Latest From Ukraine As Russian Forces Continues To Attack
Russia widened its offensive in Ukraine on Friday, striking airfields in the west and an industrial city in the east, while the huge armored column that had been stalled for over a week outside Kyiv was on the move again, spreading out into forests and towns near the capital.
Meanwhile, diplomatic talks between both nations continue, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating they’ve “reached a strategic turning point.” Last week we spoke with resident of Ukraine Patricia Schmorhun Hawrylyshyn as she evacuated Kyiv and today she joins us for an update on her status as the war continues.
You can find out more about Patricia's humanitarian organization here. With files from the Associated Press
Politico: Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley Investigating Whistleblower Complaints Against Garcetti, Could Delay Nomination
Politico reported on Thursday that Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is considering delays to Eric Garcetti’s nomination as U.S. ambassador to India as he investigates whether L.A.’s mayor ignored alleged sexual misconduct allegations against a former top advisor. In a letter, Grassley says his office has been in contact with people who “have not previously spoken to the Foreign Relations Committee, and are presenting new allegations that must be fully investigated.”
The allegations involve Garcetti’s longtime associate, Rick Jacobs, who is the target of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against the city of Los Angeles by a former members of Garcetti’s security detail, LAPD Officer Matthew Garza. Garza says Jacobs routinely forced unwanted touching by hugging, grabbing his biceps, and massaging his shoulders – and subjected him to crude jokes and explicit descriptions of sexual topics. Garza says Jacobs’ behavior was often in the presence of the Mayor, who allegedly did nothing to stop the harassment. In a deposition last year, a former communications director for the Mayor also testified that Garcetti’s former chief of staff attempted to warn him about inappropriate behavior by Jacobs, but Garcetti would not take action. The Mayor and some of his top city hall staff have denied under oath that they saw or heard Jacobs act inappropriately.
President Biden nominated Garcetti to be the next ambassador to India last summer. He testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December, and the panel approved his confirmation last month. It still requires a majority vote by the full Senate. Today on AirTalk, we get the latest from Megan Wilson, reporter for POLITICO who broke the story.
With files from LAist
Mayor Garcetti’s Office provided the following statement to KPCC: “Repeating a malicious falsehood will never turn a lie into the truth. The Mayor has testified under oath multiple times, including before the U.S. Senate, and stands by his testimony unequivocally: he absolutely did not witness nor was he informed of any of the behavior being alleged. The Mayor has spent the better part of his life advocating aggressively on this issue and had he been aware of any such behavior, he absolutely would have acted to stop it.”
Triple Play: Major League Baseball’s Lockout Ends; Opening Day Set For April 7
Major League Baseball’s lockout ended Thursday when a divided players’ association voted to accept management’s offer to salvage a 162-game season. Owners approved the five-year labor contract with a 30-0 vote; the Major League Baseball Players Association’s executive board voted 26-12. Training camps in Florida and Arizona will open Friday, and the mandatory reporting date is Sunday. Exhibition games will begin March 17 or 18, and opening day will be April 7, a little more than a week behind the original date of March 31. The regular season will be extended by three days to Oct. 5 to make sure all regular season games can be played. About three games per team will be made up as doubleheaders.
The deal includes several major changes to the sport: A universal designated hitter, an expanded postseason and measures to disincentivize “tanking.” Playoffs will expand from 10 to 12 teams, with two division winners receiving first-round byes and the remaining four teams in a best-of-three wild card round in each league. The deal allows teams to have advertising on uniforms and helmets for the first time, and could lead to a pitch clock and limits on defensive shifts in 2023.
Today on AirTalk, we reconvene The Triple Play to discuss all the details of the new deal, and celebrate the impending return of baseball! Larry is joined by Nick Roman, host of “All Things Considered” on KPCC, and A Martinez, host of “Morning Edition” and “Up First” on NPR.
With files from the Associated Press
Over A Century Later, Shackleton’s Famed Shipwreck Is Discovered In A Historic Polar Expedition
Endurance, the ship that was meant to transport Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew across the South Pole to the Antarctic in a first-of-its-kind voyage, has been discovered in the depths of the ocean over a century after sinking. For two weeks, a team of marine archeologists, engineers, and other scientists operating under the expedition name Endurance22 combed the bottom of the Weddell Sea looking for the wooden boat. The moment of discovery was one of disbelief for the crew of over 100 scientists. Images and video of the sunken vessel show the three-masted wooden ship in pristine condition, with gold-leaf letters still reading “Endurance” across the stern and the ship’s lacquered wooden helm still standing upright, as if the captain may return to steer it at any time. Sir Earnest Shackleton was a British explorer who set out to achieve the first land crossing of Antarctica. His journey began in 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. The Endurance never reached land after being trapped in thick sheets of ice, forcing Shackleton and his crew to abandon the ship. Before the ship sank, Captain Frank Worsley marked down their coordinates and based on those same numbers the crew of Endurance22 set out to find the shipwreck over a hundred years later.
“This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen,” said Mensun Bound, the director of the exploration. The ship is protected as a historic monument under the Antarctic Treaty that is intended to protect the region’s environment.
Today on AirTalk, we speak with biographer of Sir Ernest Shackleton and an authority on Polar exploration Michael Smith who wrote the book Shackleton – By Endurance We Conquer. We are also joined by Luther College (Iowa) professor and marine archeologist Dan Davis.
With files from the Associated Press
FilmWeek: ‘Turning Red,’ ‘The Adam Project,’ ‘Ultrasound’ And More
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Wade Major, Amy Nicholson and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms. Plus, we preview the Annie Awards, which take place Saturday, March 12 at 7 p.m Pacific Time. Also on the show, KPCCs John Horn speaks with director Amy Poehler about her new documentary “Lucy and Desi,” which is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.
You can stream the Annie Awards live here.
- “Turning Red,” The El Capitan Theatre; Streaming on Disney Plus
- "The Adam Project,” Streaming on Netflix; In select theaters, including Cinemark 18 & XD (West LA) & Century Huntington Beach & XD
- "The Last Mountain," VOD on March 15
- "Ultrasound,” Laemmle’s Glendale Theater; VOD
- "Last Exit: Space," Streaming on Discovery Plus
- “Gold,” In select theaters, including Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 (Pasadena), Laemmle’s Glendale & Laemmle’s NoHo 7 (North Hollywood)
- “Offseason,” The Alamo Drafthouse (DTLA) & Laemmle’s Monica Film Center (Santa Monica); VOD
- “All My Friends Hate Me,” The Landmark Theatre (West LA) & Laemmle’s NoHo 7 (North Hollywood); VOD on March 25
Amy Poehler On Directing ‘Lucy And Desi’ And How Hollywood Has Evolved Since The Couple’s Heyday
The 1950s sitcom “I Love Lucy” starring Lucille Ball and her real life husband at the time Desi Arnaz ran for six seasons. The couple’s story has been brought to the screen not once but twice within the last several months. First with Aaron Sorkin’s dramatization “Being The Ricardos” and now the documentary “Lucy and Desi” directed by Amy Poehler. KPCC’s John Horn talked with Poehler about the film, which is on Amazon Prime Video now.