Afghanistan Reset: What We Know, What We Don’t And What’s Next

Published August 26, 2021 at 9:12 AM PDT

Ways to Subscribe

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content - Volunteers and medical staff unload bodies from a pickup truck outside a hospital after two powerful explosions, which killed at least six people, outside the airport in Kabul on August 26, 2021.

The Latest On Two Deadly Explosions Outside Kabul Airport

Afghanistan Blast (8/26/21)

Two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds massing near the Kabul airport Thursday, in the waning days of a massive airlift that has drawn thousands of people seeking to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. At least 13 people were killed and 15 wounded, Russian officials said.

A U.S. official said the complex attack was “definitely believed” to have been carried out by the Islamic State group, whose affiliate in Afghanistan grew out of disaffected Taliban members who hold an even more extreme view of Islam. At least 13 people died and 15 were wounded, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, which gave the first official casualty count. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also confirmed the blasts, saying one was near an airport entrance and another was a short distance away by a hotel.The U.S. official said members of the U.S. military were among the wounded. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.

Today on AirTalk, Wall Street Journal Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov joins Larry to update us on the latest on what we know and what we don’t.

With files from the Associated Press

DOC AMA: Older Teens See Highest Case Numbers Among Children, LA Unified Reports Classroom Outbreak And More

Covid Update LAUSD Outbreaks (8/26/21)

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Shruti Gohil at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine.

Today’s topics include:

On the front lines, here's what the seven stages of severe COVID-19 look like
Among children, older teens are seeing the highest COVID-19 case rates
LA Unified reports first classroom coronavirus outbreak
With more than 100,000 people in the hospital with COVID-19 in the US, this August is worse than last, expert says
With the Delta variant, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed. Our thinking should too.
Pentagon orders all active and reserve military personnel to be vaccinated
Half of U.S. workers support employee vaccine mandate, new AP poll finds
Doctor challenges UC vaccine mandate, arguing natural immunity

Food Delivery Robots And The Flipside To Automated Workers

Delivery Robots (8/26/21)

Los Angeles is no stranger to new tech, but one little wheeled bot named Coco is raising some new questions about our tech future. You may see the semi-autonomous robots scooting down our sidewalks, delivering burrito lunches and salads from local restaurants. These robots are meant to make food delivery more affordable, efficient and sustainable than car-based delivery services. But they also pose an economic and equity problem for some frontline workers. Today on AirTalk, Larry speaks with Coco co-founder and CEO Zach Rash and Kent Wong, Director of the UCLA Labor Center about the new delivery technology and its impact on workers. You can read more about robotic food delivery in L.A. here.

Note:

You can read more about robotic food delivery in Los Angeles - and its potential impact on workers - on our website, LAist.com. Reporter Ben Mesirow’s article “Food Delivery Robots: Wave of the Future or Scourge of the Worker?” is up now. Just head to the “Food” section.

Afghanistan Reset: What We Know, What We Don’t And What’s Next

Afghanistan Update (8/26/21)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that as many as 1,500 Americans may be awaiting evacuation from Afghanistan, a figure that suggests the U.S. may accomplish its highest priority for the Kabul airlift - rescuing U.S. citizens - ahead of President Joe Biden’s Tuesday deadline.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk to NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre about the latest from Kabul and across Afghanistan, what we know about the ongoing transition of power to the Taliban as well as communication between the Pentagon and Taliban officials.

Chez Panisse Turns 50: How The Berkeley Restaurant Reinvented California Dining

Alice Waters Interview (8/26/21)

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary restaurant Chez Panisse. The Berkeley eatery - and its owner, chef and restaurateur Alice Waters - put California cuisine on the map, accelerated the growth of the farm-to-table movement, and inspired a generation of chefs and foodies. Now, Waters is looking ahead to the next 50 years of California cooking, with the launch of the Alice Waters Institute for Edible Education at UC Davis, focused on feeding communities in healthy and equitable ways. Today on AirTalk, Alice Waters joins Larry to talk about the legacy of Chez Panisse, and the future of food justice.

Recall 101: How Covid-19 Shaped the California Recall

Recall 101 Covid (8/26/21)

The push to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom gained steam as the state’s coronavirus restrictions intensified and the candidates in the recall have made their opposition to those restrictions a focal point of their campaigns. But Governor Newsom is doing the opposite: he’s campaigning heavily on his response to the pandemic and on the vaccine requirements the state has instituted. Today on AirTalk, Wall Street Journal reporter Christine Mai-Duc joins Larry to discuss the different tracks the recall campaigns are taking when it comes to Covid-19.