The US launched an airstrike against Islamic militants in northern Iraq this morning, less than a day after President Obama authorized limited military action against Islamic militants ISIL. Also, the World Health Organization has declared West Africa’s Ebola epidemic is an international public health emergency. Then, it's FilmWeek on AirTalk!
US begins Iraq airstrikes
The US launched an airstrike against Islamic militants in northern Iraq this morning, less than a day after President Obama authorized limited military action against Islamic militants ISIL, which began advancing across Iraq since June.
The Pentagon said two F/A-18 jet fighters dropped laser-guided bombs on a target near Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan where a US Consulate and a handful of military advisers are based. ISIL has been moving toward Erbil in recent days.
The bombing is the first major American military operation in Iraq since troop withdrawal in 2011.
On Thursday, President Obama authorized airstrikes in Iraq to protect American personnel in Erbil and across Iraq. He also authorized humanitarian food drops to help thousands of Iraqis that have been driven into the mountains in the city of Sinjar in northwest Iraq.
Guests:
Eric M Davis, Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and past director of the University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies. He keeps the blog, The New Middle East and has written extensively about ISIS and Iraq
Geoffrey Corn, Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel and a veteran Army prosecutor
Ebola outbreak classified as an international public health emergency
The World Health Organization has declared West Africa’s Ebola epidemic is an international public health emergency. A spike in cases over the past two days has overwhelmed the region -- 1,779 people have been infected so far, and 961 have died. This years outbreak is the worst in Ebola’s 40-year tracking history. Aid organizations and doctors in West Africa blame the rapid spread of misinformation and fear about Ebola -- one crucial step in slowing and stopping the spread of the virus is education. Many of the countries where Ebola is most dangerous are ill-equipped to handle the virus. In the U.S., where two Americans with the disease have been sent for treatment, preventative measures and better hospital resources are better able to handle infectious diseases.
What are the next steps in slowing the spread of Ebola? How should people in West Africa handle the virus? What do people in the U.S. and global travelers need to know about the disease?
Guest:
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.,. Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The dangerous job of law enforcement officers patrolling roadways
The LA District Attorney is investigating a crash involving an LA County Sheriff Deputy who fatally struck a bicyclist on Mulholland Drive last year. Records show the deputy, Andrew Francis Wood, might have been texting at or around the time he hit Milton Olin, Jr., 65. Police officers are exempt from California’s ban on texting and driving, but only in emergency situations. Patrol-car computers and radios also demand officers’ attention, but they are given advanced driving safety training known as EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Courses).
How do police and other first responders manage the demands of communications and driving? Should the rules that govern them be just as strict as those for civilians or can they use their discretion to know what is and is not safe?
Guest:
J.P. Molnar, former Nevada state trooper who has been teaching EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Courses) since 1991; Law Officer Magazine's "Cruiser Corner" columnist
Filmweek: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “What If,” “The Hundred Foot Journey” and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Peter Rainer and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “What If,” “The Hundred Foot Journey” and more. TGI-Filmweek!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:
What If:
The Hundred Foot Journey:
Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and LA Weekly
Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and the Christian Science Monitor
Charles Solomon, animation film critic for KPCC and author and historian for amazon.com
Foodie film buffs starved for culinary cinema
“The Hundred-Foot Journey” opens Friday starring Helen Mirren as a French chef who clashes with a young Indian chef played by Manish Dayal.
Also taking center stage are tantalizing shots of beef stews, spiced curries and sweet crepes. Thanks to the success of The Food Network, audiences have come to expect a gastronomic experience when the camera enters a kitchen.
Surprisingly few films in the current fare are capitalizing on the foodie culture. “Julie and Julia,” “Chef,” and the forthcoming “Adam Jones” are part of a very short list in recent years.
Why aren’t there more? What are your most memorable foodie movies or even the best cooking scenes?
Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and LA Weekly
Peter Rainer, film critic for KPCC and the Christian Science Monitor
Click on "Listen Now" above to hear this segment.