paramount+)
• Murder Trial of Kouri Richins (YouTube)