Ukraine gambled on an incursion deep into Russian territory. The move changed the battlefield

Ukrainian forces pushed on with their major cross-border advance into Russia’s Kursk region for a second week Wednesday, claiming that they took more ground, captured more Russian prisoners and destroyed a bomber in attacks on military airfields. After the first signs of progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke his silence and spelled out Kyiv’s daily advances to his war-weary public. By Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said they controlled 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of enemy territory, including at least 74 settlements and hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. What is clear is that the incursion has changed the battlefield. The attack also risked aggravating Ukraine’s own weaknesses by extending the front line and committing new troops at a time when military leaders are short on manpower. Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss the incursion and provide and overall update on the war in Ukraine is Kateryna Malofieieva, freelance reporter covering the war in Ukraine based in Kyiv and Paul D’Anieri, professor of political science and public policy at UC Riverside.

With files from the Associated Press

Paramount announces layoffs, closing of TV studio as it prepares for Skydance merger

There’s a new sheriff in town at Paramount following Skydance Media’s purchase of the company earlier this summer, and changes are already taking effect as it prepares for the new ownership regime to take over. Earlier this week, Paramount Global announced that Paramount Television Studios, which made shows like Amazon Prime’s Reacher and Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, would be closing down at the end of this week and that affected employees would begin to be notified this week and through the end of the year. It’s part of a larger effort by the company to reduce operating costs by half a billion dollars and reduce its U.S.-based workforce by 15 percent.

Today on Airtalk, The Ankler’s Sean McNulty joins Larry to talk about what’s been going on at Paramount since the merger with Skydance Media was announced.

The history of Hanna-Barbera and the iconic cartoon characters they created

As a kid, Saturday meant much more than just a day with no school. It also meant spending the better part of the morning in front of the television watching cartoons like The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and Scooby-Doo. The studio responsible for such classics was Hanna-Barbera Productions. Hanna-Barbera was founded in 1957 by former MGM Studio animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The pair were best known for creating the popular Tom and Jerry shorts. Through 1958 to 2001 (when Hanna-Barbera became absorbed by Warner Bros.) their cartoons dominated weekend mornings for households across the United States. Although Saturday morning cartoons have become a thing of the past, the iconic characters created by the animation studio have lived on in film adaptations, reboots, and spinoffs.

Today on AirTalk, we're joined by Greg Ehrbar, author of the new book “Hanna-Barbera: The Recorded History From Modern Stone Age to Meddling Kids,” to talk about the lasting legacy the animation giant has had not only on cartoons but popular culture.

How Los Angeles World Airports is working to address concerns about ride hailing at LAX

Earlier this week on AirTalk, we spoke to LA Times reporter Colleen Shelby and listeners about their experiences with LAX’s current ride-hailing system. Shelby joined us following the reporting she did on the subject, with a major takeaway surrounding the confusion folks had with the area dedicated to the airport’s ride-hailing system. Helping to offer insights into the current systems, and what’s being done to address concerns, is Dave Reich, Deputy Executive Director of Mobility Planning and Strategy at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

What we can expect from next week's Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention starts next week. Vice President Kamala Harris will be formally introduced as the democratic nominee alongside her VP pick Tim Walz. Harris already has about 93 percent of the democratic party's vote, but there remains a small pool of undecided voters that she may hope to turn towards her side this coming week. The convention may also help Harris define herself as a presidential candidate, separate from the Biden administration, and really solidify the policies she is campaigning on.

Today on AirTalk, we're joined by Mara Liasson, senior national political correspondent for NPR, and Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies, to discuss what we can expect from the upcoming DNC and how Harris will use the convention to further position herself as the next president.

TV-talk: ‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Chimp Crazy,’ ‘Bel-Air’ and 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 with Whitney Friedlander, freelance entertainment writer, and Steve Greene, freelance TV critic.

This week’s shows include:

• Emily in Paris [Season 4]
• Chimp Crazy
• Bel-Air [Season 3] 
• The Tyrant 
• Bad Monkey