The LA Report

What's happening today: By 3-0 vote, the State Commission confirms first Latina to California's Supreme Court; L.A. Council approves pilot program that would provide menstrual products at some public libraries; J.P. Morgan Chase giving $5M grant to support L.A. street vendors; New report confirms L.A. has the worst air quality in U.S.; Academy Awards Best Cinematography preview;

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Here's your morning news: LAUSD mask mandate may be dropped on Wednesday; L.A. County will lift vaccine requirement for indoor mega events on April 1; Funding for COVID response running low; Unionized supermarket workers to hold strike vote; Bay Area Chevron workers striking over safety concerns and salary increases; Disney LGBTQ employees plan full day walkout over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill; Lumber-carrying freight train derails in San Bernardino County; U.S. monitoring China's response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict; March Madness round two; The Batman film is top earner of 2022 so far.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

What's happening today: City of L.A. is suing vacation rental platform HomeAway for violating short term rental ordinances; COVID hospitalizations continue to drop as fast-spreading Omicron variant looms; Union for supermarket workers to vote on strike if contract talks stall; What to watch for at Sunday's Academy Awards show.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Here's your morning news: L.A. Marathon winners; Three hospitalized after sheriff's helicopter crash; LAUSD reaches tentative agreement with teachers' union to end indoor mask mandates in schools; Disney's LGBTQ employees call on company to take action against Florida's parental rights bill; North Hollywood strip club dancers demand better working conditions; Lack of rain has state officials tightening nozzle on water deliveries.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

What's happening today: State water agency announces for third straight year districts will receive less water; Was that sneeze seasonal allergies or COVID?; Marking the second anniversary of L.A.'s first COVID stay-at-home order; Health officials advise taking precautions while watching the L.A. Marathon.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

In this Sunday edition: Russian forces kept up their assault on Ukraine on Monday, firing on suburbs around the capital of Kyiv and attacking other cities, even as the two countries held another round of diplomatic talks, which ended without a breakthrough. The fighting, now in its third week, is taking a toll on Ukraine’s civilian population, killing thousands and forcing over 2 million people to flee the country. As Putin continues his relentless campaign to seize Ukraine, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague is closely monitoring the invasion and preparing to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity, if and when it comes to that. While there is mounting evidence pointing to Russia’s attack on Ukraine as a “crime of aggression,” which has been recognized as a war crime since 2018, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan says the court does not have jurisdiction over that crime in Russia or Ukraine as neither country is among the court’s 123 member states. The only way the court could get jurisdiction over the crime of aggression is if the United Nations Security Council calls on the ICC to investigate. But, Khan says, other war crimes carried out in Ukraine may still be under the court’s jurisdiction.

This week on AirTalk, Larry Mantle spoke with the director of the War Crimes Research Office at American University’s Washington College of Law, Susana SáCouto.

Then: Some LA residents have loved ones in both Russia and Ukraine. They say while relatives in Ukraine have experienced bombings and violence, some relatives in Russia don't believe it — instead believing falsehoods disseminated by the state-controlled media.
This week, our immigration reporter Leslie Berenstein Rojas met with some local families to discuss the issue.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

In this weekend edition: Trying to make and maintain friendships as an adult can be hard; trying to do it during a global pandemic is a whole other feat. The past two years have disrupted our lives in many ways, including our close friendships. Between lockdowns, canceled events, and social distancing, many of us found ourselves physically apart from our closest friends when we needed them most. Some of us gradually drifted away from friends we had once been close to, while other friends became lifelines of support during times of grief and loss. Friendship experts see the pandemic as a time that has tested our closest bonds, reminding us that it’s normal for friendships to end. They also emphasize the importance of being seen by a close few, not just for our self-esteem but also for our mental wellbeing. Like a good diet or regular exercise routine, studies show that a healthy friendship can reduce levels of stress and even boost our cognitive health. As the restrictions of the pandemic lift and we begin to attend public events and re-enter social spaces, how do we go about building new friendships? And for the pre-pandemic friendships we already have, how do we strengthen their bond?

This week on AirTalk, guest host Kyle Stokes spoke with a leading expert on friendships and author of the book “Frientimacy – How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness,” Shasta Nelson about how the pandemic tested our friendships and some ways we can restore them.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Here's your morning news: ACLU and other groups accuse Sheriff Villanueva of intimidating the families of those shot by deputies; Long Beach Unified announces changes to school start times; UCLA advances in March Madness tournament; The NBA may get its first orthodox Jewish player; Arnold Schwarzenegger is debunking Russian misinformation; Best Picture Oscar nominations; 

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.