Nithya Raman on her campaign to be the next mayor of Los Angeles

Nithya Raman on her campaign to be the next mayor of Los Angeles

The Los Angeles mayor's race is shaping up to be a doozy, with the late announcement by City Councilmember Nithya Raman that she’ll challenge her longtime ally, incumbent Karen Bass. The next mayor will face enormous challenges, including the continuing rebuilding efforts from the Palisades Fire, the ongoing homelessness crisis and preparations for the 2028 Olympics. Nithya Raman, 44, is in her second term on the L.A. City Council, representing District 4, which stretches from Silver Lake to Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley. She was born in India and moved to the U.S. with her family when she was 6 years old. She joins Larry this morning to talk about her decision to run, and what she hopes to accomplish if she lands the job.

With files from LAist.

On the 4th anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a look at where things stand

Today marks the 4th anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which kicked off a conflict that has roiled the region, Europe, and the broader world. Years of war and neglect have saddled many occupied cities in eastern Ukraine with serious problems in supplying heat, electricity and water. For non-occupied regions, power outages, acute labor shortages due to mobilization and war-related migration, security risks, declining purchasing power and complicated logistics have made daily life a challenge. The U.S. has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a deal to end the four‑year war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters, as Russian strikes on energy infrastructure forced nuclear power plants to cut output on Saturday. If the June deadline is not met, the Trump administration will likely put pressure on both sides to meet it, he added. Putin’s key goals remain what he declared when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must renounce joining NATO, sharply reduce the size of its army and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit. Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four eastern regions Moscow has occupied but doesn’t fully control. Zelenskyy says Ukraine won’t surrender land to Russia. Today on AirTalk, we look at the latest on peace talks and life on the ground with Andrew Kramer, Kyiv bureau chief for The New York Times, and Brian Taylor, professor of political science at Syracuse University.

With files from the Associated Press.

What are the misconceptions and stigma behind Tourette's?

The British Academy Film Awards and BBC apologized Monday for a racial slur that was broadcast during Sunday’s show while two stars of the film Sinners were onstage. The Tourette syndrome campaigner who shouted the slur said he was “deeply mortified” and what he said was “not a reflection of my personal beliefs.” Tourette syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder, is characterized by sudden, involuntary movements or sounds called tics that tend to wax and wane but can worsen with excitement or anxiety, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The Tourette Association of America says about 10-15% of people with the syndrome experience a kind of vocal tic called coprolalia — involuntary swearing, slurs, or other socially unacceptable words or phrases. Today on AirTalk, we get an overview of the BAFTA incident and also learn about Tourette's syndrome. We are joined by Gwilym Mumford, culture editor for The Guardian’s Saturday Magazine, and John Piacentini, pediatric psychologist and professor in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a family member or loved one who has Tourette syndrome? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com

With files from the Associated Press.

SCOTUS decided Trump’s global tariffs were illegal. What’s next for California’s economy?

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants a global tariff of 15%, up from 10% he had announced a day earlier after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many of the far-reaching taxes on imports that he had imposed over the last year. Trump’s announcement on social media was the latest sign that, despite the court’s check on his powers, the Republican president still intends to ratchet up tariffs in an unpredictable way. The court’s decision on Friday struck down tariffs that Trump had imposed on nearly every country using an emergency powers law. Trump now said he will use a different, albeit more limited, legal authority. He’s already signed an executive order enabling him to bypass Congress and impose a 10% tax on imports from around the world, starting on Tuesday, the same day as his State of the Union speech. However, those tariffs are limited to 150 days unless they are extended legislatively. Today on AirTalk, we get the latest on what is happening with tariffs with Levi Sumagaysay, economy reporter for CalMatters, and Kevin Klowden, a fellow at the Milken Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank with a focus on financial, physical, mental, and environmental health based in Santa Monica.

With files from the Associated Press.

Disappearances capture our imagination and unsettle us. Nancy Guthrie’s case is no different.

We’ve always been fascinated by disappearances, it seems. Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, and now Nancy Guthrie – all three are mysteries in their own right that still live on in public imagination as unsolved cases. Why are disappearances so riveting? What is stirred up in us? Joining us this morning on AirTalk is LA Times columnist Patt Morrison, whose recent piece is titled “Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa and Nancy Guthrie: How notable disappearances captivate and unsettle us.”

What was it like to move because of your spouse's work?

Sometimes the dream job that will take you further along in your career is clear across the country, and you'll have to move. As a single person, the only person the decision to move will impact is yourself. But when you're married, that dream job means upending your partner's social, working, and personal life. Ideally you both have an open and honest conversation about the decision and come to a mutual agreement you both can understand and be okay with. But planning is one thing, and actually living and trying to work in an entirely new environment is another. Lori Gottlieb, a psychotherapist and best-selling author of a memoir about her work as a therapist, recently tackled this complex situation in her latest New York Times column, I Relocated for My Wife, and Now I’m Miserable. What Should I Do? She joins AirTalk this morning to share her guidance. Of course, we'll need some people who need guidance -- and that's where you come in! Did you move for your spouse's work? Are you considering moving because of their work? What are your thoughts? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.